The banquet proceeded as scheduled, and Shen Yunjiao was finally able to relax and sit down to watch the song and dance performance.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they became less reserved and started moving around again.

At this moment, Jiang Rong enthusiastically suggested, "Princess, the weather is nice today, let's go for a walk to digest our food."

Xiao Anle smiled faintly: "I know you love to have fun. Do you want to go boating on the lake?"

Although Jiang Rong had just spoken up for Shen Yunjiao, Princess Anle didn't seem to take it to heart.

"Okay!" Jiang Rong said with a sweet smile. Just as she was about to leave, she saw Shen Yunjiao still in a daze. After hesitating for a moment, she called out to her, "Sister-in-law, let's go together!"

Shen Yunjiao was still thinking about experiencing the ancient people's daily recreational activity of swimming in the lake when she heard Jiang Rong call her.

She paused for a second, then stepped forward and walked up to Xiao Anle and Jiang Rong.

"Sister-in-law, you've never been to the Princess's residence before, have you? His Majesty has built an artificial lake for the Princess, and the scenery is quite beautiful." Jiang Rong's awkwardness disappeared completely when she saw that Shen Yunjiao was willing to come.

She generously took Shen Yunjiao's hand: "Let's accompany the princess on a boat trip on the lake."

"Are you going to stay with me, or should we stay with you?" Anle shook her head helplessly, then smiled at Shen Yun. "Jiang Rong is my study companion, but she's not focused on her studies; she just wants to play all day."

"Rong'er is still young, so it's not a bad thing for her to be playful. She'll be fine when she gets older." Shen Yunjiao knew that the older one gets, the more one loses their original childlike innocence, so Jiang Rong's current state was actually quite good.

“That’s true.” The princess nodded and said gently to them, “Let’s go and see who is willing to row the boat for us.”

Fang Ziyu, who was behind, saw that Shen Yunjiao could walk intimately with the princesses and noblewomen just because of a poem, and she was so angry that she felt like her fingers were about to be squeezed off.

The lotus pond in the princess's residence is separated from the palace courtyard by a vast back garden.

Because of the distinction between men and women, the scions of noble families and literati invited today were all arranged to drink and compose poems in the back garden.

Pei Zhixuan was unsettled upon learning that Shen Yunjiao had written the lyrics. After drinking the small cup of wine in his hand, he walked alone into the secluded garden path.

"My first wish is for my beloved to be healthy; my second wish is for myself to remain healthy; and my third wish is to be like the swallows on the beam, meeting each other year after year."

"To meet every year," Pei Zhixuan murmured. "Is this truly what you wish for?"

She kept saying she didn't love him, so why did she write such a tender and poignant poem to tell him that she wanted to be with him forever?

He couldn't understand Shen Yunjiao.

But he also knew that at that moment, he felt a little guilty for abandoning her on their wedding day.

The thought of Shen Yunjiao's every smile and frown caused Pei Zhixuan to lose himself in thought once again.

Perhaps if Shen Yunjiao's sincerity wasn't revealed to him through coercion, he might... also be moved.

—

Jiang Rong, who was with a few others who were usually playful, couldn't tear herself away from the little rabbits roaming freely in the garden.

Princess Anle then pulled Shen Yunjiao past their group of people, and the two of them walked ahead alone.

"Princess Consort, I apologize for what happened earlier."

Shen Yunjiao, who was admiring the flowers, suddenly heard Princess Anle's apologetic voice.

A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she quickly said, "Your Highness is joking. I didn't take it to heart at all."

"I'm sorry, but—" Princess Anle's once bright eyes now revealed a hint of pain, "I just couldn't help myself when I saw you..."

She didn't continue, but Shen Yunjiao knew what she meant.

She had seen this look of being tormented by love on the faces of many of her colleagues in her past life.

It's just unrequited love!

"Princess, do you know that the past cannot be recalled? Don't let your obsession torment you." Shen Yunjiao could only advise the princess in the most tactful way.

Xiao Anle suddenly looked up at Shen Yunjiao. Just a moment ago, she thought Shen Yunjiao knew her secret thoughts.

Shen Yunjiao smiled generously at her, her eyes clear and innocent.

"What if," Xiao Anle said softly, "what if I can't let go of those obsessions?"

Shen Yunjiao really wanted to shake the princess awake from her love-struck state. She clearly had better options, so why was she so obsessed with Pei Zhixuan?

So she stopped and turned around, placing both hands on Xiao Anle's shoulders and giving them a squeeze.

Xiao Anle was startled and stared blankly at Shen Yunjiao.

