Wen Wan listened, finding it amusing, and asked her, "Finished talking?"

Lin Xiaoyue was infuriated by Wen Wan’s casual attitude and did not want to tangle with her further. She adjusted the cloak on her shoulders and turned to enter the door.

"Lin Xiaoyue!"

Wen Wan’s voice rang out from behind.

Lin Xiaoyue continued forward. She had only taken two steps when she heard Wen Wan curse, "It’s bad enough that you’re ignorant and lack insight, but now you even lack a brain?"

"Wen Wan, you..." Lin Xiaoyue turned around abruptly, only to see Wen Wan’s smile had faded, and her eyes were now full of coldness.

"I’ve traveled a long way just to tell you this, not to be mocked and insulted again as shameless? I’m not that cheap!"

Lin Xiaoyue was momentarily stunned.

In her memory, this seemed like the first time Wen Wan had genuinely lost her temper.

"I’ve said all that needs to be said. Whether you listen or not is up to you. Farewell!"

Wen Wan turned around briskly. Her boots made a crunching sound on the thick snow. Soon, she climbed onto a footstool into the carriage, instructed the driver, and the carriage turned around, heading slowly towards the Changning Marquis Mansion.

Lin Xiaoyue stood dumbfounded at the East Corner Gate, her mind blank.

"Granny Qi." Jin Zhi called out to her from behind.

Lin Xiaoyue came back to her senses and faced Jin Zhi’s puzzled gaze. She said calmly, "She’s gone, let’s go back too."

Jin Zhi felt something was off with her mistress, "Did Princess Yong’an say something else to upset you?"

Lin Xiaoyue shook her head, looking a bit listless.

Upon reaching the Yuehua Residence East Warm Pavilion, Su Qing was still sitting on the warm couch but had put down his teacup and was reviewing documents from the Western Border.

Seeing him busy, Lin Xiaoyue sat down quietly without making a sound.

Su Qing sensed something was off, looked up at her, and asked, "Did the Commandery Princess leave?"

"She’s gone," Lin Xiaoyue nodded, her voice somewhat muffled.

"What’s the matter?" Su Qing asked again.

Lin Xiaoyue thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Qi, maybe we shouldn’t attend Your Majesty’s Thousand Autumn Banquet?"

"Why is that?"

"I just feel very uneasy," Lin Xiaoyue said. "I have a bad feeling something might happen."

Earlier, she had a disagreement with Wen Wan outside the East Corner Gate and hadn’t had the chance to ask who was targeting Ah Nuan and for what purpose.

"Did the Commandery Princess say something to you?" Su Qing astutely noticed the difference in Lin Xiaoyue’s demeanor since she returned, in both her words and evasive gaze.

Lin Xiaoyue was surprised that Su Qing saw through her and murmured, "Yes, she told me that on the day of the Thousand Autumn Banquet, Ah Nuan might be in danger of being abducted and advised me to stay in the mansion and not go anywhere."

Su Qing’s eyebrows slightly raised, "Ah Nuan might be abducted?"

Beside them, Jin Zhi angrily said, "Our Sister Ting is well-behaved and doesn’t wander around, and Mr. and Granny Qi haven’t offended anyone. Who would have such sordid intentions? I bet the Commandery Princess came deliberately to provoke Granny Qi."

Su Qing asked, "Why would the Commandery Princess deliberately provoke Granny Qi?"

Jin Zhi blurted out, "Isn’t it because on the day Granny Qi entered the Capital, she scolded the Commandery Princess outside the Changning Marquis Mansion."

Seeing Jin Zhi about to say more, Lin Xiaoyue’s face darkened, "Watch your tongue and step back!"

Jin Zhi pouted but had to keep quiet and leave the East Warm Pavilion.

After Jin Zhi left, Lin Xiaoyue called in Jin Huan to take Ah Nuan back to the west wing for a nap.

Once only the couple remained in the room, neither spoke, and the atmosphere was momentarily silent.

Finally, it was Lin Xiaoyue who spoke first, "The day I entered the Capital, I heard too many rumors along the way, all about her and... that person in the palace. Later, while Mr. Qi took the girls to the post house to settle in, I went to the Changning Marquis Mansion to ask her in person if it was true. She said she had her reasons, but I didn’t believe her then and scolded her as shameless."

Su Qing pondered, "I’ve always said that rumors are not to be believed."

Lin Xiaoyue lowered her head, twisting her handkerchief.

Actually, after meeting Little Four in the Western Border and the family reunion, her resentment towards Wen Wan had long faded. Upon entering the Capital this time, she hoped to reconcile with her friend. Yet, those disgraceful rumors were like a bucket of icy cold water, extinguishing all her hopes.

No matter the reason, speaking of divorce at her mother-in-law’s memorial hall is utterly unfilial!

That’s why she was so angry that day, questioning Wen Wan as soon as they met.

But it was also because of her anger, which overwhelmed her reason, that she ignored Wen Wan’s so-called "difficulties."

Thinking back on how she specially went to the Su Mansion today to warn her to guard against Ah Nuan’s abduction, Lin Xiaoyue felt a complex mix of emotions.

