Chapter 135

The next day, Gong Yinai went to the morning court.

Zhou Li went to pay her respects to the concubine. Even when the imperial edict came down, she sat on the right and An Qinan sat on the left, and she was always higher than him.

An Qinan's eyes were red. Although her father was promoted because of a vacant official position in the court, and she became the prince's concubine, the prince's heart was never with her. Last night, she heard that the prince went into the backyard and went to find Li Qiu again. An Qinan was jealous to death.

The prince had not lived with her for several months, and even if they did, they shared two quilts. Although the prince was considerate of her health, An Qinan always felt uncomfortable. She felt that she could still live and could not let Li Qiu be so proud. Thinking of what her family said when they entered the palace, An Qinan's eyes darkened.

When Zhou Li arrived, she greeted him with a lazy look in her eyes, but An Qinan only felt that she was different today, exuding a kind of foxy charm.

An Qinan asked the servants to serve tea and said considerately, "Sister, you served the prince yesterday. You don't have to come today. You live far away and the snow hasn't melted on the road yet. Don't fall."

Zhou Li felt the gnashing of teeth in An Qinan's words, as if she was saying, it's better if you fall down, saying the opposite of what you mean.

She raised her lips and smiled, pretending not to hear the hidden meaning in An Qinan's words.

"Thank you for your concern, sister. As I walked along, I felt that the winter plum blossoms along the way were very colorful, adding a lot of joy to the branches in this winter. Sister, you should go out more often and not stay in your room."

Zhou Li had good intentions. An Qinan suffered from a heart disease, and they kept burning coal in the house all day in winter. Although they used good coal, it was still a bit stuffy. It would be better to come out and breathe some fresh air to relieve the stuffiness in the house. However, An Qinan felt that Mrs. Li had bad intentions. She was afraid that she was hoping that she would go out and catch a cold again and die so that she could take over.

An Qinan snorted coldly, thinking, she doesn't even consider her own status. The fact that she can have the position of concubine is due to her contribution in taking care of the prince. When the prince ascends the throne, she will probably not be able to get a place in the harem. She is afraid that if she gets pregnant...

The prince already favors her more. If she gives birth to another prince, An Qinan might not be able to compete with her.

An Qinan looked at her belly.

She had been married to the prince for a long time, but they had not yet consummated their marriage. Her family was getting anxious and asked her why she was still pregnant.

An Qinan lowered his eyes, a fierce look flashing across his eyes.

If she can't give birth, no one else can either!

As long as she is around, no one can get ahead of her except the Crown Prince who wants to marry the Crown Princess!

An Qinan raised her chin and said, "I appreciate your kindness, sister. It's cold, and I'm afraid you must be freezing after walking all the way. Here's the ginger soup I made in my kitchen today. Drink it to ward off the cold. Don't freeze yourself and make the Crown Prince feel bad."

Zhou Li looked at Jiang Tang with an ambiguous look. She smiled and took the soup from the servant. "Then I thank you, sister. You still love me."

An Qinan watched Zhou Li drink, making sure she finished it in one gulp. Then, smiling happily, she took Zhou Li's hand and said, "Sister, what are you talking about? There are only two of us in the prince's backyard now, so we naturally need to support each other. I'm not in good health, and thanks to you for taking care of the prince, I naturally want to love you."

Zhou Li smiled and nodded. The two chatted for a while and then left. When they returned to their yard, Zhou Li covered her stomach and cried out in pain. The servants became nervous and called a doctor, but found out that the pain was caused by her master's period and a cold.

However, this time her period came much earlier, and the amount of blood was so heavy that Zhou Li couldn't get out of bed and walk. She also called the doctor and he gave her the same advice as before.

When Gong Yinai learned that Zhou Li was unwell, he specifically told An Qinan and exempted Zhou Li from paying his respects.

She went to see Zhou Li. Zhou Li had a fair complexion and her black hair was simply tied back. She was wearing a white inner garment and was lying on the bed reading a book. Her face was pale and her expression was serene. Gong Yinai looked at Zhou Li with a hint of pity in her eyes. When Zhou Li looked at her, she withdrew her expression, sat down beside her legs and said, "Take good care of yourself. I will leave the affairs of the palace to Concubine An for the time being."

