Liu Ruyan looked surprised when she saw him. "Father, what brings you here?"
When General Liu saw her, he felt a little guilty, but it quickly dissipated.
"Ruyan, your mother is sick."
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan asked excitedly, "Are you alright?"
"It's alright. I just had a Taoist priest do some divination, and he said that only the blood of my own daughter can restrain it, because it's been possessed by something unclean."
"Ruyan, your father had no choice but to come to you."
Liu Ruyan thought it was something serious, but when she heard it was just about a drop of blood, she pulled the hairpin off her head without saying a word.
"Father, how do we retrieve it?"
General Liu quickly picked up the bowl that had been prepared beforehand and said, "Ruyan, you can drip it here."
"The Taoist priest said that not much is needed, just one drop is enough."
Sitting on the side, the Marquis of Zhenbei felt a sense of familiarity with the scene, but couldn't quite place it.
Liu Ruyan dripped the blood into the bowl, feeling vaguely uneasy, but unable to put her finger on it.
Upon seeing the blood finally dripping, General Liu stood up abruptly.
"Well, Ruyan, your father is going back now."
Marquis of Zhenbei: ? ?
Were we not here to discuss Shen Lanxue's marriage?
"Um, General Liu..."
"Lord Zhenbei, my wife is still in the manor. Let's discuss other matters after the Divine Summoning Conference is over."
Seeing General Liu say this, the Marquis of Zhenbei dared not provoke him.
"Alright, then... I'll see you off."
Liu Ruyan took one last look at General Liu before turning and returning to the backyard.
The next day.
Hua Mei received the invitation from the palace early in the morning and excitedly ran to the main house.
"Madam, today is a welcoming banquet for foreign envoys. His Majesty has invited Miss to the palace to thank her for helping the Sixth Princess last time."
Ye Lanyin was embroidering little shoes for Lin Wanwan to wear for the New Year in the house. After hearing Hua Mei's words, she smiled and put down what she was holding.
"Oh? Let me see."
Hua Mei quickly placed the invitation in Ye Lanyin's hand.
Upon seeing the seal, Ye Lanyin felt both happy and worried.
Wanwan is really in the spotlight now.
She knew about the incident where she saved the Sixth Princess, and now that His Majesty values her so highly, she didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.
It is said that serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, even if the regent is fond of her.
However, within the imperial palace, there were countless instances of emperors throughout history being wary of their subjects.
"Hua Mei, a few days ago I asked you to choose a maid for Wanwan, how's that going?"
Hua Mei bowed and said:
“Madam, the maids I’ve looked at these past few times haven’t been very good. I’ll go back to the slave trader and pick some more.”
Ye Lanyin trusted Hua Mei and Hua Xin to handle matters.
However, she doesn't have many trusted confidantes now, and if Huamei and Huaxin get married in the future, she will need maids by her side.
"While you're at it, go and take a look at the maids outside the courtyard. If there are any suitable ones, promote two to be second-class maids."
"Yes, madam."
Hua Xin carried Lin Wanwan out of the back room. The little one had grown quite a bit since she turned one year old.
Now, with her big, watery eyes and two little pigtails, she has the air of a little beauty.
"Mother~"
Lin Wanwan opened her little arms and rushed into Ye Lanyin's arms.
"Oh my, Wanwan doesn't need Huaxin to help her walk anymore."
"My precious daughter has grown up."
Hua Xin smiled broadly and immediately shared, "Madam, you don't know, this morning, when I was helping Miss wash up, she actually went inside by herself."
"This servant almost couldn't find him."
I almost thought I'd been kidnapped again.
I'm all grown up now, I can walk!
Oh dear, I'm not dead yet, I need to hurry up and play...
Ye Lanyin covered her mouth and chuckled after hearing her thoughts.
A short while later, Tian Zhong came to report.
"Madam, the carriage is ready. Would you like to accompany us to the palace?"
Ye Lanyin shook her head. "I won't go."
She's now divorced and has so many children; whatever her reasons, she has no reason to be present.
Besides, His Majesty prefers Wanwan.
Just as Ye Lanyin was preparing to send Huaxin to the palace with Lin Wanwan.
But then Hua Mei walked in.
"Madam, the Regent has arrived with the young prince."
Out of the corner of her eye, Ye Lanyin noticed a little figure following behind Hua Mei.
Xiao Chengyun poked his head out and called out to Ye Lanyin, "Mother."
Ye Lanyin smiled and waved to him, "Chengyun, come here."
Upon seeing this, Xiao Chengyun eagerly ran over.
Several people knew that Xiao Chengyun called Ye Lanyin "Niang" in private, but none of them took it to heart.
I just felt sorry for Xiao Chengyun, who lost his birth mother at such a young age and had to call someone else his mother.
The Regent gazed tenderly at the scene of motherly love and filial piety.
In his heart, he actually looked forward to the day when he would marry her and bring her back to the Regent's Palace.
"Your Highness, is it agreed that you won't be going to school today?"
"Today is a welcoming banquet, so the Imperial Academy is closed for the holiday." The Regent's voice was clear and bright, and he then handed the invitation in his hand to Ye Lanyin.
"Lanyin, this is an invitation. Why don't you come to the palace with me?"
The yellow invitation card held in the Regent's hand shone brightly in the sunlight.
Ye Lanyin shook the hand beside her and refused:
"Your Highness, I think I'll pass and not go."
"That's perfect, shall you bring Wanwan into the palace..."
He hadn't finished speaking.
"Mom, I don't have to go to school today, can you let me go with you?" Lin Chang'an ran in from the doorway, carrying his little schoolbag.
"Huh? Why don't we have to go to school today?" Hua Mei asked in confusion.
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