Since returning from Hedi, Yan Ning has been practicing calligraphy by copying the calligraphy left in Fukang'an's study. The nanny from the embroidery courtyard would occasionally bring her some baby flower patterns to look at the clothes for the child in her womb.
Since the household already has Yunxin, there's no need to worry about the personal clothing of young ladies, as the embroidery workshop has some in stock. If Yan Ning's unborn child is a young master, then many of her personal clothes will need to be remade.
There was no need to be in such a hurry, but Yan Ning was waiting for Heshen to find out Qingyue's background, and she couldn't calm down, so she wanted to find something to do to pass the time.
When this news reached Chunying Garden, Wuchun sneered twice. After all, she was the legitimate wife's child, yet she was unaware that her children were being pampered in this way.
Gossip swirled between Jian Gong Zhai and Chun Ying Yuan. Yan Ning didn't care much about the resentment Wu Chun harbored. Yun Xin's food, clothing, and daily necessities in the mansion were all on par with De Lin's; she had never suffered the slightest hardship. She knew in her heart that Wu Chun was only fighting over the status of legitimate and illegitimate children.
After the Yongyan incident, the old lady harbored resentment towards Yan Ning, but Yan Ning was carrying the legitimate heir of the Fucha family. Although she rarely left the Peony Hall, she sent Granny Li to check on Yan Ning and the child in her womb every day to see if they were alright.
The situation in the capital suddenly changed. Eleventh Prince Yongxing was repeatedly summoned by the Emperor, and his popularity far surpassed that of Yongyan in the past. Li Shiyao initially served the Seventeenth Prince Yonglin, but now that he saw that Eleventh Prince Yongxing was more favored by the Emperor, and considering the age difference between the Emperor and Yonglin, he gradually began to favor Yongxing.
Agui was indifferent to the position of crown prince. Liu Yong and Ji Yun, members of the Fifteenth Prince's faction, remained secluded in their residences after Yongyan's punishment, calmly dealing with court affairs while maintaining distant relationships with the other princes. Heshen, on the other hand, navigated skillfully between the emperor and the court, his power growing daily, and his faction gradually drifted away from the Fifteenth Prince's faction.
The attitudes of powerful officials in the capital towards the four princes were perplexing to other officials. Although the current emperor was most averse to factionalism, the treacherous nature of officialdom was not something one could control alone. Even if the emperor lived to a ripe old age, he would only have a few years left. If they didn't align themselves with the new emperor early on, when he ascended the throne, those loyal to the late emperor would be eliminated to consolidate their power.
If you are loyal to the late emperor, you will inevitably be disrespectful to the current emperor. Besides, which emperor would want to be under the control of the late emperor? Therefore, the first thing the new emperor does upon ascending the throne is to clean up the court.
Among the powerful officials in the capital, some avoided suspicion, some changed sides to please the emperor, and some formed their own factions, becoming the targets of the four princes' vying for their favor.
As a result, the attitude of the Fucha family towards the four princes became especially important. The front hall, which had been deserted for months, was now bustling with people coming to visit the mansion in ever-changing ways.
Neither the old lady nor Yan Ning were able to greet or see off the guests. Fu Chang'an, under the orders of Fu Kang'an, moved back to the Fucha Mansion, taking only his principal wife Rui Ying and his concubine Peng Ruo with him.
Rui Ying resided in Qiluo Pavilion, while Peng Ruo still lived in Pengxian Garden. Qiluo Pavilion was located next to Changting Garden and at the same level as Peony Hall, while Pengxian Garden, although far from Chunying Garden, was closer to the western courtyard.
Upon hearing from Juxiang that this was Fu Chang'an's arrangement, Yan Ning's expression remained indifferent, but she secretly sighed. Although Fu Chang'an seemed to wear his smile on his sleeve, he was actually quite shrewd. This arrangement not only saved face for Rui Ying's legitimate wife, but also, by using the fact that Peng had once lived in Pengxian Garden, gave Peng another stone step, preventing him from being criticized by the people in the mansion.
The once quiet Fucha Mansion became noisy with the addition of three masters.
Those who are blessed with Chang'an are not allowed to disturb the tranquility of Jian Gong Zhai. Rui Ying and Peng only greeted Yan Ning every two or three days.
Although Rui Yingzi's beauty wasn't top-tier, it was still quite good. As the legitimate daughter of the Nine Gates Commander, she secured the position of Fu Chang'an's principal wife. Although Peng Ruo had won Fu Chang'an's favor, she was always inferior to her.
Seeing that Ruiying and Peng had grown tired of bickering, Yan Ning would often pretend to be tired and avoid seeing them.
Days flowed by like the pools of water enclosed beneath the pavilion in the mansion, dry and flat, never overflowing beyond the mansion. But Yan Ning's state of mind was not as serene as those clear pools; beneath her calm face lay a heart tightly entangled with worldly affairs.
The story of Qingyue and her, the story of Fukang'an and Yongyan, the story of Heshen and Yongyan—and these three men are all inextricably linked to her.
Layer upon layer, it was wrapped around her hair, just like the hair bun on her neck. Under Zhu Xiang's hands, each strand was tightly bound together. Even if the hairpin was sharp, it could not loosen the hair bun even a little bit when it was inserted.
In a fit of anger, Yan Ning pulled off the hairpin dangling from her hair, letting her hair ornament fall loose. The weight on her neck lessened considerably, and Yan Ning felt much more at ease.
Chef Liu, mindful of the mentor-apprentice relationship between Chef Wu and himself, mentioned to Yan Ning, while she was inspecting the kitchen's supplies, that Chef Wu was getting on in years.
Although Yan Ning knew that Chef Liu had ulterior motives in mentioning Chef Wu to her, she felt pity for Chef Wu as he grew weaker day by day. She also felt that keeping Chef Wu in the Fucha mansion was of no use to her, so she instructed Steward Luo to personally escort him back to his hometown. This would both fulfill his wish and ensure that if she needed him in the future, he would remember her kindness and remain loyal to her.
After arranging for Butler Luo to ensure Chef Wu's triumphant return to his hometown, Yan Ning thought to herself with a self-deprecating smile, wondering when she had learned to plan so far ahead.
Upon receiving the letter, Chef Wu bid farewell to Yan Ning and told her about Qing Yue, which he had not previously told her.
Chef Wu knelt before the warm couch where Yan Ning was resting. It was late summer, and the stone slabs were cool to the touch. Yan Ning, who had been leaning against the soft wooden pillows, suddenly stood up, threw the jade porcelain bowl in her hand in front of his knees, and said sternly, "You cunning old 'chef' Wu! If it weren't for the fact that you served the general and grew up, I would have made you return home in disgrace!"
Yan Ning's brows were furrowed, her face, devoid of makeup, was cold and dignified, her fringe draped over her shoulders and slipped off the vermilion brocade.
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