The boy's expression remained unchanged, his eyes still serious. "Or rather, you like someone like my father."

That gets to the point.

Chen Mianmian felt a little guilty. "What do you mean by liking or disliking? We skinny girls don't care about that. On the day we took the oath of admission, we abandoned our personal preferences and vowed to serve our sugar daddy well. The sugar daddy's appearance is our preference!"

Bai Qingzhou stared into the woman's eyes, "If I were a woman, I wouldn't like a spineless coward like myself, but would prefer a man of integrity like my father."

"Who said that? Your Highness, you were born into a family of military generals, so your aesthetic sense has been misled. Go out and take a look; most young ladies from noble families still prefer refined scholars."

What Chen Mianmian said was the truth.

The aesthetics of this era are similar to those of ancient China. Wealthy young ladies considered those who went to war to be uncouth and could not appreciate masculine beauty.

They preferred scholars who could compose poems and were refined and elegant.

Shen Mianmian grabbed the boy's hand and said angrily, "Don't think nonsense. We'll go out tomorrow during the day and ask a few girls randomly. Then you'll know what women like."

Bai Qingzhou pursed her lips. "I believe most women like scholars, but... I think you prefer someone like Father who practices martial arts."

Sleeping Phoenix Chick—so hard to fool!

Helpless, she could only throw herself into the boy's arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing her cheek against his clothes. "Oh, please! I only like the prince. The prince is so handsome, how could I not like him?"

"Am I good-looking?" he asked.

Chen Mianmian stepped out of the boy's arms and stared intently at his handsome features and delicate face. "You're not good-looking? Have you never looked in a mirror before?"

Bai Qingzhou lowered her eyes. "No, I'm not pretty."

"..." Chen Mianmian was helpless.

She insisted that she wasn't good-looking, what could she do?

With a face like Feng Chu's, he could debut any minute now.

Forget it, I'm tired, let it go.

...

Marquis Anning stationed troops outside the city, and at the same time trained and selected the Imperial Guards and cultivated officers and generals. He could not return to the Marquis's residence often, but he would return about twice a month, for five days each time.

Therefore, Marquis Anning will rest in the capital for the next five days.

Since the Marquis of Anning was in his residence, he might need to use the training grounds, so the training of the Crouching Dragon and the Young Phoenix was suspended.

morning.

Chen Mianmian was tired of practicing calligraphy and didn't want to read. She was thinking of a game to pass the time when Guanshui came in.

"This humble servant greets the Prince and his concubine."

The two looked up at the same time, and Bai Qingzhou asked, "What is it?"

"Your Highness, the young master Lin, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, suddenly came to our Marquis's residence, saying he wanted to invite you to a poetry gathering."

Bai Qingzhou was taken aback. "An editor? Surname Lin? Lin Boyan?"

"yes."

"But I'm not that familiar with him, so why did he suddenly come to find me?"

Guan Shuidao said, "This, I don't know, but it's quite a coincidence. When the gatekeeper came to report, he happened to run into Granny Li and told her about it. Granny Li then told Madam about it. When Madam heard that someone was asking the young master to entertain, she asked the gatekeeper to invite Young Master Lin to the front hall. I suppose... Madam wanted you to go."

Shen Mianmian thought to herself, "Of course! Who wants their son to be a shut-in? Even in modern times, mothers still encourage their children to go out more and stay home less."

Bai Qingzhou was unwilling to go.

Guan Shui looked at Consort Shen with pleading eyes. Everyone in the Marquis of Anning's mansion knew that only Consort Shen could persuade the young master.

Without saying a word, Chen Mianmian looked away—she didn't care about such trivial matters!

"..." Gazing at the water.

Bai Qingzhou thought of her mother and finally sighed softly, "Never mind, I'll change my clothes and then we'll leave."

"Yes, Your Highness, please change your clothes. I'll go to the main courtyard to give you an update."

"Go."

Afterwards, the master and servant went their separate ways. After an incense stick's time, the prince changed his clothes and left with Guanshui.

Once the crown prince leaves,

Chen Mianmian jumped around the room excitedly, "Great! He's finally gone! My goodness, I've been suffocating these past few days!"

Hanrong, standing to the side, was very puzzled—shouldn't a concubine stick to the young master's side and be inseparable from him?

Why does it seem like Aunt Shen is hoping the young master stays far away?

Her aunt is really strange!

.

How free and comfortable Chenmian spent that day is another story.

All that was said was that the Crown Prince hadn't returned all night.

All night long.

early morning.

When Shenmian woke up, she found herself alone and felt a little uneasy.

She didn't get up immediately, but stayed in bed, resting her head on her arm, the boy's usual fragrance lingering around her nose, her eyes bright and sharp.

Fengchu didn't come home all night? Where did he go?

The original text describes the Marquis of Anning's heir as a soft-hearted and love-struck individual who always doted on the original owner. Even after the female lead was reborn and used various means to frame and instigate her, the heir repeatedly forgave the original owner. The cannon fodder characters, the Crouching Dragon and the Phoenix Chick, repeatedly quarreled, reconciled, quarreled, and reconciled.

Would someone so love-struck stay out all night?

Could there be some danger?

This part wasn't in the original text. Is it a butterfly effect, or has the female lead deviated from the main plot and started to improvise?

