The Ninth Prince and the Eighth Prince were drinking around the stove in the front yard. "Eighth Prince, the Crown Prince is really strange. He actually showed great mercy and let that brat Dezhong go. Hiding tribute is a serious crime, but Father Emperor actually praised him for being kind. It's hilarious!"

“Dezhong’s master is him. If we don’t let him go, and Dezhong says something, the Crown Prince’s crime will be serious.”

"I heard that Fourth Brother also got involved?"

“Yes, Nan Yi’s father is also involved. We have to plead for him, since he’s practically part of the Yue family.” The Eighth Prince didn’t make a fuss about this matter, as he was also mindful of Nan Yi.

The Ninth Prince chuckled, "It's thanks to Fourth Brother's intercession that Nan Yi came to us for help. Otherwise, it would have been troublesome if he had come to us. The Crown Prince has always disliked us and would have given us a good kick."

"He can't take care of us for now. You need to act quickly on that matter," the Eighth Prince urged.

The Crown Prince thought that he would be safe after saving Dezhong, but the big scoundrel under him had done something even more outrageous in the Imperial Household Department, embezzling countless sums of money. He ordered his subordinates to report this to the Emperor, just waiting to teach the Crown Prince a lesson.

The Ninth Prince nodded, then frowned and said, "We suffered considerable losses in Jiangxi. I don't even need to talk about that idiot Li Lin. Is he stupid or what? He was about to be transferred, and this incident came out. We recommended him for the position. Father Emperor will only scold us for misjudging people."

“But this is not his fault.” The Eighth Prince sighed softly. “There are governors and viceroys above him, and even they are involved. How could Li Lin possibly escape unscathed? It’s just that he was unlucky.”

The Ninth Prince took a sip of wine, shook his head, and sighed, "That's true. It's all fate."

The two were completely unaware that this whole affair was caused by a woman who was fast asleep in someone's study.

After drinking for a while, the two parted ways. Xiao Jinzi came to ask if he could go to bed, but he waved his hand and went to his study.

"Tell the prince that he has gone to his study. Have someone fetch water to help him wash up."

"yes."

Nan Yi slept soundly, chatting happily with the Duke of Zhou in her dream, undisturbed by the noise in the study.

The Ninth Prince fell into a deep sleep on the couch.

Yinzhen searched frantically in the night, looking completely distraught. He searched the entire area but couldn't find a trace of Tong Shi.

She's hidden again. This woman is slippery and always has a plan. After curfew, she can't leave the city at all. She must be hiding somewhere, somewhere he would never expect.

Why did she run away? Why didn't she wait for him to find out the truth? He regretted that slap and vowed never to lay a hand on her again.

"Yi'er, come out, come out, I was wrong, come out." Yinzhen murmured, leaning against the wall.

Thirteen, who was following behind, felt a pang of sadness. He helped his brother up and said, "Fourth brother, Sister-in-law Tong might be joking with you. She may have already returned to the manor. Let's go back to the manor first."

“No,” Yinzhen pushed him away, his voice filled with deep disappointment, “Thirteenth, you don’t understand. She’s angry with me and won’t come back. I hit her, and in her sadness, she took advantage of my momentary lapse in vigilance and ran away again.”

Furthermore, Thirteen seemed to be deep in thought. Could it be that Sister-in-law Tong had a criminal record? Fourth Brother's absent-minded and dejected state must mean he was truly in love with Sister-in-law Tong.

Alas, fortunes change. I still remember when Fourth Brother and his sister-in-law went out for the Lantern Festival together, Sister-in-law Tong was trying hard to suppress her sadness.

One person is affectionate, and the other is willing; it's clearly a good thing.

The word "love" is truly vexing.

Fourth Brother, who is usually cold and reserved, never showing his emotions, is now so distressed over a woman named Tong.

"Fourth Brother, Sister-in-law Tong was just angry for a moment. She'll probably come back in a few days once her anger subsides. Please get up."

