"Greetings, Mother!" Xi Ying entered, interrupting the conversation between the mother and son. Fukang'an sat back down in his chair, remaining silent.
Xi Ying walked over and sat down next to Fukang'an. Although she didn't know what had caused the mother and son to get so upset, she guessed it was probably about Yan Ning. So she spoke up, "Xi Ying is willing to give up the position of General's wife to her younger sister, only asking to stay in the Fucha Mansion to take care of Delin as he grows up!"
“I have said that Yan Ning will not enter the manor!” Fukang’an stood up, bowed, and said, “Your son takes his leave!”
Seeing Fukang'an leave, Xi Ying stood up, walked to the old lady, and knelt on the ground. "Mother, what should I do?"
The old lady had her maid, Li, help Xi Ying up. Holding her hand, the peony hairpin in her hair swayed gently as she said with loving eyes, "The character '天' (tian, meaning heaven) comes first, and the husband is in charge. When we women marry, our husbands are our heaven. There has never been a precedent of one husband marrying two wives. Kang'er is your husband. How can you stand by and watch your husband be convicted and imprisoned? Don't worry, you have De Lin. Kang'er and I will never mistreat you! Even if De Lin becomes an illegitimate child in the future, as long as I am here, this hereditary title will definitely go to De Lin first!"
The hope in Xi Ying's eyes faded, and she curtsied, "Xi Ying will obey Mother's arrangements!"
A smile appeared in the old lady's eyes as she took Xi Ying's hand and gently parted her rosy lips. "Good, I know you are gentle and virtuous, a well-mannered and knowledgeable child." After speaking, she glanced at Granny Li. "Granny Li, as an outsider, we will announce that the person my Fucha family is about to marry is Kang'er's principal wife, not some concubine named Ning. From now on, Concubine Ying will still manage all the affairs of the household!"
As soon as Xi Ying stepped out of the old lady's courtyard, she could no longer stand and had to rely on Xia'er for support to avoid collapsing. In the still chilly early spring, Xi Ying's crimson embroidered cheongsam made her face appear even paler. "Xia'er," she said, "tell me, if my family were of higher status, would I still suffer this injustice?"
"Xia'er doesn't know, it's all Yan Ning's fault. As soon as she arrived, the general was bewitched by her and wouldn't listen to anyone else," Xia'er said with a fierce glint in her eyes.
Xi Ying steadied herself, her face as gentle and virtuous as ever. "Xia'er, go and invite Madam Ning to my courtyard for a gathering!"
"Madam, it's warmer today. I've prepared tea and snacks for you in the courtyard. Why don't you sit in the courtyard for a while? Don't stay cooped up in the room all the time!" Zhu Xiang said to Yan Ning, who was lying on the bed.
Yan Ning glanced helplessly at Zhu Xiang, fearing that if Fu Kang'an didn't speak, she wouldn't dare to change her mind about her. Sitting in the courtyard, she looked at the two plum trees and was surprised to find that they were green calyx plums. The white snow and green plums had a unique charm in this winter.
"A thousand flowers dare to bloom in the snow, a single tree heralds the arrival of spring." Yan Ning recited wistfully. What if spring has arrived? Fukang'an has been gone for four or five days without giving her a single piece of news.
“Madam, Aunt Ying requests your presence at the Fucha residence!” Zhao Xing entered the courtyard and knelt beside Yan Ning.
Yan Ning was initially excited to see Zhao Xinglai and got up from the bamboo chair, thinking that there was news about Fukang'an. But when she heard that it was Xi Ying, she asked in confusion, "Aunt Ying? What's going on?"
Zhao Xing stood up, glanced at the bamboo incense, then lowered his head and replied, "This servant doesn't know either!"
"You go back first, I'll pack up and then go!"
Sitting in the carriage, Meixiang and Zhuxiang looked at the meticulously dressed Yan Ning and whispered among themselves. When Yan Ning heard this, she glanced at them and pretended to be angry, saying, "What are you saying? Tell me!"
