Seeing that his sister-in-law had left, the Ninth Prince turned back and sat down dejectedly. "Eighth Brother, thank you," he said, bowing respectfully.
It was really close. Knowing Eighth Sister-in-law's temper, if she knew about this, she would definitely make a scene. At that moment, he really didn't dare to think about the consequences. Although he said he hated her and wanted to break off the friendship, he didn't think of doing anything to her at all.
The Eighth Prince waved his hand wearily and said, "Don't be reckless next time." Too many things had happened recently, and he had lost his vigilance, but he still managed to maintain his composure.
“Eighth Brother, Ninth Brother, you’re both here,” a loud voice broke the somber atmosphere in the pavilion.
"Tenth Brother."
"Why are you here too?"
The Tenth Prince plopped down, frowned, and said, "Sigh, I didn't want to either, but I had no choice but to come." He then took out a box and placed it on the table.
The Ninth Prince glanced at it and asked, "What is this?"
"You should take a look first," said the Ninth Prince.
The Eighth Prince, who was closer, reached out and opened the box. He was slightly taken aback. Inside were two jade bracelets and a thick stack of silver notes. What did this mean?
The Ninth Prince glanced at it, then suddenly snatched the box to examine it closely. Instantly, his eyes turned sinister and ruthless, his face turned ashen, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged on the box. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Who sent this?"
Good, very good. He only realized her identity and then returned the gifts and money he had given her. At least she wasn't as shameless as he thought.
"Hmph, fine," the Ninth Prince sneered. It was time to return it to him. If he threw this thing at any of his wives or concubines, they would be greeted with smiles and served him wholeheartedly. But when he gave it to her, he didn't even get a thank you. It was like throwing a meat bun to a dog, never to be returned.
He cut ties completely, no longer needing to search the entire capital for her, no longer feeling disappointed when he couldn't find her, no longer needing to yearn for her day after day, no longer having any idle thoughts. With that time, he didn't know how much more gold and silver he could have earned.
The idea is good, but... really breaking off all ties?
Without her, no woman would come to rob him of his money, no one would bother him or make a fuss about him, no one would accompany him to walk the tedious streets, and no one would climb over the wall into his room in the middle of the night, interfering with his intimacy with the beauty.
The thought of having nothing at all felt like a knife twisting in his heart, a constant, agonizing pain. How lonely those days must have been! Fine beads of sweat appeared on the Ninth Prince's forehead, and he irritably pulled out a handkerchief to wipe them away.
Seeing the Ninth Prince's sudden change in expression, the Eighth Prince asked, "Ninth Brother, is this yours?"
"Hmm," the voice was soft, low, and filled with disappointment.
"Why is he with the tenth brother?" The eighth prince noticed the strange look on his face and thought that something was probably not simple.
"It was sent by Xiao Xi," Lao Shi explained. He was also puzzled as to why Xiao Xi would send him this for no reason, but he accepted it because it was related to Nan Yi.
"Xiao Xi, it must be related to Nan Yi, right?" The Eighth Prince smiled bitterly. "Look at that thing, it's paying back their money. Such a greedy person, yet he doesn't even want the money anymore. How did things get to this point?" "Nan Yi, she..."
“Where did this Nan Yi come from?” Ninth Prince interrupted him angrily.
The tenth prince lowered his gaze and remained silent. He actually wanted to say that his concubine Zhenzhen was a close friend of Concubine Tong, and he had heard her mention that Concubine Tong was a gentle and kind person, completely different from Nan Yi. He feared there might have been a misunderstanding. However, the ninth prince was too angry to listen.
Fourth Prince's Mansion
Nan sneezed repeatedly, muttering that someone was cursing at her from behind. (The truth about this girl)
The next day, when paying respects, Madam Nian arrived exceptionally early, sitting comfortably on the lower right, smiling gently at each person who entered.
Nan Yi pretended not to see her and remained seated near the entrance. Once everyone was present, Nara spoke as usual, and then looked at everyone.
"Sister, you look radiant today," Lady Nian said with a smile, her words carrying a hint of flattery.
Nara smiled lightly, "How can I compare to Sister Nian?" Seeing the jade bracelet on her wrist, she added, "Sister, this bracelet is very nice, it complements Sister Nian's complexion."
Madam Nian raised her wrist and smiled, "Really? My sister thinks so too. Master just sent it last night." She was quite proud of herself, and a faint blush appeared on her face. She was very charming when she looked around.
Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze focused on her wrist, their eyes filled with envy.
Lady Nian enjoyed the attention, which silently proclaimed that she was favored by the master. In contrast, the two newly arrived princesses were much more low-key, remaining silent on the side. The two of them huddled together and whispered to each other.
Nan Yi stared at the scenery outside, oblivious to what was happening in the hall. Li Shi pursed her lips, gave a soft snort, and looked around at everyone, saying, "Fine bracelets, but everyone has a few. Master has also given me a few. If we're talking about something rare, the first thing to mention is Sister Tong's ever-changing clothes. Don't you all agree?"
Upon hearing this, everyone exclaimed, "Yes!"
"Well said."
"That's exactly right."
Nian was slightly embarrassed, and glanced at the person at the entrance of the hall, saying, "Oh, little sister is eager to see, but Sister Tong can't keep it to herself."
The scrutinizing gaze also fell upon Tong's attire today. It had to be admitted that she was indeed very beautiful. She wore a dark red brocade robe with a layer of gauze over it, the two pieces fitting together perfectly. The hem was embroidered with several golden butterflies about to take flight, which complemented the only white jade and gold butterfly hairpin in her hair. She was graceful, noble, and stunningly beautiful.
However, the clothes she wore accentuated her curves, making her waist appear even more slender and long. Unlike her robes, which were also beautiful, the difference in appearance between her and Lady Tong was immediately apparent.
If the two women were each eight points out of ten in terms of looks, then Tong's attire made her a perfect ten. All the other women in the room became mere foils, including herself. This realization was truly embarrassing for her. Even she couldn't help but be attracted to him; what about the master...?
Nan Yi remained unmoved by the news, lost in a jumble of thoughts.
"Sister Tong?"
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