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

It was late at night, and only a dim lamp was lit inside Qingyi Palace.

Shen Qingruo sat on the bed, wrapped in a brocade quilt. Xiao Jiu's voice echoed in her mind, tinged with a sigh:

"Aruo, look at Wulan Yun, she seems to be alright? She's in a very stable mood."

Shen Qingruo's gaze shifted slightly.

Through the image projected by Xiao Jiu, she saw that inside the Jiaofang Palace, Wulan Yun had returned to her dressing table, facing the bronze mirror, slowly and methodically combing her somewhat messy long hair, even appearing somewhat content.

"Of course she's alright." Shen Qingruo's voice was soft, with a hint of sarcasm. "She's gotten through this."

Xiao Jiu was puzzled: "But her daughter was driven out of the palace, her palace servants were executed, and the imperial guards were purged, how could she still...?"

"Because she is still the Empress," Shen Qingruo interrupted. "Shen Jingyan is still the Eldest Princess, she has just temporarily fallen out of favor."

"She also has Shen Yinian, who is Shen Wangxi's only son."

"Her foundation is far deeper than it appears on the surface."

She paused, then continued, "Moreover, she knows Shen Wangxi too well."

She knew he was grateful and cherished old friendships.

"No matter how angry he was today, he ultimately did not remove her from the position of Empress, nor did he really want Shen Jingyan dead."

"This shows that in his heart, those past relationships still hold weight."

Xiao Jiu's light sphere flickered a few times, somewhat frustrated:

"This Wulan Yun may seem foolish at times, but when it really comes down to it, she's incredibly accurate at understanding Shen Wangxi's thoughts."

Shen Qingruo slightly tugged at the corners of her mouth, but the smile didn't reach her eyes:

"It's not that she's stupid, it's just that she has too much and is used to doing whatever she wants, so she's too lazy to bother with small things."

"Look at her tonight, first she broke down and questioned him, then she brought up her old wound of being unable to have children, and finally she brought up the kindness of her father and brothers and the promises she made when she was young. She was so pitiful and desperate, and she acted it out very realistically."

"Shen Wangxi may not show it on his face, but how could he possibly be completely unmoved?"

"He eventually softened his heart."

Xiao Jiu sighed: "Shen Wangxi is too grateful, this is not a good thing."

"Aruo, although you have surpassed them in luck now, Wulan Yun and Shen Jingyan's luck foundation is still there and remains strong. It's not so easy to completely defeat them."

Shen Qingruo was not anxious. She slowly lay back on the bed, pulled up the quilt, and said calmly, "No rush."

"I've been trying to please him for so long, it's time for him to condescend to me and coax me properly this month."

-

The following afternoon, Shen Wangxi stepped into Qingyi Palace.

He waved to dismiss the palace servants, leaving only the two of them in the inner room.

Shen Qingruo sat on the bed, her face still pale.

Shen Wangxi walked to her side and gently placed a bright yellow scroll in her hand.

He spoke gently, "Aruo, I have already drafted an imperial decree to make you a Noble Consort. From now on, in this palace, apart from the Empress, you will be the most respected."

Shen Qingruo's gaze fell on the imperial edict, but she only glanced at it indifferently, without the slightest emotion.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with sorrow, her voice soft:

"Your Majesty, yesterday, it was the Princess who was so cruel in the end, pressing her knee firmly against my lower abdomen, that caused our child to be lost."

"Princess, how is it now?"

Shen Wangxi avoided her gaze, her tone guilty: "Ayan, I have already sent her out of the palace."

"Don't worry, she will never appear in front of you again."

Shen Qingruo looked at him quietly and understood his meaning. He did not intend to punish Shen Jingyan, but only to place her under house arrest.

She didn't continue questioning, but instead appeared downcast and melancholic.

Looking at her like this, Shen Wangxi felt inexplicably flustered.

He would rather she cry or yell than silently torment herself and him like this.

"Aruo." He reached out to hold her hand, but she gently pulled away.

Shen Wangxi's hand froze in mid-air, her voice pleading, "Say something, don't keep it bottled up inside, it'll ruin your health."

Shen Qingruo remained silent, only turning her face to the side, leaving him with a vulnerable profile.

Shen Wangxi's heart tightened, and he hurriedly explained, "Aruo, listen to me."

"After all, Ayan is my daughter, the eldest princess of the Great Zhou. Even if she has committed a heinous crime, I cannot make her pay with her life."

Seeing her lack of response, his tone became even more urgent:

"I assure you, from this day forward, she will be a princess in name only, confined to her palace, with no real power whatsoever."

"She absolutely, absolutely cannot surpass you."

Shen Qingruo finally turned her head slowly, her gaze falling on his anxious face. She gave a very slight twitch at the corner of her mouth, as if she wanted to laugh but was powerless to.

"Oh," she replied with just that one word, and then closed her eyes again.

Shen Wangxi felt heartbroken seeing her ignoring him, but there was nothing he could do.

After all, what Wulan Yun said made sense. If it were him, he would also do everything in his power and stop at nothing to help his brother.

Moreover, Ah Yan was his daughter whom he had doted on since childhood; he couldn't just kill her without a second thought.