After marrying the fierce god, her handsome young husband was pampered to the extreme.

Xiao Fu gave him a thumbs up, then said, "Although I agree with your idea, it won't work."

Hua Yue's face immediately fell, her lips pouting. "Why?"

"Because the young master married the youngest civil official in the cabinet, with a bright future," Xiao Fu said. "We can't touch him, otherwise it will bring trouble to the household."

Hua Yue's face immediately showed the pain of a chivalrous man who couldn't avenge his great grudge, and he sulked as he watched Lü Xiaolian's back.

Xiao Fu comforted him, "Although we can't really beat him up, you know how to throw peanuts, right? As long as you don't really hurt him, you can throw all these peanuts."

As he spoke, he pulled a handful of spiced peanuts from his satchel and handed them to Huayue. "I've already thought this through. This way, it won't hurt him and it will also vent my anger. Besides, he doesn't have any evidence, so he can't pin it on us."

Hua Yue picked up a peanut and casually tossed it into the flowerpot.

"boom--"

The flowerpot instantly shattered into pieces.

The loud noise made the people in front turn around.

Without even breaking a sweat, Hua Yue innocently asked, "Oh dear, why is that flowerpot over there broken?"

Xiao Fu said dryly, "It's been in disrepair for years."

Lü Xiaolian glanced back, then continued walking forward indifferently.

After everyone in front had gone far away, Xiao Fu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, snatched the spiced peanuts from Hua Yue's hand, stuffed them into his mouth, chewed them, and swallowed them.

Hua Yue asked in confusion, "Aren't you going to throw it away?"

"No," Xiao Fu said. "You江湖儿女 (jianghu women) are too strong. I don't want to go to the Dali Temple."

Hua Yue pouted, "Do you have any more? I want some too."

As we approached the flower hall, we could see a young man in green playing the zither from afar.

The music was melancholic, yet a hint of loneliness could be heard.

Young Master Qingheng's original surname was Shen. In his early years, he was implicated because his relatives committed a crime, so much so that he was the only one left in the huge mansion.

"Brother Shen, it's been a long time." Lü Xiaolian looked at Shen Qingheng and hurriedly went over to greet him.

Shen Qingheng nodded slightly. Although her manners were impeccable, her tone lacked familiarity. "So it's Young Master Lü. Long time no see."

Lu Xiaolian didn't care about his coldness and continued, "Brother Shen, the hollyhocks in your garden are blooming so beautifully. I wonder how you take care of them."

He married a civil official, and in order to have more to talk about with him, he took the initiative to approach Shen Qingheng.

Shen Qingheng's talent was so great that even the current emperor praised her.

Besides, the man he married had also had feelings for Shen Qingheng in his early years.

Lu Xiaolian thought to herself, if he could learn even a fraction of Shen Qingheng's charm, would he still worry about not being able to defeat that mistress?

"To be honest, the hollyhocks in the garden are all cared for by flower growers, and I don't know how to grow flowers," Shen Qingheng said. "If Young Master Lü is interested, he might as well ask the flower growers."

Before Lü Xiaolian could say anything more, Lin Nian lifted the beaded curtain and walked in.

Lu Xiaolian cursed those servants in her heart for being useless. She only told them to linger outside the courtyard for a while so that he could talk to Shen Qingheng alone.

You can't even do this little thing right, you're really useless!

Shen Qingheng was overjoyed to see Lin Nian, a feeling quite different from when she had just seen Lü Xiaolian.

"I was worried you wouldn't come, and I was feeling quite down."

Lin Nian smiled faintly, bowed, and said, "Since Brother Qingheng invited me, I naturally had to come."

"Come quickly and let me see how this married young man is different from before." Shen Qingheng pulled Lin Nian to examine him closely.

"Hmm...she does look a bit plumper than before."

Just as Shen Qingheng finished speaking, Wang Zhao's voice came from behind the screen.

"After all, he is the future Prince Cheng. It would be better if he were a bit plump, so he could hold his own in the situation," Wang Zhao said.

