My stepsister tried to steal the prince's hand in marriage, but little did she know I had been

Upon hearing the invitation, the magpie became as startled as a frightened bird, its entire body on high alert.

"Why would she suddenly invite the young lady to see the lanterns?" Magpie said without hesitation. "She must have something in mind!"

"Miss, your wedding is imminent, you mustn't fall for her tricks!"

Wen Shuyao smiled gently: "It's just going to see some lanterns, what are you worried about?"

Magpie's expression froze, and she said with a mournful face, "Miss, do we really have to go?"

"This matter is of great importance," Wen Shuyao said solemnly. "Naturally, we must go."

To see the lanterns on Zhuque Street?

This was not Wen Shuyao's intention.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to visit Qianjin Pavilion."

The magpie looked terrified: "Qianjin Pavilion?"

Qianjin Pavilion is the largest brothel in Qianjin District, where nobles often spend lavishly.

But such a place is definitely not a place Wen Shuyao should go.

She hurriedly grabbed Wen Shuyao's hand: "Miss, you are a county princess! How can you go to a place like this?"

"Qianjinfang is a property under the name of Prince Jing."

Wen Shuyao looked at the magpie with a strange expression.

This is common knowledge in the capital.

The magpie swallowed hard. "But if you go, I'm afraid people will..."

"So what?" Wen Shuyao raised an eyebrow. "I'm the future Princess Consort of Jing. Who dares to speak ill of me to my face?"

The magpie wanted to say something, but under Wen Shuyao's gaze, it swallowed it back.

Once a young lady makes a decision, there is absolutely no possibility of changing it.

Early in the morning, Wen Shuyao spotted Wen Yitong standing beside the carriage.

Perhaps due to her heavy thoughts, Wen Yitong had dark circles under her eyes that even makeup couldn't cover.

She forced a smile when she saw Wen Shuyao.

"Big sister, your wedding is just around the corner, and Mother wants me to accompany you out for a stroll more often."

As she spoke, she reached out to put her arm around Wen Shuyao's.

Unexpectedly, Wen Shuyao took a step back, revealing a distant yet indifferent smile.

"Your sister and your wife are so kind?" she asked back. "That's quite rare."

Upon hearing this, Wen Yitong almost lost her smile.

She gritted her teeth, swallowed her dissatisfaction, and said in a low voice, "I've heard that the lantern festival on Zhuque Street is the largest in recent years. Big sister, you'd better hurry up!"

Zhuque Street and Qianjin Lane are separated by only one street.

If Wen Shuyao went there, she would naturally witness her fiancé spending lavishly on another courtesan.

Thinking of this, Wen Yitong's smile became much more genuine.

Zhuque Street was bustling with people, but most of them weren't there for the lanterns.

They were all there to choose the most beautiful courtesan from the Qianjin Pavilion next door.

The Thousand Gold Pavilion selects its most beautiful courtesan every three years, and the beauties among them are so stunning that ordinary people like them would never see one in their entire lives.

As soon as Wen Yitong arrived, she made no attempt to hide her intentions.

"Big sister, Qianjin Pavilion is so lively!" She smiled and took Wen Shuyao's arm, not allowing Wen Shuyao to refuse. "Why don't we go and have a look at Qianjin Pavilion?"

Choosing a courtesan is considered an elegant affair, and many noble ladies watch from the sidelines, so Wen Yitong's request is not surprising.

However, Wen Shuyao's actions aroused her suspicion.

Who is inside Qianjin Pavilion? Who is worth Wen Yitong setting up a special trap to invite me there?

However, going to Qianjin Pavilion was exactly what Wen Shuyao wanted.

"Okay."

Wen Shuyao readily agreed.

She seemed oblivious to Wen Yitong's shocked gaze, and asked calmly, "Shall we go now?"

"Let's go now." Wen Yitong snapped out of her daze and immediately agreed, fearing that Wen Shuyao might return.

Inside the Qianjin Pavilion, the air was thick with the scent of cosmetics, making one's eyes glaze over.

Layer upon layer of soft curtains fell, revealing figures that were faintly visible inside.

"Three thousand crimson blossoms!"

"Manniang, thirty thousand flowers!"

With each shout louder than the last, Man Niang finally received an astonishing number of bouquets—one hundred thousand flowers.

The selection of the most beautiful courtesan at Qianjin Pavilion was conducted in a very elegant manner, where silver was exchanged for flowers, with each flower worth one tael of silver.

The number of flowers that Man Niang received was dozens of times higher than that of others.

"As expected of Prince Jing! When the Prince makes a move, who can rival him?"

"Ten thousand taels of silver is nothing, just a drop in the ocean for the Prince Jing's mansion."

"I've heard that Prince Jing cherishes his fiancée dearly, so how could he..."

“It’s common for men to have three wives and four concubines, let alone the fact that Prince Jing has only had Man Niang as his favorite woman all these years.”

These words occasionally reached Wen Yitong's ears.

She could hear it, and Wen Shuyao could naturally hear it too.

She had been watching Wen Shuyao's expression closely, but Wen Shuyao's gaze remained unchanged, still smiling as she looked down at the audience.

Seeing this, Wen Yitong couldn't help but question, "Big sister, didn't you hear? This Manniang was handpicked by the Prince!"

Enraged, Wen Yitong's voice was sharp and piercing.

In her dream, she also knew of the existence of Man Niang, and she had argued with Xie Jinghan countless times because of Man Niang.

However, Xie Jinghan seemed to be bewitched by this woman. Even though he didn't take her into his family, he never severed his contact with her.