Aside from making up for it with money, she couldn't think of any way to alleviate her guilt. But being kept from leaving was worse than death. But what was worse than death was the matter that kept her up at night, keeping her awake at night.
After court, Yinzhen went directly to his study. After dinner, Su Peisheng led Huan'er in. Huan'er was holding a small box and was so frightened that she didn't make a sound, keeping her head down until Su Peisheng nudged her.
Yinzhen glanced at him and said indifferently, "What is it?" He knew this girl. She was usually dull-witted, but Yi'er liked to order her around. Thinking of her, he sighed.
Huan'er, her face pale, trembled as she held up the box. Su Peisheng took the box and placed it in front of his master. The box looked very familiar; it was something the master had given to Consort Tong.
Yinzhen took the book, opened it, and couldn't hide his anger. He slammed his fist on the table, and the inkstone on the table bounced a few times.
It's ridiculous that she refused the silver jewelry he gave her and expressed her dissatisfaction to him. As if he cared, she didn't care whether she wanted it or not.
He was shocked and furious when he ran into her on the street the night before last. A woman, with a young eunuch, sneaked out of the mansion. She was incredibly bold. The two of them were weak and powerless. He didn't even want to imagine what would happen if something happened to them. The security in the capital was not as good as others imagined.
He escorted Xu'er a short distance before hurrying back to his residence, ignoring Xu'er's expectant and dejected expression.
He thought she would apologize for what she had done wrong, but instead she returned the silver and jewelry, which infuriated him.
Yinzhen examined the box. She hadn't shown herself for two days, and the weather was getting colder, especially at night. He wondered how she slept peacefully.
He caught a glimpse of the girl still kneeling on the ground out of the corner of his eye and said, "Get up, and take her out."
"twitter"
The little girl fled in panic. He pursed his lips. All four of his personal maids had been injured. The only servants he could use in the Orchid Courtyard were two old men and a young girl. She had refused to serve anyone else, and it was freezing cold outside. She would have to suffer for the time being.
He stayed in the study until the second watch of the night, feeling a slight chill. He reached for the table but found nothing. Just then, Su Peisheng handed him a cup of tea. He took it, drank a sip, got up, and went to the window. He slightly opened the window, and a chill seeped in, making him shiver. He didn't sleep a wink all night after that.
On the third day, Yinzhen was on leave and was dozing off when Su Peisheng came in and whispered something in his ear.
"How did she disappear? Didn't the gatekeepers notice?" Yinzhen gripped the robe on his knees and suddenly stood up. "Go and see."
When he arrived at Madam Tong's bedroom, Aunt Qiu, Granny Zhao, and Huan'er knelt on the ground to beg for forgiveness.
"Where is the concubine?"
Qiu Ma knelt a few steps forward, lowered her head and said, "None of us knew that when I came to pay my respects today, Huan'er was crying at the door. I asked her carefully and found out that the master was not in the courtyard, but he left a note for the master."
Aunt Qiu was neither humble nor arrogant, and even Yinzhen (the Yongzheng Emperor) held her in high regard.
Yinzhen took the note, his face ashen, but his tone was unusually calm. "Su Peisheng, send someone to find him immediately. Remember to keep it a secret and don't let a word of it leak out."
He was completely unaware of how many times she had sneaked out without his knowledge. If he hadn't discovered it, he would still be in the dark.
She's really audacious. She's already a prince's wife, yet she wants to stay out all night and not return home. She's completely disregarding etiquette and law. How did the Tong family raise her?
Late into the night, Su Peisheng reported that there was no trace of her. Where had she gone? Was she in danger? Yinzhen sat anxiously until dawn, then quickly tidied himself up before going to court. After court, he hurriedly returned to his residence.
"Master, we haven't been able to find a concubine at the villa, the inn, the Tong residence, or the Xiao Xi family."
