Imperial Palace.
Shang Shiyan had accompanied Shen Zuizhi into the palace many times before, so she was very familiar with the route.
In the past, whenever they entered the palace, Shen Zuizhi would first take Shang Shiyan to pay respects to Empress Song. But today, she led Shang Shiyan directly to Xiangyun Hall, where the birthday banquet was being held.
Inside Xiangyun Hall, many high-ranking officials and nobles had already arrived.
Following behind Shen Zuizhi, Shang Shiyan had not yet taken her seat when she spotted her maternal grandfather surrounded by a crowd.
“Grandfather!” Shang Shiyan’s eyes lit up as she happily called out, walking with Shen Zuizhi to his side.
Hearing her voice, Grand Chancellor Shen turned his head and saw Shang Shiyan. “Ah Yan, come quickly to Grandfather’s side, let me take a good look at you!”
Obediently, Shang Shiyan stepped forward. The Grand Chancellor patted her head. “How much you’ve changed, Ah Yan! You’ve grown into a fine young lady—so graceful and dignified.”
In front of the surrounding officials who had come to flatter him, the Grand Chancellor did not hesitate to praise Shang Shiyan.
The officials nodded in agreement.
“Yes, the young lady of the Shang family has truly changed a great deal.”
“Indeed!”
“No wonder she is the granddaughter of the Grand Chancellor—her elegance is unmistakable.”
Shang Shiyan: “…”
They hadn’t spoken of her this way before. Back then, they called her arrogant, unruly, and reckless—that was the Shang Shiyan they knew.
“Grandfather, you’ve traveled far. How is your health?” Shang Shiyan asked with concern as soon as they met.
“Don’t worry, Grandfather is well.”
Grandfather had already retired last year, but the current Emperor of Great Sheng considered him a founding hero. Not wanting to strip him of office immediately and be criticized by the people as heartless, everyone still addressed him as “Grand Chancellor Shen.”
On the surface, the Emperor showed great respect to Grandfather. In truth, he had long grown weary of Grandfather’s towering reputation. Grandfather was regarded as the pillar of Great Sheng, and the Emperor secretly wished to eliminate him as soon as possible.
Before the Crown Prince ascended the throne, the Emperor would surely destroy Grandfather’s entire family to clear the path.
Such wolf-hearted ingratitude—using him and then discarding him. All these years, Grandfather had poured his heart and soul into serving the people of Great Sheng, yet this was the fate awaiting him.
“Where is Grandmother?” Shang Shiyan, after greeting Grandfather, immediately asked after her grandmother.
“With your aunt,” Grandfather pointed her in the direction.
Through several layers of people, Shang Shiyan first caught sight of her Aunt Wen’s sharp, mean face.
Suddenly, voices echoed in her mind: “A woman cast aside by her husband—what right does she have to remain in her mother’s home? What about my daughter’s marriage prospects? With you here, you’ll ruin her entire life! A woman like you, unwanted, you deserve to die!”
“Zuizhi, don’t blame me. I must think of my daughter.”
Her uncle had personally handed a white silk cord to her mother, urging her to take her own life.
Even when Grandmother knelt and begged, saying she would move out to a separate residence with her daughter and never return to disturb them, Madam Wen still refused—insisting her mother must die before she would relent.
In the end, Mother, unwilling to let Grandmother suffer further, hanged herself in the family home.
Madam Wen happily married off her daughter. But after the marriage, when her son-in-law’s family treated her daughter poorly, Madam Wen shifted all the blame onto Shang Shiyan’s mother—cursing her daily as a “cheap woman” and calling Shang Shiyan “the little wretch born of a cheap woman.”
As soon as Grandmother fell gravely ill, Madam Wen immediately drove Shang Shiyan out of the household.
Later, when the Shen clan was sentenced to exile, Madam Wen did not hesitate to divorce her husband and leave the Shen family with her children.
Shang Shiyan clenched her fists tightly, forcing down the surge of hatred in her heart.
