With legs weak, the sickly stable boy became a mad regent.

Shen Run sat in the front hall, picking up his teacup and putting it down repeatedly.

Shen Nannan sat opposite him, watching his restless state, and couldn't help but ask, "Brother, what exactly do you want to say?"

Shen Run put down his teacup and leaned forward slightly. "Sister... don't be afraid about the Crown Prince."

Shen Nannan was stunned for a moment.

"Although my brother is usually unreliable, he won't be careless about something as important as this." Shen Run was unusually serious, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. "If he dares to touch you, I'll fight him to the death."

Looking at his serious face, Shen Nannan suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

In my past life, my brother was like that too. He was usually carefree and irresponsible, but when something really happened, he was the first to rush to the rescue.

At last……

She remembered how many arrows had riddled his body; how much pain he must have been in…

"Brother," she said, her voice a little hoarse.

"Um?"

"Don't fight with anyone. Just... just stay alive."

Shen Run paused for a moment, then laughed, reaching out to ruffle her hair: "What nonsense are you talking about? If I'm not alive, who will back you up?"

Shen Nannan's hair was all crooked from his rubbing, so she reached out and slapped his hand away: "Let's get down to business."

Shen Run stopped laughing and lowered his voice: "Father has secured supplies and won a battle. News from the front just arrived that the Northern Di have retreated."

Shen Nannan's heart skipped a beat.

"Is Father coming back? Is he alright? Is he hurt?"

"Everything's fine! That shipment of supplies arrived just in time! The army is strong and well-equipped. Father even praised you in his letter. Our little girl has finally grown up."

Shen Run looked at his younger sister with a light in his eyes, "When Father comes back, let's see who dares to bully you again."

Shen Nannan almost burst into tears.

She held back, lowered her head and pretended to adjust her cuffs, suppressing the sour feeling.

It's good that you're alright... It's good that Father is alright...

No one noticed that Ah Chao's expression changed slightly as he stood at the door. It was very subtle, fleeting. He lowered his eyes, his face returning to its usual expressionless state. But his hands clenched tightly in his sleeves, his knuckles turning white.

General Shen is coming back. And what about him...?

He lowered his eyes, suppressing the surging emotions within him.

"By the way," Shen Run spoke again, looking at the gold-embossed invitation on the table, "what are your plans for the flower viewing banquet?"

Shen Nannan picked up the invitation and opened it. There were a few lines of words written on it, politely worded, and signed as Consort Shu... The gold-stamped seal was neatly and properly affixed.

"Go," she said. "The Imperial Concubine herself sent the invitation; it would be disrespectful not to go."

Shen Run frowned even more deeply: "I heard that the Crown Prince will also be there that day."

"Let him do his thing, I'll do mine."

"My little girl..."

"Brother," Shen Nannan interrupted him, "I know what you're worried about. But this invitation came from the Imperial Concubine. If I don't go, I'll offend not the Crown Prince, but the Imperial Concubine."

Shen Run opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"Besides," Shen Nannan closed the post and smiled, "I also want to see just how beautiful that imperial concubine really is."

Shen Run was taken aback: "Why are you going to check if she's pretty or not?"

"Is curiosity not allowed?"

"You're a young woman, and you're just curious about whether another girl is pretty?"

"What? It won't work?"

Shen Run was speechless for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "Fine, fine, you decide."

Shen Nannan stood up, took two steps, then turned back: "Brother."

"Um?"

"Is Sister Qiu Tong going that day too?"

Shen Run paused for a moment, then said, "She should go. Her father was also invited. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Shen Nannan smiled. "I just feel at ease knowing she's with me."

Shen Run nodded: "That's true. She's much more reliable than me."

Shen Nannan didn't say anything more and turned to walk out.

As she walked out of the lobby, her pace slowed.

She didn't attend the flower-viewing banquet in her past life, but Qiu Tong did.

Having been rebuffed by the Shen family, the Crown Prince turned his attention to the Qiu family.

Qiu Tong's father also held military power, and the Crown Prince wanted to use the same methods to control the Qiu family.

At the flower-viewing banquet, the Empress's men drugged Qiu Tong. Refusing to be humiliated, Qiu Tong rammed her head against a pillar, bleeding profusely.

She remained unconscious for a long time. She and her brother were supposed to marry long ago; he had been taking care of her, saying he would wait for her to wake up no matter what, and then marry her…

But later...

She suddenly woke up on the day her brother died in battle, and the first thing she said was, "Where's Shen Run?"

Then she went to the battlefield and was buried with her brother...

Shen Nannan stood under the eaves and closed her eyes.

She couldn't let the tragedy repeat itself in her lifetime!

In the courtyard of the Wutong tree, A-Chao was squatting under the eaves feeding rabbits.

Shen Nannan walked over, squatted down beside him, and watched the rabbit nibble on a carrot.

The rabbit was munching away happily, its mouth moving constantly, its whiskers trembling.

Ah Chao put down the carrot and turned to look at her: "Miss, have you finished talking with the young master?"

"That's all."

"About the Crown Prince?"

"Um."

"About Father's return?"

"Um."

Ah Chao didn't ask any more questions, he just looked at her.

Shen Nannan felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and unconsciously tugged at the rabbit's fur.

"Ah Chao..."

"Um."

"On the day of the flower viewing banquet, you will stay at the manor."

Ah Chao paused, put down the carrot, and turned to look at her.

Why?

"We are not allowed to bring guards into the palace."

"I can……"

"No," she said, pressing her lips to his. "You can't go..."

She knew he had important things to do, and his current identity couldn't be revealed.

"There were so many people around that day, and you'd only draw more attention with your mask on. You'd be better off staying home and feeding the rabbits."

Ah Chao stared at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Miss wants to go," he said. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Yes. I want to go."

Why?

Shen Nannan thought for a moment, then didn't tell the truth: "I just want to see what the Imperial Concubine looks like. I heard she dances very well."

Ah Chao didn't say anything.

"You don't want me to go?" She tilted her head and looked at him.

"In no mood."

Why?

He didn't answer, but simply handed the carrot to the rabbit, stood up, walked to the porch, and leaned against a pillar.

Shen Nannan followed him and looked up at him.

"Ah Chao".

"Um."

Are you worried something might happen to me?

He didn't speak.

"I'll be careful." She reached out and tugged at his sleeve. "Besides, isn't there the Third Prince? He helped the Shen family last time... He's not a bad person..."

"Don't mention him," Ah Chao interrupted her, his voice a little muffled.

Shen Nannan paused for a moment, then laughed: "Jealous again?"

"no."

"Every time you say no, you mean yes."

He didn't refute her, but simply reached into his pocket, pulled something out, and handed it to her.

A jade pendant. It is pure white, warm and delicate, and carved with a begonia flower, its petals fully open and lifelike.

Shen Nannan took it and turned it over to look at it. On the back was engraved a character... Shu.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"This is……"

"When it really matters, Consort Shu will help you," A-Chao said calmly. "Take this, and she'll know."

Shen Nannan clutched the jade pendant, her fingers trembling slightly.

She looked up at him; his eyes were dark and deep, but she saw something else in them… trust, the kind of trust that allowed him to entrust his life to her.

"What exactly is your relationship with her?" she asked.