"It's just you two today. Where's Sister-in-law Tong?" Thirteen asked Li Yi and Li Er, who had climbed over the wall, as he sat on the steps.

During the days he was locked up, Sister Tong would occasionally keep him company and talk to him, which provided some comfort in these dull and boring days; it was better than nothing.

Li Yi and Li Er put the daily necessities they brought into the house, and the two divided the work: one cooked and the other tidied up the house inside and out.

Seeing the complete absence of smiles and the gloomy expressions on their faces, Thirteen was slightly taken aback. "What's going on? Did Sister-in-law Tong and Fourth Master quarrel again?"

Li shook his head, focusing only on the work at hand.

"Hey, I'm asking you a question!" Thirteen pressed.

Li Yi paused, turned around, bowed, and replied, "In response to Thirteenth Prince, Consort Tong behaved improperly before the Emperor and was detained in the Forbidden Garden yesterday. I'm afraid she won't be able to visit you for a while."

"How could that be? Although Sister-in-law Tong is a bit fierce, she's always been one to bully the weak..."

Thirteen received a glare from Li Yi, and his face fell slightly. He touched his nose and said, "That's not what I meant. I meant that Sister-in-law Tong is a person who knows her place. How could she have offended Father Emperor?"

Li Yi didn't know either, only that one day, when Consort Tong returned from the palace, she fell ill and her mind was damaged.

Out of respect for Master Tong, the prince did not punish the two of them, but instead allowed them to continue taking care of the Thirteenth Prince.

Li Yi shook his head, and Thirteen sighed deeply, "Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. The emperor's wrath is unpredictable. I hope Sister-in-law Tong can learn from this experience and live in the capital. Sometimes, even Fourth Brother might not be able to protect her."

In the Forbidden Garden, Sister-in-law Tong and he shared a similar plight.

When Li Yi and Li Er returned, they encountered Su Peisheng dealing with Xiao Xi in front of the mansion gate. "It's Lord Xiao," Li Er said.

Li Yi gestured, and the two moved to a corner. Su Peisheng said, "Lord Xiao, the Prince really doesn't have time. Please come in a few days. When the Prince is free, he will definitely summon you."

Xiao Xi looked at Su Peisheng with suspicion. "Eunuch Su, His Highness is busy. May I see Nan Yi? I have something to discuss with her."

“Well, Master Tong is also busy, Lord Xiao, please return.” Su Peisheng flicked his whisk and turned to enter the mansion.

"Eunuch Su, wait a moment." Xiao Xi was about to speak again, but Su Peisheng did not give her a chance to speak.

“I’ve never seen him so cold before. Could something have happened to Nan Yi?” Xiao Xi couldn’t help but mutter to herself. The more Su Peisheng prevented her from seeing him, the more worried she became.

Unable to enter the Prince's residence, Xiao Xi wondered if she should inquire about the other two residences. She turned around and decided to visit the Ninth Prince.

"Lord Xiao." Li Yi and Li Er blocked her way.

With a worried expression, Xiao Xi asked, "Who are you two?"

Li Yi clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Lord Xiao, may I speak with you in private?"

Inside a private room of the restaurant, a loud bang was heard. Those around him didn't know what had happened, but inside, Li put a finger to his lips and said, "Lord Xiao, please be quieter."

"How do you expect me to calm down?" Xiao Xi snorted coldly, finally suppressing his anger as he sat down. "In the Forbidden Garden, Nan Yi is really unlucky. According to what you've said, Nan Yi must have been plotted against in the palace, and when he returned home, he lost his temper and then ran into the Emperor. That's too much of a coincidence."

Xiao Xi was indignant and couldn't help but complain, "If you ask me, it's all the Prince's fault. If he had protected Nan Yi, Nan Yi wouldn't have suffered so much."

Li Yi and Li Er looked at each other in dismay. They were the prince's men, and although they felt indignant on behalf of their master Tong, they couldn't bear the fact that the other party was blaming the prince.

