Jiang Shi: "..."

He looked up at his Princely Heir, thinking, ’You’re not exactly young yourself, and you’re still unmarried, aren’t you?’

But he only dared to grumble internally. Lowering his head, he said, "I do not have a particular lady in mind."

"Good. Then it’s settled. You will get married after we return to the capital." Lu Zhan’s tone left no room for doubt.

Jiang Shi was utterly baffled.

’Why was the Princely Heir suddenly so concerned with his marriage?’

’He and Chen Jiu were the same age. Why wasn’t the Princely Heir telling Chen Jiu to get married? Why him specifically?’

At this thought, he couldn’t help but say, "Chen Jiu isn’t married yet either. I am not in a hurry."

Lu Zhan said patiently, "Either get married, or be permanently stationed elsewhere from now on and don’t remain by my side. The choice is yours."

Jiang Shi looked troubled.

He naturally wanted to stay by the Princely Heir’s side, but he had no plans to marry right now...

Duan Ling, who was standing nearby, suddenly clapped him on the shoulder. "Just listen to your Princely Heir," he advised. "When it counts, Chen Jiu can at least use his charms. If it were you, could you do that?"

Hearing this, Jiang Shi’s mouth twitched. He finally dropped his objections. "I will follow the Princely Heir’s arrangements."

Lu Zhan’s expression softened slightly. "Mm."

After Jiang Shi left, Duan Ling looked at Lu Zhan and said thoughtfully, "Aren’t you two years older than Jiang Shi? How is it that *he’s* not getting any younger, but you’re still unmarried yourself? You’re serious about your cousin, aren’t you?"

"You talk too much." Lu Zhan looked displeased.

"I may talk a lot, but my question isn’t hard to answer," Duan Ling said with a serious expression.

Lu Zhan paused. Then, a single word escaped his thin lips, "Soon." He then turned and went back into the cabin.

"What does that mean?" Duan Ling was completely baffled.

After a long moment, he finally understood that Lu Zhan was responding to his comment about him being unmarried.

’So, Old Lu is getting married soon?’

Duan Ling whistled.

It seemed they’d be drinking to a wedding before long.

「Meanwhile, in the suburb of the capital, at Prince Gao Yang’s Villa.」

As Zhi Wan stepped down from her carriage, she saw several other carriages parked outside the villa.

She paused. ’It seems Xuanyuan Jing invited other people today.’

Lost in thought, she followed a servant from the Prince’s Villa through the main gate.

It was the height of summer, and even the slightest movement could leave one drenched in sweat.

Following the servant, the scorching sun made her forehead bead with sweat.

Fortunately, Shuang’er was by her side, using a fan to drive away some of the heat.

By the time they finally reached the banquet hall, Zhi Wan’s inner clothes were soaked through.

She glanced at the banquet hall before her and the surrounding corridors, suddenly realizing what had happened. The servant had not only intentionally led her on a long detour but had also made her walk directly under the blazing sun.

’It seems Xuanyuan Jing was deliberately trying to put me in my place.’

"Commandery Princess, Miss Zhi has arrived," the servant announced.

The lively chatter inside instantly fell silent.

Zhi Wan walked in.

Seeing her, Xuanyuan Jing, who was seated on the high seat, gave her a sharp look and said in a displeased tone, "Miss Zhi, why are you only just arriving? And you’re covered in sweat. You absolutely stink."

At her words, the invited noble ladies erupted in laughter. Some even pinched their noses as if there really was a foul smell.

Anyone else would have probably died of shame.

But Zhi Wan’s expression remained calm.

Without even glancing at them, she took out a handkerchief and unhurriedly wiped the sweat from her brow. Then she spoke, "I must be a sight, Commandery Princess. It’s just that the servant who led me here just now was perhaps new and unfamiliar with the way, so they took me on a bit of a detour."

As soon as she said this, the expressions of everyone in the hall became a little peculiar.

’Unfamiliar with the way? She might as well have said outright that the servant deliberately led her on a detour.’

Xuanyuan Jing said irritably, "How could my household possibly have such a foolish servant? Even if you were late, I wouldn’t have said anything. Why must you spin such a lie?"

