Chapter 109: Even after all these twists and turns, the next day...

Even after all these twists and turns, Yinzhen still got up early the next day to attend to official duties. Qi Buchen actually had a headache, but she didn't feel like resting for too long. She went to the temple where the body of the twelfth princess was placed and lit a perpetual lamp for her.

He also instructed the kitchen not to prepare any meat for the time being, as a token of his appreciation.

After that day, there was no news from the palace and no movement from the clan house. Qi Buchen knew that Concubine De was probably either awake or stopped by someone. She was relieved that no one came to cause trouble.

Unexpectedly, within two days, Yinzhen came back with a dark face. When he took off his clothes, his body was covered with bruises.

"What's going on?" Qi Buchen asked in surprise, "Did you have a fight with someone?"

Yinzhen gritted his teeth and said, "It's the fourteenth."

Qi Buchen was even more surprised: "Isn't he in the prince's residence?"

"I went to Yuqing Palace today to discuss official business with the Crown Prince." Yinzhen's expression was cold. "He was hiding outside Yuqing Palace, taking advantage of my unpreparedness... and attacking me... I didn't bother to argue with him, but he kept pushing me further."

Although Yinzhen was only nine years old, he ate well and was a stocky, chubby little boy, even more exaggerated than Yin'e had been back then. His sneak attack with a punch had dealt Yinzhen a heavy blow. Later, Yinzhen didn't want to fight him, only trying to restrain him, and suffered many losses in the struggle.

"Is he sick?" Qi Buchen said angrily, touching Yinzhen's wound with heartache, "Does it hurt?"

Yinzhen said it didn't hurt, but Qi Buchen couldn't miss the slight shiver he was showing. He blew on it quickly and cursed, "What's wrong with this naughty kid again?"

Upon hearing this, Yinzhen's face darkened and he said, "You say I'm unfilial and want to beat me to death for being such an unfilial son."

Qi Buchen was so angry that he cursed: "He knows nothing!" She paused and said, "Don't listen to his nonsense. He is just a little brat, and a little brat who has been spoiled too much. Don't take what he says to heart."

If she were to say, Yinzhen was a typical vested interest group who was showing off his moral superiority and kidnapping others.

Yinzhen reached out and hugged her, buried his face in her neck, and said nothing.

I still took it to heart.

Qi Buchen sighed inwardly and tried to comfort him, "You're not wrong. It's just that Fourteen has been pampered since he was young. Everything has gone smoothly for him without any setbacks. Plus, he's still young and doesn't understand a lot of things, so he doesn't have much empathy. It's not surprising that he said something like that. When he's older and has experienced more, he won't think that way anymore."

Yinzhen nuzzled her neck and replied muffledly, "Hmm."

There is no way to hold Yinzhen accountable for beating someone. After all, Yinzhen is an adult, and the saying "he is still a child" has been popular in China since ancient times. What's more, Yinzhen is Yinzhen's younger brother, and he is using the moral high ground reason of being unfilial.

The bruises on Yinzhen's body were about to fade, and Qi Buchen was about to enter the palace to pay her respects for the first time since that incident. Early in the morning, Yinzhen stroked her hair silently for a long time, and finally said only one sentence: "Don't worry."

Qi Buchen entered the palace with a nervous heart. She went all the way to Yonghe Palace. The maid who received her showed her an expressionless face and led her to the west side room, which she had never been to before. She said, "Your Majesty has not yet washed up. The Fourth Lady should pay her respects in the outer room."

I don’t know if I forgot, but there was no usual futon at the outer door.

Qi Buchen paused, and finally knelt down steadily: "Your son greets you, mother. May you be blessed with good fortune."

There was silence in the room. Qi Buchen blinked and continued to crawl, waiting for the "stand up" that would come to him at some unknown time.

She wore knee pads, but in order to avoid being noticeable, the pads were not too thick. However, after kneeling for a while, she felt discomfort in her knees, and soon a slight tingling sensation arose.

Qi Buchen quietly moved his feet, flattened the instep of his feet, and pressed his entire leg on the ground to relieve the pressure on his knees.

After a while, the Seventh Princess came. She paused in front of Qi Buchen and called out, "Fourth Sister-in-law."

Qi Buchen took the opportunity to straighten up, moved his legs, changed his kneeling position, and nodded calmly to Qi Gege: "Good morning, sister."

Qi Gege pursed her lips, hesitant to speak, and finally lowered her head and said, "I'll go in and see if my mother is awake."

"Go ahead, but be gentle and don't disturb mother from resting." Qi Buchen said calmly.

The Seventh Princess stood in silence for a while before lifting the curtain and entering the inner room, but she was like a fish entering the sea, without making any sound.

Qi Buchen sat on his heels and remained kneeling in this position. None of the servants guarding outside said anything.

Just when Qi Buchen was distracted by his distraction, a voice suddenly rang out from outside the palace: "Empress Hui has arrived."

As soon as the voice fell, Qi Buchen heard a voice in the hall: "Where is your master? Is she awake? I heard that she was not feeling well, so I came to visit her."

The palace maid who had been standing beside Qi Buchen with an expressionless face suddenly became surprised by Concubine Hui's arrival. She did not dare to delay and immediately went into the inner room, probably to report.

But Qi Buchen thought, Huifei's voice was quite loud, so Defei should have heard it, right?

