The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Shen Qinghe changed into a light pink palace dress, her hair was neatly combed, and there was not a trace of dishevelment on her face.

But when those eyes looked up at Su Yaoyao, there was no trace of the innocent rabbit's fragility; instead, they were filled with undisguised resentment and smugness.

Ling Feng, who was following behind, instantly tensed his back.

He Qing also stopped smiling, took half a step forward, and stood silently beside Su Yaoyao, his peach blossom eyes full of vigilance.

But Su Yaoyao showed no sign of panic, and respectfully curtsied.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

The Empress Dowager, holding her prayer beads, smiled kindly and said, "No need for formalities, no need for formalities."

The Empress Dowager glanced at He Qing beside her and smiled.

"Why did the princess come along too?"

He Qing waved his fan.

"I was bored at the post station and heard that the Crown Princess was going to the palace to pay her respects, so I came along for a free meal. I hope the Empress Dowager won't kick me out?"

The Empress Dowager smiled.

"How could that be? I'm overjoyed that Your Highness is willing to come."

After Su Yaoyao finished her curtsy, she straightened up, looked up at the Empress Dowager, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"To be honest, I was just about to apologize to Your Majesty. Last night, I settled Miss Shen in, fearing she might do something outrageous again, and waited for Your Majesty's instructions. But when I woke up this morning, she was gone. I was just thinking of sending people to search the palace, but it turns out Miss Shen came back to Your Majesty on her own. I was worrying too much."

In one sentence, he not only pointed out Shen Qinghe's actions last night, but also subtly implied that the Empress Dowager had taken away the people from the Eastern Palace without permission. He was in the right and suffered no loss whatsoever.

Shen Qinghe's body trembled violently, and she subconsciously shrank behind the Empress Dowager. She looked up and glared at Su Yaoyao with resentment. Just as she was about to speak in her defense, she was stopped by a cold look from the Empress Dowager.

To everyone's surprise, the Empress Dowager not only ignored the remark, but instead waved her hand and smiled as she instructed the palace maid:

"What are you all standing there for? Offer the Crown Princess a seat and serve tea."

Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow.

What's that old hag up to?

She didn't stand on ceremony and sat down gracefully. He Qing and Ling Feng stood on either side of her behind her, like two guardian deities, not letting their guard down for a second.

Chu Qingzi followed her in, standing in the corner of the hall, her eyes lowered, making it impossible to see the expression on her face. Her fingers were tightly clenched around her handkerchief, and her body was slightly tense.

"I haven't seen the Crown Princess for a long time, and I wanted to have a good chat with you," the Empress Dowager said with a smile.

"I remember you were born in the twelfth year of the Jiahe era, on the eighth day of the third month, isn't that right?"

Chu Qingzi, standing to the side, tightened her grip and looked at Su Yaoyao with concern.

Su Yaoyao held her teacup, her smile open and honest.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Oh?" The Empress Dowager's eyes lit up, and she pressed for more information.

"Were you healthy when you were a child? Did you ever have any unusual illnesses? Like a persistent high fever or being in a coma?"

That's a very strange question.

Su Yaoyao smiled and replied half-jokingly, "Children are bound to have headaches and fevers. These were just minor ailments, and I'm all better now. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

The Empress Dowager was clearly not satisfied with this answer, and leaned forward again, her eyes filled with urgency, and even her tone became more urgent:

"Did your maternal grandparents give you any personal keepsakes? Like a jade pendant, a longevity lock, or something left by your birth mother?"

These words clearly indicate that they are looking for something from her.

Su Yaoyao's fingertips paused slightly.

Chu Qingzi, who was standing next to Su Yaoyao, suddenly raised her head and looked at her. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she lowered her head and bit her lip tightly.

"Your Majesty is joking."

Su Yaoyao picked up her teacup, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim, her smile nonchalant, yet it deflected all attempts to probe.

"I am but a sheltered young woman, what special keepsake do I have? They are just some ordinary jewelry. The things left by my birth mother are all locked in the storeroom of the Su family."

She paused deliberately, then said,

"There are a few items..."

The Empress Dowager's eyes lit up. "What?"

Su Yaoyao sighed.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager also knows that back then, when Concubine Liu was in charge of the household affairs, she 'took' away many of Mother's things, and I still haven't found them all. Since Your Majesty the Empress Dowager cares so much about me, why don't you help me interrogate Concubine Liu properly? I heard that she is quite obedient in prison now."

