The imperial study remained quiet for a long while.

The Emperor of Gan Feng finally showed a meaningful smile. “Minister Jiang, are you toying with me?” This was his expression of suppressed anger.

Jiang Suliu gave a slight bow, calm and respectful. “I merely seek to ease Your Majesty’s worries. The Grand Ji realm has long enjoyed peace and stability. The princes, having grown up within the palace walls, lack sufficient experience and do not understand the importance of vigilance in times of peace. This is simply the truth.”

The emperor stared at him coldly.

“Your Majesty doesn’t often oversee their studies. As their tutor, I believe I understand the temperaments of the princes fairly well,” Jiang Suliu continued with ease. “At present, aside from the First and Fourth Princes, none of the others harbor ambitions for the throne. I know well that Your Majesty is troubled by the lack of promising candidates among the younger generation who could rival the Eldest Princess.”

“Yet at this moment, you happen to have a most useful piece on the board.”

“You’re referring to the third one?” the emperor said, seemingly recalling something. “I remember his name is—”

“Wu,” Jiang Suliu supplied. “There is one more advantage to using the Third Prince—he poses no threat to the throne. As long as Your Majesty moves this piece, the political landscape will undergo an upheaval. And by then, wouldn’t it be far easier to identify a worthy heir among your children?”

With no maternal family backing him, no matter how capable Ji Wu was, he would never live to ascend the throne. But his rise could serve as a proving ground for the crown prince position. Even if he were to die, it wouldn’t be a significant loss.

The emperor pondered this for a moment and finally said, “This matter will be discussed at a later time.”

Jiang Suliu wasn’t in a hurry to win the emperor over. He simply smiled and replied affirmatively. Just as he was preparing to take his leave, the emperor suddenly instructed, “In the coming days, have him treat the visiting delegation well. Do not slight Nanzhao.”

“I will be sure to relay Your Majesty’s words to the Third Prince. Rest assured.”

After saluting, Jiang Suliu exited the imperial study. He glanced up at the square expanse of sky overhead and suddenly felt light all over, his mood bright.

Mid-spring had arrived, a season of volatile weather. Rain came and went without warning. But spring was also the season of renewal—if nature could be refreshed, so too should the court and the palace. It was time for a cleansing.

In the capital, the seasons were distinct. As spring arrived, the warming braziers in the classroom were no longer needed. All of Shen Xuefeng’s decorative, showy items were removed by the palace maids, leaving only a single desk for him.

Watching Ji Wu busy himself every day, burdened with the task of entertaining the little prince from Nanzhao on imperial orders and unable to free himself, Shen Xuefeng found it rather boring to sit alone in the classroom.

So when he overheard Fan Qinghe, heir to the Duke of England, inviting him on a spring outing to the outskirts of the capital, he agreed immediately without a second thought.

That day happened to be a rest day. Shen Xuefeng rose early to pack his things. As he stepped out from his quarters, he saw his older sister Shen Yuhuai walking past the courtyard in bright red riding attire, looking gallant and dashing.

“Big sister,” Shen Xuefeng asked curiously, “aren’t you off duty today? Why are you dressed like that?”

“I’ve arranged to go horseback riding in the outskirts with the Eldest Princess,” Shen Yuhuai replied, eyeing her well-dressed little brother. “And where are you headed like that?”

“Oh… some of my classmates invited me on a spring outing,” Shen Xuefeng said.

The siblings shared a quick breakfast in the front hall. When they left the estate, they found the wide bluestone road in front of the residence completely occupied by the Eldest Princess’s grand procession. The wind lifted the bead curtains of a finely adorned pink carriage, revealing Ji Yingqiu’s enchanting face.

Upon seeing Shen Yuhuai, she smiled faintly at first, but then her gaze settled on Shen Xuefeng’s face.

“This one behind you… is the young Master Shen?”

“Indeed,” Shen Yuhuai said, leading her horse and mounting it with practiced ease. From her elevated position, she looked down at the boy. “Do you want to ride with me, or take the carriage?”

“I…” Shen Xuefeng hesitated, uncertain.

At that moment, Ji Yingqiu arched a brow and said, “If it’s along the way, the two of us could give you a ride. What do you say?”

Shen Xuefeng didn’t really dare to sit in the same carriage as the Eldest Princess. If he did, the psychological pressure would be immense. So he mumbled to his sister, “Can I just take the Shen family’s carriage myself?”

Shen Yuhuai was about to say something when the Eldest Princess fixed her beautiful eyes on Shen Xuefeng and smiled. “Young Master Shen, there’s no need to be so reserved. I even held you in my arms when you were little—why act so distant now?”

No matter how much Shen Xuefeng tried to decline, in the end, he still boarded the Eldest Princess’s carriage.

The bead curtains swayed and chimed crisply. Sitting across from Ji Yingqiu, Shen Xuefeng couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

“Don’t be so tense,” Ji Yingqiu said softly to comfort him, though her gaze drifted out the window, landing on Shen Yuhuai’s side profile. “Has your sister been busy with palace duties lately?”

Shen Xuefeng nodded. “It’s been alright. There are many foreigners staying in the capital now, so she’s definitely busier than before.”

Ji Yingqiu seemed to ask offhandedly and didn’t follow up. Instead, she gracefully lifted a teapot with her ornamented hand and poured him a cup. “Have some tea. I heard that my younger siblings are all going on a spring outing to the imperial outskirts today. They’re always rowdy. Since your health is weak, if you see them, be sure to keep your distance.”

Shen Xuefeng obediently accepted the cup with both hands. “Thank you, Eldest Princess.”

“Don’t call me that. You used to call me Sister Qiu when you were little—have you forgotten already?”

When Ji Yingqiu put away her smile, she exuded a commanding presence—a completely different kind of pressure from Ji Wu’s, yet one that also made Shen Xuefeng nervous. “O-okay,” he stammered.

“You’re going out with my third brother again today, aren’t you?” Ji Yingqiu said casually. “You really like him?”