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

Inspecting the estate is no big deal and doesn't require a big fuss. With Xie Jinghan, this great Buddha, around, even the most unruly estate head will have to obey.

Therefore, Wen Shuyao and Xie Jinghan traveled light, taking only about a hundred guards with them, and went to the outskirts of the capital.

The Prince Jing's mansion was vast and powerful, with many of its estates being imperial gifts, originally imperial estates.

Such estates have good land and produce a lot of produce. Today we are going to Quanshui Estate, which is located in the suburbs of Beijing.

As its name suggests, this spring resort has many hot springs, making it a great place for relaxation in autumn and winter. The nearby resorts are also popular places for nobles from the capital to unwind.

When the emperor bestowed this spring estate upon Xie Jinghan, many ministers had reservations, and the censors impeached him one after another, feeling that the emperor was spoiling Xie Jinghan too much.

Even some of the princes were indignant about this.

After all, in their view, such a fine estate should be reserved for their own family to enjoy.

Although Xie Jinghan was the emperor's younger brother, how could the relationship between brothers be as close as that between father and son?

No matter how much they tried, it was no use; once the emperor made a decision, it would not be changed.

Quanshui Manor thus fell into Xie Jinghan's hands.

The grand procession traveled along the road, and if it weren't for the emblem of the Prince Jing's mansion on the carriages, passersby would not have recognized them as such.

It's worth noting that Xie Jinghan is known for his extremely simple travel arrangements.

However, even if you travel light, you still have a lot of things to bring along with Wen Shuyao.

In addition, Granny Qi was very fond of Wen Shuyao and put a lot of thought into her travel arrangements. There were three carriages in total. Apart from the one for the master, the other two were filled with clothes and jewelry that she had carefully prepared for Wen Shuyao.

"Ever since the marriage," Granny Qi said, beaming from ear to ear, "the Prince has finally become a bit more human."

Si Qing nodded repeatedly, deeply moved by this.

Who could have imagined that the prince would turn out like this?

They had accompanied the prince on his inspection tours before, but they were always alone on horseback, and it only took them a few hours to get there.

But with the princess in the family, these three carriages have been following us for quite some time. It's already quite an achievement that we arrived at the manor before dark today, let alone in a few hours.

He inwardly grumbled, but when he caught a glimpse of Granny Qi's smiling eyes, he immediately suppressed those thoughts.

Granny Qi treated the princess with special regard, so he dared not say anything more.

"The princess has made a good choice," said Granny Qi repeatedly. "Before, I never imagined I would see the prince so considerate!"

"Soon, I'll be able to hold the young prince in my arms."

Granny Qi had high hopes for the marriage, but Si Qing, who knew the truth behind it, remained noncommittal.

Inside the carriage at the front, Wen Shuyao proactively raised her hand to pour Xie Jinghan a cup of tea, and asked casually, "After Your Highness returned to the capital, many princes sent you their visiting cards."

“Just reject them all.” Xie Jinghan’s handsome eyes remained unmoved. “Their intentions are impure.”

Upon hearing this, Wen Shuyao breathed a sigh of relief.

Xie Jinghan knew that these princes had impure intentions, but how much did Xie Jinghan know about the Second Prince and Consort Zhang?

Her eyes flickered slightly, and after a moment's thought, she ultimately decided not to voice the question.

This matter is of great importance. Although she and Xie Jinghan are already in the same boat, she will keep this trump card for now.

So she nodded obediently: "I've noted it all down. Don't worry, I would never accept their invitations without your permission."

As the two were talking, they felt the carriage stop.

Then came Si Qing's excited voice: "Your Highness, we've arrived at Spring Water Manor!"

We've finally arrived! His bottom was aching from sitting in the carriage all the way.

Granny Qi and Magpie came forward and lifted the carriage curtain.

The people of Quanshui Manor, having received the news, were already waiting outside.

They, who met Xie Jinghan once a year, were not surprised by his arrival.

What they really wanted to see was Princess Wen Shuyao.

With a princess consort now in the Prince Jing's residence, matters related to the estate naturally fall to her.

These tenant farmers on the estate live off its produce. If the princess is kind-hearted, they will naturally live a good life. But if the princess is so greedy and insatiable...

So they all wanted to see what the princess looked like.

With Xie Jinghan's help, Wen Shuyao slowly stepped down from the carriage.

Xie Jinghan's actions have led many to re-evaluate the status of this princess.

It's truly astonishing that their prince, who is known for his aversion to women, could be so considerate towards a woman.

Wen Shuyao naturally sensed their gaze.

She gave Xie Jinghan a grateful look and whispered, "Thank you, Your Highness."

“There’s no need for such formality between us,” Xie Jinghan replied in a low voice. “You are the mistress of the Jingwang Mansion, and they should treat you as they would treat me.”

When Xie Jinghan said that, Wen Shuyao naturally smiled and agreed.

However, despite her words, she didn't take Xie Jinghan's words seriously.

As the group entered Quanshui Manor, they also slowly walked to a villa nearby.

Wen Yitong had been in the carriage for half a day, and her stomach was churning.

With Ruyi's help, she slowly stepped down from the carriage. When she saw the dilapidated manor in front of her, her vision went black, and she wished she could turn back immediately.

"This is the resort she sent me to for a hot spring retreat?" Wen Yitong said through gritted teeth. "Isn't this just a farmhouse?"

Seeing this, Ruyi cursed inwardly.

It's better not to come to a farm like this.

Once she arrives here, Wen Yitong's temper will definitely flare up, and she doesn't even need to think about how chaotic the next few days will be.

Behind the carriage, Chen Che emerged with a gloomy face.

“These are the only conditions our Chen family can offer. If you find them objectionable,” he scoffed, “you might as well divorce me.”

Although Wen Yitong wanted an imperial title and the future glory of the Chen family, she had been pampered by Madam Wen since childhood and had never known what it meant to yield.

Upon hearing Chen Che's words, her anger flared up instantly.

"Your mother told me before that this was your Chen family's villa, next to the imperial estate, a place of beautiful mountains and clear waters, where birds sing and flowers bloom. But look at this courtyard, how similar does it resemble what your mother described?"

Chen Che said impatiently, "The Spring Water Manor is right next door. If you don't believe me, you can go and ask around."

"If my mother hadn't forced me, I wouldn't have wanted to come out with a woman like you," Chen Che sneered. "What good mood could I possibly have coming out with a boring woman like you?"

Wen Yitong could no longer hear what he was saying; at this moment, only one thought remained in her mind.

Quanshuizhuang?