"So, Xie-shidi, is it true you've gotten married?"

The speaker was Guo Chen, the eldest disciple under Xiao Yucheng, also Qu Shanshan's senior brother, and Xiao Fengyun's cousin.

Guo Chen's face held a smile, his eyes constantly scanning back and forth between Xie Jin Yan and Yu Qingwu, as if deliberately hinting at something. He asked with a smile, "I wonder what kind of woman with both talent and beauty could catch Xie-shidi's eye? I heard the imperial selection of the Crown Prince's Consort is quite strict, even the daughters of Marquis's mansions may not be qualified to be a secondary consort."

As Guo Chen spoke, his gaze deliberately swept over Yu Qingwu.

Looking at Guo Chen's sarcastic face, it was likely that Qu Shanshan had complained to him about something, and he was here to vent his anger on her behalf.

Speaking of which, this Guo Chen was also a fool.

The other male disciples saw through Qu Shanshan clearly, harboring many dirty thoughts, but Guo Chen was different. Guo Chen genuinely liked Qu Shanshan, genuinely thought she was special, and genuinely believed she was popular.

However, Guo Chen came from a common background and had ordinary looks, so Qu Shanshan looked down on him.

She only spoke and laughed with him when she needed his help.

But Guo Chen couldn't see through it, often going to great lengths for Qu Shanshan, and still counting the money after being sold out.

At this moment, his actions were likely instigated by Qu Shanshan, deliberately trying to embarrass Qingwu, probably thinking that he wouldn't admit his relationship with Qingwu.

After all, in terms of status, it did seem more like the Crown Prince was disdaining Qingwu's low status and unwilling to acknowledge their relationship.

At least, that's what Qu Shanshan had been saying.

And Guo Chen's inquiry was, in the end, because he believed that he would deny that A-Wu was his wife in front of everyone, thereby making A-Wu lose face and become the laughingstock of everyone.

This Qu Shanshan was really strange enough, the one who humiliated her was clearly him, yet she wanted to blame Qingwu, was she crazy or what?

Xie Jin Yan sneered in his heart, his gaze extremely sarcastic as he swept over Qu Shanshan, whose eyes were red and swollen, and finally refocused his gaze on Guo Chen, replying with a smile, "Yes, I am married. However, my wife is not the daughter of any Marquis's mansion. I told Senior Sister Qu about this when A-Wu and I just returned."

"Guo Chen-shixiong, didn't Senior Sister Qu tell you? I married A-Wu, and she is my Crown Princess." As Xie Jin Yan spoke, he unabashedly placed his hand on Yu Qingwu's shoulder.

His large hand was extremely gentle, with a hint of comfort, gently patting her thin shoulder, and then looked at Qu Shanshan, who was showing a look of astonishment, and asked her in a fake manner, "Senior Sister Qu, you and Guo Chen-shixiong have always been the closest, didn't you tell him?"

Xie Jin Yan deliberately emphasized the word 'close'. Sure enough, hearing Xie Jin Yan describe his relationship with Guo Chen in this way, Qu Shanshan's face instantly turned ugly. Her expression stiffened, and she stammered, "I... I thought you didn't want people to know for the time being, so I only told everyone that you were married. I didn't expect Guo Chen-shixiong to misunderstand."

Qu Shanshan's eyes were full of unwillingness and jealousy. She deliberately mentioned 'everyone' and deliberately said Guo Chen's full name, in order to clear her relationship with Guo Chen.

Besides, she really hadn't told anyone about their relationship, she had only hinted at a few people.

She was thinking that Xie Jin Yan would most likely not admit it, after all, snatching his senior brother's woman was not a glorious thing. As long as he didn't admit it, then Yu Qingwu would lose face. She would then take the opportunity to thoroughly stimulate her a few times, and Yu Qingwu might admit it herself. At that time, she would guide her and spread some rumors, making everyone feel that Yu Qingwu had betrayed Xiao Fengyun in order to climb the social ladder, and was a lowly mistress. If Xie Jin Yan wanted to save face, he would definitely follow her lead and push all the blame onto Yu Qingwu, the slut who seduced her junior brother, and might even cripple Yu Qingwu…

At that time, Yu Qingwu would be inferior to her again…

That was what Qu Shanshan had planned in her heart, but she didn't expect that Xie Jin Yan would admit it without hesitation.

Xie Jin Yan's words also stunned the other disciples who were only suspicious before.

Previously, they had heard Qu Shanshan say that she felt that Yu-shijie and Xie-shidi were acting strangely. They also heard that Xie-shidi had gotten married, and then heard Yu-shijie and Xie-shidi arguing and crying. They thought that Yu-shijie was Xie-shidi's mistress, and was making a fuss because Xie-shidi had married his official wife. After all, in everyone's minds, it was absolutely impossible for an orphan girl to enter the imperial family.

So, when they saw the two of them entering the door together, they were all suspicious, and vaguely looked down on Yu-shijie.

However, at this moment, hearing Xie Jin Yan's words, they were all stunned.

Especially Guo Chen, the sarcastic look on his face was instantly replaced by shock. He looked at Yu Qingwu incredulously for a moment, then looked at Xie Jin Yan, and said in astonishment, "Xie-shidi, you… you mean… you married Yu-shimei?"

"Yes, my wife, the Crown Princess, is A-Wu." He said with a smile, and in the midst of everyone's astonishment, he answered extremely calmly.

His words and smiles were gentle, and there was no hint of guilt or shame for snatching his senior brother's woman.

However, even so, there were still people who wanted to cause trouble.

At that time, Guo Chen spoke again, looked at Xiao Fengyun opposite him, then looked at Yu Qingwu, and finally looked at Xie Jin Yan again, with an awkward and sarcastic expression, "Xie-shidi, aren't you the Crown Prince? Does the imperial family allow you to marry an orphan girl?"

"Moreover… aren't Yu-shimei and Xiao-shixiong a couple? How… how did you two…"

The implication was obvious, he wanted to say that Yu Qingwu was climbing the social ladder, was ungrateful and heartless, and had dumped Xiao Fengyun.

Hearing this, Yu Qingwu's fingers trembled slightly, she didn't dare to meet Xiao Fengyun's eyes, nor did she dare to look at the other junior brothers and sisters.

Yes, the reason why she didn't dare to admit her relationship with Xie Jin Yan before was because she was afraid of such a scene, it was too embarrassing.

At this moment, even without looking, Qingwu could feel countless gazes gathering on her, gazes of disdain, sarcasm, and even disgust…

Her image as the always serious and elder sister-like second senior sister collapsed in an instant.

"Guo-shixiong, may I ask, are you and Senior Sister Qu a couple?" Yu Qingwu pursed her lips tightly, and was considering how to speak. The next moment, she heard Xie Jin Yan's teasing voice by her ear.

??

Why did Xie Jin Yan suddenly ask about this? He… was he planning to divert the trouble again?

Yu Qingwu raised her head slightly, only to see that Guo Chen, who had been looking sarcastic just now, was stunned, and Qu Shanshan's face was even more ugly. Without even thinking about it, she immediately retorted Xie Jin Yan loudly, "Xie-shidi, don't talk nonsense, Guo Chen-shixiong and I are just ordinary senior and junior siblings."

"Oh? So Senior Sister Qu and Guo-shixiong are not a couple?" As soon as Qu Shanshan finished speaking, Xie Jin Yan immediately picked up the conversation, looking at Qu Shanshan and Guo Chen with a playful smile, and said in a vulgar tone, "Senior Sister Qu, Guo-shixiong, I see that you two are usually so close that you're lying in the same bed. I thought you two had been secretly having an affair for a long time!"