CHAPTER 262: CHAPTER 260: IS THIS YOUR SINCERITY?

Lu Ying hadn’t answered yet, but Shen Yinning, as if not wanting to hear him speak, was the first to lift a cup of wine.

She spoke softly, "I have no intention of upsetting the Princess. With this cup, I first wish the Ninth Princess and my brother a union blessed for a hundred years, with many children and much happiness."

She covered her sleeve and drank the wine in her cup in full view of those present.

Lu Qianqian snorted coldly, "What trick are you playing this time?!"

Shen Yinning poured herself another cup of wine and turned towards the wedding procession that had come from the Capital.

Tonight, for the joyous occasion of the grand wedding, Liang Garden had arranged seats even for the Imperial Guard and Lu Qianqian’s Hidden Guards who had come south as part of the wedding convoy. The tables were filled with exquisite delicacies, and each table was adorned with two jars of nu’er hong wine.

With poise and refinement, she raised her cup high. "With this second cup of wine, I wish all you esteemed guests may enjoy your time in Jiangnan to the fullest. The women of Jiangnan are tender and as graceful as flowing water—if any of you chance upon a fateful encounter and find love here, then wouldn’t that be the greatest blessing?"

Her words were sweetly enchanting.

Most of the Imperial Guard and Hidden Guards present were young, unmarried men. Looking upon Shen Yinning’s beauty, they couldn’t help but yearn for Jiangnan, quickly raising their cups and drinking their wine in unison with hers.

Shen Yinning gently rubbed the rim of her cup with her fingertip, watching them swallow the wine, their throats bobbing as they drank. In her phoenix eyes, a faint trace of mockery flickered.

Then, she poured herself a third cup of wine and gracefully approached Lu Ying.

"This third cup of wine..." She locked eyes with Lu Ying. "I drink to the hope that the lands of Great Zhou remain unharmed, that both north and south rejoice, and that the nation prospers and the people live in peace."

She drank half the cup, then brought the wine cup to Lu Ying’s lips, her smile radiant and intoxicating. "Three days ago, when Your Highness first arrived at Liang Garden, it was I who poured Your Highness a drink. For this cup of wine, could Your Highness perhaps do me the honor?"

Lu Ying lowered his eyelids slightly, clearly catching sight of the red lipstick mark she had deliberately left on the rim of the cup.

His gaze lifted slightly, settling on her alluring and vibrant face.

She flushed while drinking, her cheeks now tinged with rosiness, her dewy complexion radiating a tender bashfulness beneath her intoxicated charm. She resembled peach blossoms veiled in the mists of spring. The glow of palace lanterns flickered like flames, with Qianyou Lake’s reflections glimmering in the backdrop. The nu’er hong wine she offered so temptingly near his lips carried a rich and aromatic scent, beckoning him to savor its allure.

He stared into her eyes. "With Lady Lv Zhu personally offering the wine, how could I possibly refuse?"

He took the cup from her, and along the trace of her lip stain, drained it in one go.

Watching Lu Ying empty the cup, Shen Yinning finally revealed a true, radiant smile.

Lu Qianqian had already lost her patience. "Prince Consort, is this how you indulge her to revel and drink at Liang Garden? I told you to kill her—did you even hear me?! I’ll count to three. Either you kill her, or I’ll immediately set out to return to the Capital! One, two—"

Luo Xibai remained unmoved.

A servant even brought over a golden sandalwood chair custom-made to suit his physique. He lazily settled into it, casually arranging his robes.

Lu Qianqian found herself at an impasse.

She gripped her round fan tightly, her knuckles turning pale with pressure.

What was Luo Xibai implying?

Was Jiangnan willing to forgo a marriage alliance with her in favor of Shen Yinning?!

Luo Wanxiang’s expression wasn’t much better.

Her eyes darted back and forth. She worried that pushing Luo Xibai too far might ignite his rebellious streak, so she took a step back and gently advised, "Brother, the Princess is a noblewoman of exalted status. Since Lv Zhu has upset the Princess, as the Princess Consort, you should stand up for the Princess and act accordingly! If you truly have sympathy and can’t bear to shed blood on this wedding night, why not first send Lv Zhu away from Liang Garden? Once the Princess has calmed down, she can be summoned back to kneel and offer an apology."

Luo Xibai frowned and glanced at her. "Xiang’er, when did you start siding with outsiders?"

