In the years of famine, I led a comfortable life with my husband

Xu Miao's face was immediately filled with resentment. "How could this happen? When Lord Xiao came to see me, he wasn't like this. I never thought he would..."

Su Zhizhi sighed deeply. "Earlier in the court, Lord Xiao had been targeting Xie Chengjin. Now that Xie Chengjin has gone to Jiangnan for inspection, Lord Xiao still doesn't want to let us, an orphan and a widow, go. Since that's the case, I naturally can't just swallow my anger. However, Xie Chengjin is not in the capital after all, and given your relationship with Lord Xiao, it's not appropriate for you to just side with me. This matter requires further consideration."

However, Xu Miao's response surprised Su Zhizhi. "Zhizhi, what are you talking about? Given the relationship between you and me, how could I sit back and watch you being bullied like this? I had no choice but to do what happened to Xie Chengjin. As a result, you and your wife were forced to separate. I already feel extremely guilty. Now, no matter what, I can't bear to see you being bullied any longer. But what are your plans now?"

Su Zhizhi was discussing with Xu Miao in the Princess' Mansion, while in the Marquis' Mansion, Jiang Qin was feeling a little restless. She had originally planned to meet the person who poisoned the food after the matter was completed today, but as it was getting later, Jiang Qin still hadn't waited for the person to come to meet her. Only then did she realize that her plan seemed to have failed again. However, there was no movement from the Xie Mansion, and Jiang Qin felt increasingly uneasy.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Qin decided to take the initiative. She didn't want to wait for Su Zhizhi to come to her.

After Su Zhizhi returned to Xie's house, she soon received an invitation from Jiang Qin, saying that they wanted to invite Su Zhizhi to a banquet and hoped that Su Zhizhi would not refuse.

Su Zhizhi's face was expressionless, she just kept playing with the invitation in her hands. The maid beside her said worriedly, "Madam, Jiang Qin has come with ill intentions. Madam, you must not go."

Su Zhizhi came back to her senses and was silent for a moment before shaking her head. "I have to go. Jiang Qin represents the Marquisate after all. If I choose to ignore Jiang Qin now, it means that our Xie Mansion looks down on Marquis Xiao, and then they are even more right."

"But this is obviously a Hongmen Banquet, madam, this..." The personal maid looked anxious.

Su Zhizhi calmly soothed her, "Don't worry, Hongxiu. I'll make the decision myself. Okay, help me change my clothes first. I'm afraid we'll have a tough battle to fight today. By the way, go to the storeroom and get the pair of jade bracelets you put in there earlier. I want to take them with you."

"Madam, are you talking about the pair His Majesty gifted you?" Hongxiu gasped. "Madam, those are the bracelets you were reluctant to wear yourself. Are you going to give them away like that? Wouldn't such a precious item just go to the people in the Marquis' Mansion?"

Su Zhizhi shook her head. "Just go ahead and get it. I have my own use for it. I never liked wearing that bracelet in the first place, so now it just has a new use."

Hongxiu wanted to say something, but looking at Su Zhizhi's eyes, she tactfully shut her mouth.

After getting dressed, Su Zhizhi wore the bracelet and went to the Marquis' Mansion. Jiang Qin had been waiting in the mansion for a long time. When she saw Su Zhizhi come in, Jiang Qin's expression did not change, and she looked very difficult to get along with.

Su Zhizhi didn't mind. She just smiled, walked to Jiang Qin's side, and put the thing in her hand in front of Jiang Qin.

"This is my first visit, and I don't know what to prepare. I heard that Madam likes jadeite, so I brought a pair of bracelets. I wonder if Madam likes them?" Su Zhizhi said as she opened the box. Inside was a pair of fine jadeite bracelets.

Jiang Qin originally wanted to find fault with Su Zhizhi and teach her a lesson, but she didn't expect Su Zhizhi to do this. When she saw what was in the box, Jiang Qin's eyes changed. She couldn't wait to reach out and caress the pair of bracelets tenderly, looking particularly fond of them.

Seeing this, Su Zhizhi also breathed a sigh of relief. One should not hit a smiling person, especially since Jiang Qin had given her such a pair of high-quality jade bracelets. Jiang Qin should have no reason to make things difficult for Su Zhizhi.

Jiang Qin played with it for a while before seeming to notice that Su Zhizhi was still standing. She quickly said with a smile, "Look at me! I actually forgot you were still standing. Your subordinates are all so clueless! Come on, help Madam Xie sit down!"

Jiang Qin seemed to be scolding her servant, but she was also criticizing Su Zhizhi in both explicit and implicit ways. However, Su Zhizhi seemed not to notice and smiled as she said, "Thank you, Madam."

Jiang Qin looked at Su Zhizhi, smiled, and changed the subject. "Madam Xie looks younger than me, so there's no need to call her Madam. How about we just call each other sisters?"

"Of course it's good. Zhizhi felt very close to Sister Jiang the first time she saw her, and now it couldn't be better." Su Zhizhi also had a smile on her face, and her words did not give Jiang Qin any chance to find fault.

Seeing this, Jiang Qin changed the subject, "I heard a few days ago that Mr. Xie seemed to have been sent to Jiangnan. Is this true?"

Su Zhizhi's face froze. She knew Jiang Qin had no good intentions, but she had to say it, so she smiled and said, "Ah Jin's affairs, after all, are related to the country. I'm just a woman, and I don't know much. I just do what he says."

Seeing that Su Zhizhi was unwilling to talk, Jiang Qin's expression changed for a moment, but she quickly gathered her thoughts and talked to Su Zhizhi for a long time, rambling on and on.

As the sun set, it was almost time for dinner. Su Zhizhi realized it was almost time, so she said, "Sister Jiang, it's getting late. I'll go back first and visit you another day."

Jiang Qin quickly grabbed Su Zhizhi's hand and said with concern, "It's dinner time now. I've already asked the kitchen to prepare some more delicious dishes. Why don't you stay and have a meal together?"

Although Su Zhizhi smiled, she couldn't help complaining in her heart: "I've eaten your meal now, how can I walk out of your mansion with my head held high later? I don't even know what good things you added to this dish, I'll be in trouble if I eat it!"

She shook her head and said regretfully, "I appreciate your kindness, sister, but she has a child at home who is waiting for me to go back and have dinner with her."

Su Zhizhi had already brought up Jiaojiao, so Jiang Qin naturally couldn't say anything more. She could only say with regret, "In that case, I won't keep you any longer..."