Three days later, Princess Zhenzhen carefully washed off the medicinal paste that had been applied to her face overnight and sat before her vanity mirror.

Her jade-white slender fingers touched her cheek as Princess Zhenzhen asked uncertainly of the palace maid attending her: “Has the color of the scars on my face become lighter?”

The palace maid nodded repeatedly.

“You’re not deceiving me?” Princess Zhenzhen still dared not believe it.

“This servant wouldn’t dare deceive Your Highness. Your face truly looks much better.”

“So the medicinal paste works?” Princess Zhenzhen’s tone became eager.

“It works, it works. Your Highness, please rest assured. Your face will return to its original state.” As the palace maid spoke, her voice couldn’t help but choke with emotion.

Ever since Her Highness’s face was ruined, she had spent countless sleepless nights. As servants, they watched with aching hearts, feeling equally distressed.

“Why are you crying? My face isn’t healed yet.” Princess Zhenzhen’s voice couldn’t hide its trembling.

The palace maid quickly wiped her eyes: “Yes, yes, yes. This servant will cry after Your Highness recovers.”

Princess Zhenzhen glared at her: “What foolish words! Quickly take my token and leave the palace to invite Third Miss Li.”

The palace maid left to carry out the order. Princess Zhenzhen alternated between staring intently at the mirror and touching her face. When another palace maid reported that Jiang Shiran had arrived, she quickly invited her in.

“Zhenzhen, I came to see if Li Zhao’s medicinal paste works.” Seeing Princess Zhenzhen’s face, Jiang Shiran paused, then said hesitantly, “It seems to look somewhat better.”

“Are you certain?” Princess Zhenzhen wanted confirmation from her friend.

Jiang Shiran was in a difficult position: “It’s hard to be certain—it’s not very obvious.”

Princess Zhenzhen’s eyes showed disappointment.

“Let me look more carefully.” Jiang Shiran leaned in closer to examine her face.

Princess Zhenzhen forcibly suppressed the urge to avoid her gaze and let her scrutinize.

Jiang Shiran looked for quite a while, then her eyes lit up: “Here, right below your left eye corner—I remember there was a shallow scar there, and now it’s gone!”

Princess Zhenzhen suddenly grabbed Jiang Shiran’s hand: “You noticed it too?”

She had never dared to mention it, fearing it was her delusion that would completely extinguish the hope quietly rising in her heart. She hadn’t expected it to be real and not her imagination.

Jiang Shiran nodded vigorously: “Then it does work.”

Seeing her friend’s joyful expression, Princess Zhenzhen suddenly covered her face and wept.

“Zhenzhen, don’t cry. You should be happy—your face can be saved! Oh, right, didn’t you say Li Zhao would enter the palace today?”

Princess Zhenzhen wiped her tears with a handkerchief: “I’ve already sent someone to invite her.”

However, the news the palace maid brought back was deeply disappointing: “Third Miss Li left early this morning and hasn’t returned home yet.”

Jiang Shiran couldn’t help but become angry: “Zhenzhen, didn’t you say Li Zhao told you to apply the medicinal paste for three consecutive days, and she would help adjust the usage based on the results? Now that the time has come, why is she hiding?”

“Perhaps she truly has business to attend to.” Princess Zhenzhen smiled reluctantly.

“Hmph, she doesn’t take you seriously. Come on, if she won’t come to us, we’ll go find her!”

Princess Zhenzhen, seeing that the medicinal paste had taken effect, was anxious. After hesitating briefly at Jiang Shiran’s suggestion, she agreed and, after requesting permission from the Empress Dowager, left the palace.

The carriage headed toward Xingzi Alley. Throughout the journey, Jiang Shiran complained: “Zhenzhen, tell me, has my father been bewitched? How could he be so captivated by Li Zhao?”

“I don’t know either.”

Jiang Tang was the Commander of the Jinlin Guards, the Emperor’s most trusted confidant, so Princess Zhenzhen naturally wouldn’t comment further.