Zhi Wan said flatly, "Whether I am lying or not, the Commandery Princess knows full well."

"How audacious!" Xuanyuan Jing slammed the table and snapped, "What do you think you are, to dare speak to me like that?"

The noble ladies fell deathly silent. They glanced furtively at Zhi Wan, unable to understand how a mere orphan dared to speak to Commandery Princess Gao Yang in such a manner. ’She won’t even know what hit her.’

Facing Xuanyuan Jing’s attack, not only did Zhi Wan show no fear, but she even raised her eyes and smiled faintly. "I am merely stating a fact. If the Commandery Princess does not like to hear it, there is nothing I can do."

’She already sees me as a thorn in her side. No matter what I do, she’ll never be satisfied. Since that’s the case, why should I bother trying to flatter and please her?’

Xuanyuan Jing was infuriated by her attitude. She gritted her teeth and said, "Zhi Wan, this isn’t the Duke Dingguo Mansion, and Lu Zhan isn’t here. Aren’t you afraid I’ll have you killed for speaking to me this way?"

"Of course I’m afraid. But if I’m afraid, will the Commandery Princess not kill me?" Zhi Wan retorted.

Xuanyuan Jing sneered and viciously threw the cup at her side toward her.

"That’s right. Even if you get on your knees and beg me, I won’t let you go."

Seeing the cup hurtling toward her, Zhi Wan quickly dodged to the side.

The cup hit the ground and immediately shattered into pieces.

"You dare to dodge?" Xuanyuan Jing was incandescent with rage. "Men, come! Pin her to the ground for me and give her a vicious beating!"

Guards immediately rushed in.

Seeing this spectacle, the noble ladies were frozen in shock.

If a guard were to touch her, Zhi Wan’s reputation would be ruined.

Some were frightened, but others gloated at her misfortune.

’This is the price for opposing Commandery Princess Gao Yang!’

Xuanyuan Jing looked smug.

She had long found that bitch Zhi Wan to be an eyesore. Last time, at the birthday banquet, she had failed to make things difficult for her. Instead, Princess Chang Le had forced her to gift Zhi Wan a ruby head ornament. This had caused her to lose a great deal of face, and she had been stewing over it for a long time, just waiting for a chance to teach this Zhi Wan a lesson.

Today, Zhi Wan had delivered herself to her doorstep, so of course she wouldn’t let her off.

An image of Zhi Wan weeping, kneeling, and begging for mercy had already formed in her mind.

"Who dares to touch me!"

Just as Xuanyuan Jing was gloating, a sharp cry rang out.

Everyone looked over to see Zhi Wan holding a token. The guards who were about to lay hands on her all stopped in their tracks, not daring to take another step forward.

A noble lady craned her neck to see and was shocked to find the words "Princess Chang Le" emblazoned on the token in Zhi Wan’s hand.

Xuanyuan Jing was too far away to see the words on the token clearly. She roared at the guards, "You useless fools! You can’t even handle a single woman! What good are you?"

"Commandery Princess, she’s holding Princess Chang Le’s waist card..." one of the guards hastily reminded her.

Hearing this, Xuanyuan Jing looked at Zhi Wan suspiciously.

Zhi Wan faced her and pointed at the words on the token. "Surely the Commandery Princess recognizes these words?"

Xuanyuan Jing could finally see it clearly now, but she still couldn’t believe that Princess Chang Le would give her personal waist card to Zhi Wan.

"Did you steal it?"

Xuanyuan Jing rushed down from her high seat and snatched the token from Zhi Wan’s hand.

Zhi Wan said with amusement, "The Princess Mansion is heavily guarded. Does the Commandery Princess truly believe that a weak woman such as myself could steal Princess Chang Le’s waist card from right under their noses? The Commandery Princess overestimates me."

Xuanyuan Jing stared at her with a dark expression, then suddenly took two steps back and said scornfully, "The token is a fake! Seize her! She dared to forge Princess Chang Le’s waist card—beat her to death!"

"Princess Chang Le has arrived!"

Just then, a high-pitched announcement rang out.