In the end, he escaped unscathed, only to be confined to his home for a few months without any real discomfort.

From then on, he was feared by the Su family.

The slightest disturbance would lead to impeachment by censors, so they were cautious and discreet, not daring to make any rash moves.

Fortunately, the Su family has already fallen from power.

"Your Majesty, don't be fooled by her..." Lu Youting said sternly, accusing Su Wanwan.

Lu Xingjian interrupted him ruthlessly:

"What brings Prince Rong to see me?"

The title changed from "Thirteenth Uncle" to "Prince Rong".

Lu Youting knew that the emperor was unhappy.

He was burning with jealousy, but he had to suppress it.

"The renovation of my Changde residence is progressing slowly, and the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Works say that the funds are insufficient."

"I have no other ideas, so I have come to ask Your Majesty for your advice."

Lu Xingjian narrowed his long, narrow eyes slightly.

He quickly understood his intention.

Prince Rong is using the pretext of urging for funds to test his opinion on his decision to be enfeoffed.

"I will instruct the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Works to expedite the renovation of the Prince's Mansion. Uncle Thirteen can rest assured."

Lu Youting paused, then said:

"The officials and officers from Changde wrote to complain about the lack of food and clothing and the difficulty in enduring the cold winter."

"My salary is limited and I cannot make ends meet. I hope Your Majesty can help me."

Lu Xingjian threw the question back at him: "Does Uncle Thirteen have any thoughts?"

Lu Youting looked at Su Wanwan and saw her looking at him quietly, his expression one of humiliation.

A prince of noble birth, so poor that he had to plead poverty to his nephew.

Any man's self-esteem will be hurt.

Moreover, in front of the girl with whom he had once made vows of eternal love.

And this girl is now her nephew's wife.

Su Wanwan found it strange that Lu Youting, a prince, was living in such dire straits.

She asked, "A prince's annual salary is ten thousand bushels of grain, so how come His Highness Prince Rong is so impoverished?"

Lu Youting frowned deeply and remained silent.

It was Lu Xingjian who spoke:

"It is true that the prince's annual stipend is ten thousand shi (a unit of grain).

"But back then, Chief Minister Su set a rule that princes who remained in Beijing would only receive 3,000 shi of grain."

"These past few years have been tough on Uncle Thirteen."

Thinking of how stubborn Old Man Su guarded against Prince Rong more fiercely than a thief, Lu Xingjian felt a warm current surge in his heart.

With a slight smile, he said, "Why don't you go back and think about it first, and see which piece of land in Changde Prefecture can support those people in the Prince's Mansion."

"I will grant you the memorial in the previous document."

To be honest, he still misses that grumpy, stubborn old man with his straight back.

Su Wanwan's expression hardened slightly.

Something seems off about Prince Rong.

Given their dire straits, how could they have remained completely indifferent to her enormous dowry in the first place?

Is it just because of her?

Then why did you speak ill of me in front of Lu Xingjian just now?

Something's really not right.

Lu Youting bowed and withdrew, his back straight but with a hint of desolation.

Before leaving, his gaze lingered on Su Wanwan for a moment.

That kind of grief, frustration, and resentment was truly unspeakable.

Su Wanwan glanced up and met his gaze unintentionally, then paused for a moment.

Is Lu Youting still not over her?

Lu Xingjian watched the two exchange glances, and his aura gradually turned cold.

After Prince Rong left and the door to the Imperial Study closed again, his tone was cold and disdainful:

"Feeling sorry for him?"

She was just feeding him osmanthus cake, and then she turned around and started flirting with another man.

She's such a womanizer.

Su Wanwan frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought: "I have a feeling that Prince Rong doesn't seem to be short of money."

Lu Xingjian paused for a moment and then said, "Then he must have other ways to make money."

The princes of the Liang Dynasty faced many restrictions.

They were not allowed to leave their fiefdoms, nor were they allowed to enter the capital.

The concern was that the regional princes might rebel.

Why would someone pretend to be poor when they have other ways to make money?

Thinking about it so deeply, the topic suddenly became somewhat heavy.

Seeing that Su Wanwan was still deep in thought, Lu Xingjian was a little displeased and said sarcastically:

"You still can't forget him."

Su Wanwan paused.

"His Majesty should care more than I do; after all, he is your own uncle."

She emphasized the phrase "close imperial uncle," which carried a deeper meaning.

Lu Xingjian's expression improved considerably after thinking about Su Jian's wariness of Prince Rong and Su Wanwan's words.

He likes to hear that, so you can say more.

Su Wanwan indeed got the hang of it:

"When Emperor Yingzong was captured during his personal military campaign, his younger brother, who remained in the capital and did not go to his fief, seized the opportunity to ascend the throne."

"Who would believe that Prince Rong has no ulterior motives for delaying his departure to his fiefdom?"

Lu Xingjian's lips curled up slightly, his tone sarcastic:

"Wouldn't Prince Rong be furious if he knew you were talking about him behind his back?"

Su Wanwan retorted, "How did I make up stories about him?"

"Am I not telling the truth?"

This made her seem a bit aggressive, which added a touch of girlish charm to her, unlike her usual bland demeanor.

Lu Xingjian pulled her onto his lap and affectionately pinched her nose.

"You're quite the clever one, but I know what I'm doing."

Wanwan's political instincts are truly sharp.

Su Wanwan's smile slowly faded, and she looked at Lu Xingjian with a somewhat serious expression.

She could guess that he had probably had a very difficult time all these years.

The court was filled with seasoned officials who had been immersed in officialdom for decades, each one cunning and shrewd.

The inner palace was controlled by Empress Dowager Zhang.

We must constantly compromise with all sides, winning over one while suppressing another.

You need to grow quickly from the cracks, but you also need to be wary of being wiped out.

He doesn't even dare to casually favor a woman.

He only dared to seek out her, a woman he had known since childhood and who would never harm him.

Putting aside other things.

At least the Su family has stood firmly behind him ever since he became the crown prince.

Even though his grandfather was forced to retire, he quickly returned to his hometown and did not cause him any trouble.

However, now she also wants to use him to get rid of Empress Xia and the Xia family.

Lu Xingjian met her gaze tenderly and gently pinched her cheek:

"What's wrong?"

"Trying to be lazy and not grind the ink?"

Su Wanwan placed her hand on his wrist, her expression complex, her eyes flickering:

"I'm wondering, when I get home, will you forget about me?"

Lu Xingjian smiled and gave her a light, ambiguous peck on the lips:

"It depends on your performance."

Su Wanwan: ? ? ?

How should it be performed?

Looking at her adorable appearance, Lu Xingjian had no interest in reading the memorials anymore.

He cupped her face, about to kiss her.

However.

Steward Li spoke up from outside the study:

"Your Majesty, Duke Xu Chengbi of Wei is waiting outside. Do you have time to see him?"

The romantic atmosphere was disrupted, and Lu Xingjian's face darkened; he remained silent.

Steward Li stood outside, listening intently for news.

Su Wanwan sensed something was wrong with his body, and her face flushed slightly.

"I think I'd better avoid this," she said.

Lu Xingjian took a deep breath, regained his aloof demeanor as a ruler, and simply said, "No need."