"This servant said that Madam never dresses up, what's wrong with her today? Zhuxiang said it's because the General is at the mansion that Madam is like this." Meixiang knew that Yan Ning never got angry with them, so she replied with a smile.
Yan Ning, having her secret thoughts exposed by Mei Xiang, turned her face away and remained silent. Her delicate pink satin Suzhou-embroidered cheongsam and moon-white pipa-shaped vest, combined with the shy expression on her face, drew even more admiration from Zhu Xiang and Mei Xiang.
"Madam, be careful!" Upon arriving at the entrance of the Fucha residence, Zhu Xiang helped Yan Ning down from the carriage.
"Yan Ning!"
Hearing someone call her name, Yan Ning looked in the direction of the voice and exclaimed in surprise, "You Yuanzhi!"
When You Yuanzhi saw Yan Ning looking at him, he walked towards an alley.
Yan Ning knew that You Yuanzhi had something to say to her, so she instructed Zhu Xiang and the others, "You wait here, I'll be right back!" With that, Yan Ning walked in the direction where You Yuanzhi had disappeared.
As soon as Yan Ning turned into the alley, You Yuanzhi, holding a dagger, approached her neck. Yan Ning retreated while shouting, "What do you want to do? Fukang'an is inside the Fucha Mansion!" Yan Ning looked around and saw that the alley was deserted, so she realized that this was all planned by You Yuanzhi.
"Haha... Fukang'an! He's just lucky to have been born into a family of generals and to hold military power! Otherwise, I would have killed him long ago!" You Yuanzhi sheathed his dagger, glanced at Yan Ning, and said contemptuously.
Yan Ning knew he wouldn't hurt her; otherwise, he wouldn't have risked his life to save her back in Sichuan. "What do you want from me?" she asked coldly.
You Yuanzhi took a slip of paper from his sleeve with two fingers, handed it to Yan Ning, and said helplessly, "Give this to Xiang'er!"
Yan Ning looked at You Yuanzhi, refusing to take what was in his hand, and asked instead, "Why should I help you?"
A hint of anger flashed in You Yuanzhi's eyes. "Xiang'er's current predicament is all your fault. I was the one who harmed you back then, and it has nothing to do with Xiang'er!"
Yan Ning scrutinized You Yuanzhi, "You are the leader of the Mingqi Sect, how do I know you didn't conspire with Xiang'er to harm the Fucha family!" Although Yan Ning had no religious prejudice, the White Lotus Sect and the Manchu people of the Qing Dynasty were sworn enemies, and for the sake of Fukang'an, she had to be on guard.
You Yuanzhi was completely enraged. He opened the note and showed it to Yan Ning. "Find an excuse to go to Qingyun Temple outside the city. I'll take you away! From now on, there will be no more You Yuanzhi and Li Xiang'er in the world!" Closing the note, You Yuanzhi looked at the stunned Yan Ning and said, "I'll take Xiang'er away, and Fukang'an will be yours alone. Why don't you do it!"
"Are you willing to give up your position as leader of the Mingqi Sect for her?" Yan Ning asked, moved.
You Yuanzhi clenched the note tightly, gazing into the distance. "I always thought that if I gained status and power, I could have a better life. But when I lost Xiang'er, I realized that only Xiang'er could give my life meaning."
After saying this, You Yuanzhi knelt on one knee and looked at Yan Ning. "After Fukang'an returned, the number of guards at Fucha Mansion doubled. If I went in, I would only alert them and harm Xiang'er and Miss Yan Ning. I, You Yuanzhi, have never asked anyone for help."
Yan Ning was surprised by You Yuanzhi's reaction and quickly tried to help him up, but he remained stubborn and insisted on kneeling.
"Alright, I'll take this to Aunt Lian for you. But it's not because I'm afraid she'll compete with me for Fukang'an. I just hope she can know your feelings for her and make the choice she wants most!"
Zhao Xing went out to greet her but didn't see Yan Ning, so he questioned Mei Xiang and Zhu Xiang. Following the direction they pointed, he came over and said, "Madam!"
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