Xie Liwei: "......"

He looked at her with complicated emotions for a few moments, then met her eyes filled with resentment and grievance. Suddenly, his heart tightened, and his mouth uttered before he could think: "Damn it...!"

Song Yaozhu's anger subsided by half, and she leaned on his shoulder as if she had found someone to rely on.

Xie Liwei's back stiffened a little. Although he didn't mind Song Yaozhu's approach, it was obviously too intimate at the moment.

After this woman "confronted" him, she became even more uninhibited. She didn't seem afraid at all that he had leverage over her, acting as if they were very close.

The most outrageous thing is that sometimes when she looks at herself, she has a sense of pride that says, "My son has finally grown up," which is completely inconsistent with her age.

"Before we deal with him, we should take care of his henchmen first!" Song Yaozhu clenched her fist and said angrily.

Xie Liwei saw that her hands were red and swollen from the cold, and her fingers were almost as thin as little radishes.

"What about a hand warmer? Aren't you afraid of getting frostbite?"

Song Yaozhu's hands had suffered from chilblains in previous years, so they were quite chubby. But the chubbyness was just right, tapering from the base of her fingers to the tips, making them look more like a pair of lucky hands—hands that wouldn't leak away wealth.

Xie Liwei beckoned Qin Yu and asked him to fetch a hand warmer.

When Qin Yu arrived with the hand warmer, he saw the two standing side by side behind the artificial hill, basking in the winter sun and sheltered from the wind, looking quite content. He couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion; finally, the prince seemed to have some humanity again!

Song Yaozhu held the hand warmer and sighed comfortably.

Who are you planning to deal with first?

Are you sure you want to say something like this here?

The two were behind a rockery in the garden. There were few people around, and with Cai Jin, Cai Yin, and Qin Yu guarding the area, no one should be able to overhear them.

However, this is a matter that could cost you your life, and to discuss it at the First Prince's residence is incredibly audacious.

Song Yaozhu took his hand and wrote the character "礼" (li, meaning courtesy) in his palm.

Xie Liwei was slightly surprised, then nodded.

The following spring, the eldest prince tried every means to get the job, hoping to add a merit to his resume.

"The Imperial Concubine has taken a liking to the youngest daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites and wants her to become the Crown Prince's concubine."

Song Yaozhu was quite surprised. How did he know about this before it had even been made public? However, he had been based in the capital for almost ten years. If he didn't have his own sources of information, then all his efforts would have been in vain.

The eldest prince married the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Wuding's family. To show respect for the Marquis of Wuding's family, the eldest prince's household waited until she gave birth to his eldest son before taking a concubine. Baolin was the concubine that she arranged for the eldest prince after she became pregnant.

"I saw her in the palace last time, and it seemed like she was more interested in the Third Prince?"

After asking the question, she realized she had asked a stupid one.

In the First Prince's residence, the First Prince's wife's power is already deeply entrenched. Once she enters the residence, she must be careful in everything she does and fight against the First Prince's wife.

In comparison, the Third Prince's residence was spotless; marrying into it would reduce her worries by more than half. Besides, what noble lady would willingly become a concubine?

"Do you know who Gao Ping prefers to be her youngest daughter-in-law?"

Hearing her address the Imperial Concubine by her name, Xie Liwei was slightly surprised, but still said, "I don't know yet."

Gao Ping naturally wanted to choose a girl with a good family background and good looks for her youngest son, but she was also afraid that a good family background would encourage the third prince's ambition and cause the brothers to turn against each other. So she was still looking.

“Gao Ping will definitely choose an outstanding girl for the Third Prince, but one whose family background is not very strong.”

Xie Liwei nodded, then realized that her understanding of the Imperial Concubine was somewhat beyond his expectations.

His understanding of Gao Ping came from deliberate inquiries over the years, and he had also secretly competed with her a few times. But when Song Yaozhu mentioned her, her tone was as if they were very familiar with each other, so familiar that they knew each other inside and out and could easily see through each other's thoughts.

While Song Yaozhu was still pondering, she suddenly met Xie Liwei's complex and scrutinizing gaze, and realized that her act of knowing Gao Ping too well had aroused his suspicion.

She cleared her throat and asked, "What does Your Highness think?"

"Aren't you the best at matchmaking? What do you think?" Xie Liwei's tone was indifferent, but his meaning was clear: this matter was left to her.

Song Yaozhu was speechless; all she wanted to do was to do the same despicable thing as Song Wenyue.

"Has the princess softened her heart? Why didn't I see you soften your heart before?"

He was referring to her plotting the Prince of Yan's rebellion.

Song Yaozhu raised her hand and rubbed her frostbitten nose. Her extinguished conscience was awakened, and she suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

"I'll see how it goes."

If both parties are interested, she's simply going with the flow. If one of them isn't interested, she'll find another way.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, the guests are being seated."

The two responded and went to their seats. After the meal, it was time for the little princess's third-day celebration. Everyone went to the front courtyard to watch the ceremony.

It was too cold, so cotton curtains were drawn at both the front and back doors of the main hall. The underfloor heating was on inside, and several charcoal braziers were placed there. Fearing the children would get cold, only members of the clan were allowed into the inner room, while everyone else waited in the main hall outside.

This wasn't Song Yaozhu's first time attending a baby's third-day celebration, and she wasn't particularly interested. She wasn't interested in the baby and didn't bother to join the crowd at the front.

Xie Liwei leaned close to her ear and teased, "Didn't the princess want a child so badly before? Why don't you go and share in the joy?"

Song Yaozhu: "......"

Song Yaozhu ignored him and saw the old woman in front of her bow to the incense table, then ask the elder to add more water to the basin. When the basin was turned to Song Yaozhu, she took off a small ring from her hand and added it to the basin.

"May the young princess be as beautiful as a pearl and as safe and well as ever."

The nanny smiled and carried the bath tub around once, finishing filling the tub. Then, she took out a long-handled spoon and stirred the contents of the tub before carrying it into the inner room to bathe the young princess. The guests in the main hall were all laughing and joking, saying auspicious words.

Song Si stood behind Song Yaozhu. From the moment they sat down, she had clung to Song Yaozhu and refused to leave her side. Song Yaozhu could roughly guess why.

Just now in the garden, Song Si spoke so openly with the Third Prince. With so many people there, it was naturally observed by many young ladies. Among them were her rivals, who naturally wouldn't give her a friendly look.

Song Yaozhu didn't know whether to praise the Song family's clean inner quarters, which had made her a little naive; or to call her stupid.

After the baptism, the Crown Princess invited everyone to go out and have some fun.

The weather is sunny and cloudless today. The Crown Prince's residence has its own horse farm, and some young ladies and gentlemen have already suggested going to play polo.

As Song Yaozhu was wondering where to kill time, a woman with a graceful figure walked towards her.

She wore a thin veil, which couldn't completely conceal her appearance, but it gave her a subtle, alluring quality, making her both beautiful and mysterious.

"Sister Song, a few of us are thinking of going to play polo, why don't you come along?" This was said to Song Si.

Song Wenyue hesitated. She had just learned her lesson and was a little afraid that the noble ladies would band together.

"The Third Prince will be participating later, Sister Song, are you really not coming?"