Chapter 210 She's quite busy, don't come here causing trouble.

Xiao Qingxi didn't believe her at all: "You're talking nonsense, that's impossible! My brother could never like you!"

Shen Wantang looked at her strangely. When did she say that Xiao Qingyuan liked her?

This pampered princess probably only has love and romance in her heart, nothing else.

“Princess, I’m saying that the Crown Prince approves of me as his wife. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him directly.”

"Hmph! I don't need to ask. I know my brother. He could never approve of you. Even if he did, it would be because my mother forced him. It could never have been his own choice!"

As soon as Xiao Qingxi finished speaking, Xiao Qingyuan's voice rang out behind her: "Qingxi, why are you arguing with Shen Wantang here? She's quite busy. If you have something to say, just tell me. Don't come here and cause trouble."

Xiao Qingxi turned around in disbelief: "Brother, what did you say?"

Xiao Qingyuan walked to her side and said, "I'm telling you, don't make a scene here. Shen Wantang is your sister-in-law. You should at least give her some face and respect her. What kind of behavior is it to come here and cause trouble as soon as you get back?"

Xiao Qingxi's face darkened: "Brother, were you also fooled by her sweet talk? I've seen plenty of women like her. They crave wealth and status, and use all sorts of scheming and trickery to pretend to be good people in front of you! She's so fake. She's clearly vain, but she insists on putting on an aloof act. I hate people like her the most!"

Xiao Qingyuan glanced at Shen Wantang and saw that she was as calm and composed as before. She was not angry because her sister was randomly labeling and scolding people, nor did she shed tears because she was wronged, nor did she vent her emotions by arguing with her sister.

She remained as calmly as if she were listening to Xiao Qingxi scold someone else.

Compared to her, Xiao Qingxi seemed like an unreasonable little child.

However, Shen Wantang is clearly a year younger than Xiao Qingxi.

How did she cultivate such a calm and composed demeanor?

Xiao Qingyuan didn't know how many times he had sighed with admiration—his mother truly had a discerning eye; making Shen Wantang the heir apparent's wife was the perfect choice.

"Qingxi, that's enough, stop making a fuss. Shen Wantang didn't want to marry into the Prince's Mansion on her own. She had never even met me before we got married. It was my mother who chose her, and the Shen family married her off to us."

Xiao Qingyuan subconsciously spoke up for Shen Wantang: "She's very good. She's good at managing the household and very filial to her father and mother, even more so than you and me. Since she married into the Prince's Mansion, the mansion has prospered a lot. She's now managing all the properties in the mansion. I heard from the head steward that this year's profit has doubled compared to previous years."

Xiao Qingxi stomped her foot angrily: "Brother, why are you speaking up for her too? You can't trust illegitimate daughters born to concubines; they never tell the truth! And you can't let her manage the manor's businesses, otherwise the Prince's Mansion will be ruined by her sooner or later!"

"If we don't let her manage it, who will? You?"

"I--"

"Your mother taught you how to manage the household before you got married, but did you ever manage it well? You were always lazy and a hands-off manager."

"Brother, why are you boosting others' morale while belittling your own? I may have been immature before, but now I know how to manage the household!"

"And what's wrong with being a concubine's daughter? A concubine's daughter shouldn't be looked down upon. There are plenty of concubine's sons and daughters in this world, why do you look down on all of them?"

Xiao Qingxi never expected to be scolded by his older brother; he had never been like this before.

Her eyes reddened: "Didn't you write to me before saying you didn't like Shen Wantang as your Crown Princess? How come you're lecturing me now because of her? Have you changed your mind? You don't like Chu Yanluo anymore but like Shen Wantang? You men are all the same, falling in love with one after another, changing your mind faster than changing your face!"

Xiao Qingyuan couldn't help but frown: "What nonsense are you talking about? How could I fall in love with every girl I see? Yan Luo is also in the manor. She is ill, and I just invited the imperial physician for her today."

Xiao Qingxi naturally knew that Chu Yanluo lived in the Prince's Mansion. She corresponded frequently with the Princess, so she knew about many things that happened in the mansion.

Since Xiao Qingyuan didn't like Shen Wantang, she immediately said, "Then drive Shen Wantang away! She's just a concubine's daughter, she's not good enough for you! You should marry the most prestigious and talented woman in the entire capital, like Liu Nanshi, the daughter of Minister Liu!"

Xiao Qingyuan was startled: "Don't talk nonsense! I don't like Liu Nanshi. Liu Nanshi was discussing marriage with the Gu family before!"

Gu Qianhan was already furiously seeking revenge because her marriage to Liu Nanshi had fallen through. If Gu Qianhan were to find out that his sister wanted him to marry Liu Nanshi, would he even have a chance to live?

Gu Qianhan has been acting like a madman lately. If he's even slightly nice to a woman, he'll snatch her away.

He'd better avoid messing with lunatics!

“If you don’t like Liu Nanshi, then just choose another young lady. In short, she must be a legitimate daughter! Shen Wantang, a concubine’s daughter, is not good enough for you. Besides, I don’t think she knows how to manage a household at all, and she doesn’t know how to be a good wife!”

Xiao Qingxi looked coldly at Shen Wantang: "A true virtuous wife should be able to help her husband manage the affairs of the inner quarters. If her husband makes any mistakes, you should help him fix them, instead of letting the mistakes expand and endanger the entire palace!"

Shen Wantang spoke calmly: "I wonder what loophole the princess is referring to? Which loophole endangers the Prince's mansion?"

"I'm talking about Ye Lingyun, of course!"

Shen Wantang suddenly laughed: "So this is the loophole the princess was talking about, but the princess is wrong, Miss Ye is not the loophole."

"You still have the nerve to laugh?!"

Xiao Qingxi was even more disdainful: "You really are a concubine's daughter from a humble family, you don't understand court politics at all! Ye Lingyun's father is a big corrupt official, he has already been arrested and imprisoned, you can't touch such a person!"

"And you actually allowed Ye Lingyun to live in the Prince's mansion! You have no foresight whatsoever! You are incredibly foolish and unworthy to be the Princess Consort of the Prince of Ning's mansion, unworthy to manage the household!"

After listening, Shen Wantang glanced at Xiao Qingyuan: "Your Highness, the Princess said that I had no foresight at all in allowing Ye Lingyun to live in the Prince's Mansion, and that I was incredibly foolish. What do you think?"

Xiao Qingyuan felt as if an invisible slap had landed on his face, leaving a burning sensation.

His originally fair and jade-like face flushed slightly, and for the first time, he felt ashamed to face Shen Wantang.

However, he had been taught to be honest since childhood by the princess, and he was not good at lying. So, he still told the truth: "Qingxi, it was my idea to let Ye Lingyun live in the palace. It has nothing to do with Shen Wantang. Don't scold her." Scolding Shen Wantang was the same as scolding him.

"Brother, even if you want Ye Lingyun to live in the Prince's mansion, Shen Wantang, as your Crown Princess, should stop you! Otherwise, it's her dereliction of duty, she's a good-for-nothing!"

"Well... she tried to stop me, but I didn't listen to her. I even thought she was meddling in my business."