Severed ties and living in a dilapidated house? No worries, the poor thing has a space.

Xiao Jingqi paced back and forth in the outer room, waiting anxiously.

Su Yu came out dressed neatly: "Zi Zhao".

The words had barely left her lips when she fell into Xiao Jingqi's broad, warm embrace.

Xiao Jingqi's breathing was heavy near her ear, and he asked with great self-reproach, "Yu'er, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, I just soaked in cold water for a bit."

Su Yu pulled him down to sit, glanced at the closed door before asking, "You weren't discovered when you came, were you? Don't let me take a cold shower for nothing."

"No, you can rest assured about that."

"What's the Empress Dowager doing now?" Su Yu asked.

At this point, Xiao Jingqi suddenly smiled.

Rumors come and go quickly, and no one dares to mention the previous rumors anymore.

Su Yu couldn't help but wonder: "So what was the Empress Dowager's intention in ruining my reputation?"

This is something that even Xiao Jingqi couldn't figure out.

"Instead of waiting to be outmaneuvered, it's better to strike first. And it seems to be working now."

Su Yu originally intended to ruin her own reputation to see what the Empress Dowager would do.

The two were still talking when Su Xin's voice came from outside, growing louder as it approached.

Su Xin pushed the door open and came in: "Sister, are you alright? That bastard Prince Qin dared to treat you like this..."

Before Su Xin could finish speaking, she saw the two people sitting hand in hand in the room. She swallowed her words and forced an awkward smile: "Qin...King Qin, when...when did you arrive?"

Before Xiao Jingqi could speak, Li Shi and Su Wang's worried voices came from outside the door.

Xiao Jingqi released Su Yu's hand, stood up nimbly, turned around, and disappeared into the outer room.

Su Yu stood up, and Su Wang and Li Shi, who had just entered, each took one of her hands and looked her over.

"Yu'er, are you alright? I heard you fell into the water. Are you hurt?"

"Father, Mother, I've already taken my medicine, I'm fine now."

News of what happened in the plum garden reached the manor as soon as Su Yu returned.

This was not how their daughter should behave, but neither Su Wang nor Madam Li asked any further questions.

As long as my daughter is alright, nothing else matters.

Su Xin looked behind the screen with some worry, afraid that Xiao Lanzhi would be discovered.

I was just about to help send my parents away.

Suddenly, a servant came from outside and shouted, "Master, Madam, someone from the Empress Dowager's palace has arrived, and they have brought an imperial edict."

Upon hearing the imperial decree, the group dared not delay and quickly went out to receive it.

Looking at the people in the courtyard, Su Jianshan had just returned from the palace. His brows were furrowed and his face was pale. It was unclear what had happened.

Su Wenyao and Su Wenxi were also waiting in the courtyard when they saw Su Yu come out.

The sisters' gloating was so obvious that it gave Su Yu a bad feeling.

Seeing the eunuch waiting at the door to announce the imperial decree, Su Yu's worries intensified. She wondered if the plan had gone wrong, and if the Empress Dowager had discovered something and come to punish her...

She herself doesn't care, but the Su family shouldn't be implicated.

After glancing at the people in the courtyard, the eunuch announcing the decree spoke in a high-pitched voice: "Everyone is here, so kneel down to receive the decree."

Xiao Jingqi was hiding behind the artificial hill, his brows furrowed tightly, because he shared the same worry as Su Yu: whether the plan had gone wrong.

"The Su family has a daughter, Su Yu, who is gentle and virtuous by nature, and prudent and self-disciplined. When the Prince of Qin was in distress, Su Yu disregarded her reputation and bravely rescued him… Her grandfather, Su Jianshan, was a pillar of the court, loyal and diligent in his duties, assisting the emperor with outstanding achievements. I, the Empress Dowager, remember his loyalty and am also moved by Su Yu's courage, and hereby bestow upon Su Yu the title of Princess Consort of the Prince of Qin… May the couple be of one heart and mind, bringing glory to the royal family… A date will be chosen for their marriage…"

Before the imperial edict could even be finished being read, everyone in the courtyard was completely dumbfounded.

Su Yu was even more shocked; this was completely wrong…

Hiding behind the artificial hill, Xiao Jingqi was so surprised he almost bit his tongue.

"Lord Su, please accept the imperial decree."

The eunuch handed the imperial decree to Su Jianshan and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Lord Su."

The steward quickly presented the father-in-law with a bag of silver.

After the people from the Empress Dowager's palace left.

Su Yu stood there scratching her head. She first said to Su Jianshan and the old lady Su, "Grandfather, Grandmother, I have something to do and need to go back to my room. I'll come over later about the arranged marriage."

Su Yu went straight back to her room almost as soon as she finished speaking.

She pushed open the door, looked around the room, but he wasn't there. She closed the door and tentatively called out again, "Xiao Jingqi?"

After a while, no one responded, and she assumed the person had left, so she prepared to go out.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Yu'er, I'm here."

Even though it was only a few words, Su Yu could tell he was very happy.

Su Yu pushed his arm away, frowned, and looked at him seriously: "Why did the Empress Dowager suddenly bestow a marriage upon us?"

Xiao Jingqi shook his head: "I don't know either, but Yu'er, aren't you happy?"

Xiao Jingqi held her shoulders, his dark eyes looking at her intently, full of expectation.

Su Yu put her fingertip in her mouth and bit it, then paused for a moment: "No..."

She had only uttered two words when Xiao Jingqi suddenly silenced her with a kiss.

Su Yu pushed him away with a little force, cupped his face in her hands, and said, "Don't rush, let's get down to business. What should we do now?"

Xiao Jingqi held her hand tightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "Yes, I will go to the palace immediately and beg the Empress Dowager to rescind her order."

"Oh, right." Thinking of something, Xiao Jingqi added, "Yu'er, give me that hairpin. The Empress Dowager's unwarranted gift is unusual."

Su Yu rummaged through her own clothes and found them for him: "Be careful, I'll wait for your news."

After Xiao Jingqi left, Su Yu returned to the hall.

Everyone in the Su family is waiting for Su Yu.

Madam Li grabbed her impatiently and asked, "Yu'er, what exactly happened? You only went to the Plum Garden once, how did you get betrothed?"

Su Yu pulled Li Shi down to sit: "Mother, don't worry."

Su Jianshan, who had been sitting, slowly stood up, walked back and forth a couple of times with his hands behind his back, and then sighed.

Aunt Sun stood up: "Master, Madam, I'm not feeling well, so I'll head back now."

The louder Su Wenyao and Su Wenxi laughed during the day, the darker their faces became.

They didn't want to wait a moment longer and got up and left with Aunt Sun.

At this moment, Su Jianshan finally spoke up: "I will go to see the Emperor and annul this marriage."

"Wait!" Old Madam Su called out to Su Jianshan.

"Do you think His Majesty wouldn't know about the Empress Dowager's decree? Besides, Yu'er's reputation can't be ruined any further. Although we don't know what the Empress Dowager's intentions are, things have come to this point, so let's wait and see."

Su Jianshan stepped back and sat down, his face full of worry.

Because in this way, the Su family would be tied to the King of Qin.

Knowing Su Jianshan's worries, Su Yu walked over and said, "Grandfather, please don't worry. Prince Qin has already gone to the palace to see the Empress Dowager, but..."

Su Yu paused again: "If the Empress Dowager intended to tie the Su family and the Prince of Qin together from the beginning, then no matter what the Prince of Qin does, it will not change that."