Luo Wanxiang’s face froze for a moment. "Brother! The Princess is my lawful sister-in-law! How does that make her an outsider? That wretch is the real outsider! Now that the wedding is only halfway complete, how can this disruption be resolved? Father and Mother are still in the main hall, waiting for you and the Princess to complete the ceremonial rites. For the sake of the larger picture, you must send Lv Zhu away to placate the Princess!"

"Does Sister Xiang’er not know? Brother already signed over half of Liang Garden to me," Shen Yinning suddenly interjected. "Since I am now the mistress of this place, how could there possibly be any talk of me being ousted?"

Her words dropped, plunging the atmosphere into utter silence.

Liang Garden, lauded as the "Number One Garden Under Heaven," spanned an enormous area and contained wealth rivaling that of nations.

Yet tonight, Shen Yinning claimed that Luo Xibai had given her half of Liang Garden?

As if fearing disbelief, Shen Yinning purposely instructed a maid to bring out the property deed, which bore the government’s official seal of verification. "Look, it’s already been notarized by the authorities. I am now the true owner of Liang Garden. Sister Xiang’er, you’re enjoying a banquet in my home—how could you think of evicting me, the hostess?"

Luo Wanxiang opened her mouth wide, as if she could fit an entire goose egg inside.

Only after finally processing this revelation did she turn toward Luo Xibai in disbelief, her voice shrill with incredulity: "Brother, you gave Liang Garden to this wretch?! You didn’t even give it to me or our sister, but gave it to this woman you’ve only known slightly over a month?! She’s merely pretty—what else about her is worth your obsession?! How could you possibly cherish this wretch so deeply?!"

"Xiang’er!" Luo Xibai frowned. "You’re a young lady—why do you keep throwing around the word ’wretch’? You should truly follow Sister Shen’s example and learn some proper manners. Stop embarrassing yourself everywhere you go!"

Luo Wanxiang was on the verge of tears. "Brother!"

"Enough." Luo Xibai opened his folding fan with a flick. "Shen Yinning and I hit it off at first sight. She has given me warmth and companionship that no one else ever has. What’s a few trinkets compared to that? It’s not as if I can’t afford to give them. Why must you act so melodramatic, making a scene? Do you wish others to look down upon the Luo Family? Furthermore, Liang Garden is part of my personal savings. How I choose to dispose of it is my private matter. Since when is it a younger sister’s place to meddle in her brother’s affairs?"

Luo Wanxiang was nearly crying with rage. "But how will you explain this to the Princess?! As officials, we cannot offend the Princess!"

Lu Qianqian straightened her spine and called out sharply, "The auspicious hour is almost over, Luo Xibai! Are you truly intent on opposing me, the Princess, over this wretch tonight? I heard it was your father, the Magistrate Luo, who proactively sought this marriage alliance. Is this your idea of sincerity? I’m laying it out clearly today: if you want to marry me, you must fulfill my two conditions. First, take Liang Garden back from that wretch and place it under my name. Second, kill her! If you refuse, I will not marry you!"

She thought she had issued an effective ultimatum to Luo Xibai.

But Luo Xibai merely twirled his fan and laughed coldly. "If the Princess is unwilling to marry, then you may depart for the Capital immediately."

Lu Qianqian choked on her words.

She lowered her round fan, staring at Luo Xibai in disbelief.

This was the man who had actively sought to marry her, yet now he was adopting such an aloof and condescending attitude. What was this supposed to mean?!

Returning to the Capital was, of course, out of the question. If the Emperor found out she had failed to marry him, she would be scolded to no end.

And those other ladies of the court would surely mock her!

Trapped between a rock and a hard place, she could only stiffen her neck, stubbornly holding her ground as she continued to threaten, "Luo Xibai! Is this how you treat me, the Princess? Are you planning to rebel for the sake of that wretch?!"

Rebellion...

Luo Xibai suddenly snapped his folding fan shut, a sternness appearing on his pudgy face that had never been there before.

Tonight, he did indeed plan to rebel!

He had heard everything from Sister Shen. That filthy Emperor had believed the slander of traitorous officials, accusing her father and brother of treason, framing loyalists and executing them unjustly—he was unworthy of the throne!

The current Crown Prince, who had usurped another man’s wife, was no better!

Luo Xibai, enraged by a grave injustice for the sake of a beauty, thought—what harm was there in revolting against the world?!