When Princess Yongjia saw that it was Third Master Xie, she quickly said, "Mr. Xie, your words are too kind. That's not what I meant."

The Xie family is a truly noble family in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Although there are not many of them serving as officials in the court, they have great prestige among the officials.

Men of the Xie family do not take concubines, and daughters of the Xie family do not take concubines.

This is the family rule of the Xie family.

Even if Princess Yongjia had ten times the courage, she would not dare to criticize the Xie family in front of Mr. Xie the Third.

Shen Zhixiu is powerful, but he can't do anything to the Li family because of a few rumors.

The Xie family is just a noble family of scholars, but if they are criticized by scholars, the Li family will lose all face.

The pen of a writer is sometimes sharper than a sword.

Princess Yongjia stepped forward and bowed to Mr. Xie San, then said with a wry smile, "What are you talking about, Mr. Xie? I didn't mean that."

Third Master Xie gave her a meaningful look and said, "Since it's just a misunderstanding, let's just let it go."

He then said to Shen Zhixiu beside him: "It is your blessing to have such a virtuous wife."

After thanking Third Master San for his words, no one dared to say anything more to Su Qingyu.

Princess Yongjia and Madam Qiu had no choice but to say a few polite words to apologize to Su Qingyu.

The people who were gathered around also dispersed and did not mention the matter anymore.

Afterwards, Shen Zhixiu sat aside and chatted with Third Master Xie, while Su Qingyu and Song Wanwan went outside the hall to talk.

Song Wanwan looked at Su Qingyu excitedly, "Sister Su, what you said today was really great."

"I followed Ah Ci and called you Sister Su. Logically, I should call you Third Aunt. But I always felt that it would make you sound old, so I always called you Madam Shen."

Song Wanwan felt a little embarrassed. She called Shen Zhixiu Third Uncle, but he called her Sister Su.

Su Qingyu didn't care about these things. "You are Ah Ci's adopted sister, so you should be considered sisters with me."

Song Wanwan thought of what Su Qingyu said today and felt very excited. She planned to go back and tell her mother and grandmother about it.

The two of them stood in the corridor and started chatting.

Su Qingyu asked her casually, "You have been holding this scroll in your arms. What is it?"

Song Wanwan explained, "I don't know what this is. My father said this morning that it was for the emperor. Who knew that after entering the palace, he stuffed this thing into my hand. He said that after thinking about it, he felt that it was not appropriate to give it to the emperor. He asked me to take it and bring it back to the palace."

Su Qingyu looked around and asked, "Why don't I see the Marquis of Loyalty?"

After she got engaged, it was Marquis Zhongyi and Duke Weiguo who went to the Su family to propose marriage on behalf of Shen Zhixiu. Su Qingyu had a very good impression of these two people.

They are all people who speak and act straightforwardly and have open minds.

Song Wanwan said, "After entering the palace, he was called aside by Minister Yang to talk."

As he spoke, he hugged the scroll in his hand tightly again.

Song Wanwan was rigorous and conscientious in her work. Once her father asked her to take it, she would never let it go.

But her father had not said that the matter should be kept secret, so she did not deliberately avoid others when she spoke. Even the maidservant beside Princess Yongjia walked past without noticing.

Not long after, seeing that the time was almost up, Su Qingyu and Song Wanwan entered the hall.

As soon as the two sat down, the emperor brought Concubine Xian and Concubine Rong into the hall.

As usual, it was a scene of drinking and chatting. Su Qingyu sat next to Shen Zhixiu, feeling particularly at ease.

She didn't see Su Xiangling and was wondering how she would start.

After three rounds of drinking, Princess Yongjia offered the emperor a glass of wine.

Then, pretending to be unintentional, she said casually, "Brother Emperor, I heard that the Marquis of Loyalty has a great gift for you today."

"Wanwan is protecting it like it's something. I'm very curious about what it is."

After Princess Yongjia finished speaking, a look of pride appeared in her lowered eyes.

Although the Marquis of Loyalty wanted to give it to the Emperor, he felt it was inappropriate. This item wasn't the kind of expensive gift you'd normally get. Perhaps there was some reason why it wasn't suitable for the Emperor, or perhaps it wasn't suitable for public presentation.

The Song family didn't want to send it, but she refused to let them have their way.

Emperor Xuande looked at Song Zan in confusion. It wasn't customary for court officials to give gifts on the Lantern Festival. The Marquis of Loyalty rarely sent him anything, so what was going on today? It was Yongjia who first brought it up.

Song Zan frowned and glanced at Princess Yongjia.

I didn't refuse, but sighed in my heart, thinking that this might be my fate.

"Wanwan, please present the things."

Upon hearing this, Song Wanwan took the scroll in her hand and handed it to the eunuch chief steward Hu Lu with both hands.

When Hu Lu saw that it was a painting, he asked two young eunuchs to unfold it with the emperor's consent.

The scene in the painting slowly came into everyone's sight.

When the scroll was only half unfolded, Emperor Xuande stood up in surprise.

Among the people in the hall, Li Jingchuan and Princess Yongjia had the biggest reaction.

Li Jingchuan knocked over the wine vessel in his hand, and Princess Yongjia turned pale with shock.

Then Emperor Xuande murmured, "Yongning?"

Su Qingyu could also see the scroll clearly at this moment. It showed a woman holding a two or three-year-old child in her arms, sitting by the waterside pavilion.

The surrounding scenery was pleasant, and the woman looked at the child in her arms with love reflected on her face.

Su Qingyu asked Shen Zhixiu in a low voice in surprise, "Isn't this the young Princess Yongjia?"

Shen Zhixiu shook his head and said, "This should be Princess Yongning, the emperor's sister from the same mother."

Su Qingyu subconsciously sighed: "She and Princess Yongjia are too similar."

The person in the painting looks to be about twenty years old. If you look closely, you will find that her eyes and brows are much calmer than those of the current Princess Yongjia.

Shen Zhixiu explained in a low voice: "They both look like the late emperor. Why do you think the emperor favors Princess Yongjia? In fact, it is directly related to her resemblance to Princess Yongning."

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!