Chapter 38 I'm not trying to sow discord.

Chapter 38 I'm not trying to sow discord.

"What are you so busy with? Aren't we women just busy managing the household's little affairs?"

Shen Nanzi raised an eyebrow and asked her, while casually covering Xie Chengze's ears.

But they didn't see how repulsive Xie Chengze's eyes were as he looked at the mother and son opposite him.

"Do you expect me to be busy with official duties outside the home, just like a man?"

"No, not at all?" Xue Qingning quickly denied, her expression nonchalant with a smile.

Shen Nanzi: "We're all just managing things in the manor, so why do you envy my exceptional leisure?"

"If people heard this, they would think I didn't do anything and that I was relying entirely on Prince Jing?"

Shen Nanzi made a pointed remark; in front of Xue Qingning's carriage, a dark purple robe fluttered in the wind.

White boots with black uppers encased his slender calves as he sat on the saddle, a black leather dagger hanging from his waist.

He casually twirled the reins in his hand, but upon hearing her sarcastic tone, his knuckles instantly turned white from clenching them.

Xue Qingning's eyes darkened, and she explained with a hint of grievance, "Nan Zi, that's not what I meant!"

At this point, everyone will usually know to keep quiet, since they will have to see each other again in the future.

But Shen Nanzi didn't think about the future at all. Xie Yan protected her to the point of wanting to kill her. If she continued to endure it, she would be a coward. Besides, her body wouldn't allow her to endure it!

"What does the Second Princess mean by saying that?"

Xue Qingning was clearly surprised that Shen Nanzi would pursue her so relentlessly, and she immediately felt embarrassed.

"Chen! Nan! Zi!"

Sure enough, the voice of protection arrived as expected.

A charming smile played on Shen Nanzi's lips. "Who is it? Oh! It's my Prince Jing!"

She moved out of the carriage, peeked out, and looked at Xie Yan, who was riding a tall horse in front of Xue Qingning's carriage. "Why are you here?"

He glanced at Xue Qingning again, "So who was so arrogant as to carve out a special path on this blocked road? It turns out it's my Prince Jing!"

"Who are you clearing the way for? I had no idea you were here. Cheng'er and I have been stuck here the whole time."

There are quite a few wealthy people blocking this road, all listening intently!

Doesn't Shen Nanzi's statement confirm the previous rumors?

Although Xie Yan ultimately sacrificed himself, the powerful and wealthy knew in their hearts that it was all just a ploy to deceive the people.

The Emperor didn't intervene, mainly because he was concerned about the royal family's reputation.

The widowed imperial sister-in-law and her brother-in-law were having an affair, but it was an incestuous scandal that had to be covered up and hidden.

Xie Yan is gone, but the royal face is more important.

"Shen Nanzi, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute! Don't judge a gentleman by your own petty standards," Xie Yan said, suppressing his anger.

"What is a gentleman? What is a petty person?" Shen Nanzi opened her beautiful eyes wide. "They're just talking from their own perspective!"

"Furthermore, you must tell me, Prince Jing, why are you with my second sister-in-law again?"

Since Xie Yan was going to protect his own, Shen Nanzi simply threw the question at him.

"You don't need to know!" Xie Yan frowned, his anger reaching its peak.

Shen Nanzi chuckled, "My husband is so good! He's so devoted to his sister-in-law, but he either ignores or threatens his own wife and children."

"Sigh! I, the Princess Consort of Jing, am sitting here so shamelessly. I might as well make room for someone else."

Xie Yan's jawline tightened. "Shen Nanzi, that's enough!"

At this moment, a gatekeeper came to report, "Prince Jing, the road is now open. Please come in."

Xie Yan flicked the reins, the sound of hooves rang out, followed by a shout of "Giddy up!"

As Xie Yan's figure receded into the distance, Xue Qingning's carriage began to move behind him.

As soon as they left, the carriages behind them crowded together again.

Xie Yan successfully exited the city gate and met up with Xue Yubai ahead of him.

"You've finally arrived! Where are Qingning and Hongrui?" Xue Yubai also rode a horse.

He rode a chestnut horse and wore a dark blue, wide-sleeved robe.

Xie Yan nodded his chin backward.

Xue Yubai's brows relaxed as he saw the carriage from the Second Prince's residence at the city gate.

“You are even more filial than my grandson. If my grandfather knew that you come to burn incense for him every year, he would probably want to adopt you as his own grandson.”

"Grand Tutor Xue was kind to me in the past and took great care of me. If it weren't for him, my life wouldn't have been so smooth."

Xie Yan recounted the past, his eyes filled with a rare tenderness.

Xue Qingning's carriage arrived. She lifted the curtain, looked at Xie Yan, and hesitated to speak.

Xue Yubai noticed her hesitation and asked, "Qingning, just say what's on your mind. We're all on the same side!"

Xue Qingning pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Xie Yan, have you noticed Sixth Brother and Nan Zi?"

She paused, biting her lip, seemingly hesitant to speak.

Xie Yan frowned. "Speak plainly!"

Did you see who was sitting in the carriage next to Nanzi just now?

Xie Yan raised an eyebrow and asked nonchalantly, "Who?"

“It’s my sixth brother,” Xue Qingning said. “It’s not that I’m being paranoid, nor that I’m trying to sow discord.”

"It just feels like they appear together far too often."

"What flower and bird hut are they going to today? I don't know where it is."

"Last time when we were ice skating, my sixth brother followed me at a distance that was neither too close nor too far."

"The two appeared to be separated by a distance, but that distance seemed deliberately calculated."

"If Consort Wei hadn't called him away later, Nanzi wouldn't have fallen!"

"Qingning, shut up!" Xue Yubai interrupted immediately. "You can't just make guesses about the Princess Consort of Jing and the Sixth Prince."

"If outsiders hear this, they will be severely punished!"

Xue Qingning quickly explained, "I only said that because there were no outsiders present. I was just worried about Xie Yan!"

Xie Yan involuntarily raised his eyelids and looked at the city gate, where people and carriages were gradually being allowed to pass.

"Let's go! Don't keep Grand Tutor Xue waiting too long."

He tugged at the reins, speaking casually, and skillfully headed towards the Xue family's ancestral graves.

＊

The little bird and flower hut is hidden in the mountains and forests. Much of the snow has melted, and snowmelt still drips from the leaves from time to time.

Two carriages were parked one after the other by the roadside.

From inside came Shen Nanzi's surprised voice, "Douzi had kittens?"

"Wow! Mom, look, there are three!" Xie Chengze was equally surprised, squatting next to the cat's nest and pointing at the kittens with his little finger.

"They're so small and cute!" Shen Nanzi's heart almost melted as she squatted down with Xie Chengze, her face full of satisfaction.

“She gave birth five days ago.” Xie Yu stood beside the mother and child, peering over his shoulder.

"Mother, I want to take them back to the manor!" Xie Chengze's eyes widened.

The kitten's eyes were not yet open, and it was lying in its cat bed, stretching out its pink paws, seemingly scratching at something.

"No!" Although Shen Nanzi was completely captivated by the kitten's cuteness, she still rationally refused.

“They are too small and must stay with their mother, just as you must stay with me now.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Chengze immediately understood and stopped insisting on taking her back to his residence. Instead, he stared at her intently, as if he couldn't get enough of her.

When Xie Yan arrived, he saw this scene.