Zhao Xing's expression darkened, and his tone became serious. "Madam, it's not that I don't want to help you. You know that the General has always disliked associating with Lord He. If the General finds out about this, I'm afraid he will be even angrier!" Yan Ning stopped speaking. Zhao Xing was Fukang'an's confidant, so naturally everything was done according to his wishes.
Just as the moon climbed above the treetops, Zhu Xiang and a servant from Jian Gong Zhai knocked on the door of Yi Ren Xuan, carrying two brocade quilts and a large bundle. As soon as the servant reached the entrance, he tossed the bundle to Zhu Xiang and ran off. Zhao Xing, seeing Zhu Xiang, excitedly welcomed her inside.
Zhu Xiang spread a brocade quilt on the bed in the inner room of the main house, helped Yan Ning sit down, and took a cloak from her bundle to put on Yan Ning. "Yi Ren Xuan has been uninhabited for many years, so it lacks everything! But the old lady ordered that no one is allowed to approach Yi Ren Xuan, so this servant could only come after dark, and I'm sorry to have troubled you, Madam."
Yan Ning pulled Zhu Xiang down to sit, shook her head and said it was nothing, then repeated what she had said to Zhao Xing during the day to Zhu Xiang. Zhu Xiang readily agreed, saying she would go first thing tomorrow morning. Yan Ning felt relieved; He Shen was exceptionally clever and would surely be able to help her out of this predicament.
The smoky atmosphere made Yan Ning restless. She got up, pulled her cloak tighter, and paced around the house. During the day, Zhao Xing had mentioned that a concubine named Fang Tai had died here. Although she was somewhat afraid, Zhao Xing's presence outside gave her considerable courage.
The furnishings in the main room of Yirenxuan were extremely simple, with few decorative items. Yan Ning walked through the hall to a small study opposite the inner room. The study contained a small desk and bookshelf, with several books scattered haphazardly on the shelf.
Yan Ning guessed that even when Consort Fang was alive, few dared to enter Yi Ren Xuan, and even fewer dared to come after her death. Therefore, this must be the original appearance of Consort Fang before her death. Yan Ning smiled bitterly; even the side room where Zhu Xiang stayed that day was far better than this, let alone the residence of a concubine. Favor ends, affection is severed—this must be the life of women in ancient times.
Yan Ning dared not imagine her future life in the Fucha Mansion, like Xi Ying, like Xiang'er, like Concubine Li, or like Concubine Fang of Yiren Pavilion. Thinking of Concubine Fang, Yan Ning's hand went limp, and the book she was holding fell to the ground.
The wind rustled through the bare branches. The moon cast sparse shadows, and Yan Ning felt a profound sense of desolation. She slowly crouched down to pick up the book, along with a folded piece of paper beside it. By the dim moonlight, Yan Ning unfolded the paper; it was a portrait. Upon seeing the figure depicted, Yan Ning was so shocked that she collapsed to the ground.
The painting depicts a woman with a topknot and wearing a qipao, and the face in the portrait bears a striking resemblance to Yan Ning. Because it lacks color, it loses some of its stunning beauty. However, under the rich ink, the woman's every smile and gesture is identical to Yan Ning's. The paper is somewhat yellowed, and due to long-term folding, some areas have developed tears.
Yan Ning had never heard anyone in the manor say that she resembled anyone. Could it be that the old lady disliked her because she looked like one of the old general's concubines? Through the dim moonlight, Yan Ning brought the painting closer, only a finger's width away from her eyes. She stared intently, trying to find any difference between herself and the portrait, but this only made her more certain that the woman in the portrait looked exactly like her.
Early the next morning, Zhu Xiang received permission from Zhao Xing to leave the mansion and went out alone. Zhao Xing knew that Zhu Xiang was going on Yan Ning's behalf, and since he, as a general's attendant, could not do what Yan Ning did, he turned a blind eye and let Zhu Xiang go.
Zhu Xiang recounted to Heshen what had happened to Yan Ning at the Fucha residence the previous day. After listening, Heshen instructed Zhu Xiang to go back and tell Yan Ning, "No matter what, I will do everything in my power to protect her!"
After Zhu Xiang left, Heshen paced back and forth in his study. The wrinkles between his brows deepened. The Fucha family were imperial relatives, and with Fukang'an among them, even if Heshen had the emperor's trust, he probably couldn't touch the Fucha family.
"Master, the Su family from Jiangnan requests an audience!" Liu Quan announced from outside the door.
Heshen stopped in his tracks. "The Su family?"
Liu Quan replied, "They are the parents of Su Jinteng, the imperial bodyguard who was imprisoned the other day for angering the emperor!"
Heshen remembered that Su Jinteng had donated 150,000 taels of silver to him in exchange for the position of Imperial Bodyguard. Unexpectedly, Su Jinteng had neglected his duties while serving the Emperor, angering him and resulting in his imprisonment. Heshen ordered someone to inform Su Jinteng's parents in Jiangnan that very night, urging them to come to the capital immediately, hoping to profit from the situation.
The wrinkles between Heshen's brows gradually relaxed, and his eyes smiled like crescent moons. "Tell them to wait for me in the hall in the front yard! I'll be there shortly!" After saying that, Heshen went to his desk, picked out one of Yan Ning's many portraits, and walked towards the front yard.
Fukang'an didn't sleep all night, sitting in his study and carefully recalling everything from his first meeting with Yan Ning to the present. From being initially attracted by her beauty to later being drawn to her naive and innocent nature, Fukang'an realized that he had already fallen deeply in love with Yan Ning.
Fukang'an had once suspected that Yan Ning was a member of the White Lotus Sect, and also suspected that she was a woman from another race. Gradually, Yan Ning's fragility made him no longer want to inquire about her background. Fukang'an believed that with his military might as a general, no matter who Yan Ning was, he could keep her in check.
During the day, two servants of the Peony Hall fell ill because of Yan Ning, forcing Fukang'an to re-examine Yan Ning's background. If she was safe and sound, Fukang'an could grant her a lifetime of wealth and glory. But if Yan Ning harmed someone, then as a general of the Qing Dynasty, he could not stand idly by; he had a responsibility to protect the safety of the Qing people.
Fukang'an placed all his hopes on the shaman. If she was the one behind it all, he would immediately bring Yan Ning back to the Fu residence from Yirenxuan. However, he had also personally witnessed Yan Ning emitting strange light, so his hope was extremely slim.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
