"I'm fine." Feng Yang leaned back in his chair, smiled softly at Gu Yanfei, and patted the back of her hand.

Gu Yanfei continued to press Fengyang's acupuncture points for a while, then he let go and smiled, "Your Highness, drink some porridge tonight, it will help you digest it."

The head palace maid and Ruosu nodded repeatedly, planning to ask the imperial kitchen to send over some more porridge and side dishes.

The head maid hurried out to serve the meal. As soon as she left, a middle-aged eunuch of medium stature came in from outside the hall and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, the Princess Kang, the Princess Jing, the Princess Yi, and the Princess Jian come to pay their respects to Your Highness."

The middle-aged eunuch bowed his head and did not dare to look up. He only heard a nonchalant female voice coming from the front: "Eunuch Liu, Her Royal Highness the Princess has gone to bed. Let them come back later to pay their respects."

The voice was clean, clear, young and full of energy, and obviously did not belong to Fengyang.

Outside the palace, the evening breeze blew, and the faint voices of several women's laughter and chatter were carried in the wind.

The room was silent for a moment. Seeing that Fengyang didn't say anything, Eunuch Liu respectfully accepted the order and went out to pass on the message.

However, soon after he went out, the noise outside the hall became louder, accompanied by a chaotic sound of footsteps, and someone was walking towards this side.

"Princess, please stay. His Highness has already gone to bed."

"It's alright, we'll just pay our respects to the Imperial Aunt and leave."

"Eunuch Liu, please be careful not to offend the princesses."

“…”

Amid the noisy argument, Li Yunyan, dressed in the full make-up of a princess, and four or five female relatives rushed in despite the obstruction of Eunuch Liu and another eunuch.

Outside the main hall, Li Yun'er walked slowly in the afterglow of the setting sun. The seven-diao crown inlaid with pearls and gems on her head sparkled brightly in the afterglow. The bright red gown, shawl and silk skirt on her body were both regal and dignified and elegant.

Behind her, Princess Jing, Princess Yi and other princesses were two steps behind her, with a look of uneasiness and regret on their faces.

According to them, since Fengyang had gone to bed, it would be all right for them to come back later to pay their respects. However, Li Yunyan rushed in without caring about anything. They came in with her, and they didn't know whether to go in or leave, so they were in a dilemma.

Li Yun'er quickly walked to the outside of the main hall and glanced inside the hall. He happened to see Gu Yanfei lifting the curtain and walking out from the east side hall.

Li Yunyan pursed her red lips, stepped over the high threshold, and said before Gu Yanfei: "I heard that the royal aunt was not feeling well, so I and several princesses came here specially to see the royal aunt."

As she spoke, she stroked her cuffs. On her snow-white, slender wrist was a gold and jade bracelet, which made the skin of her wrist look delicate and flawless.

Gu Yanfei stopped five or six steps away from Li Yunmeng and looked at her with a smile.

Li Yunyan sighed from her rosy lips: "I didn't expect that Miss Gu Er would be here too."

She seemed to be saying it casually, but the other princesses behind her were stunned and subconsciously slowed down their pace.

The news that Princess Fengyang was seriously ill had already spread in the capital, but no one knew whether it was true or not. The princess's mansion had long been closed to visitors. They only heard that Fengyang had been recuperating in the palace for some time.

This year's imperial tomb ancestor worship ceremony was not attended by Empress Dowager Yuan due to "illness". It can be said that Fengyang was the female member with the highest status in the palace.

Just now, when Princess Kang suggested that they come together to pay their respects to Fengyang, they agreed. It was a courtesy.

No matter why Princess Kang came here, they definitely did not come to Hanfeng Palace to gather information.

But now...

Princess Jing, Princess Yi and others looked at Gu Yanfei and Li Yunyan, then looked at each other, feeling somewhat uneasy, but at this moment they could only laugh dryly.

"Fifth sister-in-law, isn't that right?" Li Yunyan looked at Princess Yi at the left rear and smiled sweetly.

Princess Yi smiled but said nothing, not intending to get involved in the feud between the two. She stood there elegantly holding a handkerchief, her smile not reaching her eyes.

The sky was dim at dusk, and the palace servants lit up glass-shaded palace lanterns in the main hall, making the room brightly lit.

Under the candlelight, the jewelry worn by several princesses, including Li Yunmeng, shone brightly, and the brilliance of the jewels was so dazzling that it dazzled people.

In comparison, Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away, was dressed very simply.

Facing Li Yunyan's smiling face, Gu Yanfei said calmly: "Your Highness is tired and is resting inside. Princess, please go back."

The smile on Li Yun'er's face deepened, a pair of shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her lips, and there was a hint of charm in her glance.

She glanced at the door curtain behind Gu Yanfei with a thoughtful look in her eyes, and said with a smile: "Didn't the imperial aunt's maid just go to serve the meal? Miss Gu, has the imperial aunt really gone to bed?"

