The Crown Prince's carriage happened to stop right next to Prince An's carriage.
Eunuch Liu yawned drowsily as he gave a lackluster bow. "This old servant pays his respects to Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince's gaze fell on Prince An's carriage. "Royal brother has arrived quite early. Surely you didn't come last night? If you're this eager, His Majesty will likely be most pleased."
"..."
The mockery in the Crown Prince's tone was unmistakable.
Eunuch Liu's mouth twitched. He didn't know if His Majesty would be pleased, but if he learned that the prince had been kicked out of his residence by the princess consort, he would certainly be furious.
He hung his head, so tired he could barely keep it up, and offered no reply.
The Crown Prince smiled broadly and lifted the curtain of Prince An's carriage.
Inside, Prince An was curled up in a corner, his long legs crossed and stretched out lazily. A thin blanket was wrapped around him.
Light streamed in as Xiao Yi opened his drowsy eyes and shot a glance at the Crown Prince.
"Royal brother, time to get up."
Prince An sat up, stretching his stiff arms and legs from sleeping in such a cramped spot. His expression was gloomy.
The Crown Prince's eyes crinkled with amusement. Just then, another carriage came to a stop. The Crown Prince turned and called out, "Lord Shen, come quickly and greet Prince An."
Shen Xiabai: "..."
He looked up, glanced at both the Crown Prince's and Prince An's carriages, and walked over slowly.
The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing the scene inside.
Shen Xiabai took it all in with a sweep of his eyes. With a blank expression, he bowed. "Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness Prince An."
The Crown Prince complimented, "Lord Shen, Cousin Cui's fighting spirit is truly something else."
"..." Shen Xiabai's lips twitched.
Two tall, elegant men standing by the carriage window, peering inside, drew many ministers' glances and murmured whispers.
Prince An said darkly, "Royal brother, have you had enough amusement at my expense?"
The Crown Prince smiled faintly. "With tensions so high these days, there are few things left to lighten my mood."
He turned again to Shen Xiabai and said, "Cousin Cui is quite a character. I'll be sure to reward her handsomely later."
Shen Xiabai's expression remained cold. "Your Royal Highness's words, your subject, shall remember."
He would relay them.
"Or, perhaps your subject can handle it for you." As for her being amusing, what business was it of yours?
The Crown Prince pulled up his sleeves and laughed it off.
Of the three, he was the most cheerful.
Xiao Yi, helped by his servants, washed, changed his clothes, and stepped down from the carriage. He sneered, "His Highness the Crown Prince is certainly riding high these days. With Side Consort Liu gone, you have time to laugh at me now—not like before, when you were the one being squeezed."
The words "Side Consort Liu" made the Crown Prince's smile freeze for a moment.
Shen Xiabai drawled, "Prince An speaks rightly. His Highness the Crown Prince is indeed basking in good fortune these days—not like before, when he came to the prison to pour out his heart to your subject."
"..." The Crown Prince turned to look at Shen Xiabai.
He felt he hadn't provoked him—compared to Xiao Yi, surely he had been more decent. But now Shen Xiabai was needling him, and he was taken aback.
Xiao Yi smiled faintly. "It seems Royal brother still hasn't learned his lesson from that pastry. Perhaps Lord Shen should offer you another taste?"
He then looked at Shen Xiabai. "Lord Shen hasn't even secured a title yet, and already he's protective of her?"
Shen Xiabai's expression was flat. "Good or bad, she is who she is."
Good or bad didn't matter—what he disliked was others speaking of her in a teasing tone, with mockery.
Especially the idlest gossip from the Crown Prince and Prince An.
The Crown Prince: "..."
He had at least not sent those letters to the prison to pierce his heart—didn't that count as being a good person?
The three argued as if no one else was around, while nearby ministers awaiting the morning court fixed their sharp, calculating eyes on them.
The Crown Prince found another topic, patting Prince An on the shoulder. "Royal brother, it seems you didn't take my advice. Listen to me: buy yourself a separate residence. It will come in handy in the future."
"As a prince, letting so many ministers witness you sleeping on the streets truly damages the imperial family's dignity. Just now, I heard them discussing your snoring."
Shen Xiabai stepped back, unwilling to meddle in the two brothers' quarrel.
Prince An was no pushover. Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Royal brother, what did you just say? I didn't catch it. Are you saying you've set up another residence elsewhere? What would you do with a separate residence? Could it be you've kept a mistress somewhere?"
He didn't lower his voice—in fact, he spoke with such surprise that all the ministers turned to look.
Especially Prime Minister Cui, whose sharp eyes immediately fixed on the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince's mouth twitched.
Prince An, unconcerned, stretched lazily. "I'm not like you, Royal brother, with your hare-brained schemes of multiple burrows. I am plain and simple, spotless in both heart and body."
The Crown Prince: "..."
Between him and Tang Qingwan, the greatest rift had always been Liu Wanting. Though she was gone now, some wounds had never healed.
At that very moment, a somber bell tolled, followed by the heavy palace gates swinging open.
The ministers all withdrew their gaze, feigning nonchalance as they headed to the hall for court.
Quarrels between two royals—they bore no concern.
Shen Xiabai slowly followed along, and Prince An walked beside him, handing him a booklet.
Shen Xiabai shot it a glance. "What's this?"
"Why not take a look and find out, Lord Shen?"
Shen Xiabai took the booklet, opened it, and read as he walked.
...He spotted the elegantly named chamber pot among its contents.
He handed it back to Prince An. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I am too dull to comprehend."
Xiao Yi unfurled the booklet; its contents were long, one end trailing along the ground as he walked forward with it.
He said directly, "This booklet records the items that Cui Yunchu has 'liberated' from my residence, as kept by my household steward."
"Liberated? Weren't they gifts from Princess An?" Shen Xiabai said.
Xiao Yi replied, "My Yunfeng has a soft heart and is naive—she doesn't know people's malicious intent. She's been routinely deceived by that woman's pitiful act."
"Oh." Shen Xiabai nodded. "Is that so? Then I suggest you take great care to train Princess An properly to guard against scammers—lest she perpetually fail to learn."
"..."
Xiao Yi bundled the booklet together. "That I sought out you, Lord Shen, should bring you joy, don't you think?"
"Or would you rather I go looking for another man to settle the debt?"
Shen Xiabai stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Prince An.
Xiao Yi pointed at the chamber pot. "Lord Shen, don't you think Eldest Miss Cui has gone too far?" Taking anything she liked. But he had to admit, she did fancy having it hauled back home.
Shen Xiabai struggled to keep his face straight, suppressing the flush rising to his cheeks.
Some ministers passed by, shooting them strange sideways glances.
Shen Xiabai: "..."
"I already told her to stop collecting every piece of junk."
The two men stood in silent confrontation.
To be honest, Xiao Yi didn't really want the items back. He just felt irritation from being out in the streets all night, and wanted to pass that annoyance on to Shen Xiabai and Cui Yunchu.
"What else do you want, Your Highness?"
Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow. "Simple: the wife owes, the husband pays. I hope you can compensate me in silver for the items Miss Cui took."
"I have no money," Shen Xiabai said, with perfect audacity.
Although the Shen family had once faced upheaval, in recent years, under Shen Xiabai’s leadership, they had made a remarkable comeback. While their foundation might not be exceedingly deep, the sum of silver mentioned was no more than a drop in the bucket to them.
