Meng Zhelan looked in the direction she was pointing and saw that Prince An was walking towards them.

She frowned slightly and muttered to herself, "What's this about being suitable or not? Anyway, it doesn't suit me."

"What did you just say?" Li Xi, who hadn't heard Meng Zhelan's words clearly, was about to move closer to hear them more clearly.

However, at that moment, she noticed that Prince An was looking at them, and his face instantly turned gloomy.

"You two seem to have a pretty good relationship," Prince An said, his tone somewhat displeased.

“Your Highness is absolutely right. Sister Meng is my sworn sister, so naturally we have a very good relationship.” Li Xi vaguely knew what Prince An was thinking.

Putting aside whether their social statuses were appropriate, she could not accept the practice of having multiple wives and concubines, even though it was common in that era.

She didn't care about other people's choices; she just didn't want Sister Meng to be troubled by these worldly constraints and hoped that she could freely pursue her own happiness.

Prince An glanced at Li Xi, but said nothing more, though his expression remained gloomy.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Meng Zhelan broke the silence, "Your Highness, is there anything you need from us?"

Prince An glanced at Meng Zhelan, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. "Doctor Meng, I have something I want to say to you."

Meng Zhelan was slightly taken aback, then nodded, "Alright, Your Highness, please speak."

He gestured to Li Xi with his eyes, signaling her to leave.

Such a move was all too obvious, and Li Xi naturally understood his meaning, feeling that it was not appropriate to stay any longer.

So she decided to walk around and see what was going on around her.

The chrysanthemums in the garden are in full bloom right now.

Chrysanthemums of all colors are vying for attention, some as white as snow, some as red as fire, some as yellow as gold, and some as purple as the sunset.

Patches and clusters of them sway gracefully in the autumn breeze, as if showing off their beauty to the onlookers.

The fragrant flowers, so intoxicating and refreshing, drew many elegant ladies and gentlemen to stop and admire the garden in full bloom.

Although men and women attended the flower-viewing banquet together, they all strictly adhered to etiquette, maintaining a distance of one meter between each other, treating each other with courtesy, and conversing in hushed tones.

Shen Xu's younger sister, Shen Ruonan, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Young Master Li."

Young Master Li replied, "I hope Miss Shen is well. It's been a long time. Miss Shen is even more beautiful than before."

Shen Ruonan is Shen Xu's younger sister.

At the tender age of sixteen, in the prime of her youth, she possessed a beautiful appearance, like a lotus emerging from the water, standing gracefully and elegantly.

Although she was listed among the princes' candidates for a princess, her heart was not in it.

"Young Master Li, my brother often mentions you and Brother Qin. I suppose you two are both very busy and haven't been able to visit my brother for quite some time."

Although Du Ruonan hadn't seen Qin Xiaolin for a while, it wasn't convenient for her to directly inquire about his whereabouts.

"Yes, there are some things, Brother Qin... I haven't seen him in a long time. I heard he went away to recuperate. I wonder where he is now?"

She understood what Du Ruonan meant, but she didn't want to reveal too much.

"Oh, Sister Chen is here too."

Du Ruoxi and several close girlfriends walked over gracefully. When they saw Shen Ruonan, their contempt was palpable.

She's the Empress's niece, and her father is a great general. With such a noble status, she naturally looks down on everyone.

As for Shen Ruonan, she was merely the daughter of a marquis, possessing only the title but no real power.

However, Shen Ruonan was known as the most beautiful woman in Kyoto, and her beauty was widely recognized.

Not to mention that the two people's names are so similar, it's natural that others would frequently compare them.

This truly made Du Ruoxi jealous.

Shen Ruonan remained calm, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said indifferently, "Oh, so it's Miss Du. Why didn't you go to look for His Highness Prince An? I saw him go that way just now, as if he was looking for someone."

Du Ruoxi's face turned pale instantly. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Shen Ruonan's words were like a sharp knife, piercing straight into her heart.

She knew Shen Ruonan was deliberately provoking her, but she couldn't stand the mockery.

"You!" Du Ruoxi gritted her teeth, trying to suppress her anger, but her voice still trembled. "Who do you think you are? Do you think His Highness Prince An would take a liking to you? Don't dream!"

Shen Ruonan smiled softly, a smile full of confidence and mockery.

Du Ruoxi has always been self-righteous. Two years ago, at the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, she and Prince An each played a piece called "High Mountains and Flowing Water".

His Majesty praised, "The Shen family's daughter and Prince An are a perfect match, both in talent and appearance."

Every time Du Ruoxi saw her, she acted like she was an enemy. She had said that she had no good feelings towards Prince An at all, but Du Ruoxi just wouldn't believe her.

She shook her head, knowing that no matter how she explained, it wouldn't make a difference unless she got married.

“Miss Du, you seem to have forgotten your place. Although I, Shen Ruonan, am not from a prestigious family, I still have my own pride and dignity. As for His Highness Prince An, whether he looks up to me or not is not something you can decide.”

Du Ruoxi's face turned red with anger at Shen Ruonan's words. She turned around abruptly, ready to leave this place that made her feel humiliated.

However, the moment she turned around, she saw Li Xi. He asked with ill intent, "And who is this young master?"

“This is Judge Meng’s adopted son, Young Master Li,” Shen Ruonan said with a sneer.

Li Xi is nearly 1.8 meters tall and is dressed in a moon-white brocade robe today. His brows exude a heroic air, and although his face still retains a youthful innocence, one can already see the brilliance he will possess in the future.

Du Ruoxi looked at Li Xi, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes.

She hadn't noticed Li Xi before, but now she realized that his temperament was completely different from that of Prince An.

Although His Highness Prince An is handsome and dashing, he always carries an inexplicable sense of distance.

Li Xi, on the other hand, gives people a gentle and refined feeling.

"These two get along surprisingly well. From a distance, they seem like a perfect couple. It's a rare sight indeed," Du Ruoxi said with a smile, covering her mouth.

"Miss Du, you've misunderstood. I just happened to run into Miss Shen and chatted with her about her brother." This Miss Du is truly a green tea bitch, and a low-level one at that.

Just as Li Xi was about to leave as soon as possible, Qin Xiaolin walked over.

He actually showed up in his true form; there must be a reason for that.

So Li Xi stepped forward, gently patted his shoulder, and said, "Brother Qin, you didn't even tell me you were coming back. Miss Shen and I were just talking about you."

Shen Ruonan blushed slightly upon hearing Li Xi mention her name in front of her. "Brother Qin, you...you're back?"

Qin Xiaolin looked at Li Xi, a meaningful smile appearing on his face. "I just arrived this morning, and Grandfather immediately urged me to go to the palace for the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet."

Du Ruoxi, who was standing to the side, had already disappeared.

Meanwhile, Meng Zhelan, on the other side, was stunned when she heard what Prince An said.