Empress Song asked casually to show that she was well-informed and cared about the princes. As for whether Xie Jingyan's leg ailment had recovered, she didn't care much. Even if it had, given the Emperor's dislike of Xie Jingyan, he was not destined for the position of Crown Prince. The eldest prince was the real threat to her and Xie Jingyin.

Empress Song didn't ask any more questions, and Shen Wan didn't say much either. Just then, another noble lady entered the pavilion, and Shen Wan took the opportunity to leave.

In the most lively part of the Imperial Garden, a group of young ladies from prominent families were playing the game of pitch-pot with Princess Shouchun, the daughter of Empress Song. In her previous life, when Shen Wan married Xie Jingyin, Princess Shouchun always wore her dislike on her face. In this life, she didn't even choose Xie Jingyin, making her brother, Princess Shouchun, a laughing stock. Princess Shouchun would definitely see her as a thorn in her side.

Xie Jingyan is still young and inexperienced, so it's best to avoid these troublesome people. The Imperial Garden is so big, there's plenty of room to explore.

Shen Wan had a good plan, but sometimes she couldn't escape it just because she wanted to. She wanted to stay far away, but then a palace maid came over and curtsied, saying, "Princess Ling, Princess Shouchun requests your presence."

Princess Shouchun sent someone to invite her, and Shen Wan, no matter how unwilling she was to go, could not refuse Princess Shouchun's request.

Knowing it's nothing good, all we can do is deal with it as it comes.

Shen Wan walked over and saw Princess Shouchun playing pitch-pot. A palace maid stepped forward and said, "Princess, Princess Ling is here."

A cold glint flashed in Princess Shouchun's eyes as she threw the arrow forward, but missed.

She looked annoyed.

Shen Wan stepped forward, and Princess Shouchun handed her an arrow, saying, "I knew you would be my sister-in-law, but I never expected you to be my sixth sister-in-law. My mother told me not to neglect the young ladies from noble families who came to the palace for the banquet. I can't manage to take care of them all by myself, so please help me, sixth sister-in-law."

She's a princess, and all the young ladies from respectable families are too busy pampering and fawning over her to need her attention. I wonder what tricks she's planning to play.

Shen Wan took the arrow and was pushed by Princess Shouchun to the pitch-pot position. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were very close. Shen Wan was never good at pitch-pot and never thought she would hit it. However, she only aimed slightly and threw it casually, and it hit the target.

Shen Wan, "..."

A group of well-bred young ladies applauded and cheered.

Princess Shouchun's face turned green. She endured it for a moment, and when she missed again, she said, "This is boring, let's play something else."

She's a princess, so whatever she says goes.

Someone suggested playing a game of blindfolded tag, and Princess Shouchun became interested and decided to play it.

Shen Wan knew this game was aimed at her. Princess Shouchun had played the same trick in her previous life, only she had schemed against others in that life, but this time she was using the same trick on her. She would just play along.

The lotus pond was only a dozen steps away. Shen Wan followed their lead and moved to the edge of the lotus pond. Just as everyone's attention was on the young ladies who were grabbing people, one of the young ladies "accidentally" stepped on her own skirt and pounced on Shen Wan.

The lotus pond was just a few steps behind Shen Wan. If she were to be hit by that force, she would definitely fall into the lotus pond.

Shen Wan was prepared. When the young lady rushed over, Shen Wan stepped aside. The young lady didn't expect Shen Wan to dodge. She couldn't use Shen Wan's strength to stand up. By the time she realized what was happening and tried to stop, it was too late. The stones by the lotus pond were a bit slippery. She lost her balance, struggled for a moment, and then fell headfirst into the lotus pond.

Thump.

The water splashed high.

Someone fell into the water, and the scene became chaotic.

Princess Shouchun hurried over, ordering the palace servants to rescue the person while glaring at Shen Wan through gritted teeth, "Sixth Imperial Sister-in-law is standing right there, not even offering a helping hand."

