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

Shen Nannan walked up to A Chao, reached out, and gently patted his face.

"Stop messing around, they're here to pay a visit, not to cause trouble."

Ah Chao lowered his eyes and said in a flat voice, "This servant is not making a fuss."

"It's written all over your face." She poked his chest.

"‘I want to kill someone’—the four words were clear as day."

He didn't say anything, but just tightened his grip on the rabbit in his arms.

The rabbit kicked its legs as it was being strangled, looking completely innocent.

Shen Nannan sighed, stood on tiptoe, and leaned close to his ear.

"He's the one who got the grain for the Shen family. Regardless of his reasons, the Shen family owes him a favor. Don't cause any trouble later, you hear me?"

Ah Chao turned his head and looked at her face, which was so close to his.

Her small, moist mouth opened and closed.

I want to kiss you.

I want to bite...

"Did you hear me?" she asked again.

"...I heard you."

"Then smile."

Ah Chao's lips curled into a sinister smile...

Shen Nannan: "...Never mind, you'd better stop laughing."

She turned and walked out, but after taking two steps, she turned back and reached out to straighten the mask on his face.

"Wear it properly, don't let it fall off."

"Um."

"And..." she stared into his eyes, "you're not allowed to look at people like that."

Which one?

"It's that kind of look... like, 'If you look at her again, I'll gouge your eyes out.'"

Ah Chao was silent for a moment: "This servant will do his best."

Shen Nannan glared at him, then turned and left.

Ah Chao followed behind her, holding a rabbit in his arms. His mask covered most of his face, so his expression was unreadable.

But the rabbit felt his fingers tightening, kicked its legs, and protested silently.

In the front hall, Shen Run was talking to Xiao Yunting.

Shen Run was unusually well-dressed, wearing a dark blue brocade robe, his hair neatly tied up, and his back ramrod straight.

He didn't speak as casually as usual; he actually had the air of the eldest son of a general's family.

Last night, Qiu Tong grabbed his ear and lectured him for half an hour, saying that the Third Prince had requested grain for the Shen family and was their benefactor. She said that if he dared to embarrass him tomorrow, she would break his legs.

Shen Run said he understood, but he was actually quite grateful—if it weren't for the Third Prince's intervention, the matter of the grain supplies would have dragged on indefinitely.

Xiao Yunting sat in the guest seat, holding a teacup in his hand, slowly blowing away the foam.

He wore a moon-white brocade robe with silver cloud patterns embroidered on the collar, and his hair was tied up with a jade crown, which made his face look even more handsome and otherworldly.

Just as rumored—charming and irreverent,

His entire being screams, "I'm not a decent person."

"Your Highness's presence is an honor to our humble abode." Shen Run cupped his hands in greeting and smiled politely.

Xiao Yunting waved his hand and smiled casually. He looked around the front hall and said, "Brother Shen, everything about your mansion is great, but it's just too stuffy."

Shen Run was taken aback: "Bored?"

"Yes." Xiao Yunting put down his teacup.

"There isn't even a singer. I heard that a new courtesan has arrived at Zuixianlou; she has a wonderful voice. Have you heard her, Brother Shen?"

Shen Run's lips twitched.

He's the eldest son of a general's family, and he's chatting with a prince about courtesans?

"Your Highness is joking. I don't often go to such places."

"Don't you go often?" Xiao Yunting raised an eyebrow.

"I heard you used to be a regular at Chunfeng Tower?"

Shen Run's smile froze for a moment, and he cursed inwardly—is this prince here to cause trouble?

Since Qiu Tong returned, he has almost forgotten which way the door of Chunfeng Tower faces.

"That's all in the past." He coughed lightly.

"Now... I don't go there much anymore."

Xiao Yunting smiled, a smile that carried a hint of "I understand you": "Starting a family makes all the difference."

Just as Shen Run was about to speak, the butler hurriedly came in to report: "Young Master, Young Master Pei has arrived."

