Regent, please maintain your aloof image.

Su Qianrou and Li Nanyi walked at the very back.

"Thank you for the reminder that day, Miss Li."

"I just can't stand the way Qin Zhenzhen and your half-sister behave."

"But it is a fact that Miss Li helped me, and I must remember this favor. So, if Miss Li ever needs my help in the future, please let me know, and I will definitely help if I can."

"Ok".

After a while, Su Qianrou couldn't help but ask, "May I ask how Miss Li found out?"

"Some time ago, I ran into your half-sister and Qin Zhenzhen at a teahouse. Out of curiosity, I followed them and overheard their plot."

Su Qianrou understood and said nothing more.

Royal Palace

Mu Jinchen came out of Changshou Palace and was walking towards the Imperial Study when he encountered Qin Zhenzhen in the Imperial Garden.

Qin Zhenzhen was overjoyed to run into him here and eagerly walked towards him, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Hmm," Mu Jinchen didn't want to have any more dealings with her, so he walked past her and planned to leave directly.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Qin Zhenzhen couldn't help but call out to him, "Your Highness."

Mu Jinchen ignored him.

"Your Highness, are you truly not even slightly moved by me?" Qin Zhenzhen asked, unwilling to give up.

Mu Jinchen stopped in his tracks, turned his back to her, and coldly replied, "No."

Qin Zhenzhen took two steps forward. "But I like you. I've liked you ever since I first met you when I was eight years old. I've liked you for ten whole years. I practiced music, chess, calligraphy and painting day and night just so that I could be worthy of you and not embarrass you. You said I looked good in white, so I gave up my favorite bright clothes and changed into elegant white clothes from then on. I've done so much for you, are you really going to be so heartless?"

Mu Jinchen turned to look at her, "Miss Qin, don't forget, in seven days, you will be the Princess Consort of Min."

Qin Zhenzhen's heart clenched, a pang of pain shot through her, but she still explained, "I was tricked; it wasn't my intention."

Mu Jinchen remained silent.

"It was Su Qianrou, it was she who plotted against me, that's why I was..."

"If you don't scheme against her, why would she scheme against you? You only have yourself to blame."

Qin Zhenzhen looked at him in disbelief, unsure whether she hadn't expected him to say such heartless words, or that he knew the truth; perhaps both.

Mu Jinchen glanced at the wound on her face that was almost healed and said, "Please remember, Miss Qin, there are some people you can't mess with. This time, it's just a warning. If there's a next time, then I'll take your life." After saying that, he turned and left without hesitation.

Qin Zhenzhen stared at his departing figure for a long time, lost in thought. Then, she touched the scar on her face, which had already scabbed over. If it weren't for the slight prickliness, she would have forgotten that she had been injured not long ago.

What she found hard to accept was that the injury was inflicted by the person she loved most, and for another woman no less. How could she not hate him? So, she gritted her teeth and said, "Su Qianrou, I will not let you get away with this."

"Miss, the Empress Dowager is still waiting for you," the maid reminded her.

Qin Zhenzhen then left.

Soon the day of the martial arts examination arrived. Su Qianrou took Su Haoyu to the training ground and instructed him, "You are still young. It doesn't matter if you can't become the top martial arts champion. We can try again in a few years. Just do your best and don't be reckless. Also, be careful and don't get hurt. We'll be waiting for you at home, understand?"

"Sister, I'm not a child anymore. I know my limits, so don't worry."

Su Qianrou knew that Yang Wenchang was also inside, and with him watching over things, she figured everything should be fine, so she felt relieved and said, "Alright, you can go in now."

"Okay, I'll go in now. You should go back now." Then she looked at Li Hongye and said, "I'm entrusting my sister to you for now. Please take good care of her."

"Ok".

Just then, Mu Jinchen walked over with a group of people.

When Mu Xinchen saw her, he called out, "Princess Ping Le."

Su Qianrou looked at him, and when she saw Mu Jinchen, she immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, Regent."

Mu Jinchen did not respond.

Then, Mu Xinchen said, "Princess Ping Le is sending Second Young Master Su to participate in the martial arts examination."

"right".

"Young Master Su is only fourteen years old this year, are you confident?"

“Of course,” Su Haoyu replied.

"Confidence is good, but excessive confidence is overestimating one's abilities," Liu Mingye said.

Upon hearing this, Li Peiyi couldn't help but clench his fists, his eyes involuntarily revealing hatred. If he didn't still have some reason left, he would have rushed up and torn him to pieces.

Su Qianrou didn't recognize him, so she didn't say anything.

Su Haoyu wanted to let his abilities speak for themselves, so he did not refute.

"Alright, it's getting late, let's go inside," Mu Jinchen said, and then took the lead in leaving.

Others followed suit.

"Sis, I'll go in first."

"Okay, go quickly."

Then, Su Haoyu quickly went inside.

After he went inside, Su Qianrou looked at Li Peiyi and said, "Let's go back too," and then she walked away.

However, Li Peiyi did not hear it, so he remained standing still.

After taking a couple of steps, seeing that he hadn't followed, Su Qianrou turned around and looked at him. She saw him staring ahead, seemingly looking at something, so she asked, "What are you looking at?"

Li Peiyi then came to his senses and replied, "It's nothing," before following her.

Su Qianrou didn't ask any further questions and then got into the carriage.

Youlan Courtyard

As it grew dark and Su Haoyu still hadn't returned, Su Qianrou couldn't help but worry and asked, "Has Li An not returned yet?"

Chunzhu replied, "No."

"Send someone to the drill ground to see what's going on."

"Yes".

Just as Chunzhu was about to leave, Su Haoyu walked in and called out, "Sister."

Seeing that he had returned, Su Qianrou was relieved. "Why are you back so late? Did something happen?" She looked him over and asked, "Are you injured?"

"Not injured."

"That's good then," she said, then added, "Alright, you must be tired too, go back and get some rest."

"Aren't you going to ask me about the results, sister?"

Su Qianrou saw that he was in low spirits when he came in, so she knew the outcome and didn't ask. "The outcome is not important, participation is what matters."

Su Haoyu couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Hahaha, even I can fool my sister sometimes."

Su Qianrou looked at him, puzzled.

"Sister, I am telling you now that your younger brother has become the martial arts champion, and he is the youngest martial arts champion in the history of Yunyue."

"real".

"Absolutely true."

"You brat, how dare you lie to me! You deserve a beating!" Su Qianrou couldn't help but slap him.

Su Haoyu smiled but didn't say anything.

Su Qianrou didn't mind and said, "I'll cook for you myself tomorrow to celebrate."

"Great! I can eat your cooking again, thank you, sister."

"Alright, you haven't gone to your parents' place yet, have you? Go quickly, don't let them worry."

"Okay, I'll be going now."

"Go ahead".

Then, Su Haoyu walked out.

Chunzhu said excitedly, "Miss, now let's see who dares to look down on us. We've finally overcome our hardships."

"You make it sound like we had a really tough time before."

“Back when we were still in Yangzhou, everyone in the Hou family looked down on us, saying we were good-for-nothings. But now, the master is the Minister of Revenue, the young lady is a princess, the eldest son is the top scholar in the imperial examination, and the second son is the top martial arts scholar. Let’s see what they can say now.”

Su Qianrou didn't say anything because she felt that Chunzhu was right, and she believed that their family would definitely get better and better in the future.