Madam Su led several young ladies of the Su family to Prime Minister Chu's residence at the time written on Yun Qianmeng's post.

Led by the nanny, they walked through the solemn and dignified front yard of the prime minister's mansion, only to see Yun Qianmeng leading a few maids standing on the nine-curve corridor of the garden to enjoy the scenery.

Madam Su's heart, already hanging in the air, was lifted even more. She immediately led her daughters forward and bowed to Yun Qianmeng, "I greet the Princess of Chu."

Muchun glanced at this Madam Su and snorted inwardly. "Madam Su, what a jerk! The princess' invitation clearly stated it was 1:05 pm, yet this Madam Su took so long to arrive that she waited until 3:03 pm. Was she looking down on Prime Minister Chu's residence, or was she just being unwilling to give in?"

Yun Qianmeng scattered the rice in her hand into the courtyard. The birds that were originally perched on the trees immediately flew down and searched for the fragrant rice grains in the green grass. For a moment, the quiet courtyard became very lively, which made Yun Qianmeng smile.

"Princess, are you tired? Why don't you go back and rest for a while?" Mu Chun handed the wet wipes in her hand to Yun Qianmeng, and then stood in front of Madam Su and others to prevent them from framing their princess.

How could Yun Qianmeng not see the little girl's thoughts? She took the slightly warm handkerchief and wiped the remaining rice residue from her hands. Her eyes glanced at Madam Su and the others who were half-bending their knees to salute. A faint smile curved the corners of her pale pink lips, but she simply handed the handkerchief back to Mu Chun and said in a clear voice, "No need. The weather is so nice today that it makes me want to stay outside for a while longer."

"Are you thirsty, Princess? The small kitchen has prepared some refreshing desserts today. If you are thirsty, I will ask someone to prepare them." Yingxia was also a thoughtful girl. Seeing Muchun being so wary of the Su family, and seeing that Madam Su dared to dawdle and be late despite being invited, she had already formed a prejudice against the Su family in her heart, and she wished that the Su family would just squat like this.

"We just finished lunch, how can we have room for dessert? Let's put it aside for now." Yun Qianmeng smiled and glanced at Madam Su again from the corner of her eye. She saw that her legs were trembling slightly. It seemed that Madam Su could not bear such a greeting.

"Princess, the story you told yesterday is not over yet. Why don't I help you go back and you continue telling us the rest? It's really uncomfortable to be kept in suspense." Mu Chun and Ying Xia exchanged glances. The girl came up with a lot of tricks at this time and pretended to help Yun Qianmeng leave the Prime Minister's Garden.

Mrs. Su's heart sank when she saw that the Princess of Chu was only talking to her maid and turned a deaf ear to her greeting. She knew that if she didn't speak up, she would have to pay her respects in the garden of the Prime Minister Chu's residence today.

Just as she was thinking, the hem of the lavender skirt in front of her swayed slightly, and she was about to fly away. Madam Su immediately led her daughter forward and saluted Yun Qianmeng again, saying, "I pay my respects to the princess. May the princess live a thousand years."

Yun Qianmeng paused slightly, a faint wrinkle appearing between her brows. Then, she said calmly, "It's Madam Su. I've been waiting here for a long time. I wonder if something happened at the mansion. Madam is so late, and no one from the mansion came to inform me. I thought she had broken her promise, and was about to send someone to the Su residence to inquire about it."

These words forced Madam Su to swallow the excuse that was just on the tip of her tongue. Madam Su had intended to come in late on the pretext of something going on at home, but she hadn't expected the Princess of Chu to be so cunning and block her escape route, leaving her stranded.

Madam Su swallowed her saliva, concentrating her attention and focusing on Yun Qianmeng. She spoke carefully, "I'm sorry to have caused your Highness to worry. I was just about to leave when something happened back home, which delayed me for a while. I forgot to send you a message. I hope your forgiveness is appreciated."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Xiangfu Garden fell into silence. Mu Chun and Ying Xia's eyes were filled with sarcasm and slight anger. Who was the princess? And who was this Madam Su? To speak to the princess in this way was truly outrageous.

"Boom..." At this moment, a dark cloud floated in the originally blue sky, and a loud thunder was heard in the clear sky in the distance, startling everyone and making them look up at the sky that had suddenly darkened.

