Liang Jue became Li Wen’s etiquette instructor, while Shen Meng became the tutor for Meng Zhai’s eldest daughter. In the recent battle led by Meng Zhai, Shen Meng’s tactics secured another victory, expanding the territory of the Meng family. Consequently, the position of Shen Meng’s family became increasingly secure.

During the most recent battle, a rather special guest arrived at the military camp.

As Meng Zhai returned from the battlefield with Shen Meng, they were welcomed by the people for successfully burning the enemy’s provisions, winning the battle, and even killing the enemy’s leader with a single arrow. The generals treated her with much more respect, greeting her politely as “Military Advisor Shen.”

That evening, Meng Zhai hosted a celebration to honor those who had contributed to the victory.

Amidst the festive drinking, a soldier entered to report, “Your Excellency, someone outside the city requests an audience.”

Meng Zhai, interrupted during her merriment, was slightly annoyed. However, given the importance of the visitor, the soldier wouldn’t have dared to intrude lightly. With patience, she asked, “Who is it?”

“Your Excellency, the person didn’t say, only that they have something important to deliver to you. Here’s also a letter, insisting it be delivered directly into your hands.”

Meng Zhai gestured for the soldier to present the letter. Though she had been learning to read with Shen Meng, there were still parts of the letter she couldn’t decipher, so she passed it to Shen Meng, seated to her lower right.

Shen Meng took the thin sheet of paper and, after reading it, her expression changed instantly. Meng Zhai, noticing this, hurriedly asked, “What does the letter say?”

Shen Meng replied, “Please come closer, Your Excellency.”

Leaning in, Meng Zhai listened as Shen Meng lowered her voice and whispered into her ear, “The letter is from the Third Prince. He claims to have brought the imperial jade seal for you, Your Excellency!”

Meng Zhai sobered up immediately, slamming the table. “Then what are we waiting for? Quickly, let him in.”

“Wait, Your Excellency,” Shen Meng added, “The condition he mentioned is that you must personally escort him in to ensure his safety. He hasn’t brought the item with him.”

“That’s a trivial matter. Shen Meng, come with me.” Meng Zhai gathered a few guards and left the tent with Shen Meng.

Waving to the other guests at the banquet, she said, “Enjoy yourselves. I’ll just greet someone and be right back.”

As the heavy gates slowly opened, Shen Meng observed two figures standing outside: one was presumably the Third Prince’s attendant, and the other was unmistakably the Third Prince himself.

She whispered to Meng Zhai, “Indeed, he is the Third Prince. I’ve seen him several times in the capital.”

Having been a husband in the previous life for many years, although it had been a long time since they last met, she could still recognize Xue Ning’s figure at a glance.

Meng Zhai exclaimed three times, “Good, good, good. I’ll go meet him and see what he wants.”

Xue Ning glanced at Shen Meng as if her presence here was not unexpected. He didn’t engage with her and only addressed Meng Zhai, “Are you Meng Zhai?”

Despite the chaos of the times, Xue Ning hadn’t lost a bit of royal demeanor. His attendant held an umbrella for him, ensuring not a drop of rain would wet his splendid robe.

Meng Zhai responded, “Of course, it’s me. Is what the Third Prince said in the letter true?”

Although the Meng family’s military strength was respectable, they were still relatively new and not quite a match for the other two major rebel forces. However, if she could obtain the imperial jade seal, it would change everything.

But why would Xue Ning, as the Third Prince, have the imperial jade seal? And why would he choose her? It was puzzling.

Glancing at Shen Meng beside him, Xue Ning said, “If it’s convenient, could we discuss inside the city?”

Meng Zhai waved her hand towards the city gate. “Please.”

News soon spread that Meng Zhai had left her victory celebration to greet a handsome man outside the city.

Mr. Li, who had been diligently learning etiquette from Liang Jue, seemed unusually distracted today. When asked by Liang Jue, he seized the opportunity to confide, “Actually, I was prepared for the master to have other men, but it’s still upsetting.”

Mr. Li always said to her that if Meng Zhai were to become Empress, he would be the empress consort, the main wife, and could manage the concubines.

There was no Empress in the world who had only one husband. Although Meng Zhai was not yet Empress, he was no longer the poor man from the mountains. It was only a matter of time.

He sighed, tears welling up in his eyes. “Do you think women, once they have money and power, all become like this?”

Liang Jue didn’t know how to respond. Although he was eloquent, he wasn’t good at comforting people in such matters.

The servant responsible for attending to Mr. Li in the city pushed aside the door curtain and entered. He said to Li Wen, “Master, news has been gathered. The person is said to have come from the capital. He’s the third son of the late Empress, named Xue Ning.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of a teacup shattering echoed in the room. Mr. Li and the servant both looked towards the source of the sound, only to see Liang Jue picking up the broken pieces of the teacup with his fingers. “It’s nothing, just slipped.”

There wasn’t much change in his expression, but his heart was in turmoil. Xue Ning, how could he be here? After so many years, hadn’t he given up?