The palace maids helped Princess Nanyi down to change her dress.

After Princess Nanyi left, Empress Song glared angrily at Xie Jingyan, "Prince Ling just stood by and watched Princess Nanyi fall into the water without even trying to help her?!"

Xie Jingyan glanced at Empress Song but ignored her. Instead, he walked to Shen Wan's side and said gently, "Didn't you sprain your ankle? Why did you come over?"

Shen Wan asked blankly, "I didn't sprain my ankle, why are you asking me that?"

Xie Jingyan had already guessed what had happened. "A palace maid just told me that you sprained your ankle."

The two were speaking loudly enough that everyone around them heard them, including the Crown Prince of Xiliang, who had rushed over after hearing that Princess Nanyi had fallen into the water.

They were all princes who grew up in the palace; how could they not know that 99% of accidents in the palace were caused by human intervention?

The Crown Prince of Xiliang had a cold look in his eyes.

He had heard a lot about the struggle for the crown prince in the Great Chu court during his many days there, but to involve his imperial sister in the struggle was to disregard the Western Liang dynasty!

Xie Jingyan ignored Empress Song. Empress Song's face turned ashen, but no one thought there was anything wrong with it. After all, Xie Jingyan had often ignored the emperor's words in front of civil and military officials. It was perfectly normal for someone who couldn't even be ordered around by the emperor to disregard Empress Song.

Empress Song suppressed the anger rising in her head. Prince Ling might not take her, the Empress, seriously, but Princess Nanyi had just recovered from her illness and had fallen into the water again today. If Prince Ling could have saved her but didn't, the Emperor would have to give Xiliang an explanation and would not let him off easily.

She'll just wait patiently!

Empress Song turned and left.

The banquet is about to begin and will not be delayed because Princess Nanyi fell into the water.

Those noble ladies and young women from prominent families all followed Empress Song away.

Shen Wan was annoyed, but more worried than anything else. Xie Jingyan, however, didn't take it to heart. He held Shen Wan's hand and said, "Let's go too."

After taking a few steps, Shen Wan remembered something, turned around and gestured for Yin Shuang to come closer, whispering a few instructions.

Yinshuang happily went to take care of it.

When Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan entered the main hall, all the civil and military officials and their families were seated, leaving only their seats empty.

They walked to their seats and were about to sit down when a hoarse voice rang out:

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Everyone rose to their feet to respectfully welcome the Emperor.

The Emperor walked over, and anyone who looked up could see the suppressed anger on his face. "Get up, all of you."

Everyone stood up.

Xie Jingyan helped Chen Wan up, and as the two were about to sit down, the Emperor's gaze swept over them, and he angrily rebuked, "As a prince, you should be a role model for the people. What you did was watch Princess Nanyi fall into the lotus pond without offering any help!"

Empress Song said, "It's pitiful that Princess Nanyi traveled a long way to wish Your Majesty a happy birthday, only to be imprisoned in the city patrol prison and then fall into the water. Your Majesty didn't see what Princess Nanyi looked like, but I felt heartbroken just looking at her."

“The Prince of Ling’s indifference is truly a disgrace to the hospitality of our Great Chu. If Your Majesty does not punish him severely today, it will be said to be a failure to educate your son when the news spreads to Xiliang and Donglie.”

Not a single person stood up to plead for Xie Jingyan.

Xie Jingyan looked at the Emperor with a blank expression and said, "Father, you only see my indifference in standing by and watching, and the pitiful state of Princess Nanyi falling into the water. Have you ever thought about what would happen if I had actually helped Princess Nanyi today?"

"Does Father want me to marry Princess Nanyi, or will he send me and my queen to Xiliang for a political marriage?"

Xie Jingyan's cold voice echoed in the hall.

The main hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The civil and military officials looked at each other.

Clearly, they hadn't considered all the things that would happen later.

Even the emperor's brows were furrowed.

Xie Jingyan said, "My princess fell into that lotus pond while she was pregnant and she was fine. Princess Nanyi will not be in mortal danger, just a little disheveled. In this weather, she won't even get typhoid fever. If I save her, that would be a disaster."

It caused him endless trouble, and even more so for Princess Nanyi.

Xie Jingyan looked at the Crown Prince of Xiliang, "Does the Crown Prince of Xiliang want me to stand idly by, or does he hope that I will save Princess Nanyi?"

The Crown Prince of Xiliang knew that his sister's encounter with Xie Jingyan at Baiyu Bridge was a setup, but he didn't know that Xie Jingyan's inaction was a deliberate act of seeing through the scheme.

The anger that had been simmering in the heart of the Crown Prince of Xiliang subsided somewhat. He stood up and said, "My younger sister had an accident on the bridge. In such a short time, I admire Prince Ling for being able to think of so many things."

"I am truly grateful to Prince Ling for standing by and doing nothing."

Even if she had just fallen into the lotus pond and lost an arm or a leg, it would be better than having her reputation ruined and being forced to marry Prince Ling.

Throughout history, few princesses who were sent to marry foreign rulers for political reasons had a good ending.

In particular, Prince Ling had already married a princess and doted on her, to the point that he felt pregnant on her behalf.

Although he had little contact with Prince Ling, after only two banquets, the Crown Prince of Xiliang felt that Prince Ling was unfathomable. If he could, he really did not want the Emperor of Da Chu to make Prince Ling the Crown Prince. The stronger Da Chu became, the better it would be for Xiliang.

Since the Crown Prince of Xiliang and Prince Xieling stood by and watched, what else could the Emperor say?

Empress Song's face contorted with rage.

Beneath the phoenix robe, her neatly trimmed nails dug into her flesh without her noticing any pain.

Empress Song couldn't understand how such a perfect plan could fail at the last moment!

Are Prince Ling and Princess Ling really that strange?!

Empress Song could only console herself that at least her daughter, Princess Shouchun, wouldn't have to compete in dancing with Princess Nanyi anymore.

Well, Empress Song thought that Princess Nanyi would not dance with Princess Shouchun after falling into the water. When Princess Nanyi returned after changing her dress, Empress Song pretended to say, "I was hoping to see Princess Shouchun and Princess Nanyi dance together today. What a pity."

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