Seeing that the weather, which had been fine just a moment ago, had suddenly changed, and the originally scorching garden was now gradually filled with a strong wind, Mu Chun hurriedly protected Yun Qianmeng and carefully supported her, saying, "Princess, there are many thunderstorms in summer. We should hurry back."

Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly as she watched the fine weather suddenly change. She then glanced down at Madam Su and said calmly, "Madam Su, please get up and follow me to Mengxin Cottage for afternoon tea."

After she finished speaking, without waiting for Madam Su to refuse, Yun Qianmeng had already taken Mu Chun's hand and walked towards the depths of the backyard under the protection of everyone in the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Madam Su's heart pounded as she watched the sudden change in the weather. A hint of worry crossed her eyes. How could the weather suddenly change? The Princess of Chu's every move was unpredictable. She seemed unconcerned about the clash, but the aloofness in her eyes was startling. What was she up to?

"Mother..." The eldest daughter behind Madam Su gently tugged at her sleeve, her pretty face filled with confusion and worry.

Madam Su suddenly came to her senses and looked towards the corridor behind her. She saw that the Princess of Chu had already walked far away, so she had no choice but to follow her.

'boom……'

Just as everyone stepped into the main house of Mengxin Cottage, there was a loud thunder outside, cracking the sky and scaring everyone into being stunned.

Then the sky darkened completely, as if it were nighttime. A strong wind blew through the courtyard, making even the pine trees that stood proudly in a corner rustle in the wind. A few streaks of golden lightning could be seen faintly amidst the dark clouds. In the blink of an eye, bean-sized raindrops poured down from the sky, clattering onto the eaves and making a pitter-patter sound.

Muchun and the other maids were extremely skillful. They lit the candles in the house in a short while, and then put the lampshades on the candlesticks. Suddenly, the main room was as bright as day.

After closing the door to block out the wind and rain outside, Yun Qianmeng slowly sat down in the main seat. She raised her eyes slightly to look at Madam Su and the others who were still standing inside the room, and said with a faint smile, "Madam and the young ladies, please take a seat. Mu Chun and Ying Xia, serve tea."

"Thank you, Princess." Madam Su was frightened by the thunder and broke out in a cold sweat. Suddenly, she heard Yun Qianmeng's friendly words, and her heart trembled even more violently. She could only pretend to be calm, smiled awkwardly, and led her daughters to sit down below Yun Qianmeng one by one.

However, Madam Su's heart was gripped by Yun Qianmeng's gentleness at the moment. She kept thinking about what kind of difficult questions the Princess of Chu would ask her next and how she should answer them.

For a moment, Madam Su was lost in her own thoughts. Her brows were slightly furrowed, her eyes were slightly dazed, her lips were tightly pursed, and her body sitting upright on the stool was stiff and straight, obviously in a state of alert.

Yun Qianmeng noticed her expression and movements, but she just took the warm water handed to her by Mu Chun and drank it lightly without saying a word, letting Mrs. Su's mind turn 360 degrees.

Outside, the strong wind was hitting the window frame, and the whistling sound was terrifying.

But the room was completely silent. Amidst the overlapping candlelight, Yun Qianmeng focused all her attention on the teacup in her hand. It seemed that the indigo pattern on the cup attracted her greatly.

After a while, seeing that Yun Qianmeng didn't say anything to embarrass her, Madam Su couldn't help but look up at the woman sitting in the main seat. In the candlelight, she saw the Princess of Chu with beautiful eyebrows and a calm expression admiring the teacup in her hand, as if there were no one from the Su family in the room. Madam Su didn't know how to start.

A trace of embarrassment flashed across her face. Mrs. Su clenched her hand holding the handkerchief for a moment, then reached out to pick up the teacup and sipped it slowly.

The subtle crisp sound of the teacup and the bowl lid colliding filled the silent main room. Neither side spoke, but compared to Yun Qianmeng's calmness, Madam Su seemed a little anxious.

"The princess is pregnant, and I haven't congratulated her yet. I came in a hurry today and didn't prepare any generous gifts. I will send them to you another day." Mrs. Su spoke with a shy smile on her face, unable to bear the silence and oppressive feeling in the room.

Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng put down the teacup in her hand, smiled faintly, and slowly said, "Madam, you are too polite. It was I who invited you to the Prime Minister's residence today. How can I ask a guest to bring a gift?"

Just a few words blocked Mrs. Su's intentions.

After finishing her words, Yun Qianmeng's narrow, bright eyes turned to the eldest daughter of the Su family, who was sitting below Madam Su. She smiled and continued, "Miss Su is a good person with good looks. I wonder if she has been betrothed to anyone?"

Upon hearing this question, Mrs. Su's eyebrows jumped, Miss Su's face was stunned, and the room suddenly became tense.

Madam Su half-closed her eyes, a trace of hatred flashed across them, but the corners of her lips curled up, and she replied with a faint smile, "Princess, this child is not yet of age."

Hearing Madam Su's words, Yun Qianmeng nodded slowly, sizing Miss Su up seriously with a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. "With Miss Su's character, she deserves to be married to a good family. I've heard that the Empress's younger brother, Ruan Yuxiao, the young master of the Ruan family, is also unmarried, so he and Miss Su would be a perfect match."

After saying this, Yun Qianmeng reached out and picked up a piece of cake from the fruit plate on the table, eating it gracefully.

When Madam Su and Miss Su heard this, their faces turned pale. They had never expected that the Princess of Chu would call them here today with such a purpose. But what good would it do for her to do this?

However, no matter what Princess Chu had in mind, she was determined not to let her daughter marry a dandy like Ruan Yuxiao, not to mention that Ruan Yuxiao was now just a mute. If the Ruan family had no legitimate daughter, the current empress would not have taken such a chance to marry the emperor. As these layers of relationships were unraveled, Madam Su was even more determined not to let her daughter marry Ruan Yuxiao.

"Your Highness, your princess has good intentions, but my daughter is still young, so there is no need to rush into such an important matter of marriage. Besides, my master has been sent by the emperor to Jiangnan to supervise the transportation of military supplies and is not in the capital. I really cannot make such a decision. Furthermore, Master Ruan is the Empress's brother and a member of the royal family. My Su family is just an ordinary official family, so how can we marry into such a high position?" Madam Su enumerated all these points one by one, with a hint of righteousness in her voice.

Yun Qianmeng listened attentively to her words, her expression unchanged. However, she placed the half-eaten cake on the plate, took out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve, wiped her right hand clean, and then spoke, "Madam Su, you are too modest. Lord Su is now a favorite of the Emperor, and your status is rising rapidly. When she reaches the age of marriage, the Su family's door will probably be trampled down by matchmakers. How could it be as you say? Why do you have to be so modest?"

Seeing that Yun Qianmeng still wanted to arrange her daughter's marriage, Madam Su was so anxious that she broke out in a cold sweat. She hurriedly said, "The princess and the prince are a match made in heaven, a man of talent and beauty, and therefore they are deeply in love. I also hope that my daughter can find a good husband who treats her well. In the future, the couple will live in harmony, which will also be a relief for me."

In a subtle way, Madam Su had already pointed out that Ruan Yuxiao was not a good man.

Yun Qianmeng glanced at Miss Su inconspicuously and saw that the anxiety in her eyes was no less than that of her mother, but there was a strange light in her eyes.

Without immediately averting her gaze, Yun Qianmeng smiled at the mother and daughter in front of her and said calmly, "Madam, you are absolutely right. The young lady is still young, and perhaps she will be able to catch up with the Crown Prince's selection of the Crown Princess in the future."

Sure enough, both Mrs. Su and Miss Su were slightly stunned, with a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes, but they had already given Yun Qianmeng the answer he wanted.

"However, the floods in Jiangnan are worrying now, and the prince's selection of a concubine may be delayed for some time. Since there is a good candidate ready, why should Madam Su refuse? I like Miss Su very much. Why don't I go to the palace and ask the Queen Mother for this imperial edict, which can be regarded as a gift to Miss Su." Yun Qianmeng was unmoved and still insisted on her decision.

With a plop, the candlelight flickered, and Miss Su was already kneeling in front of Yun Qianmeng.

There was a strong sense of unyielding in her eyes as she said firmly, "Princess, I don't want to be with you. Please don't act on your own initiative and match us up."

In one sentence, it was an act of insubordination, which made Madam Su's face turn pale instantly. She was about to scold her daughter, but Yun Qianmeng just smiled faintly.

