Xu Nian paused as she got into the carriage, then said, "My carriage broke down halfway here today, and I happened to be passing by the Second Prince's residence, so I borrowed it for a bit."
Anqing had no suspicions and said nothing more. The two parted ways at the entrance of the princess's residence. The first thing Xu Nian did upon returning to the county princess's residence was to have someone return the carriage.
Then, he dismissed the servants and walked around the long path leading to the backyard.
Before long, a hidden door appeared in front of them, which was tightly closed by three locks from top to bottom.
Even if an ordinary person discovers it, they simply cannot open it without a key.
Xu Nian twitched her fingers slightly, and the lock opened with a click. She pushed open the door and went inside.
When the mansion was completed, Gu Zhan specially built a small gate, saying that the two mansions were connected, so that if anything happened to her, there would be someone to help her.
The keys were kept by the two of them, and they wouldn't open the doors easily under normal circumstances.
As you pass through the not-so-long corridor inside the door, the space suddenly opens up before you. A guard suddenly appears out of nowhere. "Princess, the general is holding a meeting in the front hall. You may wait in the back courtyard for a while."
Is this the time to discuss matters?
Looking up at the sky, which was already covered with a thin layer of black sand, I felt a little puzzled.
In the Xuan Dynasty, an unwritten rule was that, except for matters like weddings and funerals, all other major events had to be discussed before sunset. Of course, over time, a small number of people didn't really care about this.
She was genuinely curious, so she waved for the guards to leave, saying, "No need, I'll go to the front hall to find him."
The guard opened his mouth to stop her, but she had already walked quite a distance away, lifting her skirt. To speed things up, Xu Nian even tried out her newly recovered Shrinking Earth Technique.
In less than a minute, they bypassed the row of houses in the backyard and arrived at the front yard before the guards could report the news.
"Lord Chen, please take these back. I have no need for them."
It was Gu Zhan's voice, as calm and collected as ever. Xu Nian, hidden in the shadows, hesitated, wanting to reveal herself to hear those words.
[Host, eavesdropping is wrong.]
[What does the general mean by that? Did someone bribe him?]
[Very likely, after all, the general is a second-rank official. Many people probably want to curry favor with him. Just look at those rich young ladies who are always causing trouble for the streamer.]
"Who said I was eavesdropping?" Xu Nian said confidently, pricking up her ears. "I was listening openly and honestly, they just didn't notice me."
The people inside were so engrossed in their conversation that she, a perfectly healthy person standing in a corner of the front hall, didn't even notice them.
With all the servants outside dismissed, Xu Nian didn't even bother to hide, standing there brazenly. The sound of the two talking could be clearly heard.
Lord Chen choked for a moment, "General, what are you saying? It is only natural for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Now that you have a wife, you don't even have a single concubine in your household. Since you'll have to find one eventually anyway, why not find someone you know well?"
Good heavens!
They've come to steal her boyfriend!
Xu Nian's breathing became erratic, and her fingers twitched slightly. She barely managed to hold back from rushing out on the spot.
Gu Zhan sensed something and glanced casually outside. There was no one on the road directly in front of him, only a lone figure whose shadow was stretched long by the lantern light.
Lord Chen continued his persuasion, "My Xuan'er and the General have grown up together since childhood. Although she is a concubine's daughter, she can be a wife of equal status. Once the County Princess and the General are married, we can choose a day to marry her into the family."
I knew the Xuan Dynasty was open-minded, but I never imagined it was this open!
Isn't matchmaking something that middle-aged women do? Or, in marriages between two noble families, the matchmaker is always someone who is on good terms with both families.
The Prefect of Jingzhou actually came in person! Isn't he afraid of being ridiculed by his colleagues?!
What's even more crucial is that Gu Zhan actually fell silent!
He fell silent!
Lord Chen was secretly pleased to see him deep in thought, unaware that the man's gaze had been subtly fixed on a certain spot outside the door.
A knowing smile never left Chen Xuan's lips, her cheeks flushed. She still thought Gu Zhan's smile was directed at her.
She bowed gracefully, her movements delicate and slender. "General, please don't take offense. Although I had a disagreement with the county princess the other day, which displeased her, she is such a magnanimous person that she will surely not hold it against my daughter in the future. We two will certainly..."
"Who says this county magistrate won't hold a grudge?"
Enough is enough! There's no need to endure it any longer!
The tree Xu Nian was standing on was practically covered in bark from being peeled off by Chen Xuan. Hearing Chen Xuan's sly words, it could no longer hold back. "Miss Chen is quite adept at reading people's hearts. I, the county princess, haven't even appeared yet, and you've already judged me?"
She plopped down on a chair in the front hall, startling both Gu Zhan and the other two.
After bowing, Lord Chen continued, "My daughter misspoke, but a stable home is essential for the general to feel at ease in court or on the battlefield, isn't it?"
[How shameless! What's the difference between this and selling one's daughter?]
I'd heard from others that Lord Chen doted on his youngest daughter. Turns out, she was just a pawn.
The county magistrate, without any hesitation, took Gu Zhan's teacup in front of the two of them and said, "What are you saying, Lord Chen? When did I agree to let your daughter enter the manor?" In front of Chen Xuan, she deliberately took a big gulp of tea.
She pushed it back to Gu Zhan. Chen Xuan watched in disbelief, her face turning pale. "Even if the county princess is unconventional, she shouldn't be drinking tea from the general's cup. And to throw it back to the general is just too, too vulgar."
Hesitantly, she twisted her body forward, wanting to replace Gu Zhan's teacup.
But the man stopped her, moving the cup further inside. "No need. Nian'er and I are used to sharing the same bowls and plates, just one cup." He didn't even use a respectful title, calling Xu Nian by her given name.
The way they protected the cups and saucers was as if they were protecting some priceless treasure.
Chen Xuan bit her lip, her gaze pleadingly falling on Lord Chen. Then she turned to look at Gu Zhan with a pitiful expression.
The man remained unmoved, and Xu Nian's anger subsided slightly. Casually fiddling with the sash at her waist, she said, "Third Miss says this county princess is vulgar. Does that mean it's proper for you to have someone in Gu Zhan's room before I'm even married to him?"
His gaze swept over everyone present. "Moreover, I remember that the Third Miss's birth mother was just an ordinary concubine in your household, not even a noble concubine. How come she's being promoted to a secondary wife now? The bride, whom the Emperor has bestowed upon us, hasn't even entered the household yet, and you're already promoting her to a secondary wife? Lord Chen, are you trying to put Gu Zhan in an unjust position?"
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