After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

The following morning, Xiao Changqi turned into Yingzhu Garden.

Xiao Changgeng was sitting in his wheelchair flipping through an official document, while Xuan Qi stood under the eaves grinding ink. The courtyard was quiet except for the sound of turning pages.

Xiao Changqi pulled up a chair and sat down opposite him, getting straight to the point.

"Brother, what do you think of that handsome scholar that our adoptive mother has taken a liking to?"

Xiao Changgeng turned to a page of the official document and drew a circle in a certain place with a vermilion pen.

"My godmother is happy."

Concise and to the point, light and easy.

Xiao Changqi waited for a while, then said, "Is that what I asked? What I meant was, shouldn't we investigate the background of that father and daughter first? What if they're after the Princess's family's wealth?"

Xiao Changgeng finally put down his vermilion pen.

He raised his eyes, his gaze falling indifferently on Xiao Changqi's face, his lips slightly pursed, revealing an expression of looking at an idiot.

"Do you think I would have let her into Yingzhu Garden without investigating?"

Xiao Changqi's mouth gaped open, and he stood there stunned.

Wait, what he meant was that he not only knew his godmother was going to marry that pretty boy, but also let that little girl into Yingzhu Garden?

"Wait, what did you say? You let that little girl into Shadow Bamboo Garden?"

Xiao Changgeng did not answer, but lowered his head to continue reading the official documents.

Xiao Changqi picked up a golden fan and made a gesture as if performing a ritual, pointing it at Xiao Changgeng.

"Are you Xiao Changgeng? Are you the demon possessing my brother? Get down here!"

Just as the commotion was starting, the curtain of the pharmacy behind them was lifted, and Ji Qianshang swaggered out, a stalk of a medicinal herb dangling from his mouth.

"Oh, the second young master is back."

He leaned against the doorframe and delivered the final blow.

"Not only did she enter Yingzhu Garden, but the little girl is now practically my apprentice."

"You know what, this little girl has a natural talent for pharmacology; she grasps it instantly. She's a rare find."

He sighed, his tone tinged with emotion.

"She's been on leave these past few days and hasn't been coming in. My pharmacy is so quiet and deserted; there's not even anyone to bicker with."

As he spoke, he started walking outside.

"No, I have to go check if her cold is getting better."

"Wait a moment."

Xiao Changgeng called out to him, took out a small oil paper package from a hidden compartment next to the wheelchair armrest, and handed it over.

Ji Qianshang turned around, looking at the package with some surprise. "What's this?"

Xiao Changgeng remained calm: "She's been taking bitter medicine for several days, so her mouth probably doesn't taste good. Please bring her some peach fritters from Honey Fruit Shop on your way."

Ji Qianshang took it, weighed it in his hand, and laughed.

"Oh? You even know what snacks young girls like?"

Xiao Changgeng lifted his eyelids and glared at him, his tone cold.

"Just take it and go, stop talking nonsense."

"Okay, okay, I'll go."

Ji Qianshang tucked the paper package into his pocket and swayed away.

The entire Yingzhu Garden fell silent again.

Xiao Changqi stood there, still holding the golden fan in one hand. His expression went from shock to bewilderment to collapse, finally culminating in a soul-searching question.

"What kind of bewitching potion has the Shen family father and daughter given you?!"

Xiao Changgeng closed the approved document and glanced at him.

"If you're free, go to the warehouse and take inventory of my batch of Huzhou raw Xuan paper. Don't get in the way here."

Xiao Changqi was expelled from Yingzhu Garden.

He stood on the bamboo path, turning the golden fan in his palm several times, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

Why would my brother, who is so suspicious, be so trusting of this little girl?

Just who is this girl?

He decided to go and meet them in person.

The afternoon sun shone on the back garden of the Princess's Mansion, giving the artificial rockery a thin layer of warmth.

Shen Jingque squatted by the flower bed, lost in thought. The system was chattering in her mind, reporting on the growth progress of the medicinal herbs in the space. She listened to it half-heartedly.

Footsteps came from the other end of the gravel path, accompanied by the soft tinkling of a metal fan turning between fingers.

"Sister Shen!"

Shen Jingque turned her head and saw Xiao Changqi walking over, fanning himself with a folding fan. His pomegranate-red brocade robe shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight.

He was fanning himself in the dead of winter, and his style was exactly the same as Ji Qianshang's.

"Greetings, Second Young Master." She stood up, patted the dirt off her knees, and gave a sweet smile.

Xiao Changqi stopped in front of her and looked her up and down.

Her face was as delicate and pretty as a rose, and her bright black eyes were very lively, darting around.

Otherwise, I really can't see anything special about it.

"I heard you've been in the manor for a while now, little sister. Haven't you had a proper stroll through the garden yet?" Xiao Changqi unfurled his golden fan, adopting the demeanor of a kind older brother. "Come on, let your second brother show you around."

Shen Jingque blinked.

Is this person trying to find out what's going on with her?

