Fukang'an stayed with her until the afternoon, but was urgently summoned to the palace due to matters at court. Upon returning, he didn't even set foot on the grounds of Jiangongzhai before being invited away by the people of Chunyingyuan.

After hearing what Zhu Xiang said, Yan Ning smiled bitterly. If he wanted to stay, given his nature, what could the imperial decree do to him?

The soft rustling of snowflakes drifted in from outside the thick curtains, the sound of them hitting the glazed tiles on the roof ridge. If the sound was so faint by the time it reached inside, then outside in the courtyard, it must be snowing fiercely.

Yan Ning's heart sank.

Zhu Xiang stayed in the backyard, unaware of what was happening in the front yard. Ming Xin, who had always been close to her, was now nowhere to be found. Zhu Xiang only said that she had been punished by the general to sweep snow, the reason for which was unclear. However, the snow had just fallen when Yan Ning woke up; the snow that had piled up last time had already been swept away. Why sweep now? Fu Kang'an also urged her to reflect on her actions, for the pure white snow should not be stained with dust from elsewhere.

Chen Shao was expelled from the manor overnight and took his family from the capital to another place. The guards who were on duty last night were all withdrawn to the inner courtyard to do some odd jobs and were no longer to be reused. This was what Zhu Xiang knew, but to silence gossip, it was not as simple as just exile and being sidelined.

Fukang'an's actions were so significant that the servants of the Fucha Mansion kept silent about how Yan Ning returned to the mansion, as if Yan Ning had only been sick for a day and had not gone out yesterday.

The wind whistled, the snow fell softly. Yan Ning's heart pounded, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily. Fukang'an had already suspected her once because of Heshen's affair, and had only welcomed Wuchun into the mansion out of spite. Now, the matter of the Fifteenth Prince was different from the simple matter of Heshen. She didn't know the situation between the Old Madam Fucha and the Emperor, and the Emperor and his ministers were always one who held the power, the other who obeyed. Even though the Old Madam Fucha was proud and aloof, she too was not free to make her own choices, and had repeatedly made mistakes.

But the Empress Dowager's delirious ramblings during her illness made Yan Ning realize that things weren't as she thought. The Empress Dowager had said that she had wronged Old Madam Fucha, but she hadn't explained why. Yan Ning had no way of asking.

The Empress Dowager is seriously ill and will not live much longer. If he can live peacefully until her death, no one will be able to control the Emperor's mind. Only then can Fukang'an live a more relaxed and carefree life. The bitterness and caution in his heart are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Although Yan Ning understands, she can hardly empathize with him.

She was his wife, yet she repeatedly pushed him into difficult situations. Yan Ning felt sorry for him and didn't know what to do.

Zhu Xiang sent for Fukang'an's servant to return and report, "The general said it's good that the lady has woken up! The heavy snow has blocked the roads, and the lady is weak and should not be exposed to the cold outside! The general will come to see the lady again tomorrow!"

The servants in the inner room used tongs to hold many small, delicate pieces of coal. Yan Ning's forehead was covered in sweat, yet she still felt extremely cold inside.

That night, the wind howled and the snow fell heavily, and Yan Ning remained sleepless all night.

At dawn, outside the curtains, came the crisp sound of branches snapping under the weight of snow. Yan Ning realized that she had been sitting there in a daze all night. When she asked Zhu Xiang, she said that the snow had stopped and the world outside was a pristine white, which made her feel joyful.

After breakfast, Zhao Xing presented a string of white crystal carvings depicting a hundred flowers, including chrysanthemum petals, crabapple blossoms, lily buds, and peonies...

"The general said that with the cold wind blowing fiercely now, it is just right to hang this outside the bamboo window of the warm couch where the lady usually rests."

Zhao Xing wore a thick blue cotton coat, made by Zhu Xiang, which he rarely wore except when visiting her. As he relayed Fukang'an's message, he carefully brushed off the snowflakes that had fallen from the branches he had bumped into while walking.

Seeing how much he cherished his clothes, Zhu Xiang felt a warmth in her heart, and a blush immediately appeared on her face.

Yan Ning admired the smooth, jade-like, and crystal-clear floral garland, then glanced up and saw Zhao Xing and Zhu Xiang exchanging tender glances. A mix of joy and bittersweetness welled up inside her, but the moment was not the right to bring up their marriage.

"Then hurry up and hang it up!" Yan Ning, supported by Zhu Xiang, returned to the inner room and waited for Zhao Xing to hang the Hundred Flowers String of Pearls.

Sure enough, as soon as he hung it up, the crystal-clear, snow-white string of fruits moved with the wind, making a tinkling sound that was crisp and delightful.

Zhu Xiang wrapped the brocade quilt around Yan Ning tightly before lifting the thick curtain of the crystal curtain. A hundred flowers floated before her eyes, though lacking color, perfectly matching the scene of snow-covered landscape.

Before leaving, Zhao Xing told Yan Ning that Fukang'an had petitioned the emperor to demote Li Dan, the acting cavalry captain who had accompanied the Fifteenth Prince yesterday, and Zhang Qian, the acting assistant commander of the Imperial Stud Horse Factory, to the area outside the city for their poor performance.

Yan Ning's teacup fell onto the tatami mat. Fukang'an, usually so composed and steady, had openly belittled the Fifteenth Prince's subordinate. What was the reason behind his actions?

In the afternoon, the snow, which had stopped for half a day, began to fall again. Zhu Xiang was worried that Yan Ning, still recovering, might catch a cold. So she lowered the thick curtains on the crystal curtain. Instantly, the room became dark. Yan Ning felt sleepy, so she got up to rest on the bed. Just as she took off her flowing cloud-patterned cloak, a maid's voice came from behind her, "This servant greets the General!"

When Fukang'an entered, although his cloak had been removed outside the inner room, his braids were still covered in snow. The white expanse made him look like an old man in his twilight years.

Seeing that Yan Ning was able to get up, a glimmer of light appeared in his dark eyes. The tall, deep-red figure did not approach Yan Ning, but stood by the fireplace, warming himself.

Yan Ning also knew that he was not afraid of the cold, but must be afraid that the cold air on his body would hurt her.

She stood up, supported by Zhu Xiang's hand. Her pearl-white nightgown was slightly soaked with sweat. Her clothes were all stained with lily juice, and even the beads of sweat on her body exuded a faint lily fragrance.

Fukang'an remained standing by the stove with one hand behind his back, silent, simply watching Yan Ning approach.

She approached Fukang'an, her hand touching his clothes, feeling a chill, and she couldn't help but shiver. Fukang'an took a large step back, afraid of catching a chill on her sick body, his eyes dark and deep.

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