When Shen Youying saw him return, she greeted him curiously: "Cousin... what did he say to you?"

Xue Shen snorted and said disdainfully, "It's nothing but wishful thinking. I won't say it and offend Zhaozhao's ears."

Shen Youying observed his expression and, seeing that he didn't seem too unhappy, thought for a moment and said, "My cousin seems gentle on the surface, but he is actually very stubborn and easily gets stuck on things. However, he is not a bad person. Your Highness really doesn't need to take him to heart."

Xue Shen deliberately frowned: "Is Zhao Zhao pleading for him?"

Shen Youying glanced at him, but instead of falling into his trap of explaining, she teased him with a sarcastic expression: "I'm just worried that Your Highness is always jealous of someone unrelated. It's not worth ruining your health if you get jealous."

Unexpectedly, she had also learned to tease mischievously. Xue Shen grabbed her, picked her up, and frankly admitted, "I am a little jealous. If Zhao Zhao doesn't want me to get sick from jealousy, she'll have to suffer a bit."

Shen Youying was gently placed on the soft couch by him, and kicked his calf with a hint of helplessness.

However, her ankle was grabbed and she couldn't break free. Instead, her skirt slid down, revealing a section of her straight and smooth calves.

Xue Shen leaned down and kissed Shen Youying, making her blush. He then took off her shoes and socks and placed them on the couch. At the same time, he leaned over and pressed himself against her, asking, "What did Zhao Zhao say?"

Shen Youying recalled his restraint in the carriage earlier. She bit her lip, hesitated for a long time, and then whispered, "Just once, hurry up, it's still broad daylight."

The house was surrounded by servants. Although she had been married for so long, Shen Youying was still ashamed to be known by others.

After all, it's not a very pleasant thing to talk about engaging in lewd behavior in broad daylight.

Xue Shen, however, seemed completely unafraid of being found out. He lowered his head and kissed Shen Youying, then took her hand and placed it on his body, his voice hoarse and deep: "Then I'll have to trouble Zhaozhao."

...

Since Xue Shen recovered his legs and returned to the capital, invitations to the Prince of Qin's residence have been sent non-stop.

However, Shen Youying was pregnant and too lazy to deal with these sycophants, so she made excuses to decline them all.

But there is a birthday banquet today, and Shen Youying has to go no matter what.

— It's Madam Xie's birthday.

The Shen family and the Xie family have frequent interactions, and Shen Youying and Xie Qinglan are also close friends. It is only right and proper for them to go and offer their birthday greetings.

Shen Youying had prepared birthday gifts well in advance, and on the day of the birthday banquet, Xue Shen personally escorted her there.

When the carriage arrived at the Xie family's residence, Shen Youying looked at Xue Shen as she got off, asking, "You've already come all this way, are you really not going?"

When Shen Youying received the invitation from the Xie family, she hesitated about whether to go. After all, the couple's current status was sensitive, and many high-ranking officials in the court were cautiously keeping their distance and had not had any contact with them. Moreover, Xie Lianhong was the Vice Chancellor, highly regarded by the Emperor. If she and Xue Shen went to offer birthday greetings at this critical juncture, it would inevitably lead people to speculate about Vice Chancellor Xie's stance.

Xie Fuxiang was devoted to the court and did not participate in the court's factional struggles. Shen Youying had no intention of dragging the Xie family into the mess, so she was very hesitant.

Xue Shen, however, said that everyone knew she and Xie Qinglan were very close, and that if she didn't attend Old Madam Xie's birthday banquet, she would seem guilty, so it would be better to go openly.

After all, she was a woman, and with the Shen family connection, it was understandable for her to go. As for Xue Shen, it was indeed inconvenient for him to go; if he did, it would easily cause a lot of unnecessary speculation.

So in the end, the two decided that Shen Youying would go to offer birthday greetings alone.

Xue Shen was worried about her, so he brought her all the way here.

Xue Shen gently stroked her hair and shook his head: "Go ahead, have Fu Cui and Dan Zhu stay with you closely. I'll come back to pick you up after the birthday banquet."

Seeing his insistence, Shen Youying got off the carriage alone.

Xue Shen watched her enter the Xie family's gate before signaling the carriage to leave.

*

The servants of the Xie family all recognized Shen Youying. Upon seeing her arrive, they quickly led her to Xie Qinglan's courtyard: "Greetings, Your Highness. Our young lady has been waiting for you since early this morning."

Shen Youying handed the birthday gifts to the official and then went to Xie Qinglan's courtyard with her maid.

When they arrived, Xie Qinglan was lying listlessly on the stone table under the plum tree. When she saw her coming, she excitedly got up to greet her: "You've finally arrived! I was so bored."

Shen Youying looked her up and down: "Since you're all packed, why didn't you go to the front?"

Xie Qinglan pouted unhappily upon hearing this: "I did go, but those guests were so gossipy. They kept talking about the scumbag affairs of the Prince of Huaiyang's mansion, or asking me when I would remarry and wanting to be my matchmaker... On this joyous day, they are guests, and even if I'm unhappy, I can only force a smile. It's really annoying, so I simply hid here. Anyway, my brother and sister-in-law are all taking care of things in front, so they don't need me."

Shen Youying laughed at her words and teased her, "Why don't you bring up Vice Envoy Cui? That way, no one will want to be your matchmaker."

Xie Qinglan blushed at her teasing and snorted, "It's not even close to being settled yet, bringing it up now would make it seem like I've agreed."

Shen Youying couldn't suppress her laughter, but Xie Qinglan could only stop her from speaking and pulled her aside with some concern to ask about the King of Qin's leg.

Xie Qinglan was, after all, a daughter of the Xie family. Although she didn't usually care about changes in the court, she still had some sensitivity to important matters of state. Moreover, she had overheard her father and Cui Zichen mentioning things at home, so she knew a little bit about it through a combination of guesswork and speculation. Therefore, she was very worried about Shen Youying: "Do you know anything about those things concerning the Prince of Qin?"

Shen Youying didn't want to lie to her, but telling the truth too much would only drag her down with her, so she just vaguely said, "I didn't know before, but I found out later."

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