Hearing the palace maid's words, Consort Chen nodded.

"It seems that this time, we really have to thank this girl."

...

Inside Changqiu Palace, Consort De carefully placed the items in her hands into a box.

"Put this away carefully. I searched for this for Duoduo from afar and spent a lot of time making it. It must not be damaged in the slightest."

"Yes, Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will take good care of it."

Chunhua, the head maid of Changqiu Palace, also carefully accepted the box handed over by Consort De with both hands.

"Shu'er and Duoduo have always been close, and they often go out of the palace together. Naturally, I should help Shu'er choose some gifts that Duoduo likes."

"The brother and sister have a deep and loving relationship; it's truly rare!"

Consort De always remembered that it was Yun Duoduo who had someone remove the Gu poison from Yun Yishu's body, and she always remembered this kindness.

"Remember this: even if Shu'er asks about the gifts prepared for us at Changqiu Palace, you can't tell her, understand?"

Consort De solemnly instructed her.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will not tell anyone."

Consort De nodded: "I know Shu'er best. Although she has some talent for business and calculation, she is not shrewd enough and is easily schemed against."

"We can't let the people in the harem set their sights on Shu'er."

Chunhua nodded, and Consort De continued to ask, "When people from the Jade Palace came to inquire, what did you say?"

"Everything is done according to Your Majesty's instructions."

"I have given instructions to everyone below, telling them that the Ninth Princess will be given mundane items such as Loulan jade and South China Sea pearls."

Consort De curled her lips into a smile: "Yes, that's how it is. For Duoduo's coming-of-age ceremony, my gift will definitely be the best and most suitable."

"I absolutely cannot lose face in front of Duoduo."

Consort De stroked the wooden box, her eyes resolute.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have inquired and found that none of the coming-of-age ceremonies in other palaces are as practical and special as ours. Our coming-of-age ceremony will surely be the Ninth Princess's favorite."

Consort De's smile deepened: "Also, let's make hibiscus cakes from the hibiscus flowers that were dried in the palace before."

Hibiscus cake is Yun Duoduo's favorite pastry, but hibiscus flowers are only grown in Changqiu Palace. So every year, Yun Duoduo goes to Changqiu Palace to eat hibiscus cake.

[Sigh, Duoduo will be leaving the palace soon. Let's make her some extra hibiscus flower cakes this time.]

"Make more, even if it's a bit dry, it'll keep it for a while longer."

Chunhua was somewhat surprised: "Your Highness, don't we keep some in our palace?"

Consort De shook her head. "Hibiscus flowers bloom every year, so we can make them every year."

"But next year, Duoduo may no longer be in the palace."

Chunhua sensed the faint sorrow in Consort De's tone. She nodded and stopped talking, turning to prepare the ingredients for making pastries.

...

In a courtyard house on the outskirts of Jiangning, Military Advisor Cao paced back and forth with a worried expression.

When Jin Jinzhi's bodyguard Yan Ying saw Cao Canjun's appearance, she rubbed her forehead and said helplessly, "Hey Lao Cao, stop pacing around like that, it's making my head spin!"

Military Advisor Cao sighed, feeling anxious. He walked to Yan Ying's side and looked at him with great confusion, saying, "You're supposed to be the prince's personal bodyguard. Logically speaking, you've been with the prince longer than I have."

"You've been with the prince since he was a child, how come you're not worried about your master at all?"

Yan Ying remained silent, only looking at Cao Canjun with a half-smile: "No, you said that after the Prince finished dealing with the matters in Jiangning, he locked himself in there every day. Why is that?!"

Cao Canjun pointed to the tightly closed door.

"Do you think we should open the door and take a look?"

I advise you not to.

Yan Ying had been by Jin Jinzhi's side for a long time, but in recent years he had been staying in the northern frontier to handle matters, so he had not been able to travel around with Jin Jinzhi like Cao Canjun.

Yan Ying knew that her master must be dealing with something very important to keep her locked in the room.

At times like these, it's best not to disturb anyone.

"No, what if something happens to the Prince inside and we wouldn't know?"

"Are we just going to stand outside like two idiots?!" Cao Canjun stared at Yan Ying, demanding an answer.

"Military Advisor Cao, don't panic. The prince is highly skilled in martial arts. Don't underestimate his abilities."

As the two were arguing, the door to the house was suddenly flung open, and Jin Jinzhi walked out.

He was very tired, but seemed to be in a good mood, with a faint smile in his eyes.

"Your Highness, your eyes?!"

Cao Canjun was very surprised to see Jin Jinzhi's haggard appearance. He quickly walked up to Jin Jinzhi and cupped her face in his hands.

Upon closer inspection, Cao Canjun saw that his eyes were bloodshot, his beard was unkempt, and his hair was a mess.

"Your Highness, what happened to you, you look like this..."

Yan Ying laughed. The way Cao Canjun was holding Jin Jinzhi's face was simply unbearable to look at.

"I'm fine." Jin Jinzhi pushed away Cao Canjun's hand.

"Yanying, Lao Cao, prepare the fast horses, we're heading back to the capital right now!"

Jin Jinzhi turned around and took out the things from inside the house.

He opened his palm, looked at what was in his hand, and smiled with satisfaction.

I hope Duoduo will like this gift.

"Your Highness, would you like to eat something before you leave?" Military Advisor Cao glanced at Jin Jinzhi with concern.

"No more eating, let's go right now!"

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