Xiao Yi returned to the capital with the army from Lingyun Prefecture. Upon arrival, he immediately went to the palace to meet the emperor. Although his official title was military governor, with the general wounded, Xiao Yi temporarily assumed the role of commander. This triumphant return further enhanced Xiao Yi's prestige in the court.
Civil officials wanted to win Xiao Yi's support, and military officials did too; this Prince Rui's heir had become a rising star in the court.
After shaking off the invitations from his colleagues in the court, Xiao Yi finally returned to the Prince Rui's residence. However, his parents seemed to be looking rather strange.
"Yi'er, tell your mother honestly, what's the situation with that fisherwoman?" Princess Rui's expression was solemn. She hadn't even returned yet, but she had already sent a fisherwoman over. Wasn't this a slap in the face to the Crown Princess?
Xiao Yi was taken aback, then immediately thought of that girl, and was at a loss for words.
"Father, Mother, do you really think I'm such an unreliable person?" Xiao Yi explained, "Miss Hailan saved people from Lingyunzhou, there's still a misunderstanding here."
“Then you should have sent the person to the General’s Mansion,” Princess Rui said. “Why did you bring the person here? What will Hongzhu think of this?”
"Miss Hailan saved Ling Yunzhou, and Qian Feng and the others have always regarded her as their benefactor. However, at that time, Miss Hailan was dressed as a boy, and it was only after an accident on the way back to the capital that they realized she was a girl. Qian Feng and the others thought that the Princess had always had feelings for Ling Yunzhou, and they were afraid that something might happen if a girl were to suddenly appear in the mansion, so they asked me to bring her back first."
Xiao Yi briefly explained the situation, "Father, Mother, have you... learned something?" Xiao Yi keenly noticed that the attitudes of Prince Rui and Princess Rui were somewhat unusual.
"You should go back to your courtyard and talk to Hongzhu first. She's been having the hardest time lately," said Princess Rui.
Xiao Yi was constantly worried about Hongzhu's safety, fearing that he would return to find her dead.
"I'll go right now!" Xiao Yi bid farewell to his parents and went straight back to his courtyard, where he met Hongzhu, who happened to be looking for him.
“I wanted to wait for you at the front,” Hongzhu said directly. “The news of your return to the capital has already been sent back, but you’ve already entered the palace.”
"Are you... alright?" Xiao Yi looked Hongzhu up and down. In the few days since he last saw her, Hongzhu had become much fairer and looked even more beautiful.
"I'm alright. I've had a few close calls, but they've all been close calls. What about you? They say you brought a girl back?" Hongzhu raised an eyebrow, sounding displeased. Even if they were husband and wife in name only, they shouldn't be slapping her in the face like this!
"My father and mother questioned me about this matter, so I explained it to them," Xiao Yi said with a wry smile, then repeated himself.
"Oh, it seems that General Ling is quite popular with women!" Hongzhu couldn't help but tease. "But he acts like a man in front of him, how come he turns back into a woman in front of you? Let me tell you, I don't have that kind of tolerance."
Xiao Yi walked back into the house with Hongzhu, dismissed the maid, and then asked Hongzhu, "Did Father and Mother find out something?"
“Of course I know someone wants to confirm your fate of being a jinx to your wife. My mother even sent someone to another place to have your birth date and time calculated. All that talk about being a jinx to your wife is fake,” Hongzhu said. “Also, Sister Tao said that when you come back to see her, she seems to know something.”
Hongzhu was still a little puzzled. She pressed Tao Wanniang for answers, but Tao Wanniang just smiled and remained silent. "Is the Star-Picking Tower really that well-connected? How could Sister Tao know so much even in the kitchen?"
Tao Wanniang is looking for him! Xiao Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately said, "Judging from your tone just now, do you know about the relationship between Lingyunzhou and Sister Tao?"
Hongzhu nodded, her expression becoming somewhat gossipy.
"None of you told me before that Lingyunzhou is so favored by the Princess, and has such an extraordinary wife as Sister Tao. Why do you think he asked you to bring back his savior?"
Seeing Hongzhu's embarrassed smile, Xiao Yi couldn't help but chuckle as well.
"I didn't have time to ask more. How did things go between Lingyunzhou and the Princess during my absence from the capital? If there's nothing wrong, Miss Hailan, please send it over there."
Hongzhu immediately recounted how the Eldest Princess went to the Star-Picking Tower to vent her anger on Tao Wanniang and publicly confessed her love to Ling Yunzhou, only to be rejected by him. Finally, she couldn't help but click her tongue and say, "Now that the Eldest Princess is seriously ill, tell me, why did things go wrong at such a crucial moment?"
"Look at you, do you want to see what happens next?"
Xiao Yi joked that Hongzhu looked rather cute, and that she must have had a hard time all by herself while he was away. "Hongzhu, thank you!"
"Huh?" Hongzhu was taken aback, but then said casually, "What are you thanking me for? I've become the Crown Prince's wife now, living the high life. By the way, now that you're back, how about we go to Zhaixing Tower and have a feast? Sister Tao's cooking skills combined with Zhaixing Tower's pastries, ah, just thinking about it makes my mouth water!"
Going to the Star-Picking Tower was naturally on Xiao Yi's mind. Having inquired about Lingyunzhou, he roughly knew about Tao Wanniang's current situation. Perhaps feeling a bit homesick, Xiao Yi smiled faintly at Hongzhu, making her heart race.
"What, you're still not happy?"
Xiao Yi shook his head and said, "Of course I'll go. Didn't you say Sister Tao wanted to see me? Now that you mention it, I'm really craving the food at Zhaixing Tower. What, have they introduced new pastries again?"
"You don't know, the new desserts from Zhaixinglou have become a sensation in the capital. There's double-skin milk, mung bean milk shaved ice, taro balls, glutinous rice balls, and so many more." Hongzhu looked on with a greedy expression.
"Then let's go. However, I'll go to the General's Mansion first and send Miss Hailan there as well." Since the Princess is seriously ill, she shouldn't be able to reach that far.
"Then hurry up and go, and then set a date for a big feast at the Star-Picking Tower," Hongzhu urged.
"What, you can't leave the Prince's mansion?" Xiao Yi asked in surprise, hearing Hongzhu's tone.
"No, it's not that, but ever since the Prince and Princess found out that someone was targeting your wife, they've been particularly concerned about my safety. I'm even a little embarrassed by the way I act when I go out," Hongzhu said. "I'm not one to be intimidated; I have plenty of brothers in my mountain stronghold!"
Xiao Yi smiled again, "Alright, I'll send the person over first."
The girl Hailan who saved Lingyunzhou was petite and had a dark complexion. After changing into women's clothing, she braided her hair and let it hang down to one side. Knowing that she was going to the mansion of that great general, her big, dark eyes showed some joy.
"So, I'll be living there from now on?" Hailan asked tentatively.
“Yes, you are Yunzhou’s savior. He is willing to repay the favor and will naturally not treat you unfairly,” Xiao Yi said. This young man has grown into a young woman. He wonders what Ling Yunzhou will think, and whether he will repay the favor with his own body.
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