The girl in blue was Yang Chun, the youngest daughter of Yang Jingzhi, the Minister of Revenue, who was betrothed to Prince Chen.

Unlike most noble ladies in Tokyo who are tall and slender, Yang Chun was petite and delicate. Although she was thin, she was also full and curvaceous in the right places, with a shapely figure. She did not have a striking or glamorous appearance; her features were more delicate and graceful, making her a very pretty and pleasing woman.

Even when she's angry, she still looks incredibly endearing.

She bit her lip and glared at Shen Muyu, her expression a mixture of anxiety and grievance. Seeing this, Madam Yang quickly glanced at the onlookers, adjusted the hairpin at her temple, and softly soothed her, "What did I teach you? How can you be so easily flustered? She's just a concubine, is she really worth losing your composure in public?"

"But she's already pregnant, and I'm getting married to Brother Zhan at the end of the month. If she has a son born out of wedlock at this crucial moment, wouldn't that be a slap in my face?"

Yang Chun was the youngest daughter of the Yang family in this generation, and because of her petite figure and pleasing appearance, she was very much loved in the family. However, Madam Yang was always strict in educating her children, and although she was unhappy, she knew the consequences and did not dare to really lose her temper at the palace banquet.

“A woman carries a child for ten months before giving birth. It’s only been a month now, and whether the baby can be saved is still uncertain. Look how anxious you are.” Madam Yang shook her head, but still felt sorry for her daughter and comforted her, “Don’t worry, as long as your father is still in the position of Minister of Revenue, no one can shake your position as the Princess Consort of Prince Chen. The promises of the Empress and Prince Chen will not be changed.”

Madam Yang glanced at Shen Muyu with a hint of disdain: "She's just a concubine. She's gotten cocky after a few days of being favored. Prince Chen is a womanizer. There are plenty of women like her in the Prince's harem. You'll be the Princess of Chen in the future. If you really take all of this to heart, how can you have a comfortable life?"

Yang Chun seemed to have taken it to heart, but he was still somewhat unhappy and said, "Brother Zhan is good in every way, but he's just a bit too sentimental."

Madam Yang laughed and pinched her cheek: "These are just girlish thoughts. Once you become the mistress of the house, you won't care about these things anymore."

*

Because of the discovery of her pregnancy midway through the banquet, Shen Muyu became the focus of attention at the palace banquet.

Shen Youying watched her chatting and laughing among the women like a star surrounded by the moon. After thinking for a moment, she finally found an opportunity to remind her: "Zhou Zhenrong has a vicious personality. She deliberately revealed your pregnancy at the palace banquet today, probably to let the Yang family know."

Prince Chen and Yang Chun's wedding is scheduled for the end of August. Now that the news of Shen Muyu's pregnancy has been revealed, the Yang family will definitely demand an explanation.

Thinking even deeper, Zhou Zhenrong's audacity in acting so brazenly at the palace banquet might be due to the influence of Empress Zhou Ji and Prince Chen.

To solidify their marriage alliance with the Yang family, they might not actually want this child. It's just that for some unknown reason, Prince Chen has kept Shen Muyu's unborn child until now.

However, even if she told Shen Muyu about these unproven speculations, Shen Muyu might not believe them, and might even think that she had a relationship with Prince Chen in the inner room, so she simply didn't mention it.

Upon hearing this, Shen Muyu twirled a strand of hair behind her ear, glanced at the Yang family's seats, and said with a slight rise in her voice, "Thank you for reminding me, Second Sister, but I suppose you're just wasting your time. No matter how domineering the Yang family is, they can't force His Highness to not want the child in my womb, can they?"

She lowered her eyes, stroked her belly, and smiled slightly, saying, "Your Highness will protect us, mother and child."

Seeing this, Shen Youying knew that she wouldn't listen.

She shook her head and said to Shen Muyu, "Don't place too much hope in vague feelings. Prince Chen may not be reliable." Seeing Shen Muyu's disapproving expression, she added, "I know you won't listen to what I'm saying today. I'm not saying this because I want you to suffer or want to see you make a fool of yourself. It's just because we are sisters after all. Father only has two daughters like us. If something happens to you, he will definitely worry and blame himself."

This was a rare instance of the two sisters having a heart-to-heart talk.

The last time Shen Youying showed such an expression was when the emperor forced her to marry the Prince of Qin.

Shen Muyu stared at her blankly for a moment, then hummed again, lowered her eyes and muttered, "After saying so much, I still don't want to say that Prince Chen is not sincere towards me. But only the person next to you knows best whether a person is good or not."

"Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly."

Shen Youying had no intention of arguing with Shen Muyu about such a pointless topic, and said, "Just remember, if you can't stay in the Chen Prince's Mansion anymore, just go home. There's no hurdle in this world that you can't overcome."

Shen Muyu found her somewhat inexplicable.

But when Shen Youying spoke to her in a rare gentle tone, and seemed to be speaking earnestly for her own good, she couldn't bring herself to say those hurtful words that were stuck in her throat.

Shen Muyu pursed her lips and said perfunctorily, "I know, I know. Anyone who didn't know better would think you're the older sister and I'm the younger sister."

The two had never gotten along, and Shen Youying knew that if she continued talking, they would probably start arguing again, so she stopped talking and went to find Xie Qinglan.

Xie Qinglan was waiting for her not far away. Seeing that she had been talking with Shen Muyu for a long time before coming over, and that she seemed to have some worry in her eyes, Xie Qinglan couldn't help but purse her lips and say, "I bet you went to persuade her again out of kindness, didn't you?"

Shen Youying smiled and pinched her cheek: "You're the smartest."

Xie Qinglan snorted: "If she were a little smarter or more obedient, she wouldn't be with Prince Chen..." Realizing the situation, she swallowed the rest of her sentence: "Anyway, don't waste your time, she won't listen."

Shen Youying knew she couldn't persuade him, but she couldn't just stand by and watch Shen Muyu sink deeper and deeper into this mess.

She shook her head, no longer continuing the topic, and looked at Xie Qinglan mischievously: "Let's not talk about her, let's talk about you. How are things going with Xue Liulang?"

Miss Xie, who had been chattering away just moments before, suddenly became shy, twisting her handkerchief and whispering, "We've already exchanged betrothal gifts, and the marriage is about to be arranged."