Qian Shengyan gripped Yinzhen's clothes tightly with her fingers, not caring what Lady Nian might think.
She believed she hadn't done anything to wrong Ms. Nian, and had even wanted to give her a push, but what happened to her? She suddenly came to her place and had a seizure!
Her back ached so much that she couldn't even sit up. She could only lean against the large pillow and let Qingxue, Lvliu, and Lvyan massage her.
Her legs were still trembling slightly, but Qian Shengyan forgot all about being embarrassed. She raised her hand and took Yinzhen's hand, looking up at him with her small face: "Your Highness, Consort Nian is not feeling well. Let her go back and rest."
"You're still worried about her?" Yinzhen was truly angry. He had never seen anyone in the inner court dare to bully someone so openly.
He sat down next to Qian Shengyan, raised his cup and fed her half a cup of tea, then drank the rest himself. Qian Shengyan, seeing his expression, added, "My lord, concubine..."
"I know." Yinzhen frowned impatiently, but Madam Nian couldn't punish him severely. He glanced back at Su Peisheng, who promptly bowed and left through the curtain.
But Yinzhen was clearly still angry. He sat there with his legs apart, showing his usual way of being angry but not expressing it. After a while, he suddenly said to himself, "Let the Fujin bring Hongshi and Tianshen over."
Qian Shengyan subconsciously exclaimed "Ah," and then, seeing Yinzhen looking at her, she quickly said, "That's fine too, Fifth Prince hasn't seen his father in a long time either."
That's what he said, but after thinking about it carefully, Yinzhen still felt it wouldn't work.
The Prince Yong's residence in the capital cannot be left without a leader, and Li Shi... is really not a very capable person. Even Yinzhen would not feel at ease letting her take the child to Rehe by herself. After thinking it over, he decided to give up.
Fortunately, Qian Shengyan did not see Nian Shi again after that day. Although the two lived in the same garden, they could not meet even once. Soon, Qian Shengyan also found out what crazy thing Nian Shi had done that day.
It turns out that when they were at Dongshan Academy, the Nian family did do something.
She twice took the opportunity to deliver soup to the study in the evening, but the first time, Yinzhen happened to be busy with official business and replying to letters, so she was politely asked to leave by Su Peisheng before she could even enter the study.
The second time, Yinzhen probably felt bad for not giving her face last time, so he came out of the study and went to the main hall together. However, he did not drink the soup. Unexpectedly, Nian Shi insisted on making all the servants leave while they were talking.
"The prince gave her face and agreed, and even Eunuch Su didn't stay in the room. I don't know what happened to the other servants, but I know that the prince came out with a dark face after a while, and there was still crying in the main hall," Qingxue whispered to Qian Shengyan.
Qian Shengyan understood why Yinzhen was in such a hurry to move out, and why he showed no respect to Nian Shi when they met again. It was probably because of something Nian Shi had done.
When it comes to the emperor's favor, he can give it to whomever he wants. You can use underhanded means to compete, but if you ask for it openly... it might not be very dignified, right?
Qian Shengyan could only guess this much. She didn't ask Yinzhen what Nian Shi had done, and simply spent the whole summer peacefully in the Lion Garden.
Because of matters in the capital, the Emperor prepared to return home in early August.
Calculating the time, Qian Shengyan realized she could still make it back for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and she was starting to miss her little courtyard. At this time, Ferguchun was already six months old. The little girl was even chubbier than her brother had been back then, with phoenix eyes and long eyelashes. When she sat there and smiled, her eyes curved into crescents, and with her chubby cheeks, anyone who saw her would be delighted.
At two and a half years old, Hongli already looked like a little adult, and had even learned to take care of his younger sister and read to her—Hongli would have been even happier if Ferguchun hadn't taken advantage of him to tear half of his book apart.
At this time, Qian Shengyan had just turned twenty. She had been living a very comfortable life for the past six months since giving birth to Foerguochun. The summer in Rehe was wonderful, and with Yinzhen pampering and doting on her, she had become even more beautiful. Her skin was fair with a rosy glow, and her figure was slender, like that of a girl who had never given birth. Yet, she also had the charm of a young woman. She was extremely beautiful.
When this mother and her two children stand together, everyone's attention is inevitably drawn to them.
Upon seeing them, Yinzhen couldn't help but smile. He walked over and instinctively took Qian Shengyan's hand, asking softly, "Is everything ready?"
"It's all packed up." Qian Shengyan smiled. "I've lived here for over a year, so much stuff."
"It's alright, a few more carriages will do." Yinzhen hadn't been back to the capital for over a year, so he couldn't help but feel sentimental. However, he was also very busy, so he could only exchange a few words with Qian Shengyan and check on the two children before hurrying off to the front.
Qian Shengyan rode in a carriage with Hongli and Fuerguochun. Because of the wet nurse and maids, the carriage was especially large, almost the same size as Yinzhen's carriage. She didn't pay attention to this, watched Yinzhen leave, and then got into the carriage with the children.
In another carriage not far away, a slightly haggard-looking woman named Nian clung to the curtains, only slowly letting go after seeing the mother and her two children board the carriage.
There was originally some diffused light shining into the carriage, but after she completely drew the curtains, the carriage became dim.
Madam Nian hugged her knees and couldn't help but sob again. Her maid, Wei, embraced her, her heart aching with heartache: "Miss, don't cry. Once we return to the capital, we'll go find Madam..."
"No!" Lady Nian cried, "No, Mother can't know..."
Having been married for a year and still a virgin, Nian felt utterly ashamed. How could she possibly face her mother? Wouldn't that make the whole family a laughingstock?
Granny Wei had long been extremely dissatisfied with Yinzhen and Qian Shengyan, but as a servant, she couldn't blame her master. So she could only grit her teeth and pick on the weakest link: "The concubine is really... how can she keep the prince by her side like this and not allow him to take a single step out! When we get back to the manor, the principal wife will give her a good beating!"
Lady Nian seemed not to hear. She still remembered the last time she faced Qian Shengyan, she was obviously overly pampered, and the prince was so anxious when she knelt for a while, even at the cost of losing face.
She was also furious. The usually soft-spoken person gritted her teeth and cursed, "You vixen, you're just a worthless wretch."
“That’s right!” Granny Wei breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Nian Shi vent her anger, fearing that she would hold back. “She was born a servant and has always been shameless. She can lower herself to serve the prince, but how can the prince be fooled by her for long? When he returns to the prince’s mansion, the princess will be dignified and generous, and will definitely not tolerate such a vixen!”
The two of them had a good argument, but unfortunately things didn't go as planned.
Yinzhen, along with Qian Shengyan, Hongli, and Foerguochun, moved directly into the Yuanmingyuan Garden, while Lady Nian was sent back to the Yongqin Prince's Mansion.
Upon learning of this after getting off the carriage, Lady Nian felt as if the sky were falling. She disregarded everything else, abandoning all pretense of face and dignity. She wept all the way to the main courtyard, and upon seeing Lady Ulanara, she collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face, crying, "Madam, Lady Qian has truly gone too far!"
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