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After finishing a letter, Xiao Jinyan stuffed it into an envelope and sealed it.

Xiao Jinyan handed the letter to Weichi, "Send someone to take it back."

"Your subordinate obeys." Weichi, carrying the letter, walked out of the tent and dispatched a trusted aide to send the letter back.

Xiao Jinyan allowed his soldiers to tidy up and rest for two days before once again setting out from the city to meet the enemy in battle.

Having won three times, the soldiers’ spirits were high, and their ambitions lofty, which was a stark contrast to their disposition before Xiao Jinyan’s arrival.

The enemy forces, having suffered three defeats, inevitably experienced a blow to their morale.

They had also witnessed Xiao Jinyan’s ruthless tactics and strategies.

Thus, when Xiao Jinyan, donning Kirin armor and mounted on a tall warhorse, arrived on the battlefield, they all couldn’t help but shrink their necks.

East Palace

Ever since Shen Chuwei started being managed by the butler Chun Xi, she could no longer indulge in food at will.

She could only eat a little watermelon.

She, who could usually devour an entire watermelon in one sitting, found that one-fifth of it wasn’t even enough to fill the gaps between her teeth.

She lay on the couch, feeling aggrieved, "I miss His Highness."

Upon hearing Shen Chuwei utter these words, Chun Xi knew she was unbearably craving something sweet, but there was no helping it, for it was written in the books that watermelon was a cold fruit and should not be consumed in excess.

Chun Xi clenched her teeth, turned, and entered the small kitchen to begin kneading dough.

Shen Chuwei woke up from a nap to the growl of her empty stomach and the smell of something aromatic. Raising her head, she saw a plate of watermelon on the short table.

To be precise, it was a plate of watermelon-shaped steamed buns.

She had once taught Chun Xi how to make colored steamed buns, as well as how to match the colors.

She sat up and studied the watermelon-shaped steamed buns for a while, then reached out, took one, and bit into it. It was soft and sweetly fragrant, and quite delicious.

A few days later, Shen Chuwei received a reply from Xiao Jinyan.

It was still delivered by Qin Xiao.

Initially, she felt awkward for having unnecessarily written to Xiao Jinyan.

But when she saw the content of Xiao Jinyan’s reply, her embarrassment vanished instantly.

My wife:

Your husband is well on the outside.

Ten thousand words could not express the degree to which your husband misses you.

I hope that next time, Xiao Jiu can speak more clearly and thoroughly of this longing.

Seeing this, Shen Chuwei wondered, was Xiao Jinyan actually reproaching her for not being sincere enough in her letter?

He had omitted details himself!

As she read further, Shen Chuwei’s face flushed red. Well then, Xiao Jinyan was much more straightforward this time compared to the last.

After reading the letter, she folded it neatly and put it back into the envelope, storing it with the previous letter, both kept in a special space.

Inspiration suddenly struck Shen Chuwei, and she took out her drawing board to start painting.

Since the last time, she had been lacking inspiration, so she had put it aside.

Painting was the most time-consuming activity.

Before she knew it, an entire afternoon had passed.

The next day, with nothing else to do, she took out the drawing board to continue her work.

With Crown Prince Xiao Jinyan out leading troops in battle, the women of the East Palace, with nothing much to do, began eagerly awaiting His Highness’s return.

After treatment by the Imperial Doctor, Xueyan’s face had improved a lot, although scars were still visible.

She could only cover them with thick layers of powder.

Thinking of how her long-trained cat had failed to harm Shen Chuwei, instead injuring herself, Xueyan felt a rising sense of indignation.

No one knew where the cat had gone; even after sending people to search, it hadn’t been found.

Clutching a handkerchief tightly in her hand, Xueyan decided to pay a visit to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Xueyan had been to Xiyun Pavilion and thought it was quite secluded until she found that Xiaoxiang Pavilion was even more isolated.

Stepping into Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Xueyan covered her nose, walking in with a look of disgust on her face.