She said this specifically because she was afraid Zhou Li would be dissatisfied, but Zhou Li just smiled and said, "I feel relieved to have Sister An in charge. Sister An is very meticulous. It was just her health that delayed it before. Now it has been returned to its rightful owner. However, I am afraid I can't attend this banquet."

Gong Yinai sighed. She reached forward, grabbed Zhou Li's hand, and held it. "Take good care of yourself. Don't worry about the banquet. With the Nanliang Princess assisting the Eastern Palace, and with so many servants, there won't be any problems."

Zhou Li shook his head and laughed.

She had only informed Gong Yinai, and she didn't worry about the other things. She reminded him, "Second brother's body will be kept for a hundred days. Normally, the Eastern Palace shouldn't make a big fuss about it. But this time, the Saint specifically ordered it, wanting to show his favor to the Eastern Palace. Second brother hasn't been buried yet, so we can't be too extravagant and not grieve the Saint."

There were also people around Gong Yinai who analyzed the saint's intentions, and their results were surprisingly similar to Liu Yingzi's.

Gong Yinai tightened her grip on Zhou Li's hand, causing Zhou Li to cry out in pain. Gong Yinai, stunned, let go. She lowered her eyes, her expression suddenly dull, "I know."

Gong Yinai is also very confused now. On the one hand, she is afraid of Liu Yingzi's intelligence, but on the other hand, she has unclear feelings towards Liu Yingzi.

Although Zhou Li didn't know what Gong Yinai was thinking, she knew from her actions that she was afraid of her.

When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked. This is the truth from ancient times to the present.

Zhou Li lowered his eyes to the books that had slid to the side of the bed.

The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

Gong Yinai stood up and pinched the corner of the quilt for Zhou Li. "Just rest assured and let others worry about it."

"Yeah." Zhou Li said lightly.

On the day of the Eastern Palace Banquet, white snow suddenly fell outside the window. Someone was hanging lanterns in the yard, and the shadows were reflected in the snow. The sound of stringed instruments in the distance disturbed Zhou Li's eardrums. She had been lying in bed for several days and finally felt like getting out of bed.

Zhou Li walked around the room and asked someone to open a window. The sound of stringed instruments in the distance became clearer. The servants were worried that she would catch a cold again, so they put a cloak on Zhou Li, increased the charcoal fire in the room, and put incense in the room. The smoke gave Zhou Li a headache, so she asked someone to take it out, and only then did she feel quiet.

The sound of stringed instruments did not stop until midnight. Zhou Li had nothing to do, so she started learning embroidery from the palace maids.

The snow outside the window was falling thicker and thicker. After seeing off the guests, Gong Yinai walked around the hall a few times, feeling that something was missing today. An Qinan came over and stood beside her, saying softly, "Prince, the guests have all been sent to the carriages. It's snowing tonight, and the roads are difficult to travel on. I've also asked the coachman to drive the horses carefully. You're also tired today. Why don't we rest early?"

An Qinan's face showed shame.

Gong Yinai nodded and said, "You are right."

An Qinan looked at her expectantly. Gong Yinai instructed the attendant beside him, "Send the concubine back to the palace."

"Prince?" An Qinan's face turned pale. "Where are you going?"

She couldn't help but lose her composure and grabbed Gong Yinai's sleeve, but Gong Yinai wiped it away with one hand. "I'm going to go see Li Qiu. She's been ill recently. It's snowing tonight, and I wonder if the servants are taking good care of her."

Tears welled up in An Qinan's eyes. "Prince, you haven't been to my backyard for a month."

Gong Yinai frowned and sighed inwardly. She said, "My father has something else to tell me. How can I indulge in the love of my children?"

Wouldn't going to Concubine Li be just indulging in romantic love?

An Qinan was filled with hatred. She bit her lip and watched Gong Yinai walk away.

Gong Yinai entered Zhou Li's yard and felt it was quite deserted.

