"The Fifth Princess is my friend. It's my own business where I take her. She won't bother you while you're treating your illness, Your Highness."

"Besides, I'm the doctor. If I say her presence won't cause any problems, then it won't."

The two voices grew louder and louder, and Nangong Manyu quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Prince Yu, please don't argue over me. Lady Su means well. I'll just stay here and watch over you; I won't disturb you."

Don't always have such a sullen face; smile more. I've never seen you smile before.

Sigh! Su Luo really doesn't know what Nangong Manyu likes about him. He always has a cold face. Her Yan Chuan has a similar face, and he looks very handsome when he smiles.

After speaking, she poured tea for the two of them. Even a princess like her was humble in front of the person she liked.

"Next time you leave the palace, don't wander around. It's not as safe outside as inside the palace."

Even a casual word of concern can make Nangong Manyu so happy that she can't help herself. Indeed, being obsessed with love is a terrible thing.

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Su Luo continued to perform acupuncture on him, inserting the needles into each acupoint using a twisting technique. Only after she finished doing all this did Nangong Chiyu open his eyes.

The acupuncture was done, but it can't be removed immediately; you have to wait for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

"Prince Yu, are you in pain? Does this make you think of things from the past?"

This was the question that Nangong Manyu cared about most. She hoped that Nangong Chiyu would remember it soon, but she also didn't want him to remember it. She was conflicted.

Of course, if I think about it, it would be best if he didn't have a wife and children.

When news of him came from the military camp, he was only twenty years old. People from poor families probably wouldn't get married so quickly, right?

"No! But what I said last time wasn't meant to frame you either."

What Nangong Chiyu told her last time was that he might have a wife and children.

But a widow who thinks her husband is dead will definitely remarry, otherwise how can she support herself?

Thinking this, Nangong Manyu turned to look at Su Luo. Su Luo was also a widow, and she must also want to find someone who cares for her and spend the rest of her life with her.

It would be better to let Su Luo tell Prince Yu herself, so that he wouldn't have too much hope.

"Lady Su, our dynasty is still very friendly towards women's marriages. You've been single for so many years, have you found someone you like, or someone you want to remarry?"

Nangong Chiyu also looked at Su Luo. The Fifth Princess was still too naive. With a little guidance, she asked Su Luo on his behalf.

Su Luo hadn't thought about this question either. She had land, houses, and money, and she was wearing an official robe. Why would she think about getting married?

"No, I'm perfectly fine on my own, why would I remarry?"

Su Luo's tone was calm, and her eyes seemed to be saying something ordinary, but this was not the answer Nangong Manyu wanted to hear.

"Don't you want to find someone to shelter you from the wind and rain? Life is long, you can't live your whole life just by guarding a memorial tablet."

Su Luo thought Nangong Manyu was just a weak woman being led by the times, but Su Luo was different; she lived a wonderful life on her own.

"I can handle the wind and rain myself, but I can't say what others will say."

Nangong Chiyu didn't expect Su Luo to answer like that. Didn't he like Nangong Qing?

Now she's saying she doesn't have anyone she likes, or does she know that a relationship with Nangong Qing is impossible?

"Fifth Princess, I will send someone to take you back to the palace shortly. Things are not peaceful outside. The envoy from Beiliang is coming to Nanning soon. Given their nature, they may come secretly first."

"As a princess, you must be careful. They are not good people; they may appear amiable, but we must not be complacent."

Nangong Manyu had always lived in the inner palace. She only cared about Nangong Chiyu and never knew that the Northern Liang envoy was coming.

"The people from Beiliang are coming. Didn't they surrender? What are they doing coming to Nanning?"

Su Luo washed her hands and poured tea for the two of them before she heard Nangong Chiyu speak slowly.

"There are still many matters to be discussed regarding the surrender of Northern Liang. The two countries will sign an alliance treaty, and Northern Liang will send a princess to our dynasty for a marriage alliance."

Of the three princes, only the third prince is still unmarried. If nothing unexpected happens, he will likely be the one to marry this princess from Northern Liang.

Nangong Manyu frowned: "Third Brother definitely won't agree. He's so pitiful."

Nangong Chiyu was saying this to Su Luo. After Su Luo was granted an official position, she did not attend court except for a few times when the Grand Minister of Agriculture summoned her.

The political winds in the court have shifted in one direction, suggesting that Nangong Qing should sacrifice his marriage in exchange for peace.

"Fifth Princess, the Northern Liang princess hasn't even arrived in the capital yet. If she's exceptionally beautiful, your third brother might even like her."

Ultimately, Su Luo didn't know what kind of woman Nangong Qing liked. She had known him for so long, and it seemed that he had never been in contact with any other women.

"My third brother won't be swayed by beauty. He said he likes intelligent women, not just pretty faces!"

Suddenly, Nangong Chiyu couldn't understand Su Luo either. What kind of feelings did she have for Nangong Qing? If she liked him...

Is this not how she should have behaved today? Or is it that Yi Huan made a mistake?

It seems that Su Luo's situation still needs to be observed.

...

The spring rain was drizzling down. Su Luo hadn't seen Xie Wanwan for more than ten days. When A Xu came back, he only told them that Xie Wanwan was safe and sound before leaving.

Su Luo went to court, and every day she just watched the emperor with a headache. Only the day before, the case of Xie's family and the crown prince was settled by the Ministry of Justice.

The crown prince was deposed and reduced to a commoner due to his lack of moral integrity. Officials with murder in their hands were beheaded if male and exiled if female.

The Jiang family ordered the Emperor to confuse the public and exterminate their entire clan, to be carried out immediately.

Xie Tingzhi was reinstated to his original position, and the collateral branches of the Xie family were also released by imperial decree. The Xie family returned to Xie Wanwan's name, and she was still the daughter of Minister Xie. Unfortunately, things had changed.

Outside the execution ground in the western suburbs, Ah Xu, holding an umbrella, and Zhang Tian and Xie Quan, dressed in straw raincoats, were surrounded by a large crowd of people.

Such a large-scale beheading scene has only occurred twice in Nanning. The first time was when those pedantic former officials were executed at the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The second time is now, to clean up corrupt officials in the central government.

These people are utterly hateful. Even in the pouring rain, the people will watch them die by the sword.

At the officer's command, blood flowed like a river at the execution ground. Ah Xu tried to shield Xie Wanwan's view, but she pulled him away.

She wanted to watch these people die, just as they had watched her family perish.

"Wanwan, if you're scared, just hold my hand."

"No need!"

Soon the executioner sprayed the wine onto the knife again, this time it was the Jiang father and son's turn.

Jiang Kangcheng and Jiang Shun were filled with resentment, especially when they saw Xie Wanwan. They only regretted not eliminating the Xie family completely back then.

With a swift stroke, Xie Wanwan watched as their heads were severed from their bodies, and only then did her fingernails, which had been digging into their flesh, slowly relax.

"Dead, finally dead."

Ah Xu put his arm around Xie Wanwan's shoulder, letting her lean on him a little, assuring her that no matter what happened, he would stand by her side.