The latter said earnestly, "Have you ever thought that those obsessions are actually just your own imagined ideals?"

"Life has so many ups and downs, you should try more things. Once you try different possibilities, you will let go of these obsessions."

Simply put, it means don't put all your eggs in one basket, my dear princess!

Xiao Anle's eyes welled up with tears. He was still sad, but after hearing this, he laughed and said, "I didn't expect that the Crown Princess would have so many profound insights at such a young age."

Shen Yunjiao smiled and said after receiving the praise: "I'm more open-minded than all of you."

Hearing this, Xiao Anle gently squeezed Shen Yunjiao's palm. "It's a good thing that you can be open-minded, Yunjiao."

At this moment, Jiang Rong ran up to them, panting, carrying a black and white rabbit, and said, "I want to take the rabbit boating."

She looked at Shen Yunjiao expectantly, then at Xiao Anle, as if seeking their consent.

"Sister-in-law, is it alright?" Jiang Rong urged again when she saw that Shen Yunjiao didn't speak.

Shen Yunjiao noticed that she was becoming more and more fluent in calling Jiang Rong "cousin-in-law," and she felt as if she had really become Jiang Rong's elder.

Helpless, he said, "Let's go together, but remember to keep an eye on your rabbit."

Xiao Anle smiled faintly, "I can't. I need to go ahead and say hello to the young masters. You guys go and have fun first, and I'll come find you when I'm better."

Jiang Rong then pulled Shen Yunjiao toward the lake.

Jiang Rong was eager to have fun and didn't pay any attention to the other guests.

Shen Yunjiao, on the other hand, spotted Pei Zhixuan standing under the tree at a glance. The afternoon sun made his figure appear exceptionally tall and straight, and his deep eyes were fixed on her.

Shen Yunjiao felt that Pei Zhixuan's gaze was a little different from usual.

Ignore him.

Jiang Rong dragged Shen Yunjiao straight to the lakeside before she let go.

"Sister-in-law, isn't this lake beautiful?" Jiang Rong asked with a smile.

Shen Yunjiao looked up and saw the lake surface shimmering, with a few gulls occasionally skimming across the water like dragonflies. Beneath the surface, aquatic plants swayed and fish swam.

"The scenery is beautiful, no wonder my cousin likes it," Shen Yunjiao teased.

But Jiang Rong's expression changed, and she complained softly, "Why don't you just call me by my name?"

Shen Yunjiao tapped her forehead: "I was just teasing you. You were so busy having fun that you didn't even notice your cousin. What, you don't like him anymore?"

Jiang Rong smiled at her, revealing a set of neat white teeth: "My cousin belongs to my sister-in-law, so I won't compete with you for him starting today."

Shen Yunjiao couldn't help but chuckle, "What? It seems my Spring Banquet has captured you completely."

Jiang Rong's face turned bright red from her teasing. "Sister-in-law, I want to get on the boat."

In front of them was a small wooden boat, neither too big nor too small, with slightly short oars, clearly designed specifically for women.

Shen Yunjiao hesitated for a moment and asked, "Or should I go and ask someone to help you paddle?"

"Princess Consort, don't worry. The Princess has rowed this boat countless times. She's more skilled than the boatman."

At this moment, the people behind had caught up, and Lu Lan'er, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites, who was leading the way, said with a smile.

"Sister-in-law, please watch the little rabbit for me. I'll give it to you after I get on the boat."

Jiang Rong stuffed the rabbit into Shen Yunjiao's arms, and in the blink of an eye, she boarded the small boat.

Jiang Rong picked up the oars with both hands and rowed forward with all her might, but to her surprise, the boat did not move an inch and did not give her any face at all.

A hint of anger flashed across her pretty face, but the girls around her were all laughing at her, especially Lu Lan'er, who always liked to tease her, and she was laughing particularly brightly at this moment.

"Lu Lan'er, how dare you laugh at me!" Jiang Rong stood up angrily, completely forgetting that she was still on the boat.

The moment she stood up, the small boat lost its balance and swayed from side to side.

"thump!"

"Help!"

Jiang Rong lost control of her body, screamed, and fell into the lake, splashing water everywhere.

Shen Yunjiao had only been playing with the little rabbit for a short while when she heard a sound and immediately looked up, only to see Jiang Rong struggling and thrashing in the water.

Wow! This girl is so playful, yet she can't swim at all!

The girls on the shore cried out for help, some even crying out of fear.

Shen Yunjiao put the rabbit in her arms on the ground and jumped into the lake without hesitation.

She swam towards Jiang Rong with all her might, her mind filled with only one thought: to save her!