You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

In fact, since Shen Yanzhi's public humiliation, the Shen family has been keeping a very low profile. Marquis Yong'an, Shen Zhan, has almost never left his home, saying that he can't afford to lose face.

People outside are saying that the Shen family is debauched and immoral. Young Master Shen, at the age of thirteen or fourteen, had a son with someone outside and brought the child back to raise. They abandoned Princess Yongchang, such a good daughter-in-law, for a mistress. The Shen family must have gone mad.

Shen Nianqing, who was already arrogant, was found to have secretly used a lot of money from Xie Wanru after her divorce from Shen Nian'an. As a result, she was kept in the Shen family mansion by the old lady of the Shen family and rarely showed her face.

Unexpectedly, when Xie Wanru moved to the Princess's Mansion, Shen Cong'an, the eldest son of the Shen family, actually came.

"How dare the Shen family come?"

The people watching the play outside also started discussing it.

"Didn't you see he was holding a child's hand? I think he's trying to use the child to get closer to Princess Yongchang. It's said that this child is the one Princess Yongchang wants to adopt."

"Why would the Princess of Yongchang want a wild child..."

"It is said that she has been married to the second young master Shen for two years without having any children."

"Don't you know? That Second Young Master Shen is so infatuated with his mistress that not only Princess Yongchang at the time, but even his concubines couldn't get pregnant."

"It seems this mistress has some tricks up her sleeve!"

"..."

There was gossip both inside and outside the palace, but it all stopped abruptly after the Third Prince and his wife Lou Yao arrived.

Xie Wanru's lips twitched. She said she didn't want this person to come, but he still came, and she hadn't even sent him an invitation.

Putting aside the grudges between her and Xiao Yan in their past life, they are no longer in a relationship where they can laugh and go back and forth. Before the New Year, in the palace, Xiao Yan shamelessly sought reconciliation from Xie Wanru. When his request was rejected, he mocked her, and she even kicked him.

"Greetings, Third Prince and Third Imperial Consort."

Xie Wanru forced herself to step forward and bow. She hadn't invited these two people and didn't know where they got the invitations from, but she couldn't refuse a smiling face, and with so many people watching, she gritted her teeth and came anyway.

Xiao Yan's gaze was deep as he swept over Shen Cong'an before finally settling on the child, a subtle, complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

After glancing at me a few times, he gently raised his hand, indicating that I should not stand on ceremony, and said in a deep and powerful voice, "It seems that Princess Yongchang does not welcome me?"

Xie Wanru really wanted to roll her eyes at his question. You didn't even have an invitation, so do you think I'm not welcoming you?

Xie Wanru could only suppress her emotions and force a smile, "Your Highness is joking. I'm welcoming guests, how could I not welcome them?"

Seeing her humiliated, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile, but Lou Yao beside him was rather displeased.

She had just been brought back from the Lou family by Xiao Yan. When he sent her back, Xiao Yan was incredibly ruthless, but when he went to pick her up, he coaxed her very easily.

Because Xiao Yan knew that without the Lou family, there were many things he couldn't do.

“Princess Yongchang, your mansion is so big! It’s even bigger than His Highness’s residence.”

Lou Yao never liked Xie Wanru. Xie Wanru was the white moonlight in Xiao Yan's heart. They were even at the point of discussing marriage back then. How could she like a woman who once had feelings for her husband?

Lou Yao's words carried a hint of sourness and provocation, but the smile on her face was innocent and pure, as if she had only said it unintentionally.

Xie Wanru sneered inwardly, but maintained a polite smile on her face, even though her face was stiffening unnaturally.

"You flatter me, Third Princess Consort. My Princess's residence is merely spacious; how can it compare to the Third Prince's mansion? The Third Prince is busy with official duties, so his mansion is naturally based on practicality. It's nothing like the elaborate residences of a leisurely person like me."

Xiao Yan listened from the side, his gaze shifting between Xie Wanru and Lou Yao, a playful smile playing on his lips.

He was well aware of Lou Yao's ulterior motives, but he was also happy to see how Xie Wanru would handle it. After all, watching the two women compete for his affections was a kind of fun for him.

“Yaoyao, Princess Yongchang certainly doesn’t have this. You mustn’t be rude,” Xiao Yan reprimanded softly. Although he was scolding her, there was little reprimand in his tone.

After saying that, he turned to Xie Wanru and said, "The Princess's residence is indeed elegant. I have come here uninvited today, and I hope the Princess will not take offense."

Xie Wanru thought to herself, "How long do I have to be so polite? They know I'm an uninvited guest, yet they're still so shameless!"

"It is an honor for Wanru that His Highness the Third Prince can come. How could she be offended? It's just that I didn't prepare an invitation, and I'm afraid my hospitality may be inadequate."

"No need to be so polite. I've just come here on a whim to see the princess's new residence." Xiao Yan said, his gaze falling once more on the painting in the hall, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry: "This painting is quite nice, but I wonder who painted it?"

All eyes turned to a painting in the center of the flower hall, a congratulatory gift from Prince Rui, which came a little later than Lin Qing's.

The painting was beautiful, but it lacked the artist's signature. Xie Wanru hadn't noticed it before, but now that she looked at it again, she realized it.

Moreover, Lou Yao seemed to have noticed this as well. She sneered, "What's so special about something painted by an unknown person? It's actually worthy of such a good position from the princess. Oh? Doesn't the princess know that famous paintings are always stamped?"

Xie Wanru smiled slightly, her gaze calm, and explained unhurriedly, "Third Imperial Concubine, you may not know this, but although this painting is unsigned, it has a unique charm. The painter may not be pursuing fame or fortune, but only wants to express his feelings through painting. As for its placement, I just felt that the painting complemented the scenery of the Princess's residence, so I casually hung it here without thinking much about it."

Lou Yao's face flashed with resentment upon hearing this, but she still insisted on arguing: "Even so, how can an unknown work compare to the work of a master? Since the Princess's mansion has opened its doors to guests, it should naturally treat them with the best things so as not to become a laughing stock."

These remarks caused those nearby to whisper among themselves: Could it be that Princess Yongchang really doesn't know how to paint?

Lin Qing wanted to slap Lou Yao for her mouth, but Wu Xuanyi stopped her just as she was about to get up.

"We must trust Wanwan."

Wu Xuanyi laughed, knowing Xie Wanru's skill and that she would never let herself suffer a loss.

Lin Qing then gave up, but she secretly decided that if Lou Yao talked nonsense again, she would go over and secretly kick her!

"Since the Third Princess Consort is so knowledgeable about these things, I wonder what kind of gift she has brought today? It would be good for me to broaden my horizons."

Xie Wanru smiled with neither arrogance nor servility, leaving no room for criticism.

Having been the mistress of a fallen nobleman's mansion for over a decade, Xie Wanru knew exactly how to maintain a respectable appearance and avoid giving anyone cause for gossip.

If she falls for Lou Yao's trick and argues with her in front of the guests, then Xie Wanru will be seen as an arrogant and domineering person.

Xie Wanru was well aware of the power of gossip.