Chapter 223 Morning Light Breaks the Game
It was barely dawn, and a thin layer of frost still coated the bluestone pavement of Prince Rong's mansion. On the branches of the crabapple tree in the east courtyard, the birds, startled last night, had landed again, tilting their heads to peck at the icicles clinging to the petals. Little Yanzi had been awakened by Mian Xin's laughter. The little girl had somehow crawled to her pillow, reaching for the hairpin in her hair with her chubby little hands.
"Little troublemaker." Xiaoyanzi pinched her daughter's cheek. Mianxin giggled, her saliva smearing on her moon-white nightgown. Yongqi had woken up at some point and was leaning on his elbows, watching them. The morning light slanted through the window lattice onto his face, softening the brow that was furrowed with guilt.
"Awake?" He reached out to tuck her stray hair behind her ear. When his fingertips touched her earlobe, they both paused. Last night's argument was like a thin layer of ice, crackling in the morning light.
Xiaoyanzi said nothing. She sat up, holding Mianxin. The brocade quilt slipped from her shoulders, revealing the bracelet of oriental pearls awarded by Emperor Qianlong. Each pearl was round and plump, and had been her most treasured possession back then. "Where's Mianrui?" She changed the subject, glancing at the empty bed across from her.
"Little Dengzi took her to the wet nurse." Yongqi's voice was lowered. "I asked the kitchen to stew bird's nest porridge and add osmanthus honey from Jiangnan." He was about to get up, but Xiaoyanzi pulled his sleeve.
Her fingertips were still a little cold as she pinched the cuffs of his navy blue uniform: "Yongqi, yesterday..."
"I was wrong," Yongqi interrupted her, the apology in his eyes like thick ink that could not be dissolved. "Big brother sent a letter this morning saying that Zhihua's father, Chen Bangzhi, has been very close to E Min in the court recently. E Min, do you still remember?"
Xiaoyanzi's heart sank. Emin—the name that had colluded with Concubine Gao in her past life, causing the destruction of her family—stood like a thorn in her memory. She subconsciously clenched her fists, and another pearl fell from her hairpin, rolling to Yongqi's feet.
"I had someone check," Yongqi held her hand, his fingertips stroking the beads on her wrist. "Before Zhihua married, Emin went to the Chen family in Haining three times. And..." He paused and took out a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is what Xiao Zhuozi found in the corner of the west courtyard. The handwriting on it is very similar to the secret letter that Eunuch E wrote to Emin."
The note contained only one line of text: "Eliminate the twins, but keep my memory." The ink was grim, as if it had been written with a fingertip. Little Swallow felt a chill run down her spine. Mian Xin, as if sensing her mother's annoyance, reached out her little hand and patted her cheek, babbling "Mom."
"Is she crazy?" Xiaoyanzi's voice trembled, not with fear, but with anger. The hatred she felt for being plotted against in her past life surged up, making her vision blacken.
"So I must protect you." Yongqi held her and Mianxin in his arms. The morning light filtered through his hair, casting tiny specks of light on her face. "I've had all the servants in the West Courtyard replaced with trusted aides sent by the Emperor. Zhihua... is temporarily confined to the West Courtyard. You are not allowed to leave without my order."
Xiaoyanzi looked at his taut jawline and suddenly remembered what he had said last night: "Big Brother said this archery technique is the most brutal 'heart-piercing' in the martial arts world." It turned out that he knew everything, all about her and Xiao Jian's past, hidden beneath the veneer of "brotherly love," and the unyielding wildness in her bones.
"What about Mian Yi..." She hesitated and started to speak. After all, she was Yong Qi's child, and she was innocent.
"I'll have Mian Yi sent to the Fu family to stay temporarily," Yongqi's eyes softened. "Ziwei will take good care of him. Once this matter is resolved..." He didn't say anything else, but Xiaoyanzi understood. Some rifts, once appeared, can never be mended.
As he was speaking, Little Mosquito came in, holding a food box in his hand. There were some porridge stains on his blue cloth jacket. "My dear, bang! Princess, please try it. This bird's nest porridge is so sweet that it's almost choking. Miss Jinsuo from Uncle Fu's family said it was made with freshly picked osmanthus flowers from Jiangnan!"
Xiaoyanzi took the bowl of porridge, her vision clouded by the steam. She scooped a spoonful and passed it to Yongqi's mouth, watching him frown as he swallowed it. Suddenly, she smiled. This scene was very similar to the time in Shufangzhai when she forced him to eat her burnt beggar's chicken.
The morning light grew brighter, illuminating the petals of the crabapple trees in the east courtyard. From the corridor emanated the laughter of little Dengzi and little Zhuozi, mingled with the babbling of Mianrui. Little Yanzi knew that this storm wasn't over, but as long as they were together, there was nothing they couldn't overcome.
She bent down and kissed Mian Xin's forehead, then looked at Yong Qi again, the determination in her eyes like a sword that had just been tempered by fire: "Yong Qi, in this life, I will never let anyone hurt my family again."
Yongqi held her hand tightly, as if to melt their warmth together: "Yes, let's do it together."
In the distant West Courtyard, Zhihua gazed through the window lattice toward the East Courtyard, her nails digging deep into her palms. Unbeknownst to her, a web laid by Emperor Qianlong himself was already quietly unfurling around her and the people behind her. The tranquility of Prince Rong's mansion had finally been shattered, and a greater storm was brewing.
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