Anyone with eyes can see the Empress Dowager's intentions during the six-month leave.

Prince Gong's Mansion didn't care, but it worried a group of ministers.

Yu Nanqing had no intention of seizing the throne, yet the Empress Dowager still wanted to grant him a six-month leave. What did this mean?

The ministers had already accepted that Yu Nanqing had no interest in the throne, but at least the court could keep the Empress Dowager in check. Now that the leave has been extended, the court is truly allowing the Empress Dowager to do whatever she wants.

Since then, the number of visiting cards sent to Prince Gong's Mansion has more than doubled.

Yu Nanqing seemed oblivious to all of this.

Wang Zhang was busy with the celebration banquet. They had calculated the dates and decided that the banquet would be held on the 20th of the first lunar month, after the fifteenth.

The guest list for the celebration banquet wasn't too particular. It mainly consisted of the Chang and Shun families, who were on good terms with Su Wanyan. Yu Nanqing selected some people who would be helpful to Prince Gong's Mansion, and the rest were high-ranking officials and dignitaries who were well-known in the capital.

No one else will be invited.

The Prince Gong's Mansion seemed to be very busy, but Su Wanyan was living a very comfortable life.

Aside from making a brief appearance in front of everyone at the victory celebration banquet, she spent the rest of her time holed up in the yard watching the chickens and feeding the fish.

The weather is still cold, so the herbs planted in the shed won't be harvested so quickly. Sometimes, there are no fish to see either, as they all hide away.

The chicken coop is somewhat entertaining, but overall it's rather boring.

Su Wanyan would ask Qiuye and Huangye to go to the city every day to collect folk tales to read, as a way to pass the time.

Time flies, and March 15th is the day Xu Yixuan will get married.

Su Wanyan got up before dawn that day.

When Yu Nanqing noticed her getting up, she sat up as well. The candles in the room hadn't been lit yet, so she called out, "Yan'er?"

Did I wake you up?

"Never."

As Yu Nanqing spoke, she reached out and lit the candle beside the bed, illuminating the small space in the room with a ray of light.

"Yan'er is going to the Duke of Shun's mansion?" Yu Nanqing couldn't think of anything else that could make Su Wanyan so concerned.

Su Wanyan smiled and nodded, already up and wearing her shoes.

Yu Nanqing glanced at the sky. It was only the hour of Yin (3-5 AM). Was he sure he had to go so early?

Seemingly noticing his confusion, Su Wanyan explained, "Yesterday, Zhiwan wrote to say that she wanted to go see Yixuan getting ready today. The bride has to get up before dawn, so if we want to see her getting ready, we have to go even earlier."

Without saying a word, Yu Nanqing put on his shoes and left the room.

At midnight, it was Xiaobu who was on night watch.

Seeing his master come out of the room, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Your Highness, is there anything you need me to do?"

Originally, Qiuye and Huangye were also supposed to keep watch at night, but Su Wanyan insisted that they didn't have to, so now they usually wake up at dawn.

Yu Nanqing waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need it.

Xiao Bu lowered her eyes slightly upon seeing this.

However, in just a moment, Yu Nanqing withdrew her foot, which had just taken half a step, and after thinking for a moment, she ordered, "Have the cook prepare some food."

He doesn't have time to do it now, and Qiu Ye and Huang Ye aren't here. He needs to prepare hot water for Su Wanyan to wash up.

On the other side, Su Wanyan could guess what Yu Nanqing was going to do. She lit the candles one by one in the room, and then chose a dress that was both auspicious and not too gorgeous to change into.

Just as I finished dressing, the door creaked open.

Yu Nanqing brought in hot water for washing up, and Su Wanyan hurried over to persuade her, "You should rest, don't bother, I can manage by myself."

I originally just wanted to get up early quietly.

However, after thinking it over, it was highly unlikely that he could get up quietly in front of Yu Nanqing, unless he hadn't slept for days and nights like he had at the border.

Yu Nanqing held a piece of sandalwood in his hand, and gently placed the sandalwood into her mouth with his other hand while holding her chin. "I know that Yan'er can do it herself, but how can I just stand by and do nothing?"

He actually hoped that Su Wanyan could rely on him more and not be so 'diligent'.

Su Wanyan pouted and chewed, "Then you can't come with me when I go out later."

Yu Nanqing replied without hesitation: "It's not impossible."

He can still wait at the entrance of the Duke's mansion.

Moreover, if he were to go, the Duke of Shun's mansion would not be able to turn him away.

However... it's really not appropriate for him to be there when Xu Yixuan gets married.

Su Wanyan slapped away his hand that was lightly gripping her chin: "Stop fooling around."

"Your Highness? Your Highness?" Just then, Qiu Ye's voice rang out from outside the door.

Su Wanyan was slightly taken aback. She rinsed her mouth, stepped forward and opened the door. She saw that Qiu Ye and Huang Ye had gotten up at some point. She asked in surprise, "Why are you both up?"

The two women curtsied and said, "Today is Miss Xu's wedding. We thought Your Highness might be going to see her off, so we got up a little early."

They hadn't planned to get up so early, but they were worried about missing the appointed time, so they allowed themselves extra time.

Fortunately, they had left some time, otherwise they wouldn't have known that Su Wanyan had gotten up.

Yu Nanqing slowly appeared behind Su Wanyan: "The kitchen has prepared a meal, go and bring it over."

The two immediately curtsied and said, "Yes."

However, the two had only been gone a short while when Wang Zhang returned: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Because it was late at night, she tried to keep her voice down, but the urgency in her tone was still noticeable. Su Wanyan asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Why is everyone up in the middle of the night?

"Your Majesty," Wang Zhang said urgently as he approached, "Miss Dai has arrived!"

Dai Zhiwan?

Su Wanyan was slightly startled. Why was she here in the middle of the night?

Where are they?

"Here it is!" Dai Zhiwan's voice rang out as soon as Su Wanyan finished speaking.

Seeing her hurrying away led by her maid, Su Wanyan couldn't help but quicken her pace to meet her. The two immediately grasped each other's hands upon meeting, and Su Wanyan asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Dai Zhiwan shook her head repeatedly: "Wanyan, I...I'm nervous!"

"?" Su Wanyan was stunned.

But seeing that Dai Zhiwan's small hands were ice-cold, and that her tone and expression were filled with anxiety, Su Wanyan opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Why is she nervous about Xu Yixuan's wedding?

"Oh, Wanyan, don't be like this, say something!" Su Wanyan didn't speak, making her look very embarrassed.

"Pfft." Su Wanyan couldn't help but laugh and comfort her, "Alright, alright, don't panic, come in first."

Su Wanyan pulled her into the room.

Yu Nanqing had already tactfully left when Dai Zhiwan appeared.

"You've arrived so early. Have you eaten yet? Do the people from the Duke of Changguo's mansion know you're here?"

Dai Zhiwan shook her head, then nodded.

Su Wanyan inexplicably understood; it meant that she had gotten up too early and hadn't had time to eat, but everyone in the Changguo Duke's Mansion knew that she had come to the Prince's Mansion.

He smiled and said, "The kitchen has prepared a meal. You can have some with me in a little while. After I've finished dressing, we'll go to the Duke of Shun's mansion together."