So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

The tranquil East Garden was serene and secluded, hidden among the lush waterside pavilions adorned with crabapple blossoms. Occasionally, it would emit muffled, cursing sounds, though they were not easily discernible.

Ning Yu knew that this bastard would use any trick in bed, but being used as a tool for venting her anger made her furious. The floor was covered with a thin silk blanket, and she fell to the ground, unable to straighten up for a long time.

The watchman's voice echoed faintly from outside. She propped herself up and sat up, wrapping her disheveled clothes tightly around herself.

Xie Xun had already left. He pulled up his pants, threw her on the ground, and left. That bastard deliberately humiliated her, bullying her with his superior attitude, just to let her see who she was relying on now.

That condescending, aristocratic air was truly irritating.

None of the maids who usually served outside came in. The elegant waterside pavilion was empty as if no one was there. Ning Yu returned to the Mo Courtyard without saying a word.

"Miss." Qinghe stood guard outside the door.

Qin's mother was also there, and she looked at the Crown Princess covering her face as she entered the room with a slight suspicion.

After Qinghe recovered from her injuries and returned, she stopped serving her for the past two days. But having lived to such an old age, she could naturally detect anything amiss from the slightest hint of trouble.

It seems that the Crown Princess is often not in the Mo Courtyard at night. These past two days, Qinghe has been keeping watch, and she doesn't know if the Crown Princess is in the room. She wonders to herself but dares not say it.

In this large family, keeping your mouth shut is the way to survive.

She watched as the two of them went inside, closed the door, and went downstairs to sleep.

Qinghe entered the room and noticed that her young mistress's expression was off. She quickly went to get her some ointment. "I'll go to the small kitchen to make a contraceptive for you, young mistress."

"No need to cook it."

He didn't do it; he deliberately humiliated her to see her feeling aggrieved, and he probably felt incredibly satisfied.

With the cool ointment applied to her lips, Ning Yu drank a cup of tea to rinse her mouth, then went to bed exhausted.

She had taken a cold bath a couple of days ago and was still a little weak, so she quickly fell asleep under the covers.

In the following days, Xie Xun did not send anyone to see her once. Ning Yu felt uneasy but also couldn't help feeling happy. Had she angered him? Did he find it boring and get tired of it and not want to continue?

Thinking about it this way, she immediately felt relieved. Dealing with him was more tiring than dealing with so many people in the Xie family.

As long as he doesn't deliberately cause her trouble, she's relatively happy living in the Xie family.

"Qinghe, have we run out of supplies in our yard these past few days?"

Qinghe brought in a bowl of chilled mung bean soup to cleanse the palate and placed it on the tatami table. "No, Miss, what's wrong?"

"fine."

"It's so hot outside today, Miss, why don't you have a bowl of chilled mung bean soup to cool down?"

Ning Yu, dressed in a moon-white dress, was leaning against a soft couch reading a book. Upon hearing this, she put down her book, picked up a blue-and-white porcelain bowl, and ate a small bite.

Qinghe had been with her for so many years, and Ningyu didn't hold her back. She let her get a bowl too, and the two sat on the soft couch, drinking and talking.

"Miss, are you feeling better? These past two days have been filled with flower viewing parties, spring outings, and poetry gatherings. Fifth Miss has gone out to play, while you've been cooped up in the room all day, which has made you sick."

Ning Yu didn't want to go out and show her face in public. As she said this, she suddenly remembered something. When she paid her respects to the old lady today, she was told that an envoy from Shangliang had come to the capital and that the palace was going to hold a banquet. She was asked to go with the Grand Princess.

Such banquets are attended by officials and their relatives, and she can't refuse them. Moreover, she might even see her father, mother, and sisters.

"The Governor seems very busy these past few days and hasn't visited the young lady at all. Are you two having a fight?"

Mentioning that bastard, Ning Yu's expression turned cold. "It's good that he's busy; he shouldn't be idle."

Xie Xun has indeed been very busy these past few days. With the arrival of the Shangliang envoy in the capital, there are many military affairs to handle, so he has been keeping Ning Yu waiting.

