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As soon as Shen Chuwei heard "last night," the movement of her chewing slowed down. She sneakily glanced at Xiao Jinyan and, seeing that he was looking at her, immediately averted her gaze, feeling incredibly guilty.

She must have done something earth-shattering after getting drunk last night, or else Xiao Jinyan wouldn’t bring it up so seriously.

She thought hard about it and guessed that she might have been talking nonsense!

Could it be possible that she was loudly calling Xiao Jinyan’s name?

She asked tentatively, "Your Highness, I didn’t do anything bad last night, did I?"

Xiao Jinyan said thoughtfully, "Last night, you were very bold."

Shen Chuwei let out an inward wail. She indeed must have done something earth-shattering last night. Suddenly, she wondered if she had actually attacked Xiao Jinyan?

She probed carefully, "How bold?"

Xiao Jinyan looked at her calmly, "What do you think?"

Shen Chuwei examined Xiao Jinyan, trying to find evidence that she had hit him.

Finally, at the collar of Xiao Jinyan’s moon-white clothes, on that fair neck, she found a mark.

It looked like she had been quite heavy-handed; it had turned all sorts of blue.

Even if she couldn’t remember her behavior from last night, she could guess that Xiao Jinyan had intended to share her bed, and in her drunken state, she couldn’t resist hitting him.

Xiao Jinyan was very skilled in this aspect, and he managed to handle her easily, getting her fully under control, and had all sorts of fun with her afterward.

Shen Chuwei, holding the belief that admitting her mistakes with a good attitude would garner forgiveness, earnestly said, "I inadvertently drank too much last night. Your Highness, please don’t be angry. I assure you I will never drink too much again."

Xiao Jinyan watched her serious face, which was a bit different from her childlike self the night before. Drunk, she had been bolder.

"I am not angry," he said.

Hearing this, Shen Chuwei finally felt relieved and couldn’t help but praise him inwardly, thinking that Xiao Jinyan would surely make a wise ruler in the future.

She looked at the half-eaten Fried Dough Stick in her hand, hesitated for a while, and then, with some pain, offered it to him, "Your Highness, do you want a Fried Dough Stick?"

Xiao Jinyan looked at her unwilling face and shook his head, "You eat it; I am not hungry."

Exactly what Shen Chuwei was waiting to hear. She smiled with her eyes curving, "Then I won’t be polite."

Saying that, she put it to her mouth and took a bite, enjoying the taste.

"..." When have you ever been polite?

Xiao Jinyan watched her eating and leisurely picked up the teacup in front of him, savoring the tea.

Xuetuan finished a Meat Bun and licked its paws contentedly.

Shen Chuwei cleared away the snacks in front of her, took a couple of sips of tea contentedly, and the soreness all over her body also subsided by half, making her feel somewhat lazy.

She turned to look at Xiao Jinyan and found him reading a book again. She glanced down at the words on the page, and, lo and behold, it was about military strategies!

No wonder he seemed so absorbed every time.

Propping her chin with one hand and stroking Xuetuan with the other, she asked curiously, "Your Highness, are you planning to lead troops into battle?"

Xiao Jinyan said indifferently, "It’s not because I am going to lead troops that I must study military strategies. For a future heir, learning more can only be beneficial."

Shen Chuwei nodded, indicating she understood.

Being the Crown Prince is actually quite tiring. You get up earlier than chickens, go to bed later than dogs, wear yourself out young, and even then, people covet your position, and your life is at risk from time to time.

It’s better to be a carefree prince, comfortable and at ease.

Xiao Jinyan’s gaze stalled for a moment upon hearing this. He turned to look at Shen Chuwei, only to see her propping her chin and looking at him, her eyes still as pure as a child’s.

In the Royal Family, not everything is a matter of personal choice. It’s survival of the fittest; you have to fight even if you don’t wish to!

Xiao Jinyan looked over, Shen Chuwei suddenly felt guilty, as if Xiao Jinyan could see right through to what was on her mind.

After rushing for several days, they finally arrived at the Capital City.

Shen Chuwei leaned out of the carriage window, looking at the bustling streets, she couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly time passed. It had been a month since she followed Xiao Jinyan on the journey, and she missed Xiyun Pavilion and the little bunnies.

What mattered more was her little vegetable garden and chicken coop -- they must have grown significantly!

Xiao Jinyan leaned against a low table, watching Shen Chuwei’s actions without stopping her.

They entered the Imperial Palace and headed straight for the East Palace.

After getting off the horse carriage,

Xiao Jinyan said, "You go back to Hehuan Hall first, I need to see the Emperor."

Shen Chuwei curtsied and, after watching Xiao Jinyan leave, she returned to Hehuan Hall with Chun Xi.

"Little brother, wait a second," Qin Xiao ran over.

Chun Xi had been called "little brother" countless times along the way, so when someone called out to stop "little brother," she instinctively slowed down and looked back with confusion, only to see Qin Xiao approaching.

She puffed out her chest, "What do you want with me?"

Qin Xiao reached into his chest and took out a handkerchief, offering it to Chun Xi, "Here, I’m giving this back to you."

Chun Xi looked at the handkerchief in Qin Xiao’s large hand; it was folded neatly, like a block of tofu.

She hesitated to reach out and take it.

Seeing Chun Xi not taking it, Qin Xiao extended it further, "It’s been washed clean."

Chun Xi glanced at Qin Xiao, her face flushed red, and she quickly walked away, dragging Shen Chuwei with her.

Leaving behind just one sentence: "It’s a gift for you!"

Qin Xiao watched the two run off, looked down at the handkerchief in his hand, and was at a loss, "I, a grown man, have no need for a handkerchief!"

Weichi walked over and clapped Qin Xiao on the shoulder, "What’s gotten into you these last few days? You’ve been acting all strange."

When he saw the handkerchief in Qin Xiao’s hand, he knew at a glance it was a girl’s.

"Qin Xiao, you’re really getting more and more delicate, using such a girly thing," Weichi teased.

This was the third time Qin Xiao was called delicate by a good brother, and no one could tolerate that. He grabbed Weichi by the collar, a vein throbbing on his forehead, "This was given to me by ’little brother,’ it’s not mine, understand?"

Weichi, startled by Qin Xiao’s yelling, nodded mechanically, "Got it."

"That’s more like it." Qin Xiao released Weichi’s collar, satisfied.

In a shocked tone, Weichi asked, "When did you two get together?"

In the end, Qin Xiao chased Weichi around the East Palace several laps until Weichi begged for mercy before letting him go.

Back at Hehuan Hall, as soon as Shen Chuwei entered the house, she saw a little gray bunny running towards her, as if welcoming her back.

But seeing Xuetuan in Shen Chuwei’s arms, the bunny abruptly stopped, not daring to come closer.

Shen Chuwei looked at the bunny’s physique and noted that it had gained some weight, "Just one month and you’ve gotten this fat, in the future you’ll only be able to move by rolling."

The little bunny blinked innocently.

The next day, Lady Xu, the concubine, swished her handkerchief and came to visit. Seeing Shen Chuwei in the courtyard, she hurried over.

"Lady Shen, have you heard? The Empress is going to appoint Lady Chang as Crown Princess."

Shen Chuwei had just started her period and was feeling uncomfortable all over. Hearing Lady Chang would be made Crown Princess, she asked, "When did this happen?"

"It’s going to be in March. A few days ago, Lady Chang’s family visited the Empress and mentioned it, and the Empress agreed to it,"