"Your Highness." Song Tangxue had lost a lot of weight due to the long journey, which made her look even more desolate in her plain clothes.

The moment Li Zhaoxian saw Song Tangxue again, he couldn't help but feel his heart flutter. He had been missing her more and more these days, and even her white figure would appear in his dreams.

"Xue'er, you're back."

Song Tangxue got goosebumps all over from this title. What had Li Zhaoxian done to upset her? Why was she smiling so warmly at him? Could it be that something had happened in the Crown Prince’s residence during the few days she was away?

"Please forgive me, Your Highness. I am very tired from the journey and just want to rest for the night. If Your Highness has any questions, please come again tomorrow."

If it were before, Li Zhaoxian would have definitely ridiculed her and wouldn't have let her have her way, but today Li Zhaoxian was very different. She actually agreed and her expression was quite gentle.

"Very well, it was my oversight that I forgot Xue'er needed to rest. I will come again tomorrow."

Song Tangxue looked uneasy. Could this be a dream? It couldn't be; Li Zhaoxian wouldn't appear in her dreams.

Never mind, we'll talk about it tomorrow.

Peixi has been receiving a lot of disdain these past few days, as if she has returned to the way she was when she was unwelcome in the womb. Many maids roll their eyes at her, and they have even heard what they say behind her back.

“Look at Pei Xi now, how destitute she is. She used to have the nerve to swagger in front of me. I knew His Highness couldn’t love her forever.”

"His Highness only treated him as a plaything. Now that he's tired of him, he'll naturally discard him. He's just a maid anyway, yet he dares to dream of becoming a phoenix on a branch. Doesn't he even look in the mirror and see if he's worthy?"

"Now look what's happened, even His Highness the Crown Prince doesn't want to talk to her anymore. Look at her forlorn appearance, it's clear that His Highness only likes the Crown Princess."

Pei Xi secretly kept these words in mind. If she were to regain favor one day, she would not let these people off the hook. They were just a bunch of opportunists. When she was in power, they all fawned over her. Now that she had only temporarily lost power, they started kicking her when she was down.

She still has someone she can rely on. It is said that the Crown Princess has returned. She gave her the medicine back then, so she will definitely stand by her side.

Pei Xi rushed over, but was stopped by the maid standing outside: "Her Highness is resting now, you must not barge in!"

Peixi was extremely anxious and didn't care about anything else. She shouted at the door, "Your Majesty, Peixi has something to say to you. Please let me in!"

The maid hadn't expected there to be such a person. She had already said that her mistress was resting, yet she, as a servant, still dared to disturb her mistress's sleep.

"Get out of here now..."

Before the maid could finish speaking, she was interrupted by a voice from inside: "Let her in."

Pei Xi rushed in impatiently. Song Tangxue was already dressed and sitting in front of the mirror. It seemed that she wouldn't be able to rest today. Everyone was coming to see her. Did they really think she was easy to bully?

"Speak, what is it that you've come to see me in such a hurry?"

"Your Highness, please save this servant!" Pei Xi knelt down with a thud. "His Highness the Crown Prince always ignores me. No matter how much I try to please him, he always turns a blind eye. Does Your Highness have any other way?"

Song Tangxue chuckled. This Pei Xi was really interesting. She couldn't even grasp a man's heart, yet she had the nerve to come and complain to her.

"I am the Crown Princess, do you think I should teach you how to seduce His Highness the Crown Prince? You've gone too far! I could easily send someone to beat you to death!"

Pei Xi was stunned. Song Tangxue's reaction was different from what she had expected. Shouldn't she be on her side? Otherwise, why would she have given her that medicine a few days ago?

"Your Highness, you mustn't leave me to die! I was able to get into His Highness's bed thanks to you..."

"Absurd!" Song Tangxue shouted. "Even if you told others that I had helped you climb into the Crown Prince's bed, do you think anyone would believe you?"

I used to think Pei Xi was a smart person, but now it seems she's just a fool and not worth using. Song Tang Li is quite cunning; she used to be able to manipulate everyone, which proves she's a ruthless character. I'm not surprised at all that Song Tang Li has regained favor.

"If you have nothing else to do, you may go back now. I am tired and need to rest."

Song Tangxue rested her left hand on her forehead and slowly closed her eyes.

Pei Xi refused to leave. This was her last chance. Even Song Tangxue wouldn't help her. She was doomed and could only be a palace maid, never to meet Li Zhaoxian again.

Zhu Nanmen had taught her many methods for seducing men, but they were all ineffective now. His Highness the Crown Prince had listened to someone's slander and avoided her like the plague.

Upon hearing that Song Tangxue had just returned, His Highness the Crown Prince rushed to visit her. Wen Sizhi must have feelings for Song Tangxue. If she could put in a good word for him with His Highness...

"Peixi," Song Tangxue suddenly spoke, and Peixi was overjoyed, thinking that she was going to agree to her request. "In this mansion, only by relying on yourself can you go far. Why should I help you?"

She only wanted to make things difficult for Li Zhaoxian by getting her into bed with him, not wanting them to have too much of a good time. It was purely out of her own perverse sense of humor, but that doesn't mean she has to do anything for Peixi.

"Your Majesty, are you really not going to help me...?"

Seeing that Song Tangxue did not answer her question, Peixi felt a sense of desolation.

After a good night's sleep, Song Tangxue arrived at the Left Prime Minister's residence feeling refreshed. Xie Qianzhong was dealing with a headache from handling official documents. He had just returned to the capital when the Emperor dumped a pile of memorials on him, saying that as the Left Prime Minister of the country, he should naturally share the burden of the nation.

This emperor is nothing but a figurehead; everything else is done for him by his ministers. It's hard to say how long he can hold the throne.

"If you're tired, you should rest as soon as possible. I heard you've been sleeping in the study these past few days."

Xie Qianzhong's fatigue vanished instantly. He looked towards the door and saw Song Tangxue still dressed in plain clothes. Xie Qianzhong couldn't wait to pull her into his arms: "Tangxue, where have you been all this time?"

The main reason was that after hearing the news of Song Tangxue's return, he suppressed his excitement and did not disturb her, knowing that Song Tangxue would come to find him if she had time.

"It's a long story, but I've heard quite a bit about what you did while I was away."

Xie Qianzhong was deeply trusted by the emperor, who entrusted him with many keys to the court, which meant that Xie Qianzhong could not sleep for more than five hours at a time.