Perhaps it was because the front yard was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns. Although it was snowing, the warm candlelight made it look festive. However, in Zhou Li's yard, there were only a few dim lights on, so it was not completely dark.

When Gong Yinai arrived, Zhou Li had already gone to bed, and the only light in the room was a dim one left by the palace maid on night watch.

Hearing the noise at the door, the palace maid saw that it was the prince and was about to kneel down, but Gong Yinai waved her hand and told her not to wake Zhou Li.

She walked to Zhou Li's window in the dim light outside, and her narrow shoulders blocked the light from the window. Zhou Li's eyelids moved slightly, and she was awakened by the swaying candlelight, but she chose not to open her eyes and continued to keep them closed.

Gong Yinai stood quietly in front of the bed. In the dim light, he could vaguely make out Zhou Li's eyebrows and eyes. Her upturned nose was like a mountain, and her lips were slightly pouting. It seemed that she smiled too much in her daily life, and even when she was sleeping, she showed a smile.

Gong Yinai saw that Zhou Li was sleeping soundly and couldn't bear to disturb him, so he stepped back and looked around. There were books on the soft couch, an embroidery frame in front of the window, and he could vaguely see Liu Yingzi's daily activities.

Gong Yinai did not wake Zhou Li up. He gave the servants a few instructions and left in a hurry.

Stepping into the night with a gust of wind and snow.

After everyone left, Zhou Li opened his eyes, quite puzzled.

It's the middle of the night and Gong Yinai is not sleeping. What is he looking at here?

She tilted her head, unable to figure it out. Fortunately, she stopped thinking about it, yawned, and fell asleep again.

The next day, the sky was clear and the Princess of Southern Liang came to say goodbye to Zhou Li.

The year has passed, the banquet in the Eastern Palace has been held, and she and the King of Southern Liang are sad to stay in the capital and want to return to their fiefdom.

Zhou Li was a little worried. "It's only the beginning of spring, and the roads haven't thawed yet. Are you going to leave?"

The Princess of Southern Liang patted Zhou Li's hand and said, "We have to hurry up for this time, when the spring in Southern Liang is about to arrive and the flowers are blooming, and people will be happy. I really don't like the twilight in the capital, it makes people feel heavy."

Spring comes earlier in Southern Liang than in the capital. The willow branches have already sprouted, and Zhou Li can imagine the scenery. It is different from the capital, where the flowers only bloom in April.

Zhou Li said, "That makes me want to go and see it too."

Princess Nanliang smiled and said, "If you want to go, I welcome you anytime."

Zhou Li smiled, but didn't say anything. Instead, he said, "Then you and the prince should be careful on the road. It's better to go slowly than to rush to prevent the wheels from slipping."

"Okay." Princess Nanliang patted Zhou Li's face and said, "I know you don't want me to mention the past, but I still have to say that the Nanliang Palace will always be your home."

Zhou Li's eyes flashed, and she hummed in a low voice.

After the Princess of Southern Liang left, it was soon April and the weather had finally gotten hot. The second prince's coffin was over, and Crown Prince Gong Yinai defied all odds to welcome his brother into the imperial mausoleum, earning praise from the Saint.

In May, the sage wanted to perform Fengshan at Mount Tai, but his physical strength was limited. So he chose an auspicious day and had Crown Prince Gong Yinai perform the Fengshan at Mount Tai on his behalf. From then on, Crown Prince Gong Yinai's position was secure.

After returning from Mount Tai, we arrived in the hot summer of June.

Zhou Li fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan and saw that Gong Yinai's expression was becoming more and more stable. Now that all the affairs of the prince's harem had been taken over by An Qinan, Zhou Li was content to be an idle person. Seeing An Qinan working hard every day, she thought to herself that it was not worth it. Her health was not good to begin with, and now it was a waste of energy.

But An Qinan was able to hold on and survive another year.

Zhou Li was enjoying the cool air in the courtyard. When she heard footsteps, she opened her eyes and saw the majestic Gong Yinai.

Gong Yinai frowned and walked in and said to the people in the courtyard, "All of you go down."