“Grandmother!” Shang Shiyan followed Shen Zuizhi to the side of the Old Madam Shen. “Grandmother, Ah Yan has missed you so much.”
Grandmother lovingly embraced her. “Let Grandmother take a good look. It’s been half a year since we last saw our little Ah Yan.”
“Yes, Ah Yan, Aunt hasn’t seen you for half a year either. How you’ve changed!” At this time, Madam Wen had not yet revealed her true nature. To her, Shang Shiyan—who might marry the Crown Prince—was someone worth flattering desperately.
“Ah Yan, tell Aunt truthfully, has your wedding date with the Crown Prince been set? Listen to Aunt: you’ve already come of age, your marriage should be arranged soon, it mustn’t be delayed.”
Madam Wen kept pressing Shang Shiyan, but she didn’t even spare her a glance. Seeing this, Madam Wen turned to persuade Shen Zuizhi instead.
“Zuizhi, I’m speaking from the heart. His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir to the throne; his status is exalted. Our Ah Yan must seize this opportunity and marry quickly! Once she bears children for the royal family, our Shen clan will rise with her, don’t you agree?”
Shen Zuizhi: “…” She responded with a few perfunctory words.
The birthday banquet was about to begin, so Shen Zuizhi led Shang Shiyan to their seats.
Not long after, Shang Shiyan saw Shang Yunrou enter the hall following Shen Shian.
Shang Yunrou looked at Shang Shiyan with apparent concern, but Shen Shian forcefully gripped her hand and pulled her to sit beside him.
Madam Wen frowned slightly at the sight, then leaned close to Shen Zuizhi’s ear. “Zuizhi, what’s going on? We’ve been away from the capital for half a year—why is the Crown Prince suddenly so close to another girl? Wasn’t he very attached to Ah Yan before?”
Shen Zuizhi briefly explained Shang Yunrou’s identity, and Madam Wen’s eyes darted shrewdly before she sat back down.
Just as Shen Shian helped Shang Yunrou to her seat, Shang Shiyan caught sight of Gu Peice. That day, he wore a dark red official robe. His figure was tall and upright, his back broad, a black belt at his waist with a jade pendant hanging from it—the jade gleamed with a warm, translucent luster. His deep, dark eyes swept casually across the hall as he entered, and instantly the once-bustling Xiangyun Hall fell silent.
Shang Shiyan’s gaze followed Gu Peice closely; she hadn’t yet had the chance to explain things to him.
“His Majesty arrives! The Empress Dowager arrives! The Empress arrives!”
With the eunuch’s shrill announcement, the Emperor entered Xiangyun Hall with the Empress and the Empress Dowager.
Everyone in the hall immediately knelt to pay respects.
Once the Emperor and his consorts were seated and gave permission, the crowd rose.
“Congratulations to the Empress Dowager! May Your Majesty enjoy endless blessings and longevity, a hundred years of life!”
Everyone had prepared their words in advance, and together they offered their birthday wishes.
The Empress Dowager smiled graciously and thanked them.
“Today is the Empress Dowager’s birthday. Everyone, eat and drink well,” the Emperor declared. At his side, Eunuch Fu ordered the servants to begin. Music filled the hall, and maids filed in carrying dishes.
Empress Song sat beside the Emperor, her gaze occasionally falling on Shen Zuizhi and Shang Shiyan. But Shen Zuizhi never once lifted her eyes to meet hers.
Shen Zuizhi and Empress Song had once been close friends, but now, because of the Crown Prince’s affairs, Shen Zuizhi was truly angry. She no longer even bothered to maintain appearances.
Empress Song hesitated, wanting to call Shen Zuizhi over to speak, but feared she would be humiliated in front of everyone.
“Hearing that Ah Yan prepared a birthday gift for the Empress Dowager, may we know what it is?” Since Shen Zuizhi ignored her, Empress Song turned her gaze directly to Shang Shiyan.