"No!" Xi Ying cried out, stepping forward and accidentally cutting her palm while trying to wrest the knife from Xiang'er. Fu Kang'an rushed from the main seat to the center of the hall, snatched the dagger from Xiang'er's hand, put one hand behind his back, and coldly watched her.

"Madam, your hand is bleeding a lot!" Xia'er screamed.

"Shut up!" Xi Ying shouted.

Yan Ning was initially stunned by the scene. Seeing that Xi Ying's hand was bleeding profusely, she ran to get the medicinal powder that Fu Kang'an had applied to her the day before. Yan Ning pulled Xi Ying down to sit and gently applied the medicinal powder to her hand.

When Fukang'an saw that Xi Ying was injured, his gaze toward Xiang'er became even colder.

Xiang'er knelt on the ground, her eyes filled with sorrow, yet she straightened her back, raised her head, and looked at Fukang'an. "So sad, so very sad, no need to weep at weddings; I wish to win one heart, to stay together until our hair turns white. Now, General, your affections have been given to another, so what use are these three thousand strands of sorrowful hair for Xiang'er?"

"Since you are devoted to Buddhism, for the sake of the reputation of my Fucha family, I will allow you to practice Buddhism in your own courtyard while keeping your hair! From now on, you will live out your life with only the lamp and the wooden fish! Zhao Xing, take Aunt Lian back to the mansion!"

Fukang'an released his grip, letting the dagger slip from his hand. A few strands of hair that clung to the dagger fell to the ground before Xiang'er's eyes. Xiang'er bit her lip, blood spreading, and with Rongxi's help, she left Liuxiang Garden.

Yan Ning watched as Xiang'er, her eyes vacant and her hair disheveled, was led away by Rong Xi and Zhao Xing. She couldn't help but blame Fu Kang'an for his ruthlessness and decisiveness.

Fukang'an sat back in the main seat and looked at Yan Ning, who was carefully bandaging Xi Ying's wounds, and teased, "When have I ever seen you so attentive to me before?"

Yan Ning lowered her head and remained silent, staring indifferently at her feet.

Seeing this scene, Xi Ying smiled gently and said, "Sister, your beauty is so stunning that I dare not be on equal footing with you. Right now, there is only one son, De Lin, in the manor. The general and sister are so loving. If we have a few more young masters in the future, who can learn martial arts with the general, the Fucha family will truly be prosperous and well-off!"

Looking at Xi Ying's dignified and virtuous smile and words, Yan Ning wondered what kind of woman she was, that she could be so poised and graceful as her husband was about to marry another.

After hearing Xi Ying's words, Fu Kang'an's coldness softened considerably, and he asked, "Is De Lin's illness any better?"

"The scabs have already started to form, so it should be fine now. Perhaps it's because my health is not good. I went through so much to give birth to Delin, and the bond between mother and child I've been trying to have is so difficult to come by!" Xi Ying said sadly.

“Our child is a rare and precious child sent from heaven, he will be alright!” Fukang’an comforted him gently.

Yan Ning listened to the couple's back-and-forth banter, feeling frustrated, and walked out with her head down.

"Sister!" Xi Ying called softly to Yan Ning, who was walking away. Seeing that Yan Ning ignored her, she looked at Fu Kang'an with concern, "Did my words upset you, sister?"

Fukang'an stood up, walked to Xiying, and extended his hand to her. Xiying stood up, but instead of giving Fukang'an her hand, she hugged him and said, "I will get along well with my sister and will not let the general have any worries!"

Fukang'an hugged her and said, "Yan Ning has always been indifferent to titles and status. This time, I made this arrangement because I didn't want to wrong her. After we get married, she will live in the Fu residence and will not move into the mansion. It will not affect your status in the mansion either."

“I have never cared about the position of General’s wife. I would rather my sister enter the manor, so that Delin and I can see the General every day.” Xi Ying looked up at Fukang’an and said affectionately.

Fukang'an released Xiying, "You go back and take care of Delin first. As for Yan Ning and me, I will make arrangements after I report to Mother!"

"Yes!" Xi Ying bowed and then withdrew with Xia'er and Qiu'er.

“Madam,” Zhu Xiang draped a cloak over Yan Ning’s shoulders, “you are not in good health, you should go back! The weather is not suitable for staying in the pavilion right now!”

"Zhuxiang, don't call me that. Just call me Miss or Yanning." Yanning pulled Zhuxiang to sit down next to her.

"This servant wouldn't dare. It's only a matter of time before you and the general get married. Besides, the general has already given his orders!" Zhu Xiang said timidly, sitting next to Yan Ning.

Upon hearing Zhu Xiang's words, Yan Ning didn't know what to say, so she looked towards the lotus pond by the pavilion and recalled Xiang'er's vacant and wandering eyes when she left Liuxiang Garden.

When Yan Ning first moved into the Fu residence, there were still some withered leaves and stalks in the lotus pond. Now, there is nothing left but a calm surface of water. Just like Xiang'er's gradually fading feelings for Fukang'an, leaving only despair.

When Zhu Xiang saw Fukang'an approaching, she bowed and stepped outside the pavilion to serve him.

Fukang'an sat down next to Yan Ning, put his arm around her, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"I don't want to be any kind of wife, I just want to be with you, just like now, without any general or general's wife!" Yan Ning leaned her head against Fukang'an and looked at him as she spoke.

Fukang'an pinched Yan Ning's chin, bit her lip, and laughed, "What kind of woman follows a man without any status or identity? Others will ruin your reputation!"

"I don't care!" Yan Ning shook her head and said.

Fukang'an released Yan Ning, stood up, put one hand behind his back, and said to Yan Ning with his back to her, "No, I won't let my woman suffer any injustice!"

"And what about Aunt Lian? She was your concubine, your rightful woman, Fukang'an. How could you be so heartless to her? The title is in your heart, not your body! Besides, we have nothing between us, we have no relationship whatsoever!" Yan Ning recalled Xiang'er's last appearance, and became angrier as she spoke, her voice gradually rising.

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