Han Zhi wondered if he had misheard. To him, this was a minor matter—surely if Consort Fan and Zhou Weiqi were willing to help, there was no reason it couldn't be accomplished. Yet here was Qian Ying, standing before him with a troubled expression, bowing and expining that Consort Fan had instead gifted a set of fine jewelry to add to Han Yueheng's dowry. The list of items was long and vish, indicating their high value.

  But none of that mattered. He took the list without even gncing at it, set it on the table, and asked in a dark tone, "What?"

  Qian Ying, intimidated by his gaze, lowered his head even further, and with great hesitation, repeated, "The prince has already tried, but Consort Fan has said the list of names is set, and the Astronomical Office has already selected a date, so it cannot be changed..."

  All nonsense and empty words! Han Zhi remembered the matter with Song Chuyi. He had thought that was the one time his aunt would abandon him to protect her own son's interests. Now, he realized that it might truly be blood that ties are stronger than water. No matter how much his aunt seemed to care for him, it was limited. When the time came, he was just a pawn. When he was useful, he was valuable; but when he was no longer needed, he'd be discarded without hesitation.

  This realization filled him with dread. He had always believed that even without his mother's affection, he still had his aunt's support. But now it was clear—he was not her son, and she would never pn wholeheartedly for him.

  When Qian Ying didn't receive a response, he became increasingly uneasy. Gathering his courage, he tried to expin on Consort Fan's behalf, "Her Ladyship had no choice. Others may not know, but surely you do. When Her Ladyship approached Her Majesty, she was refused once. If she insisted further, it would only provoke Her Majesty's displeasure..."

  Zhou Weiqi had instructed him to make up a good story before coming, but as he saw Han Zhi's cold and menacing gaze, he suddenly found it impossible to continue.

  Han Zhi no longer wished to hear any more. He waved for Qian Ying to leave and remained seated, unmoving.

  Guanshan entered quietly and stood by Han Zhi's side for a while. When Han Zhi finally moved, Guanshan took the opportunity to report, "Wei Yanxi has been running to the estate again... That Young Master Zhang, he has no sense of gratitude. You've been so good to him..."

  After all his kindness, Zhang Run was conspiring with others to harm him!

  Thinking of this, Han Zhi's expression grew even darker, and he smmed his hand on the table with a fierce look in his eyes. The teacup shattered, scattering fragments everywhere. He sneered—Sixth Miss Song really had grown bold, managing to lure in even Zhang Run to work against him. Instincts are often frighteningly accurate; the st time at Chongyin Tavern, when Sixth Miss Song and Zhang Run appeared there together, he knew it was no mere coincidence. Even if the rooms were far apart, and even if Sixth Miss Song had been with Ye Jingchuan, and no trace of anyone else was found in Zhang Run's private room, he'd felt there was something off.

  So, he had deliberately fed Zhang Run bits of information, allowing him to go out, and even fostered a connection between him and Wei Yanxi. Indeed, the st time Zhang Run had gone to Chongyin Tavern, Guanshan reported that Song Chuyi had also been there.

  Once might be a coincidence, but twice? That was too much. It was natural for him to scheme against others, but if someone dared to scheme against him, they were courting death. Sixth Miss Song had dared to provoke him—she should have known what consequences would follow.

  He ignored the shattered pieces around him, indifferent to the cuts on his hand from the teacup fragments. As he pulled out the shards, he asked Guanshan casually, "And what about Song Yan?"

  Han Zhi had always known that if Song Chuyi had any weakness, it was her only full-blooded younger brother, Song Yan. Breaking Song Yan would hurt her even more than breaking her directly.

  And he knew this thanks to Song Chuning.

  "He comes every day." Guanshan's face betrayed a satisfied grin. "He's desperate to save someone, but that's not so easy. We tricked him into thinking he just has to win a single game to save the person. But all his opponents are seasoned pyers. Even you, Young Master, would find them challenging—how could this naive young calf stand a chance?"

  In time, Song Yan would unwittingly become immersed in such gambling games, until he could no longer pull himself out, just like a true gambler.

  Initially, Han Zhi had intended to leave Sixth Miss Song alone. After all, his aunt and cousin favored her greatly, and if he could actually facilitate a marriage between her and his cousin, it would be a tremendous support for him. However, just as he was beginning to accept this idea, Sixth Miss Song insisted on provoking him, pushing him to teach her a lesson. At first, he worried that his actions might upset his aunt and cousin, as it could severely impact the retionship between the Song family and the Eastern Pace. But thinking it over, didn't his aunt and cousin show they didn't care that much?

  "As always, switch locations in a few days, and assign a different person to gamble with him," Han Zhi said with a sneering smile. "Once the time is right, we'll demand ransom money from the Marquis of Changning."

  Many noble sons were notorious for their indulgences, from gambling to cockfighting and dog racing. But the Marquis of Changning's household had never produced such a wayward heir. If Song Yan became the first, it would be quite the spectacle. Moreover, Tang Mingzhao in Shuzhong was known for his strict rules. If word of Song Yan's gambling reached his ears, he would likely disown him without a second thought.

  A ten-year-old child prodigy? He'd remain just that—stuck at the child prodigy level forever.

  Guanshan nodded enthusiastically. "No need for you to remind me; I'm keeping an eye on it. We're constantly changing locations to avoid being tracked by those shadowing Song Yan. And that fool sheds tears in front of Song Yan now and then. Eager to save him and mindful of his reputation as a cssmate, Song Yan doesn't dare make a fuss."

  Guanshan was about to continue when there was a knock on the door. Guanhai burst in before Han Zhi could say "come in," hurriedly reporting, "Young Master, Master Xu and Master Jia are in trouble!"

  Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin? What kind of trouble could they be in? Han Zhi raised an eyebrow, and Guanhai quickly continued, "They were caught trying to pnt people in the Jinwu Guards, Yulin Guards, and the Jinyiwei!"