"Your Highness, there's no need to be so. It's been incredibly difficult for you to accomplish this in just a few short years. I'm not afraid to offend you. While it may seem like the Crown Prince treats you differently than others, we haven't really relied on him much to get to this point. You've come this far on your own."
Song Chengze laughed at himself. No matter how good a brother was, he would be discounted in the royal family. Given his current relationship with the Crown Prince, he was already very satisfied. No other royal brother would have had an easier time than the Crown Prince, so he had no choice.
Thinking of this, he suddenly remembered the dream Meng Qi had told him. She had dreamed that she would take that position. How could it be possible? That was something he couldn't even imagine. Even if the position of Crown Prince couldn't be stable, there were still so many people waiting eagerly.
Therefore, he can only keep strengthening himself and become more armored before that day comes.
Fortunately, years of operation have begun to show results, and more people have come over to him, forming a powerful force both overtly and covertly. At the very least, he is capable of resisting the provocations of Prince Duan and Prince Cheng.
He thought again of the discussion they had had in the darkroom of the iron shop tonight. Northwest China couldn't get involved, but Sichuan couldn't waste this opportunity. Hongliang was right. He should go. Only by going there in person could he know if the situation there was the same as he had heard.
"Alright, a lot has happened today, and you're all tired. Go back and rest. Make arrangements for tomorrow, and remember to report any developments immediately. I'll be away, so Uncle Lu will make the final decision."
Chu Yong bowed in response, and the two of them said goodbye and left.
Song Chengze called Zhang Decheng, "Let's go back to Jing'an Garden."
------
The maid on duty at Jing'an Garden cautiously opened the gate and watched Song Chengze walk upstairs with a gloomy face. The two gatekeepers exchanged glances, and one of them said, "Are they going to quarrel again tonight?"
Another one asked, "Do the prince and princess always quarrel?" She was a newly transferred person.
The first one nodded and whispered in her ear, "I used to be in charge of the back corner door, which was quite far from the main house. I've heard it at least three times. The princess is very powerful. She always throws cups. Didn't you see Miss Yuanyue go to the storehouse to get a set every few days?"
"Oh, how much silver does this cost? The treasury must be heartbroken." Just as he finished speaking, another woman tapped his forehead and said, "You are silly. The more you break, the more you can exchange for, and the treasury will be happy."
After saying that, he turned around, closed the gate, put his hands in his sleeves and went back to the back room.
Song Chengze had just walked to the corridor when the second door of the west wing opened and Baochun walked out wearing a padded jacket. "Your Highness, you're back? Would you like some midnight snack?"
Song Chengze saw that beneath her padded jacket, she was only wearing a thin, pale pink silk dress, which was tightly wrapped around her body by the wind. He frowned and said, "Go back! If you catch a cold, how can you serve the princess?" Without waiting for Baochun to respond, he strode up the stairs.
Baochun bit her lip, turned around, and quickly returned to the house. Across from her, Xiaoman leaned against the window, watching, and said, "Why doesn't she freeze to death? She only knows how to seduce men."
Lixia poked the back of her head and said, "You know everything at such a young age. She was originally the prince's concubine, so it's normal for her to want men."
"Ah? What did sister say? Baochun is the prince's concubine?" Xiaoman got off the kang, her face full of gossip.
"I think so. Haven't you seen that her butt is big and bulging here too?" Lixia said embarrassedly, pointing to her chest.
"But Sanya also has a big butt, and hers is even bulgier than hers."
Lixia tapped Xiaoman's forehead again and said, "Saya is fat, with thicker sides. Anyway, that's what I think."
Xiaoman put on her shoes and walked towards the door, "You know so much."
Lixia took the cotton-padded jacket and handed it to Xiaoman. "I used to work in the young master's yard. Those who were taken in by the young master were like this. That's what the maids in the yard said."
The young master Lixia was talking about was Meng Shao, the eldest grandson of the Huainan Marquisate and Meng Qi's eldest brother.
"How can the eldest young master be compared with the prince? Although we have not been in the palace for a long time, I just feel that the prince is not such a casual person." Xiaoman took the cotton jacket and put it on.
"Forget it. Whether it is or not has nothing to do with us. I must tell the princess about the spring announcement tonight."
"Yes, we have to keep an eye on her. It would be embarrassing if she caused any trouble in Jing'an Garden. It hasn't even been a month yet."
Lixia also put on her cotton jacket. "That's what I meant. She must have heard that the princess went to the front yard to drink and was looking for an opportunity."
"Bah, no one is worry-free." Xiaoman tiptoed to the door and looked out through the crack.
"Is there any movement?" Lixia asked from behind.
"No, wait a little longer."
------
Song Chengze entered the room and saw Yuandong and Yuanyue standing there. Yuandong was fine, looking quite calm. She probably knew a lot about his relationship with Meng Qi, so she didn't look surprised.
The one called Yuanyue seemed to be facing a great enemy, staring at him with eyes as big as her master's, as if she was ready to rush out at any time.
Song Chengze just found it funny and asked coldly, "Where's the princess?"
"Inside the house, don't let the servant in."
Song Chengze nodded and said, "What should we do later? Has the princess told you everything?"
Yuan Dong nodded and walked to the door of the east room to lift the curtain.
"No need, just wait here." Song Chengze waved his hand, lifted the cotton curtain and walked in.
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