Wei Shuwan's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively pulled back from her forward lean, turning her head to look at Wei Shuyao with some annoyance.

Anyone who isn't blind can see what she's doing, right? Her intention in deliberately making such a loud noise is obvious.

However, Wei Shuwan had no intention of arguing with Wei Shuyao under the window, as it would only make the people inside laugh at the Wei family. So she turned around and stormed off.

The attempt to eavesdrop failed; it was a truly inauspicious start.

As Wei Shuwan walked away, the innocent smile on Wei Shuyao's lips gradually turned into a triumphant one, but it was eventually replaced by hatred.

Wei Shuwan refused to grant her wish and ruined her wonderful marriage. Could she just sit by and watch Wei Shuwan get married in style and happiness?

The Crown Prince's Consort? Ha, she really knows how to climb the social ladder. No wonder she doesn't even give a damn about someone like Young Master Du. She pretends to be indifferent to everything, but she's actually a sycophant who begs for the powerful and tramples on the weak.

They were clearly the two beauties of the Wei family back then, equally matched. Why is it that now, even Wei Shuwan, who looks down on them, can't get them? The more Wei Shuyao thought about it, the angrier she became. She glanced at the window and then shifted her gaze to the several large vermilion lacquered chests neatly arranged in front of the courtyard.

Those were all betrothal gifts sent by the Prince of Qiaochuan. They included everything from black and red silks and satins to crowns, hairpins, and jade-handled incense beads. Wei Shuyao felt her scalp tingle when the servant read out the gift list just now. The Prince of Qiaochuan's mansion had truly given the second branch of the family a great deal of face and respect.

At this moment, the servants of the Wei family, who were filing in one by one, were cataloging the gifts in the boxes and moving them into the storeroom. Then they took out the return gifts that the master of the house had hastily prepared, filled the empty vermilion boxes half full, and carried them back to the carriage of the Prince of Qiaochuan's mansion.

Wei Shuyao stared hatefully at the boxes, her heart gradually filled with jealousy. She thought that if she were given a chance to meet the young Prince Qiaochuan alone, she could tell him all of Wei Shuwan's shameful deeds. Even if he didn't believe her at the moment, at least a seed of doubt would be planted in his heart, and over time, that seed would take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree.

After staring intently for a long time, a glint of light flashed in Wei Shuyao's eyes, and she made up her mind!

...

About two hours later, ten carriages from the Qiaochuan Prince's Mansion drove out of the Wei family's carriage gate and returned to the manor. The boxes were unloaded from the carriages and temporarily stored in the warehouse.

In preparation for today's betrothal ceremony, Li Qingchen didn't sleep well last night. After a simple lunch and flipping through a few pages of military books, he gradually felt drowsy. He walked to the couch, intending to take a short nap, when he saw a dark shadow flash past the window.

This is Jingchen Pavilion, and ordinary people are not allowed to approach it. Only Yuan Que and Gu Zhuang can come here to report matters, but Li Qingchen is certain that the figure just now was not one of them.

So Li Qingchen casually picked up a peanut and flicked it at the next window! The peanut, carrying a strong wind, pierced through the peach blossom paper on the window with a "whoosh" and hit something. At the same time, a woman's painful scream echoed back into the room.

Li Qingchen opened the door and saw a woman clutching her forehead in pain. He was about to ask, "Who is she?" when he suddenly realized that she looked somewhat familiar. Upon further reflection, he realized that she was Wei Shuwan's fourth younger sister. He had seen her on the beam that day, just like now, with a repulsive appearance.

It's no wonder Li Qingchen thought this way. The last time he saw Wei Shuyao, she was framing Wei Shuwan, and her plan had failed, so she was naturally furious and her face was contorted with rage. And this time, she was injured by the internal force between his fingers, and her facial features were in pain. If he had used even a little more force, he probably could have pierced right through her skull.

When Wei Shuyao decided to use the box to sneak into the Qiaochuan Prince's mansion, she knew it would be extremely dangerous, but she had no choice but to take the risk to achieve her goal. In any case, the relationship between the eldest and second branches of the family was already broken, and it couldn't get any worse.

Once the pain subsided slightly, Wei Shuyao, fearing another attack, quickly revealed her identity: "Your Highness, please spare me! I am Wei Shuwan's younger sister. I had no choice but to take this risk to see Your Highness! This matter also concerns the reputation of the Qiaochuan Prince's Mansion. I beg Your Highness to give me a chance to plead my case."

Wei Shuyao continued to cover her forehead, her eyes brimming with tears as she spoke sincerely.

Li Qingchen had a general idea of ​​what she wanted to say, but he still nodded and said, "Okay, then go ahead and say it."

Wei Shuyao was overjoyed that things had gone so smoothly and began to share her thoughts:

“I have been very close to my third sister since childhood, and I really can’t bear to watch her commit the crime of deceiving the emperor. I know that some things can’t be kept secret forever, so I think it’s better to let the young prince know before the wedding. I only ask that the young prince be lenient and forgiving and not look down on my third sister because of this.”

Li Qingchen squinted, not saying a word, but Wei Shuyao understood the implication: he didn't have much patience and wanted her to stop talking nonsense.

Wei Shuyao swallowed hard, trying to be as concise as possible when she wanted to say something:

"When I was in Wu County, I heard that the women of Shengjing were very unrestrained, often frequenting opera troupes and brothels, and some even bringing famous actors and musicians home to keep as their lovers. I always thought these things were far away, but just two days ago, when I saw with my own eyes that my third sister was also keeping a man in her Floating Pavilion, I realized that my third sister had also gone astray in the past two years in Shengjing..."

“A woman’s chastity is so precious. Such a thing cannot be hidden from Your Highness’s discerning eyes. I dare not let my third sister be exposed on her wedding night, so I wish to inform Your Highness in advance. Whether to marry or break off the engagement, I urge Your Highness to think carefully.”

“I never imagined that Third Sister Wei would be this kind of person.” Li Qingchen said coldly.

Wei Shuyao was secretly delighted, but she still tried to hide it from others: "Third Sister may just be indulging in pleasure for a moment, but she would never give her heart to that kind of man. I believe that Third Sister has the young prince in her heart."

"Really? How can you be so sure?"

"I..." She had only said it casually, but unexpectedly, the Prince of Qiaochuan pressed her on this point and asked her a question. Wei Shuyao was speechless for a moment and did not know how to answer.

Li Qingchen smiled inscrutablely and asked again, "Have you seen that male favorite that Wei San Niangzi keeps at Fuquxuan?"

"Yes, I met you."

"What does he look like?" Li Qingchen was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Wei Shuyao thought for a moment and answered truthfully: "That day, I only saw a back view, but the person was strong and straight, with a handsome figure..."

How does it compare?

As he said this, Li Qingchen turned around, his back to Wei Shuyao. Wei Shuyao stared at his back for a few moments, and found it strangely familiar. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Could he be the man from that day?!