Dressed in mourning clothes, Zhao Xing bowed to Yan Ning and said, "This servant greets Madam!"
"Get up!"
Not seeing Fukang'an diminished Yan Ning's joy considerably, and her expression changed somewhat from before. However, Zhao Xing didn't seem to notice Yan Ning. He stood up and stared blankly at Zhu Xiang, who stood beside Yan Ning, her head bowed and face flushed.
Yan Ning ordered someone to take De Lin to the study, then turned to look at Zhao Xing, who had been staring intently at Zhu Xiang. After he had looked at Zhu Xiang enough, he finally asked where Fu Kang An was.
Zhao Xing lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly and said, "This servant parted ways with the general outside the city. The general went to the Empress Dowager's mausoleum first and asked this servant to return to the manor to report that everything was alright!"
Seeing that Zhao Xing looked travel-worn, Yan Ning knew he must have been exhausted from his journey, so she told him to go and rest. After Zhao Xing bowed, he had just reached the courtyard gate when the steward rushed into Jian Gong Zhai from outside, looking anxious.
He bowed deeply to Yan Ning and said, “Madam, Eunuch Jiang, who serves the Emperor, has come to deliver the Emperor’s decree.”
Within the Yuanmingyuan Garden, gold, pale white, and verdant green were interspersed. The verdant trees on both sides of the road were adorned with white silk palace flowers, clusters blooming on branches full of tender buds. The gilded glazed tiles reflected the spring light, which fell upon the mournful palace women with their heads bowed in sorrow.
The beautiful clusters of flowers were hidden, but the signs of buds about to bloom on the branches could not be concealed. This early season was abruptly stifled by the rolling waves of pure white.
The solemn sorrow made Yan Ning feel as if her steps were rooted to the palace bricks, making them incredibly heavy.
She looked at Xiao Jiangzi, Wu Shulai's apprentice who was leading the way. He was only fifteen or sixteen years old. He was dressed in a black eunuch's outfit hidden under white mourning clothes. He was hunched over, and even his hat was covered with a white cloth, only revealing the red cylindrical top.
When Yan Ning was serving by the Emperor's side, she had some contact with him, but it was very little, and each time it was just a few words. When she saw him in the front hall of the Fucha Mansion, Yan Ning couldn't even remember his name for a long time.
Judging from Zhao Xing's white mourning clothes, Yan Ning guessed that Fukang'an must have gone to the Empress Dowager's mausoleum first upon returning to the capital.
However, the fact that Xiao Jiangzi and Zhao Xing arrived at Fucha Mansion one after the other made her somewhat suspicious. The Emperor must not know that Fukang'an had arrived in the capital today, so it was just a coincidence that he summoned her to the Empress Dowager's mausoleum and Fukang'an back to the capital.
The group made their way to Changchun Immortal Hall in a leisurely fashion, but the servants of the Fucha family were stopped at the palace gates. The imperial guards had completely surrounded the palace, making it impossible to pass through; even fledglings and sparrows could be caught.
Yan Ning followed Xiao Jiangzi into the palace gate. There was no grand procession or crowd of palace maids and eunuchs as she had imagined. There were only eight imperial guards in the main hall.
The platform rises high, its jade steps cascading down. Bathed in spring light, it appears from afar like shimmering ripples on water.
Heshen and Yongyan stood below the jade steps in front of the palace. They saw Yan Ning and were slightly surprised, but then they understood.
This fleeting expression aroused Yan Ning's suspicion. Why were they standing here instead of going inside the palace? If even they were standing outside, why would the Emperor summon her inside?
As Xiao Jiangzi bowed respectfully to the two, Yongyan, with one hand behind his back and his eyes fixed on Yan Ning, said, “Father has been staying in the Empress Dowager’s former residence for three days without stepping out of the palace. General Fucha is currently inside. I hope Lady Fucha can persuade Father not to grieve too much and harm his health. Father has always doted on General Fucha since childhood, and I hope Lady Fucha can keep General Fucha by Father’s side. This is my humble way of expressing my filial piety. However, I am truly ashamed to have said this! I am foolish and not as talented as my cousin Fucha, who is skilled in both literature and martial arts!”
Yan Ning stared directly at Yongyan. His eyes were bloodshot, as if about to bleed, and his weary, worried appearance completely lacked the noble bearing of a prince. She wanted to smile bitterly. Standing beside him was Heshen. How could someone like Heshen allow himself to fall into the trap of the gossip told by other concubines and ministers? These words were merely spoken through her mouth, in the name of Fukang'an.
She recalled Yongyan's ambiguous feelings for her, realizing that the throne held little significance in such a relationship. She had first met him at the Mulan Hunting Grounds, where he had been eager to win over Fukang'an. Now, however, his words betrayed a clear intent to frame and kill. Heshen had ultimately chosen to align himself with Yongyan, hoping to one day become one of his meritorious officials.
Yan Ning sighed at Heshen's sharp, insightful eyes, but then she thought to herself that Fukang'an had always looked down on Heshen. Even if he intended to rebel, he would probably be the first person to be demoted to a commoner after he came to power.
Heshen was well aware of this. But what was it that led to his tragic end, with his property confiscated and him executed by Emperor Jiaqing, despite his unwavering loyalty to Yongyan?
She nodded with a hint of confusion, but when her eyes met Heshen's, he tightened his gaze at her and shook his head slightly. This slight movement, like the spring light hidden on his white mourning clothes, was faintly reflected down, but soon slipped through the gaps in the brocade and could not be detected.
Yan Ning curtsied to the two of them, then followed Xiao Jiangzi onward. Xiao Jiangzi led her to the jade steps, then bowed and said, "This servant takes his leave!" His figure then disappeared around the corner of the side hall.
Wu Shulai saw Yan Ning from above and smiled at her from afar. She returned the smile and slowly walked up the jade steps to where Wu Shulai was.
He was the chief eunuch, and given his age, all the eunuchs and maids in the palace had to bow to him. Because he was the emperor's confidant, many concubines treated him with utmost courtesy. But this was a rank and honor he had earned over decades, and his hunched posture was already firmly established.
He bowed deeply to Yan Ning, saying, "This servant greets Lady Fucha!"
Yan Ning knew that his status was different from that of other servants in the palace, and dared not accept such a grand gesture from her. She quickly said, "Eunuch Wu, please do not perform such a grand gesture! Yan Ning dares not accept it!"
As they were talking, Wu Shulai had already stood up. He smiled and said, "What a coincidence! General Fucha has just returned. He's inside with the Emperor. Madam, please go in quickly!"
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