Dinner time had passed when Zhang Ming, the imperial eunuch, arrived to deliver a message that the Emperor had invited Fukang'an to dine with him and that the household should not wait any longer.
The lanterns of the Fucha residence illuminated Zhang Ming's black eunuch robes. After Yan Ning rose to express her gratitude, he bowed deeply to her. "Madam, there's no need to be anxious. General Fucha will return to the residence early tomorrow morning!" With that, he stopped abruptly, his eyes darting back and forth.
Seeing this, Yan Ning beckoned to Steward Luo, who immediately stepped forward and slipped a silver note into Zhang Ming's lapel. She smiled and said, "Thank you for making this trip, Eunuch Zhang. It's getting late, so we won't keep you for tea. This small amount of silver is a token of the Fucha family's goodwill; please use it to buy some wine!"
Zhang Ming stuffed the silver notes inside, his eyes darting around, and he said with a forced smile, "No wonder this job at the Fucha Mansion is such a good one! Everyone's eager to take this opportunity, and I'm truly fortunate to have it. Well then, I'll take my leave now!"
Butler Luo spat twice at Zhang Mingyin's figure hidden in the moonlight, "You shameless bastard, just a messenger eunuch. The general has already returned, and you still dare to openly ask the Fucha family for errand fees!"
Yan Ning glanced at Steward Luo, not blaming him. In recent years, with Fu Chang'an away from the capital, the various eunuchs delivering imperial edicts had taken a considerable amount of money from the Fucha family. Human greed breeds arrogance; initially, they thanked her regardless of the amount of reward, but now, if the reward was less, their faces immediately showed disdain. Yan Ning dared not give less, fearing they would hold a grudge and harbor ill intentions, delaying the delivery of the imperial edict to Fu Kang'an. Over the past five years, the money given away could have bought a small house outside the capital.
She smiled gently and comforted Butler Luo, saying, "If you had any sense, you wouldn't be stuck being a lowly eunuch!" Butler Luo realized he had been impolite and immediately bowed, no longer daring to show his displeasure.
When Yan Ning returned to the Peony Hall from the front courtyard, De Xuan, Yun Wan, and Yun Xin were already asleep on the warm couch in the inner room, while De Lin was massaging the old lady's back. The old lady was looking after her four grandchildren, her face creased with deep smiles. As the candlelight shone down, Yan Ning stood behind the curtain, watching the scene of grandmother and grandchildren enjoying each other's company, unwilling to break the silence.
The old lady looked up at Yan Ning and asked, "Did you stay in the palace?"
Yan Ning nodded, walked forward, and sat down on one side of the warm couch, looking at the three sleeping children. The old lady made De Lin stop what he was doing, and looked at him lovingly, saying, "Go back with your mother!"
Yunxin was frail and couldn't withstand any more exertion, so her wet nurse carried her to the east wing to sleep. Just as Yan Ning was about to take Yunwan back to Jian Gong Zhai, the old lady sighed, "Take Dexuan back to Jian Gong Zhai as well. Kang'er won't be staying here with me for long tomorrow! He'll have to go back to Jian Gong Zhai soon after paying his respects!"
Yan Ning concealed the smile in her eyes and instructed the wet nurse beside her to carry De Xuan. De Lin stepped in front of the wet nurse and respectfully said to Yan Ning, "It's dark and the road is difficult to walk on. Let your son fulfill his duties as an elder brother!" The old lady and Yan Ning both watched with smiles as De Lin carried De Xuan on his back.
Although Delin's back wasn't broad as the older brother, Dexuan slept soundly the whole way. Yan Ning carried Yunwan behind Delin, and under the light of the oil-paper lantern on the stone slab, Dexuan looked like a small mountain pressing down on Delin's back. She felt a little guilty and secretly blamed herself for thinking of Delin as a thoughtful child.
The next day, as dusk settled and the sky remained hazy as if shrouded in mist, Diecui frantically pounded on the gate of Jian Gong Zhai, shouting, "Madam, my concubine is probably not going to make it!"