She emphasized the word "already", and her words clearly implied that Gu Yanfei was lying.

Gu Yanfei smiled and said, "The meal was delivered to me..."

"Isn't the Imperial Aunt going to eat?" Li Yunyan interrupted Gu Yanfei aptly, "If the Imperial Aunt is not feeling well, she should call the Imperial Physician. It is a taboo to avoid seeing a doctor."

"Princess Kang is really good at joking. Is the imperial physician as good as me?" Gu Yanfei boasted calmly, with his eyes curved in a smile.

The two of them were smiling and talking cheerfully from beginning to end, but anyone could see that there was a lot of fighting between them.

The other princesses all remained silent and just watched from the sidelines.

Li Yunyan wanted to say something, but suddenly Fengyang's old and tired female voice came from behind the door curtain: "Come in, all of you."

Therefore, Li Yun'er, Princess Jing and others all looked towards the door curtain following the sound.

There was silence in the main hall.

When the evening breeze blows, the candlelight flickers in the lampshade, and the light and shadow float.

Li Yun'er's dark eyes rippled like spring water, and a trace of contemplation appeared on his face.

Originally, Gu Yanfei came out to stop them from going in to pay their respects to Fengyang. Li Yunyan was already 70% sure, but now, she was a little hesitant...

Did she guess wrong?

Li Yunyan didn't show it on his face. He smiled at Princess Jing and the others and said casually, "Then let's go in."

She came to ask to see Fengyang, so of course she had to go in.

Li Yun'er stretched out her hand to smooth out the wrinkles on her sleeves, continued walking forward, calmly walked around Gu Yanfei, and lifted the curtain to go in.

Princess Yi, Princess Jing and others in the back looked at each other, saw the same meaning in each other's eyes, and followed Li Yun'er in one after another.

Now that they have arrived at Hanfeng Palace, they have to pay their respects before leaving.

Gu Yanfei walked slowly at the end, with the corners of his lips slightly raised.

After walking around a screen, Li Yun'er smelled a faint scent of sandalwood. His nose moved slightly and he could smell a faint hint of tea fragrance mixed with the sandalwood scent.

She was sure that there was no smell of medicine in the room.

There was a beauty couch against the east wall. Fengyang was lying lazily on the couch, one hand resting on her elbow, with a faint smile on the corner of her lips.

Li Yunyan walked to the beauty's bed without stopping, bowed to Fengyang properly, and smiled perfectly, "Imperial aunt."

Princess Yi, Princess Jing and others in the rear also paid their respects to Fengyang, calling her either "Imperial Aunt" or "Her Royal Highness the Grand Princess."

The atmosphere in the room was not warm, but rather awkward and stiff.

Feng Yang glanced at Li Yunyan and the others indifferently, and did not ask them to sit down. He just said indifferently: "Since you have already greeted us, if there is nothing else, please leave."

Fengyang's expression and tone were the same as usual, neither cold nor hot, neither happy nor sad, no greetings nor reproaches. When her eyes swept over, they were condescending, as if everyone had to kneel and bow their heads in front of her.

It was as if she and they were not from the same world. She was a god in heaven, and they were just part of the vast mortal world.

Princess Yi, Princess Jing and others had long been accustomed to it. Fengyang had an extraordinary status in the Dajing Dynasty and had always done whatever she wanted. She had been like this for the past few decades and could hardly say a few words to them.

Princess Yi couldn't help but turn her head and glance at Gu Yanfei who was walking slowly behind her. She didn't know what it was about this second Miss Gu that caught Fengyang's eye.

Princess Jing cleared her throat and said to Feng Yang respectfully, "Your Highness, although it is April and it is warm, it is cold in the mountains at night. You must be careful not to catch a cold."

"Yes." Princess Shen said considerately, "Tomorrow is the grand sacrifice ceremony, and we will probably have to get up at the crowing of the cock. It would be better for the royal aunt to go to bed early tonight so that she can recuperate and regain her strength."

Princess Yi also came to her senses at this time, and with a smile on her face, she said goodbye: "Aunt, we won't disturb you to rest."

"..." Li Yunmeng wanted to say something, but he felt his sleeves tighten.

Princess Yi quietly pulled Li Yunyan's sleeve, her expression unchanged, her smile gentle and reserved, and she bowed again: "We will take our leave now."

She glanced at Li Yun'er calmly, warning her with her eyes to stop playing any tricks and leave quickly.

Princess Jing also saw Princess Yi's little move, but pretended not to see it. Prince Yi was the fifth brother of Prince Kang, and Princess Yi was the emperor's sister-in-law, so it was most appropriate for her to "persuade" her younger brother and sister-in-law.

However, Li Yunyan still stood there with a smile on her face, pretending that she did not receive Princess Yi's gaze, nor did she understand Fengyang's order to expel her.