Oh no! She's been keeping such a low profile precisely because she's afraid this will happen.

Just as Shen Mianmian was lost in thought, Hanrong rushed in, "Auntie! Auntie, are you awake? Something terrible has happened!"

Chen Mianmian hurriedly sat up and lifted the curtain, "What happened?"

Hanrong's face flushed red and then paled. "Just now, news came from the main courtyard that... that the young master stayed at Hexiang Tower last night, not only keeping the courtesan for the night, but also borrowing money from a friend to redeem her. Now the young master and the courtesan are both in the main courtyard, and the Marquis... is furious and wants to carry out family discipline!"

Chen Mianmian breathed a sigh of relief—so that's how it is, thank goodness.

According to the original plot sequence, Jiang Yinjin first sowed discord between the two, creating a rift in their relationship. Then, she took the opportunity to bring in two women, who became her concubines, one of whom was pregnant.

But even so, it didn't stop the cannon fodder's love story, which was both admirable and praiseworthy, and the two reconciled.

Afterwards, Jiang Yinjin continued to sow discord, and the relationship between the two was strained for the second time. Fengchu was invited by his friend to a brothel to drown his sorrows and slept with the courtesan. Later, he simply redeemed the courtesan and brought her back to the Marquis's mansion.

It's worth mentioning that in the original story, the prince brought the courtesan back because she resembled the original owner of the body.

Jiang Yinjin's goal was to make the lady of the house disappoint the prince time and time again, so that she would value her more and more.

Why did Chen Mianmian breathe a sigh of relief? Because what she feared most was the occurrence of plot points not found in the original text. As long as everything remained as it was in the original text, she was at ease.

As she dressed, Chen Mianmian shook her head with a smile.

Hanrong asked timidly, "Auntie, why can you still laugh? At this time, shouldn't you be angry?"

Chen Mianmian lowered her head to tie her belt, saying as she did so, "Why should I be angry? I'm not the principal wife either. If the prince can take one concubine, he could possibly take a hundred. Get angry? How could I possibly have enough children?"

I just can't understand it. The young master lingers at Mingyue Courtyard every day, and I thought he only had eyes for me. I never expected him to turn around and go to redeem the courtesan. Men are truly like riddles, so unfathomable.

Hanrong thought of the sweet affection between the young master and his concubine, and her nose tingled with emotion, so she couldn't help but cry.

Chen Mianmian chuckled, wanting to remind her—Wake up, Miss Hanrong, you belong to the young mistress, not me! You should be happy to see me fall out of favor!

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Chenmianmian arrived at the main courtyard.

He appeared very panicked.

I'm not panicked at all.

Before leaving, she even stuffed two snacks into her mouth to prevent low blood sugar from caused by not eating breakfast.

Upon entering the main courtyard, one can immediately sense a strong killing intent.

She guessed that the Marquis of Anning had been angered. The Marquis was a war god who had fought on the battlefield, so it was normal for him to have this aura.

Upon entering the main hall, I found that everyone was already there.

The Marquis, his wife, his young mistress, and a host of prominent stewards and servants from the Marquis's household.

The prince and the courtesan knelt in the very center of the main hall.

Chen Mianmian pretended to be flustered and greeted the three masters before being asked to step aside.

She first looked at the courtesan—the novel described her appearance as somewhat similar to the original owner of the body.

The original owner was so beautiful that it outraged both gods and men, and Chen Mianmian was curious about what the most beautiful courtesan looked like.

However, they discovered that the courtesan was tall and graceful, with a curvaceous figure, a face as delicate as a lotus flower, eyebrows like distant mountains, and a charming mole under her peach blossom eyes. Her whole being was as alluring as a ripe peach.

Yes, she's pretty, but she doesn't resemble her at all.

Just as Shen Mianmian was sizing up the courtesan, she felt a pair of eyes fixed on her. She looked over and saw that it was the prince.

The boy had disheveled hair and a pale face.

When their eyes met, his pure eyes quickly reddened, and then tears welled up in his eyes.

The boy hurriedly looked up, trying to hold back his tears, but the tears came so fiercely that they gave him no chance to stop them, and the crystal tears slid down his cheeks.

Upon seeing this, Marquis Anning roared, "Bai Qingzhou, you cowardly and unfilial son, how dare you cry after doing such an absurd thing?"

Marquis Anning was already imposing, and his sudden roar startled everyone.

Bai Qingzhou quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve, then turned to face Chen Mianmian, her eyes red-rimmed and her gaze resolute, "I didn't! Believe me!"

Then he turned back to Marquis Anning and his wife, kowtowed three times, and said firmly and loudly, "Father, Mother, I admit that I am a cripple, but please recall, have I ever lied to you even once in my life? Whether you believe it or not, I have absolutely no knowledge of this matter!"

The crowd erupted in uproar!

The courtesan sobbed, but since no important person asked her a question, she couldn't speak rashly.

With red-rimmed eyes and a look of tenderness in her eyes, Ding asked in a trembling voice, "Qingzhou, if you didn't know anything, why is your name on the IOU you gave to Young Master Lin? And the people at Hexiang Pavilion all say they saw you sleeping in bed with the courtesan. Who can vouch for you that you're telling the truth?"