Shen Run frowned: "What's he doing here?"

"They said they came to visit the young lady."

Shen Run's face instantly darkened.

When the Shen family was in trouble, Pei Ran disappeared without a trace, but now he's showing up to curry favor?

Xiao Yunting tilted his head, a look of anticipation on his face:

"Young Master Pei? Which Young Master Pei?"

"Pei Ran, the son of the Minister of Rites." Shen Run gritted his teeth.

"Nannan's fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Xiao Yunting repeated the three words, with a hint of surprise, "Miss Shen has a fiancé."

Before he could finish speaking, Pei Ran strode in.

He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, holding a brocade box in his hands, with a gentle smile, but that smile froze the moment he saw Xiao Yunting.

"Third...Third Prince?" He quickly bowed. "Your subject Pei Ran greets Your Highness."

Xiao Yunting waved his hand and smiled, "No need for formalities. Young Master Pei, are you here... to deliver the betrothal gifts?"

Pei Ran blushed and said, "No, no, I came to visit my little sister Nannan. I heard she's been working hard lately, so I brought some tonics."

He emphasized the words "sister Nannan" as if to remind everyone present that his relationship with Shen Nannan was special.

He handed the brocade box to the butler, then turned to look at Shen Run with a fawning smile:

"Brother Shen, is my little sister Nannan here? I haven't seen her in a long time and I'd like to talk to her."

Before Shen Run could speak, Xiao Yunting laughed first.

"Young Master Pei,"

He tilted his head, his fingers tapping absently on the table.

"Are you Miss Shen's fiancé?"

Pei Ran straightened his back: "Exactly."

"Then how come I heard..." Xiao Yunting said slowly.

"The Shen family was short of food some time ago, and many court officials submitted memorials to His Majesty. Hmm? Since they are related by marriage, why haven't I heard of the Pei family submitting any memorials?"

Pei Ran's face flushed instantly: "Your Highness, I had my reasons back then..."

"A predicament?" Xiao Yunting raised an eyebrow.

"What's your predicament? Are you afraid of being implicated, or do you think the Shen family is desperately short of money and want to distance yourself from them?"

Pei Ran opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Shen Run stood aside, watching Pei Ran's expression of having swallowed a fly, and felt extremely pleased.

He cleared his throat. "Young Master Pei, you've come at the right time. I was just about to tell you about Nannan's marriage. My father said we'll discuss it again when he returns. You shouldn't keep coming to the manor, lest people gossip."

Pei Ran's expression changed: "Brother Shen, what do you mean by that? The marriage agreement between the Shen and Pei families was personally arranged by my father and General Shen..."

"My father is fighting on the border. What about your father?" Shen Run interrupted him.

"I heard that Minister Pei has been getting close to the Crown Prince lately? About the grain supplies... Ha." He sneered.

Pei Ran choked.

It was obvious to everyone that Shen's father held considerable military power, making him a target of the Crown Prince's faction. Unfortunately, Shen's father was upright and never participated in these factional struggles, which is why he incurred the hatred of the Crown Prince's faction.

The Pei family has pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince, and now they're trying to curry favor with the Shen family. They want to have their cake and eat it too. How can things be so easy?

Pei Ran wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a smile: "I...I just came to see my little sister Nannan. She was frightened on the spring outing, and I was worried about her."

"Where were you when she was frightened?" Shen Run asked bluntly. "Watching the show?"

Pei Ran's face flushed red: "Brother Shen, you've misunderstood. At that time, I..."

"Alright," Xiao Yunting interrupted him, smiling casually. "Young Master Pei, the young lady has been frightened; naturally, someone will take care of her. It's not appropriate for a man like you to come to her residence and fawn over her, is it?"

Pei Ran opened her mouth, wanting to say that she was Xiao Yunting's fiancé, but looking into Xiao Yunting's smiling eyes, she swallowed her words back.

Just then, footsteps sounded at the door.