The guards on the side, heads bowed, raised an eyebrow upon hearing the young master's words, their hearts filled with surprise.

Does the young master need to consult the princess before making a decision on such a matter?

Shu Yun didn't expect him to ask her again. After considering it for a moment, she said, "You can make your own decision. I won't interfere in these matters anymore. But if you're going to the Qin family's appointment, remember to bring more guards."

Xie Fu added, "Qin Fanlan may have invited some people from those brothels in Xiliang."

Shu Yun looked up at him twice, but he had no expression on his face and remained indifferent as she looked at him.

This was a way of telling her in advance that he would inevitably have contact with those courtesans.

She looked away and nodded. "I know it's unavoidable that your aristocratic families invite them to sing and dance at their gatherings."

Xie Fu looked at her for a moment, then looked away and said to the guard indifferently, "Then agree."

What is he expecting?

He had just imagined her glaring at him after hearing what he said, preferably grabbing him and preventing him from going, demanding once again that he choose between her and those boring parties.

Xie Fu gave a self-deprecating smile. After that incident, she truly matured...

——————

Shu Yun rummaged through her belongings and found several boxes. Finally, she chose one with a red and gold satin surface, put the marriage compatibility chart written by Xie Fu inside, and sealed it away.

The girl named Xiaoshu walked in hesitantly, then stood awkwardly next to Shuyun, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Shu Yun closed the box and saw her fidgeting, as if she were about to twist into a pretzel. Finally, she gave her a look and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you acting so coy?"

Xiao Shu, who had been holding it all in and was about to burst with pent-up emotions, finally got to hear the Crown Princess speak first. She quickly asked, "Did the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince have a fight?"

Shu Yun paused for a moment. "What's wrong? Why do you say that?" Then she continued to touch things here and there, trying to find a suitable spot that wouldn't be easily moved.

Xiaoshu had a bitter face. "The young master usually goes out with a smile, but today he went out with a cold face. Luwei and I were terrified."

Shu Yunteng opened a compartment under the shelf, stuffed the box inside, and asked without turning around, "Are you sure Xie Fu is smiling every time he goes out?"

Xiaoshu choked, her voice lowering slightly, clearly lacking confidence, "Although he didn't laugh, I could obviously feel that the young master was in a good mood. He would occasionally give me and Luwei a few instructions. But today the young master wasn't like that at all; he was really scary..."

Shu Yun put her things down, stood up, and straightened her clothes. "There might be some difficult things to handle in government affairs. You and Luwei shouldn't overthink things all the time."

Xiao Shu followed closely behind Shu Yun, asking, "You and the young master really didn't have a fight?"

Shu Yun shook her head. "No."

Xiaoshu breathed a sigh of relief. She and Luwei both liked Miss Shuyun very much and hoped that she could become the Crown Prince's wife. With the wedding date approaching, they hoped that the Crown Prince's wife and the Crown Prince's relationship would not have any problems at this time.

Shu Yun flicked Xiaoshu's forehead with her finger and said irritably, "What are you and Luwei worrying about all day long? You were the ones who spread the rumors about Xie Fu and me on our wedding night a while ago, weren't you?"

Xiaoshu covered her forehead, her eyes darting around, "It wasn't me..."

Shu Yun: "That's reeds."

Xiaoshu quickly shook her head, busy shifting the blame and forgetting about Sister Reed, "It's not Reed either."

"What your young master and I eat every day, what color clothes we wear, when we go shopping, when we read together—you two have revealed all of this. Who else but the two of you could know all this so clearly?"

Xiaoshu was speechless. Since the servants in the other courtyards were curious, she spoke a few more words to Luwei, mainly to show the young master's affection for Miss Shuyun, so that no one in the mansion would secretly criticize Miss Shuyun's identity.

As Xiaoshu covered her head in grievance, the butler's voice came from outside, "Miss Shuyun, the master has something to discuss with you, and he would appreciate it if you could come."

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

When his only grandson announced his marriage, Xie Fu's only close relative and the master of Xiliang, Old Master Xie should have made an immediate statement, whether in support or opposition.

However, the old master Xie did not respond and did not announce his attitude to Xiliang. Xie Fu told her that the old master Xie had agreed to the marriage. She appeared happy, but she did not actually think so.

His silence itself is a form of opposition.

Old Master Xie was still sitting in that unchanging rosewood chair, holding his pipe and puffing out clouds of smoke, his whole being hidden behind the wisps of white smoke.

Seeing Shu Yun come in, he raised his hand, gesturing for her to sit down.

Shu Yun didn't stand on ceremony. She casually picked up a high-backed chair, sat down, put her hands on the armrests, and waited for Old Master Xie to speak.

Old Master Xie exhaled a puff of smoke, his hoarse voice echoing in the hall, "I don't approve of you becoming Xie Fu's heir apparent, but Xie Fu himself insists on marrying you. I don't want to have any unpleasantness with my grandson, so I haven't publicly said anything to embarrass him."

He tapped the ash from his cigarette and continued, "I thought you were a smart man, but it turns out you're just as muddle-headed, unable to see through this little thing called love. Xie Fu is the heir of the Xie family, a minor lord of Xiliang. You have neither a clean identity nor a powerful family background, so how dare you become my future queen consort of Xiliang?"

Shu Yun had always respected him as the person who had raised Xie Fu single-handedly, so she was exceptionally polite to him. Now that he was putting on airs like a prince of Xiliang to intimidate her, she could probably guess what he was trying to say, which made her a little impatient.

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