This matter was handled lightly; even Old Madam Xu didn't say anything, and Madam Yang ignored it, letting Madam Zhou close the courtyard gate and deal with it herself.

However, after this incident, Madam Xu rarely allowed Li Shiyue and Xu Yunyao to have any contact. It was as if she had returned to the days when she first entered the mansion, but none of the young men were familiar with each other.

The cool breeze of early autumn was perfect for playing polo. Li Shiyue, Xu Lingzi, and a few others left the mansion to attend a polo banquet, hosted by the eldest daughter of Grand Tutor Qin.

I've heard that she was a master of poetry and painting even before she reached adulthood, and is a renowned talented woman in the capital. When she appeared, she wore a rose-red riding outfit, and her eyes were bright and sparkling, just like the sun in the sky.

"You are the Princess of Yichang County?"

Qin Wanyin stared at Li Shiyue with bright eyes: "I was unable to attend the Crown Princess's banquet before and did not get to see the county princess's demeanor. Seeing her today, I really regret that I did not get better in time when I had a cold."

Her name was Wanyin, and like the legendary "talented woman," she possessed a delicate and graceful demeanor. Her tone of voice was gentle, like a June breeze caressing the heart, leaving one with a touch of longing.

Xu Lingzi knew her; Qin Wanyin's biological father was Grand Tutor Qin, a member of the Chonghua Palace, and the two families had frequent interactions.

"This is Miss Qin Wanyin from the Grand Tutor's Mansion."

Li Shiyue wasn't one to put on airs. Since the other party was so enthusiastic, she smiled and said, "Miss Qin, you're too kind. Let me be Yan Yan instead. The title 'County Princess' sounds too formal."

"Okay, Yan Yan." Qin Wanyin smiled, her round cheeks making her look like someone who wanted to hold her in their arms and cherish her. Her undisguised gaze was full of joy, which did not seem fake.

"I've heard you're an excellent polo player. May I have the honor of seeing the county princess in person today?"

Li Shiyue smiled modestly: "I wouldn't call myself elegant. I hope Miss Qin won't laugh at me once I'm on horseback."

Qin Wanyin shook her head: "No, Yan Yan, please don't call me Miss Qin anymore. Just call me Ayin. That's what Liu Niang and the others call me."

“You’re Sixth Sister’s cousin, so naturally Qin Wanyin will protect you too. But in a little while, let’s team up and fight Sixth Sister and Second Sister.”

The woman called "Second Sister" stepped forward. She was Jiang Ning, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Works. She had a spirited look in her eyes and her blue dress added to her elegance.

"Don't let your polo skills drag Yan Yan down."

Jiang Ning's voice was brighter, and when she opened her mouth, it was as if she had parted layers of dark clouds, making people feel refreshed and comfortable.

After the polo match ended, all four men dismounted and first went to receive handkerchiefs from the maids.

Qin Wanyin instantly turned into a little shadow, following Li Shiyue closely: "Yan Yan, your shot just now was really amazing! It spun around on the horse like that. Can you teach me? Please?"

Xu Lingzi and Jiang Ning, who followed behind, exchanged a smile, seemingly unsurprised by the situation.

Li Shiyue was somewhat unaccustomed to this. The rumored talented woman was actually quite good at being charming and coquettish. The praise she heard from her, however, sounded incredibly pleasant and didn't seem forced at all.

She couldn't resist Qin Wanyin's advances in the end and had no choice but to agree. As soon as she nodded, Qin Wanyin pulled her onto the horse farm.

Xu Yunxu walked over beside Xu Yunci and felt a little sorry for his cousin when he saw her like this: "Has she been dragged to be a master?"

Unexpectedly, this trip not only allowed me to make friends, but also gave me an "apprentice".

Although Xu Yunci didn't speak, his gaze remained fixed on Li Shiyue on the horse field, which made Xu Yunxu somewhat worried.

"Second brother."

Although his voice was soft, Xu Yunci heard it clearly. Seeing the helplessness in his younger brother's eyes, he had no choice but to look away. He couldn't stare so openly; it would damage his reputation.

No rush, he'll see it sooner or later anyway.

However, he glanced at Xu Yunxu, his lips barely moving as he uttered three words: "Mind your own business."

Seeing his elder brother's calm expression, Xu Yunxu simply sat down on the stands, wondering whether to praise himself for his excellent observation skills.

Luckily, he saw things clearly and dared not interfere in his cousin's marriage, especially since his brother was there and he had seen through his intentions. He decided to mind his own business and didn't want to be punished by his brother by having to write large characters.

He moved closer to Xu Lingzi, gesturing towards the horse farm: "Miss Qin, what's this?"

Xu Lingzi chuckled, then said seriously, "Don't meddle in girls' affairs."

Okay, fine, he's not going to care anymore.

Xu Yunxu sat next to Xu Yunci, resting his chin on his hands, his gaze involuntarily fixed on the two women on the horse track.

"The Princess of Yichang is truly remarkable; even Miss Qin is captivated by her."

Miss Fan the Second, no, she is Consort Fan of the Prince of Yan's Mansion. She should have been a concubine in the mansion, but because she became pregnant a month ago, the Prince of Yan specially went to the palace to request an imperial decree to make her a consort.

The Emperor naturally disliked such a person as a concubine in the Prince's residence, especially since there was no other suitable candidate for Princess Consort of Yan. However, she was indeed carrying the Prince of Yan's first child. Considering the Prince of Yan's recent scheming, the Emperor simply decided to ignore it.

"Consort Fan?"

Xu Lingzi was surprised; she didn't remember Qin Wanyin mentioning that she would invite married women, or even people from the Prince of Yan's residence.

All those attending the banquet today are young ladies of marriageable age from various households, accompanied by their husbands. In particular, Grand Tutor Qin's instruction to the Crown Prince, like that of the Xu family, demonstrates their genuine loyalty to the Chonghua Palace.

What are the people from the Prince of Yan's mansion doing here? Are they here to cause trouble? Probably not.

Consort Fan was now dressed in the luxurious attire befitting a prince's consort, with her hair styled in a full, elaborate bun adorned with gold and silver jewelry, making Xu Lingzi's neck ache from the sight.

Even someone as noble as Xu Lingyu rarely wore such glamorous attire except for formal occasions when she was dressed in full regalia according to her rank, especially since the corruption scandal in Huayuan County had only recently occurred.

Consort Fan is so ostentatious, probably because she's afraid the Emperor won't know. Xu Lingzi didn't speak, but the disdain in her eyes spoke volumes.

"I heard that Miss Qin organized a polo match, so I came to take a look."

Consort Fan seemed oblivious to her headache and neck pain, raising her hand to adjust the gold hairpin in her hair. Despite her still-flat stomach, she extended a hand to support it, as if afraid others wouldn't know whose it was.

"Today, Miss Qin is the hostess, but none of the elders from the various households are here, so I had no choice but to come and take a look. It's inevitable that the young lady might be flustered at times."

Oh, so they just want to come and steal the show, to become the master of the Qin family.

Xu Lingzi couldn't hide the sarcasm in her eyes. Let alone the Second Miss Fan back then, even the current Consort Fan, a prince's concubine, dared to act arrogantly in front of the various noble families.

The Prince of Yan still wants to compete with the Crown Prince for the position. Could it be that when Consort Shun gave birth to him, she kept his brain for herself?

Someone has to demonstrate what it's like to be shameless.

As expected of siblings, Xu Yunci showed no outward change, but the mockery in her eyes said it all.