"No matter who leads the team, Da Chen cannot lose."

Song Yaozhu drew a few strokes on the paper, then picked it up with satisfaction and handed it to Xie Liwei to look at.

"How is it? Does it look good?"

Xie Liwei looked at the puppy drawn with a few hasty strokes on the paper...

"Weren't you supposed to draw my portrait?"

"Yeah, don't you think you sometimes act like a dog? Always whining and whining at me."

Xie Liwei: "......"

Do I have one?

"Look, look, aren't you just whining at me right now?"

Xie Liwei: "......"

"I know, my sister is tired of me and doesn't like me anymore, right?"

"Look at you, what are you if not a puppy?"

Xie Liwei awkwardly turned his head, pretending to be annoyed.

"Oh dear, are you already angry? Are you just embarrassed and angry?" Song Yaozhu continued to tease him.

Xie Liwei remained silent, while Song Yaozhu cupped his face and lightly pecked his lips.

Is my puppy really angry?

Her lips had just left his when the back of her head was pressed down by him, and her lips were pressed tightly together again.

Song Yaozhu wrapped her arms around his neck and shared a long kiss with him.

After the kiss, Xie Liwei's tone carried a hint of annoyance and coquettishness: "Draw it again!"

Song Yaozhu suppressed the urge to burst out laughing and said, "Yes, ma'am! My little dog!"

Xie Liwei was so angry that he bit her lip hard again.

"Don't say that again!"

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore, my lord~"

Xie Liwei then released her and laid out the paper for her again. Song Yaozhu gave a soft hum and picked up her brush again to paint. This time, she didn't tease him anymore, but painted seriously.

As the outline of the person on the paper gradually appeared, Song Yaozhu put down her pen with considerable dissatisfaction.

"No, I haven't drawn in so long, I've lost my touch. I feel like I'll make you look ugly."

Xie Liwei smiled and said, "It's alright, you keep drawing, take your time to get a feel for it."

Song Yaozhu was a little reluctant to pick up her brush, afraid that Xie Liwei would dislike her drawing if she didn't do it well. But when she met Xie Liwei's expectant eyes, she picked up her brush again, thinking, "Alright, alright, he's my husband, who else should I spoil if not him?"

Qin Yu had only finished half of the painting when he called out from outside to report something.

Before speaking, he listened carefully to the sounds in the study, afraid that he might disturb his two masters.

"When Lord Song was out shopping, he inadvertently offended the people of Donglin Kingdom. Now they want to arrest him and take him to the Emperor for an explanation. Lord Song is afraid that he will be reprimanded by the Emperor for such a small matter, so he would like to ask Your Highness to step in and put in a good word for him. He is currently waiting for Your Highness in the main hall."

Xie Liwei sneered, "How can I plead for you?"

"Your Highness, shall we see the person or not?"

Xie Liwei certainly didn't want to see him. Song Chengzhang was a proud man, but he wasn't very capable. If he said something that Xie Liwei didn't like, Song Chengzhang would get angry and embarrassed.

"If you don't want to see me, just say I've already retired for the night."

Qin Yu: "..."

Could your excuse be any more flimsy? The sun hasn't even set yet, and you're already taking a break?

The man outside is your father-in-law, how can you treat him so perfunctorily!

Song Yaozhu put down her brush again and said, "Go ahead, this painting can't be finished in a day anyway."

Xie Liwei reluctantly got up, his steps as if his legs were filled with lead, and by the time he reached the hall, he was already impatient.

Song Chengzhang was extremely anxious. Seeing that Xie Li was in danger, he immediately got up to greet him.

"Good son-in-law! Only you can save me this time!" Song Chengzhang said anxiously, with a hint of pleading.

Xie Liwei took a step back, preventing him from touching him.

"What is it, Lord Song?"

Seeing his aloofness, Song Chengzhang felt a chill in his heart. But he had no other options at the moment and could only watch helplessly as Xie Liwei died.

"Your Highness, please show me the way!" It was because he had been flattered and praised too much lately that he had forgotten his own limitations and caused such a mess.

Ever since attending the full moon banquet at the Prince Xiaoyao's mansion, he has been quite popular among those minor officials of the seventh or eighth rank, thanks to his status as Xie Liwei's father-in-law.

Today, while out buying calligraphy and paintings, Song Chengzhang unexpectedly encountered an envoy from the Eastern Lin Kingdom. The envoy looked remarkably similar to the people of Da Chen, unlike those of Bei Qing; his deep-set eyes made him easily recognizable. Furthermore, the envoy was dressed in Da Chen attire, so Song Chengzhang didn't recognize him. He only knew that the envoy was trying to steal his things, and in a fit of anger, he almost got into a fight.

After the other party revealed their identity, Song Chengzhang was filled with deep regret, regretting it from head to toe.

After hearing Song Chengzhang's account of the events, Xie Liwei said, "Lord Song, it's very simple to quell this trouble. Just say that you want to go home to take care of your elderly father and resign from your post in the capital."

Hearing his words, Song Chengzhang was furious. He felt that Xie Liwei not only refused to help, but also came up with such a bad trick that would ruin his future!

"Can't Your Highness, for Yao Yao's sake, help the Song family through this crisis?"

Xie Liwei looked at him coldly, "What does Lord Song want me to do? Invite the envoys of Donglin Kingdom to a restaurant for drinks and reconciliation as a prince? Do you know that if I do this, I will be suspected of treason! Do you want me to risk my life to clean up your mess?!"

Song Chengzhang's face turned pale and then red from his words. After a long pause, he finally managed to say, "I didn't expect things here... to be so serious. Your Majesty will surely understand..."

"Since Lord Song thinks His Majesty can understand why I drank and made merry with the envoy from Donglin Kingdom on your behalf, why doesn't he also think His Majesty can understand that you didn't intentionally bully others by abusing your power?"

Song Chengzhang was completely speechless. He couldn't very well tell him that he thought the Emperor disliked the Song family, could he? The Emperor might use this opportunity to make the Song family disappear from the capital completely.

What's the difference between Xie Liwei's idea and the Emperor's punishment of the Song family? The only difference is that the former still has some dignity, while the latter has nothing left.

"Heh, it seems Lord Song understands what I mean." Xie Liwei mocked without any politeness. "If a person wants everything, he often ends up with nothing."

Song Chengzhang said unwillingly, "The Emperor dotes on the Prince so much, it's just a matter of you asking the Emperor."

"What kind of favor is this, Lord Song?" Xie Liwei said coldly. "Is it the entire Xie family in the court? Is it my elder sister's injustice that has remained unaddressed for ten years? Is it my Xiaoyao Prince's Mansion walking on thin ice, always on guard? If this is the favor you want, Lord Song, then you may take it all!"

When Song Chengzhang saw that his face had turned completely cold, he was so frightened that he dared not utter a sound.

Song Chengzhang had no idea how he got out of the Prince of Xiaoyao's mansion. He was in a daze until his eldest son stopped him, which brought him back to his senses.

"Father, how is it? Did Xie Liwei say whether he wants to help us?"