igh of relief. He was afraid that his adopted sister might have gotten involved with someone outside the family, and the Hou Mansion would find out and cause another commotion. 。Jiayin was very clever...Lu Zong's hands, clasped tightly under his sleeves, were utterly powerless. This only intensified his frustration and anger.

The third princess didn't feel sorry for him at all, and tossed another remark his way, "We are one who is cruel and unfilial, the other who is two-faced. We are a perfect match indeed. So let us torment each other for life and don't even think about harming others."

Bystanders

Lu Zong's pupils contracted, and he didn't say another word.

After they came out of Kunning Palace, the Third Princess sent Feng Gonggong to the imperial study to inform him, and then she planned to leave the palace.

As the two walked around the corner of the corridor, they unexpectedly encountered the Crown Prince.

The crown prince held the white fox, gently wiping the water droplets from its back with a handkerchief, completely ignoring his soiled clothes.

Seeing the arrival of the third princess and her husband, he smiled and said, “My father is busy, so let me send you off. You should still come back often. Although my father doesn't say it, he cares deeply about you.”

The third princess's expression softened, as she replied, "Alright, Crown Prince brother. Since I'm moving out now, I'll still rely on you to take good care of father."

As she spoke, she took the little fox and petted it twice with her hand, smiling and saying, "Where did these three go to play They're all wet. No wonder he wouldn't leave the palace with me, he found you to rely on."

She weighed the three, tapping its forehead playfully. "You gluttonous little fox, if you get any fatter, you'll be just like a pig."

Three of them are pretending to be dead, they've been hearing too much lately about how fat they are. The fox is already numb, it doesn't matter if there's one more Princess Three!

The third princess walked listlessly, stroking the fox's fur and occasionally chatting with the prince.

Upon reaching the palace gate, the little fox leaped into the prince's arms and raised its neck.

The Crown Prince skillfully kneaded the area under its neck, showing great affection.

The little fox lazily flicked its fluffy tail, not at all bothered by treating a prince as a servant. What's wrong with that!

But Lu Zong was truly unable to bear it any longer and asked a question.

“This little fox belongs to the county princess, doesn’t it How come it’s being raised here in the prince’s residence”

The prince smiled faintly and replied, "What's the difference between being raised here or at the county princess's place"

Lu Zong's face instantly turned ashen.

The Third Princess felt a surge of satisfaction and without hesitation, added another blow, "Lord Husband, it's time to return to the princess's mansion!"

Lu Zhong fiercely closed his eyes.

Groom!

The Princess's Mansion!

A true man, reduced to a mere appendage of a woman!

He was no longer the crown prince, nor the talented scholar. He was simply… the princess's husband.

In the scorching summer heat, these truths he had been evading suddenly crashed down on him like a hammer, plunging him into an icy abyss! The Third Princess sneered, ignoring him completely, and nodded in agreement with Caiyun and the others.

Caiyun and the others immediately stepped forward, crowding around the prince consort as they walked toward the carriage and boarded it.

Lu Feng had been isolated outside the Princess Mansion for three days. At this time, he was specially guarding at the palace gate, just wanting to see his master, but before he could step forward, he was stopped by a guard with a saber.

Not until the carriage disappeared in the distance did he say a word to his master.

If he dared to charge forward, those guards would draw their swords and cut him down without hesitation!

These five hundred guards were personally selected by the Emperor to protect the Third Princess.

She wouldn't give anyone face and only obeyed the Third Princess.

Even the crown prince cannot command.

This is the confidence and majesty that the royal family bestows upon their daughter!

When the sun began to set, the guests who were visiting at Li's house reluctantly bid farewell.

Mrs. Jia was a little weak, but she still held onto Li Lao's hand and mumbled, "Elder sister, we agreed that we would meet again in a few days. You can't miss it, I haven't finished talking to you yet."

