The next morning, Nan Tianba went to the Eastern Palace to visit the Crown Prince. As the host, he should apologize for what had happened at the banquet at his house the day before.
Nan Tianba was soon invited inside by the Crown Prince's attendants.
When Nan Tianba saw the Crown Prince again today, he found that although Xiao Mu still had many red rashes on his face, it was much better than yesterday.
"Your Highness, this humble general has come to apologize. Please accept this small token of my apology." Nan Tianba presented the apology gift.
"General Nan, there's no need for that. It's just that I haven't had the pleasure of eating here," Xiao Mu said calmly, displaying the composure befitting a crown prince.
Nan Tianba breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Xiao Mu's words. He neither wanted to get involved in this war for imperial power nor wanted to easily offend a member of the royal family.
After Nan Tianba showed sufficient sincerity in apologizing, he left. So he didn't know that after he left, Xiao Mu lost his temper again, smashed a room full of things, and punished many servants.
Xiao Mu was naturally furious. He had suffered an undeserved disaster for no reason, and now his face and body were itchy to death. But in order to stop himself from scratching, he could only distract himself by venting in other ways.
When Nan Tianba came to apologize, he naturally had to greet him with a smile and show his magnanimity, but he really had a hard time holding back.
He had managed to avoid making a bigger embarrassment yesterday entirely through sheer willpower. However, Xia Ziqian's method was indeed effective, and he was much better today than yesterday. Thinking of this, he summoned someone to deliver many gifts to the Xia family as a token of his gratitude. He had been unable to leave his residence for the past few days and could only express his thanks in person after he had fully recovered.
This matter naturally reached the ears of the Emperor and Empress. After understanding the ins and outs, the Emperor said nothing, but the Empress, as the Crown Prince's birth mother, was extremely anxious. So she came to the Eastern Palace today to see how her son was doing.
"My son, how are you feeling now?" The Empress felt heartbroken when she saw the mess in the Eastern Palace. Her son was always composed, but now he was in such a state. How could she not worry?
"Mother, I'm fine, you don't need to worry." Xiao Mu smiled weakly to comfort the Empress.
"You don't look like anything's wrong. Don't hide it from your mother," the Empress said, feigning anger.
"Mother, I'm just a little itchy. It will heal in a few days. There's nothing to worry about," Xiao Mu said.
"That Jiang Zhirou is truly a scourge, both before and now. If it weren't for attending her birthday banquet, my son wouldn't have suffered like this," the Empress said viciously.
"Mother, this matter cannot be blamed on Madam Nan. After all, no one knew that I would experience such symptoms after taking it." Xiao Mu frowned. He did not understand why his mother always harbored such malice towards Madam Nan, also known as Jiang Zhirou.
"Alas, my son, why do you insist on marrying that ugly woman from the General's Mansion? If you want to get her... there are other ways." The Empress lowered her voice.
"Mother, this method is the fastest and most convenient." Xiao Mu understood the Empress's meaning, but did he still have the power to obtain military power through other means?
Of course, the Empress understood this as well, but she simply couldn't stand Jiang Zhirou's family, especially since that wretched woman's daughter was an incredibly ugly monster. When she first found out, she was overjoyed. But now, her son insisted on marrying that ugly monster for the sake of the General's Mansion's power, and she wished she could torture and kill those two wretches to death.
But her son was always decisive, and she couldn't ruin his plans.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Just rest and recover. Your mother will come to see you again in a few days." Knowing that her son was alright, the Empress naturally didn't intend to stay any longer. There were still many matters in the palace that awaited her attention.
"Yes, I respectfully see off the Empress Dowager."
After finishing the birthday banquet, Nan Wusi had a lot of free time. She went to the workshop that made bronze mirrors and inquired about the progress of the production. The craftsman told her that it would be completed in three days.
Her little shop is almost finished with its decorations, except for these three bronze mirrors. So after learning from the craftsman that it would be completed in three days, Nan Wusi only needed to wait patiently.
Since he had nothing to do these past few days, Nan Wusi decided to invite a few of his friends out for some fun.
She first asked her elder brother, Nan Wufeng, if he could inquire about Young Master Xia, and then she had Ye Zi deliver a letter to Ouyang Xinxi at the Prime Minister's residence.
Nan Wufeng was naturally very happy to learn that Nan Wuxiang wanted to take the initiative to ask Xia Ziqian out. He would also be happy to see his sister marry his good friend.
Soon, Ye Zi brought back a reply from Ouyang Xinxi. In the letter, she said that she was very happy that Nan Wusi had invited her out, and she would be there on time. She also subtly expressed her hope that Nan Wusi would invite her older brother along, as she wanted to express her gratitude in person.
So Nan Wusi looked at Nan Wufeng with a wicked smile, thinking that he might be able to play matchmaker for the two and create a beautiful love story.
Looking at Nan Wusi's wicked grin, Nan Wufeng felt a chill creep down his spine, wondering what mischievous scheme his third sister was plotting this time. But when he heard Nan Wusi say that the woman he had saved last time was not only the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's mansion but also his third sister's good friend, and that she wanted to thank him in person, he couldn't refuse.
Although he considered the act of saving the person insignificant, he still needed to give his third sister's good friend face if the other party wanted to express their gratitude.
After Nan Wufeng received Xia Ziqian's affirmative reply, the group agreed to go on a trip together the next day.
Since there were many people this time, the group thought they could meet at Red Maple Mountain in the suburbs. So they agreed to meet at the city gate.
Red Maple Mountain is famous for its mountains covered in red maple leaves, and this is the time when the maple leaves are at their reddest and most beautiful. That's why Xia Ziqian suggested going to Red Maple Mountain to admire the red maple leaves.
Since they were going out of the city, even though it wasn't far, this was Nan Wusi's first official trip. She was extremely excited that night and kept asking Nan Wufeng what she needed to bring.
But Nan Wufeng, a rough and unrefined man, had no idea what to bring on a trip. For such a short journey, he thought he only needed to bring himself.
Nan Wusi remained silent for a while. She would likely be out all day tomorrow, so food was essential. She had the kitchen prepare many small pastries so she could eat whenever she got hungry. Of course, a water bottle was also indispensable; she would definitely need to stay hydrated while hiking.
Secondly, she needed to bring a thicker coat, just in case it got cold on the mountain. Oh, and an umbrella too. Finally, after much thought, Nanwu Si decided to bring the original owner's whip as well. She didn't want to be helpless against a group of robbers like last time.
After everything was ready, Namo Si drifted off to sleep with anticipation.
Such a big commotion couldn't be kept from Jiang Zhirou. She was finally relieved, thinking that her daughter was about to see the light. After learning that Nan Wufeng would also be going, she called him over and gave him a good talking-to.
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