At the long table in the military camp sat many generals. Opposite them was Murong Huang, the crown prince of Shangliang, who was wearing a bright red robe with intricate patterns embroidered on the hem. It was the Great Xia robe he had changed into after arriving in the capital.

However, his face had a demonic air about it, his eyes were amber, and his hair was wrapped with gold thread and adorned with bells, making it easy to tell that he was not a person from Great Xia.

There was a lot of wine on the table, and beautiful maids served on both sides of the long table. A group of dancers, each as beautiful as a flower, flowed into the passageway on both sides and danced with the musicians, waving their long water sleeves.

Murong Huang pinched the chin of the beautiful maidservant serving him with one hand, and laughed smugly, "The beauties of Great Xia still can't compare to the women of Ximisha."

"If the Crown Prince doesn't like these beauties, go and bring in another batch."

"Never mind, never mind," Murong Huang chuckled lightly. "Let's talk business first."

As he spoke, he looked at the man opposite him and said, "I have long admired the Governor's name, and today I am finally able to meet you."

Back then, Xie Xun opened the gates of the capital single-handedly. The people outside the gates described him as a fierce and ruthless man, thinking he was some kind of brute. It turned out he was such a young man.

"My imperial uncle once praised the commander-in-chief for his bravery and skill in battle, but unfortunately I met the heir of the Xie family on the battlefield and was unable to witness the commander-in-chief's prowess."

In the Battle of Nanguan, Crown Prince Xie Yan died on the battlefield, which was inextricably linked to the Crown Prince of Shangliang, who was the one leading the Shangliang army at the time.

The generals inside the tent were all Xie Xun's men. He chuckled lightly, "I heard that King Huaiyou is making great efforts to open up Ximing, and this proposal has been agreed upon by all the royal clans. When the Crown Prince came to Great Xia, did he go to Ximing?"

A flicker of displeasure crossed Murong Huang's face, but his smile deepened. "Ximing is now a scene of devastation, and Nanguan is no better off."

"If that's the case, why has the Crown Prince come to Great Xia?"

The Xia and Shangliang had been at war for many years. The Xia army invaded Ximing like locusts, burning, killing, and looting, leaving the city completely ransacked. But Ximing could not satisfy the Xia people's appetite, and Nanguan could not quell the Liang people's anger.

But this matter always needs to be resolved.

----

The banquet at the palace was held in the Holy Palace behind the Imperial Garden. Ning Yu arrived at the palace with the Grand Princess in the afternoon.

The banquet was naturally not very enjoyable; the palace was filled with the sounds of string and wind instruments and dancing, all wishing the emperor on his high throne a long life.

As the wine flowed freely, the envoy from Shangliang brought many rare and wonderful things for everyone to enjoy. Laughter echoed from the dragon throne, which was surrounded by golden light, and the tributes were bestowed upon the favored nobles.

Ning Yu sat next to the Grand Princess, looked around but didn't see any family members. Instead, she saw a man on the high seat talking to the Crown Prince.

The man was dressed in a dark purple official robe. He was tall and slender, and his handsome features were well-defined. He had an air of purity, detachment, and unapproachability.

He didn't know if he had seen her before, but he raised his dark eyes to look at her. When his cold gaze met hers across the crowd, she inexplicably felt that he was angry.

Ning Yu quickly looked away, lowered her head, picked up the wine cup on the table, and took a sip.

Seeing that the man had stopped speaking, Crown Prince Xie Jingchen immediately followed his gaze to the opposite side, where a large group of people sat at several long tables, seemingly looking at someone.

The wine at the banquet wasn't very strong, but Ning Yu couldn't hold her liquor; after just one sip, her face turned red.

The Grand Princess glanced at her and said coldly, "Go and rest in the side hall next door."

"Yes."

Ning Yu quietly withdrew from the palace banquet. An eunuch serving outside heard her question and pointed her towards the side hall.

Once outside, the wind blew away the luxurious fragrances from inside the palace, and she no longer felt any blush.

The side hall was a place specifically for nobles to rest. As soon as she pushed open the door, she was greeted by a magnificent and luxurious atmosphere. She took a breath, closed the door, and walked to the stool to sit down.

Suddenly, a flippant voice came from behind, "Where did this young lady come from, barging into a man's room?"