Chapter 352 Yixiu 30
When Yinzhen stepped into Zhixinzhai, it was clearly only separated by a door, but the feeling was extremely different.
A kind of indifference and tranquility unique to Zhixinzhai gradually permeated him, making Yinzhen, who was originally in a somewhat chaotic state of mind, relax. Those messy thoughts slowly drifted away with one or two crisp bird calls and the rustling of the wind.
He waved everyone away without letting anyone know. Following Ran Dong's signal, he turned around and walked alone into Yi Xiu's newly tidied study.
Although his steady steps were not loud, the various purses, jade pendants, sachets and other items he wore on his body still made a regular sound as he moved, which was particularly obvious even in the quiet inner room.
"Is the master here?"
Yixiu's firm voice came from the side room on the right. Yinzhen walked over, raised his hand, and gently pushed aside the pearl curtain in front of him. He walked around the screen and saw a long huanghuali wood table with no waist and ridged teeth placed by the window. On it were the four treasures of the study and all the necessary utensils, a rosewood inkstone screen inlaid with a landscape painting of hundreds of treasures, and a jade incense burner with animal face pattern. The incense burner was filled with an indescribable fragrance, fresh and natural, refreshing to the heart.
Yixiu was standing behind the table, holding a pen with wet paint on it. She put down her pen when she saw him coming, walked around the table and saluted.
Yinzhen reached out to help, but saw that Yixiu's hand was stained with paint. He didn't say anything but handed her his handkerchief.
Yixiu took it and went to wipe her hands, and Yinzhen walked to the table and took a look at the painting on the desk.
"Your painting is about... a mother's love for her child? Why, are you thinking about Honghui?"
"I don't know either. I just paint whatever I want."
Yixiu also came over, took a closer look, and nodded with satisfaction: "It seems that you have improved a lot compared to before, what do you think?"
Yinzhen smiled and sat on the large Zen chair: "You are not modest, but I think you have improved a lot compared to the painting of ducks playing in the water you gave me before."
"Oh, that was a painting of mandarin ducks. What's wrong with you? We agreed not to mention it."
Yinzhen lowered his head to look at the painting again, and instead of responding, he said, "This one is quite pleasing to the eye. I will gladly accept it."
As he was about to take it away, Yixiu stood beside him, speechless, with a fake smile on her face: "Look around my yard, is there anything else that catches your eye? Take it all away."
"Well...then you can ask someone to open the warehouse and I'll take a good look."
Yinzhen also smiled and said, "We must not let down our Concubine Nara's kindness."
The two men mocked each other, but in the end Yinzhen won.
Although Yixiu had a lot of "good words" in her mind that were enough to break through his defense a thousand times, unfortunately, she had to bow her head under the eaves.
Yinzhen, who said he won, seemed to be in a good mood. He pulled her to sit down with him and said, "I won't take your gift for nothing. I have good news for you. Honghui will probably be back in half a month. I'll ask him to come see you then."
"Really? This is really good news. I haven't seen him for so long, and I'm always worried. If I could see him, I'd feel much more at ease."
This was indeed good news. Yixiu's smile grew even brighter, and he asked, "How long can he stay this time?"
"It's hard to explain. Now that the Crown Prince has been reinstated, the Emperor must be mindful of the impact."
When Yinzhen said this, his expression gradually became more serious. He was also a supporter of the prince's reinstatement this time. This was certainly because he was close to the prince, but more because he guessed Han Ama's thoughts.
Now that the eldest and eighth brothers' factions have been severely damaged, the third brother is no longer a threat. With the crown prince reinstated, Han Ama seems to have returned to being the devoted father he once was. However, after the crown prince's ordeal, Yinzhen watched him with a cold eye, and his temper had changed drastically. I'm afraid...
By then, I...
Yinzhen glanced at the loving picture on the table again, and a dark light flashed in his eyes.
When he spoke again, his tone was even softer: "But Honghui is my eldest son and my most promising child. I will naturally take care of him."
"Of course, Honghui and I are counting on you, Master." Yixiu nodded, speaking confidently, "Although I also think Honghui is a very good person, please don't say this in front of the other children next time. It would be bad if it hurts their feelings."
"I'm not old enough to be confused yet."
Yinzhen glanced at her speechlessly and slowly got up from the couch: "It's almost time for dinner. Let's go. I'm a little hungry too."
"Come on, come on, please don't upset our prince's stomach. I asked the kitchen to make lotus seed pork belly and lotus leaf chicken today. The lotus seed and pork belly soup was simmered early in the morning and has turned a milky white. Please do me the honor of trying it and see if it suits your appetite."
Yinzhen nodded modestly, took her hand, and the two of them came out of the east wing. Someone came to serve the meal. When Yinzhen changed his clothes and came out, the table was already set.
The lotus seed and pork belly dish was clearly to his liking; Yinzhen drank three bowls straight and also ate a good portion of the other dishes. Yixiu, naturally not one to spoil the fun, indulged Yinzhen's appetite. When they were both satisfied, and it was still light outside, they rested for a moment to change clothes, then took a stroll in the courtyard together to digest their food.
This was also a common program. The two of them looked at the green plants in the courtyard, and then looked up at the ever-changing sky. There was no need to speak. There was a comfortable atmosphere that allowed Yinzhen to relax and sort out the complicated thoughts of the day.
"Ms. Nian, have you been respectful to your wife recently?"
Not knowing what he was thinking about, Yinzhen suddenly asked, his eyes not on Yixiu, but still looking at the Jade Phoenix Tree in front of him, as if asking casually.
Yixiu looked at the other green cloud and answered nonchalantly, "Perhaps? I live in the west, and I only go to the Concubine's courtyard to pay my respects. But during these visits, Concubine Concubine spoke much more politely."
"That's fine. Nian was used to being pampered at home, so she's a bit stubborn. Wanwan was always good-tempered, but after Huifu left... she felt even more sorrowful, so it's inevitable that her temper changed for a while."
"I've always been worried that Wanwan's body wouldn't be able to withstand the confrontation between the two. Now that Nian is willing to take a step back, I'm relieved."
Yixiu listened quietly without interrupting, and after he finished speaking, she smiled and said, "You're right. Fu Jin and Sister Nian didn't know each other well before, so misunderstandings were inevitable. But now that they've been together for a long time, they've naturally become harmonious."
These words hit the mark exactly as Yinzhen was thinking, so he naturally nodded in agreement.
Unfortunately, people probably couldn't stand the nagging. It rained heavily at night the next day. Yinzhen was called in directly from the front yard, and his wife fell ill again.
Moreover, this time it was unusual. The imperial physician said that this was an old and chronic illness that had been suppressed for too long, and now it broke out. If things went wrong, the concubine would be in great danger.
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