Jiang Lin was just full of regret. Last night, he had indeed been careless. He thought that this boy would at most, like the previous times, serve His Highness until he was comfortable, and let him be. They, who served His Highness, heard some faint noises from outside the room but didn't go in to check, and as a result, His Highness suffered greatly.

When His Highness returns from the palace, they will all inevitably face punishment.

Thinking this, Jiang Lin felt annoyed. He walked over and sneered at Wen Ying, "I've never seen anyone less afraid of death than you. His Highness isn't here right now, what's the use of you kneeling here? You're scared now? I thought you were so capable!"

Wen Ying looked at him indifferently. Jiang Lin thought he would ignore him, but after a moment, he said faintly, "Eunuch Jiang should have followed His Highness for many years, yet you understand His Highness's temperament so poorly. Even if His Highness is extremely angry, he is not one to kill the innocent indiscriminately."

Jiang Lin was so angry his voice rose to a shrill pitch, and he cursed, "You're innocent? You still think you're innocent? You committed such a beastly act of offending a superior, what's innocent about you? For what you've done, death is not enough to atone for your crimes! Slicing you into a thousand pieces would be letting you off easy!"

"His Highness will not kill me," Wen Ying said with certainty.

"Heh."

Wen Ying didn't say any more to this eunuch. Ling Qiyan might beat him, curse him, or drive him away, but he wouldn't really kill him. Even if Ling Qiyan shouted about killing him, he wouldn't actually do it. That Prince Yu disdained doing things that would dirty his own hands.

He was kneeling here not out of regret or fear, but just to make Ling Qiyan feel a little better.

In the evening, another family banquet was held in the Emperor's sleeping quarters, Xingqing Palace.

The Emperor was very happy today. He was in the prime of his life, had been on the throne for sixteen years, with accomplishments in both civil and military affairs, and the people were prosperous and the country was rich. It was already a scene of a golden age. His good name would surely be left in the history books of later generations. Since ancient times, emperors had toiled their whole lives for nothing more than this.

The Empress Dowager was also very happy. She had heard earlier that her darling grandson Ling Qiyan had brought her great honor today. So at the family banquet, she specifically mentioned the birthday gifts from the children. The Emperor then praised both Ling Qiyan and the Crown Prince in front of her, saying that the gifts they gave were the most thoughtful.

The Empress Dowager beamed with joy and reminded the Emperor, "Then you must reward Yan'er and Yu'er with more good things."

The Emperor readily agreed.

The Empress Dowager then asked Ling Qiyan how he came up with the idea of the rice carving and how long he had been learning. Ling Qiyan replied with a smile, "It was a retainer in this grandson's manor who suggested it to me. I mentioned him to you last time, Imperial Grandmother, that Minor Triple First Scholar from Jizhou. He is well-read and knowledgeable, and knows many interesting things. He also taught this grandson how to do rice carving, step by step."

Although he currently hated that poor scholar to the point of grinding his teeth, in front of everyone, especially in front of the Empress, he deliberately praised Wen Ying, just to let her know that what she called "improper" was merely her narrow-minded prejudice.

Lady Shen's expression was indeed not very good. Ling Qiyan ignored her.

He knew. Lady Shen was in a bad mood. At the state banquet at noon, the devastatingly beautiful foreign dancer had performed before the throne with a haitang in her hair and nearly stole the Emperor's soul. The matter must have already spread throughout the rear palace. It would be strange if Lady Shen were in a good mood.

Ling Qiyan didn't care how angry she was. Anyway, he had already arranged for people to look after that dancer. He estimated that in a few days at most, his Father Emperor would find an opportunity to take her in. As long as she was watched over before then to prevent the Empress from making a move, once she entered the palace, if she wanted to make a move again, she would have to ask if the Emperor would agree.

When it came to making his mother angry, Ling Qiyan had always been very skilled and enthusiastic.

Hearing Ling Qiyan mention Wen Ying, the Emperor's interest was piqued, and he casually said, "The Minor Triple First Scholar from Jizhou? I have an impression of him. The Chancellor of the Imperial Academy once mentioned this man to me, saying that he is young but already has the talent of a top scholar. How did he become a retainer in your manor?"

"He is called a retainer, but in fact, he is just staying in this son's manor. In his spare time, he is just a playmate who plays polo and pitch-pot with me. In a few days, he will take the Autumn Imperial Examination. If he does well, he will participate in the Capital Examination next spring. At that time, this son won't be able to keep him even if I want to."

Ling Qiyan spoke magnanimously. He was used to being unscholarly and idle. Taking in a scholar in his manor wouldn't make the Emperor suspect that he wanted to curry favor with a future court official in advance. Hearing Ling Qiyan's frankness, he was actually somewhat gratified.

One takes on the color of one's company. Although he didn't have high hopes for this eldest legitimate son, he didn't want him to be a good-for-nothing dandy either.

So he nodded and said, "That's good. You should also calm down and get close to such a student. It's better than fooling around outside with people all day."

Ling Qiyan put on a look of humbly receiving instruction.

Beside him, Ling Qiyu looked down without saying a word, his eyes slightly dark.

Lady Shen coldly interrupted them, "He's just a scholar. It's not certain if he can even pass the provincial exam. Why is he worthy of His Majesty's attention? This is a family banquet, why are we talking about outsiders? Let's eat."

