The morning lights throughout the mansion were not yet fully lit; often, some were on while others were off. Fukang'an, holding Yan Ning's hand, walked slowly along the wide mansion road.

Yan Ning wore the same deep crimson cheongsam as Fukang'an, and even her cape was deep crimson, which accentuated her calm and serene expression. The two figures, both dressed in deep crimson, moved forward amidst the changing light and shadow.

Fukang'an also felt reluctant to leave, a reluctance he had never felt when he left the capital for Jinchuan. He was a military general, and it was his duty to fight on the battlefield and bring peace to the land. He always took pride in wielding his sword to kill enemies, and personal feelings were merely for filling his household and ensuring the continuation of his ancestral temple.

Since it's to fill the mansion, we must choose what he likes.

But today, Fukang'an secretly mocked himself for becoming someone who was also heartbroken over matters of the heart. He also finally understood why the Empress Dowager had always wanted to keep Yan Ning by her side, and why others used Yan Ning as a talisman to blackmail him.

This lingering attachment was already known to others, and he himself had long known it, but only today did he truly understand it.

Zhao Xing and Zhu Xianghou stood at the gate of the mansion, waiting for their respective masters, both with red eyes.

Fukang'an took the riding whip from Zhao Xing's hand. Yan Ning grabbed Fukang'an, who was about to step out of the gate of the mansion, and tears streamed down her face.

Although he would occasionally stay in Chunying Garden within the manor, he was still within the manor, and there were days when he would go to Jian Gong Zhai. Now, however, he was leaving the capital for a place she could never reach, and she didn't know what month or year it would be.

The sorrow that had been hidden in her heart spread out, and Yan Ning showed all her sadness and bitterness on her face.

Under the lanterns, Fukang'an's face turned as deep as the night, the complex emotions in his heart etched between his brows. He tenderly embraced Yan Ning, wrapping her deep crimson cloak, the same color as his, with his own cloak.

His voice was choked with emotion, "I will write more letters home!"

The lingering warmth from Fukang'an on Yan Ning's body hadn't cooled yet when he leaped onto his horse and rode off with Zhao Xing.

The long street could only be illuminated by the lanterns in front of other mansions. Fukang'an and Zhao Xing walked to the front of the procession, followed by the carriages of the servants, which contained the ornaments and clothes that Yan Ning had packed for him.

Yan Ning turned around and saw Zhu Xiang's red eyes, and a feeling of shared sorrow welled up inside her. She wanted to know if Zhao Xing was as reluctant to part as Zhu Xiang, but when she looked back at the two of them, even Zhao Xing's figure, carrying a large bundle, had disappeared into the street in the early morning light.

In March, spring was in full bloom, and Fukang'an had been away from Beijing for a month. A letter from home had arrived a few days ago, but due to travel delays, Yan Ning guessed that he must have already arrived in Jilin.

The plum blossoms in the manor began to wither, but their sorrow was lessened by the profusion of spring flowers. Spring flowers were in full bloom, but the manor was much quieter because Fukang'an had gone to take up a post elsewhere.

Wu Chun's health was not getting better. Ever since giving birth to her daughter, she had been drinking herbal soup every day, like drinking tea.

Yan Ning visited her several times, but each time she remained indifferent and unwilling to say much.

The garden was filled with a profusion of flowers, including yellow-petaled kerria, red jade weigela, sapphire blue iris, Yunnan jasmine, and red gold privet, all vying for attention. Standing in the garden, Yan Ning, dressed in a loose pearl-white brocade cheongsam, looked at the flowers in full bloom.

The cloud-like petals on the pearl-white brocade cheongsam spread out like fine silk threads, complementing the flowers in the garden. Yan Ning stood alone amidst the flowers, suddenly remembering what the old lady had said about Fukang'an's backyard being a bit too plain.

However, it is too plain.

