After returning from the main courtyard, Nan Yi nestled in bed and asked Yi Ren to massage her stiff back. Yi Ren felt sorry for her and nagged, "This is hardly a tea party. You've just been sitting here for over an hour in this cold weather. The pastries are cold too. Your stomach will be upset soon."
"I haven't been back to the mansion for many years, and I can't avoid it this time. I've declined all the offers after that, and I'm too lazy to agree to them."
She's not coming back to be subservient. If she's spineless, what is there left for her to hold on to?
Nan Yi breathed a sigh of relief and turned over. "Alright, make some lily and chicken porridge for dinner. Have Granny Zhao make two light dishes. Oh, and I want some vegetarian meatballs. Have Huan'er help her mother. You can rest too."
Yiren draped a blanket over her mistress. "I'm not tired. Over the years, I've become much stronger. I've also learned some health exercises from you, so I have boundless energy. As for you, mistress, you're just like that delicate Lin Daiyu from the book you mentioned. When the prince arrives, you must ask him to invite the Divine Physician Wu to examine you. We mustn't leave you with any health problems in that dilapidated courtyard."
Your Highness?
Two days have passed since I returned to my residence, and he hasn't come here once. I heard he's busy with official duties. Is that really the case?
Nan Yi didn't really believe it, "Hey, Yi Ren..."
She had initially intended to go to the study to see if the Fourth Master had returned home, but then she thought that he would come eventually, so there was no need for her to urge him.
That made her seem impatient.
"Master, is there anything else you need me to do?" Yiren turned back.
"That's all. Go and ask the Fujin for leave. We'll go to the estate to see Yun'er tomorrow," Nan Yi said, changing his mind.
Having finished their errand, Yinzhen and Thirteen were rushing back through the night. Thirteen was exhausted and shouted at the back of the horse that was constantly whipping it, "Fourth Brother, we need to find a place to rest. The people can take it, but the horse can't."
Upon hearing this, Yinzhen reined in his horse, glanced at his exhausted thirteenth brother and the guards behind him, and frowned slightly.
It seems I won't be able to get back tonight.
"Let's camp here and continue our journey tomorrow."
Thirteen breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and smiled, "Thank you for your understanding, Fourth Brother. I know you're eager to go back and see Sister-in-law Tong. Don't worry, Sister-in-law Tong won't run away."
"You think you're so smart." Yinzhen glared at him, took the water and dry rations off the horse, and sat down to rest.
The guards lit a fire, and Yinzhen and the thirteenth prince sat around it. Seeing that his fourth brother was absent-minded, the thirteenth prince couldn't help but smile. The word "love" was indeed the most perplexing, even his fourth brother was deeply involved in it.
Yinzhen took a sip of wine and said gently, "Thirteenth Brother, I have been looking forward to this day every day. I have been looking forward to it for ten years. You and she were imprisoned one after the other, and I was powerless to help you."
"Fourth Brother, it's not your fault. You had no choice. It's all in the past now. You'll see your wife tomorrow at noon. There's no need to rush tonight," Thirteen comforted him.
Yes, it's all in the past.
One night, just one night, yet it felt like an eternity to him. He longed to be in front of her immediately, to know if she was doing well inside, and if she was suffering.
She always said that it was no different from Tongzhou, and that life there was very comfortable.
How could things possibly be good inside the Forbidden Garden?
The next day, before dawn, Yinzhen and his entourage set off and hurried back to the capital. By the time they arrived at the residence, it was already noon. Without changing their clothes or removing the dust, they rushed to the Orchid Courtyard.
Clearly, he had come up empty-handed; Nan Yi had gone to Tongzhou and said he would return the next day.
Nan Yi stayed in Tongzhou for one night and learned that Yun'er was doing well. Yun'er's husband, whom she had married into the family, was a kind and honest man whom Yinzhen had chosen from the army. He was an orphan, and even his name was given to him by Shangguan. He had retired from the army due to injury.
The young couple had a very good relationship. Yun'er had given birth to a son who was just two years old, and Tong Sanjie was helping to take care of him.
Ning'an also got married. Her husband was a scholar who passed the imperial examination. Yinzhen arranged for him to take up a position as a county magistrate. The young couple went to take up their posts two years ago.
Before Yinzhen could wait for Nan Yi, Kangxi summoned him to the palace. No sooner had he left than Nan Yi returned to her residence.
In the Orchid Courtyard, two head maids specially assigned by Yinzhen, Lanzhi and Lanye, came forward to greet her, "Consort, may you rest in peace."
Nan Yi hummed in agreement. "Is anything happening in the courtyard today?"
Lanzhi took the two small baskets from her master, while Lanye took Yiren's items. Lanzhi put the items away before replying.
"Reporting to Consort, the Prince returned at noon. As soon as he entered the manor, he was anxious to find you. Knowing that you had gone out, he wanted to go find you, but unexpectedly, the palace summoned the Prince. The Prince left a message asking you to wait for him to have dinner together."
"Oh, the prince is back." Nan Yi smiled. "He has a good tongue. I just happened to bring some sweet fermented rice balls made by Granny Qiu today. We don't need to prepare anything for dinner, we can just have these."
"Yes, this servant will go prepare." Yiren and Lanzhi carried the small basket to the kitchen.
Nan Yi had barely sat down when the old woman guarding the gate came to report that Ying Gege was requesting an audience outside the courtyard.
She paused for a moment, as if she remembered that Yinggege was born to Niu Gulu, and was a few years younger than Huangege born to Wen Shi. She wasn't sure exactly how many years younger.
She had always kept her distance from the princes and princesses in the manor, and had been plotted against several times, all of which were related to the offspring of the manor. She was truly afraid.
"Please tell Princess Ying that I am not feeling well and that I should not pass on my illness to her. Please ask her to go back." Nan Yi said listlessly, then turned and went into the inner room. She took off her shoes and robe and lay down, as she was tired from the carriage ride and wanted to rest.
As Yinggege left dejectedly after saying she wasn't feeling well, she happened to see her father coming over.
"May your daughter be well, Father. May you be blessed."
"How did Ying'er end up here?" Yinzhen asked, frowning.
Yinggege said, "Father, I heard from Sister Huan that Mother Tong is the most beautiful woman in the world. I am curious and would like to come and meet her."
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