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The Empress believed she still had some understanding of men, take the dog of an Emperor for example, who favored a little palace maid the year before last.

The little palace maid was young and beautiful, with aspirations to climb into the dragon’s bed. She deliberately enticed him, and the dog of an Emperor couldn’t control himself and took advantage of her.

She simply didn’t believe that a woman could linger in front of the Crown Prince all day without him losing his restraint.

Once the Empress spoke, Qing Ying had no choice but to obey. After the Empress returned to Fengyi Palace, she led people to Xiyun Pavilion.

At this time, Shen Chuwei had searched around and finally found a gray rabbit in the crevices of the stones—no, the rabbit had already grown up, about five times the size from before, weighing around two taels.

A two-tael rabbit could actually be roasted and eaten.

The gray rabbit seemed to want to squeeze through the crevice in the stones but ended up getting stuck.

Luckily it was found in time, otherwise, it would probably be dead by now.

Shen Chuwei, holding the rabbit, returned to Xiyun Pavilion, only to see a group of people standing in the courtyard.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, walking over with confusion.

Upon seeing Shen Chuwei returning, Qing Ying stepped forward and curtsied, "Lady Shen, the Empress sent this servant to help Lady Shen move."

Shen Chuwei’s eyes widened, "Move?"

A smile played on Qing Ying’s lips, "That’s correct. Hehuan Hall has been tidied up and is ready for you to move in at any time."

Last time when the move was mentioned, Shen Chuwei resisted and didn’t leave, so those people had no choice but to depart.

This time, Shen Chuwei planned to continue resisting the move.

"I don’t want to move. Xiyun Pavilion is quite nice. Please go back and tell the Empress that this concubine only wishes to stay in Xiyun Pavilion," she said.

Qing Ying showed a polite, shallow smile, "Lady Shen, the Empress has decreed that you must move today. You don’t need to worry, everything is arranged by the Empress."

After saying this, she ordered them to start moving.

Even though Shen Chuwei didn’t want to move, once the Empress gave a stern order, she dared not disobey.

Chun Xi and others could only help with the move. After all, they were more familiar with Xiyun Pavilion and knew how to arrange the belongings.

Moving into Hehuan Hall didn’t take much time. Hehuan Hall was indeed much more imposing than Xiyun Pavilion, with even the small kitchen significantly larger.

Qing Ying saw the move was almost complete and then went back to report.

It’s just that the small vegetable garden and chicken coop couldn’t be moved. They could only leave Little Guizi and Gui Xiang behind at Xiyun Pavilion to watch over them.

Shen Chuwei sat on the unfamiliar couch with the little rabbit in her arms, watching Chun Xi busying about.

Hehuan Hall was only a wall away from the Crown Prince’s chambers.

After Chun Xi finished tidying up, she came over happily, "Master, we are now the closest to His Highness the Crown Prince, there’s a saying ’near the water, the pavilion gets the moonlight first.’ We now have a significant advantage."

Shen Chuwei sighed, "We are also farther from the small vegetable garden and chicken coop."

"Master, how can the vegetable garden and chicken coop compare to His Highness?" said Chun Xi.

Shen Chuwei did not speak further, holding the rabbit and lying down on the couch, closing her eyes to sleep for a while.

Seeing this, Chun Xi came over with a blanket to cover Shen Chuwei before turning to leave.

Xiao Jinyan, who was poring over old books in the study room, heard the noise and looked up in confusion at Liu Xi, "Isn’t next door empty? Why is there noise?"

"Your Highness, it is Lady Shen who has moved into Hehuan Hall. They are tidying up, which has caused some commotion," replied Liu Xi, who had seen it earlier since in recent days, His Highness had suddenly become distant from Lady Shen. Moreover, his temper had worsened; an unjustified reprimand could erupt at any moment, so Liu Xi dared not even utter the three words ’Lady Shen.’

Surprise flickered in Xiao Jinyan’s eyes; previously, she had been unwilling to move, so why had she suddenly decided to?

"Do you know why she suddenly moved in?" he asked.

