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Chun Xi looked at her master with a puzzled face and asked, "Little Master, what are you doing?"

"His Highness forbids the Xiyun Pavilion from having sunflower seeds. If we are seen with them, he’ll probably be unhappy," Shen Chuwei said as she kicked away the sunflower seed shells, still remembering how unhappy Xiao Jinyan had been because of the seeds.

Only then did Chun Xi catch on, and she started kicking the shells away with Shen Chuwei...

As Xiao Jinyan approached, Shen Chuwei stepped forward and curtsied, "Your Highness, I wish you peace and prosperity."

Sitting down in a chair, Xiao Jinyan gestured for her to sit as well, "Sit down, let’s talk."

Standing was what Shen Chuwei liked least, so as soon as Xiao Jinyan spoke up, she promptly gathered her skirts to sit down.

Having just taken his seat, Xiao Jinyan caught a whiff of a very fragrant scent and looked towards Shen Chuwei with curiosity, "What is that smell? It’s quite fragrant."

Shen Chuwei was eating five-spice flavored sunflower seeds, and the fragrance was unstoppable as she cracked them open.

What’s more, she had stockpiled a lot of them in her space...

"...Perhaps it’s the fragrance of the food?" Shen Chuwei fanned her hand awkardly, trying to waft the smell away.

Chun Xi secretly glanced at the pile of sunflower seed shells under the table and could only pray silently that His Highness wouldn’t notice, for it would be a huge loss to fall from favor so soon after gaining it.

A flicker of doubt crossed Xiao Jinyan’s eyes, "That doesn’t smell like the fragrance of food to me."

Shen Chuwei tried to change the subject, her eyes curving with a smile, "Your Highness, what urgent matter brings you to see this concubine?"

Xiao Jinyan, reminded of his purpose, chose to disregard the strong scent tickling his nose, "There is something I need to discuss with you."

Shen Chuwei nodded, "Your Concubine is all ears."

Deciding on the matter, Xiao Jinyan went straight to the point, "The Empress Mother intends to have Lady Liang promoted to Concubine to manage the affairs of the East Palace, but I would like you to take on that role, to help me manage the affairs here."

Shen Chuwei almost thought she had heard wrong—are they really considering her for the role of Concubine in charge of the East Palace affairs?

"Why wouldn’t Your Highness want Lady Liang to be the Concubine in charge of the East Palace affairs?" It wasn’t that she was overly curious—it would be fitting for the woman who had captured his heart to take on that position, so why involve someone else?

Xiao Jinyan explained, "Lady Liang is physically weak and not suited for managing the affairs of the East Palace."

Hearing this, Shen Chuwei started to feel slightly unhappy. What was the reason?

Your love is too frail to toil, so I, sturdy as an ox, should bear the burdens willingly?

"Your Highness, I have been feeling a bit of chest tightness and shortness of breath these past few days; I might be ill," Shen Chuwei said with a hand over her chest, her brows deeply furrowed.

Chun Xi was thrilled thinking her master was about to turn a new leaf and burst into song, when suddenly she saw Shen Chuwei clutching at her chest. She had been fine while eating the sunflower seeds earlier, so why the chest tightness and shortness of breath now?

"Why didn’t you mention your discomfort earlier?" Xiao Jinyan turned and ordered, "Liu Xi, go summon Doctor Wen."

"At once." Liu Xi turned to leave.

Shen Chuwei quickly spoke up, "Your Highness, I’ll be fine with a few days of rest, there’s no need for the trouble of summoning the Imperial Doctor."

Xiao Jinyan spoke with a stern tone, "Falling ill is no trifling matter, do you not understand the danger of concealing one’s illness?"

"Your Highness, I am well aware of my own body, a bit of rest should suffice." On the last phrase, Shen Chuwei purposely emphasized her tone.

A concubine needing more rest also isn’t suited for managing the affairs of the East Palace as a Concubine!

