The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

In Liu Rusi's courtyard, she barely slept a wink all night, tossing and turning as she thought about everything that had happened by the hot spring the night before.

What exactly is His Majesty thinking?

As she was getting ready in front of the mirror, the courtyard gate was rudely pushed open.

Shen Jingyan burst in, her face filled with urgency: "I heard from my brother that he told you last night that Father went to the hot springs?"

She cut to the chase, looking Liu Rusi up and down, "How did it go? Did it work out?"

Liu Rusi blushed at her blunt question and shook her head in embarrassment.

"Useless!" Shen Jingyan cursed without any attempt to hide her anger, her beautiful face filled with frustration.

That vixen has bewitched the Emperor. If he doesn't find a way to share the Emperor's favor, won't there be no place for the Empress in the palace?

Shen Jingyan pulled Liu Rusi and walked outside, "Come on, let's go find my brother, let's see if he has any other ideas!"

The two walked through the covered walkway and were about to head towards the courtyard where Shen Yinian lived when they suddenly stopped in their tracks.

In the pavilion not far away, Shen Qingruo was lazily reclining on the balustrade.

Her black hair was adorned only with a jade hairpin, her small face was sleepy as she covered her mouth and yawned, her eyes were flushed with an alluring redness, and she looked delicate, weak and drowsy.

Upon seeing the two of them, Shen Qingruo's misty eyes instantly brightened, and she perked up.

She had heard from Xiao Jiu early that morning that the two of them had gotten together and deliberately came here to ambush them.

Upon seeing her, Shen Jingyan felt a throbbing pain in her forehead, which had been hit before, and instinctively took a half-step back, feeling fear.

Liu Rusi quickly bowed and greeted the Imperial Concubine: "This humble woman greets Your Highness."

Shen Jingyan was momentarily dazed, then lowered her head as well, her voice hoarse: "Greetings, Your Highness."

Shen Qingruo's gaze fell on Shen Jingyan, her voice soft and sweet, yet laced with sarcasm:

"Her Highness the Princess's manners seem less refined than those of a musician from outside the palace like Miss Liu."

Shen Jingyan's face instantly turned awkward. She straightened up, bit her lip, and didn't respond.

Shen Qingruo, however, wouldn't let her off the hook, her voice rising at the end: "Did I tell you to get up?"

Shen Jingyan stiffened, recalling the humiliation of being forced to kneel by her last time. She took a deep breath, squatted down again, and maintained the bowing posture.

Shen Qingruo was satisfied, but did not tell her to get up. Instead, she looked at Liu Rusi, who was still bowing, as if she had just remembered: "Oh, right, Miss Liu."

Liu Rusi's heart skipped a beat.

"I heard that the Liu family arranged a marriage for you in your younger days?" Shen Qingruo tilted her head, looking curious.

"I wonder which family's young master is being promised to? If he is a suitable match, I might be able to ask His Majesty to intervene and grant you this marriage."

Liu Rusi stammered, her face turning bright red.

This imperial concubine even dared to reprimand the eldest princess. If she were to reveal that the marriage was with His Majesty, would she have a good outcome?

And why did the Imperial Concubine suddenly know about the old agreement with the Liu family?

Shen Qingruo gave a coquettish snort and looked her up and down: "When I ask you a question, Miss Liu doesn't answer. Is that disrespecting me?"

Liu Rusi's legs went weak with fear, and she knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I dare not! I... I..."

She stammered for a long time but couldn't give a coherent explanation.

Shen Qingruo looked at her submissive manner and slowly said:

"Miss Liu, your ancestors were once a renowned and distinguished family."

"Some thoughts should be put away when necessary. Don't keep going on and on, lest you ruin the last bit of reputation the Liu family has left."

Liu Rusi lowered her head even further, her voice trembling: "This humble woman will remember Your Majesty's teachings."

Shen Jingyan, who was squatting to the side, had started to tremble, and fine sweat was beading on her forehead. She was about to give up.

Shen Qingruo glanced at her, a mocking smile playing on her lips: "Tsk, back then the Empress said I had bad manners and made me squat in the Jiaofang Palace for a quarter of an hour."

"The eldest princess, as the empress's daughter, hasn't even been squatting for half a quarter of an hour yet, how come she can't stand up anymore?"

Shen Jingyan bit her lower lip tightly and remained silent.

Seeing her trying so hard to hold back, Shen Qingruo felt a wicked thought.

She walked to Shen Jingyan's side, extended her slender white fingers, and seemingly casually gave her a gentle push on the shoulder.

Shen Jingyan's legs were already weak from squatting, and when she was pushed, she cried out in surprise and fell to the side uncontrollably, bumping right into Liu Rusi who was kneeling on the ground.

"what!"

"Hmm!"

The two collided, and Liu Rusi became a cushion, being slammed into Shen Jingyan, who cried out in pain.

Although Shen Jingyan was skilled in martial arts and could have kept her ground steady, she knew that Shen Qingruo would not give up until he was thoroughly angry. So she could only fall down with the force of the impact, her elbow hitting the cold, hard stone slab, which caused her excruciating pain.

Shen Qingruo watched the two of them fall to the ground in a sorry state, crying out in pain, and covered her mouth with a soft laugh.

The laughter was soft and sweet, but it felt like needles pricking their ears.

Shen Qingruo yawned lazily, her eyes sparkling with the spoiled arrogance of someone who had gotten their way.

"This is so boring, Granny Yan. Let's go back. I need to catch up on my sleep."

After saying that, she took the hand of Granny Yan and gracefully left, without glancing at the two people on the ground again.

Shen Jingyan slowly raised her head behind her, watching her receding figure, rubbing her aching elbow, her eyes filled with coldness.