"It was the Empress who instructed Lady Shen to move, and Mammy Qingying helped with the move," Liu Xi said.

"Hasn’t Mother always disliked Lady Shen? Why is she suddenly so concerned about her?"

Xiao Jinyan suddenly remembered the scene at Baima Temple where his mother and Shen Chuwei were together, which he had stumbled upon twice.

Xiao Jinyan didn’t know, and Liu Xi was even more clueless.

After waiting for a while, Liu Xi looked up at his master, "Your Highness, Xinlan Hall has sent word that Lady Chang has prepared some dishes to accompany your drink, and would like to dine with you."

Xiao Jinyan had initially wanted to refuse, but thinking of his uncle who had just returned, he nodded, "Approved."

Liu Xi received the order and left.

After leaving the sleeping quarters, Liu Xi was about to head to Xinlan Hall when he was spotted by Chun Xi, who approached him with a smile.

"Eunuch Liu, where are you off to?"

Seeing Chun Xi, perhaps because both their names contained the character for ’happiness’, he seemed to like Miss Chun Xi quite a bit.

"It’s Miss Chun Xi, I’m on my way to Xinlan Hall; Lady Chang is going to dine with His Highness tonight," Liu Xi replied.

The smile on Chun Xi’s face stiffened. If she had known, she wouldn’t have asked such an impertinent question. Now what? She felt depressed again.

"Eunuch Liu, it’s been quite a few days since His Highness visited my little master. Could you mention us to him?" As she spoke, Chun Xi took some silver from her sleeve and, with a flattering smile, placed it in Liu Xi’s hand.

"Miss Chun Xi, it’s not that I don’t want to help, but His Highness has been in a bad mood these days," Liu Xi said, before asking her with a puzzled expression, "Did Lady Shen upset His Highness? Ever since His Highness returned from Xiyun Pavilion, he has been quite moody."

"My little master also doesn’t know what she said to upset His Highness. I’ve asked her, but she won’t tell me, and I’m almost frantic with worry," Chun Xi said, her face filled with concern.

"Don’t worry, I can see that His Highness still cares about Lady Shen. Now that they live so close, there will always be opportunities," Liu Xi reassured.

Chun Xi had an epiphany, "Eunuch Liu is right."

During dinner, Shen Chuwei, who was used to living in Xiyun Pavilion, felt a bit out of sorts having to move.

Chun Xi was somewhat distracted, her mind occupied by the thought that, if Lady Chang stayed overnight at the Crown Prince’s sleeping quarters again, the chances of pregnancy would increase.

She looked at Shen Chuwei with a worried expression as Chuwei, who was gnawing on a rib, let out a sigh. How could she deal with her master being such a salted fish!

After dinner, Chun Xi cleared away the dishes and turned to see Shen Chuwei lying on the couch, looking every bit the salted fish, having eaten her fill.

"Meow."

Hearing the cat’s meow, Chun Xi looked down and saw Xuetuan darting in from outside, leaping onto the couch with a look of surprise in its eyes.

Xuetuan’s deep blue eyes stared at Shen Chuwei, "Meow."

Shen Chuwei stretched out her arm to scoop up Xuetuan, stroking its soft fur with a small hand, and said with some delight, "Xuetuan, how did you know I moved?"

Xuetuan responded with a "Meow."

Chun Xi smiled and suggested, "Little master, why don’t you take Xuetuan back? It would be a good opportunity to visit [His Highness]."

Shen Chuwei replied, "Xuetuan knows the way back on its own."

"Ah, little master," Chun Xi exclaimed, "I know Xuetuan can find its own way back, but isn’t this a chance to see His Highness?"

She had listened attentively in the afternoon, and Xiao Jinyan’s tone of voice had changed; he seemed more impatient than before.

Shen Chuwei shook her head in refusal, "His Highness might just find me annoying at the sight of me now."

Chun Xi was anxious. Lady Chang was accompanying His Highness for dinner tonight, right next door!

"Little master, aren’t you afraid of His Highness cutting off your supply?"