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

The Crown Prince sat down opposite her, his gaze fixed on Shen Nannan like an unshakeable snotty bug.

"Miss Shen looks beautiful today." He picked up his teacup, his smile greasy. "You look even better than the last time I saw you."

Shen Nannan lowered her eyes and didn't look at him: "Your Highness flatters me."

"No flattery, no flattery." The Crown Prince leaned forward slightly. "I am a person who never lies."

Qiu Tong sat to Shen Nannan's left and slammed her teacup on the table with a loud thud, interrupting the Crown Prince's words.

"Your Highness," she smiled, "you're blocking the light by sitting here."

The crown prince paused for a moment, chuckled twice, and moved to the side, but his gaze remained fixed on the spot.

Su Yue, who was to Shen Nannan's right, leaned over and whispered, "This person is really annoying."

Shen Nannan squeezed her hand, signaling her to be quiet.

Just then, the eunuch announced loudly: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived! Her Highness Consort Shu has arrived!"

Everyone stood up and curtsied.

Shen Nannan kept her head down, but caught a glimpse of a figure walking past her out of the corner of her eye. It was a bright red phoenix robe, embroidered with gold phoenixes, the hem of which trailed on the ground, rustling softly.

The Empress's footsteps were heavy, each step carrying an air of authority.

Following closely behind was a light footstep, as if walking on clouds, almost without a sound.

Consort Shu.

Shen Nannan couldn't help but raise her head and take a look.

She was stunned at first glance.

The woman was dressed in a moon-white palace gown, with only a white jade hairpin in her hair, and no other adornments. Yet her face—her eyebrows like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn water, and the slight, enigmatic smile on her lips—drew everyone's attention, even though she stood behind the Empress.

She seems to radiate light.

Shen Nannan looked at her and suddenly remembered what A Chao had said: "Not as pretty as Miss."

That's a lie. This person is incredibly good-looking.

Consort Shu's gaze swept across the crowd, landing on Shen Nannan for a moment. The corner of her mouth curved slightly.

The Empress sat down in the main seat and waved her hand, saying, "Rise, all of you."

Everyone stood up and returned to their seats.

The Empress picked up her teacup, her gaze sweeping across the room before settling on the Crown Prince: "Your Highness has arrived early today."

The Crown Prince smiled and said, "I thought Mother Empress had worked hard today, so I came early to help her."

"Help me?" The Empress raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky if you don't cause me any trouble."

The prince's smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned.

Consort Shu sat below the Empress, picked up her teacup, and gently blew on it, the sound neither too loud nor too soft.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has been very busy lately, copying books and making betrothal gifts. It is already quite rare that he could take the time to attend the flower appreciation banquet."

That was said politely, but it always sounded like a reproach to some people.

Shen Nannan felt something was strange, very strange.

She touched the jade pendant in her sleeve, but didn't move it.

The banquet began. Palace maids filed in, carrying various delicacies and fine wines, and set out a table.

The Empress raised her wine cup and said with a smile to everyone, "Today is a flower appreciation banquet, so please don't stand on ceremony. Come, let me toast you all."

Everyone raised their glasses. Shen Nannan also picked up her glass, touched her lips to the rim, but didn't drink.

She remembered Ah Chao's words—don't drink the wine offered by others.

After finishing her drink, the Empress put down her cup and her gaze fell on Shen Nannan.

"You are General Shen's daughter?"

Shen Nannan stood up, curtsied, and said, "This commoner, Shen Nannan, greets Your Majesty the Empress."

The Empress looked her up and down, then smiled and said, "Indeed, a beauty in the making. Come here, let me take a good look at you."

Shen Nannan walked over and stood in front of the Empress.

The Empress reached out, took her hand, and patted it gently.

"General Shen is fighting bravely on the front lines, and you've been managing things at home all by yourself. You've worked so hard." The Empress's voice was very gentle, almost too gentle.

"I'm not tired," Shen Nannan said, her eyes lowered. "It's Father who's tired."

The Empress smiled and released her hand: "Good child. Go back and sit down."

The Crown Prince sat opposite her, his gaze never leaving Shen Nannan.

He held his wine glass, taking sips every now and then, but his eyes remained glued to her.

Qiu Tong grew impatient with his gaze, slammed her chopsticks on the table, and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Your Highness, are you staring at my sister? Is there something on her face?"

The prince's smile froze for a moment. Several noble ladies around him lowered their heads, suppressing their laughter.

The Empress frowned, about to speak, when Consort Shu smiled first.

"Miss Qiu is straightforward, just like her father." She picked up her wine glass and raised it to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, I'd like to offer you a toast."

The Crown Prince immediately looked away, lowered his head, and dared not look at Consort Shu.

Qiu Tong snorted and whispered to Shen Nannan, "If he looks at you again, I'll gouge his eyes out."

Shen Nannan laughed and patted the back of her hand: "Ignore him, let him see. It's not like he'll lose a piece of flesh."

-----

Halfway through the banquet, Shen Yin stood up, holding a wine glass. She walked up to Shen Nannan, her face slightly flushed and her hands trembling slightly.

"Sister," she said softly, "I'd like to offer you a toast."

Shen Nannan looked at her, then at the wine glass in her hand. The wine was clear and didn't smell strange.

But she knew she couldn't drink that glass of wine.

"Sister Yin'er," she smiled, "you're not feeling well, don't drink. Sit down and rest."

Shen Yin's expression changed. She stood there, holding her wine glass, caught in a dilemma.

Lin Wan'er stepped out from behind her, smiling, and said, "Cousin, Yin'er's gesture is heartfelt. If you don't drink it, she'll be sad."

Shen Nannan looked up at her, then suddenly smiled: "Then leave it there. I'll drink it later."

Lin Wan'er bit her lip and put down the teacup.

When her hand emerged from her sleeve, there was a tiny white powder under her fingernails, so fine it was almost invisible unless you looked closely.

Just as her fingers were about to touch the rim of the cup—

A hand reached out and grasped her wrist.

Qiu Tong.

"My dear cousin," Qiu Tong said with a smile, "what's that under your fingernails? It's all white."

Lin Wan'er's expression changed instantly.

All eyes turned to them. The Empress frowned, Consort Shu raised an eyebrow, and the Crown Prince paused, his hand holding the wine cup still.

"I...I didn't..." Lin Wan'er tried to pull her hand away, but Qiu Tong gripped it even tighter.

"No?" Qiu Tong raised her hand to the light. "This white powder can't possibly be ash, can it? The floors in the palace are very clean."

Lin Wan'er's face was as white as paper.

The Empress put down her teacup, her voice turning cold: "What's going on here?"

Qiu Tong grabbed Lin Wan'er's sleeve and pulled her forward: "Your Majesty, this person poisoned the wine!"

Lin Wan'er's face changed, and she struggled to say, "I didn't! You're making false accusations!"

"No?" Qiu Tong sneered. "Then why are you trembling?"

Lin Wan'er's hands were indeed trembling, trembling violently.