Finally, urged by Gan Qiongying, Li Hua got out of the carriage and was helped by his servants to the side of the sparsely leafed shrubs.

However, instead of using the paper for convenience, he unfolded it, read its contents, tore it to shreds, and then dug a hole in the ground and buried it.

The note contained only a few words: "Midnight, Red Cotton Forest, West of Haoyue Village."

With indescribable feelings, Li Hua returned to the carriage.

Gan Qiongying had her maid bring him water to wash his hands before the carriage continued its journey.

The journey was smooth, and by the time we arrived at Haoyue Manor, it was almost noon.

Gan Qiongying and Li Hua got out of the carriage, and the servants in the manor quickly came to greet them, politely taking over the carriage and ordering someone to lead them from the gate into the manor.

Standing outside the manor, Gan Qiongying could roughly see the entire manor. The manor was built against the mountain and surrounded by the mountain. The rugged rocks were carved into landscapes, with several layers of pavilions, painted red, and green-tiled roofs.

Moreover, this manor is surrounded by forests on three sides, covering a vast area. A spacious stone platform was built on the top floor, giving it a grand and imposing appearance, reminiscent of the grand and majestic cultivation sects in novels.

Princess Hui'an was indeed the head of the Yin capital's royal family, a figure of great importance in the imperial court. The grandeur of her estate was so striking that it was difficult to distinguish between it and Princess Duanrong's use of a temporary palace as her residence.

Gan Qiongying followed the servants into the manor, where she encountered Wen Xueling, who had arrived earlier than her, riding in Zhongli Zhengzhen's carriage.

Wen Xueling had already changed her clothes, the mess was gone, and she was smiling with her beautiful eyes. She was mingling with a group of noble ladies from prominent families. They came out in groups like butterflies, seemingly to welcome a noble lady who had just gotten off the carriage.

The women's laughter, like silver bells, carried far and wide, adding a touch of joy and brightness to the solemn gates standing halfway up the mountain.

Gan Qiongying watched as the male guest craned his neck to look around upon hearing the laughter, and she also curled her lips into a smile.

Isn't this scene familiar? You can encounter this scene at the gate of any school.

Girls playfully tease each other while boys watch—that's youth, the taste of hormones surging.

These noble ladies and gentlemen from various clans, if you think about it carefully, aren't they just middle school students?

Gan Qiongying took a deep breath and smelled the fragrance of grass and trees in the desolate mountains.

It's a pity that, although the Duanrong she transmigrated into was not very old, Gan Qiongying's heart was already filled with the stench of money, and she could no longer be young. She could only make a living by getting rich.

She gripped the arm of the God of Wealth standing beside her, as if she were holding the whole world in her grasp.

The manor has several entrances, and to avoid collisions, male and female guests, though able to look at each other, do not enter from the same place.

Gan Qiongying was among those who brought their families, and given her high status, she entered through the main gate.

Leaving the restless young men and women behind her, Gan Qiongying was led by her servants into a quiet and elegant courtyard.

The servants quickly made arrangements, and the everyday items and the birthday gifts they brought were all put away by Manyue and Tianjiao. Gan Qiongying was very relieved.

After sitting down and drinking a cup of warm tea, Gan Qiongying pulled Li Hua to eat a little bit of snacks.

He said, "Dinner will definitely be very sumptuous. It should be on that platform at the top of the mountain. I saw someone setting up a tent. Let's have a bite first and eat more later."

Li Hua ate some, but seemed somewhat distracted and didn't engage in much conversation with Gan Qiongying.

When he entered the village, he specifically looked west and indeed saw a grove of red cotton trees.

The red cotton flowers have all fallen by now, but you can still see the remaining petals carpeting the ground in the woods, creating a beautiful, rosy scene.

However, the person he was going to meet was someone he didn't want to see.

Lihua always eats very politely. It's not that it eats cat food, nor is it delicate; it just eats in a very proper manner, with elegant posture and unhurried pace.

He doesn't seem like a businessman; he seems like a true prince.

He's at least more like Zhongli Zhengzhen, that prince whose eyes are practically on his head.

Li Hua knew that Gan Qiongying was watching him, thinking about how to make her sleep more soundly tonight. She liked to hug people when she slept, and she felt very secure when hugged, but would wake up as soon as he let go.

He must go tonight.

Li Hua thought that if he got up in the middle of the night, she wouldn't have anyone to hug, and she definitely wouldn't be able to find him when she woke up...

Just as she was pondering what to use to replace herself, Gan Qiongying spoke first: "You should rest well later and take a nap. I see a thin mist on the treetops in the forest. It's sunny today, but there's a faint earthy smell in the mountains. It might rain tonight."

"Your legs will hurt when the weather changes. I'll have Sweetie boil some hot compress medicine for you later."