Thirteen helped Yinzhen up, "Fourth Brother, Sister-in-law Tong cares about you; she doesn't want to go far away."

"She won't come back. I've lost her." Yinzhen murmured to himself, feeling as if the slap he received after the incident with Zi Mutao had struck his own heart.

"Fourth brother, even though you're married, you may not understand women as well as your younger brother does. If a woman has you in her heart, she won't want to leave."

"How do you know she has feelings for me?" Even he himself wasn't sure if Tong had feelings for her.

If he were here, why would he leave so many times without any regret?

He asked himself, in the three years since Tong entered the manor, apart from that time at the other courtyard, he had always kept her in his heart, but someone just didn't appreciate it.

"Fourth Brother, you don't know, but that year, you and your sister-in-law went out for the Lantern Festival. I took her home, and she was very sad. If you weren't in her heart, how could she be so sad? Fourth Brother, those involved are often blinded, while bystanders see things clearly. Trust me, your sister-in-law has you in her heart. Go back home. In a few days, she will calm down and come back on her own."

Is that so? Come back. He also had a very deep impression of that time. Tong Shi, dressed in white, with a fairy-like face, was breathtakingly beautiful. He wished he could hide her away and not let anyone see her.

When someone saw his beauty, he was overcome with jealousy and flew into a rage.

She was heartbroken, but then he hit her; that was the first time he had ever laid a hand on her.

Yinzhen felt a tightness in his chest, a sharp, unpleasant ache in his chest. Several times when facing Lady Tong, he was so angered that he lost his composure.

Tong's personality is both lovable and hateful. When she speaks, she can coax people so much that they would feel it's worth sacrificing their lives for her. But when she speaks sarcastically, she can make you want to skin her alive.

After three years of bickering and arguing, I should have given up on her, but somehow, I slowly started to cherish her in my heart.

Thirteen persuaded Fourth Brother to return to his residence.

Yinzhen summoned Su Peisheng and ordered him to send people to search secretly without making a fuss. He also instructed Quanfu to go to Wanyue Pavilion and ordered all the servants to reflect on their actions and not to enter or leave the garden at will.

Quan Fulai announced Prince Beile's order at Wanyue Pavilion. Granny Qiu, Qingyun, Yiren, and Qingfeng exchanged glances, rewarded Eunuch Quan Fu, and the group returned to their room. Yiren closed the door tightly and patted her chest with relief, "I didn't get punished with a beating, Granny. It seems the letter left by the master was indeed very useful."

Granny Qiu smiled faintly. This action showed that the master held a significant place in the master's heart. Therefore, the matter that she and Yiren had investigated should be delivered to the master at some point. Misunderstandings are the worst thing that can happen between husband and wife.

"No punishment, but no reward either." Qingfeng was unsure whether to be disappointed or pleased.

"Smack!"

Yiren tapped her forehead, exasperated. "You're so heartless! What's a reward? The fact that Master doesn't punish us shows how much he values ​​him and benefits us. How much silver can buy that? You're so short-sighted."

Her tone changed abruptly, and she suddenly chuckled, taking out two silver notes from her bosom. "Ta-da! These are a reward from our master. Everyone gets a share!"

Upon seeing this, Qingyun and Qingfeng rushed forward and hugged Yiren tightly. "Granny, bring the goose feathers and tell her to play tricks on us."

"Okay."

The group laughed and joked for a while. Their master got away scot-free, and they weren't implicated either, but they still had to put on a show.

So the lights in the house stayed on all night, and the four of them took turns resting.

In the study, Yinzhen stayed up all night, with Thirteen beside him. He rested his head on the chair for a while, and at four in the morning, the two of them had to wash up and go to court.

In the Ninth Prince's residence, Xiao Jinzi brought in water to help the Ninth Prince change his clothes. As he was tidying up his desk, he tripped over something and nearly fell with a cry of pain.