On the carriage leaving the palace, Nan Yi tugged at her clothes. When a concubine travels, a ceremonial procession is indispensable. Finding it troublesome, she changed into a palace maid's outfit and traveled with only Yiren.
Thirteen waved his fan and joked, "Fourth Sister-in-law hasn't changed at all. I still remember when I first met you at the villa, you were so scared by the snake that you were scared out of your wits. How pitiful you were."
Nan Yi sighed, "You've changed, Thirteen. I'm not your fourth brother anymore. After all these years of friendship, there's no need to be so polite to me. I'm not used to it. Let's talk like before."
Thirteen tightened his grip on the folding fan, then smiled with relief, "I'll just have to comply, as before."
"That's more like it."
The two smiled at each other, and the atmosphere in the carriage became much warmer. Nan lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, and the bustling noise on the street remained undiminished.
Thirteen asked, "Where does Fourth Sister-in-law want to go?"
Nan Yi thought for a moment, "Let's go to A-Tang's restaurant."
"This is not appropriate," Thirteen said, troubled. Although he had been ordered by his elder brother to take his fourth sister-in-law out of the palace, he feared that his elder brother would be angry if he let his fourth sister-in-law meet with his ninth brother and the others.
“I have something to say to them. I’ll go talk to your fourth brother.”
When she left the palace, playing was secondary; her main purpose was to persuade Ah Tang and the others that since the Fourth Prince had already ascended to the throne, they should not go against him, but rather keep a low profile and prioritize their own safety.
They might not listen, but she still wanted to do everything in her power to save their lives.
“Thirteenth Prince, if Eighth Prince Ah Tang and the others offend your Fourth Brother in court, I hope you can try to persuade them to stop.”
Thirteen smiled bitterly. How could he possibly persuade him? Success is everything. Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Brothers were unwilling to see Fourth Brother ascend to the throne and often provoked him at court meetings. Fourth Brother harbored resentment towards Eighth Brother and the others.
The resentment between them had been brewing for a long time and had become an intractable problem.
Seeing his expression, Nan felt a pang of anxiety. They had finally come to this. "Is it difficult for you?"
Thirteen hurriedly waved his fan twice, not daring to meet Fourth Sister-in-law's anxious gaze, and turned his head away.
Nan Yi sighed sadly and said quietly, "I knew it." She exhaled the frustration in her chest and muttered, "I know it all too well, yet I refuse to face reality."
She knew the outcome was inevitable, but never considered changing or rewriting their fate. From beginning to end, her avoidance caused her immense guilt towards them.
Nan Yi earnestly pleaded with Thirteen, "Do me a favor, invite Eighth Master, Ninth Master, and Tenth Master to a gathering, just once, I must see them."
Thirteen looked solemn, as if she had figured something out. "Fourth Sister-in-law, is this your real purpose for leaving the palace?"
Nan Yi nodded slightly, not intending to hide it from him. "Yes, I just want to see them and see if I can stop them from courting death. You know your fourth brother's temper. He's vindictive and petty. He remembers what happened to you back then. How long can he tolerate them?"
"And what about you, Fourth Sister-in-law? As a palace concubine, how angry would Fourth Brother be if you did this, having an affair with a man? Do you even know how much he values you?"
Thirteen put away her folding fan, her expression slightly agitated. "Don't get involved in this. I'll go and persuade Eighth Brother and Ninth Brother. Women shouldn't meddle in the affairs of the previous dynasty."
"Pfft~" Nan Yi suddenly burst out laughing, unable to suppress his laughter. He met Thirteen's surprised gaze and said with a smile, "You brothers are all the same. You can't argue with me, so you always use the 'womanly' way to shut me up. I am a woman, but you have to understand, I am not an ordinary woman. Otherwise, how did I manage to break in and deliver things to you that year, hmm?"
Speaking of this, she became smug again, and her tail wagged.
Thirteen was slightly embarrassed, his expression changed, but he couldn't help but smile. He cupped his hands and said, "It seems so. It was my inappropriate words. Fourth Sister-in-law is a heroine of our time, with unparalleled martial arts skills. I admire her and am deeply grateful."
Nan Yi returned the greeting, raising an eyebrow with the air of a chivalrous hero, "No problem."
Unable to dissuade Nan Yi in the end, Thirteen went to inform his brothers, while Nan Yi waited in the restaurant.
Unbeknownst to her, when Thirteen informed Ninth Master and the others, the secret guard responsible for Nan Yi's safety quickly returned to the palace and reported the situation to someone in the palace.
Leaving aside the person who was furious and went ballistic, when Nan Yi met Ninth Master and the others, the group sat down and found themselves speechless.
The failure to seize the throne and the disappointment on the faces of the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Princes were all written in their eyes.
Several months have passed, and they still haven't gotten over it.
Despite their resentment, the ascension of the Fourth Master to the throne was a foregone conclusion and could not be changed. Nan Yi hoped they would not dwell on the present but look to the future. "I called you here today..."
"If you're here as a mediator, then forget it. It's all about who wins and who loses. Kill or torture him as he pleases." Tenth Master interrupted Nan Yi, angrily raising his hand to gulp down the wine on the table, then slamming the glass heavily on the table.
Thirteen, unable to tolerate his tenth brother's aggressive words, immediately retorted, "Tenth brother, what are you saying? Who wants to kill you? We are all brothers. The Emperor is not such a heartless person."
Ninth Master spoke in a low voice, "Whether he is heartless or not, everyone knows in their hearts. There is no need for you to cover for him. Thirteenth Brother, back then, your brothers wronged you and caused you to be imprisoned by Father Emperor."
Upon hearing this, the private room fell silent. Eighth Master and Tenth Master also showed apology on their faces. Although Thirteenth Brother always followed Fourth Brother's lead, he had the best relationship with all the brothers.
Thirteen smiled faintly. The pain was over, and he had long since let go. Born into royalty, enjoying boundless wealth and glory, one must naturally bear the risks hidden behind that glory at any time.
"This matter is over, brothers, you don't need to take it to heart. I've long forgotten about it." He picked up a glass of wine, gestured to the group, downed it in one gulp, and showed the bottom of the glass. He was a gentleman of integrity, with the intention of letting bygones be bygones over a cup of wine.
Tenth Master clapped his hands and shouted, "Good, as expected of Thirteenth Brother, so magnanimous."
Eighth Master and Ninth Master also toasted him with a cup of wine, which he drank in one gulp.
Seeing that the four had put aside their past grievances, Nan said with a smile, "Alright, let's not bring up old stories anymore. The most important thing is the present."
She glanced at the group and said, "I came out of the palace to see you this time for no other reason than to stand up for you and not to plead for you. I am just standing on the side of a friend and I am worried about you."
Yinzhen glanced at her, his eyes still filled with tenderness, still doting and tolerant, "We are all grown men, what is there to worry about? As for you, you should be more careful. The palace is not like the outside world. You should change your carefree and playful ways from before."
“Yes, Nan Yi, now that Lady Nian is the head of the four concubines, the Nian family is very powerful. Don’t make things difficult for her. You should be more honest and humble in the future. In the end, you should keep a low profile. Sometimes, your fourth brother will not be able to protect you.” The tenth prince also chimed in from behind.
"I think you're the ones who should be keeping your tails between your legs," Nan Yi retorted, then suddenly realized she'd spoken out of turn. Sure enough, Eighth Master and the others looked gloomy.
“I mean, things are different now. Don’t argue with him. I hope you can all be alright…” Nan paused, tightened his grip on the teacup, and murmured, “Don’t make me worry.”
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