On the other side, at the Qin Prince's Mansion.
"It's only been a few days, yet the news of Song Xiyan being stripped of her title has already spread far and wide."
Shen Qingping took a bite of an apple, looking utterly at ease.
"Your Highness, now our princess is the only one left with a title," Shen Qingping said, her eyes shining as she looked at Song Shihuan. "This is truly a unique mark of imperial favor."
Song Shihuan smiled faintly at the remark.
When it came to the stripping of Song Xiyan's title, the greatest credit went to Song Xiyan herself.
Despite knowing that her face resembled that of Empress Yuan, she had still dared to raise a hand to ruin Song Shihuan’s beauty—touching Emperor Yuanyou’s most sensitive nerve.
"The news spread so quickly—proof that the Eastern Palace has made many enemies over the years," Song Yu burst into laughter. "And I certainly gave it a strong push from behind."
"I helped too," Shen Qingping added, winking at Song Shihuan.
Song Shihuan rested her chin on her hands and said leisurely, "I suppose Prince Chu's Mansion, Prince Qi's Mansion, and the Gu Family also played their part..."
When one falls, many will rush to trample.
"Ah-Huan, let’s go pay respects to your imperial grandfather and bring up the matter of the Ministry of War while we're at it."
"The Ministry of War?" Song Shihuan’s eyes widened in realization.
"Gu Zheng has already pledged his loyalty to me. I can’t just stand by and let him suffer under the Crown Prince’s control," Song Yu straightened his back. "He deserves to share in our prosperity."
Song Shihuan’s gaze toward Song Shihuan shifted.
Had her father adapted to court politics even better than she imagined?
......
"Your Highness, please slow down."
The Crown Princess strode briskly down the palace corridor, her entire being shrouded in resentment. The nanny behind her had to jog just to keep up.
Suddenly, the Crown Princess halted.
In her line of sight, Song Yu was leading Song Shihuan toward the direction of the Zichen Hall.
"Crown Princess," Song Shihuan greeted with a distant curtsy, showing no emotional reaction to the Crown Princess’s distress.
But the Crown Princess’s eyes reddened.
"Ah-Huan."
The whisper reached Song Shihuan’s ears as the Crown Princess slowly approached her. "My dear child, you’ve grown taller."
Song Shihuan took a step back, her expression devoid of warmth.
"What does Your Highness wish to say?"
"I... I just wanted to talk to you. Ah-Huan, have you been eating well? Are the clothes you wear to your liking? And... are you happy at the imperial academy?"
The barrage of questions made Song Shihuan frown. "Your Highness is asking the wrong person. These questions should be directed at the children of the Eastern Palace."
She, Song Shihuan, was not one of them.
"I know I was wrong before. Every time I saw you, I failed to treat you well," the Crown Princess gazed at Song Shihuan’s delicate features. "Now, your mother admits her mistake. Can you forgive me just once?"
"I swear, I will treasure you like a jewel."
The Crown Princess seemed almost deranged. Her once-proud eldest son had turned cold toward her, while her second and third sons were wholly devoted to Song Xiyan.
And Song Xiyan... was not the obedient child she had believed her to be.
How laughable—now, the only child left to her was the one standing before her.
"My daughter does not need the Crown Princess to treasure her like a jewel," Song Yu interjected coldly, his gaze sharp. "Second Sister-in-law, you already have three sons and a daughter. Isn’t that enough?"
"They are nothing but blood-sucking demons!"
The Crown Princess let out a heart-wrenching cry and tried to pull Song Shihuan into an embrace, but Song Shihuan evaded her.
"Your Highness, I am not a magnanimous person. Forgiveness is beyond me."
Clutching Song Yu’s sleeve, the father and daughter walked away, their figures reflected in the Crown Princess’s eyes. She froze, as if seeing Song Yu clearly for the first time.
The Song Yu of the past had been a dissolute wastrel, perpetually reeking of alcohol.
But now, he stood tall and dignified, his sharp brows and bright eyes exuding an air of nobility.
Suddenly, realization struck the Crown Princess.
"So it was you... it was you all along," she murmured, staring at Song Shihuan with an almost fanatical gaze. "The true blessed star was never Song Xiyan."
It was this child before her—the only princess in Great Qi who still held an imperial title.
The Crown Princess’s stare made Song Shihuan uneasy. "Father, let’s go."
"Ah-Huan."
The Crown Princess spoke again, removing the jade pendant from her waist.
"This was a gift from my mother on my coming-of-age ceremony. Originally..." She held it out to Song Shihuan. "Wear it. Jade has spirit—it will protect you from all harm."
The moment the pendant touched her, Song Shihuan felt a chilling cold.
She immediately withdrew her hands.
The pendant fell to the ground and shattered in two.
"Heaven’s will is clear—what’s broken cannot be mended."
Song Yu spoke slowly before leading Song Shihuan away.
......
"Nanny, the true blessed star was Ah-Huan all along."
A wild frenzy flashed in the Crown Princess’s eyes. "Ever since she became part of the Qin Prince's Mansion, the Eastern Palace has been plagued by misfortune—nothing has gone right."
The nanny was stunned. "Your Highness, how can that be?"
"How can it not?"
The Crown Princess took a deep breath. "Back then, I was carrying more than just Song Xiyan in my womb."
If Song Xiyan were truly blessed, why had she first been confined and now stripped of her title?
Where was the slightest trace of fortune in her?
"Your Highness, should we inform His Highness about this?"
"No."
The Crown Princess fixed her gaze on the nanny. "Without my permission, no one is to speak of this."
"They treated me this way—now, they shall taste the same bitterness."
"But Your Highness, you are still the Crown Princess," the nanny said sorrowfully. "If the Eastern Palace falls, you too will..."
The Crown Princess let out a cold laugh.
"Because I refused to reveal the prophecy, His Highness nearly took my life," she said, her gaze so dark it was unbearable to meet. "If that’s the case, what kind of future awaits me?"
All these years of love and devotion had been nothing but an illusion.
The lifelong devotion she had believed in was merely a facade—one maintained only with the support of the Chang Family.
Since that was the case, she would watch as the Eastern Palace crumbled.
