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Shen Chuwei really couldn’t endure it this time, she didn’t want to be learned in the arts, nor did she want to excel in everything like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She simply wanted to muddle through, eating and drinking.

Xiao Jinyan raised his hand and knocked on her forehead, "What’s with your obsession with eating?"

Shen Chuwei explained, "Your highness, food is of paramount importance to the people. Man is like iron, and rice is like steel. Without a meal, I get terribly hungry. This concubine is still young and growing."

Xiao Jinyan, looking at her aggrieved little face, became even bolder.

"Mastering music, chess, calligraphy, and painting won’t hinder you from eating and growing."

Shen Chuwei, gripping the hem of her clothes, quietly rebutted, "Your Highness is unaware that too much pressure can also stunt a concubine’s growth."

Xiao Jinyan huffed, "What faulty reasoning."

Shen Chuwei’s long explanations were useless, so she decided to resort to her trump card.

She looked at Xiao Jinyan with puppy-dog eyes, her tiny hands tugging at his sleeve, and pleaded pitifully, "Your Highness, I am but a simpleton. Could you perhaps turn a blind eye once and for all?"

Xiao Jinyan looked at her pitiful appearance and softened his tone, "There is a reason why I do this, you will eventually thank me for being so strict with you."

Shen Chuwei thought, If only you would rescind your strictness, I assure you, night and day I’d be grateful for your kindness.

Xiao Jinyan took a brush dipped in ink, placed it in Shen Chuwei’s hand, and then held her hand to position it correctly for writing.

"Come, let me teach you some difficult characters today."

Shen Chuwei stared at the hand holding hers, wondering how she could dissuade Xiao Jinyan from his desire to teach her music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?

If he’s teaching her these arts now, would he also want her to learn needlework in the future?

Xiao Jinyan noticed her being distracted and reminded her sternly, "Little Ninth, focus."

Shen Chuwei’s eyes shifted, and she suddenly looked up at Xiao Jinyan, "Your Highness, I wish to be the Crown Princess."

A lady harboring desires for the position of Crown Princess, acting arrogantly on the favor she had, was sure to anger the Crown Prince.

He would become furious, scold her sharply, then storm off, never again considering making her learn this and that.

Xiao Jinyan paused, seemingly surprised that she had suddenly become sensible, an eater finally aiming for the position of Crown Princess.

Shen Chuwei chuckled inwardly at Xiao Jinyan’s silence thinking, see, the moment I mentioned becoming Crown Princess, he got angry.

Next, the Crown Prince would sternly rebuke her and leave without looking back.

"Means you’ve got some nerve," Xiao Jinyan’s cool voice was unreadable.

But Shen Chuwei heard it, he was very angry.

She lowered her gaze, waiting for the scolding words to come from Xiao Jinyan.

No matter how fiercely he scolded, she could take it; ideally, he would lose his temper and leave—that would be perfect.

Xiao Jinyan said faintly, "First bear me a son and a half."

Shen Chuwei looked up at Xiao Jinyan abruptly. Had she heard him wrong? What did Xiao Jinyan just say?

Bear a son and a half?

Ha!

If they did nothing but sleep, how would they have a son and a half?

How did the Crown Prince learn to say such refined and idyllic words to shut her up?

Instead of flying into a rage and telling her she wasn’t fit, daring to harbor aspirations for the position of Crown Princess.

She blinked her beautiful eyes vigorously, trying desperately to organize her words, "Your Highness, what I meant just now was that being the Crown Princess is not easy, right?"

Xiao Jinyan: "Of course, the Crown Princess is one in ten thousand, not anyone can be up to the task."

Seeing that this approach led nowhere, Shen Chuwei swiftly took another route. She clutched her chest, groaning with discomfort, "Your Highness, it hurts so much."

"What could be hurting you all of a sudden?" Seeing Shen Chuwei clutching her chest, Xiao Jinyan subconsciously thought her old injury had flared up, and hastily set down his brush, scooping her up and rushing to the bed.

Shen Chuwei couldn’t keep up with Xiao Jinyan’s train of thought; she just mentioned her hand was hurting, why did he have to carry her to the bed?

Before she had time to understand, Xiao Jinyan called out to the door, "Summon the Imperial Doctor."

Then she saw his hand moving towards her clothes, and she instinctively thought he was going to do something.

Shen Chuwei quickly grasped his hand, asking puzzled, "Your Highness, why are you taking off my clothes?"

"Don’t you have pain in your chest? Let me check if the old injury has recurred," he replied.

It was impossible to see anything through the clothes, and since the injury was received on her behalf, a relapse was no trifling matter.

Shen Chuwei said, "It’s my hand that hurts, not my chest."

"..." Xiao Jinyan asked, "Then why were you holding your chest?"

Shen Chuwei looked innocently at Xiao Jinyan, "My chest itched, I couldn’t help scratching it a bit~"

Xiao Jinyan: "..."

When the Imperial Doctor arrived, he checked Shen Chuwei’s pulse.

Xiao Jinyan asked coldly, "How is it?"

Standing up, the Imperial Doctor respectfully replied, "Your Highness, Lady Shen has no issues with her health."

Xiao Jinyan asked again, "Then why does her hand hurt?"

After some thought, the Imperial Doctor guessed, "Maybe because she lay on it while sleeping."

With Shen Chuwei’s hand hurting, Xiao Jinyan didn’t press her to practice writing anymore, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But then she heard Xiao Jinyan say, "You can practice writing once your hand gets better."

Shen Chuwei: "..."

*

Shen Chuwei, propping her chin with both hands, was deep in thought about how to anger Xiao Jinyan enough to leave her alone while still being able to continue with her carefree eating and drinking, not affecting the supply of food.

Seeing her young mistress with a worried look, Chun Xi became somewhat concerned and asked, "Young Mistress, what’s the matter?"

Shen Chuwei said, "I’m contemplating the future."

"Oh." Chun Xi seemed to understand. She smiled, "The future is bright, Mistress. With the favor Your Highness shows you, there are good days ahead."

Shen Chuwei: "..." Xiao Jinyan isn’t doting on me, he’s openly torturing me!

When Tao Chenghui arrived, Shen Chuwei was still contemplating the future.

With a bright smile, Tao Chenghui came forward and made a respectful bow, "Sister Shen, guess what I brought for you today?"

Feeling sleepy, Shen Chuwei perked up at the question. Her eyes curved, "What delicious treat is it?"

"It’s not pastries this time, but something to drink." Tao Chenghui placed two beautiful, delicate jars on the low table.

"This is fruit wine brewed by my family’s winery. It’s sweet and particularly suitable for us ladies to drink. The new year is approaching, so I’ve brought two jars for you to try. If you like them, next time I’ll have my father send more."

The mention of fruit wine piqued Shen Chuwei’s interest. She opened one jar and sniffed—it was lovely and fragrant.

Before supper, Liu Xi came to report, "Lady Shen, His Highness won’t make it for supper but will come to Xiyun Pavilion later."

Shen Chuwei’s eyes flickered as a perfect plan to irritate Xiao Jinyan came to mind.

During supper, Shen Chuwei asked Chun Xi to bring a wine cup and poured herself a glass from the jar.

After downing three cups, Chun Xi warned, "Mistress, His Highness is staying the night. Getting drunk and losing your composure would anger him, and that would be undesirable."

Shen Chuwei smiled lightly, exactly aiming for that effect.

"It’s fruit wine. Drinking it won’t make me drunk."