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

The head steward stood at the front, his tone respectful yet firm, "Princess, please go to the front hall first and wait for the governor to return."

A large group of people swarmed forward, blocking her way. Princess Huayang gritted her teeth in anger, determined to replace these ungrateful bastards once she married into the Xie family.

"Can't I even take a stroll around the manor with the Fifth Miss?"

"Then please come with me, Your Highness. The lotus flowers in the courtyard pond are in bloom, and the fragrance of lotus flowers is sweet and intoxicating for miles around. It is the perfect day to admire the lotus flowers. I will take Your Highness to see them."

"This princess does not like lotus flowers."

A faint sound drifted over from a distance. Ning Yu peered through the crack in the window at the group of people at the other end of the corridor, her hand gripping the window frame turning white as she tightened her grip.

She is Princess Huayang.

She quietly moved away, leaning against the door and window as she took a deep breath.

She and Huayang had a long-standing feud. Now she was being raised by Xie Xun at the villa, and Huayang had married into the Xie family. She was sure to have a miserable life.

How could she escape from this villa? There were soldiers patrolling everywhere, and many hidden sentries. Even if she escaped, how could she evade pursuit?

Without a travel permit, she couldn't even leave the city. If she asked Xie Yun for help, Xie Xun would definitely find her by following the slightest clues. Given Xie Xun's bad temper, once he caught her, what chance would she have of surviving?

A jumble of complex thoughts kept swirling in her mind, and Ning Yu's eyes reddened slightly. She was originally a person who was easygoing and content with her lot, but Xie Xun just wouldn't let her go. He treated her, his beautiful wife and concubine, as something he couldn't bear to be seen by others.

The thought that Xie Yan was still looking for her made her feel even more choked up.

The noise outside gradually faded away. Ning Yu came back to her senses and looked out the window. She saw people reluctantly heading back the way they came and breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn't want to run into Hua Yang head-on. She was a royal princess and Xie Xun's fiancée; she was bound to be the one who suffered.

"Madam, is Madam inside?"

Xia Zhu's voice came from outside the door. Ning Yu tucked a stray hair behind her ear and went to open the door for her.

"Come in."

After Xia Zhu went inside and saw that the door was closed, she carefully took out the porcelain bottle she had been carrying in her bosom. "Madam, I went to the clinic early this morning to buy the medicinal herbs, and the doctor brewed them."

Ning Yu took it, opened the stopper, smelled it, and casually hummed in agreement.

She absolutely could not get pregnant with Xie Xun's child. After the two of them had their way with each other last night, she went to the bathroom and cleaned herself thoroughly.

Just in case, she still asked Xia Zhu to go out and buy her the medicinal herbs she needed, and secretly boiled the herbs into a porcelain bottle to bring over.

"Madam, this isn't a contraceptive potion, is it? If the governor finds out, I'll be dead."

"No, it's a fertility-enhancing medicine. As you can see, the governor is getting married. How will I live without children? I need to have a child as soon as possible."

Xia Zhu had taken a lot of money from her, and dared not say anything after hearing what she said. The madam was generous and protected her when she came out of the interrogation room, so she did not want to disobey the madam's wishes.

If there really is any problem, the lady will protect her.

After Ning Yu finished drinking the medicine, she finally relaxed. "By the way, did you buy the other medicinal herbs I needed?"

"I bought it and secretly put it in the cabinet that Madam mentioned."

Hua Yang and Xie Ling wandered around the mansion for most of the time but did not see the so-called woman. They waited in the hall for several hours, but Xie Xun still did not come.

Fearing that Xie Xun would find out she had brought Huayang to the villa, Xie Ling urged, "Princess, it seems Second Brother isn't coming. Let's go."

With the wedding imminent, she had never even seen him once. She had done something as shameful as coming to the villa to wait for him, but still hadn't seen him.

Hua Yang's head throbbed with anger. Looking at the steward standing outside the hall, he asked, "Isn't the Commander coming at noon?"

"Your Highness, this servant does not know either."

Xie Xun returned in the evening. As soon as he got back, he heard about Hua Yang and Xie Ling's visit to the villa. He was busy with official duties and didn't have time to listen to such trivial matters. He only asked one question.

"And her?"

"The lady is inside and hasn't come out; the two of them haven't seen each other."

Xie Xun said, "Whoever let this person in should go and receive their punishment."

The guard paused, then said, "Yes."

"Master, news just came that the person has been brought over."

Xie Xun originally intended to return to the main courtyard, but upon hearing Qingfeng's words, he paused in his tracks, "Bring the person to the study."

In the afternoon, Ning Yu went to ask the steward for a medicine stove, but the steward, who always gave her whatever she asked for, was in a dilemma and said that he had to ask the governor.

Ning Yu had no choice but to wait for Xie Xun to return so she could mention it to him.

"Madam, the Commander-in-Chief has returned and gone to his study."

Under the bright moonlight, several officials still dressed in their court robes stood outside the study courtyard. A middle-aged man in fine clothes knelt on the ground, looking at the man sitting in the armchair with a look of fear on his face.

When Ning Yu brought the tea over, she heard a pitiful scream coming from inside. She was startled and looked closely.

Countless pieces of evidence were laid out on the ground. The kneeling, richly dressed man was brought before the man in fear. It was unclear whether he had been tortured or not, but the documents on the ground were stained with his blood.

"lady---"

"Shh." Ning Yu shook her head. "Don't make a sound."

The guard at the door paused, glanced at her, then at her, and ultimately refrained from speaking.

"The Marquis of the Duke's mansion has engaged in treasonous activities. I wonder what will happen to him when this memorial enters the Imperial Study tomorrow?"

The gentle voice slowly entered her ears. Lin Huai gritted her teeth in anger, but looking at the handsome man in front of her, she dared not show it at all.

He didn't collude with the enemy at all; it was all a lie, a complete fabrication. He harbored wolfish ambitions, wanting to obtain the defense maps of the eight passes of Yuzhou. Yet Xie's faction dared to openly threaten him.

He stared at the officials around him, all of whom were high-ranking officials. Did the heads of the elders' council know that Xie Xun, this wolf cub, had such great ambitions?

"Now that Shuzhou has been invaded by the Crown Prince of Shangliang, if the defense map of the eight passes of Yuzhou falls into the hands of the Shangliang people, our Great Xia will fall apart. The Governor should also know the implications."

Xie Xun leaned back in his chair, his expression indifferent, as if he were untouched by worldly affairs and possessed a detached and detached air. However, Wei Rongxuan, who was nearby, could sense his impatient killing intent and chuckled as he sat down.

"Why be so tense when inviting the Marquis as a guest? Someone, bring a stool for the Marquis to sit down."

The guards waiting outside immediately brought over a white stool.

Lin Huai looked at the white stool covered with hidden weapons and knew that he was doomed if he didn't hand over the defense map today.

He is a member of the Crown Prince's faction and would never entrust such an important item to Xie Xun. At that time, the Elders' Council will definitely seize the credit for the Eight Passes of Yuzhou.