She refused to marry.

Lu Huai'an picked up the list, frowned as he glanced at it, and slowly closed it.

He walked slowly to the door, opened it, and gave Yuan Zijin a few words of advice. Yuan Zijin nodded and dismissed everyone outside from the courtyard.

Su Wanwan stood up, watched Lu Huai'an close the door with a heavy heart, then turned and walked to her side. "Did you show it to a third person?"

"I've seen it myself," Su Wanwan said coldly.

Lu Huai'an looked at the list and said, "These are all people who have pledged allegiance to Prince Changxin. If this is leaked, it will be a crime punishable by the extermination of their entire families."

"You put these in the post and sent them to me, are you trying to kill me?" Su Wanwan's voice was a little tense.

Lu Huai'an shook his head, his gaze deep: "It's not that I want to harm you, it's that I trust you."

"Trust me?" Su Wanwan sat down angrily, took a few sips of tea, then stood up again in a huff, unable to utter a single word.

"His Majesty is about to host a welcome banquet for the Crown Prince, but that's just an excuse. The real purpose of the banquet is to investigate the Crown Prince's purpose in coming to the capital. Keeping this list at the Crown Prince's residence is like having a death warrant, so putting it in his dowry is the safest option. I only trust you."

"Can't you just use your brain to remember it!" Su Wanwan crossed her arms and turned her face away.

"Three hundred and seventy-two people." Lu Huai'an looked at her sullen face. "They're scattered throughout the capital, the northern border, and the south of the Yangtze River. There are military officers, civil officials, merchants, and even people from the palace. Each person's name, official position, contact code, date of joining, and matters they handled—it ranges from a few dozen words to several hundred. You expect me to memorize all of that?"

"Then you can't just leave it here!" she retorted. "Couldn't you have made several copies and hidden them in different places?"

"They confiscated it. They hid it in my residence. But the Crown Prince's men have already searched my place twice. If it weren't for Yuan Zijin's vigilance, it would have been found long ago."

Su Wanwan spread her hands. "How long will it be stored with me?"

"Now you're making a scene. Bringing so many boxes from the Su residence might alert the Crown Prince to the Su family's intentions."

"If you ask me, just throw it in the latrine. Who's going to search the latrine?" Su Wanwan said defiantly.

Lu Huai'an smiled and took her hand. "Wanwan, you've had a hard time today. Go home early. I'm afraid I won't have time to see you these next few days."

"I understand." Su Wanwan suddenly remembered something, picked up the cursive script, handed it to Lu Huai'an, and said with a displeased expression, "Here, this is the betrothal letter, take it carefully."

"Okay." Lu Huai'an took the marriage certificate with a serious look in his eyes.

"I'll let you know once I've chosen an auspicious day. I'm leaving now!" Su Wanwan opened the door, and as she reached the doorway, she turned back and said.

"Lu Huai'an, in my hometown, before getting married, you need to propose. The proposal requires a pair of rings... to be worn here."

Su Wanwan stretched out her palm and pointed to the position of her ring finger.

"Okay." Lu Huai'an's eyes were burning.

*

Su Wanwan returned the things, and her third aunt sighed and complained to her second brother and sister-in-law about how good Lu Huai'an was and how disappointing Su Wanwan was.

Su Hongxuan's expression was solemn. "The situation in the capital is tense lately. Getting engaged now is not a good time. Besides, that person is working for Prince Changxin. Wanwan, think about it again."

"Second Uncle, if you miss such a good person, you'll never have another chance. Although Lu Huai'an's family background isn't great, and I wouldn't even consider him, he's completely devoted to Wanwan. His manners are almost like royalty. I think this marriage is a good idea," Su Jinse said, waving her fan.

"Wanwan's marriage is already difficult. If Wanwan is willing, I am willing too. Even if she is not by my side in the future and goes to another place, she may live better than in the capital," Wang said in a low voice.

"I'll have him come to see me another day," Su Hongxuan said to Su Wanwan.

Su Wanwan nodded.

The room fell silent.

"Don't just keep an eye on her. She's the most beautiful flower right now. If you don't keep an eye on her, she'll run off with someone else." Su Jinse stood up, her gaze lingering on Su Yaoyue.

Su Yaoyue blushed instantly, pursed her lips, and looked at Sister Wan.

Su Wanwan smiled and looked at her mother.

Madam Wang clenched her handkerchief and said to Su Hongxuan, "Actually, there's something I've been keeping from you for a long time. Our Yaoyue has someone she likes. Would you like to consider it, sir?"

"How many things are you hiding from me?" Su Hongxuan asked with a smile.

"Dad, what are you saying?" Su Wanwan walked over, pinched her father's shoulder, and gave it a light tap. "Our family has been through so much, we just wanted some peace and quiet for a while..."

"Second Uncle, you can catch up, we'll be leaving now." Su Jinse pulled her mother, who was watching the play, towards the door.

"Go ahead, you've had a hard time these past two days," Su Hongxuan said.

After everyone had left, he said again, "Tell me about Yaoyue."

"This person works as the chief clerk in the Prince's residence's document room, in charge of transcribing and organizing incoming and outgoing letters." Su Wanwan scratched her head.

Su Jinse is such a troublemaker, bringing up Zhao Yu's matter at this time.

Fortunately, after meeting Zhao Yu that time, Lu Huai'an helped him find a job at the Prince of Changxin's residence.

"Oh, so you mean you're not from the capital and just found a temporary job." Su Hongxuan frowned.

"How did Father know?" Su Wanwan lowered her head.

"The Crown Prince of Changxin has only been back for a short time, and this little girl has been engrossed in reading letters every day for over a year," Su Hongxuan said with a smile.

"Father, how did you all know? I'm not talking to you anymore!" Su Yaoyue got up angrily and ran away shyly.

"Oh dear, you can't say that!" Su Hongxuan laughed, pointing at his daughter's back.

"Father, you know? You don't object?" Su Wanwan asked in a low voice.

"Sigh, ever since Ranran left, I haven't wanted to care about these things anymore. Marriage is a matter of personal choice, and what parents arrange isn't always a good thing. As long as you two live well and live peacefully, that's better than anything else. But you? You appear and disappear like a ghost, I've never seen you even once." Su Hongxuan said with dissatisfaction.

"Once Lu Huai'an is done with his work, he will definitely come to apologize to you." Su Wanwan squatted down and massaged her father's legs. "Father, what's wrong with your legs again? What did the imperial physician say?"

"It's the same old problem. It hurts before the rain, but it stops hurting after the rain. The imperial physician prescribed some medicine, and I'll have to take it again soon."

Su Wanwan and Madam Wang helped Su Hongxuan toward the study on the east side.

At night, Su Wanwan squatted in her bedding, thinking about Lu Huai'an's affairs during the day. Could she really trust him? If she could stand on the side of the Prince of Changxin, life would be easier once the prince ascended the throne.

Chunhua came in from outside carrying water. "Miss, Fengchenjun's men just arrived. They said you need to go to the East Garden tomorrow."

"I don't want to go. I've been going to Dongyuan these past few days just to curry favor with that cold-faced devil. And now I have to go again..." Su Wanwan buried her head in the blanket. She'll wait a little longer, until things change in the capital, then her life will be better.