"My lord, have you retired?"
The voice outside the door rang out again, forcing Shen Yangge to swallow the words on the tip of his tongue. If it had only been the Eighth Prince, he could just about have managed.
After all, the Eighth Prince already knew about his ability to transform. This time, he had turned old, but a brief explanation would probably be enough to fool him.
But now, besides the Eighth Prince, there was also Consort Xue.
Shen Yangge paced back and forth in the room.
Consort Xue must have come to see him. As for the Eighth Prince, he vaguely suspected that she was behind his visit, too. He was just considering how to stall when the old eunuch outside said:
"Lord Shen must have retired. Your Grace, Your Highness, perhaps..."
Yes, yes, exactly. Just say I've gone to bed and won't be receiving anyone for now.
With a gentle smile, Consort Xue asked, "I hear that Lord Shen usually spends this hour organizing the records of the Crown Prince's daily activities. I imagine he is busy in his study right now. What harm could there be in waiting a little?"
Hearing this, Shen Yangge nearly rolled his eyes to the heavens. He stopped pacing, rubbed his lower back, and simply found a chair to sit down and rest. Consort Xue had said she would wait a little, anyway. Let her wait.
Almost half an incense stick's worth of time passed. Consort Xue seemed to grow impatient and once again questioned the old eunuch guarding the door. "Could it be that Lord Shen did not sleep well last night?"
"Your Grace, this servant does not know."
Consort Xue narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze to someone else. "Little Eighth, aren't you on fairly good terms