Those from the Yong Prince's residence who went to the palace for the banquet all had their own thoughts on their minds. Lady Nara followed behind Yinzhen, while Lady Nian and Lady Li walked side by side, each lost in their own thoughts.
The maidservant supporting Nian Shi wasn't paying attention, and Nian Shi wasn't looking where she was going either. Suddenly, she stepped on a pebble under the flowerpot and stumbled.
Ms. Nian exclaimed in surprise. When she tried to stand up again, a sharp pain shot through her ankle; she had twisted her ankle.
"Master, you..."
"Shh~"
But Yinzhen had already heard the commotion behind him. "What's wrong?"
Yuexiang hurriedly knelt on the ground, "This servant is guilty. This servant did not support my mistress properly and caused her to twist her ankle."
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Li scoffed, not afraid of offending Madam Nian at all, and said, "Here we go again. Can't you come up with something new?"
Lady Nian was furious. She gritted her teeth and apologized to Yinzhen, "It was my fault. I accidentally stepped on a pebble."
Li continued to argue with her, showing her no mercy. She chuckled and said, "It's strange, though. This pebble doesn't hurt anyone's foot, but it seems to be burrowing into yours."
She was practically pointing out that Nian had deliberately stepped on the stones to twist her ankle.
There were people walking ahead, and Nian was walking behind. Li's words inevitably made people wonder if Nian had done this intentionally.
But she was truly innocent this time. Unfortunately, after countless previous instances, every time she tried to explain, it only made things worse.
"No, it was because I didn't see the road clearly that my mistress twisted her ankle. Please forgive me, Your Highness," Yuexiang quickly apologized.
"What a loyal girl," Li sneered.
Yinzhen seemed oblivious to the subtle power struggle between them. His expression remained unchanged as he strode over, picked up Nian Shi in his arms, and said, "Let's go. The Thirteenth Prince and I have some matters to discuss. We'll take you back to your residence later."
Lady Nian was secretly delighted by Yinzhen's actions. She hugged Yinzhen's neck, nestled her head in his arms, and smiled faintly.
Li was so angry that she stomped her feet and muttered through gritted teeth, "Look at how smug she is."
Nara pretended not to hear and followed the figure in front of her.
On the night Nan Yi returned, Fourth Master did not go back to his residence, but stayed at Thirteenth Master's residence until after the morning court the next day.
After seeing off the Tenth Prince who came to fetch Zhenzhen, Xiao Xi rode away alone, agreeing to meet them at Huyue Tower three days later. Eunuch Gao came to deliver a message, saying that the Princess Consort was inviting all the masters in the inner courtyard to tea.
Nan Yi smiled and nodded, and then had Yiren reward Gao Wuyong. As generous as ever, the little eunuch behind Gao Wuyong craned his neck, his eyes filled with envy.
She chuckled to herself, gave Yiren a wink, and Yiren rewarded her with a silver ingot.
The young eunuch was surprised to receive a reward himself, and after a moment of astonishment, he loudly expressed his gratitude.
Gao Wuyong smiled and instructed the young eunuch, "Go quickly and inform the Fujin (principal wife) that the secondary Fujin will arrive immediately."
"This servant takes his leave." The young eunuch grinned and trotted off to inform them.
Yi Ren helped Nan Yi walk slowly forward. The winter scenery was desolate, the snow had not yet melted, and the winter plum blossoms in the garden were still in bloom. Red plum blossoms against white snow, with a faint fragrance floating in the air.
Nan saw that the flowers were in full bloom and reached out to pick a branch, but her hand, which was halfway up, suddenly froze and then fell down.
She hadn't forgotten that the flowers in this garden also belonged to someone, and couldn't be picked at will.
The master was lost in thought, and Yiren glanced at the plum branches. "Master, do you like plum blossoms? I'll have a few branches picked and put in a vase later."
Nan shook her head. "I don't like it."
Don't you like it? I was just about to fold it.
"Hurry up, don't keep the Fujin waiting." Nan Yi said nonchalantly. She stopped admiring the plum blossoms in the garden, walked quickly, and her straight back still showed a hint of arrogance.
Nan Yi had not returned for ten years, and several new people had come to the mansion. Similarly, several old faces had also disappeared.
The Li family, the Nian family, and others arrived early—no, it should be said that everyone who was supposed to arrive arrived earlier than Nan Yi, and everyone eagerly awaited their arrival.
Everyone seemed eager to see how aged and destitute Consort Tong had become after being imprisoned for ten years, given the place she had been confined to.
"I'm afraid it's too late to watch. Sigh, what's she doing out here? Is she just trying to annoy Master?" said Liu Gege, who was sitting below Nian Shi.
She entered the household in the 46th year and was betrothed to the Fourth Prince by Consort De. She was pretty and looked quite like Lady Li Jia, which earned her some favor from the Fourth Prince.
Oh, I forgot to mention, Ms. Li Jia suffered a miscarriage back then and didn't recover for several years. She then fell ill and remained bedridden for a year before passing away. Her beautiful soul has departed.
Among the women who perished in the backyard was Consort Qi.
"Indeed, beauties and famous generals have always been forbidden to grow old in this world. It is pitiful for a beauty to grow old." Wuya Gege, who was next to Liu Gege, stroked her fan and sighed with a smug look on her face.
Liu Gege chuckled softly and leaned closer to Nian Shi to flatter her, "Our Nian Shi is the best, favored by the heavens. Look at this room full of... uh~" She seemed to be choked, her mouth slightly open, pointing to the door, her eyes shocked and blank.
This is impossible, absolutely impossible. The Tong family monsters? Nobody lives forever.
Liu Gege suddenly fell silent. Madam Nian put down her teacup, turned her head to the side, and asked, "What's wrong...?"
Of the fifteen people in the hall, nine were entitled to sit, and six were standing concubines. All of them were shocked, their eyes and hearts filled with the three words: Impossible.
The woman who entered through the door looked nothing like someone who had been imprisoned for ten years; time seemed to have stopped for her.
Lady Nian felt as if she were seeing that year again, when she first entered the mansion and served tea to the Fujin. When it was Tong Yilan's turn, she was amazed by her elegant and beautiful appearance.
At that moment, she felt threatened.
Why is God so unfair?
Ten years have passed, and she has lived in that kind of place, yet she doesn't look like she's been through any hardship. She remains so otherworldly and has an extraordinary appearance.
She was unadorned, her skin was snow-white, and her eyes were still clear and bright like water. Even her slightly worn clothes could not hide the beautiful aura surrounding her.
No, it has changed.
She seemed more composed, with a hint of aloofness in her expression.
He didn't even glance at them.
Yes, when she never paid any attention to the people in the inner courtyard, she always did as she pleased and caused so much trouble, yet the master never punished her; on the contrary, she became even more favored.
She thought that once Tong Yilan was imprisoned in the Forbidden Garden by imperial decree, she would surely die there. With this formidable rival gone, the Fujin miscarried and Tong was imprisoned. Two major threats were gone at once. During that time, she would occasionally wake up in the middle of the night laughing.
It's all the fault of the thirteenth prince for meddling; he hadn't cleared his own name yet, but he started meddling in other people's business.
When Nan Yi saw Nara come out of the inner room, she curtsied and said, "Yilan greets the Princess Consort. May the Princess Consort be blessed."
Nara was also startled, her eyes flickered slightly, and her trembling fingertips retreated into her sleeve. She nodded to her with feigned composure.
She took her seat in the main seat, and Fang gestured to Madam Tong, "Get up."
The crowd snapped out of their shock and rose to their feet to pay their respects, though their gazes still lingered on Nan Yi from time to time.
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