Chapter 107: The Concubine Guo Yi's Heartache Xu Nian Meets Everyone in the Palace
Luo Jinhuai accompanied Luo Jinan in practicing sword for an hour and a half, and then dragged his aching body back to his own Danhuaiyuan.
Princess Guo Yi was frightened when she saw Luo Jinhuai limping in, wondering what had happened. She hadn't seen the prince come so late at night, and thought he had gone to the courtyard of another concubine.
Guo Yi stepped forward and bowed before asking, "Prince, what's wrong with you? Su Mei, go and prepare some water for the prince to bathe."
Luo Jinhuai sat on the stool with his hands on his waist, gnashing his teeth. He felt alive only after drinking two cups of tea. He then complained to Guo Yi, "I don't know what happened to my second brother tonight. He insisted on going to the training ground to practice swordplay when it was already dark, and even dragged me along. This kid usually looks weak, but I never knew he had so much endurance. I was so tired..."
Guo Yi smiled knowingly. What else could it be? How could she not be angry when her beloved could see her but couldn't eat her? Thinking of this, she couldn't help but glance at Luo Jinhuai. In fact, she envied Miss Xu in her heart.
His Royal Highness the Prince could endure it for her, unlike her and the Crown Prince. Although they knew each other when they were young, the Crown Prince still took in two concubines when he was only fifteen years old, even though their wedding was only one year away.
Guo Yi touched her belly and frowned. She was already 21 years old and no longer young, but she only had one daughter. If she couldn't get pregnant successfully, would she have to give up the position of the crown prince to those illegitimate sons?
Luo Jinhuai found that he had been talking for such a long time but the Crown Prince's wife did not respond and instead seemed distracted, so he suddenly felt bored. Originally, the two of them could talk about anything when they were young.
"Prince, Princess, the water is ready."
Guo Yi was just about to go forward to help Luo Jinhuai change his clothes, but he stood up unexpectedly, and his voice was no longer as intimate as before.
"I will stay at the Stone Warm Pavilion tonight. You should go to bed early."
"Prince"
Luo Jinhuai paused, but still walked out of Danhuai Courtyard.
Guo Yi was filled with sadness as she watched Luo Jin walk out of the yard. Su Mei and Su Lan stepped forward to comfort him, saying, "Master, please be patient. Those are just playthings that are not presentable. You should take good care of yourself and get pregnant with the young master as soon as possible."
Su Lan also echoed, "That's right, my master, you must not be sad. If Nanny Qin sees this, the Guo family will have to send the second young lady to accompany you again."
Guo Yi cheered up. She couldn't cry because the prince went to the concubine's room, otherwise her good stepmother would have a reason to come here and make trouble.
"Sumei, please pay more attention to the activities of the Yicaoyuan in the next few days. As soon as Miss Xu recovers from her injury, send my invitation to her."
"What does the master mean?"
Guo Yi looked out the window in a daze and said softly, "The prince hasn't stayed at Danhuai Courtyard for half a year. When I invite Miss Xu, it will be a good opportunity for the prince and His Royal Highness to get together. You should prepare the Jiu Lu Chun Niang wine for that day."
After Guo Yi finished speaking, a tear fell. She was the daughter of a lieutenant general, but in the end she still had to resort to such tricks to get her husband to stay overnight. She didn't know when the two people who were once so loving had come to this point.
“…”
In two days, Xu Nian's leg injury had begun to scab over. She couldn't help but admire the good medical skills of Dr. Zhen. Mo Yu said that the medicines she used in the past two days were all prepared by Dr. Zhen herself.
Although she had been recuperating in the Yicao Courtyard, she did not allow herself to be idle. Luo Jinan had already decided on the location for building the sugar factory, and the palace had also approved the silver needed to build the sugar factory, so in the past two days she had detailed the specific process steps for making sugar and the drawings of the tools needed for making sugar.
Luo Jinan also looked for someone to make it according to her drawings step by step. To be on the safe side, Xu Nian also tried to make it herself in her own space. She didn't feel at ease until she saw the successfully made white sugar with her own eyes.
Because building a sugar factory is not a matter of overnight, it will take at least a month to complete the construction, so Xu Nian plans to return to Wansheng County first.
"What? Go back? No, you just came to the Royal City, and I haven't taken you out for a walk yet. Besides, the Autumn Harvest Festival is coming soon, and I promised to take you to see the dragon lanterns."
Although Xu Nian felt sorry for the aggrieved Luo Jinan, he decided to go back. He had lived in the palace before because of the sugar factory affairs, and it would be inappropriate to stay there any longer.
"It's not like we can only see the Dragon Lantern this year. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future, but it's really not convenient for me to stay here any longer."
Luo Jin'an's eyes were red as he whispered, "Niannian, there won't be that many opportunities. I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany you in the next Dragon Lantern."
Xu Nian suddenly raised her head and said in a hurry, "What nonsense are you talking about?" She glanced at the pitiful Luo Jin'an in front of her and said softly, "Then I will go back after watching the Dragon Lantern. We agreed that I must go back to Wansheng County after watching the Dragon Lantern."
"Yeah, okay," Luo Jin'an nodded repeatedly and smiled with great satisfaction. Although Nian Nian could only accompany him for another five days, he was already very content.
Xu Nian felt that since she was almost well, she should go and pay her respects to the prince and princess in the palace. It was very rude of her to wait until today to go.
Luo Jinan understood her idea and did not stop her, but did not let her go to see him immediately. Instead, he agreed to take her there tomorrow morning, and even gave her a good reason: It would be too troublesome to meet them one by one, and you would have to perform several more formalities. I will call them together before you go.
Although Xu Nian felt that it was against etiquette, he had no choice but to wait until tomorrow to pay his respects to Luo Jin'an.
However, everyone in the mansion had given her gifts before, so it was not easy for her to go to the meeting empty-handed.
She had no choice but to take out a few ginseng and Polygonum multiflorum, as well as lipstick and perfume from the space under the pretext of asking Yanfu to go out shopping. It took her a whole night to prepare those return gifts.
On the second day, Yanfu and Yanrong, holding boxes of different sizes in their hands, followed Luo Jinan and Xu Nian towards Shujingyuan.
At this time, Shujing Courtyard was very lively. Not only the Prince of Zhenbei, the Princess, the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince's Consort were there, but also several younger children.
Crown Prince Luo Jinhuai has three sons and two daughters, among whom the five-year-old Luo Peixuan is the crown prince's legitimate daughter. At this moment, she is sitting next to Princess Zhenbei, acting coquettishly and playfully.
The two sons sitting quietly in the hall were Luo Jinhuai's four-year-old eldest son Luo Chenyang and second son Luo Chenyi. The other two children were not brought to Shujingyuan because they were too young.
"My Lord, Princess, His Royal Highness the Prince is here with Miss Xu."
Princess Zhenshu of Zhenbei was delighted to hear this, and asked the Crown Princess to take Luo Peixuan back. Then she smiled and said, "Please invite them in."
The beaded curtain on the door rang slightly, and everyone looked over, only to see Luo Jin'anxu walking in, supporting a young girl who lowered her head.