As soon as she put on the shoes, Xiang'er felt something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Yan Ning beside her remained troubled, but Xiang'er didn't think much of it and hurriedly left the courtyard.
The garden was rather deserted in autumn. A few scattered clusters of flowers, whose names I didn't know, were hidden by the chrysanthemums that filled the garden.
As soon as Xiang'er entered the garden, she called Zhu Xiang, Ming Xin, and Rong Xi to pick chrysanthemums, saying she would make honey chrysanthemum cakes for everyone. Yan Ning picked a golden chrysanthemum and flicked off the raindrops. Looking at Yan Ning, there was a hint of surprise in her eyes, "I thought you only knew how to wield swords and spears, but it turns out you can also do these delicate and pleasing things!"
The gray satin cheongsam was no longer straight because of Xiang'er's protruding belly. She took the golden chrysanthemum from Yan Ning's hand and threw it into Rong Xi's basket, and said with a gentle smile: "After washing the chrysanthemum petals, soak them in the honey jar overnight, so that the sweetness of the honey can seep into the chrysanthemum petals. The next morning, take the fresh autumn dew and glutinous rice flour from the chrysanthemum leaves."
Looking at the garden full of chrysanthemums, a hint of melancholy appeared on Xiang'er's face. "The chrysanthemum cake steamed this way has the fragrance of chrysanthemums, the sweetness of honey, and the coolness of autumn dew. It's unforgettable!"
These words weren't originally hers, yet they slipped out so naturally. The figure who praised her skillful hands that day was now barely recognizable in her memory.
In the same garden, two women stand side by side, heartbroken for the same man. Every frown and smile, every sorrow and grief, is for him.
To dispel the sorrow between the two, Yan Ning gently pulled off the white handkerchief at her waist and began to dance among the flowers.
She wore a bright red cheongsam embroidered with golden chrysanthemums, and her feet spun rapidly. Her figure rose and fell among the flowers, her raised feet gently sweeping away the various chrysanthemum petals, much like the flowers that dotted the green grass across the Mulan Hunting Ground.
Fukang'an saw Yan Ning's figure hidden among the flowers in the distance, and his feet involuntarily walked forward. A gust of wind blew away the white handkerchief in Yan Ning's hand, and he reached out and caught the handkerchief fluttering in the air.
Yan Ning bent down, her slender fingers brushing across her stunning face, her rosy lips parting to reveal a smile that could topple kingdoms.
When she saw a pair of men's boots, she was momentarily distracted and almost fell to the ground, but Fukang'an caught her in his arms.
The instant their eyes met, Yan Ning subtly pushed Fukang'an away, took her handkerchief from his hand, stepped back to be level with Xiang'er, and curtsied.
Fukang'an noticed Yan Ning's distance from him. He put his hands behind his back and looked at Yan Ning, who had her head down.
Wu Chun stepped forward, bowed to Yan Ning, and looked at Xiang'er's prominent belly with envy in her eyes.
Upon seeing Wuchun, Yan Ning and Xiang'er bid farewell to Fukang'an. Fukang'an nodded, watching the two depart in silence. His hands, bound behind his back, tightly gripped the black satin ribbon hanging from his braid.
After leaving the garden, Yan Ning bid farewell to Xiang'er. Xiang'er was at peace with herself and didn't care about Wu Chun's matter. Knowing that Yan Ning wanted to be alone, she nodded and helped Rong Xi back to Furong Garden.
Yan Ning hurried towards Jian Gong Zhai in her platform shoes, but stopped at the gate. She turned and headed towards the main gate of the Fucha Mansion, wanting to take one last look at the Fu Residence. Since moving to Jian Gong Zhai, she had never returned to the Fu Residence.
She wanted to go back to Fuzhai for a visit, but Zhao Xing stopped her. He said that some of the scenery in Fuzhai was not in accordance with feng shui and was under renovation, so it was not advisable to go in. Yan Ning had no choice but to give up, because at that time, she believed that a place of good fortune and peace was her place of refuge.