“She must be behaving improperly!” Jiang Shiran curled her lip and pulled an invitation from her sleeve to show Princess Zhenzhen.

Princess Zhenzhen didn’t understand the meaning: “Why is Marquis Liuxing’s residence suddenly holding a flower-viewing banquet?”

Jiang Shiran snorted coldly: “That’s exactly why I say she’s problematic. This flower-viewing banquet at Marquis Liuxing’s residence is being held because of her.”

After hearing Jiang Shiran explain the whole story, Princess Zhenzhen was dumbfounded: “Such a thing happened?”

“That’s not all. My father once mentioned that Marquis Guanjun takes special care of Li Zhao.”

Princess Zhenzhen was startled, her tone becoming somewhat strange: “Marquis Guanjun?”

Jiang Shiran didn’t notice and continued on her own: “Yes, I’ve never seen any young lady who seduces men left and right like she does—”

Before she could finish speaking, the carriage suddenly began bouncing violently. The two women were thrown about inside the carriage, screaming in fright. Fortunately, the accompanying guards protected them from too much embarrassment.

“What happened?” Jiang Shiran asked angrily.

“The horse was suddenly startled,” a guard replied.

“How could a perfectly fine horse be frightened? Wasn’t it inspected before leaving the palace?” Jiang Shiran pressed.

Princess Zhenzhen’s gaze, however, was fixed on the distance, staring unblinkingly at a figure riding away on horseback.

That person seemed to be Marquis Guanjun—

“The horses used by Her Highness were all carefully inspected without any problems.”

The figure disappeared from view, and Princess Zhenzhen suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, withdrawing her gaze and asking seemingly casually: “Did someone just pass by?”

The guard’s eyes flickered: “This subordinate remembers now—it was after that person passed by that the horse suddenly became frightened.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Princess Zhenzhen’s face darkened. “Continue on our way.”

At the crossroads, Shao Mingyuan tightened the reins, and his fine horse came to a halt.

He turned back to gaze toward Xingzi Alley, his face covered with frost.

So this was how those young ladies from prominent families gossiped about Zhaozhao behind her back!

Passing by that carriage, he hadn’t paid it any attention initially, but his hearing was too acute, and he was sensitive to the words “Marquis Guanjun,” so he caught those scattered half-sentences.

Seducing men left and right?

The thought of others applying such an evaluation to Qiao Zhao made Shao Mingyuan’s heart ache.

When such bloodless soft knives fell upon Zhaozhao, how was she supposed to endure it?

Shao Mingyuan spurred his horse and headed toward Marquis Jing’an’s residence, where he had only hurriedly paid his respects once since returning to the capital.

“Marquis, the Second Young Master has arrived.”

Upon hearing this, Marquis Jing’an’s face lit up with joy: “Quickly invite the Second Young Master in.”

Moments later, a young man wearing a black cloak walked in and greeted Marquis Jing’an: “Father.”

Marquis Jing’an was delighted by Shao Mingyuan’s arrival and asked warmly, “Didn’t you say you’ve been very busy these past few days? How do you have time to come over?”

Shao Mingyuan removed his cloak and tossed it to a servant, getting straight to the point: “Father, I’ve taken a liking to a young lady and would like you to propose marriage on my behalf.”

“What?” Marquis Jing’an thought he wasn’t fully awake yet, his gentle voice changing pitch.

The son showed no consideration for his father’s hurricane-swept state of mind and said with an unchanged expression: “Your son wants to take a wife.”

Marquis Jing’an nodded dumbly: “Ah, taking a wife is a good thing, a good thing.”

What was Mingyuan saying? Why couldn’t he understand?

“Then I thank you, Father.”

“Thank me for what?” Marquis Jing’an still felt as if he were in a dream.

Shao Mingyuan smiled slightly: “Didn’t you just agree to propose marriage on your son’s behalf?”

“Ah.” Marquis Jing’an nodded, then looked bewildered.

Wait, when did he agree to that?