"No." Yu Nanqing raised his hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. He leaned down and kissed her.

Su Wanyan eventually rescinded Luo Xue's order and instead sent her to find out the whole story.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the rumors circulating in the city had been going on for some time, but they had only been spreading in a small circle and were not as outrageous as what was being heard now.

The original story was that Yu Nanqing was on an inspection tour to observe the people's conditions when he met Bai Jiaojiao and fell in love with her at first sight. However, due to Bai Jiaojiao's status as a merchant's daughter, he kept his distance from her.

It is said that his feelings for Bai Jiaojiao were genuine but remained within the bounds of propriety.

After that, every time Bai Jiaojiao "coincidentally" met Yu Nanqing, there would be a topic of conversation.

On Yu Nanqing's way to the military camp, Bai Jiaojiao risked her life to create an opportunity, and in the end, she really sprained her ankle. Rumors also spread in the city that Yu Nanqing and Bai Jiaojiao had met in the mountains.

Su Wanyan asked Luo Xue about this matter.

Yu Nanqing ignored Bai Jiaojiao. They had no idea what happened to Bai Jiaojiao afterward, nor did they understand why such rumors were circulating in the city.

The carriages of the Bai family and the Prince Gong's family would collide almost every two days. Perhaps it was around that time that Yu Nanqing began to have the idea of ​​using Bai Jiaojiao.

In short, Bai Jiaojiao has gone to great lengths to create opportunities for Yu Nanqing.

Until Yan Gongyi appeared.

Yan Gongyi already harbored feelings for Yu Nanqing, so naturally he couldn't stand Su Wanyan.

At this moment, Yu Nanqing deliberately sent Yan Gongyi to get close to Bai Jiaojiao. Yan Gongyi instantly became like a wild horse, criticizing Su Wanyan for not being worthy of Yu Nanqing and saying that Yu Nanqing's affection for Su Wanyan was just an act.

Compared to Su Wanyan, Yu Nanqing preferred Bai Jiaojiao, a woman who was understanding and kind. However, because Su Wanyan was around, he couldn't openly show favoritism to Bai Jiaojiao.

The most obvious sign is that every time Bai Jiaojiao appeared in front of Yu Nanqing, Yu Nanqing never drove her away, which means that Yu Nanqing has feelings for Bai Jiaojiao.

After Yan Gongyi's words of self-respect and humility, Bai Jiaojiao felt even more confident that she could win over Yu Nanqing. She also heard that Yan Gongyi had saved Yu Nanqing's life, so she asked Yan Gongyi for advice.

Yan Gongyi's eyes darted around, and she gave Bai Jiaojiao a dose of aphrodisiac, advocating that Bai Jiaojiao and Yu Nanqing consummate their relationship. As for the opportunity, Yan Gongyi had no intention of helping her, as she had been tormented by Yu Nanqing these past few days.

If she misbehaved even slightly, they would lock her in a dark room where it was pitch black and there wasn't a sound. They wouldn't give her a bite of food or a drop of water, and once they locked her up, she didn't know how long it would last. How could she endure that?

If she hadn't been quick-witted and obediently yielded, she would have had a mental breakdown sooner or later.

Bai Jiaojiao has been blocking Yu Nanqing for so many days, she must have a way.

Yan Gongyi didn't think about the consequences or whether it would succeed when she did this; she just wanted to annoy Su Wanyan.

If Yu Nanqing hadn't married Su Wanyan, her brother Nanqing wouldn't have been so heartless towards her.

Even if we take a step back and assume that Bai Jiaojiao was killed by Yu Nanqing, she was only giving Bai Jiaojiao advice out of kindness. It was Bai Jiaojiao who asked for it, and it had nothing to do with her.

Bai Jiaojiao took Yan Gongyi's medicine, but never managed to find an opportunity to use it.