She smiled sweetly and said, "Aunt, I brought some snacks that I made myself. They are very easy to digest. I originally wanted to give them to you, my sisters-in-law, and my cousins ​​to try."

She raised her hand and gestured, and Xia Lian came over with a food box and took out several plates of snacks from the box. On each plate were a few pieces of cakes arranged in the shape of a plum blossom.

Fengyang glanced casually, widened his eyes slightly, and his dark pupils couldn't help but brighten up at this moment.

Li Yunyan saw Fengyang's moved expression, and the corners of her lips curled up. She stretched out her spring onion-like jade fingers from her sleeves, pointed at the plates of exquisite pastries and said, "Aunt, this is a cake."

"I specially made several flavors. One dish is original flavor, one dish is strawberry flavor, one dish is green tea flavor, and one dish has raisins added."

“The cake has a soft texture, is not chewy, and is easy to digest.”

What Li Yunyan said next could no longer reach Fengyang's ears. A look of nostalgia emerged in Fengyang's cloudy eyes. He stared blankly at the plates of cakes, and tears seemed to well up in his eyes.

The cake cut into small pieces is fluffy and soft, and the golden color is quite tempting. At first glance, it looks like corn cake, but it is more delicate and soft. The cake exudes a faint sweet smell with milk aroma, which permeates the air and lingers in everyone's nose, making people salivate.

Princess Yi, Princess Jing and others also looked over curiously and thought that the snacks made by Li Yunmeng were very fresh.

Li Yun'er picked up a plate of golden original cake with both hands and personally brought it to the beauty's bed.

"Aunt, do you want to try?" She said with a smile, her eyes always paying attention to Fengyang's expression, slowly moving down from her gray hair, passing over her wrinkled forehead, the corners of her eyes, and her cloudy pupils...

Huh? This is...

Li Yun'er's gaze stopped on Fengyang's right ear, his eyebrows and eyelashes twitched slightly, and his pupils flared.

The skin behind Fengyang's ears is different from the skin color on her cheeks. Although it is not very obvious, there is indeed a dividing line.

Li Yun'er shifted his gaze away imperceptibly, and then moved it down to the back of Fengyang's hand.

The back of his hands, as old as tree bark, were covered with brown spots and wrinkles, and his neatly trimmed nails were blue and white, without a trace of blood or life, as if they were a pair of dead people's hands, with pale fingertips.

Li Yun'er's eyes flickered, but the curve of the corners of his lips did not change at all.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, placed the plate of cake on the coffee table next to the beauty couch as if nothing had happened, and immediately returned to the side of Princess Yi and the others.

"Aunt, please try my cooking skills." Li Yunyi knelt down and bowed. "Then I and my sisters-in-law will take our leave."

Princess Yi, Princess Jing and the others exchanged glances again and breathed a sigh of relief. If Li Yunyan didn't leave, they would leave first.

Several princesses said goodbye again and retreated one after another, with a hint of impatience in their steps.

After leaving the East Side Hall, Princess Yi and the others walked more briskly. As they walked out, they lowered their voices and chattered at once: "We've been sitting in the carriage for most of the day and kneeling for so long. We should all rest early tonight."

"Fortunately, the ceremony only lasts three days, otherwise I would not be able to endure it."

"Yes, after the age of thirty, the body becomes worse day by day."

“…”

Several princesses were chatting non-stop in the front, and all walked towards the gate of the main hall.

Only Li Yunqi slowed down and fell behind.

There was a young eunuch behind her, who smiled and stretched out his hand as if to ask for permission, "Princess Kang, this way."

His expression and actions were no different from someone who had directly kicked someone out.

Li Yunyan turned a deaf ear to him and walked slowly. A faint smile appeared on her lips. She seemed to suddenly remember something and said, "Young Eunuch Li, although cakes are easy to digest, they contain fat and sugar. Elderly people should not eat too much. Later, remember to tell the imperial aunt for me."

Eunuch Li agreed no matter what.

Li Yun'er looked back again and saw that the door behind the curtain was hastily closed from the inside.

The moment the door closed, an anxious voice was heard from inside: "Your Highness, blood..."

The door slammed shut and no sound could be heard from behind.

The vibration of the closing door caused the door curtain to sway continuously, and a string of beads was broken by the door. Crystal beads the size of fingers were scattered all over the floor like water droplets.

The beads rolled all over the smooth marble floor, making a mess.

Li Yun'er ignored him and quickened his pace to leave Hanfeng Palace, with Xia Lian following closely behind him.

The sun had almost set outside the palace, leaving only a sliver of bright color in the western horizon, red as blood, faintly emitting an ominous aura.

Li Yunyan walked forward without saying a word, and after leaving Hanfeng Palace, she parted ways with the other princesses.

When they reached a deserted place, Li Yunyan whispered, "Xia Lian, take the other food box to Qingsi Palace and let the Prime Minister's wife taste the snacks I made."

(End of this chapter)