A palace maid outside replied, "Madam Huifei, the master hasn't gotten up yet. Please wait a moment. I will go and report."

"Why haven't you gotten up yet? Did something happen?" Concubine Hui's voice was surprised, and then she said dissatisfiedly, "Sister Defei has been ill for a long time, and you servants have been slacking off. You haven't gotten up yet, and you didn't even bother to call the imperial physician!"

"Move aside, I want to see Concubine De with my own eyes."

"Empress Hui, please don't..." It can be heard that the servants in Yonghe Palace were trying their best to stop her.

Qi Buchen quickly changed his posture and knelt respectfully.

The curtain in front of her opened, and Concubine Hui's voice came from behind: "Sister, are you up? How dare you, a slave, fool me?"

The palace maid who had just blocked the way outside apologized: "This servant dared not do that. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Concubine Hui ignored her and spoke in surprise again, "Isn't this the Fourth Lady? Why are you kneeling? Could it be..." Her voice was half-smiley, "Are you being punished for making a mistake?"

"Stand up." Defei's voice sounded calmly.

Qi Buchen stood up with his brows lowered, turned around and saluted Concubine Hui: "Your son greets Concubine Hui."

Concubine De said, "It's just a daily greeting. Sister Hui is overthinking it."

"Really?" Concubine Hui continued with a half-smile. "It seems I misunderstood. It's also true that the Fourth Lady is known for her filial piety. She's always been the first to send Yonghe Palace any goodies she's had. I'm so envious and wish I had such a thoughtful and kind daughter-in-law. It's a shame I missed out, and you, my sister, got the opportunity."

Qi Buchen looked at his nose and his heart, without interrupting.

Concubine De ignored the question and asked, "Sister, why did you come so early this morning?"

"Nothing, I just heard that you were not feeling well, so I came to visit you."

Just come to watch a show.

Concubine Hui smiled and said, "Now, my sister seems to be in good spirits. Go out for a walk more often when you have time. Don't stay in the house all the time. It seems that those people in the cold palace become sick even if they are not sick. Is that right or wrong, my sister?"

Qi Buchen saw from the corner of his eye that the armor hidden under Concubine De's sleeves trembled.

"That's right, sister." De Fei's voice remained calm. "But my palace is now full of flowers, so it doesn't matter. It's not like some places where the flowers are withered and the leaves are fallen, which is worse than the cold palace. I need to go out and relax from time to time."

Although they were just chatting, Qi Buchen seemed to see the flash of swords.

The two bosses were silent for a moment, and Concubine Hui chuckled. "Seeing my younger sister so energetic, I'm relieved. I was just worried. She was drowning in grief over Twelve's passing. Now it seems I was worrying too much. It's true, this isn't my first time, so I guess she's quite experienced."

Qi Buchen secretly thought that this was not good. Concubine Hui was stabbing Concubine De in the most sensitive part.

As expected, Concubine De's tone changed, and I felt a chill coming over me. "I'm not as good as my sister. I'm also learning from her."

Concubine Hui also had a prince who died young, before Yinzhen.

Just when Qi Buchen was worried that the two would fight, Concubine Tong arrived.

When there are more people, everyone wants to save face, and the scene looks better.

"I just went to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. Speaking of Twelve, she was very sad." Concubine Tong said, "This year is an intercalary March. The Empress Dowager wanted to hold a water and land ceremony for Twelve on the anniversary of his death."

The empress dowager was now old and did not like to see so many people, so she exempted the concubines from paying their respects. However, the two childless concubines, Concubine Tong and Concubine Xuan, still often paid their respects, and the empress dowager did not refuse.

Concubine Tong looked directly at him and said, "Fourth Family, the Empress Dowager wants you to live outside the palace, which is convenient for you. This matter will be left to you."

Qi Buchen stood up quickly and said, "I obey your order."

De Fei also replied: "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your consideration."

After Concubine Tong finished speaking, she stood up and said, "I am here to convey the Empress Dowager's wishes. If there is nothing else, I will leave first."

When Concubine Tong was about to leave, Concubine Hui also stood up lazily and said, "It's time for me to leave too. The eldest concubine is still waiting in the palace."

So you abandoned your wife and ran here? Qi Buchen's face was full of black lines.

Everyone left, and Qi Buchen stood there obediently, not saying a word.

After a long time, Concubine De said quietly, "The water and land Taoist temple... must be handled well." After that, she stood up and went back into the room.

Qi Buchen walked out of Yonghe Palace, stopped, and squinted his eyes to watch the rising sun in the east.

The sun in March has already become a little warmer.

"Fourth sister-in-law!" The Seventh Princess came after her. She had been waiting in Concubine De's bedroom and had not come out.

Qi Buchen looked back at her: "Seventh sister."

"Fourth sister-in-law, don't mind it, mother..." The Seventh Princess grunted and couldn't say the following words.

Qi Buchen could not deny it and did not continue the conversation: "The Queen Mother asked me to organize a water and land ceremony for my twelfth sister. Would my seventh sister like to help?"

"Ah?" Seventh Princess reacted, "Sister-in-law, please wait a moment. I'll send someone back to get the silver."

Qi Buchen didn't really need this little money from Qi Gege, she just felt that Qi Gege must really want this opportunity to devote herself to her sister.