Shen Tangning sent Xueqing with the jade token to Mingji Pastry Shop. If the Princess saw it, she would arrange a time with her.
Sure enough, Xueqing soon returned with a message:
"Tomorrow at 9:00 AM, at Juxianlou."
Shen Tangning seemed to be deep in thought. Juxianlou was the Pear Garden, a place for watching plays and listening to music. It seemed that the Princess had a hobby of watching plays.
She nodded slightly to indicate that she understood, and quietly waited for tomorrow to arrive.
...
The next day, Shen Tangning arrived as scheduled. The waiter introduced himself and led her to a private room.
Please wait a moment.
She arrived a little early, before the princess arrived, so she took a seat and looked around.
The private room has walls on three sides, and the side facing the stage is covered by a hollow four-panel screen painted with gold, which is quite private.
The interior was decorated quite elegantly, with paintings of ladies hanging on the walls, a faint fragrance emanating from a blue and white porcelain incense burner, and several single pink drooping branches hanging diagonally in a celadon plum vase.
Shen Tangning was lost in thought. Ever since the birthday celebration, the eldest princess had returned to the princess's residence, and it seemed that she had been released from confinement.
She and His Majesty seemed to have reached a temporary balance, but in reality, their relationship remained delicate. At least given His Majesty's sensitivity and suspicion, he would never easily let down his guard against the Princess.
Footsteps sounded outside. Shen Tangning looked up and saw someone push open the door. Yan Mingyi walked in and casually took off his cloak and handed it to the maid next to him.
She stood up to bow, but the other person raised his hand and said, "Alright, there's no one else here, no need for so many formalities."
After hesitating for a moment, Shen Tangning stopped what she was doing and waited for Yan Mingyi to sit down before she sat down herself.
Yan Mingyi looked up at her, her red lips curving into a smile: "How's this place?"
Shen Tangning smiled knowingly: "The place Your Highness chose is naturally excellent."
She used to enjoy listening to opera, but she became too busy and gradually lost the time to pursue her hobby.
As the sound of gongs and drums rang out, a maid stepped forward and lifted the screen.
Yan Mingyi kept her gaze fixed on the stage, but asked Shen Tangning, "Did you have good news to share with me this time?"
"As expected, Your Highness cannot be fooled." Shen Tangning lowered her eyes slightly, glancing around with a hint of doubt.
Seeing her like this, Yan Mingyi scoffed: "Don't worry, I've booked the whole floor."
Shen Tangning couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement, secretly marveling at how wealthy and powerful the Princess was. Without any reservations, she simply said, "Cousin agrees to form an alliance with His Highness."
Yan Mingyi paused slightly, turned her face to look at her, her eyes full of interest: "How did you persuade my good nephew?"
Shen Tangning remained calm and composed: "I only need to persuade Her Majesty the Empress, and she will take care of the rest."
No matter how close she was to her cousin, there was still a barrier between them, so her target from the beginning was her aunt.
My cousin is both loyal and filial, but he is not stupid. His aunt is his birth mother. She taught him carefully from childhood and did everything herself. In terms of closeness, even the Emperor cannot compare.
His Majesty was already secretly targeting the Xie family, and his aunt, having noticed this, naturally took action.
When all the evidence is laid bare, he is both a son and the crown prince. If he does not fight for his rights, those behind him will suffer as well. He will have to make a decision.
Yan Mingyi was slightly taken aback, then lowered her gaze to hide the complex emotions in her eyes.
It's the Empress again.
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