Lin Nian's ears turned slightly red. "Stop teasing me."

He looked around the flower hall but didn't see any familiar faces. He asked in confusion, "Where's A-Cai?"

"He's been pressured by his family to go on blind dates lately, so he doesn't have time to go out and have fun," Wang Zhao said.

Lü Xiaolian was left out in the cold. Her slender fingers, hidden in her water sleeves, clenched into fists, and a hint of jealousy and resentment flashed in her eyes.

Lin Nian glanced at Lü Xiaolian indifferently, then quickly looked away.

The four men he brought together were no match for even a single finger of Hua Yue.

More young men arrived at the flower hall one after another, most of them from prominent families, and they were quite familiar with each other.

Jinxiu Garden is abundant with flowers and plants, offering different scenery in each of the four seasons.

When the young men get together, besides discussing poetry and songs, they naturally also talk about husbands and children.

At this moment, someone mentioned Prince Cheng, and the topic shifted to Lin Nian.

In recent months, the capital has been extremely peaceful, with nothing particularly noteworthy to report.

The only thing worth mentioning is that the marriage was personally proposed by His Highness Prince Cheng, who is hailed as the God of War of the North.

At this moment, a young man asked, "Young Master Lin, there are rumors circulating that your marriage to Prince Cheng was not of your own volition. Is this true or false?"

Lin Nian frowned and looked at her husband who had spoken. She had some impression of him; he seemed to be a good friend of Lü Xiaolian, and his husband's surname was Sun.

His question was asked casually, seemingly out of curiosity, but it was full of shrewd calculation.

Lin Nian smiled gently, "How come I've never heard of this rumor before? I wonder where Mr. Sun heard it from? Would you mind telling me?"

"I only heard about it by chance..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Nian said, "If such rumors can reach the ears of the husbands in the inner quarters, they must be spreading even more wildly in the streets."

"After all, speaking ill of the royal family can be a big deal or a small one," Lin Nian continued. "I don't care, but I wonder if His Highness Prince Cheng will mind."

There were indeed various rumors circulating in the city about the marriage between Prince Cheng and the youngest son of the Lin family, but everyone only spread them in private.

If this matter were to escalate to the point of reaching Prince Cheng, then it would be impossible to resolve peacefully.

Sun Fulang's lips moved slightly, then he said, "...Such a trivial matter need not be troubled by Your Highness, Prince Cheng, right?"

"I think so too," Lin Nian said. "After all, it's nonsense, and we should leave it to the wise. What do you think, Mr. Sun?"

"Hehe..." Sun Fulang's forehead was sweating. "Yes, yes, Young Master Lin is right."

He only intended to make things difficult for Lin Nian, but Lin Nian unexpectedly slapped a huge accusation on him.

Who dares to offend the royal family?

Although he wanted to help Lü Xiaolian get back a share, he never thought of dragging himself down with him.

Not long after, Sun Fulang, feigning illness, hurriedly left Jinxiu Garden.

Wang Zhaochong winked at Shen Qingheng, "See? Our future Prince Cheng is quite formidable."

Shen Qingheng covered her mouth and chuckled, "A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days of separation."

Jinxiu Garden quickly became lively again.

Lu Xiaolian originally wanted to fan the flames and make Lin Nian confirm the rumors, thereby angering Prince Cheng.

If Lin Nian were to be expelled from the court and miss out on the throne, that would be even better.

Unexpectedly, Lin Nian managed to intimidate Sun Fulang with just a few words, and he could no longer continue to make trouble. His once beautiful face now appeared somewhat distorted and ugly.

The banquet held at Jinxiu Garden was attended by prominent young noblemen, most of whom were acquaintances. They gathered in twos and threes to have fun.

Because of her husband, Lü Xiaolian also knew many officials' husbands.

He was pulled aside by several officials' wives to chat, and couldn't leave. He could only watch helplessly as Shen Qingheng left with Lin Nian and Wang Zhao.