"This little creature doesn’t seem to like me very much. Raising a White Spirit requires a destined connection, or else it will quickly grow depressed and die."

"Depressed? That sounds rather high-maintenance. Another day, I’ll have Luo Xuan take it to the mountains and release it." Ye Qianning knew that some pets, like Ragdoll cats, were notoriously difficult to care for with their delicate systems. She much preferred hardier animals.

’I’m not leaving,’ the White Spirit huffed.

Ye Qianning eyed it with suspicion.

The White Spirit looked back at Ye Qianning, its little head held high.

"Hahaha! It seems you two truly share a bond. You should keep it. This creature is full of blessings; having it around will bring you good luck." Dean Chen laughed heartily. "White Spirits are proud by nature. It’s rare for one to take a liking to anyone."

"If there’s a bond, you should keep it. If you don’t have the time, I’ll station a few more people in your courtyard and have them look after it," Xiang Minghou said with a smile.

"Oh, no, please don’t. I like peace and quiet." Since arriving at the General’s manor, Ye Qianning had refused to have any young maids in her courtyard. She found them too noisy and boisterous...

"I know, I know. The people I’ve chosen for you aren’t young maids. They’re Hidden Guards, just like Luo Wen."

"That’s not necessary. Luo Wen and the other three are enough." Ye Qianning was quite content with the four Hidden Guards already assigned to her.

"You’re a young woman, after all. Female Hidden Guards can take better care of you. I spent many days choosing them and just brought them back to the manor two days ago. Go see them after we finish our meal." Xiang Minghou had already acted on his own and sent the new guards to Yuehua Small Building.

In the shadows, Luo Wen and the others felt a jolt of alarm. ’The General isn’t going to have us transferred, is he...?’

"Alright," Ye Qianning nodded.

She could tell from her father’s posture that he had already acted first and was only reporting it now.

"By the way, Master, do you know of a way to get the Eighth Prince out of the Imperial Palace?" Ye Qianning’s thoughts suddenly turned to Sang Zhi.

The envoys from East Shu for the Beili Emperor’s birthday banquet were their Seventh Princess and Fifth Prince.

The husband of East Shu’s Seventh Princess was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice—not a simple man. She couldn’t shake the feeling that their joint visit to Beili was more than it seemed.

Even the Sweetdew Family network hadn’t managed to dig up any substantial information.

"There is a way, yes, but why do you want him to leave the palace?" Dean Chen asked in confusion.

Xiang Minghou was also puzzled.

"I suspect there’s an issue with Sang Zhi’s eyes, so I’d like to examine them more closely." ’If I can cure him, the little stick-in-the-mud might lighten up a bit.’

’His eyes make him so insecure.’

"I have examined the Eighth Prince’s eyes myself. The lack of pigmentation is hereditary and incurable." Years ago, Dean Chen had also examined Princess Consort Zhen; her condition was identical to the Eighth Prince’s.

"These are royal affairs. You shouldn’t get so involved." Xiang Minghou didn’t want Pangtuan to get too deep into it.

"The last time I saw him at the academy, I only got a brief glance, but it looked as if there was a film covering Sang Zhi’s irises. I didn’t get a very clear look then, so I want to see them more clearly. If my suspicion is confirmed, it might be curable." Ye Qianning remembered a kind of fumigation treatment that could cleanse the eyes.

"Can it really be cured?" Dean Chen was quite surprised.

Xiang Minghou knew full well the extent of his daughter’s medical skills. It would have been fine if it were anyone else, but Sang Zhi was a different matter.

He was exceptionally talented, which already made him a thorn in the side of the imperial harem.

The royal ancestral decree states that no one with a physical disability or defect can ascend to that position. It was precisely because he couldn’t perceive color that his life had been spared until now.

"I can’t say for sure yet. I’ll need to observe him more closely."

Dean Chen nodded. "Tomorrow, I will go to the Imperial Palace myself."

"Thank you, Master."

"What is there to thank me for? The Eighth Prince is a rare talent. If he could be placed in a position of importance, his future would be immeasurable." Of all the princes, Dean Chen valued Sang Zhi’s scholarship the most.

"Gold will always shine, sooner or later." Ye Qianning didn’t care whether Sang Zhi became an important figure or not; she just wanted him to be happier.