After being awakened, Yan Ning instructed Ju Xiang to tell Steward Luo to invite the imperial physician who was not on duty in the palace today. Then, while angrily scolding Die Cui for her reckless words, she hurriedly put on her clothes and rushed to Chun Ying Garden.
When she arrived at Chunying Garden, she found only a faint breath of Wuchun lingering in her nostrils. Counting the days, she realized it had been almost half a year since she had last seen Wuchun. During the winter, Wuchun never left the courtyard, and with Dexuan and Yunwan being extremely mischievous, she rarely had the opportunity to visit Chunying Garden. Every few days, she would summon Yunxin's wet nurse to inquire about Yunxin's condition. Yunxin was frail, and tonics were always kept on hand. Yan Ning feared that even a single day without them would cause Yunxin to suffer from illness.
Yan Ning sat on the bed, looking at Wu Chun's lifeless eyes. Even when she looked at her, it seemed she didn't see her in the heart. A sense of foreboding crept into her heart, and she quickly ordered someone to find Fu Chang'an to go to the palace to inform Fu Kang'an. If Fu Kang'an wasn't in the capital, she could only lament Wu Chun's tragic fate if she couldn't see him one last time. But Fu Kang'an was in the palace, and Yan Ning didn't want Wu Chun to leave with regrets.
After the maid who had gone to find Fu Chang'an left, Yan Ning was unsure whether she should order someone to bring Yun Xin back. Yun Xin was already weak, and what would happen if she were to suffer another shock? Yan Ning didn't know what to do, so she thought she would wait for Fu Kang'an to return and let him make the decision.
As Wu Chun's eyes half-closed, she caught sight of Yan Ning sitting beside her. Forcing herself to open her eyes, she revealed a listless, vacant gaze. She moved her lips, but Yan Ning had to lean close to hear her. So she repeated, "Does the General not wish to see me?"
Yan Ning comforted her, "He was left in the palace by the Emperor yesterday and hasn't returned yet. I've sent people to look for him, and he'll be back in no time!" Wu Chun's lips curled into a smile, "Do you also think I won't make it through today?"
Yan Ning was taken aback. After a moment, she smiled faintly and said, "You are ill now, so he should come and keep you company!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Chun closed her eyes, no longer paying attention to Yan Ning's words. She gathered her strength for a moment and slowly said, "The Eleventh Prince is the behind-the-scenes mastermind of Wanxiang Pavilion. The court officials only thought Wanxiang Pavilion was a quiet place, but little did they know that every word they said there was recorded and sent to the Eleventh Prince's residence."
Yan Ning straightened up in surprise. She asked in confusion, "How do you know all this?" Then she thought about it. Wu Chun came from Wanxiang Pavilion. If all the girls in Wanxiang Pavilion knew such secrets, wouldn't the identity of the Eleventh Prince, the mastermind behind the scenes, have already been exposed?
Wu Chun kept her eyes closed. She had been gathering her strength for a long time, but what Yan Ning waited for was a long and anxious wait.
"The girls of Wanxiang Pavilion all have families. Only those who have access to the secrets of the court officials can see their families. After the General's name was added to my boudoir, he rarely came. When he did come, he would only drink and remain silent. Since I couldn't hear the Pavilion Master's news from the General, my family and I couldn't see each other. Later, the General only brought me into the Fucha Mansion to spite you. Seeing the General's affection for you, I thought that if I could win the General's heart, my family and I would no longer be manipulated by the Pavilion Master. I've been by the General's side for so long, but even Yunxin was obtained by me by drugging the General's wine. For me, Yunxin is not just someone I rely on in the Fucha Mansion, but someone who is the only one who can keep my family alive."
Yan Ning looked at Wu Chun, who was fast asleep, like a bouquet of flowers swaying precariously in the sunshine. With just one ray of sunlight, she would be forever slumbering in the darkness.
Having said too much, Wu Chun's breath became slightly unsteady, and she barely managed to utter her last sentence. "Yan Ning, you only have this pretty face, but unfortunately, I won't live to see the day your beauty fades!"
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