The young lady is delicate and soft, yet she criticizes the powerful minister for bowing and scrapin

Inside the Rong Prince's Mansion, Wei Jun was leaning against the vermilion railing on the second floor.

He was high up, with an unobstructed view, and could see clearly the people coming and going below at a glance.

The gaze finally settled on the figure rushing back to Huaxuexuan.

"A veil?" Wei Jun twirled the ring between his fingers, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Tsk tsk." A sigh came from behind. Su Jingran, the third young master of the Rong Prince's Mansion, asked with a smile from behind Wei Jun, "Nian'an, among the grown men of our duke and princely mansions, you're the only one who hasn't married yet. Aren't you worried?"

Wei Jun glanced at him: "What's the rush? There are countless women in the world, are you afraid you can't find a mistress to manage the household?"

Su Jingran raised an eyebrow and teased, "Is it because your maids are too pretty that you have no intention of settling down and starting a family?"

"Jingran, you've only been back in the capital for a short time, and you've been out fighting battles. You probably don't know Nian'an's nickname in the capital: 'The Enemy of the Matchmaker'," said Xie Dongpo, another close friend of Wei Jun who had grown up with him.

Su Jingran wondered, "Why is it called 'the enemy of the Matchmaker'?"

Xie Dongpo said, "Our Nian'an offended the Old Man of the Moon, so the Old Man of the Moon never ties a red thread for him. I've played with him since I was a child, and I've never seen him fall in love with any woman."

Wei Jun coldly swept his gaze over the two of them: "Shi Qing, don't be silly, lest people think I like men."

Shi Qing was Xie Dongpo's courtesy name.

Xie Dongpo's eyes lit up: "If you prefer men, I have plenty to recommend. The capital is a wonderful place, full of beautiful flowers and willows; there's nothing I, Xie Dongpo, don't know about. Whether you prefer men, women, or neither, I have choices."

Su Jingran clicked his tongue twice more, casually leaning against the vermilion railing. His gaze swept over the young ladies of the Dingyuan Marquis's residence, his eyes devoid of interest. Suddenly, he noticed a clean-cut face with striking features and asked:

Who is that woman?

Xie Dongpo said, "That one is a distant cousin of the Marquis of Dingyuan. A year ago, Nian'an took pity on her and took her in. She is now living in the mansion."

Su Jingran immediately sensed something was off: "A noble young man from a wealthy family, a down-on-her-luck cousin... How come this sounds so much like a story from a novel?"

"Which storybook are you reading? I've ordered it banned." Wei Jun glanced at him sideways.

"You dare! These storybooks were my only form of entertainment during the two or three years I spent on the frontier." Su Jingran glared at him.

His attention quickly returned to the young lady: "But Nian'an, the young lady you took in is truly beautiful, with a pure and elegant appearance. At this flower-viewing banquet, she is not only more beautiful than the real flowers, but also a sight to behold for those noble ladies dressed in bright red and green. You see such a cousin every day, how can you not be tempted?"

Wei Jun paused, his fingers gripping the ring, then looked up at him. "Tempted? That's too far removed from my mind. I only think about how to serve the court, how to manage the Dingyuan Marquis's mansion well, and how to bring home a well-educated and sensible wife so I can wholeheartedly serve the Emperor in the court without any worries."

Xie Dongpo said disdainfully, "Jingran, look at you, you started this conversation, prompting Nian'an to say those words, which makes me shudder. Look at how diligently he serves the court, while I, among all these young masters, seem to have nothing to do. Forget it, I'll just continue being a playboy."

Su Jingran blinked, a thought flashing through his mind: "Nian'an, you said it yourself, you're not interested in her. Since you don't want to, then let me have her. With her looks and demeanor, her humble origins don't matter. I like her. I'll find a reason to marry her and take her home as a concubine. Once she enters the Rong Prince's mansion, she can rise to a higher social status and become a phoenix."

Wei Jun picked up the wine glass beside him and took a small sip. The wine was crisp and refreshing, but he felt a little troubled. He still hadn't figured out who the veiled woman had seduced, and there were other people eyeing him covetously.

"what ever."

The food at Prince Rong's residence was exquisite and elegant. The banquets for the children and wives of court officials included not only flower viewing but also fine cuisine. Prince Rong's household expenses were clearly lavish; these annual banquets were not for profit but simply to satisfy the princess's love of flower viewing.

Wei Ruowei sat to the side and sighed, "The Rong Prince's Mansion is truly extravagant. Although the food isn't top-notch, they can still feed so many people; they must have spent a fortune."

Qi Yunli smiled gently: "The Rong Prince's Mansion has been holding flower-viewing banquets for many years. Now, the thought of a flower-viewing banquet immediately brings the Rong Prince's Mansion to mind, which is exactly the effect they want to achieve. Moreover, the Rong Prince's Mansion invites many noble families to these banquets, which helps to strengthen ties with them. You see, today, it's not just young masters and noble ladies who are here to admire the flowers; officials are also coming with their wives."

That was the end of that conversation.

Wei Ruowei understood. The story of Prince Rong secretly vying with Prince Sheng was a favorite tale told by storytellers in the alleys of the capital.

The Emperor is old, and his children either die young or are too weak to live past adulthood.

Now, the Emperor has no heir capable of ascending the throne. After much thought, only Prince Rong and Prince Sheng, both born of the same mother but different surnames, are deemed suitable to inherit the throne.

Prince Rong's move was intended to indirectly win over court officials, but the official title made it impossible for anyone to find fault with it.

The pearwood wooden tables were covered with simple tablecloths. The first course was a light tea snack to fill the stomach: peony petal pastry, crabapple blossom wine, jasmine cream... These pastries were all related to flowers, and they were served on small white porcelain plates, which were not only beautiful but also exuded a sweet fragrance.

Wei Ruowei glanced at her mother secretly, and when no one was looking, she picked up a piece of jasmine cream and gave it to Qi Yunli: "Ali, try some."

Qi Yunli's mind wasn't on the food; she was only thinking about whether the veil had achieved the effect she wanted, making the other person remember her fondly.

She looked at the pastries on the plate and said softly, "Thank you."

Wei Ruowei leaned close to her ear and whispered, "You have to be careful at my house, but not here. Everyone's busy chatting, no one will pay attention to you."

Wei Ruowei is the third young lady of the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion. She was born in the same year as Qi Yunli, but she was born at the end of the year.

"Okay," Qi Yunli replied.

My nerves, which had been taut since entering the Prince Rong's residence, were finally able to relax a little. A strange, indescribable warmth welled up in my heart, a comforting and pleasant feeling.

In the spacious flower hall, everyone took their seats and whispered among themselves. Their eyes kept glancing toward the second wife. Although no one had died in the drowning incident, they had caught glimpses of the second wife's daughter shamelessly crying out, "Brother Chang, save me!"

The Duchess of Qi then simply separated herself from the second wife, refusing to even glance at them.

Everyone was enjoying their meal and chatting happily. Maids and servants bustled about, some serving their masters, others standing quietly to the side. There were quite a few people coming and going when suddenly a maid hurried over to Qi Yunli and quietly handed her a note.

Qi Yunli was secretly delighted. The veil had drawn her beloved; it seemed she had succeeded.

She secretly unfolded the note; it contained only three words:

"Grafting nursery".

Her fingertips paused.

She recognized the handwriting all too well; it belonged to Wei Jun.