Su Peisheng knelt on the ground, his voice unsteady. He had searched everywhere he could, but when he heard that he hadn't found her, the master's gaze could kill. If the concubine didn't appear soon, it might alarm the palace.
"Keep searching, she must be hiding somewhere." Furious eyes shot straight at Su Peisheng, who, startled, swallowed hard and replied, "Yes, sir!"
Nan Yi didn't finish her journey. She disguised herself as a tomboy and left the mansion. This time, she planned to arrange her departure route in advance.
She could no longer stay in the manor. Over the course of half a year, his backyard had slowly worn down the sharpness in her heart.
She once vowed to roam the martial world and become a free and unrestrained female knight-errant, but when did this idea become so blurred?
She could never be like those women, locked up in the backyard all day, devoting her whole heart to him, and constantly getting jealous over him.
This is not what I want.
She is the lawless Nan Yi, who is always making a scene for a man, betraying the 21 years of careful teaching from her master, senior brothers, and adoptive parents.
The fourth prince of the Qing Dynasty, Yinzhen, was never her destiny.
Nan Yi spent a lot of money to obtain a fake household registration and travel permit, and planned his escape route. Everything was ready.
Late on the fourth night, Nan Yi leisurely returned to her residence. When she crept back to her room, she suddenly saw a dark figure sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Who?" The tinderbox suddenly lit up, illuminating the candle. Nan saw the figure in the room and coldly turned his head away.
Yinzhen couldn't sleep, so he came to the Orchid Courtyard. Looking at the familiar things around him, Yinzhen felt even more sleepless. He had no choice but to get up and sit quietly, hoping to catch the woman who had sneaked back to the mansion.
"Where did you go?" The voice was cold and clear, clearly an attempt to interrogate him.
Nan snorted, kicked off her embroidered shoes, got into bed, pulled back the covers, and went to sleep.
Yinzhen trembled with rage. He stepped forward, yanked off the covers, and glared at her retreating figure, shouting, "I'm asking you where you went!"
Does she know how he's been these past few days? He's been restless and anxious day and night, fearing something might happen to her while she's out.
He searched the entire capital city, but she, upon returning and seeing him waiting for her, didn't even greet him, simply turning her back on him. What did she think this place was, a place where she could run wild?
Nan Yizhen remained silent, too lazy to pay him any attention. Yinzhen instinctively felt that he had never been so furious in his life. His anger seemed to want to burn the house to ashes and turn this woman to dust.
Seeing that she ignored him, he gritted his teeth and said, "Are you deaf?" Enraged, Yinzhen grabbed her, pulled her out, and shook her violently, gripping her shoulders tightly. "Answer me!"
“Go to hell, okay?” Nan Yi roared shrilly.
Yinzhen's expression hardened, his pupils contracted, and he suddenly realized what was happening. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Then why did you come back?"
Hearing her utter the word "death" filled him with boundless anger and a panic he couldn't comprehend. If what she said was true, he dared not imagine the consequences. His body and hair were given to him by his parents, yet she spoke of death so easily.
Nan Yi narrowed her eyes. It seemed she had made a mistake coming back; she should have died out there. She chuckled lightly and said mockingly, "I didn't die. The King of Hell won't take me. Otherwise... you can try. You'd better give me a knife, or a bottle of poison, or just chop off my head."
She spoke casually, as if she were discussing what to eat tomorrow with him.
Yinzhen was somewhat frustrated by this Tong Shi. She was not afraid of him, not afraid of losing favor, and even less afraid of dying. However, he still cared about her, damnably cared about her.
A sharp pain shot through Nan Yi's shoulder, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. He bit his lip and groaned, not daring to beg for mercy. He wasn't afraid of death, so what did physical pain matter? He couldn't outmaneuver him in the manor, so he might as well be angry to death.
She has to be patient, just bear with it, things will get better in a while.
Yinzhen was furious. What would it take for a stubborn and obstinate woman to soften her stance or act coquettishly?
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