More than half a month had passed before Tong Wanle learned that Tong Wanyan had received a reward from Emperor Kangxi and the Imperial Noble Consort.
Rarely getting a chance to get some fresh air and sunshine, she clung tightly to the young palace maid's hand like a madwoman.
"What are you saying? Princess Tongjia of Yuqing Palace is the only one favored by the Crown Prince and also has the favor of the Imperial Noble Consort? Who spread this rumor without thinking?!" Tong Wanle's face twisted with anger.
Now that Tong Wanyan is a concubine's daughter, the Imperial Noble Consort still likes her!
Tong Wanle was forced to stay in the small Buddhist hall for more than a month. Her face was pale and bloodless, and at first glance she looked like a female ghost who was taking lives.
The young palace maid was so frightened she was almost crying. She was only sent by the Imperial Noble Consort to deliver a message to the Fourth Prince; she didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the princes' inner quarters.
Even the servants around the Imperial Noble Consort, though of lowly status, were not to be offended by a mere concubine of a prince.
Despite her fear, the young palace maid sternly pushed her away, saying, "Princess, please be careful with your words. How can we possibly discuss matters concerning the Crown Prince's Palace?"
Tong Wanle fell over with a push. The little palace maid, seeing her absent-minded appearance, stomped her foot angrily and quickly left this unlucky place.
They're both from the Tong family, yet they're worlds apart.
Tong Wanle lay on the ground, her hands gripping the mud in the soil, her delicate hands clenching so tightly they resembled a ghostly claw.
This shouldn't be the case. She and Tong Wanyan swapped lives, so she should be the one receiving the most favor and honor now!
In her past life, she was carried into the Eastern Palace in a small sedan chair, and Tong Wanyan betrothed her to a leisurely member of the imperial clan as his primary consort. They were sisters, but one withered while the other flourished.
She was abandoned by the Crown Prince in just over a month, while Tong Wanyan won the favor of the Prince.
At that time, she comforted herself that it didn't matter if she wasn't favored by the Crown Prince. Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, as his first woman, she would at least be a concubine. When Tong Wanyan saw her, she had to kneel down with a crisp, clear bow.
But who would have thought that the crown prince would be deposed again and again, eventually being imprisoned in Xian'an Palace until his death. In the end, it was the taciturn Prince Yong who ascended the throne.
The prince whom Tong Wanyan married happened to be a close friend of Prince Yong.
She died tragically, and Tong Wanyan had many children and grandchildren. How could she not hate her?
Therefore, in this life, she will not marry the Crown Prince again; she will become the Fourth Prince's woman.
But why does the Crown Prince dote on Tong Wanyan so much? Is Tong Wanyan really that good, so good that everyone loves her?
Tong Wanle sobbed, making eerie sounds that sent chills down the spines of those who heard her.
When Yinzhen returned from Chengqian Palace, he heard the ghostly voice and was so frightened that he almost turned around and left.
"Is this the Tongjia clan's courtyard?" Yinzhen asked the little eunuch beside him suspiciously.
The young eunuch glanced at the desolate courtyard and nodded confidently: "Your Highness, it is indeed without a doubt Princess Tongjia's courtyard."
Therefore, the person crying so frighteningly must also be Princess Tong Jia.
Yinzhen swallowed hard, inexplicably wanting to turn around and leave.
However, one should not break one's word; he promised his mother, and he would keep his promise.
A resolute expression appeared on Yinzhen's youthful face: "Go ahead and lead the way."
Tong Wanle lay on the ground howling for more than an hour, her clothes and dirt mixed together, a truly wretched sight.
"Tongjia, what are you doing?" Yinzhen thought of the Imperial Noble Consort's instructions and forced himself not to turn around and leave.
Still immersed in the pain of her past life, Tong Wanle raised her head and stared blankly at Yinzhen.
Knowing that Yinzhen was frowning and getting impatient, her eyes instantly lit up with fervor, and she quickly pounced on the ground to his side.
"Master, please don't neglect this servant. You are all I have left," Tong Wanle said sadly.
