After the milk ball arrived, the father who had no heirs had a string of good luck.

Finally, they spotted Zhu Miaoling standing on the covered bridge in the distance.

Cross this covered bridge, and you'll reach the men's section.

Zhu Miaoling saw Tang Rui and took a few steps forward, her face still pale: "Princess, is that person... really Consort Gu?"

Tang Rui, with her eyes wide open, babbled incoherently: "No, you're mistaken. That's just a maid from the Sixth Imperial Aunt's household."

"I see." Zhu Miaoling, of course, didn't believe it.

But it's best to play dumb in these situations.

Consort Gu is one thing, but there's also the Crown Prince; she's afraid of being silenced!

Zhu Miaoling now felt unsafe everywhere and regretted wandering around: "Princess, let's go back!"

"Since we're already here, let's go, let's take a look from afar... to see my father. I don't allow him to drink, I want to see if he's been secretly drinking." Tang Rui pulled Zhu Miaoling forward without saying another word.

A hint of warmth flashed in Zhu Miaoling's eyes.

She knew that Tang Rui was making excuses for her!

The two crossed the covered bridge and arrived at a spot not far from the circular archway, where waves of noise rushed into their ears.

Standing here and looking towards the archway, you can already see the male guests.

Tang Rui and Zhu Miaoling hid behind a welcoming pine tree, sticking their heads out to look at the archway.

There were just... way too many people.

Tang Rui looked up at Zhu Miaoling: "Sister Zhu, do you know which one is your fiancé?"

"Princess, he's not your fiancé yet..."

It's just that both companies have that intention.

Zhu Miaoling was very shy, but she was also recalling in her mind the portrait that her maid had helped her obtain.

Soon, she saw a face that resembled the person in the painting, and pointed with her slender finger: "That should be him."

Tang Rui looked in the direction she was pointing and subconsciously frowned.

She was very average-looking, not as good-looking as Chu Jingchuan, and not as fair-skinned as Chu Jingchuan. She was the kind of person you could easily lose in a crowd.

What Tang Rui disliked most was that the man's dark circles under his eyes were exactly the same as He Yaozu's.

This is clearly excessive indulgence!

Tang Rui opened her mouth as if to speak, but seeing Zhu Miaoling's lovestruck expression, she silently shut her mouth.

A favorite thing is priceless, so even if I wanted to remind Zhu Miaoling, I couldn't let her say it out loud.

Later, I can find a suitable opportunity, a suitable time, and a suitable person to casually tell Zhu Miaoling.

Anyway, it'll be several years before she actually gets married, so there's no rush!

"Princess, I've seen it. Are you still going to find your father?" Zhu Miaoling was afraid of being discovered by others.

It's so embarrassing for unmarried women to come and find a husband.

"I saw Daddy. He wasn't drinking. Let's go!" Tang Rui said helplessly.

Normally, at the Imperial Academy, there isn't much strict separation between men and women. Why is it different in another place?

Is it only adult men who need to be guarded against?

The two turned around and walked back, with Zhu Miaoling seemingly in high spirits the whole way.

This clearly shows that she was quite satisfied with her husband.

however…

After the two returned to the garden where the female guests were staying, chaos erupted at the scene.

Tang Rui and Zhu Miaoling exchanged glances, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts.

They quickened their pace and saw a group of maids and servants running around in a panic, shouting, "Something terrible has happened! Something terrible has occurred!"

Zhu Miaoling tensed up instantly, gripping Tang Rui's hand tightly, her voice trembling: "Princess, what, what's going on?"

Tang Rui forced herself to remain calm: "Don't be afraid, let's go take a look first."

The two followed the crowd to the center of the garden, where the exclamations of the maids drifted into their ears.

"Something terrible has happened! Someone has fallen into the water!"

Tang Rui let go of Zhu Miaoling and squeezed to the front.

Qin Zhiyan stood by the lake, her face filled with lingering fear, her eyes fixed on the Crown Princess struggling in the water.

Consort Gu was beside her, supporting her arm, her expression indifferent.

A man dressed as a servant suddenly appeared, jumped into the water without hesitation, and swam quickly towards Qin Zhirou.

"Mother!" Tang Rui's heart leaped into her throat, and she rushed to her side. "Are you alright?"

"What could possibly happen to your mother? It's my mother who's in trouble now!" Situ Qiang said sharply.

Even though it had nothing to do with Tang Rui, she glared at Tang Rui with hatred, as if Tang Rui was the culprit who pushed Qin Zhirou into the water.

Qin Zhiyan trembled with anger upon hearing this, while Consort Gu's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery: "At such a young age, you already know how to twist the truth. It was clearly the Crown Princess who tried to push Princess Li into the water. If I hadn't had my maid pull Princess Li away in time, it would be Princess Li struggling in the water right now."

Without a second thought, Situ Qiang retorted, "Nonsense! My mother is the Crown Princess; why would she push Princess Li into the water?"

Consort Gu glanced at her disdainfully: "I'm not your mother, how would I know what's wrong with her?"

"you…"

"Shut up!"

Tang Rui impatiently interrupted her: "Are you invisible? You're everywhere, all the time! There are so many imperial aunts here, and they haven't said a word yet. Who gave you the right to speak?"

Situ Qiang belatedly looked up and realized that several princesses were looking at her with displeasure.

"Fine, you just wait!"

Situ Qiang tossed out a nonchalant remark, quickly walked to the shore, and waited for several maids to pull the drenched Crown Princess from the water. She immediately draped a cloak over Qin Zhirou: "Mother, are you alright?"

"..." How could nothing be wrong?

She was rescued by the man she had arranged for herself.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, and with thin clothes that became somewhat transparent after being soaked in water.

She and this man were embracing and kissing under so many eyes; what if the Crown Prince found out…

Thinking of this, Qin Zhirou shuddered and glared at Qin Zhiyan resentfully: "Sister, I just wanted to talk to you, why did you push me?"

Qin Zhiyan was stunned by her shamelessness: "Your illegitimate daughter is so good at twisting the truth, is it all because of you? You were the one who pushed me into the water, and I was only lucky to escape because Shuangrong pulled me away. Now you're the one accusing me of being the villain?"

"Nonsense, you're talking nonsense. How could I do such a thing? It's you...you've always been jealous of me and wanted to harm me. You're my own sister, how can you be so jealous of me?" Qin Zhirou's eyes reddened, and she began to sob softly.

Qin Zhiyan was so angry at her appearance that she almost vomited blood. Pointing her finger at Qin Zhirou, she trembled all over: "You, you are simply unreasonable! When have I ever been jealous of you, or when have I ever wanted to harm you? Tell me, what am I jealous of you for, and how have I harmed you?"

Qin Zhirou just cried and didn't answer, looking as if she had suffered a great injustice.

The female guests around them began to whisper among themselves. Some believed Qin Zhirou's words and felt that Qin Zhiyan, as the older sister, should not treat her younger sister in this way.

Some felt that things weren't so simple, after all, Consort Gu had just witnessed Qin Zhirou trying to push Qin Zhiyan into the water.

Tang Rui frowned deeply as she looked at the chaotic scene.