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

"Young Master Shen is so adorable."

Wu Xuanyi also looked at Shen Mo, silently praying that her future child would be as obedient and sensible as Shen Mo. Xiao Long silently supported her waist, the two of them seemingly in perfect harmony.

Shen Mo blushed when he received the praise.

After exchanging a few more polite words, the adults left one after another, seeing them off onto their carriages. Only then did Xie Wanru and Lin Qing turn around and return to the courtyard.

"Wanwan, you handled today's matter very well." Lin Qing exclaimed. "Lou Yao looked so adorable when she was half-dead with anger, and Prince Rui, who seemed so high and mighty, actually helped you so much."

Xie Wanru smiled slightly, but still had doubts in her heart: "When he left, he said we were old acquaintances, but I still can't remember where I've seen him before?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qing frowned as well: "Perhaps you've met somewhere before, but you just don't remember."

Xie Wanru nodded, thinking that Lin Qing's words made sense. Perhaps she really didn't remember. After all, she often went to the palace to accompany the Empress when she was young. Maybe she was too young back then, so her impression of Prince Rui was not deep.

As they talked, the two went inside together. They were both exhausted from all the commotion today.

Lying in bed, Xie Wanru stared at the ceiling, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

Fortunately, with the help of Prince Rui, she was able to escape unscathed today; otherwise, if Lou Yao had been pushed too far, she would have definitely caused a huge scene.

Thinking of Prince Rui, Xie Wanru couldn't help but wonder again, what kind of person was Prince Rui? Could he be an ally?

That night, Xie Wanru tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time.

The next day, as she tallied the gifts, Xie Wanru sat alone in her study, stroking the jade pendant given to her by Prince Rui, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

Xie Wanru thought Prince Rui was joking, but she didn't expect him to actually come again today.

When he arrived, Lin Qing had just woken up and hadn't had a chance to properly wash up. Still half asleep, she went to find Xie Wanru. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Xie Wanru walking in to greet Xiao Yunli.

Lin Qingjing was so frightened that she ran back. There was no way she could appear in front of the dignified Prince Rui in this state.

Lin Qing rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things, then quickly went back inside to tidy herself up before coming out again. When she came out, Xie Wanru was exchanging pleasantries with Prince Rui.

"Your Highness, the Prince Rui's presence has truly brought honor to my humble abode. Also, I am very grateful to Your Highness for helping me out of yesterday's predicament," Xie Wanru said politely, while secretly speculating about the purpose of the Prince Rui's visit.

She really wasn't familiar with this Prince Rui; how did he suddenly appear out of nowhere?

Xiao Yunli smiled and nodded, his gaze lingering on Lin Qing for a moment before turning to Xie Wanru: "What happened yesterday was nothing more than a small favor for me, Princess Yongchang need not worry about it."

"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Rui."

Lin Qing approached before bowing.

The three exchanged a few more perfunctory pleasantries. Seeing that Xiao Yunli had no intention of leaving, Xie Wanru instructed her maid to prepare tea and snacks.

After the maids had left, Lin Qing tentatively asked, "I wonder what important matter brings Your Highness here today?"

Xiao Yunli took a small sip of tea, his gaze shifting between Xie Wanru and Lin Qing: "Didn't I speak to Princess Yongchang about this yesterday?"

Xie Wanru's heart stirred slightly. She hadn't expected that Prince Rui had come for a dish of sticky rice chicken, and she found it hard to believe.

The dignified Prince Rui, what strange and wonderful things hasn't he seen and eaten? Why would he come to her residence a second time just for the glutinous rice chicken?

Lin Qing looked at Xie Wanru, who almost rolled her eyes.

However, he still sent people to prepare it. They thought that Prince Rui would eventually say something, but even when the sticky rice chicken was actually served, Prince Rui only chatted with them about trivial things.

Xie Wanru really wanted to say, "Your Highness, is something wrong with you?"

But he didn't dare say it aloud; he just muttered it to himself.

The meal was quite pleasant. It seemed that Prince Rui, Xiao Yunli, had only come to taste the glutinous rice chicken. After finishing his meal, he did not linger and took his leave.

Xie Wanru and Lin Qing saw him off to the door, watching him get into the luxurious carriage and the carriage drive away, both filled with doubt.

"Wanwan, what exactly is Prince Rui up to? Is he really here for that dish? Doesn't the Prince's mansion have a single chef who can make glutinous rice chicken?" Lin Qing couldn't help but ask.

Xie Wanru shook her head, feeling completely lost: "I don't know either, but judging from his appearance today, he doesn't seem to have any ill intentions, but we can't rule out the possibility that he's testing us."

She couldn't understand why this person would come to eat without doing anything, and there was indeed a possibility that he was testing her.

But judging from how he didn't give Lou Yao any face yesterday, he's clearly not on Xiao Yan's side. Shen Cong'an said that Lou Li was the one who caused internal strife with Xiao Yan, so this Prince Rui...

"I hope it's just boredom," Lin Qing sighed.

She never expected that Wanwan was actually on the Crown Prince's side.

Xie Wanru nodded, secretly pondering how to deal with the situation in the future.

Back in the house, she picked up the jade pendant that Prince Rui had given her again and examined it carefully. She found some clues, but in the end, she found nothing. It was just an expensive object with no other meaning.

Xie Wanru couldn't understand it, so she could only tell Shen Cong'an about it.

So, Shen Cong'an handed Shen Mo over to the guards to be sent to Mount Xuwu, and then came to the Princess's Mansion under cover of darkness.

He used to go to the Xie residence, so he knew the way well. Now that he was in a different place, Shen Cong'an felt a little uneasy, and his heart was inexplicably racing. When he saw Xie Wanru, it was beating even faster.

"Master Shen."

Xie Wanru specially set up a study next to the back door for convenient business discussions.

Shen Cong'an's heart was somewhat at ease when he saw Lin Qing beside him. If he were alone with Xie Wanru, he would probably find it difficult to settle down.

"Princess, Miss Lin."

Shen Cong'an bowed slightly in greeting.

Xie Wanru originally didn't want Xie Wanru to get involved, but once she learned about Xie Wanru's plan, she was unwilling to leave.

She wants to be involved no matter what you say.

Her father, Minister Lin, was the emperor's man, so naturally he would support whoever the emperor said would inherit the throne.

“Prince Rui has not shown his face much these past few years, and I am not entirely sure of his intentions, but as it stands, he doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions. Let’s maintain normal contact. But we should not reveal our hostile relationship with the Third Prince in front of him. You two are different from me.”

Shen Cong'an only dared to linger his gaze on Xie Wanru for a moment before quickly looking away.

Xie Wanru nodded, indicating her agreement with Shen Cong'an's statement.