Li Yi said, "Lord Xiao, court affairs are very busy, and His Highness Tong also needs someone by his side. The Prince is simply unable to attend to everything..."

"Alright, alright, I know what you want to say." Xiao Xi interrupted him impatiently. "I wonder how Nan Yi is doing. Didn't you say she's not thinking straight right now? What are we going to do? It's driving me crazy."

Li Yiken told Xiao Xi about Master Tong's matter, also considering their friendship. "Lord Xiao, not many people know the inside story of this matter. The Prince did not tell you because he was afraid you would worry. It is already a dereliction of duty for us to reveal this matter to you privately. Please keep it a secret for us, Lord Xiao, and pretend that you do not know about this matter."

"I understand the importance of this matter. Thank you both for telling me. I will keep it a secret." Xiao Xi returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

After seeing the two off, Xiao Xi carried a pot of wine and left the restaurant dejectedly. The sun outside was dazzling, and the sunlight made her face feel hot, but she felt no warmth in her heart.

Wanqing left, Nanyi was imprisoned in the Forbidden Garden, and she divorced Luo Heng. Not wanting to face her brother and sister-in-law who were constantly sighing at home, she moved into the military camp. When she finally returned home, she didn't even have anyone to talk to.

Life is as lonely as snow, and even a promotion cannot alleviate the loneliness in her heart. She would rather be a monk or nun in a temple meditating and chanting scriptures, at least she would be free from so many troubles.

After downing a pot of wine, Xiao Xi, his face slightly flushed with intoxication, staggered unsteadily down the street.

The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince, returning from an official business outside the city, rode past on horseback. The Tenth Prince inadvertently caught sight of a figure on the street and said to the Ninth Prince beside him, "Ninth Brother, isn't that Xiao Xi?"

The Ninth Prince glanced at him and saw that he was drunk.

He dismounted, tossed the reins to the servant beside him, and walked toward Xiao Xi, calling out, "Xiao Xi."

"Who is it?" Xiao Xi raised her slightly smoky eyes and suddenly saw a familiar face. She raised her head and smiled, "Oh, it's our esteemed Ninth Prince. What brings you here?"

The Ninth Prince frowned. "Xiao Xi, you're drunk."

"Drunk? I'm not drunk, you're the ones who are drunk." Xiao Xi glanced at the man in front of him with a mocking look in his eyes. "Wanqing is gone, Nan Yi has lost his freedom, are you satisfied now?"

After her sarcastic remark, she staggered away, her voice filled with sorrow and weariness as she murmured, "Wanqing, Nanyi, they've all left one by one. No rush, maybe it'll be my turn soon."

These words struck a nerve with the Ninth Prince, and he immediately exploded, "What do you mean? They got into trouble, and you think I'm willing to let it happen? Are you even being reasonable?" It was inexplicable. If it weren't for Wanqing and Nanyi's sake, he wouldn't have bothered with her at all.

"When it comes to reason, who can argue with your family? Wanqing was gentle and obedient, a woman with a thousand virtues, yet she died young. And Nanyi, what did she do wrong? She was living peacefully in Tongzhou, and when she returned home, she suddenly ended up in that kind of place, a sudden disaster."

Xiao Xi scoffed, his laughter sounding like a mix of laughter and tears. "I feel sorry for them. Others think they married men of noble status, chosen to be by the side of a prince, destined for a life of luxury. Who wouldn't envy them? But who knows the bitterness in their hearts?"

These words were a direct slap in the face to the Ninth Prince and a mockery of the princes.

The Ninth Prince's face turned red and then pale upon hearing this. He already felt guilty about Wanqing's matter, and he was also implicated by the Eighth Prince in the Nan Yi incident. If he had known this in the first place, he should not have led his father to Tongzhou. It would have been better for her to live freely and happily than to be imprisoned in the Forbidden City.