Things are different now. Fukang'an no longer lives alone in Jian Gong Zhai, but lingers in Chun Ying Yuan. Her lips, like lilies, bloom with a mocking smile, and she walks as fast as if she were flying.
Zhu Xiang and Ming Xin, unaware of her meaning, could only follow her and jog along.
As soon as she reached the gate of the mansion, the guards stopped her. "Without a leave order, Madam is not allowed to leave the mansion!" She stopped walking quickly, the tassels on her shoes swaying as she hurried along.
Looking at Yan Ning's worried face, Zhu Xiang still remembered when Yan Ning first came to the Fu residence. Her somewhat immature face, though often showing fear, was much more relaxed than it is now with her brows furrowed.
After serving Yan Ning her meal, Zhu Xiang quietly went to Chun Ying Garden to find Zhao Xing. She hesitated outside Chun Ying Garden, worried that if she went there rashly, she might run into the general and cause trouble for the lady.
The servants in the manor all knew about Zhu Xiang and Zhao Xing's affair. As soon as the servants in Chunying Garden saw Zhu Xiang, they knew she had come to see Zhao Xing and quickly went to inform him.
Under the cover of night, Zhao Xing wiped the sweat from his brow, looked at Zhu Xiang, and blushed with embarrassment. "The General hasn't been to Jian Gong Zhai often lately, and hasn't had a proper look at you!"
Zhu Xiang lowered her head and said softly, "What is there for me to see! It is the lady who is getting thinner and thinner, which is heartbreaking, but the general has not come to see her!"
The surroundings were completely silent, and Zhao Xing heard Zhu Xiang's words clearly. He pulled Zhu Xiang a little further to a secluded spot and lowered his voice, "Go back and quietly tell Madam that recently, because the Emperor has been urgently urging the progress of the reconstruction of Fragrant Hills, the General has been reviewing the reconstruction drawings submitted from various places in his study every night!"
With those words, Zhu Xiang released Zhao Xing's hand and ran towards Jian Gong Zhai. Zhao Xing's hand suddenly felt empty, and he hurriedly shouted after Zhu Xiang's disappearing figure into the night, "Don't let the general know it was me!"
His soft call went unanswered, like a pebble dropped into a deep well. He scratched his head in exasperation and muttered to himself, "Maybe I should have said it later!"
Zhu Xiang's face was slightly flushed from running. Yan Ning was sitting by the window reading the book Zhang Shi had left for her. She glanced up at the panting Zhu Xiang, then lowered her head again. "Is there anything in Jian Gong Zhai that makes you so nervous and happy?" Her figure in the candlelight was poignant and forlorn.
Zhu Xiang shook her head and patted her chest a few times. "Yes, yes..."
"Madam, something terrible has happened! Please go to Furong Garden to see my concubine!" Although Rongxi was standing outside the courtyard, her loud shouts still reached Yan Ning's ears inside the room.
Yan Ning dropped the book in her hand and rushed out without even putting on her shoes. Xiang'er was already eight months pregnant. Although she had never given birth before, she knew about premature birth. Could it be that Xiang'er was going to have a premature birth?
Zhu Xiang chased after her, carrying Yan Ning's shoes. As Yan Ning put on her shoes, she asked Rong Xi, who was trembling.
Rongxi could no longer speak coherently, only repeating, "Blood, so much blood..."
Sensing something was wrong, Yan Ning quickly instructed the servants in the courtyard to fetch a midwife to Furong Garden. When the ladies and concubines of the Fucha family gave birth, they would hire a midwife and provide them with good food and drink in the mansion when they were five months pregnant.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, the stars were few and the moon was bright—a propitious omen, yet it filled Yan Ning with unease. She had no experience with childbirth, but she couldn't fathom Xi Ying's thoughts. Knowing that Fu Kang'an was present, those who wanted to interfere would have no chance to act. Yan Ning instructed Zhu Xiang to quickly go to Chun Ying Garden to invite Fu Kang'an to Fu Rong Garden.
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