"The Commandery Princess is not one to act impulsively." Su Qing said, "The fact that she was willing to come and warn you shows that she still cares about you as a friend. Take some time to visit the Changning Marquis Mansion, and as good sisters, there’s no grudge that cannot be reconciled."

Lin Xiaoyue felt a warmth in her heart, "Mr. Qi..."

"Since the Commandery Princess has entered the court, the information she receives must be firsthand and should be accurate." Su Qing put down the document and reached for the teapot to refill his cup, "On the day of the Thousand Autumn Banquet, I will feign illness and stay at the mansion."

He also wanted to know who exactly was planning to target Ah Nuan, and what their purpose was.

...

The purpose, of course, was to abduct Ah Nuan to Bei Yan and force Su Qing to figure out a way to send Amuer as an exchange.

Wen Wan sat in the carriage heading back to the mansion, pondering this.

The Imperial Concubine was indeed good at scheming, daring to come to Chu Country and act recklessly without considering whose territory this was.

She believed the words she had just said were clear enough, but wasn’t sure if Lin Xiaoyue’s personality would allow her to take heed. If not, on the day of the Thousand Autumn Banquet, there would likely be big trouble.

Back at the Changning Marquis Mansion’s Liufang Courtyard, Linglong adeptly unfastened the cloak from Wen Wan’s shoulders and replaced it with a hand warmer newly stocked with charcoal.

Wen Wan held the hand warmer and walked to the warm pavilion, where she saw a small stove with a clay pot on top, from which the aroma of a long-boiled soup occasionally wafted out.

Linglong explained, "We couldn’t wait for the Commandery Princess to return for lunch, so the Princess took the young master to eat first. The clay pot holds old duck soup, which the Commandery Princess loves to drink."

Wen Wan noticed Zhao Xunyin wasn’t there since she came in, so she asked Linglong, "Where is my mother?"

"The Princess took the young master to the Duke Mansion, probably to discuss what gifts to prepare for Your Majesty."

Wen Wan nodded and sat down.

Linglong brought in the food box to retrieve the lunch from the kitchen.

Wen Wan ate half a bowl of rice and drank a bowl of steaming old duck soup. Once she felt warmer, she picked up a brush and began to grind ink to write a letter to Song Wei.

...

Post house.

Following the Imperial Concubine’s instructions, Fu Zichuan contacted those hidden posts, and upon returning, he reported honestly, "I have delivered the consort’s message; at the time, they will be deployed appropriately and will certainly bring back that little girl from the Su Family for the consort."

After resting for a few days, Li Yuan reluctantly regained some spirit and was able to move around. Now she was sitting in the Taishi chair by the window, slightly curling her lips upon hearing this, "Zichuan, what do you think the Emperor would do if he knew I was almost assassinated and severely injured on my first day in the Chu Country Capital?"

Fu Zichuan lowered his long eyelashes, "The Emperor loves and reveres the consort and would spare no cost to seek justice for her."

"Spare no cost, hmm?" Li Yuan’s enchanting eyes were filled with a growing smile, "Truly a case of sparing no cost."

Fu Zichuan pressed his lips together and remained silent.

This Imperial Concubine had once been a savior to their Bei Yan. At a time when Bei Yan was embroiled in internal strife, and the rebel forces were nearly overtaking the Capital, with the Imperial City on the brink of falling, it was Princess Xiyue Li Yuan who led an army of 300,000 to quell the conflict, preventing a change of dynasties in Bei Yan.

After that, Emperor Yan directly conferred Li Yuan the title of Imperial Concubine; although she ranks below the Empress, the Imperial Concubine wields power in the harem—and not only the harem—for Emperor Yan even permits her to be involved in state affairs.

Over these years, Emperor Yan has adored her like a treasure, granting every request she makes.

Although there has been murmuring among court officials, they suppress their objections out of gratitude for Li Yuan saving Bei Yan.

Now, almost everyone in Bei Yan knows that Emperor Yan dotes on this Imperial Concubine to no end.

The Imperial Concubine being assassinated in Chu Country is akin to someone stabbing Emperor Yan right in the heart; naturally, Emperor Yan would not take it lightly.

The conflict between Bei Yan and Chu Country is likely to continue, with no end in sight.

Fu Zichuan’s mood was rather complicated at this thought.

Bei Yan and Chu Country have been at war, but he still doesn’t understand the purpose of the Imperial Concubine proposing a mission to Chu Country. Was it merely for this assassination attempt, to worsen tensions between Chu Country and Bei Yan and provide a reason for this war to continue?

...

On the day of the Thousand Autumn Banquet, Wen Wan went to the palace early to request leave from Zhao Xi.

Zhao Xi had just finished washing and dressing and emerged, slightly puzzled upon hearing Wen Wan’s request, "Today is my birthday, and you don’t plan to stay in the palace?"

Wen Wan inwardly rolled her eyes, "Your Majesty doesn’t favor me, and you have me take the blame all the time. I won’t stay, or else during the banquet, those people will probably glare at me as if they want to eat me alive. Besides, I have something more important to do today, so I won’t be accompanying you for your birthday. I’ll have someone send the gift later, hmm, finally, I wish Your Majesty a grand celebration."