Zhao Xing looked at the bell that had disappeared behind the screen wall along with E Lan and asked, "Are you sure?" Li Chang wiped his nose with his hand and chuckled, "That figure, that outfit, how could I not recognize her!"
Zhao Xing knew that it was Lingdang, Elan's personal maid, and for a moment he was at a loss. He hurriedly ran back to the Fu residence to report.
In the backyard of the Fu residence, Yan Ning pointed to the artificial hill beside the lotus pond and said, "I want to divert the water from one end of the lotus pond to the other, creating a circulating water system, like a mountain spring!" She then looked at Fu Kang'an, unsure if he understood her. Yan Ning thought that if she couldn't retire to the mountains with him, she would remain hidden in this Fu residence, no longer involved in the infighting of the Fucha family. This continued until Fengshen Yinde married the princess, and Heshen built the Tianxiang Courtyard.
Fukang'an stood in the wind with one hand behind his back, his gentle expression warming Yan Ning's heart like a gentle spring breeze. He understood everything she said!
Seeing Fukang'an standing by the artificial hill with Yan Ning in his arms, Zhao Xing hesitated for a moment before calling out, "General! This servant has something to report!" Fukang'an glanced at Yan Ning, who smiled at him and said, "Go ahead! There must be something important in the camp!" Fukang'an released Yan Ning and walked towards Zhao Xing. The two stopped at the pavilion by the artificial hill. Zhao Xing lowered his voice, cupping his hand in a semi-circle near Fukang'an's ear, "Li Chang said the person looking for Liu the Midwife is Princess Elan's personal maid, Lingdang!"
Upon hearing this, Fukang'an's face showed surprise. He knew of E'lan's feelings for him, but how could she have the audacity to harm Yan Ning at the Fucha residence? "Prepare the horses, let's go to General Hailancha's residence!" Fukang'an could no longer suppress his anger.
When E'lan heard from her boudoir that Fukang'an had come to the mansion, her joy outweighed her worries, and she excitedly went to the front courtyard. She bumped into Fukang'an, who had come to see her, and E'lan smiled brightly, took his hand, and asked, "Brother Kang, what brings you here to see E'lan today?"
Fukang'an flung E'lan aside, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground, tears welling in her eyes. "Brother Kang..." Fukang'an clenched his fists behind his back, his gaze piercing E'lan like a cold arrow. "Listen carefully! From now on, you are not allowed to set foot in the Fucha Mansion or the Fu Residence again! If you dare to harm Yan Ning again, don't blame me for disregarding my relationship with your father!" Fukang'an's voice, in the early spring season, made E'lan tremble uncontrollably.
Hailancha saw Fukang'an storming towards E'lan in the front yard. Not knowing why, and worried about his daughter's safety, he rushed over as well. His forced smile froze, and he brushed past Fukang'an, who had a cold expression and was walking briskly. Seeing his daughter squatting on the ground, Hailancha quickly ordered Lingdang to help E'lan up, asking anxiously, "What happened?"
E'lan was utterly terrified and at a loss for what to do. She and Fukang'an had grown up together, and even after Fukang'an married Xiying and Xiang'er, he still doted on her. No matter how willful or mischievous E'lan had been before, Fukang'an had never been this angry. E'lan knew that Fukang'an was truly enraged this time, and he would never marry her again! E'lan's greatest wish since childhood had been to marry Fukang'an, and his words today had completely shattered that dream.
After hearing E'lan's account of the whole affair, Hailancha was also furious. He slammed his hand heavily on the table and roared, "Nonsense!" After a pause, Hailancha said helplessly, "Your title of 'Gege' was given to you by the Emperor so that you could marry into the Fucha family when you grew up! The Emperor favors Fukang'an, but there are no daughters of marriageable age among the royal relatives, so he personally bestowed this title upon you, intending for you to become his principal wife once you entered the household. Now that you've acted so recklessly, how can Fukang'an possibly marry you!"
E'lan knelt down with a thud, grabbed Hailancha's robe and pleaded, "Father, please save your daughter! I truly love Brother Kang. If I cannot marry him in this life, I will shave my head and become a nun!"
Hailancha only had one daughter, Elan. Unable to bear seeing her so heartbroken, he helped her up and had Lingdang escort her back to her room. He then went to the Fucha residence to apologize in person.
When Xi Ying saw Zhao Xing leave the mansion, she knew he was going to find Fukang'an, so she instructed Qiu'er to prepare things to take to her mother's house. After the sedan chair had traveled quite a distance from the Fucha mansion, Xi Ying gave Qiu'er a meaningful look, and Qiu'er understood, so she ordered the sedan chair bearers to go to the Fu residence.
Xi Ying alighted from the sedan chair and noticed that the number of plainclothes guards at the entrance of the Fu residence had increased several times overnight. Xi Ying knew that these were all Fukang'an's trusted confidants. Her beautiful face shifted from serene to frosty and then back to serene again. "Qiu'er, go and inform them!"
After returning to the capital, Yan Ning suffered repeated injuries and was frequently frightened. She could only stay by the rockery for a short while before her body gave out, and she returned to Liuxiang Garden with Zhu Xiang and Mei Xiang. Just as Yan Ning lay down, she heard a servant in the front courtyard announce that Xi Ying had come to see her. Although she didn't want to see outsiders, remembering how much Xi Ying had helped her, she forced herself to get up and went with Zhu Xiang to greet Xi Ying.
Seeing Yan Ning's haggard and pale face, Xi Ying's heart ached. Yan Ning wanted to sit with Xi Ying, but couldn't resist, letting her help her lie down. Xi Ying tucked Yan Ning in with the quilt, saying softly, "Although it's early spring, the weather changes quickly. My sister is weak, so please be careful!" Hearing Xi Ying's words, Yan Ning felt a warmth in her heart, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face. The light in Xi Ying's eyes suddenly dimmed, her previous gentleness vanishing, and she said mournfully, "If it weren't for Princess Elan bribing the midwife, why would my sister suffer such torment! She was cruelly robbed of her wedding night!"
Yan Ning gripped the brocade quilt tightly with both hands and asked, word by word, "Did E Lan bribe the midwife?" Upon hearing this, Xi Ying quickly covered her mouth. "Didn't the General tell you, sister?" Xi Ying grabbed Yan Ning's hand in a panic, her voice pleading. "I suppose the General didn't want you to worry. It's all my fault for speaking so quickly! I thought you already knew! The Old Madam and the General can't tolerate those who spread rumors. Sister, I... It's all your fault, sister! Alas!" Yan Ning pulled her hand away from Xi Ying's and said absentmindedly, "Don't worry, sister! I won't mention it to the General!" Her voice was as faint as a wisp of smoke.
Yan Ning didn't know when Xi Ying left. Xi Ying's words kept repeating in her mind, "This kind of thing is a family scandal. Even if the General and the Old Madam know, they can't do anything to E Lan. In order to maintain his relationship with Egedu Dular Hailancha, the General will pretend not to know about this! Besides, E Lan is a lady raised outside the Fucha family. She's just too young. She'll enter the family when she turns sixteen! Originally, after the Old Madam's birthday, the General would have welcomed her into the family on the occasion of the celebration! Even if I don't give up my position as the lady of the house to you, I will have to give it to her in the future!"
As dusk settled, the sound of horses' hooves echoed through the alley. Fukang'an knew that E'lan hadn't killed the woman; even if she were lawless, she wouldn't dare commit murder. There was only one person who could kill the midwife without leaving a trace and had a reason to do so.
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