Heshen kept changing his teacup, his almond-shaped eyes slightly narrowed, neither looking at Yan Ning nor speaking.
After Yan Ning explained her purpose, she saw that He Shen neither refused nor accepted. Thick curtains hung at the entrance of the hall, and all the windows were sealed. The light was dim and purplish, and Yan Ning could not see the expression on He Shen's face.
After a long while, another soft, deep sound came from the cup touching the sandalwood. It struck Yan Ning's heart, startling her.
"Miss Yan Ning, are you asking me to help you find You Yuanzhi's whereabouts?"
Heshen did not answer the question, but opened his almond-shaped eyes and looked at Yan Ning.
“Lord He, there’s no need for you to deny knowing You Yuanzhi!” Yan Ning met He Shen’s gaze and repeated what she had just said. “Yan Ning knows it’s impolite to come and disturb you so abruptly! But please, Lord He, consider that I have told you everything I know, and help me find You Yuanzhi’s whereabouts!”
The coals in the stove crackled and popped, wisps of white smoke rising from the bronze-colored flames. Several bouquets of lilies were arranged in porcelain vases on either side of the main seat. There was no chill in the air; instead, it was as warm as spring.
Heshen held a string of jade prayer beads in his hand, raised his head and stared intently at Yan Ning with his almond-shaped eyes narrowed.
He knew that she must have misunderstood that he had won over the Su family and sent Mingxin to the Fucha Mansion in order to oppose the court against Fukang'an.
The situation was urgent that day, and he had no time to think about these things; he only wanted to save her. Only after she was safe and sound, and Mingxin informed him that her life was out of danger, did he begin to consider this matter.
Heshen's crimson satin cheongsam was tightly bound with black arrow-shaped sleeves, which seemed quite incongruous with the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand. He was not a Buddhist, and after his father's death, he suffered endless humiliation and contempt from others. If Buddha was truly a god who saves all living beings, why would he abandon him and his younger brother Helin?
Yan Ning watched as Heshen switched a string of crystal-clear green Buddhist beads between his two hands, his eyes fixed on her.
She was somewhat restless, picked up the covered bowl and gulped down several mouthfuls to calm herself. Since she entered the capital, regardless of Heshen's motives, he had helped her quite a bit, both openly and secretly. She had initially thought it was a deal between them, but as time went on, she was already a woman, and how could she not know Heshen's feelings for her?
“Lord He, now, only you can help Yan Ning!” Yan Ning raised her head, her eyes meeting He Shen’s slightly narrowed almond-shaped eyes.
After the servants had finished serving another cup of tea, Heshen finally put away his prayer beads. His eyes, like crescent moons, said, "Go back now! I'll find a way to let you know when I have some leads!"
How could he not know You Yuanzhi? He already knew from Fu Chang'an that Lian Xiang'er was a member of the Mingqi Sect. It was just a pity that at that time his official position was low, and he dared not offend the Fucha family. By the time his status was equal to Fu Kang'an's, the Mingqi Sect had already been eradicated by Fu Kang'an. If he were to reveal now that Fu Kang'an's household was harboring members of a heretical sect, wouldn't there be no way to prove it? On the contrary, Fu Kang'an would impeach him.
As they left the palace, the sunset's glow was somewhat chilly. Winter nights fall quickly and are filled with cold. The carriage Yan Ning was riding in felt like it was treading on a frozen lake; the dim street lighting and the slightly slippery horseshoes made it even more unsteady, causing Yan Ning's heart to pound wildly.
When she returned, Fukang'an was already waiting for her to have her meal; the food box from the kitchen was being kept warm by the stove.
She changed her clothes and came out of the inner room. Fukang'an, with a calm expression, ordered the servants to set out the dishes, clearly having finished interrogating the coachman.
Yan Ningxin relaxed. After leaving the White Pagoda Temple, she instructed the coachman to stop the carriage in a bustling area two streets away from Hedi, saying that she was going to buy some women's embroidery. Then, she helped Mingxin quietly walk through two winding alleys to Hedi.
After finishing his meal, Fukang'an went to his study to read. Delin had already been coaxed to sleep by his wet nurse, and Yan Ning, having nothing to do, flipped through the books Zhang Shi had left for her. Every now and then, she would send Zhao Xing to the distant storeroom to fetch some fabric for her to practice with.
With Zhu Xiang accompanying him, Zhao Xing was overjoyed and even hoped that Yan Ning would send him on more errands. Yan Ning was well aware of their thoughts, but the manor was currently experiencing a severe autumn. If Yan Ning were to propose marriage to the two at this time, Zhu Xiang would certainly become a concubine. Yan Ning was not confident that she could persuade Fu Kang'an to abandon his sense of social status.
As Madam Fucha's health improved, she no longer kept the courtyard gates tightly shut. On sunny days, she would invite Yan Ning and Wu Chun to come over for tea and a chat.
Although she felt regret and heartache over Xiang'er's child, she couldn't bear to see Dejia's pale and cold face like Fukang'an and Yan Ning had. Her grief lasted a few days, but then it passed. There were still new people in the household; why worry about the flowers not blooming next year? Where there are flowers, there will be fruit.
Just a few days later, the budding plum tree in Wuchun bloomed in front of the red plum blossoms in the mansion.
After months of gloom and despair, the Fucha Manor finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and everyone in the manor was overjoyed. No one was happier than Fukang'an.
He originally thought that he had killed too many people, and that Heaven was punishing him by making his descendants few. However, Wu Chun was three months pregnant, so in order for Wu Chun to give birth to the child safely, another concubine, An, was added to the household.
The courtyard of Jian Gong Zhai was eerily quiet. Not wanting to feel stifled there, Yan Ning left the courtyard with Zhu Xiang and headed towards the garden. Along the way, all Yan Ning could see were withered grass and broken branches. The vast Fucha mansion, apart from its cold walls and vermilion corridors, offered nothing else.
Yan Ning held the hot water bottle tightly against her lower abdomen under her cloak. The doctor would check her pulse every two weeks, and she knew that Fu Kang'an longed for a child.
But shouldn't I have given birth to him? He's by my side every night, so why did Wuchun steal the spotlight? It bloomed in winter, and by late summer it will be laden with fruit.
Yan Ning thought of Wu Chun's petite and frail body; for three whole months, she had kept it a complete secret. Since Xiang'er's accident, she had spent most of her time in Chunying Garden, rarely leaving the courtyard. Sometimes, Yan Ning would even forget that she still existed in the manor.
Yan Ning slammed the hot water bottle in her hand to the ground. The copper-colored, openwork lid separated from the bottle and rolled in two different directions. White marks from the impact were left on the stone slabs of the covered walkway.
Two lines of clear tears fell from her eyes, tinged with the icy chill of winter, instantly freezing on her face.
Zhu Xiang, who had been following behind Yan Ning, quickly told her maid to fetch the hot water bottle and take it away. Yan Ning was now a lady, and if anyone saw her like that, she would surely be accused of violating the virtues of a woman. If anything happened to Wu Chun's unborn child in the future, Yan Ning would be held responsible.
Yan Ning looked at Zhu Xiang with a sorrowful gaze; she was filled with jealousy. How could she not be jealous that her husband had a child with another woman? She couldn't learn from Xi Ying, who kept everything hidden in her heart.
Along the long corridor, Yan Ning looked up and saw Wu Chun's delicate figure nestled beside Fu Kang'an, obedient and docile. The two walked slowly, and she wore a cloak made from the fox fur that Fu Kang'an had taken off after returning from court. The brown and white cloak that had been worn by Yan Ning countless times was very effective at blocking the wind and keeping her warm.
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