People tried to push her into the water, but she pulled them back. She was just reborn, not a Bodhisattva reincarnated.

Shen Wan said with lingering fear, "Since the princess noticed this place, she should know that it was already difficult enough for me to avoid being pushed into the lotus pond. Pulling her would only have caused both of us to fall into the water."

Shen Wan's voice was quite loud, and all the young ladies present could hear it, exchanging bewildered glances.

The princess was playing a game, but everyone's attention was on her. The young lady who fell into the water was the daughter of the Minister of Works. She also had another identity: the niece of the Left Prime Minister's wife. The Left Prime Minister's family was the same family as Empress Song.

Furthermore, since Shen Wan did not choose Prince Jin, she had originally kept her distance. It was Princess Shouchun who summoned her, and it was Princess Shouchun who wanted to play this game. This series of events is enough to tell everyone that Princess Shouchun was deliberately plotting against her, but failed and became angry and embarrassed.

Princess Shouchun's eyes turned cold. At that time, the eldest daughter of the Minister of Works' mansion had already been pulled out of the water, successfully showing everyone what it meant for a fallen phoenix to be worse than a chicken. Her brocade dress was covered in pond mud, and she looked as disheveled as could be. A gust of wind blew, and she shivered from the cold. Those who were close could smell the fishy stench of the mud. Princess Shouchun was the first to cover her nose.

Princess Shouchun instructed the palace maids, "Help her go downstairs to change her clothes."

The palace maid helped Miss Cheng down.

With such an unexpected turn of events, the game naturally couldn't continue, and Shen Wan made an excuse to go for tea to calm her nerves and left.

The tea-drinking area was in the pavilion, but there was no one in the pavilion. Shen Wan went in, sat down and poured herself some tea. Just as she finished pouring the tea, she heard footsteps coming. Shen Wan turned her head and was a little stunned when she saw who it was.

The person walking over was none other than Princess Qinghe of the Yanping Prince's Mansion.

The Yanping Prince's Mansion was a princely mansion of a different surname. However, the princes were not enfeoffed based on military merit. Rather, Emperor Taizu had few brothers, so after establishing the Great Chu, he enfeoffed several of his close cousins ​​as princes, and the Yanping Prince's Mansion was one of them.

Princess Qinghe was Xie Jingyan's cousin, and a rather distant one at that.

Princess Qinghe wore a pale yellow brocade dress embroidered with acacia flowers. She had fair skin, a pretty face, and shallow dimples when she smiled.

However, in her previous life, Shen Wan and Princess Qinghe had no relationship whatsoever; the number of times they had spoken could be counted on two hands.

Princess Qinghe walked in and saw Shen Wan looking at her with an indescribable expression. Princess Qinghe asked, "Princess Ling, why are you looking at me like that?"

Shen Wan smiled and said, "Princess Qinghe is very beautiful. I was just thinking that I would be able to see her today, but I didn't expect her to come here."

Princess Qinghe blushed at the praise, still somewhat bewildered, "Looking for me?"

She had no dealings with Princess Ling, so why was Princess Ling looking for her? Could it be about him...?

Shen Wan nodded. "There's something I need to give to the county princess, but it's in the carriage. I can only give it to you after the banquet."

The bewilderment on Princess Qinghe's face disappeared, replaced by a touch of rouge.

It's just a small matter. It's inconvenient for him to go to the Yanping Prince's Mansion, so why bother Princess Ling?

"No, no need..."

Princess Qinghe shook her head repeatedly.

Shen Wan kept looking at Princess Qinghe and didn't see a trace of hostility on her face, only shyness. Didn't she mind at all?

The less the Princess of Qinghe minded, the more guilty Shen Wan felt, and said apologetically, "He should have given it to you personally, instead of me handing it over."

Princess Qinghe's face flushed even more, like the morning glow shining on a snow-capped mountain, reflecting a dazzling brilliance.

She didn't say anything, so Shen Wan took it as a tacit agreement.