Xiang'er, who was initially her sworn enemy but later became her confidante, is gone. Xi Ying, who has a kind and gentle face but a vicious heart, is kept out of the backyard. Wu Chun, who always tries to suppress her but ends up being harmed instead, falls ill and never recovers. Peng Ruo, who travels day and night to the capital to win the old lady's favor by marrying Fu Kang'an but is forced to marry Fu Chang'an, also rarely sets foot in the Fucha Mansion.

She emerged victorious, but felt no joy whatsoever.

During the long, lonely nights, she had gone to great lengths to feign illness and compete for their favor; after being repeatedly harmed, she had also used her power to harm them in return.

Now, those women who had fought with her were gone, and so was Fukang'an. She knew neither sorrow nor joy. Her life was filled only with waiting, a long, drawn-out wait. Waiting for the birth of her child, waiting for Fukang'an's return from afar, waiting for another chance to enter the palace and visit Yuhua Pavilion.

Zhu Xiang, who had rushed over from the front yard, took the deep crimson single-layered cloak from Ju Xiang and went to Yan Ning's side to tie it on for her. Ever since Fu Kang An left, Yan Ning always felt at ease when there was something deep crimson beside her.

Looking at Yan Ning's dazed face, she said softly, "The Fifteenth Prince has come to visit and is waiting for you in the front yard, Madam."

Yan Ning was taken aback, her delicate, apricot-blossom-pink lips parting. "Did the Fifteenth Prince say what it was about?"

Zhu Xiang shook her head with a puzzled look on her oval face. "The Fifteenth Prince didn't say, but he seemed a little impatient."

In the front hall, Yongyan sat upright in the main seat. He put down the blue and white porcelain covered bowl and turned the mutton fat jade thumb ring on his hand.

His dark blue robe was adorned with jade pendants and purses at the waist, and the buttons of his sky-blue vest were sewn with pearls, giving him an air of royal nobility.

The servants lifted the curtain, and Yan Ning immediately met Yong Yan's gaze. She was somewhat taken aback and immediately lowered her head and went inside.

As Yan Ning curtsied, Yong Yan noticed her slightly protruding belly, and a hint of sadness appeared in his eyes. He waved his hand, gesturing for her to sit down.

Zhu Xiang took the silver ear and longan tea from the maid in the front yard and handed it to Yan Ning. Yan Ning smelled the sweet aroma from the covered bowl and her face turned rosy.

Yongyan sat with one hand behind his back, his gaze fixed on Yan Ning's round, apricot-like face with a complex expression. It wasn't until his personal eunuch, Xiao Luzi, whispered a reminder, "My lord, we still have to rush back to report!"

He snapped out of his reverie, picked up the covered bowl from the table again, and took a small sip. After a moment of silence, he said, "The Empress Dowager urgently summons Lady Fucha to the palace, and Father has already granted permission!"

The covered bowl in Yan Ning's hand fell, smashing onto her shallow, lotus-green embroidered shoes, and then shattering on the ground. Even through her soft socks, the heat made her feet ache.

Zhu Xiang neatly cleaned up the broken ceramic shards, but because Yong Yan was present, she couldn't take off Yan Ning's socks to check if she was burned.

Although the Emperor ordered a silencing of the story of the Empress Dowager using musk to harm Yan Ning's unborn child at the Yuanmingyuan, rumors and gossip within the palace could not be suppressed.

Yongyan had anticipated Yan Ning's reaction. Feeling sorry for her, he comforted her, "The Empress Dowager has been bedridden for a month. On her deathbed, she is probably powerless to do anything. She only said when she was lucid that there were some things she wanted to tell you."

Upon hearing Yongyan utter such treasonous words, Xiao Luzi, who was standing beside him, immediately panicked. He flicked open his horse-hoof sleeve, knelt at Yongyan's feet, and said in a sorrowful voice, "Your Highness would never dare to say such a thing. If others heard it and it reached His Majesty's ears, they would be beheaded!"