The afternoon sun was shining brightly. Song Xibai took a nap, and when she woke up, Song Siyuan had also returned home from the Imperial Hospital.

Song Xibai was startled when she heard voices outside! She thought she had been asleep for a long time, and only when she hurriedly went out of the room did she realize that it was not too late.

"Dad's back so early?"

Song Siyuan gave the Crown Prince an apologetic look, apologized, and then pulled Song Xibai aside to a corner and asked in a low voice.

"I'm asking you, where did all those prank powders you used to use go?"

Song Xibai blinked, looking completely innocent: "Father, I don't know what you're talking about."

Song Siyuan became anxious.

"Why are you pretending with your father? Last time I went to the palace, the Emperor asked me to treat the Consort. I felt something was wrong then. The Consort's symptoms were exactly the same as your itching powder, and her pulse was exactly the same too. Tell your father honestly, is this related to you?"

Song Siyuan was reinstated and returned to the Imperial Hospital without any hindrance. After all, it was a back door opened by the emperor himself, so who would dare to stop him?

Today, Song Siyuan used an excuse to look through the Imperial Concubine's medical records and basically determined what was wrong with her face.

"Oh dear, Father, don't be nervous. This matter is complicated and can't be explained in a short time," Song Xibai reassured her father. "It's rare for His Highness and I to come out together. Father, don't you plan to sit with His Highness and have a drink? I can ask Wei Hong to buy your favorite Qiu Lu Bai!"

A few words were enough to make Song Siyuan forget to ask further questions.

Song Xibai gave the Crown Prince a wink: "Your Highness, my father can't hold his liquor. You'll have to persuade him to drink more later, so he doesn't get too drunk!"

Song Siyuan was displeased, his mustache twitching: "Who said I can't hold my liquor? Your Highness, don't listen to her nonsense."

The Crown Prince then picked up the conversation: "What kind of wine does my father-in-law like? I have a few jars of rare wine that I would like to invite you to taste it with me another day."

Song Siyuan immediately beamed with joy, grabbed the Crown Prince, and began to talk at length about the characteristics of various wines.

Song Xibai breathed a sigh of relief, quietly took two steps back, and prepared to return to her room in the backyard.

But just as he stepped through the small gate, Song Xinian suddenly caught up with him.

"Is what your father asked you true?"

Song Xibai paused in his steps.

"Judging from your evasive manner, it seems to be true. Did the Imperial Concubine offend you?" Song Xinian asked again.

Song Xibai knew she couldn't hide it from her elder brother, so she had no choice but to tell the truth.

"She drugged me first! She wanted to ruin my face. Luckily, I was lucky and didn't use that bottle of floral water. I just fought back."

Song Xinian's eyes flickered: "How dare she, a mere imperial concubine, extend her reach so far as to intrude into your Eastern Palace?"

"That's how it is in the palace; there are spies everywhere, and even the Crown Prince's palace can't avoid it."

Song Xinian pursed her lips: "Then wouldn't you be in constant danger? Why don't you... try to leave the palace? No matter how good His Highness the Crown Prince is to you, he can't be by your side every moment. After all, he is the heir apparent, and once he ascends the throne, the number of people in the harem will only increase."

Song Xibai looked at him in surprise.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

"I just felt a little sorry for you, little sister. You used to be innocent, lively and clever. Although your family wasn't rich, you didn't have to scheme against each other or be wary of this or that."

Song Xinian let out a long sigh.

Song Xibai shook her head firmly.

“Brother, I thought the same thing two months ago, but things are different now. I can’t abandon the child in my belly. Since I’ve decided to accept His Highness the Crown Prince, there’s only one path forward, no turning back. Besides, after these two years, haven’t you figured it out yet? Simply staying out of it won’t protect the family. Father has never offended anyone, but he still gets blamed.”

"I used to despise power. But when my life and livelihood were no longer secure, I realized that what I looked down on actually possessed immense power. Since this power is so readily available, why should I give it up?"

Song Xibai stared intently at her elder brother.

Song Xinian was stunned.

He stared wide-eyed at his sister in disbelief: "Little sister, you..."

"Big brother can't accept that I've changed? But big brother, I'm almost twenty, no longer the little girl you remember who only knew how to be spoiled and mischievous."

Song Xibai's eyes remained clear.

"Don't worry, brother. I won't harm anyone. Father taught us that doctors are duty-bound to save lives and heal the wounded. I won't forget that. But brother, if you don't want to be a doctor anymore, you should think carefully about your future."

Just then, a soft footstep sound came from not far away, and Song Xibai immediately stopped talking and turned to leave.

Song Xinian was left standing there, his eyes lowered in thought for a long time.

After finishing a simple meal, Song Xibai boarded the carriage to return to the palace.

Inside the carriage, she leaned on the crown prince's shoulder, fiddling with the palace sash with her fingers, and suddenly looked up at the crown prince.

"Your Highness, if I ever make a mistake, will you punish me according to palace rules?"

The prince was enjoying the feeling of having a soft woman in his arms when he suddenly heard such a sentence, and it took him a long time to react.

"What do you mean by this, Qingqing?"

Song Xibai sat up straight and looked at him.

"Answer my question first."

The crown prince did not simply say "no" but thought about it seriously before speaking.

"As long as it's not something serious like treason or rebellion, it's fine. I can protect you."

That's a very broad range.

Song Xibai bit her lower lip: "Then, if I said that I don't want anyone else to have your child, would you think I'm vicious?"

"Qingqing, what's wrong with you?"

The Crown Prince finally realized something was wrong, and he sat up straight, grabbed Song Xibai's arm, and stared directly at her.

"Why would you ask that? I said before that you are the only one for me in this life, so how could I let someone else get pregnant?"

"Your Highness, you did not answer my question directly."

Song Xibai tugged at his sleeve, demanding an answer.

The prince smiled and reached out to touch her cheek.

"No. However, you must give me a son, otherwise, I will not be able to answer to my ancestors and the court officials."

Song Xibai relaxed completely, muttering to herself.

"Whether I have a boy or a girl is not up to me..."

Although her voice was soft, the Crown Prince heard it, chuckled, and pulled her into his arms.

"If there really is no son, then there is nothing we can do. Let's find the second son to adopt one! He has many sons, so he won't be reluctant to give one up."

Song Xibai's eyes widened suddenly.

"Your Highness, is that really what you think?"

"This isn't unprecedented. Weren't Emperor Yingzong and Emperor Xiaozong of the previous dynasty also adopted? If you're worried about this, there's no need. There are so many royal children; can't we find a good one? If I hadn't been placed in this position so early, I wouldn't be so anxious about the issue of offspring."