Liang Jue glanced at the attendants following Xue Ning, then turned his gaze to Xue Ning himself, “Third Prince, there are some things that I feel are only suitable to be discussed between you and me.”

With so many people around, he treated Xue Ning, this prince, quite politely.

However, perhaps because his attitude was too accommodating, or maybe because these people didn’t dare to act without Xue Ning’s orders, they didn’t follow Liang Jue’s implied instruction to step back. They also didn’t look to Xue Ning for any questioning glances, clearly indicating that his words held no weight with those people.

After a brief silence, Xue Ning spoke, “Let’s take a walk first.”

The two of them strolled around the courtyard, with Xue Ning walking in front and Liang Jue silently following behind. Normally, as the host, he should have enthusiastically introduced something to the other party. As a qualified lord, he shouldn’t have treated a favored prince in such a manner. But the thought of what the other party was plotting made him feel choked up, and he couldn’t say anything.

In addition to being more silent than usual, his posture was also not as confident as usual. Instead of walking with his head held high, he slightly lowered it, and his long and thick eyelashes blocked the dim light in his eyes.

They walked slowly like this, and the news of the third prince’s visit to the mansion also reached the other courtyard of the Shen family.

Under the guise of caring for the future of their children, Mr Shen forcibly brought Shen Xiang to show her hospitality. Even though Liang Jue didn’t say anything, Xue Ning would naturally have eager people wanting to please him, eagerly telling him everything they knew, if he wanted to ask about anything.

Although Shen Li knew that Xue Ning intentionally or unintentionally steered the conversation towards Shen Meng, she still followed his lead, trying to make the conversation lively and interesting.

Although the previous rumors had subsided, they still left a deep impression on Shen Li. Xue Ning came this time supposedly to see Liang Jue, probably to inquire about Shen Meng’s situation, as he wanted to understand his “rival.”

There’s a saying that goes, “Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.” Shen Li originally intended to speak ill of Shen Meng, but upon second thought, if Xue Ning really thought that Liang Jue’s wife was unworthy, and acted against the Shen family, it wouldn’t benefit him either. So he took the opportunity to praise his stepdaughter, especially highlighting her extraordinary intelligence.

Although Liang Jue was the master of this household, he hadn’t been here for a long time after marrying into it. There were many things about Shen Meng that he naturally didn’t know as well as Shen Li did. When he heard topics related to Shen Meng, he listened attentively.

But Xue Ning, who was deliberately favored by the father and son, chatted with them amiably and skillfully extracted the information he wanted without attracting attention.

Clearly, Liang Jue was Shen Meng’s legitimate husband, but for a while, he could only watch the father and son chatting happily with Xue Ning, talking about his wife. It seemed as if he were just a passing guest, while Xue Ning was the legitimate husband married to Shen Meng.

After strolling for about half an hour, going from inside to outside and back inside again, when they were about to enter the house, Xue Ning gestured for the people around him to step back, “I have something to discuss with Ah Jue.”

His tone was very intimate, as if he and Liang Jue were truly close friends. Ignoring the discomfort this feeling brought, Liang Jue spoke directly, “I don’t have much to say, I just want to ask Third Prince a few questions and hope you can answer them truthfully.”

“Feel free to ask whatever you want.” Perhaps because he got the information he wanted, or maybe because he was satisfied with the atmosphere today, Xue Ning seemed particularly gentle and easygoing at this moment.

Liang Jue took a few deep breaths before speaking, “I was overjoyed when Third Prince came to visit today, but it seems your intentions are not just for a social visit. Now that we’re alone, I dare to ask, is your intention directed towards my wife?”

Xue Ning was stunned for a moment, apparently not expecting him to ask so straightforward. He was about to say something when he caught sight of a familiar figure. With a change of heart, he changed his words at the last moment.