Later, for some reason, news spread that Yu Nanqing had already proposed to the Bai family. Moreover, the matter had a beginning and an end, and the people did see that the Bai family had received a lot of gifts a few days ago, and each box of gifts was accompanied by red silk.

Despite the recent rampant rumors, the Bai family has not come forward to clarify, as if they have tacitly acknowledged that the rumors are true.

As soon as this trend emerged, the people of Fucheng became even more eager to know the day Bai Jiaojiao would enter Prince Gong's Mansion.

Moreover, rumors circulated in the city that since there were betrothal gifts, it definitely wasn't a concubine; perhaps Bai Jiaojiao was to be married into the royal palace as a secondary consort.

After a series of speculations, the rumors became increasingly outrageous and believable. If Su Wanyan hadn't been at Prince Gong's Mansion, she would have believed them too.

"So, this matter of betrothal gifts was also caused by the Bai family?" That day, Su Wanyan was holding a handful of millet and standing outside the chicken coop feeding the chickens.

Luo Xue nodded: "It's possible that it's still the Bai family who's in charge."

Despite the rumors, the Bai family has not come forward to say that it was Yu Nanqing who gave the betrothal gifts.

Su Wanyan looked at the chickens in the coop with a calm gaze. Was she going to plant a time bomb first to test the waters?

"Your Majesty, is it really alright to leave this matter alone?" Luo Xue asked curiously.

Are we really just going to let it continue like this?

"Aren't we managing it right now?" Su Wanyan scattered all the grain in her hand, clapped her hands, and laughed, "Now let's see who can lose their temper first."

For the first time, Luo Xue's smile faded, and she pursed her lips: "It's not that this servant doesn't understand, but things have escalated to such a great extent that I'm afraid it will end badly and both sides will suffer."

Su Wanyan reacted as if she had heard a joke: "Yu Nanqing is the commander-in-chief of 300,000 Dragon Flag Army. Even when he was paralyzed, he was able to lie low under the late emperor's nose for three years. He fought countless battles and was intelligent and quick-witted. How could he possibly achieve such a mutually destructive outcome?"

Su Wanyan had no idea how Yu Nanqing could possibly lose.

If anything were to happen, it would only be a one-sided massacre.

Just then, Qiuye approached from the other end of the courtyard and reported, "Your Majesty, Miss Lu from the Lu family pays her respects."

The Lu family mansion? The Lu dynasty?

Su Wanyan was slightly taken aback, then her eyes suddenly brightened: "Oh!"

"Your Majesty, you're making some very strange sounds," Qiu Ye whispered, pursing her lips.

Su Wanyan was in a good mood: "How could I have forgotten about Lu Chao?"

Qiu Ye and Luo Xue exchanged a glance, puzzled: "Your Highness, what does this mean? Is there... something wrong with Miss Lu?"

"We'll find out if there's a problem once we meet them," Su Wanyan said with a smile, waving her hand. "Have them wait in the flower hall."

"yes."

Main courtyard, flower hall.

It was mid-April. Lu Chao was dressed in a shimmering brocade dress with a pink gauze overlay, which made her look gentle and charming.

When Su Wanyan arrived, Lu Chao was sitting in the guest seat, sipping his tea with his eyes down.

"Your Highness." Upon seeing Su Wanyan, Lu Chao hurriedly rose and curtsied, "This humble woman, Lu Chao, greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be well."

"Let's skip these formalities," Su Wanyan said, offering a slight gesture of support.

After they were seated, he smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen Miss Lu. How have you been lately?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing well." Lu Chao smiled and said, "I was bored at home, so I thought I would come to Your Majesty's place to have a chat. I hope Your Majesty will not take offense."

"How could that be?" Su Wanyan replied with a smile, picked up the tea, and slowly sipped it with her eyes lowered.

She hadn't expected that Lu Chao would be the first to lose his composure, because recently the talk of the town had been about Bai Jiaojiao, so she had momentarily forgotten that Lu Chao and Bai Jiaojiao had been close friends since childhood.