Gan Qiongying is truly meticulous in caring for people, thanks to her past life in modern times, where she was the eldest daughter in a working-class family.

When her parents are busy with work, she has to take care of the younger child in the family and herself, and occasionally her parents as well.

Therefore, she always handles these meticulous daily tasks with ease.

Moreover, her concern for Li Hua was genuine and real, just like the real money he gave her every month.

They wish they could build a platform and enshrine Li Hua in a grand manner.

Li Hua, on the other hand, felt an indescribable sense of guilt upon hearing how much she cared for him, even remembering to apply medicine to his leg while attending the birthday banquet.

She treated me so well, yet I had to... betray her.

Li Hua was torn internally and began to lose his appetite.

After Gan Qiongying finished eating, she wiped her hands and got up. She then said to Li Hua, "I have to go see my aunt first. You can take a nap after you finish eating."

After washing up again, Gan Qiongying left the courtyard. After asking the servants, she was led towards the main courtyard where Princess Hui'an was staying.

On her way, she passed a garden and saw Wen Xueling, chattering like a bird, chasing butterflies with a group of noble ladies.

Wen Xueling was quite composed and didn't chase after the butterflies, but she kept smiling very innocently. When she saw Duan Rong, her face subconsciously stiffened for a moment.

Not far from the garden, in a pavilion facing the garden and separated by a pond, stood several young nobles, led by Zhongli Zhengzhen, chatting happily about something.

Gan Qiongying sighed once again how wonderful it is to be young.

Unlike her, who now has to go to Princess Hui'an to "plead guilty with a thorn on her back".

Although that's an exaggeration, she didn't need to carry thorns on her back, but apologizing was still necessary.

With Princess Hui'an as a natural backer, as long as she is alive, her status among the imperial clan and relatives will be Gan Qiongying's best help.

There had been some misunderstandings between Duanrong and her before. After Gan Qiongying gained Duanrong's memories, she immediately realized that she had been set up to sow discord.

It's obvious that it was that man-eating little white flower empress dowager who did it.

She now has to win people back and, through the birthday banquet, try to establish a lasting relationship with Princess Hui'an.

Fortunately, she was well aware of the situation and happened to have a few capable people at her disposal.

For now, she has to put on a show of self-pity.

I only hope that the Grand Princess Huian will be magnanimous and not hold a grudge against the younger generation, and I also hope that she has not yet lost heart towards Duanrong.

Gan Qiongying followed the attendants to the courtyard where the Grand Princess of Hui'an was staying. The main courtyard was decorated in a rather dignified manner, without too many fancy carvings, but rather with heavy solid wood and several towering ancient trees.

Full of Zen spirit.

Gan Qiongying stood in the courtyard, waiting for the maids to go in and announce her arrival.

After a while, just as Gan Qiongying had expected, an ordinary-looking aunt came out, gave Gan Qiongying a very standard bow, and said, "Princess, please go back. The Grand Princess was traveling this morning and is tired. She is taking a nap now."

"We will naturally meet at the banquet in the evening."

Gan Qiongying looked at the aunt, but did not turn around and leave, nor did she ask her to go in and report.

She simply said, "I'm thirsty. I remember that Aunt Wumei's specialty is plum juice. My aunt and I both like sweet and sour flavors, so Aunt must have made a lot."

Gan Qiongying smiled, like a mischievous child, and said, "I wonder if I could have a bowl to drink?"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Wu Mei's eyebrows twitched violently. Despite her name, Wu Mei had very thick eyebrows. She was the most intimate maidservant of the Grand Princess Huian and was definitely not young.

After Gan Qiongying finished speaking, she looked at the eyebrowless aunt, her face remaining calm, but her heart was filled with panic.

She said it on purpose, because in Duanrong's limited memory, she knew that when Emperor Huicheng had just ascended the throne and Gan Qiongying was made a princess, when she was only eleven or twelve years old and still a tender bud, the Grand Princess Huian had also doted on her for a period of time.

Considering that she lost her parents at a young age, they took her to live in the Grand Princess's residence for a while.

At that time, Princess Huian, as Duanrong's aunt, had the intention of raising her as her own daughter. However, Duanrong was used to being unrestrained and could not leave the Crown Prince's younger brother, Ganlin, in the Eastern Palace, so the matter was dropped.

Back then, Duanrong also asked her eyebrowless aunt for plum juice, and even drank it because it was cold, which upset her stomach.

In an attempt to gain some sympathy and break the ice, Gan Qiongying imitated a teenager tilting his head and smiling, and tried to be charming and obsequious to an old woman in her fifties. She was so ashamed of herself that she wanted to disappear.

She desperately needed Li Hua's opaque human skin mask!

But this grandson really has to pretend.

Today, she is that "prodigal son" who has been foolish for years but has suddenly come to his senses. Even if she has to lose face, she will definitely make Princess Hui'an soften her heart.