When Yinreng woke up again, he saw that the light shining through the window screen was a light, dappled golden yellow.
That was the color of the afterglow of the setting sun at dusk.
Tong Wanyan was still sitting on the footstool, leaning forward, gently patting him with one hand, her eyes closed.
This is how the wet nurse put Hongyan to sleep.
Yinreng looked at her quietly. She had a soft, oval face with fair and clear skin. A few wisps of hair fell out from her forehead, making her look particularly lively.
He vaguely remembered that the singing in his dream kept going, soothing his unease and grievances.
I glanced at the teacup on the bedside table. The lid wasn't on, and the tea inside was all gone, leaving only a bottom layer of tea leaves.
"Xiao Yan, I will protect you and the children." Yinreng had already made up his mind.
He suddenly spoke, startling Tong Wanyan awake from her nap.
She stared at Yinreng with wide, watery eyes, her expression one of utter panic and shock.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's me. I've woken up. Come and lie down." Yinreng sat up and gently coaxed her.
Tong Wanyan took a few quick, deep breaths to calm herself down.
She whimpered sweetly, "My arm hurts so much."
Yinreng looked at her with a smile: "I'll rub it for you. Silly you, you should rest now that I'm asleep. Your voice is hoarse, and you're so delicate and don't like taking medicine, you must be feeling terrible."
Tong Wanyan nestled obediently into his arms, not even bothering to remove her outer garment, and snuggled directly into the warm and comfortable blankets.
"Is your voice hoarse? It doesn't sound as good as before. Will Master not like it anymore?" Tong Wanyan touched her throat and frowned.
Yinreng flicked her forehead: "What nonsense are you talking about? Am I that kind of person?"
"You're a very kind man, please don't hold it against a young lady like me," Tong Wanyan said softly, her hands clasped together.
What could Yinreng do about her? Even though he knew she was deliberately trying to make him happy, his heart burned with desire, and he wanted to snatch the best of everything in the world for her.
"Let the Tong family distance themselves from me," Yinreng said.
"Why? Does the master not acknowledge the Duke of Tong's family as his wife's family?" Tong Wanyan pouted in dissatisfaction.
“You know perfectly well what I mean. Since the beginning of the year, Father has been repeatedly promoting officials who are close to Yinzhi, and Consort Liang in the harem has also been favored by the Emperor. Today, Father bestowed two concubines upon Yinzhi. They are not of high status, but they are of pure Manchu origin. All of this makes me have to admit that Father has begun to be wary of me and Hongzhao.”
Tong Wanyan's hand and Yinreng's hand were intertwined under the covers.
"The Tong family is favored by the Emperor because it is his maternal clan. If it were to become the Emperor's wife's clan, the Emperor would probably harbor resentment. The Tongjia clan holds a majority of power in the court, and when the Emperor is favored, he is naturally happy for his maternal clan to be prominent. If the Emperor becomes wary, then it will be a sin."
"Moreover, the Tong family members are naturally violent-tempered, and the emperor's favoritism has fostered their arrogant and reckless behavior. If we were to investigate anything, the evidence would be overwhelming. Take, for example, Suo'etu and Mingzhu. Both of them once held immense power and were the most influential figures in the court. If I and Prince Zhi hadn't stepped back, their families would probably have been wiped out by now, and their lives would be in grave danger."
Tong Wanyan was well aware of what Yinreng had said.
She knows even more about these things.
No matter how exciting or dramatic the lives of powerful ministers may be, they leave only a few strokes in the history books, and their endings are tragic.
Even if some cases are overturned after death, what's the point?
"I will talk to Ama and the others. However, I don't know if they will agree." Tong Wanyan left it open.
She thought that, given her father's and brothers' temperaments, they probably wouldn't agree.
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