Seeing her persistence, Xiao Jinyan finally nodded, "Then you should rest well. The matter of appointing the Concubine can wait."

Shen Chuwei’s face fell. So after all this, they were still competing for the Concubine position?

Your Highness, can’t you just dote on me?

Xiao Jinyan, seeing her displeasure, grew concerned, "What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?"

Shen Chuwei nodded, "I am now feeling weak in the limbs, chest tightness, and shortness of breath!"

Xiao Jinyan, growing even more worried, glanced at the place where Shen Chuwei had a scar from an arrow wound on her chest. Could this be a complication?

Shen Chuwei, clutching at her chest in self-pity, could only commiserate with herself, since Xiao Jinyan had only shown concern for his beloved, leaving her to care for herself.

But she noticed the sunflower seed shells at Xiao Jinyan’s feet, more than just one or two.

"Your Highness, let me make some tea for you," she said as she stood up, pretending to stumble. Grasping at Xiao Jinyan’s arm with a cry of "Aiya," she managed to kick the seed shells under the table effortlessly.

Xiao Jinyan reacted instinctively, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her into his embrace, a rare display of reflex.

After kicking away the seed shells, Shen Chuwei felt something wasn’t right and gave it a squeeze. Surprisingly firm, she looked up to see what she was holding, realizing it wasn’t Xiao Jinyan’s arm at all, but his chest...

No wonder it was so solid; it turns out to be a pectoral muscle.

Xiao Jinyan glanced at her restless hand, frowned and then released her, saying with a stern face, "If you’re feeling unwell, then sit down properly."

Shen Chuwei was incredibly embarrassed, "I understand, Your Highness."

Xiao Jinyan suddenly said, "By the way, do you still have any of those little vegetables? Bring some for me."

"Yes," Shen Chuwei responded, turning her head to instruct, "Chun Xi, go fetch some for Steward Liu."

"Right away." Chun Xi happily walked into the room.

Steward Liu followed at a leisurely pace.

A small gray rabbit hopped from the vegetable garden, scurrying under the table, its front paws busily scratching at the sunflower seed shells, trying to take a bite as well.

The rabbit, finding the shells too hard, spat them out with a flutter, and continued pawing at them, resulting in all the shells ending up outside.

Xiao Jinyan sat back down and saw a pile of sunflower seed shells next to the table, their fragrance was intense, impossible to ignore.

Shen Chuwei was also about to sit down, as standing was too tiring and sitting far more comfortable.

Looking down, she saw the pile of sunflower seed shells, and she also noticed Xiao Jinyan had seen the shells.

Xiao Jinyan looked up at Shen Chuwei and asked, "Is the fragrance coming from those sunflower seed shells?"

Shen Chuwei nodded guiltily, "Yes."

Xiao Jinyan further inquired, "Then why did you hide the shells under the table?"

Blinking her beautiful eyes, Shen Chuwei said, "Because there wasn’t time to clean up, and I feared it would affect Your Highness’s mood."

Xiao Jinyan nodded thoughtfully, "I recall specifically forbidding the delivery of sunflower seeds to the Xiyun Pavilion. Where did these come from?"

Shen Chuwei became silent—so he remembered after all. But the feigned ignorance earlier, what was that about?

"These seeds were planted by myself, not sent by the Imperial Kitchen," she explained.

Xiao Jinyan seemed surprised upon hearing this, "Where did you plant them? Show me."

Shen Chuwei couldn’t resist muttering to herself, What’s with a Crown Prince’s fascination with sunflower seeds?

"I will take Your Highness there right now." Standing up, Shen Chuwei led the way to the edge of the vegetable garden.

Xiao Jinyan followed at his own pace, well aware that this path led to the small vegetable garden.

Their destination was not far, and they soon arrived.

Stopping, Shen Chuwei warned, "Your Highness, we’ve arrived."

Looking around, Xiao Jinyan didn’t see any sunflower seeds. Confused, he looked to Shen Chuwei. "Where are the sunflower seeds you mentioned?"