The Empress Dowager, however, waved Ling Qiyan over to her side. "That rice-carved Hundred Longevity Characters Picture, I didn't even see it. Is it really that beautiful?"

Ling Qiyan grinned and said coquettishly, "If Imperial Grandmother likes it, this grandson will go back and carve one for you. What Father Emperor has, Imperial Grandmother will also have. This grandson is not one to play favorites."

A few words of fawning and ingratiation made both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor laugh. Only Empress Shen subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand, suppressing the anger in her heart.

'Father Emperor has one, Imperial Grandmother has one, but she doesn't. This beast truly doesn't have any regard for her, his mother!'

Then she thought about how this boy had been in charge of vassal state affairs recently. That demonic woman from the foreign land was probably deliberately arranged by him, which made her even more resentful.

But no matter what she was thinking, Ling Qiyan didn't care.

After the family banquet, Ling Qiyan left the palace to return to his manor. Before he left, he was stopped by Princess Xihua, who pulled him to a secluded spot to speak alone.

"That Wen Ying, is he really your intimate guest?"

Princess Xihua was direct and blunt. Ling Qiyan looked at her, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Does it have anything to do with you? You're an unmarried maiden, is it proper for you to be talking about 'intimate guests'?"

The other party said angrily, "Don't change the subject! Tell me the truth! Is he or isn't he?!"

Ling Qiyan raised an eyebrow. "You're that concerned about that poor scholar? Do you really like him?"

"So what if I do?" Princess Xihua's face was red, but her imposing manner was not inferior. "You just told His Majesty that he's just a retainer and playmate staying in your manor. Is that true or false?"

Ling Qiyan deliberately teased her, "You want to know?"

"What? Can't you say?"

"Why can't I? Of course, it's..." Ling Qiyan smiled and drew out his words, then slowly spat out one word, "...false."

As soon as Ling Qiyan spoke, Princess Xihua's expression changed, and she glared at him fiercely.

Ling Qiyan was still smiling. "You really like that poor scholar? What's so good about him? It's just his face that's decent. With that stinky and stubborn temper of his, you probably wouldn't be able to stand him for two days."

Without waiting for a reply, he added, "Fine, if you really like him, I'll just give him to you. You arrange a place, and I'll send him over to you tomorrow."

The little princess frowned upon hearing this. "You're going to give him to me?"

"Don't you like him? I'll give him to you." Ling Qiyan had a matter-of-fact look, as if he were giving away a disposable object.

"...How can you be like this? He's been with you, after all. You don't want him anymore, so you're giving him to me? Isn't this just starting something and then abandoning him?"

Ling Qiyan gave a nonchalant smile. "This prince is tired of him, can't I be?"

The little princess said angrily, "You're too mean! I don't want him anymore! You can keep him yourself!"

The boisterous girl ran off again. Ling Qiyan's mind, muddled from drinking too much, cleared up a bit after being blown by the cold wind. He stretched lazily.

He was just teasing that stupid girl, Xihua. He hadn't decided how to deal with that boy Wen Ying yet to vent his anger. Why would he give him away?

Just as he was about to leave, someone called out to him again. This time it was Ling Qiyu.

Ling Qiyu walked out from behind a corner of the corridor. It was unknown how long he had been standing there.

Ling Qiyan said sarcastically, "I didn't expect the dignified Crown Prince to have a habit of eavesdropping."

Ling Qiyu asked the same question as Princess Xihua, "That Wen Ying, is he your intimate guest?"

Ling Qiyan pouted. "What's wrong with all of you? You can't have also taken a fancy to that poor scholar, can you?"

He didn't know where that boy Wen Ying got such great charm. One by one, they were all targeting him and then coming to trouble him.

Ling Qiyu didn't answer, just looked at him, his gaze slightly cold.

Ling Qiyan said with a half-smile, "This prince has many intimate guests. When did I need to report to you? Don't be too nosy."

Ling Qiyu's expression grew colder. "That day at First Brother's manor, that Scholar Wen told me that as long as I was willing to appreciate and promote him, he would be willing to be my vanguard."

"Oh," Ling Qiyan said indifferently. "So you're here to ask for him from this prince?"

Ling Qiyu asked, suppressing his anger, "A disloyal turncoat like him, and First Brother still values him so much?"

"He is still my person for now. It's enough that he can serve me well," Ling Qiyan said nonchalantly. "If he wants to follow you in the future, that's his own business. If you ask me for him now, I won't give him to you. I can give him to that girl Xihua, but not to you. If I gave the little beauty to you, it would be hard to say if he'd even live."

Ling Qiyu sneered, "First Brother is truly considerate of others. I never realized before that First Brother was such an affectionate person."

Ling Qiyan's nonchalant expression disappeared, and his face turned cold. He reminded the person in front of him, "Don't get any ideas about him, and don't touch him. If you dare, this prince will not be finished with you."

Ling Qiyu's voice was filled with indignation. "First Brother is going to tear off all pretenses with me for an outsider like that?"

"This prince thought that between you and me, there were no pretenses left to speak of," Ling Qiyan corrected him contemptuously. "Since that poor scholar is my intimate guest, he is naturally an insider. As for you, you are the outsider."

After saying that, he no longer paid attention to Ling Qiyu and walked away.