Xue Shen pondered for a moment and said, "We still need a spark. We need to find a way to push Prince Shou up the list again and bring up the matter of establishing a crown prince once more." A malicious smile crept across his lips. "Also, we should tell Xue Zhan that Empress Zhou intends to have another child with the Emperor."

He wanted to see if Xue Zhan would go mad after a few more fires.

*

After separating from her mother, Shen Muyu returned to the Chen Prince's Mansion.

Thanks to the Shen family's resurgence, she was finally no longer confined to the Chen Prince's Mansion and could occasionally go out discreetly.

She entered the Prince's mansion through the side gate. As soon as she entered the Banana Garden, she saw Prince Chen sitting ominously inside. Outside, the wind and snow were fierce, and the sky was very dark. He was sitting inside without lighting a lamp. Shen Muyu was startled when she saw the dark figure as soon as she entered.

Seeing her clutching her chest, looking terrified, Prince Chen chuckled sinisterly, "Yu'er went out for a while and doesn't even recognize her own husband?"

Shen Muyu composed herself, quickly put on a smile, and gracefully walked to him. She squatted down, gently pressed her face against his leg, and said softly, "Your Highness, how long have you been sitting here? Why didn't you light a charcoal brazier? If you catch a cold, I'm afraid I'll die of guilt and self-reproach."

Chen Wang squinted at her; half of her burned face was hidden in the shadows, making her look like a ghost in the night.

He touched Shen Muyu's face and asked, "Did you find out anything when you went out today?"

Since his disfigurement, his men, knowing his chances of ascending the throne were gone, have switched sides. Even his mother has become much colder towards him. Now, he has few capable people left and has to rely on Shen Muyu to gather information from the outside world.

Shen Muyu said softly, "There's nothing new happening outside, everyone's talking about the war."

King Chen was not concerned with the war. As long as the Northern Rong did not attack Dongjing, it was none of his business.

"Have you found out any news about Xue Gui?"

When he mentioned his younger brother, whom he used to look down on, he seemed to grit his teeth in anger.

Shen Muyu hesitated, and seeing this, Chen Wang pressed down on the back of her neck with a little force: "What did you find out? Tell me."

Shen Muyu, as if afraid of upsetting him, said softly, "I only heard about it when I was chatting with my second sister. It seems that... the Emperor intends to make Prince Shou the Crown Prince."