On the tree-lined path outside the study.
Two tall eunuchs dutifully stood in front of the princess, expressionless and saying:
"No one is allowed to enter the study without the order of His Highness. Princess, please return."
Sun Jiayi stepped forward, glanced disapprovingly at the overbearing palace maid, and reprimanded her, "Xiaoqing, don't be rude! The eunuchs are all capable people around His Highness, doing his bidding. Don't make things difficult for them."
"Please go in and inform the eunuch that His Highness works so hard every day. I feel so sorry for him that I specially made a nourishing soup for him to replenish his body."
The two eunuchs still said the same thing, "Please go back, Princess."
Sun Jiayi was not angry, and still looked gentle and dignified. "Your Highness has not been to Yihe Palace for a long time. I guess there must be something I did wrong that made Your Highness dislike me."
"Today, I must apologize to His Highness in person. If His Highness refuses to see me, I will not leave."
Xiaoqing was very sensible and went forward with a few palace maids. The prince's wife had to save face and maintain a dignified and virtuous demeanor, so these indecent things had to be done by her close confidants.
The reason they forced their way in was because the people around them were ignorant and had nothing to do with the princess.
The two eunuchs continued to block the attack, refusing to give in. They were wearing eunuch clothes, but they were very agile and had calluses on their hands from years of martial arts practice. Not to mention the palace maids, even the imperial guards were no match for them.
Soon, several palace maids fell to the ground, sweating profusely from the pain, but there were no scars on their faces.
Sun Jiayi was also a little angry. She hadn't seen Xiao Yan since their wedding night. She was Xiao Yan's wife, so why didn't Xiao Yan see her?
She was about to get angry when she saw Xia Yang coming over with a smile on his face and taking the soup bowl from her hand.
"Your Highness, thank you for your hard work. For such a small matter, we can just send a maid. Why would we trouble you to come here in person? Your Highness knows your Highness's feelings, but he is busy with official duties and does not like to be disturbed. Please return."
Sun Jiayi was still a little unwilling, "Just let me go in and take a look. I will never disturb Your Highness."
Xia Yang approached the princess and whispered, "Your Highness didn't go to the princess, nor did he go to anyone else. Princess, please stop making trouble. If you really anger His Highness, and he favors someone else in the blink of an eye, you will be asking for trouble."
"I'll be on vacation soon. His Highness will definitely make time to visit you then. Whether you can keep His Highness here depends on your ability."
Sun Jiayi knew she couldn't get in, so she could only settle for the next best thing. "It seems that His Highness is really busy, so I won't bother you. Please say a few good words to him, Eunuch. On his day off, I must see His Highness."
Xia Yang got another piece of fine jadeite and smiled until his eyes narrowed. "Of course, Your Highness won't go to the prince's wife, so why would he go to those people of low status? Don't worry!"
Sun Jiayi left contentedly. From what Xia Yang said, she felt relieved that His Highness would definitely not go looking for Yun Fengyi.
————
Xiao Yan ate and drank his fill in the dark room, feeling in a good mood. He then held the soft Xiaoyun in his arms and had sex in the study again.
In the next few days, Ji Yunhuan was angry and didn't want to pay any attention to Xiao Yan. She even slept with her back to him at night. Xiao Yan finally calmed down for a few days and stopped teasing her.
In the blink of an eye, the day of rest arrived, and the emperor summoned the eldest prince's wives and concubines to pay their respects.
Early in the morning, Xiao Yan went to the Yihe Palace and sat quietly at the top drinking tea.
"Don't panic. I'm the one who arrived early. It's normal for the princess not to wake up yet. Go tell her to take her time getting ready. I'm not in a hurry."
Xiaoqing was overjoyed and hurried to call the princess. It seemed that His Highness really cared about the princess and came so early.
Xiao Yan kept looking towards the door. He hadn't seen Xiaoyun openly for a long time. He heard that Xiaoyun came to pay her respects to the prince's wife every day. He finally got some free time and came here impatiently.
The first one to arrive was Wenlan, who lived closest to the place.
Her father was originally a first-rank official, but because he offended Wu Xin, he was sent to another place to serve as a prefect. Her father was upright by nature, and he only cared about his own little piece of land and was too lazy to pay attention to the disturbances in the capital.
Although she was demoted, the Wen family's foundation is still there. In terms of family background, Wen Lan is much higher than Sun Jiayi. However, with an imperial decree from the emperor, she became the eldest prince's concubine and had to look at Sun Jiayi's mood every day.
Her father and brother didn't want her to come, and even thought of faking her death, but she didn't want to drag her father and brother down, so she decided to return to Beijing and get married, even if the person she married was not the one she liked.
Sun Jiayi was good at pretending, and she didn't dare to treat a good woman harshly in terms of food, clothing and other expenses. As for those disgusting words, Wen Lan pretended not to hear them and could still get by.
Wen Lan suddenly realized what was going on when she saw Xiao Yan. No wonder she was not asked to wait outside today. It turned out that Xiao Yan had come.
"I pay my respects to Your Highness." Wen Lan knelt down perfunctorily and stood up without waiting for Xiao Yan to speak.
Xiao Yan knew that this was the concubine arranged for him by the emperor. He didn't even look at Wen Lan, but just said casually: "No need to be polite, please take a seat."
Wen Lan sat there for a while, but couldn't help but sneer, "Your Highness, you've arrived early. You must be eager to show your courtesy to the Emperor."
Xiao Yan's gaze finally fell on Wen Lan's face. He felt that this woman looked familiar. After thinking for a while, he remembered that there seemed to be a good lady named Wen.
"You are Xizhi's younger brother, no, you are his sister. Is Xizhi okay?"
Wen Lan has liked wearing men's clothes and walking around the streets with her brother since she was a child. She has met Xiao Yan several times, but her brother is rather old-fashioned and does not allow her to have too much contact with men outside of her family.
"Thanks to Your Highness, my father is an official in Qianxi. The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, so he is very free. My brother is free from official duties and lives a very good life!"
"If they knew that His Highness is now thriving in the palace and deeply loved by the Emperor, they would definitely be very pleased!"
Wen Lan became more and more angry as she spoke. She used to admire the Crown Prince. Her brother often said that the future of Xiao State depended on His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince cared about the world and had great righteousness in his heart, which was completely different from the current emperor.
The Wen family was also willing to follow the Crown Prince, but what about now? What was the difference between Xiao Yan and the Fifth Prince? Didn't they both grovel and fawn over the Emperor, seeking only wealth and glory, regardless of the lives of the people?
Xiao Yan had actually secretly contacted the father and son of the Wen family, but these things were not suitable for Wen Lan to know.
Three years ago, when the emperor insisted on deposing the crown prince, Lord Wen opposed it most vehemently and was later driven to a remote area to serve as an official.
Lord Wen has done a good job in government, but he disdains to please Wu Xin and the Fifth Prince, so he has remained in the same place for three years.
Xiao Yan calmly took a sip of tea. "Let's be clear, I do know your father and brother well, but the Wen family has angered the Emperor, so they deserve to be demoted. If I hear such resentful words again, I will report it to the Emperor, and your father's official position will be lost!"
"You...you are shameless!" Wen Lan was so angry that he wanted to cut Xiao Yan into pieces!
She turned her head away from Xiao Yan, for fear of saying something unpleasant that would give Xiao Yan a handle. She absolutely could not harm her father and brother.
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