"Rest assured, I still remember to try your beloved Huaiyang cuisine. I'll definitely visit you." Li Lao smiled and supported Jia Lao Fu toward the exit.

Tao Hongying accompanied Mrs. Jia Er, Mrs. Liu, and Mrs. Xing. Seeing that there were no outsiders around, she lowered her voice and reminded them, "After you go back, when you have nothing to do, tidy up your home a bit. Tonight or tomorrow, the palace might have news, and we'll probably need to be quiet for a while."

Palace news

Quiet for a moment

Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Jia Er almost immediately guessed the reason, but Mrs. Xing, who rarely went out and was out of touch with current events, didn't react right away.

Wan'er stepped forward, taking her mother's arm and explaining in a low voice for a few moments.

Mrs. Xing changed her expression and nodded hastily.

Jia Yin brought Shui Ling and Shui Yun, who were busy packing gifts.

The family’s fleet brought back razor clams, dried abalone, bird’s nest and other delicacies from the south. There were also fresh seafood like fish and crabs, as well as baskets of iced lychees, peaches, jade gourds, and golden fruits.

Mrs. Liu and the others were stunned, finding the gifts they had brought too light and inadequate.

Not to mention these high-end delicacies and seafood, just talking about the fruits, this Jade Melon and Golden Fruit are specifically reserved for family members by Suijinshan Beach, they're simply unavailable on the market.

Those peach-sized watermelons, I'm afraid, are so sought after that even if the head of each household insisted on buying them, they would have to search high and low to find them.

The most precious fruit is lychee. Every year, it is transported from the south at a fast pace. A single fruit is worth a thousand gold coins, and not even the six high-ranking officials know what it tastes like.

If it weren't for the county princess planting them here, they probably wouldn't even know what lychees looked like.

This basket of lychees is loaded onto the car. On their way back, they won't be able to resist eating them all themselves. They will definitely give away most of them as gifts.

It's undeniable that it can also help solidify or expand some connections for the family...

Even if their hearts were filled with gratitude, no one refused.

Firstly, they truly needed it. Secondly, they didn't want to disappoint Li Family's kindness.

But after they returned, the first thing they did was take out their best belongings from the bottom of the box and, before it got dark, delivered them to Li's house.

Of course, it wasn't gold, silver, or jewels. It was fine, light gauze, cool and beautiful, specifically meant for Jiayin's skirt.

As expected, the Li family agreed readily. Even Wan’er was planning to sew several skirts for her younger sister overnight.

When Li Laoer and Mr. Wen, Jiahuan, and Jia'an returned, the servants from several families had just left.

In the courtyard, the aroma of cooking food lingered in the air, clearly Tao Hongying had just prepared dinner.

The whole family gathered together, chatting idly while eating. After the table was cleared and the maids were sent to eat, only their own people remained in the courtyard.

People sat under the eaves, eating lychees and discussing business.

Li Laoer asked, "An Ge'er, how was the Emperor's expression when you entered the palace to deliver lychees"

When Jia An went to the government office, he brought two baskets of lychees into the palace first, not giving anyone a chance to seize Li family's handle.

When times are like this, one must be cautious. Rumors can be sharper than knives sometimes.

If someone says that the Li family is disrespectful, because they sent lychees to their relatives and friends but didn't offer them to the Emperor, wouldn't that mean relatives and friends are more important than the Emperor

Even if everything is explained clearly in the end, there's bound to be some trouble.

"Housekeeper Jia nodded and whispered, "Second Uncle, rest assured. The Emperor's countenance seems fine. He probably awaits the arrival of Princess Three. He didn't speak much with me, only instructing me to discuss matters with Shangguan and draft an edict first. We will then present it during the grand assembly."

My dears, only one update today. I'm spending time with my children during the holidays and can't write more.f our eldest brother has some reason for what he did, so we dare not approach him." 。I just wanted to find out more about that family. I heard they were a branch family of a powerful clan, and their m...