The Flourishing Era of Female Merchants

"Hehe, Bing'er, you've been gone for several years. No wonder you're friends with An Mi!" Sima Yan said with a sneer, implying that Yan Bing's departure to the countryside and her meeting with An Mi did not change the fact that An Mi came from a humble background.

If it were the Yan Bing of the past, a well-bred young lady, she would never have held a grudge over such a remark. Even if she did, she would have endured it and wouldn't have clashed with anyone in front of so many people. However, after all these years, the Yan Bing of today is not the Yan Bing of the past.

Having discerned the implied meaning in Sima Yan's words, she naturally wouldn't let her be so sarcastic. "Yes, even though I've traveled for many years, broadened my horizons, and gained a lot of knowledge, which is why I'm fortunate enough to become friends with Mi'er, Miss Sima... oh, no, that's not right, now I should call you the Crown Prince's Consort. If the Crown Prince's Consort has time, she can also go out and travel, lest she be trapped in the inner palace, narrow-minded, lacking in knowledge, and even narrow-minded. How could she not be liked by men!"

Although Yan Bing had only been back for a short time, she had heard a lot from her maid about the recent events in the capital, including how the First Prince Qinglan and Prince Bohai Baiyi stood up for An Mi at the Ghost Festival, and how Brother Baiyi spent millions of dollars on An Mi!

She wasn't stupid; just by listening, she could see some clues. That's right, how could someone as outstanding as Mi'er only have Bai Yi as her?

Yan Bing's words were sharp and pointed, and Sima Yan immediately took it personally, her expression growing even uglier. She really had the urge to step forward and slap Yan Bing hard, making her swallow her words.

However, she couldn't lose her composure in front of so many people. She took a deep breath and tried her best to suppress the anger in her heart. Suddenly, as if she thought of something, her eyes narrowed and the resentment in her eyes was particularly obvious. "Then I wonder if Bing'er has found her ideal husband after walking outside for so long?"

A perfect husband? At that moment, everyone present changed their expressions and looked at Yan Bing in unison. You see, Yan Bing is not young, but she has never mentioned marriage. Previously, there seemed to be some rumors about her and the Prince of Qin, but they disappeared after Yan Bing left. Now, there are no rumors about Yan Bing's marriage.

Everyone thought to themselves that now that Yan Bing had returned to the Marquis of Jin's residence, the marriage would probably have to be put on the agenda!

Yan Bing's expression changed slightly, but only for a moment before returning to normal. "You don't need to worry about that. Shouldn't the Crown Prince's wife be concerned about the Crown Prince?"

"How can that be? Our two families are practically family friends. I have to be concerned about your marriage. How about this, there are quite a few noble young men in the capital. I'll keep an eye out for you and make sure you find a good match!" Sima Yan seemed to have gained the upper hand, and her expression became even more smug. Now that she was the Crown Prince's consort, if she could put in a good word for Yan Bing with Empress Feng, the chances of it succeeding would be extremely high.

Ha, so now Yan Bing's lifelong happiness is in Sima Yan's hands, isn't it?

Thinking this way, Sima Yan felt even more pleased. She glanced at An Mi and decided that even for An Mi's sake, she would find a "good man" for Yan Bing!

"You..." Yan Bing could see through Sima Yan's ill intentions. She cursed under her breath. This Sima Yan was truly a petty person who had gotten her way!

An Mi met Sima Yan's gaze, but a hint of sarcasm flashed in her eyes. This Sima Yan truly hated her to the bone, and she didn't even think much of the people around her!

But how could Anmi tolerate her friends being schemed against by her?

"The Crown Princess is truly kind-hearted. This is a matter for the God of Love, and you've taken care of it all." An Mi's voice rang out unhurriedly. She glanced at Yan Bing and continued, "Bing'er, ordinary people wouldn't even have the honor of having the Crown Princess go to such lengths. You should thank the Crown Princess!"

Yan Bing was stunned. That Sima Yan had ulterior motives and wanted her to thank her?!

Yan Bing was filled with resistance, but when she saw An Mi's calm smile, her heart inexplicably calmed down. Sima Yan, on the other hand, felt a chill run down her spine when she saw An Mi's smile. Even her previous smugness instantly diminished, replaced by wariness.

An Mi has always been difficult to deal with. The fact that she made Yan Bing thank her almost subconsciously made Sima Yan feel that An Mi was probably plotting something!

But what exactly was she planning? Sima Yan couldn't figure it out. No matter how she looked at An Mi, it felt like a thorn was stuck in her heart!

After exchanging a glance with An Mi, Yan Bing smiled and turned to Sima Yan with an even more gentle and refined air. "Mi'er is right. Yan Bing should thank the Crown Princess for her thoughtfulness. I will trouble the Crown Princess to take care of Yan Bing's marriage."

She's just a princess consort; how could anyone really control her marriage?

She's not afraid of Sima Yan! Let's see what tricks she has up her sleeve!

Sima Yan was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to react. It seemed that she had not received what she expected, and her displeasure intensified. However, she could not vent her anger in front of so many people.

Seeing this, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Marquis of Jin quickly tried to smooth things over, saying with a smile, "Bing'er is of a young age, and her parents are worried about her marriage. With the Crown Prince's wife making the arrangements, that's really wonderful. It's getting late, so I'll instruct the servants to serve the banquet."

Sima Yan glanced at An Mi and Yan Bing. They had only been here a short while and had already been wronged. She had no desire to stay any longer and suddenly stood up. "Alright, I'm tired today too. As for Miss Bing'er's marriage..."

Sima Yan slightly furrowed her brows, concealing the calculation that had gathered in her eyes, and a smile appeared on her lips, "I will keep it in mind!"

She would naturally take it to heart. Since the woman had thanked her, how could she not find her a good husband? Hmph, she would definitely choose this "good husband" carefully!

After saying this, Sima Yan, along with her maid, abandoned the rest of the group and left in anger.

The ladies present couldn't help but feel uneasy. Even the most oblivious among them could sense the tension just now. With Sima Yan's departure, the atmosphere seemed to have eased considerably. But with the Crown Princess leaving in anger, they hoped they wouldn't be implicated!

A sense of unease lingered in everyone's hearts, but it quickly dissipated as they focused their attention on An Mi. With the departure of the First Prince's Consort, a future Princess of Bohai remained, and they naturally wanted to take this opportunity to get closer to her.