The little girl hunched her shoulders and pressed herself against the wall, wishing she didn't exist.

On the other side.

In the end, Li Chengyun couldn't take it anymore. He gritted his teeth, got up, and slowly walked to Jiang Shuwan.

Staring at Jiang Shuwan, no one knew what he was thinking.

Qingxing stood to the side watching nervously, thinking he was going to do something. Unexpectedly, Li Chengyun simply squatted down next to Jiang Shuwan and then reached for the sunflower seed shells with a pained expression.

As if undertaking an extremely difficult task, every movement he made was stiff.

After he finished picking them up with a look of disgust, his whole face turned green.

Jiang Shuwan smiled quietly.

"You little brat, you think I can't handle you!"

Muttering to herself, Jiang Shuwan patted her bottom and prepared to leave.

After the show was over, the melon seeds were finished, and everyone had packed up, it was time to go home.

The old lady's courtyard.

"We must be extra careful during the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet in a few days."

Sitting on the cushion, the old lady spoke while glancing at the old Marquis.

The old Marquis nodded and said, "Mother has caught a cold recently, so she shouldn't go. She should rest at home."

Upon hearing this, the old lady nodded. Despite Jiang Shuwan's daily dietary therapy to nourish her, the old lady's energy was not what it used to be, and she rarely went out to socialize these days.

Jiang Shuwan manages everything, both inside and outside the home.

Lady Wen also stayed in the small Buddhist hall and did not go out. The old Marquis had to work at the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet, so only Jiang Shuwan attended.

Liu Yunyan...

Well, Liu Yunyan doesn't even have the opportunity to attend such a family meeting, let alone the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet.

"Miss, I heard that Aunt Liu smashed up the house, saying she wants to attend the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet."

Hearing Qingxing's whispered report, Jiang Shuwan remained silent. Seeing the old lady looking at her with concern, she stood up and said, "Don't worry, old lady. Nowadays, the nobles in the capital are very friendly to their granddaughter-in-law. It's also the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet, so I'm sure no one will make things difficult for me."

The old lady nodded and said, "We still need to be careful. Consort Gao is currently very favored, and she has also been promoted to a higher rank, so her birthday banquet this time is quite grand."

"Our Marquis's Mansion will never get along with Prince You and Princess You."

"Yes, granddaughter-in-law understands," Jiang Shuwan replied.

Once everything was settled, Jiang Shuwan went to the storeroom to select a birthday gift for the Imperial Noble Consort.

The Imperial Noble Consort is the former Noble Consort Gao, the birth mother of the eldest prince Li Chengyou. Since being promoted by the old emperor, the Imperial Noble Consort's status in the harem has been showing a tendency to surpass that of the Empress. Compared to her, the Empress and the Crown Princess should be more worried.

Thinking of the Crown Princess, Jiang Shuwan subconsciously frowned.

The Crown Prince is weak-willed, possessing only petty wisdom but lacking grand strategy. He had previously tried to win over Pei Yanzhi, but after failing, he took no further action.

However, once he married the Crown Princess, the Crown Prince encouraged Li Chengyun to get close to her. She couldn't believe that the Crown Princess wasn't involved in this scheme.

Especially since she had previously drunk tea with the Crown Princess at the opera house.

He consciously told her that the Crown Princess was not a simple person.

"General Gu..."

Standing by the window, Jiang Shuwan called out, and General Gu suddenly appeared out of nowhere, appearing right in front of her.

"What are your orders, County Princess?"

"Any news from my second sister's side?"

"No, the wool products from the Second Miss's workshop have been selling very well recently. The Crown Princess and Ye Jingyu are both very happy. The Crown Princess even rewarded the Second Miss with a lot of things and said that she would take the Second Miss to the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet. However, the Second Miss is smart and knows that the Imperial Noble Consort and Guo Yaqin are currently at the height of their power, so she declined."

"She's smart enough."

Jiang Shuwan nodded. Jiang Yao was seven months pregnant. If she really went to the birthday banquet, it would be like the birthday goddess hanging herself in the palace.

The day of the birthday banquet arrived quickly.

On the fifteenth of the lunar month, a bright full moon hangs high in the sky, and the air is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.

At the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet, almost all the noblewomen from inside and outside the palace arrived. The palace gates were lined with carriages, one after another, and for a moment, the line seemed to stretch endlessly.

Jiang Shuwan stopped one street away from the palace gate. The palace gate was very crowded, so it was better to walk than take a carriage.

Many people shared her idea, including Princess Li Yuyan of Nan'an. She was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, jumped off her horse, and had a red riding whip at her waist.

Staring at her, Jiang Shuwan blinked.

She hadn't seen Li Yuyan for more than half a year since their last meeting at the palace banquet. She heard that Li Yuyan had changed a lot recently. She used to live in the palace, but after the banquet, she opened her own residence and moved into the Princess's Mansion.

Moreover, Li Yuyan's previous style of dress was more aristocratic, with long dresses and jewelry. Apart from her fiery personality, she looked no different from a noble lady from the capital.

Now she's much more relaxed, wearing whatever she wants. For example, at the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet, she arrived in a black outfit, her hair tied up with a jeweled crown, her spirited face radiating youthful energy.

However, his temper hasn't changed; he still likes to whip people when he's unhappy.

"Jiang Shuwan?"

Li Yuyan also saw Jiang Shuwan. Her face stiffened, and her hand subconsciously reached for the whip at her waist.

The target was right at my waist; I touched it instantly, but I couldn't pull it out no matter what I did.

Pressing down the whip with her hand, Li Yuyan's gaze swept over Jiang Shuwan's face. She felt a mix of emotions, hating her, and something else entirely.

Finally, she snorted coldly, tossed her head, and strode forward.

"I was so scared! I thought she was going to call." Yao Zhijie's sister, Yao Jinshu, breathed a sigh of relief after Li Yuyan left. Pei Shushu was standing next to her.

Pei Shushu also breathed a sigh of relief, "I heard that Princess Nan'an has become increasingly reckless lately, and His Majesty still dotes on her. I'd better be careful and avoid her."

Jiang Shuwan nodded.

Actually, she never intended to go against Li Yuyan; it was Li Yuyan who brought this upon herself.

"Wanwan, there are some familiar ladies ahead. I'll take Shushu to meet them." After saying that, Yao Jinshu led Pei Shushu forward.

Jiang Shuwan strolled forward slowly, and after a few steps, she saw Li Chengyun standing by the roadside in a brocade robe.

Remembering a plate of sunflower seed shells from a couple of days ago, Jiang Shuwan jogged over and patted Li Chengyun's arm when she saw three people walking towards her.

It turned out to be the young generals of the three major generals' mansions, with the Zhenguo General's Mansion at the head.

"Young General."

Jiang Shuwan's eyes lit up, and she quickly waved to them.

Thanks to them for what happened on Donglai Street, after the matter was settled, Jiang Shuwan even sent someone to deliver some gifts, but the three young generals refused to accept them.

When the three young generals saw Jiang Shuwan this time, they treated her as if she were invisible, and only chatted with Li Chengyun for a few words before leaving.

They didn't even glance at Jiang Shuwan the entire time.

Jiang Shuwan: "…………"