The guests dispersed in twos and threes.
Marquis Jingnan approached and said quietly to Chen Qing, "Come with me. This is not a place for conversation."
Chen Qing understood and nodded as he followed.
The two did not take a carriage. Instead, they walked back to the Martial Arts Academy nearby, following the shadows beneath the palace walls.
The night was deep, and the imperial palace was silent.
Only after returning to the secluded courtyard within the Martial Arts Academy did Marquis Jingnan's expression relax somewhat.
"Sit."
Marquis Jingnan pointed at the stone stools in the courtyard, then swept aside his robes and sat down. His gaze settled on Chen Qing's face. "What do you make of tonight's matter?"
Chen Qing sat across from him, pondered for a moment, and said, "Her Majesty the Empress appeared to be showing me favor, but she was actually putting me in a difficult position. This move... did not seem like a simple attempt to win me over."
Marquis Jingnan nodded, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes. "You see things clearly. The Empress has controlled the inner palace for many years. She is not one to shoot an arrow without a target. Her public proposal of marriage today indeed carried deeper meaning."
He paused and lowered his voice. "The key to this matter does not actually lie with you, but with Princess Anning."
"Senior Sister Xu?"
Chen Qing raised his brows slightly. The answer was unexpected, yet upon further thought, perfectly reasonable.
He knew that Xu Min's relationship with the Imperial Family was complicated, but he did not know the specific details.
"Correct." Marquis Jingnan sighed. "It is a long story, involving an old grievance from many years ago. Princess Anning's birth mother, Consort Ping, was also a peerless beauty in her