Nan leaned against the headboard, looking at the room's decorations, looking listless and weak.

She placed a finger on her pulse, and her internal energy was draining even faster. Coupled with her recent laziness and lack of practice, this frail body of hers didn't have much time left.

But she couldn't die yet. Nan Yi took a small porcelain bottle from the bedside table and swallowed one of the Great Rejuvenation Pills left by the Divine Physician Wu.

Nan Yi took the pleasant tea, drank it all in one gulp, and then said, "Girls, I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Yiren didn't care at all. "What are you saying, Your Highness? What grievances are you talking about? Even if Your Highness has been demoted by the Emperor, you are still a concubine. How could you be worse off than those in the Forbidden City? The Emperor is just angry. He will be fine in a while. Yesterday, Su Peisheng even reprimanded the maids and nannies in the side hall for Your Highness, forbidding them from mistreating you. As you know, Su Peisheng's actions must have been authorized by the Emperor. The Emperor is unwilling to mistreat you. Just focus on recuperating. Once you are healthy, everything will be fine."

The side hall... She was demoted, which was in line with Yinzhen's usual style. He always treated her with a slap followed by a sweet treat.

"Please, prepare the meal. I'm really starving," Nan Yi said with a light laugh.

"This servant will go right away, please wait a moment, mistress." Yiren happily went to fetch the meal, but Xiao Shunzi came in carrying a food box. "Mistress, you've finally woken up, otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to enjoy this delicious food today."

"You're finally back, kid. How did the job go?" Nan asked with a smile.

Xiao Shunzi placed the food from the food box on the table, and together with Yiren, helped their master to the table. He said with a smile, "Well done. The master rewarded me with two taels of gold, but I didn't take the gold. Instead, I asked the emperor to leave the palace and buy some good food for the master."

"You do have a conscience." Nan Yi smelled the aroma of the food on the table, picked up a small steamed bun, took a bite, and nodded repeatedly. "I'll make up for the gold later. Tell me about Xiao Xi."

One moment he was smiling, the next he almost dropped his chopsticks. Yiren glared at him and quickly changed the subject, "Master, look at the little crystal buns that Xiaoshunzi brought back. They're filled with fish and smell so good. You should try some."

Xiao Shunzi suddenly realized, "Yes, yes, not only crystal buns, but also crab meat buns, pan-fried shortbread, red bean rice cakes, and custard pastries, all of which are your favorites."

Nan shook his head, his face serious, not forgetting to fill his stomach, "Don't try to change the subject, explain everything clearly, don't try to hide anything from me."

"master……"

"It's okay, I can handle it, go ahead and say it."

Yinzhen only said that Xiao Xi died, ambushed by the enemy on the battlefield. Nan Yi was extremely saddened whenever he thought of this.

"When will Xixi's funeral be held? Will it be held in the capital?"

Xiao Shunzi shook his head, a hint of reluctance on his face. "No, it's impossible. Brother Xiao has already gone to the border, General Xiao... General Xiao, she..."

"What happened to her? Didn't they find her body?" Nan Yi pressed.

"No, Master, General Xiao's remains..." Xiao Shunzi couldn't bring himself to say it, remembering General Xiao's tragic death. His master had just recovered from a serious illness and couldn't withstand any more setbacks. He looked at Yiren for help.

"Tell me what happened, it's driving me crazy!" Nan Yi said, standing up.

Yiren gritted her teeth. It wasn't good to keep it from her master all the time. What if her master went out and made a scene with the emperor again?

She stamped her foot hard and said, "I'll tell you, since you're the one who needs to know the most." Then she told him about how Xiao Xi's head was cut off on the battlefield. "The news from Xining says that only the body has been found. Because of this, Xiao Xi's brother is determined to find the missing part of Xiao Xi's body."

“So, there’s no head.” Nan Yi heard himself ask.

Xiao Shunzi looked at his master uneasily and replied in a low voice, "Yes, Master."

Yi Ren looked worried and gently comforted her, "My lord, please accept my condolences. General Xiao always said that the battlefield was her final resting place, and she died a worthy death."

Nan Yi ate her meal mechanically, her mouth moving, but her heart burning like fire. She died a worthy death, but she should be laid to rest. Having killed a general, the enemy would probably cut off her head for a reward.

Brother Xiao's trip will likely be fruitless; how can an ordinary person like him find Xiao Xi's leader?

It was her turn to go, to find Xiao Xi's head. This thought suddenly came to her mind and drove her to not let her become a headless ghost in the underworld.

Nan Yi stood up in a daze, "Bring me my outer robe, I want to leave the palace."

“Your Majesty, you cannot leave the palace. You cannot leave Chengqian Palace without the Emperor’s permission,” Yiren pleaded. “Your health is not good, and leaving the palace will not be of any help. You should recover first.”

Xiao Shunzi said, "Yes, Master, the Emperor is still angry with you. You caused a scene in the Southern Study before, and the storm hasn't died down yet. If you cause another scene, even the Emperor might not be able to protect you."

Nan Yi stiffened. Couldn't Yinzhen protect her? She had never thought about that question. Compared to the dead, the living were more important.

She hasn't managed to save the person she wanted to protect yet, so she can't be reckless. She needs to think carefully, she absolutely must think carefully, about what to do next.

A person flashed into his mind, and Nan Yi suddenly grabbed Yi Ren's sleeve, "Girl, go, get Zheng Yong to come see me, immediately."

"Alright, alright, please enjoy your meal. I'll be right there." Yiren took the chopsticks and handed them to her mistress, gave Xiaoshunzi a brief explanation, and hurried off.

Nan Yi gripped his chopsticks tightly, staring intently at Xiao Shunzi with an extremely solemn gaze. Xiao Shunzi, not knowing what his master was doing, trembled in fright and knelt on the ground with a thud, stammering and pleading, "Master, please don't look at me like that, I'm scared."

Nan Yilie smiled, his smile more like a grimace. Xiao Shunzi was even more frightened, his body trembling violently. He knew that the Emperor had summoned him back so that he would guard his mistress and prevent her from overstepping her bounds again.

His heart was with Master Tong, but he couldn't disobey the Emperor's decree.

After thinking for a moment, Nan Yi spoke seriously, "Shunzi, I have something to do. This thing will not hurt anyone in the slightest, but I have to do it. So, I beg you, can you not tell the Emperor about my meeting with Zheng Yong today? Even if he asks you, just pretend you don't know anything, okay?"

"Ah, is that all?" Xiao Shunzi breathed a sigh of relief after the scare. As long as his mistress stayed in the palace, he wouldn't bother to report her to anyone.

"No problem, this servant will not say anything, not even a word."

"Thank you, Shunzi." Nan Yi said, moved. Shunzi was originally the Fourth Master's personal attendant. For many years, he had been loyal to her and had gone to great lengths to cover for him in front of the Fourth Master.

Fourth Master trusted Xiao Shunzi. This guy would say what he should say and keep his mouth shut, rather than lie to deceive his two masters.