Shen Chuwei had just woken up from her nap and was beside the lotus pond, staring at the lotus flowers to see how they were growing.

The lotus had been planted from seeds a while ago, and after they sprouted successfully, they were transplanted into the water.

They had already sprouted lotus leaves.

Lady Xu found it a bit boring, "Lady Shen, what’s the point of staring at this?"

"What else is there to do?" Shen Chuwei actually was craving hotpot, but Chun Xi wouldn’t let her have any.

She was trying to figure out how to get some hotpot.

"His Highness has been gone for over two months now, and it’s almost three months, yet there’s no news of his return," Lady Xu followed up curiously moving closer to Shen Chuwei, "His Highness doesn’t know that you’re pregnant, does he?"

Shen Chuwei replied, "He knows, and he’s thrilled."

Lady Xu was somewhat surprised, "When did he find out?"

Shen Chuwei said, "I let him know in the last letter."

Chun Xi came over to remind her, "Young Mistress, Concubine Xue is here."

Shen Chuwei looked up to see Xueyan walking over slowly, her face covered with a white square cloth, still dressed in pure white clothes.

Lady Xu also looked up at Xueyan, "Covering her face with a white cloth, she knows she has no face to show!"

Hearing that, Shen Chuwei couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

When Xueyan walked over, she saw the two of them chatting and laughing, and felt unhappy.

When she looked at Lady Xu, she was surprised to find Lady Xu’s face had healed.

It’s healed?

Xueyan subconsciously touched her face, recalling they had been scratched by the cat on the same day, but her face still had ugly scars.

Why did Lady Xu’s face heal?

She greeted them with a forced smile, "Lady Xu, Lady Shen, you seem to be enjoying yourselves."

Shen Chuwei and Lady Xu stood up one after another.

Lady Xu flicked her little handkerchief, adjusting the Pearl Flower at her temples, "Concubine Xue, you are usually so busy, what brings you to Xiaoxiang Pavilion?"

Xueyan said, "Lady Shen has been confined to Xiaoxiang Pavilion for some time, and I haven’t had the chance to visit. So, I came today to see how she is."

Shen Chuwei said indifferently, "I’m quite alright."

Xueyan looked at Shen Chuwei and saw her flawless, unblemished face, which made her feel even more resentful.

Such a pity that despite wasting so much time, she still hadn’t achieved her wish.

"His Highness, the Imperial Doctor, went to the battlefield. Who knows when he will return?"

"I heard Concubine Xue has His Highness’s favor, hasn’t he written to you?" Lady Xu boasted yet again, "His Highness has written to Lady Shen."

Lady Xu spoke without thinking and let slip this fact.

Concubine Xue’s face instantly turned unpleasant, thinking of how His Highness had left for the battlefield and not even given her the chance to send a letter before departing.

Shen Chuwei managed to receive a letter from His Highness?

"Is that so? I’ve been so anxious about His Highness that I’ve been unable to sleep at night. Please, Lady Shen, show me the letter so I can rest assured," said Xueyan.

Shen Chuwei declined directly, "That is a letter from His Highness to me; it’s not for others to see."

Xueyan’s recently calmed anger flared up once more.

She sneered, "Lady Shen, we are sisters, how could I be an outsider? I have the right to see His Highness’s letter."

Lady Xu couldn’t stand Xueyan’s relentless pressure on Shen Chuwei, "If she refuses, she refuses. What do you want to do about it?"

"I wasn’t talking to you, what’s your hurry?" Xueyan moved closer to Shen Chuwei and continued, "Is there perhaps some unspeakable secret in the letter?"

After speaking, she deliberately reached for Shen Chuwei’s hand. Shen Chuwei, displeased, withdrew her own hand. Xueyan then feigned being pushed by Shen Chuwei, crying out in shock, "Ah!! Lady Shen, why did you push me?"

With a splash, she lost her balance and fell directly into the lake.

The incident unfolded in the blink of an eye, catching everyone off guard, and leaving them stunned momentarily.

...