The Empress Dowager squeezed the prayer beads in her hand tightly, but still maintained the smile on her face.

I kept asking, and all I got were trivial things from my childhood.

But the questions were very detailed.

It had a probing tone.

He Qing, standing behind, frowned as she listened. She took half a step forward and spoke with a smile.

"Your Majesty, you're asking far too many questions. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were investigating the Crown Princess's ancestors for eighteen generations. Besides, how old was the Crown Princess back then? How could she possibly remember such old stories?"

The Empress Dowager gave him a cold glance, but did not retaliate.

Turning to Shen Qinghe, he gave a brief instruction:

"Go and serve your sister, the Crown Princess, a cup of tea. What happened last night was your fault; you should apologize to your sister."

Shen Qinghe was stunned for a moment, her eyes filled with resentment, but she still dared not disobey the Empress Dowager's words. Reluctantly, she picked up the teacup on the table and walked towards Su Yaoyao.

Approaching Su Yaoyao, she curtsied and offered her the teacup, her voice low but laced with resentment:

"Your Highness, I was ignorant last night and caused you trouble. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."

Su Yaoyao looked at the teacup offered to her but did not take it.

She looked up at Shen Qinghe, a smile playing on her lips, and slowly began to speak:

"There's no need for an apology. But Miss Shen, you must remember that this Eastern Palace is my territory, and His Highness the Crown Prince is my husband. Don't touch what you shouldn't touch, and don't have thoughts you shouldn't have. Otherwise, next time, it won't be as simple as just locking up the woodshed."

In short, it was said lightly, yet it carried a tremendous sense of pressure.

Shen Qinghe's face turned pale instantly. Her hand trembled, and the teacup shook, about to spill onto Su Yaoyao.

He Qing, standing beside her, reacted swiftly, quickly flicking her fan.

He flicked the teacup away, not a drop touching Su Yaoyao.

Shen Qinghe was so frightened that she quickly grabbed Su Yaoyao's leg, her face full of fear.

"Your Highness, I didn't mean it. Please forgive me."

He Qing pushed her away at just the right moment.

Standing between her and Su Yaoyao, he asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

Su Yaoyao shook her head.

Just then, the Empress Dowager suddenly laughed and waved her hand, "Alright, how could you be so rash? Get out of here now."

Shen Qinghe bit her lip and retreated.

Su Yaoyao sat in the chair, her doubts growing stronger.

Something's not right, something's really not right.

The Empress Dowager went to great lengths to send Xiao Chenyuan away, rescue Shen Qinghe from the East Palace, and summon her to Shou Kang Palace, just to ask her a bunch of childhood stories.

Just so that Shen Qinghe would apologize to her?

She touched her leg, which Shen Qinghe had just touched.

It's alright...

The Empress Dowager said,

"Alright, it's getting late, you should go back. Yuan'er still has matters to attend to at the border, don't keep him waiting."

Su Yaoyao was stunned for a moment.

Are we just going to let her go like that?

She had prepared a whole host of responses, evidence to undermine her, and was even ready to have a falling out, but the old hag asked her a bunch of silly questions about her childhood and then let her go.

Not only her, but even Shen Qinghe beside her became anxious, stepping forward and saying urgently, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! You..."

"Shut up."

The Empress Dowager gave her a cold glance, and Shen Qinghe immediately fell silent, her eyes welling up with tears of grievance, but she could only retreat.

The Empress Dowager then looked at Su Yaoyao, her tone indifferent: "What? I'm telling you to go back, and you're still unwilling?"

"This humble woman dares not." Su Yaoyao immediately stood up and gave a proper bow.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now."

Without any hesitation, she turned and walked out, and He Qing and Ling Feng immediately followed, never leaving her side.

As Su Yaoyao reached the entrance of the palace, she turned around and met Chu Qingzi's gaze.

Chu Qingzi looked at her, her lips moved, and she silently mouthed two words: Be careful.

Inside the Shou Kang Palace

Shen Qinghe, who had just been filled with fear, was now calm.

He opened his hand, revealing a silver needle as thin as a hair.

The needle tip was stained with a little red.

"Your Majesty, the items have been obtained. Please don't go back on your promise."