"Yes, thank you very much, Second Young Master!"

The two walked along the path beside the flowerbed, with Xiao Changqi constantly rambling on and on.

"Is my sister settling in well at the manor? Is the food to her liking? Are the servants taking good care of her?"

"It's just a habit. Uncle Xu and Sister Lü'e are both very kind to me."

"That's good, that's good." Xiao Changqi nodded, subtly changing the subject. "When my sister was back home, life must have been quite tough, right?"

Shen Jingque, however, appeared completely bewildered and innocent.

"Back then, things were alright. Although we were a bit poor, my dad was very good to me."

"Since your father is so talented, why didn't he take the imperial examinations?"

This is her trying to find out what her father is capable of.

Shen Jingque glanced at the sparsely blooming wintersweet to the side, quite frankly.

"My father's ancestors committed a crime, and three generations of them were barred from taking the imperial examinations."

Xiao Changqi raised an eyebrow; this was indeed the same as what he had found.

Just as he was about to continue trying to get more information out of her, Shen Jingque suddenly stopped, looked up at him, and her eyes were slightly red.

"Second Young Master, my father and I used to have nowhere to stay. If it weren't for Her Highness the Princess taking us in, I really don't know how we would have survived this winter."

Her voice was soft, with a slight nasal tone.

"Won't the second young master look down on my father and me and kick us out?"

These words, spoken in a way that was neither too loud nor too soft, caused the old woman and servant pruning the flowers nearby to look up.

Several pairs of eyes fell on Xiao Changqi simultaneously, their gazes filled with blatant scrutiny.

Xiao Changqi's fan got stuck halfway through its swing.

When did he say he was going to kick people out?

Just as she was feeling awkward, Uncle Xu came over from the other end of the passageway with a tea tray, bent down and handed Shen Jingque a piece of osmanthus cake, then patted her head.

"Little sparrow, don't be afraid. His Highness has personally told you to stay here in peace, and no one will chase you away."

He turned to look at Xiao Changqi, his tone kind but with a hint of admonition.

"Second Young Master, Little Sparrow is so young, please don't frighten her."

Shen Jingque took the osmanthus cake, took a bite, and gave Xu Bo a sweet smile.

Xiao Changqi watched this scene, and the corner of his mouth twitched twice.

Fine, he's the villain now.

This girl is very clever; he's not going to beat around the bush anymore.

With the golden fan closed, Xiao Changqi stared straight at Shen Jingque.

"Shen Jingque, I have a straightforward question for you."

"What exactly are you all after by coming to the Princess's residence?"

Shen Jingque slowed down her chewing of the osmanthus cake.

Xiao Changqi continued, "Your father was a commoner scholar with no official rank, title, or family background, while your adoptive mother was a dignified princess who held considerable military power."

"Once the news of the marriage gets out, what will the officials in the court say?"

"Do you realize how much trouble your father's identity will cause your stepmother?"

Shen Jingque swallowed the last bite of osmanthus cake and slowly patted the crumbs off her fingertips.

When she looked up again, her eyes no longer held that pitiful look from before.

Her bright black eyes revealed a clarity beyond her years.

"Second Young Master, I understand your concern that His Highness might be deceived."

"But do you think Her Highness the Princess wouldn't have thought of these things?"

"You say he's a commoner scholar, but think about it the other way around. My father doesn't have any powerful families backing him up, so there's no need to worry about him using his status as the emperor's son-in-law to form cliques in the court."

"You say he doesn't have a title? That's even better. He's not connected to any faction, so no one can use him as a pawn."

"You said he has no family background, but now that he's entered the Princess's residence, he can only depend on Her Highness for the rest of his life."

"Is it possible that it is precisely because my father's life is so precarious that the Princess feels more secure?"

Xiao Changqi stood there, arms crossed, speechless for a moment.

He recalled his adoptive mother's three previous husbands.

All three marriages lasted only about a year before the prince consorts died suddenly for various reasons.

Xiao Changqi was rescued from the refugees by the eldest princess when he was ten years old, and he was used to his adoptive mother's decisive and efficient manner in dealing with outsiders.

But he had also seen another kind of appearance.

Passing by the study late at night, the lamplight cast my stepmother's silhouette on the window paper. The tea beside me went cold and was refilled again and again.

He just sat there alone until late at night.

He was young at the time and thought his godmother was busy with important national affairs.

Later I realized that she probably also wanted someone who cared about her and understood her needs.

Seeing that his expression relaxed, Shen Jingque pressed her advantage.

"Second Young Master, not everyone we associate with has ulterior motives."

"The eldest princess gave my father and me protection, and we will always remember it."

She tilted her head and changed the subject.

"If we follow your line of thinking, then your crush on Manager Fan of the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce is also for ulterior motives?"

The back garden was silent. Xiao Changqi dropped the golden fan in his hand to the ground with a thud.

A strange blush suddenly appeared on his handsome face.

How did you know?