After the Fengshan Ceremony at Mount Tai, Gong Yinai became increasingly busy and spent less time in the harem, but whenever he encountered troubles, he could not help but come to Zhou Li.

When Zhou Li saw her expression, he knew that Gong Yinai must have run into trouble again.

She teased herself in her heart that she was like a kindergarten teacher, and Gong Yinai would go to her for advice whenever he encountered something that he couldn't figure out.

As expected, Gong Yinai saw that no one was around, so he squatted in front of Zhou Li's rocking chair and said depressedly: "Today someone suggested that the saint choose a crown princess for me."

Zhou Li raised his palm-leaf fan to cover his mouth and smirked, "Indeed, it's time for you to choose a concubine. The Crown Prince's harem is really empty, and the sisters can't even get together for a mahjong table."

Gong Yinai glared at Zhou Li, "You tease me too, you clearly know what's going on."

Zhou Li raised his eyebrows, "So what if I know?"

"Don't be in a hurry. What if a powerful person comes into the backyard? Can you still be as leisurely as you are now?" Gong Yinai also knew that Zhou Li was being lazy.

Zhou Li sighed, "Isn't it the Crown Prince who was anxious first?"

Gong Yinai continued to glare at Zhou Li, pursed his lips, and said after a long time: "You must be laughing at me in your heart, help me think of a solution." He couldn't help but pull Zhou Li's sleeve.

Zhou Li laughed, "If you don't want to marry, can they force you?"

Gong Yinai sighed, "Lord Li wrote a full ten-page memorial, lamenting the emptiness of my harem as the Crown Prince and my failure to bear a grandson for the country. He urged me to expand my harem and marry a Crown Princess."

Zhou Li laughed heartily. She said, "Then refute him with the interests of the nation. Buddhism says one cannot attain Buddhahood until hell is empty. Just say, 'Until the people of the world are well fed, how can one pursue pleasure?' The common people cannot find wives, and you already have two virtuous wives in your harem. How can you desire more?'"

Gong Yinai's eyes lit up, and he stood up and exclaimed, "With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

Zhou Li fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, shook her head and smiled as she began to talk to Gong Yinai about serious matters. She sat up straight and asked, "Taifu Wen is guilty of corruption and abuse of power. We now have all the evidence. How confident are you?"

Gong Yinai's face was serious: "I have inquired with the Saint, and he is somewhat forgiving of those who have passed away."

Zhou Li sneered. Gong Yinai knew that she was anxious to overthrow Master Wen and restore the reputation of the Liu family, but this matter could not be rushed. If they failed to take down Master Wen, they would not be able to catch him next time. Besides, this matter required long-term planning. Gong Yinai was also worried that if something went wrong, he would be implicated.

She held onto Zhou Li's chair, squatted down, and carefully apologized to Zhou Li: "I haven't forgotten what I promised you, but this matter can't be rushed. If we miss, the consequences will be far-reaching. You don't want us to fail, do you?"

Zhou Li looked at Gong Yinai deeply. She said expressionlessly, "I'm afraid I can't wait that long."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Gong Yinai looked at Zhou Li with gentle eyes and said, "As long as I am here, I will definitely ensure that you live a long life."

Zhou Li just smiled, obviously not believing it.

Gong Yinai felt a little helpless. Sometimes, she was really just throwing her eyes at a blind man.

The relationship between the two became more and more serious. Although she had already humbled herself, Liu Yingzi could not notice it at all.

Gong Yinai is becoming more and more confident in herself. She admires Liu Yingzi and even likes her a little. She thinks that she is not afraid of anything now, so she can even be tolerant of Liu Yingzi.

According to Gong Yinai, Liu Yingzi was so smart that she should be able to see what she was thinking. However, Liu Yingzi, who originally loved to contact her, seemed to have retreated into her shell for some reason and was indifferent to her actions. Gong Yinai was very upset but was too embarrassed to say it out loud.

Seeing Zhou Li closing his eyes and about to sleep, she got up helplessly. This man just said rude words and ignored her. She was really feeling even more tired and lazy.