Ultimately, Yinzhen was just a twelve-year-old boy, and his heart still retained the tenderness of a young man.
"Go change and wash first," Yinzhen said with difficulty, trying to control his discomfort from the mud.
Tong Wanyan was unaware of Tong Wanle's antics.
In the small study of Yuqing Palace, she wore flowerpot-soled shoes and hid behind Yinreng, refusing to come out.
The young man standing opposite him was muscular and exuded a menacing aura, as if he had just returned from a battlefield. And indeed, that was the case.
Tong Ruita is as strong as a mountain, but she is as helpless as a child in front of Tong Wanle.
He glanced at Tong Wanyan dejectedly, his pitiful appearance making even Yinreng feel sorry for her.
"Little sister, don't be angry with me. Your eldest brother is useless and doesn't dare to come see you. Your second brother will go back and teach him a lesson for you. Little sister, we've never been apart for this long since we were little. Let your second brother see if you've gained weight," Tong Ruita said in a simple and honest voice.
Tong Wanyan raised her eyebrows and stomped her feet as she walked out from behind Yinreng.
"Who's fat? Who's fat? What girl can gain weight so easily? How can she look good then? Besides, now that I'm in Yuqing Palace, we'll be separated for a long time. By the time you get married and have children, you might not even remember me for years." Tong Wanyan's almond-shaped eyes blazed with anger, while Tong Ruita just grinned foolishly.
He wasn't afraid of his sister scolding him, but he was afraid of her ignoring him.
Tong Ruita scratched his head blankly, obediently taking the scolding: "Does little sister mean that big brother has been on the frontier for years and hasn't contacted you?"
"Hmph." Tong Wanyan turned her head and snorted coldly.
Tong Ruita quickly bowed to her: "Good sister, you've wronged your elder brother. You're the one in our family who has the most trust from your elder brother. Over the years, if you wanted the moon, your elder brother wouldn't give you the stars. Your elder brother loves you to the core."
Tong Wanyan looked at him resentfully: "I didn't even see a blank sheet of paper. You're too good at lying."
At this point, Yinreng fully realized the extent to which Tong Wanyan was favored in the Tong family.
If Tong Qinian and Tong Ruita had both been in the capital back then, he probably wouldn't have been able to take Tong Wanyan as his wife. The way these two brothers dote on their sister is practically obsessive.
With Tong Wanyan around, Tong Ruita simply couldn't tolerate Yinreng.
His large, round eyes were fixed intently on Tong Wanyan: "It's all Tong Wanle's fault. She threatened to kill herself to force Mother to intercept my brother's letter, and even wrote back to him in your name. If my brother hadn't noticed that the handwriting didn't look like yours and secretly investigated, we would all have been kept in the dark."
“She’s my elder brother’s own sister. Who am I to her? I’m just a usurper. Even if she wants my elder brother to avoid me, she’s not wrong.” Tong Wanyan’s beautiful almond-shaped eyes were filled with tears, and her eyes were slightly red.
Tong Ruita clenched her fists, her teeth grinding together.
"Tong Ruita, don't be impulsive. Princess Tongjia is the Fourth Prince's concubine." Yinreng saw his anger surging and was afraid that he would rush to the prince's residence in the blink of an eye.
"Your Highness is right," Tong Ruita said, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.
Yinreng choked up. He was just joking, but he didn't expect Tong Ruita to actually want to beat someone up.
If it weren't for Tong Ruita's extraordinary strength, Yinreng really wouldn't want to bother with him.
Tong Qinian was skilled in literature and full of cunning, while Tong Ruita was skilled in martial arts and could lift a bear with one hand. Tong Guozhu was truly prolific; apart from the useless daughter in the Fourth Prince's courtyard, every single one of his children was outstanding.
Especially his face, which is truly born from the essence of heaven and earth, and is perfect and flawless.
Yinreng's sudden display of tenderness and affection made Tong Wanyan somewhat flustered.
It's broad daylight, Your Highness, don't think about things you shouldn't.
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