Xuanyuan Zhan did indeed return after lunch. Just as he arrived at the door, he heard the gatekeeper say that Su Yun'an had arrived.
Xuanyuan Zhan immediately returned to Linshui Pavilion.
Su Xuening was sitting in a rocking chair in the courtyard, where she could see Su Yun'an practicing martial arts in the bamboo forest.
Hearing footsteps, Su Xuening knew that Xuan Yuanzhan had returned, and turned around and smiled, "You're back."
"Is Yun'an here?" Xuan Yuanzhan walked to Su Xuening's side and saw Su Yun'an practicing swordsmanship in the bamboo forest.
Su Xuening explained with a smile, "Yun An said that Master and Uncle went to Bailong Temple with your Master, so he brought Moqi to the Holy King's Mansion."
Xuan Yuanzhan smiled helplessly, "The three of them are inseparable these days."
The master didn't even teach the lessons at Bailong Temple, and stayed in the bamboo forest for more than a month.
Now, when we go back, we've brought our master and uncle with us.
Su Xuening was understanding of them; after all, they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years, and they must have had a lot to talk about.
Actually, before my uncle came, my master lived alone in the bamboo forest, and he was quite lonely.
She only visited occasionally, and she worried that her master might become eccentric if he stayed alone in the bamboo forest. Now that he has her uncle and Master Daoyi with him, it's actually not so bad.
"Brother-in-law." Su Yun'an saw Xuan Yuanzhan return and immediately stopped practicing his swordplay, rushing over to him.
"So much sweat." Su Xuening saw that he was covered in sweat and took out a handkerchief to wipe it off for him.
"Sister, I'm an adult now, I can do it myself." Su Yun'an didn't want Su Xuening to wipe his sweat, so he took the handkerchief and wiped his sweat himself.
Xuanyuan Zhan patted his shoulder with a smile: "It's rare to come back to the capital, why bother practicing martial arts? Come on, your brother-in-law will take you shopping."
"Go shopping?" Su Yun'an looked bewildered.
To be honest, he wasn't interested in shopping.
Su Xuening also looked at Xuan Yuanzhan with curiosity.
Why did he suddenly decide to go shopping? Isn't he usually the least likely to go out?
Xuan Yuanzhan whispered a few words in Su Xuening's ear.
Su Xuening's eyes suddenly lit up, and she said with a cold smile, "The weather is nice today, we should definitely go out for a stroll."
Su Yun'an wasn't stupid; he clearly understood that this trip to the streets was definitely not just about shopping.
The three of them rode together in a carriage and headed to South Street.
The carriage stopped at the street corner, and Su Xuening could see two familiar figures in the bustling market through the gaps in the carriage.
That familiar voice could be faintly heard coming from there.
"You don't know, she's been living in a house on the outskirts of Beijing for the past six months just to meet with other men in secret."
Upon hearing this, Su Yun'an knew that Zhong was gossiping about her sister. She was so angry that she was about to rush down to confront Zhong, but Su Xuening stopped her.
Su Xuening gave Su Yun'an a look that said "please calm down," and Su Yun'an finally managed to suppress his anger for the time being.
My brother-in-law brought them here shopping, so he must know that Zhong Shi and Su Muyao are talking badly about my sister. My sister and brother-in-law must have a way to deal with Zhong Shi and Su Muyao, so he shouldn't be in a hurry.
Outside, the neighbors found it unbelievable to hear what Zhong said.
"No way! I've heard that the Holy King and the Holy Queen Dowager dote on the Holy Queen and treat her very well. Why would the Holy Queen secretly meet with another man?"
"Yes, I heard that the Holy King and the Holy Queen Dowager dote on the Holy Queen. Even when the Holy Queen went out to rest during her pregnancy, the Holy Queen Dowager went with her. The Holy King also goes there every day after court. With the Holy King and the Holy Queen Dowager accompanying her, how could the Holy Queen possibly meet with other men in secret!"
"Are you mistaken? The Holy King is the most handsome man in Eastern Chu, and he dotes on his Holy Queen. Where can the Holy Queen find a man better than the Holy King? Has she lost her mind and gone out to meet other men?"
These words made even Su Xuening glance at Xuan Yuanzhan unconsciously, noticing that he seemed somewhat smug.
And you know what? The people's eyes are sharp.
Indeed, having a man as perfect as Xuan Yuanzhan, why would she go out and secretly meet other men? She must have lost her mind!
"What do you know?" Seeing that they didn't believe her, Madam Zhong became a little anxious and immediately leaned closer mysteriously and whispered, "Actually, Su Xuening had already been having affairs with other men before she entered the Holy King's Mansion?"
"Impossible!" Before Zhong could finish speaking, a woman objected, "I seem to remember that before the Holy Princess got married, she was examined by the nanny next to Consort Su at the General's Mansion. The nanny said that the Holy Princess was a virgin at that time."
The person next to her immediately chimed in, "Yes, many people in the capital know about this. It's because your fourth young lady kept insisting that the Holy Princess was no longer a virgin that she had the old woman next to Consort Su examine her body. Your fourth young lady even had her tongue cut out because of it. The Emperor was present at the time; it was something the Emperor personally verified. You can't just say things like that!"
When the topic of having her tongue cut out came up, Su Muyao's face turned deathly pale.
Her hands clenched tightly. Thinking of the humiliation she had suffered back then and the hardships she had endured while being mute, she wanted nothing more than to tear that bitch Su Xuening to pieces!
She will avenge the loss of her tongue one day!
At this moment, Madam Zhong had no time to consider Su Muyao's feelings; she was only focused on the things Su Feiling had instructed her to do.
Today, this bucket of dirty water must be poured over Su Xuening from head to toe.
"She tampered with it. She must have bribed Granny Jiang, who was by Consort Su's side, to give her false testimony. In fact, she was no longer a virgin. Think about it, if we weren't sure that she had done such a thing, how could my Yao'er have dared to make that bet with her so confidently? But we never expected her to be so vicious. Not only did she bribe Granny Jiang, but she also cut out my Yao'er's tongue."
The women looked at each other in bewilderment upon hearing this.
"Are you telling the truth or lying?"
"Yes, I find it hard to believe that even the maidservant by Consort Su's side could be bribed!"
Seeing that they still didn't believe her, Madam Zhong slapped her thigh in frustration: "My God, how could I lie about something like this? Everything I said is true. She already had a lover, not only did she lose her virginity before the wedding, but even the child in her belly isn't the Holy King's, but that lover's."
The women were once again quite shocked by Zhong's words.
"That can't be! Mixing up the royal bloodline is a serious crime!"
Zhong glared at them and started shouting uncontrollably, "Why not? Didn't you see her belly? It's huge! It doesn't look like she's six months pregnant at all; it looks like she's seven or eight months along. She must have been pregnant before the wedding, and it's her lover's child!"
"Is that so?" No sooner had Madam Zhong finished speaking than a cold, sharp voice interrupted from not far away: "Then may I ask, Second Aunt, who exactly is my lover?"
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