Yun Qianmeng stared at Miss Su, who was kneeling on the ground, with her beautiful eyes. A flash of brilliance flashed across her watery eyes. She smiled and said, "Miss Su, why are you doing this?"

Madam Su clutched the handkerchief tightly in her hand, the smile on her face uglier than tears. She choked her throat and said, "Princess, I have spoiled my daughter since she was little. Please don't be offended. However, this important matter of marriage can only be discussed after our master returns. Please wait for a few days."

"How dare you! Who is the princess? Being able to act as a matchmaker for Miss Su is such a great joy. How can you afford to bargain?" Mu Chunliu's eyebrows jumped, and she harshly scolded the Su family members who wanted to negotiate conditions with Yun Qianmeng.

"Mu Chun." Yun Qianmeng spoke slowly, but her voice was much lower than before.

Upon hearing this, Mu Chun immediately retreated behind Yun Qianmeng and said no more.

Yun Qianmeng slowly stood up, propping herself up on the table legs. She slowly walked over to Miss Su and said indifferently, "Since that's the case, you two should go back and discuss this carefully. I'm tired, so you can go back."

Having said that, Yun Qianmeng turned around and went back to the inner room.

Mrs. Su's face was pale, and Miss Su's face was covered with tears. The two of them stared at Yun Qianmeng's back angrily, and then they took the other young ladies of the Su family back to the Su family in the wind and rain.

"Princess, they have already left." Mu Chun returned to the inner room and saw Yun Qianmeng reading a military book intently, so she reported the situation outside to Yun Qianmeng.

However, after thinking about it, Mu Chun was a little puzzled. "Princess, why are you so kind as to act as a matchmaker for a family like that? Look at how they looked just now. They wanted to eat you. Besides, the Su family and we..."

Yun Qianmeng only felt the noise in her ears, so she could only put down the military book in her hand and stare intently at Mu Chun who was analyzing endlessly, with a faint smile on her lips all the time.

Mu Chun noticed that Yun Qianmeng was staring at him, and his voice gradually became softer. In the end, he stood silently in front of Yun Qianmeng.

Yun Qianmeng saw that she had finally shut up. Her slender fingers lightly turned a page before she spoke, "I was just testing them. Ruan Yuxiao was just a cover, used to test the Su family's stance. Besides, Su Qi is in Tongzhou and will definitely try to frame Rong Yunhe. I was just using this to sound the alarm for Su Qi, to let him know that no matter how arrogant and complacent he is, his family is far away in the capital. If he dares to make a move on Rong Yunhe, don't blame me for being rude and cutting off his chances of promotion and wealth."

She simply wanted to use this to restrain Su Qi, so that he would think about his family in the capital while he was doing something to harm Rong Yunhe. As for Miss Su, as long as Su Qi didn't use Rong Yunhe as a scapegoat, she wouldn't really marry Miss Su to a scumbag like Ruan Yuxiao. However, if Su Qi insisted on having his own way, then don't blame her for taking action.

Call her cruel, but she was determined not to stand by and watch her most cherished friend fall into danger.

"But what if Madam Su goes back and immediately looks for a candidate for her daughter?" Mu Chun was worried. Although Madam Su's disguise was very pitiful just now, the look in her eyes could not deceive anyone.

"Qiao Ying, how is things going?" Just at this moment, there was the sound of a door opening and a pair of extremely light footsteps. Yun Qianmeng looked at Mu Chun and smiled, then asked.

"My princess, the matter has been settled. From today onwards, everyone in the capital will know the reason why the princess invited the Su family's wife and daughter to visit the prime minister's residence." Qiao Ying took off her bamboo hat and walked quickly into the inner room. However, a spot on her clothes on her shoulder was still wet, and a few drops of rain were dripping on her hair.

"Thank you for your hard work. Go down and change your wet clothes to avoid catching a cold." After listening to Qiao Ying's report, Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly, then stood up and walked to the window, raising her hand to push open the tightly closed wooden window.

"Princess, it's windy and rainy outside, please take care of yourself." Mu Chun quickly took a thin cloak and put it on Yun Qianmeng.

"Yes, the wind and rain came so quickly..." Looking at the heavy rain outside, Yun Qianmeng frowned and said softly...