She wasn't happy, so she disliked their Xu family?

Yu Qingwu was stunned.

She understood even more why the Empress was so determined not to let Xie Ruizhi marry Xu Si. Just having such an older sister-in-law was a headache. It was hard to like this family, no matter what.

Xie Ruizhi, seeing Xu Fengxia suddenly acting pitiful, was also a little at a loss. She raised her hand and patted Xu Fengxia, trying to persuade her with some difficulty, "Eldest Sister Xu, Sister-in-law doesn't mean that. She doesn't dislike you…"

While Xie Ruizhi was trying to persuade her, she secretly looked at the Empress, fearing that the Empress would see Xu Fengxia's ugly behavior and make her marriage to Xu Si even more difficult.

Fortunately, the Empress didn't have the leisure to pay attention to such a small fry as Xu Fengxia.

However, Xu Fengxia not only didn't restrain herself, but because of Xie Ruizhi's persuasion, she thought Xie Ruizhi was supporting her, and she became even more excessive. She said in a strange tone, "Ruizhi, I know my status is low. I'm just the daughter of a fifth-rank official, but I'm still your elder sister-in-law. How can I allow others to bully me? Others are fine, but your sister-in-law here, her own background isn't good either. Why does she look down on me, a family of scholars, so much? She's using her power to suppress people everywhere, threatening to chop off heads at every turn. She's intimidating me…"

The more Xu Fengxia spoke, the more she cried, as if Yu Qingwu had really bullied her.

Seeing her behavior, Xie Ruizhi was speechless.

She simply pulled Xu Fengxia away, and Xu Fengxia covered her face, sobbing.

Xie Ruizhi comforted her for a long time, and said that she would give her the pair of jade bracelets that the Emperor had given her, which finally calmed her down.

Yu Qingwu watched coldly, never saying a word from beginning to end.

It wasn't until Xie Ruizhi had comforted Xu Fengxia and returned that she looked at Xie Ruizhi with a smile and asked softly, "Sixth Princess, do you need to test them again?"

"Sister-in-law…" Recalling Xu Fengxia's ugly behavior just now, Xie Ruizhi felt a little embarrassed and even more guilty.

She pursed her lips and apologized to Yu Qingwu in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, Eldest Sister Xu was rude just now. Don't take it to heart."

Hearing this, Yu Qingwu smiled, not caring much, "She's just an ignorant shrew who flatters the powerful and despises the poor. She probably thinks that my background is poor, and although I've become the Crown Princess, I'm probably still an easy target, so she intends to bully me. I've seen many people like this. I won't bother with her."

"It's you, not to mention whether that Xu Si is a good match, just such an older sister-in-law is enough for you to bear."

Yu Qingwu picked up a fruit and gently handed it to Xie Ruizhi, speaking softly and caringly, "I saw you were busy dealing with that Xu Fengxia just now, and you didn't eat anything. Have a fruit to fill your stomach first."

Yu Qingwu's words made Xie Ruizhi, who already had some opinions about Xu Fengxia, feel even more displeased, and her opinion of Xu Fengxia deepened even more.

But when she thought of Xu Si, the man she had loved for many years, her expression softened again, and she replied to Yu Qingwu with some shyness, "Sister-in-law, I actually know that Eldest Sister Xu is difficult to deal with, but I'm marrying Xu Si to live with him, not with his sister. And Eldest Sister Xu married out early and rarely comes home on weekdays, so she won't cause any trouble."

"Won't cause any trouble?" Yu Qingwu laughed in anger. She sighed and asked Xie Ruizhi, "Sixth Princess, let me ask you, that Xu Fengxia took advantage of the situation to demand a pair of white jade bracelets from you just now, right? I heard your maid say it."

"Also, as the wife of a fifth-rank official, whose maternal family is just an empty title of Marquis, her father couldn't even get an official position before. Xu Si's three older brothers are all incompetent in both literary and martial arts, and their official positions were all obtained by you asking for them. In principle, Xu Fengxia is not qualified to come to this Spring Day Banquet, but why did she appear here today?"

Why did she appear here? Naturally, she begged Xie Ruizhi to ask for it.

Xie Ruizhi also understood the reasoning behind it, but because she liked Xu Si too much, she tolerated everything.

Now that Yu Qingwu had exposed it so bluntly, she didn't know how to answer for a moment, so she lowered her head slightly and said in a low voice, "But… Brother Xu Si saved my life, and Brother Xu Si is indeed good to me. They are all his relatives. I think, since we're all family, it's okay to help each other."

"But there should be a limit to helping each other. Unlimited indulgence will only make them die faster." Xie Ruizhi's attitude made Yu Qingwu really feel a little disappointed. She glared coldly at Xu Fengxia, who was still pretending to cry in the distance, and asked her again, "Sixth Princess, if I'm not mistaken, that Xu Fengxia must have given you an idea before coming here, telling you to persuade me to test that Xu Si today, and then the two of them would cooperate. If they cooperate well, they might even be able to make a big splash and completely reverse Xu Si's previous bad image."

"Am I right?"

Yu Qingwu's words were gentle, but every word hit Xie Ruizhi's heart.

In addition to being embarrassed, Xie Ruizhi was also a little surprised, and she stammered, "Sister-in-law, you… how do you know? Did you send someone to monitor me?"

"Do I even need to monitor you? Anyone with toes could guess such a clumsy plan, okay?"

Just as Yu Qingwu was about to explain, a pleasant male voice suddenly came from behind.

She subconsciously turned her head and saw that Xie Jin'an had appeared behind her at some point.

She hadn't heard anyone announce the Crown Prince's arrival, nor had she seen anyone in the hall kneeling to greet him.

Yu Qingwu was a little dazed and a little frightened, secretly rejoicing that she hadn't said anything bad about Xie Jin'an just now.

She frowned and glanced at him, asking, "When did Your Highness come in?"

"I came in through the small door and have been hiding in the back." Xie Jin'an pointed behind him, sat down at the low table next to Yu Qingwu, then turned his gaze to Xie Ruizhi and hummed, "Xie Ruizhi, are you stupid? Why did you bring that shrew into the palace for no reason? Look at her crying and wailing, anyone who doesn't know would think her father died."

"You better get her out of here quickly, otherwise, if she offends Father and Mother, see if she can keep her head."

"Imperial Brother, you…" Xie Ruizhi was furious.

However, although she was angry, she also felt that what Xie Jin'an said made some sense.

Although she usually made trouble herself, she knew what occasions were appropriate for making trouble and what occasions were absolutely not.

Xu Fengxia's behavior was indeed very likely to cause trouble.

Thinking of this, Xie Ruizhi immediately got up and said something to Xu Fengxia. Before long, she pulled Xu Fengxia out of Fengzao Palace.

Yu Qingwu watched her figure gradually disappear, then slowly withdrew her gaze and looked at Xie Jin'an.

For some reason, she suddenly felt a little awkward being alone with Xie Jin'an at this moment.

After a pause, she still opened her mouth and asked him in a low voice, "Your Highness, why didn't you go to the front hall to talk with His Majesty, but came here?"