"Miss, please eat something. You haven't eaten or drunk anything for two days." Mingxin brought the food up and set it out. Seeing Yan Ning lying on the warm bed staring blankly out the window, she walked over to her and said with concern.
"Mingxin, why don't you think he's coming to see me?" Yan Ning asked, staring at the tightly closed courtyard gate.
"Well, this servant doesn't know either. Perhaps he's just too busy. General Fukang'an has rendered great service this time, so His Majesty will surely give him a lot of tasks to do," Mingxin comforted Yan Ning.
"Then you could send Zhao Xing or someone else to tell me, right?" Yan Ning asked Ming Xin.
Mingxin was at a loss for words when asked the question, so she lowered her head and remained silent.
Seeing Mingxin's reaction, Yan Ning knew she had been too excited, so she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I, cough cough cough..."
Mingxin helped Yanning pull the blanket up a bit, looked into her eyes, and said, "Miss, Mingxin hasn't read many books and doesn't understand any grand principles, but I know that if you don't understand something, just ask, and you'll always find an answer."
"If you don't understand, just ask, and you'll get the answer." Yan Ning looked at Ming Xin and slowly repeated what she had said. "Ming Xin, I want to go out!"
Yan Ning walked to the wardrobe and pointed to the pile of clothes. "Ming Xin, quickly take all of these out and put them on the bed."
"Mingxin, isn't this one pretty?" Yan Ning picked up a pomegranate-red satin cheongsam embroidered with peonies and showed it to Mingxin, who was moving clothes. "It's beautiful, Miss, you look good in anything," Mingxin said with a smile.
"Too gaudy." Yan Ning glanced at herself in the bronze mirror, then picked up another ivory-yellow short cheongsam embroidered with plum blossoms. Still not satisfied, she started choosing again.
"Miss, these are all clothes made by embroiderers from Jiangnan that the master hired for you. Are you not satisfied with any of them?" Mingxin asked Yan Ning, who was picking and choosing but not finding any of them satisfactory.
"None of these look good, none of them are my style," Yan Ning said, sitting at the table, sulking angrily.
“Miss, is your style set in the Fu residence? Or should I go and tell Steward Liu to fetch it for you?” Mingxin asked tentatively.
Yan Ning looked at Ming Xin, who had a completely bewildered expression, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"What are you laughing at, young lady?" Mingxin looked at Yan Ning, who had just been angry but was now laughing so happily, with a blank expression.
"Alright, could you please bring me that cherry-red cheongsam embroidered with lilies?"
Mingxin helped Yan Ning change her clothes and asked, "Miss, are you going to just braid your hair today?"
Yan Ning walked to the dressing table, opened the jewelry box, and found it filled with all kinds of jewelry. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly, thinking that Heshen was quite considerate of her.
"Could you help me put my hair up in a simple bun? I'd like to wear this jade hairpin with lilies." Yan Ning looked at the hairpin in her hand. The emerald green hairpin was inlaid with white jade lilies. This kind of inlay technique would probably have been difficult even in her time.
"My lord, Miss Yan Ning has ordered a carriage to go to the Fucha residence," Liu Quan reported to Heshen, who was practicing calligraphy in his study.
Heshen handed the pen in his hand to Liu Quan to hang up, and looked ahead with a solemn expression. "Have Fu Chang'an find a way to stop Yan Ning from meeting Fu Kang'an."
"Yes, this servant will give the order immediately!"
Heshen clenched his fists behind his back, closed his eyes, and wondered what was wrong with him. Why was he so concerned about Yan Ning meeting Fukang'an? She was just a woman of unknown origin. If he could guide her and then hand her over to Fukang'an, everything about Fukang'an would be under his control. Why couldn't he bring himself to do it?
"Mingxin, look at me quickly, is there anything wrong?" Yan Ning sat in the carriage, pulling Mingxin aside and asking her anxiously again.
“Young lady, you are already stunningly beautiful, and you have taken a long time to dress up today. General Fukang’an will surely be captivated by you when he sees you,” Mingxin said with a smile, holding Yan Ning’s hand.
Yan Ning felt a little comforted as she listened to Ming Xin repeat the answer several times.
"Liu Quan, how much longer?" Yan Ning urged Liu Quan again.
"Miss, we're much faster than if we were traveling by sedan chair. We'll be there soon, so please don't worry." Liu Quan saw that Yan Ning was in such a hurry to see another master, while his own master was still sitting in the study sulking! He felt indignant for Heshen and whispered, "You won't be meeting General Fukang'an!"
Fu Chang'an, who was drinking, heard what Lord He had brought and a wicked smile appeared on his lips. "What a femme fatale!" He put down his wine cup and went out.
"Listen, Young Master Delin is still ill. Turn everyone who comes to see Third Brother away. You all know Third Brother's temper; there can be no mistakes!" Fu Chang'an finished instructing the guards at the gate and was about to turn back when he saw Liu Quan drive his carriage to the gate.
Fu Chang'an stepped forward, made Liu Quan step aside, lifted the curtain, and extended his hand to Yan Ning, his eyes filled with a wandering smile.
Seeing the carriage stop, Yan Ning felt a surge of joy. With Ming Xin's help, she was about to get off when she saw Fu Chang'an smiling at her from behind the curtain. Yan Ning dodged Fu Chang'an's hand and jumped off the carriage herself.
Yan Ning gently placed her hands on her left hip, supported herself with her right foot, bent her knees and bowed her head, saying, "Thank you, sir!" Originally, she didn't know how to bow, but Ji Wen had specially taught her. Although she didn't have the mind to learn these things at the time, she still remembered the basic etiquette.
"You're too kind, young lady!" Fu Chang'an said awkwardly, withdrawing his outstretched hand.
"Is Fukang'an here?" Yan Ning asked him.
"Yes, but Third Brother won't see you, Miss." Fu Chang'an put his hands behind his back and looked at Yan Ning with a mischievous smile.
"Why?" Yan Ning was startled, her palms were sweaty, and she rubbed her hands together.
"Why? You should know better than I do. If you don't believe me, you can try it." Fu Chang'an stretched out one hand, gesturing for her to proceed.
"I didn't do it. I'll explain it to him." Yan Ning said, and then ran towards the gate of the mansion.
The guards at the gate stopped Yan Ning outside, saying in unison, "The general has ordered that no guests be received!"
Yan Ning frowned and said anxiously, "I'm not a guest, I'm Yan Ning. Go and inform him, he will definitely see me."
"The general has ordered that no guests be received!"
Seeing their posture, Yan Ning knew they wouldn't let her in, so she stood outside the door and shouted loudly, "Fukang'an, come out! You didn't even listen to my explanation, how could you believe them? Even if it's a death sentence, you have to give people a chance to defend themselves! Fukang'an, come out! Come out now!"
"It's best if you don't bother, Miss. This courtyard is deep and secluded; Third Brother probably won't be able to hear you anyway," Fu Chang'an said indifferently, standing beside Yan Ning.
Yan Ning stepped back step by step and said, "Fukang'an, since you don't believe me, why should I do this!" After saying that, she didn't even look at Fukang'an before turning around and leaving.
"Miss, where are we going now?" Mingxin helped Yan Ning into the carriage and asked softly, looking at Yan Ning's face.
"Let's go for a drink!" Yan Ning raised her head, forcing back the tears in her eyes.
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