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That was what the Emperor said, and no one would dare to doubt that.

Also, this was the best and most effective method. He Zhiqing had the backing of the Fourth Prince, and she didn’t care if Tian Shanshan was satisfied or not.

In her opinion, Shao Yunduan was a sure bet working with the Crown Prince, and Tian Shanshan had no chance with him anymore.

So she didn’t need to worry about a thing.

He Zhiqing looked down at Qiao Wei – she was so timid and lacked courage. What could she do?

But that was good too. Qiao Wei was the easiest person to manipulate.

A few days later, a group from the Hanlin Academy gathered at Xiangshan to recite poetry, and they invited Shao Yunduan along with some other young officials from the six departments.

Shao Yunduan couldn’t turn down such a gathering, especially when he was in the limelight; otherwise, he would be blamed for not fitting in.

Shao Yunduan was well aware that he had become the Junior Brother of Minister Old Yun and the Crown Prince’s Junior Brother. Everyone congratulated him on the surface, but they were all secretly jealous of his newfound status.

At this moment, they couldn’t leave any evidence behind.

Also, things were different now. Since he had decided to make plans for the Crown Prince, he couldn’t simply keep a low profile like before. It was more important for him to have a wide circle of friends and identify potential allies.

The Xiang Mountains offered beautiful scenery, and they enjoyed swimming in the mountains and rivers. But why hadn’t the thrifty people who gathered here made tea to add to the fun?

Despite that, they had a great time throughout the day.

In the afternoon, they returned to town and went straight to a restaurant for dinner.

The cost of the dinner was pooled together. The Fourth Prince and the Third Prince had always been interested in these matters, so they gladly contributed as well.

Shao Yunduan, being a wealthy man, offered 100 liang when gathering the money. He might not match the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, but his contribution was still quite impressive.

With ample funds, the table was filled with good wine and delicacies. Everyone was talking and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.

One person took the lead in offering Shao Yunduan a toast and congratulations, praising his promising future. Others followed suit, whether they were sincere or not.

Shao Yunduan had no reason to turn them down. If he did, it would seem too proud and rude.

But with so many people around, he smiled bitterly and repeatedly expressed that he couldn’t hold his liquor well. He apologized again and again, eventually convincing them to switch to smaller wine glasses.

Reluctantly, Shao Yunduan began drinking them one by one.

After consuming so many glasses, Shao Yunduan got quite drunk.

Not wanting to drink any further, he pretended to be heavily intoxicated.

Some guests remarked, “Just let him be,” and others agreed, letting him off the hook.

When the banquet was over, he arranged for someone to drive him home with the help of Songshi.

At his doorstep, Songshi did his best to assist his master, thanking the officer who had seen them off. Once inside the yard, Songshi closed the door behind them.

Shao Yunduan leaned against the wall and vomited, feeling slightly better.

To his surprise, he wasn’t actually as drunk as he had led them to believe. He was impressed by how well he had managed to hold his liquor.

After resting for a while in his room, he felt even more awake.

Songshi hurriedly boiled hot water and fetched water for Shao Yunduan to wash up. He prepared a bowl of hot tea to help alleviate the hangover. Additionally, he filled a thick cotton-coated jar with hot water, placing it at the head of his bed, so Shao Yunduan could have water to drink in the middle of the night when he felt thirsty.

With Songshi’s assistance, Shao Yunduan lay down, and as he closed the door, Songshi left the room.