"Yan Ning..."
E'lan looked at Yan Ning, who had fainted after hitting her, and her face turned pale with anger. She stomped her foot hard at the back of Fukang'an as he carried Yan Ning away.
As Fukang'an carried the unconscious Yan Ning to the entrance of the Peony Hall, he ordered the servants gathered in the courtyard, "Anyone who dares to utter a single word about what happened today, don't blame me for disregarding our master-servant relationship!" The servants of the Fucha household knew that although Fukang'an hadn't explicitly stated what he would do to them, the consequences would be a hundred times worse than death. So they all knelt on the ground and said in unison, "We know nothing!"
Zhao Xing jumped down from the carriage and lifted the curtain. Fukang'an, carrying Yan Ning, lightly leaped from the carriage and landed safely. After instructing the gatekeeper to fetch a doctor, Zhao Xing hurried ahead of Fukang'an to Liuxiang Garden.
Seeing this, Zhu Xiang and Mei Xiang quickly tidied the bed and helped Fu Kang'an settle Yan Ning down. The doctor arrived shortly after, and after taking Yan Ning's pulse, he comforted Fu Kang'an, saying, "General, don't worry! The young lady just fainted due to a momentary emotional distress. Let me prescribe a medicine to help her recover!"
"This is my mistress!" Mei Xiang coldly reminded the doctor from the side. A hint of surprise flashed across the doctor's face, and he thought to himself, "I just took the pulse of Lady Fucha's young master a while ago, what's going on? Alas! The affairs of the Fucha family are not something a lowly person like me can interfere with!" Then, a humble expression appeared on his face, "It was my recklessness!"
"Get out!" Fukang'an sat down next to Yan Ning, knowing she was alright, and looked at her haggard face as he spoke.
"yes!"
Zhu Xiang, Mei Xiang, and the doctor all bowed and withdrew. Zhu Xiang went with the doctor to fetch the prescription and handed it to the servants at the door to get the medicine. Seeing Zhao Xing standing guard outside the door, Zhu Xiang asked him with a worried expression, "Madam was perfectly fine when she left, but only two days have passed. Why is she back sick again? Madam hasn't recovered well since the old lady punished her last time!"
Hearing Zhu Xiang's anxious words, Zhao Xing felt even more favorably disposed towards her. He comforted her, saying, "She wasn't punished this time, but Madam is weak and has fallen into a deep sleep! Didn't the doctor just say there's nothing serious?" Zhu Xiang stopped talking and stared blankly at the door of the main room. Zhao Xing stood beside Zhu Xiang, staring blankly at her.
Yan Ning slowly opened her eyes and saw Fu Kang'an sitting beside her. Humiliation and shame overwhelmed her, making it impossible for her to face him. Yan Ning turned over, her back to Fu Kang'an, tears instantly soaking her jet-black hair. She said, "Get out!" Her tone brooked no argument.
Fukang'an stared at Yan Ning's retreating figure, his expression hesitant. His face blended seamlessly with his moon-white robe. He wasn't unaware of the rumors surrounding Yan Ning and Heshen, but the matter had remained under his control. Now, with the intervention of the Old Madam Fucha, things had spiraled out of control. Yan Ning's innocence was likely only known to the midwife. Fukang'an went outside and instructed Zhao Xing to send men to secretly monitor the midwife's movements after she left the Fucha residence. He knew the Fucha household was probably already in chaos. After arranging for the servants at Liuxiang Garden, he returned to the Fucha residence.
As the sun slanted down, the Fucha Mansion was bathed in golden light, but beneath the surface, undercurrents were already surging.
Madam Fucha sat regally in the main seat of the hall, awaiting Fukang'an's return to give her an explanation. Xi Ying, needing to care for Delin, took her leave with Xia'er and Qiu'er. E'lan, ultimately not a member of the Fucha household, was politely invited out by the old lady. Although invited out by the old lady, E'lan didn't care at all, quickly catching up with Xi Ying with her bell. "Sister-in-law, you walk so fast! Little do you know, we're all in the same boat!" Under the golden light, E'lan was incredibly proud.
Xi Ying pulled off the handkerchief from her waist to cover the mockery on her lips. "What do you mean by that, Princess? My Fucha family has always been on good terms with your family! But we've never been this close!" E Lan frowned, walked to the plum tree, broke off a branch of plum blossoms, and said coldly, "These plum blossoms are no longer pleasing to the eye. Is my sister-in-law trying to take care of me, the rising star?"
Xi Ying, seemingly unintentionally, trampled over the newly blooming early spring flowers by the pebbly path. Holding Xia'er's hand, she turned her back to E Lan and said, "The plum blossoms have fallen, but the plum tree remains! If I am fortunate enough to serve the General alongside the Princess, I will certainly treat her with utmost respect!" As she spoke, her platform shoes stomped loudly on the pebbles. E Lan stared at Xi Ying's retreating figure, her expression furious, her fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
The Eight Great Hutongs were the most lucrative red-light districts in Beijing, and Wanxiang Pavilion was the most prominent among them. Many high-ranking officials used the guise of drinking and carousing to vent their frustrations about court affairs here. In Beijing, if a man could enter the Eight Great Hutongs, he was sure to be extremely wealthy; if he could enter Wanxiang Pavilion, he was sure to hold a high position and be extremely wealthy.
In a side room of Wanxiang Pavilion, the warm room was filled with incense, the gauze curtains were alluring, and the sound of a zither was enticing. Beauties from Jiangnan and exotic lands displayed their charms and swayed their hips to please Heshen and Fu Chang'an.
Heshen tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup, his expression indifferent, not even glancing at the woman beside him. Fu Chang'an embraced a beautiful woman from Jiangnan, drank the wine in her cup, and a wicked smile spread across his face as he looked at Heshen and said, "Could it be that all these beauties are not as good as Yan Ning?" Although Yan Ning's stunning beauty had once captivated Fu Chang'an, his third brother already made him feel ashamed of himself, not to mention that Heshen, who was like a brother to him, also harbored feelings for her.
Heshen's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with a smile, ignoring Fu Chang'an's words, and downed another cup of wine. Fu Chang'an abruptly released the beauty from his arms; she collapsed to the ground, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at him, bewildered as to what she had done wrong. Fu Kang'an didn't even glance at her, waving his hand, his wicked smile turning cold. "All of you, get out!" The room fell silent instantly. Fu Chang'an spoke up: "Has Lord Heshen already taken a beauty into his arms? In this capital, Lord Heshen has certainly given my third brother a huge cuckolding!"
Heshen paused for a moment, then understood his meaning. He put down his wine cup and said, "The beauty is cold and aloof; I, Heshen, dare not be disrespectful!" "Then I don't understand what was going on in the old lady's courtyard this day?" Fu Chang'an knew Heshen wouldn't lie to him, so he didn't press further and recounted what had happened in the Peony Hall during the day. Although Fu Kang'an had spoken so harshly when he left the Peony Hall, how could there be a secret that never came out?
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