Zhou Li has been very sleepy recently. Before Gong Yinai left, she fell asleep in the rocking chair.

Seeing that she was sleeping soundly, Gong Yinai asked someone to bring a blanket to cover her. He looked at Zhou Li for a while before leaving reluctantly.

She was busy with official duties, and she tried her best to spare a little time every day to see Zhou Li.

In the evening, Gong Yinai arrived again, and she was also greeted by darkness.

Gong Yinai raised her eyebrows. She slept at noon, slept in the afternoon, and could even sleep so early at night. She really should find something for Liu Yingzi to do.

Gong Yinai got on the bed, washed himself, and contentedly hugged Liu Yingzi to sleep. Liu Yingzi had been sleeping very well recently, unlike before when she would be so energetic that she could do a set of military boxing while sleeping.

When the morning came, Zhou Li opened his eyes and was already used to facing the big face of the former Gong Yinai.

She was so asleep that she didn't even know when Gong Yinai arrived.

Zhou Li laughed.

She felt like someone was holding her like a pillow, and she didn't struggle, but just lowered her head and thought quietly.

Gong Yinai slept soundly at Liu Yingzi's place. Liu Yingzi always gave her a sense of security.

Maybe it was because she looked like Gong Yifu, which made Gong Yinai feel that Liu Yingzi would tolerate everything she did, or it might be because Liu Yingzi knew the secret of her identity. In any case, Gong Yinai agreed to let Liu Yingzi stay by his side. Liu Yingzi should be the only two people Gong Yinai recognized besides Gong Yifu.

After waking up, Gong Yinai couldn't help but nuzzle Liu Yingzi. She said in a hoarse voice, "Good morning."

Feeling the person in his arms struggling, Gong Yinai closed his eyes and asked, "What time is it?"

Zhou Li found that she couldn't break free from Gong Yinai's embrace. She had been losing strength lately, so she stopped struggling. "It's almost time for you to go to court. The palace maid called me up, but I thought it was still early, so I asked her to come back later."

Gong Yinai sighed, stopped hesitating, and stood up directly.

Zhou Li seemed to have never served her. She lay on the bed and watched the servants dress and wash Gong Yinai.

Gong Yinai packed up and hesitated for a moment before she said, "Wait for me at noon for lunch."

Gong Yinai felt sorry that he couldn't take action against Master Wen for the time being and wanted to accompany Liu Yingzi.

I don't want her to be alone and feel sad about the past.

Zhou Li raised her eyebrows. Gong Yinai actually had time to have dinner with her.

Zhou Li said ok lazily.

She went back to sleep for a nap.

When Zhou Li woke up, it was time for lunch. She was lazy and had no energy. While waiting for Gong Yinai to eat, she couldn't help nodding. Only when she heard the servant's voice, she forced herself to be energetic.

Gong Yinai had a happy look on her face, probably because something happy happened in the court.

Zhou Li prepared food for Gong Yi Nai, and she didn't need to ask, because someone told her everything bit by bit like pouring beans.

"This morning, someone urged me to choose a concubine, and I followed our agreement yesterday. You didn't see that Lord Li was speechless after my rebuttal. In the end, he fell to the ground, crying out that he was unworthy of being an official. He was only concerned with enjoying himself and had forgotten the suffering of the people. He even wanted to go back and dismiss his concubines. Do you think he has become stupid from studying?"

Gong Yinai can be quite sarcastic sometimes, but her experience didn't allow her to criticize harshly. Now that her life is better, she seems a bit childish again.

This person also has a vengeful character. Zhou Li could imagine how Gong Yinai made Lord Li cry in the court. She smiled and picked up some food for Gong Yinai.

"I can...think...of..."

A sudden wave of sleepiness came over Zhou Li, who still had a smile on her face. The chopsticks in her hand shook, and the food fell from the air. She fell straight onto the table, smashing the table, plates and bowls everywhere.

"Liu Yingzi!" Gong Yinai's voice trembled. He ignored the dirt and picked up Zhou Li and shouted, "Call the doctor! Call the doctor quickly!"