Disguised as a man, she became the biggest villain in the book.

Zheng Luoqi thought to herself, "This Empress Dowager is really making a big deal out of nothing. If you didn't know better, you'd think the late Emperor was still alive. She's really messing with me. You've really kicked a nail in the head today."

Zheng Luoqi stood up and replied, "Your Majesty flatters me. I am certainly no match for my father. Today, I must have offended a petty person. I was just walking in the garden, intending to practice archery to relieve my boredom, when that young master Zhao insisted on rushing up to me!"

"Well, I accidentally hurt him. Maybe today is my unlucky day. I keep running into petty people when I go out. It seems I should find some time to go to the temple to offer incense."

After hearing Zheng Luoqi's words, the Empress Dowager's face stiffened. She realized that Zheng Luoqi was calling her a villain. She then put on her usual feigned kindness and said in feigned anger, "It seems that Consort De has done a poor job today. How could she let just anyone in?"

"This has offended Lord Zheng. Consort De, remember to apologize to him later, otherwise the Prime Minister will surely come after me for an explanation!" The Empress Dowager said, feigning a joke.

Zheng Luoqi also understood the Empress Dowager's implication that he was a disreputable person.

Zheng Luoqi replied with a smile, "Your Majesty is overthinking it. My father is very magnanimous and would not implicate Consort De over such a trivial matter. Although my father is old, he never interferes in my affairs and would not implicate others over such a small matter."

The Empress Dowager understood that Zheng Luoqi was indirectly insulting her, calling her old, nosy, and petty. The Empress Dowager's face turned green.

The Empress Dowager finally held back, put on a kind and amiable smile, and replied, "It seems I was overthinking things."

At this point, anyone with a brain could tell that a confrontation had already broken out.

The Grand Commandant and the Prime Minister have always been at odds, and the Empress Dowager is the Grand Commandant's sister. It's unexpected that Zheng Luoqi really doesn't give face to anyone, not even the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager didn't continue talking to Zheng Luoqi, as it was best to leave it at that.

The banquet continued, and the dancers continued to sing and dance in the hall, drawing everyone's attention back to the dancers performing at the banquet.

The Empress Dowager suddenly turned to look at Wen Nanwan, beckoned her over, and said with a smile, "Little Wan, come here."

Wen Nanwan put on a smile, walked over, and sweetly called out, "Auntie"

Wen Nanwan didn't know what the Empress Dowager was planning, and they hadn't been that close before, so why was she acting so strangely today? But Wen Nanwan knew that she had to put on a good show.

"Oh my, Xiao Wan has grown into such a beautiful young woman," the Empress Dowager said kindly, looking at Wen Nanwan.

The Empress Dowager gestured for Wen Nanwan to sit next to her and said in a low, seemingly joking voice, "Our little Wanwan has grown up now and will soon be of marriageable age. Your father asked me to find you a good match, and today all the unmarried young men from various families are here. If you like any of them, your aunt will make the decision for you."

Wen Nanwan lowered her head, feigning shyness. She recalled how she had angered her father over a bet with Lin Wanwan, and how he had mentioned arranging a marriage for her. Was today the day to settle this matter?

Wen Nanwan did not want to get married. She was born into the Grand Commandant's Mansion, a family of military generals. (The Grand Commandant was an official position in the Great Xia Kingdom that controlled military and political affairs.) She did not want to be confined to the backyard and live a mundane life, but longed to step onto the battlefield.

From a young age, Wen Nanwan was passionate about martial arts, precisely to avoid spending the rest of her life confined to the backyard.

But at this moment, she seemed to have no other choice. After all, she was a member of the Grand Commandant's household, and her marriage would inevitably become a means for her family to gain benefits and consolidate her father's position.

Wen Nanwan sighed inwardly: "What does it matter if she is the daughter of a first-rank official? She still cannot escape the fate of a woman having to marry, and she cannot even choose for herself."

When Grand Commandant Wen said he would find a marriage for Wen Nanwan so she could get married as soon as possible, Wen Nanwan asked herself more than once: "Do I really have to compromise? Do I really have to live like this? Do I really have to be trapped in the backyard forever?"

"Is there really no other choice? If I run away, where can I go?"

Wen Nanwan asked herself this question over and over again.

At this moment, Wen Nanwan could only respond to the Empress Dowager with a dry laugh.

Listening to the conversation between the two, Xue Huaiyu was already making plans in his mind. The Wen family's power was now second only to the Prime Minister. Now that a member of the Wen family had entered the palace, even though there was already a marriage relationship, Xue Huaiyu was still not at ease.

If Wen Nanwan's in-laws are similar to those of the Grand Commandant's family, whether they are civil officials or military generals, it would be like adding wings to a tiger for the Wen family, further increasing their power.

However, it is unlikely that Wen Nanwan would marry into the Grand Commandant's family. The Grand Commandant would not allow such a thing to happen. Wen Nanwan's in-laws must bring benefits to the Grand Commandant's mansion, just like Wen Yanxi.

After much deliberation, Xue Huaiyu realized that Wen Yanxi was not Wen Taiwei's biological daughter, but only his niece. However, Wen Nanwan was his biological daughter. He wondered if marrying Wen Nanwan would have strengthened his relationship with the Taiwei, at least he would have had the Taiwei's daughter as a hostage.

The only thing that can be done now is to have Wen Nanwan marry into an official family that doesn't have much power, but the official position can't be too low. It would be best if the official family is either a member of the imperial faction or a neutral party. Xue Huaiyu thought to himself that this method was feasible.

Xue Huaiyu had a flash of inspiration and thought of the Chancellors and Academicians of the Imperial Academy. He thought carefully and eliminated them one by one, and suddenly thought of a candidate.

Xue Huaiyu suddenly spoke up from the side, echoing, "Indeed, every young man who came today is handsome and elegant. Sister Wen is not young anymore. If she finds someone she likes today, I will draft an imperial edict later."

After Xue Huaiyu finished speaking, he gave Chen Xianlin a look, and Chen Xianlin immediately understood.

"Your Majesty, Nan Wan and I are very close friends. It is a rare occasion for Nan Wan to come to the palace today, and I would like to have a word with her," Chen Xianlin said respectfully to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager frowned in displeasure and was about to speak when Wen Nanwan spoke first: "Aunt, I would also like to catch up with Consort De."

Seeing that Wen Nanwan had already said that, the Empress Dowager couldn't be angry, so she sent Wen Nanwan to Chen Xianlin's side, still thinking to herself: Why is this child siding with outsiders?

Most people's attention at the banquet was on the dancers, and few paid attention to what was happening on the Empress Dowager's side; they only saw them talking.

However, Zheng Luoqi was sitting very close, and because of her high level of martial arts, she overheard their conversation.

Zheng Luoqi watched Chen Xianlin and the Emperor exchanging glances, wondering what kind of scheme they were plotting.

After a while, Zheng Luoqi noticed that a palace maid led Wen Nanwan away. Before leaving, Wen Nanwan bowed to the Empress Dowager.

Zheng Luoqi sensed something was wrong, so she asked Boyu to follow them.