Raising a wife? The mistress of the Hou family divorced and remarried her younger uncle

Chapter 247 Sincerity
Su Qingwan did not need to attend this chamber of commerce banquet; Prefect Yun alone was sufficient to entertain the chamber of commerce members from Jiangnan.

The Xie family helped her gather this group of business leaders.

For many years, the vital waterway trade route between Jiangnan and Huainan was severed by the annihilation of the Huainan tribe. The imperial court's ambiguous attitude towards the Huainan region led to the stagnation of business and the abandonment of trade routes. Now, to reopen the route, the merchant guilds and government officials of both sides must unite. Su Qingwan first sent people to contact the Jiangnan merchant guild, and today's banquet is the first meeting between the Jiangnan and Huainan merchant guilds.

She chose to attend purely out of respect. Of course, there was another reason: she really didn't want to stay at home and be alone with Lu Jing.

By the time the chamber of commerce banquet ended, it was already late at night. Green Bamboo and Green Cloud accompanied Su Qingwan as she walked out. Just as they reached the door, they saw Li An waiting there.

Su Qingwan was quite surprised.

Li An stepped forward respectfully and said, "My master is waiting by the river and hopes to accompany the princess for a walk to sober up." Su Qingwan hadn't drunk much tonight, and although she was a woman, no one present dared to force her to drink.

She wasn't a big drinker to begin with, and her cheeks would flush after just a little. At this point, she didn't object to taking a walk along the river to sober up.

Since Huainan lifted its curfew a month ago, the city has been bustling at night, with the riverbank being the liveliest spot in the city.

The riverbank was bustling with vendors and peddlers, a vibrant scene of everyday life. Su Qingwan, having little free time, often enjoyed taking walks at night. From afar, she spotted Lu Jing.

He stood on the stone bridge, tall and handsome, standing out in the crowd like a crane among chickens. He did not bring any imperial guards with him this time, and dressed in a long blue robe, he was the epitome of a refined young gentleman, attracting the secret affections of countless young girls.

The people of the border region are known for their fierce and untamed spirit. A daring young woman threw flowers at Lu Jing to express her love, but Lu Jing remained indifferent, letting the flowers fall into the river and drift away. Another spirited young woman boldly walked onto the stone bridge and initiated a conversation with him.

But Lu Jing's few words were enough to make the girl's smile vanish, and she left disappointed. Seeing this, Su Qingwan found it quite amusing and couldn't help but stop to watch. In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, more than ten girls, some shy and reserved, others passionate and direct, had expressed their love for Lu Jing—a truly novel scene!
Li An was so anxious that he scratched his head, especially when he heard Green Bamboo suddenly say, "The prince really is a ladies' man."

“In the capital, no one dares to get close to Master!” Li An quickly explained, “Master only has eyes for you, Princess!”

Lu Jing's reputation in the capital was not good; he was known as "Jade-Faced Yama." Most of the young women in the capital were sheltered ladies from wealthy families, a stark contrast to the more open customs of the border regions.

Even if someone liked Lu Jing, they would never dare to speak a single word to him alone, otherwise they would be accused of being shameless and engaging in illicit affairs, so naturally no one dared to approach him. Now that he is the Regent, holding a high position and great power, no one dares to overstep the bounds.

Su Qingwan's lips curled up slightly, and she chuckled softly, "Your master's appearance is indeed extremely handsome!"

She then walked up the steps toward the stone bridge. Li An was full of doubt, unable to figure out what the princess meant by those words, and couldn't help but ask Green Bamboo beside him, "Sister Green Bamboo, what does the princess mean by that?" "She's praising your prince's good looks, can't you even understand that? You're so stupid!" Green Bamboo rolled her eyes at him.

Li An began to have doubts. Was it just a simple compliment? Or was there some hidden meaning or sarcasm?

This is really something I'm not used to.

Lu Jing had rejected countless women who tried to strike up a conversation with him.

Upon seeing Su Qingwan, the corners of his lips unconsciously turned up, and he said to the woman beside him, "I'm engaged, and she's here!" The young woman followed his gaze and saw Su Qingwan climbing the steps, and she was so frightened that her face turned pale.

Good heavens, it was actually a princess! How could she dare to compete with a princess for someone? She immediately turned and ran away. No matter how audacious she was, she didn't have the guts to do that!
Strangely enough, during the months that Su Qingwan had been in charge of Huainan, she had always been kind and gentle, and had never done anything bloody or ruthless. When the bandits and the people set up a duel, she even clapped and cheered from the high platform, watching with great interest.

She was stunningly beautiful and appeared to have a very good temper. However, no one in the entire city of Huainan dared to provoke her easily. Despite her sweet smile, the young princess held firm to military and political power. She had the authority to decide on the deployment of troops and the appointment of officials in Huainan, and no one dared to truly disobey her.

She never walked the streets when she went out, and was a familiar face in Huainan City. However, wherever she went, the people would automatically keep their distance, and no one dared to approach her to make friends. Su Qingwan once wondered if she had done something that angered both heaven and man to deserve such "treatment".

"Why didn't you go to the prefectural government?" Su Qingwan walked up to Lu Jing and asked.

“You’re hosting a banquet for the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce. If I go, wouldn’t that be putting the cart before the horse? You’ll be angry, won’t you?” Lu Jing looked at her gently. He knew that feelings were feelings, and business was business. If he went rashly, it would damage her dignity, and she might really get angry.

Su Qingwan leaned lazily against the stone railing, her tone indifferent: "I'm not that petty."

Tonight, the bright moon hangs high, casting its gentle, clear light. The riverbed reflects the lamplight and moonlight, creating a beautiful interplay of colors.

In the distance, the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments drifted in, their powerful and resonant strains carrying the grandeur of ancient battles. Su Qingwan quietly savored the gentle moonlight and stirring music, softly saying, "Huainan City is truly wonderful. I've been to Xilin, witnessing its bustling main city; I've been to Jiangnan, experiencing its vibrant beauty; I've even been to the capital, seeing its opulent splendor. But my favorite place is Huainan. I never want to leave Huainan in my entire life. Lu Jing, forcing things will not end well. You and I… are destined to be apart in this life!"

These were Su Qingwan's true feelings, which she had kept buried in her heart for a long time: "I'm sorry for lying to you and giving you unwarranted expectations. I also want to keep my promise and marry you, but if we really get married, it might be unfair for you to marry into Huainan. Are you really willing?"

Lu Jing gazed at her intently, a row of lanterns drifting downstream, their brilliance seemingly reflected in his eyes. "Xiao Wu, are you testing me?"

Su Qingwan gently shook her head. "I didn't mean to test you. I'm just... in a dilemma, not knowing what to do. Why do you insist on marrying me? We haven't known each other long enough, and we're always wearing masks. Whether it's the Princess of Huainan or the young mistress of the Lu family in the capital, neither of us is the real me. I don't understand why you're so persistent."