"How else can we deal with it? Just find a reason to kick them out of the manor."

"Those two maids are both people of my eldest brother. Originally, I used them to pass him false information. Now that things have reached this point, it's no longer appropriate to keep them."

Xie Jin Yan slowly sat up straight, his face smiling. His usually deep phoenix eyes reflected a layer of light, gazing deeply at Yu Qing Wu. He gently took her hand and asked in a teasing tone, "Didn't Shijie (Senior martial sister) say at noon that you were just using me and had no love for me at all? Why are you worrying about these things for me now?"

Under the bright yellow light, there was a hint of haziness and ambiguity, and the man's deep and handsome face moved closer.

So close that Qing Wu could clearly feel the breath from his nose.

It was a kind of hot, faintly lingering fragrance unique to Xie Jin Yan.

Unlike the gentleness of a woman, nor the roughness of an ordinary man, the fragrance carried a hint of oppressiveness.

It made Yu Qing Wu's body suddenly tense, and she subconsciously shrank back.

She raised her eyes to meet his fiery gaze, and her voice became a little lower and softer as she changed the subject, "We're talking about serious matters. Why is Your Highness bringing these things up for no reason?"

"What? Shijie (Senior martial sister) can say it, but I can't mention it?"

"Besides, haven't we already finished discussing the serious matters?" Xie Jin Yan frowned, his handsome face looking innocent and roguish.

Just a moment ago, he was still solemn and serious, concerned about the country and its people, and acting like a loving ruler. Now, even his eyes revealed a rogueish aura, making people blush and their hearts race.

Fortunately, Yu Qing Wu was already used to it and quickly calmed down. She chuckled lightly, gently pushed Xie Jin Yan's head away with her finger, and steered the conversation back on track, looking at him earnestly and saying, "Your Highness, this matter is not over yet."

"I think that those two maids don't necessarily have to be expelled from the manor. Since they were sent by the eldest prince, we naturally have to use them to our advantage in order to live up to the eldest brother's good intentions, don't you think?"

What was this woman planning again?

Xie Jin Yan had always known that his Shijie (Senior martial sister) was not a kind person.

If she had always been at odds with him, he would have felt more at ease. He would only get a good look from her when he asked her to do things, and he would barely feel at ease.

But today, she first took the initiative to ask to manage the inner quarters, and now, looking at her expression, it seemed that she was also intending to help him... deal with the eldest?

Thousands of thoughts ran through Xie Jin Yan's mind. His gaze darkened slightly as he suppressed his smile, propped his chin on his hand, looked at her, and asked directly, "Does Shijie (Senior martial sister) already have an idea?"

Yu Qing Wu smiled faintly and stopped beating around the bush. She picked up the teapot on the table and asked Xie Jin Yan in return, "Your Highness, look, can two bowls of hot tea, filled to the brim, be placed on this one tea tray?"

"These two bowls of hot tea are Qiu Shi Yi Niang and the Eldest Prince's consort, and your eldest brother is precisely this tea tray. Since he wants to use Qiu Shi Yi Niang to get a foothold in your inner quarters, then... why don't we use Qiu Shi Yi Niang to get a foothold in his inner quarters as well?"

"Your Highness, what do you think the Eldest Prince's consort would do if she knew that the spies that the Eldest Prince had placed in your manor all listened to Qiu Shi Yi Niang?"

Women always understand women best.

Even if the Eldest Prince's consort was a reasonable person, such blatant humiliation would inevitably make her want to regain face, and there were only two ways to regain face.

One was to attack the Eldest Prince, and the other was to attack Qiu Shi Yi Niang.

Either way would be enough to disgust the Eldest Prince and disrupt his inner quarters.

Heh, his Shijie (Senior martial sister) really knew how to strike at the heart and could always think of those subtle details that he could not.

No wonder when he left the Shu region that day, Shifu (Master) had repeatedly hinted that he hoped he could take Qing Wu into his chambers...

Looking into her affectionate eyes, Xie Jin Yan couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke her eyebrows.

Before the woman could react, he suddenly put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his arms.

He lightly kissed her forehead and said in a low, hoarse voice, "A Wu, I finally understand now why Shifu (Master) insisted that I take you into my chambers. This method is very good."

"Since Shijie (Senior martial sister) already has a plan, then I'll leave this matter to you."

???

What did that mean?

What did he mean by Shifu (Master) insisting that he take her into his chambers?

Xie Jin Yan's deep and ambiguous voice entered her ears, but Yu Qing Wu's mind exploded.

She was suddenly stunned and couldn't even hear Xie Jin Yan's next sentence.

She just looked at him in a daze, her mind blank. After a long while, she suddenly came back to her senses, in disbelief, and stammered, "Xie Jin Yan... what do you mean? What do you mean by Shifu (Master) insisting that I be taken into your chambers? Shifu (Master)... How could Shifu (Master)? Shifu (Master)..."

Yu Qing Wu was completely dumbfounded and found it hard to accept.

Shifu (Master) had told her that women should be self-respecting and self-reliant, and that no matter what, they must never be concubines, even if that person was the current crown prince, even if that person was the current emperor...

Shifu (Master) had said that daughters should be self-reliant, and that women could also gallop on the battlefield. Shifu (Master) had said...

Suddenly withdrawing her hand, she pushed the man away forcefully, and the woman retreated a few steps. Her beautiful eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and she couldn't help but sneer again, her tone suddenly becoming agitated as she scoffed, "Xie Jin Yan, what did you just say? You said that Shifu (Master) advised you to take me as a concubine? How could Shifu (Master)?"

Hearing this, Xie Jin Yan was stunned.

Seeing Yu Qing Wu helping him so much just now, he thought she no longer cared about being his concubine, but at this moment...

"Shijie (Senior martial sister)..." Xie Jin Yan choked, looking at Yu Qing Wu's suddenly reddened eyes. After a long silence, he still cruelly revealed the truth, saying, "Shifu (Master)... did indeed suggest that I take you into my chambers. Otherwise, do you think I would really dare to be so rebellious as to completely disregard Shifu (Master)?"

"Although Shifu (Master) is just a person from the Jianghu (martial world), he possesses information that even many officials in the court fear, and he also has a certain deterrent force in the Jianghu (martial world). If I really disregarded Shifu (Master) to such an extent, wouldn't I be deliberately handing over the position of crown prince?"

"If you don't believe me, you can go to the Shu region with me after the New Year and ask Shifu (Master) yourself."

"From the very beginning, Shifu (Master) was determined to betroth you to me as a concubine. Otherwise, why would the other Shijie (Senior martial sisters) only learn martial arts and some basic military strategy and poetry, while you... also had to learn court etiquette..."

Xie Jin Yan spoke slowly and methodically, but Yu Qing Wu was completely devastated.

That's right, compared to her Shimei (martial junior sisters), she had to learn many etiquettes and talents since she was a child...

Over the years, she had never quite understood why Shifu (Master) did this.

But now, everything was clear.

Shifu (Master) had clearly said that he treated her like his own daughter?

Which father would specially train his daughter to be sent to be someone else's concubine?

Yu Qing Wu paused for a moment, looked at Xie Jin Yan with red eyes, and sneered, questioning, "Why? Why would Shifu (Master) do this?"