"Master, I'll stew chicken for you today." Yiren put the last basket of corn in her hand in the corner and climbed up the ladder.
Nan Yi patted his stomach, then looked at the remaining ten or so chickens, and decisively shook his head, "Keep them, we'll eat them during the New Year."
Now that everything is gone, she won't be able to eat vegetables during the New Year. Nowadays, even when people occasionally come to the courtyard, she can't easily touch the supplies in the lotus garden.
"Let's make something light for dinner," she said, glancing at the pumpkins by the courtyard wall. "How about pumpkin porridge and pumpkin pancakes? I'd like to eat that."
"Yes, as you wish, Master." Yiren went to prepare, and Xiao Shunzi followed behind his master, looking at his own plump body. "I should eat lighter meals. Look at this servant, if I keep eating like this, this courtyard won't be able to hold me anymore."
Nan Yi smiled and joked, "It's alright, we can slaughter it and eat meat during the New Year."
"Master, you're making fun of me again. I gain weight no matter what I eat. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm just easygoing and have a plump body," Xiao Shunzi said helplessly.
"Stop being so glib, go pick some pumpkins." Nan Yi laughed and scolded, then turned to help Yiren gather firewood.
The three of them, master and servants, chatted and laughed as they cooked, filling the small courtyard with joyful sounds. Meanwhile, in the study of the Yong Prince's mansion, Yinzhen was overjoyed.
Su Peisheng waited by the desk and relayed the news that had been sent from the palace that morning: "When the Thirteenth Prince returned to the palace, he was chatting with His Majesty and somehow mentioned the Consort. His Majesty felt pity for the Thirteenth Prince and was probably moved by compassion. The Consort might be able to return."
"Good, good, good." Overjoyed, Yinzhen said "good" three times in a row.
He then instructed Su Peisheng, "Quickly go to Lanyuan to prepare the things that Consort needs. Warm up the house first, and also prepare the small kitchen. Tell Granny Zhao privately to prepare some of Consort's favorite dishes and pastries at any time."
“This…” Su Peisheng stopped the prince’s suggestion. “Your Highness, this matter has not yet spread. I think it is not advisable to alarm others. Perhaps we should wait until things are settled before making any plans.”
Yinzhen's smile faded slightly. He paced back and forth behind his desk, his hands behind his back, deep in thought. Ten years, ten years... He had waited for this long time, so he didn't care about these few more days.
"Very well, I'll wait."
Yinzhen's brows furrowed with a mixture of joy and unease. He longed to see Yi'er as soon as possible, yet feared further unforeseen events.
He waved his hand and said, "Give the order to continue to keep a close watch and report back to the master immediately if there is any news."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Su Peisheng was also happy for the prince. The prince finally had a glimmer of hope, and he could be happier in the future. Thinking this, he quickly left the study.
Upon receiving such good news, Yinzhen felt a surge of excitement in his chest. He couldn't bear to look at the official documents at that moment, so he simply put down his pen and turned to go to the small room behind the curtain.
Here lies the most beautiful and unforgettable time he spent with the Tong family.
When Empress Tong left for Tongzhou, he added a wooden box to the house. Half of the box was filled with letters that Empress Tong had sent over the past ten years, and the other half was filled with the birthday gifts he gave to Empress Tong every year.
Ten years, ten items.
In nearly two hundred letters, her rambling words leap off the page, as if her voice and smile were right before my eyes.
She could be playful, mischievous, charming, coquettish, or domineering, including glaring at him when they argued. When he thought of her, he could always clearly recall several of her expressions.
My fingers traced the envelopes, and with their companionship, it felt as if she had never left me.
Yinzhen closed the box, locked it, and then turned to take down a painting hanging beside the bed.
He spread the painting on his desk and gazed at it for a long time.
The painting was done ten years ago. One day, Yi'er was taking a nap in the courtyard. On a whim, he painted her sleeping face.
Yi'er, it's been ten years. How are you?
"Father, your son is back." The study door was pushed open, and the Fourth Prince Hongli rushed in excitedly.
"Fourth Prince, please wait." Quanfu followed him in, along with the Third Prince Hongshi and the Fifth Prince Hongzhou.
"The son has met his father."
Yinzhen glanced at the boys, then casually rolled up the painting and handed it to Quanfu. Quanfu took the painting and hung it back in the small room behind the curtain.
"Have you paid your respects to your mother after school?" Yinzhen asked.
The Third and Fifth Princes were a bit reserved, but the Fourth Prince looked away from the painting, then smiled broadly and replied generously, "No, I plan to pay my respects to Father before going to see Mother. Father, are you free to have a meal with me today?"
"Yes, Father has something to do, so I won't stay with you. It's rare for you to come back, so spend some quality time with your mother."
Hongli smiled, not disappointed at all, "I understand, Father. Don't overwork yourself."
Quanfu hung up the painting and left the study. He saw that the young master had come to pay his respects, so he turned back in to report. Yinzhen heard this and went out to greet him.
The fourth prince was about to leave the study, but then he remembered the painting his father had just admired. Curiosity piqued, he winked at his fifth brother and quietly slipped into the inner room.
Seeing this, the Third Prince quickly advised, "Fourth Brother, no, be careful not to upset Father."
"It's alright, if you don't tell and I don't tell, Father won't know." Hongli exclaimed softly when he saw the painting. The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince were also curious and followed him inside.
Wow~
"This aunt is so beautiful!" The seven-year-old Fifth Prince exclaimed with wide, round eyes. "But who is she? I don't think I've ever seen her in the manor before."
Hongli nodded, "Yes, yes, I've never seen her either. She's even more beautiful than Mother Nian, it's a pity she's asleep."
“I think I’ve seen this before,” the Third Prince said blankly.
Hongli and Hongzhou immediately pressed, "Really? Third Brother, who is she? Is she our deceased mother?"
The Third Prince Hongshi sighed softly. He was already fifteen years old and knew some of the old stories of the mansion. "No, let's go. Don't tell Mother or anyone else about this. If we let it slip, Father will definitely punish us."
"Then you have to tell me who she is," Hongli said to his third brother, making his demands.
The Third Prince pulled his two brothers out of the study and recounted an old story from ten years ago. He concluded, "Mother Tong rarely stayed in the mansion and did not associate with the other women in the mansion. She preferred to be alone. She spent most of her time living in a separate courtyard or the manor in Tongzhou. My mother often said that the best and most beautiful woman in the mansion must be Mother Tong. Father cared about her very much. Unfortunately, she caused trouble and was imprisoned in the Forbidden City by the Emperor."
"Wow, she's amazing! She knows martial arts, she's like a female knight-errant. I wonder if she's as good as Uncle Fourteen," Hongzhou said admiringly.
Uncle Fourteen's kung fu is also extremely powerful; he is also a great general.
Hongli then thought of something else: his thirteenth uncle had also been imprisoned for ten years before being released by the emperor. Today, when the thirteenth prince was talking with the emperor, his thirteenth uncle seemed to have mentioned a woman, also surnamed Tong, who was imprisoned in the Forbidden Garden.
Could it be Tong E'niang?
Should he tell his father about this?
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