Yun Qiuchen did not press the matter further upon hearing this. She smiled and nodded at Ren Yaoqi, exchanged greetings with everyone, then turned and boarded her own carriage.
Only when the carriage curtain fell, blocking all outside view, did all expression vanish from her face. Her clear, autumn-water eyes turned dark and unfathomable.
After Yun Qiuchen left, Yan Ningshuang was also sent away, and the remaining few boarded their carriages as well. Xu Wanli and Pei Zhiyan departed together, while Lady Xu and Ren Yaoqi followed Xiao Jingxi to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion.
The Princess Consort had already received news earlier, so when Lady Xu and Ren Yaoqi went to see her, she was already aware of Miss Zhou fainting on the pleasure boat.
The Princess Consort said to Xiao Jingxi, who had accompanied them, "You may attend to your own affairs. This is a matter of the inner courtyard and does not require your involvement."
Xiao Jingxi nodded, glanced at Ren Yaoqi, and then left the Princess Consort's Jiuyang Hall.
Ren Yaoqi conveyed Miss Yan's intentions to the Princess Consort. After listening, the Princess Consort instead asked Ren Yaoqi, "What do you think should be arranged?"
Ren Yaoqi lowered her head in thought for a moment before replying, "Miss Yan's concerns are not without reason. After all, they are people sent by the Empress Dowager; it would not be good if anything went wrong. Aren't there many courtyards at the hot spring villa? They could each stay in a separate courtyard, and the environment there is quiet and serene, quite suitable for recuperation."
The Princess Consort and Lady Xu exchanged a glance, both revealing a hint of amusement in their eyes. The Princess Consort looked at Ren Yaoqi and said, "Hmm, that makes sense."
However, upon seeing the smile on the Princess Consort's face, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but blush. She had been speaking objectively, but with the Princess Consort and Lady Xu smiling like that, it seemed as though she was intentionally finding excuses to send these young ladies, who were vying for Xiao Jingxi's attention, away to the villa.
Ren Yaoqi could only brace herself and say, "I am young and may have overlooked certain considerations. I beg the Princess Consort's forgiveness."
Just as the Princess Consort was about to speak, the maid Sujin entered the hall and reported, "Princess Consort, the Old Princess Consort has sent someone to the outer villa, saying she intends to bring Miss Yan and Miss Zhao into the mansion."
Hearing this, the Princess Consort frowned slightly. "Why is that?"
Sujin replied, "The Old Princess Consort heard that Miss Zhao fell ill and that many young ladies have caught colds. She said that since Miss Zhao is the younger sister of the Princess Consort, she is family, and naturally should be brought back to the mansion to be cared for when ill. Miss Yan is a relative of Empress Dowager Yan and is also connected to her by kinship, so she should be brought along as well..."
The Princess Consort pursed her lips and said calmly, "Understood. Let her proceed." After speaking, she sighed softly and glanced at Ren Yaoqi.
Although the Princess Consort was the mistress of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, the Old Princess Consort was, after all, her nominal mother-in-law. If the Princess Consort were to oppose the Old Princess Consort over such a matter today, the Old Princess Consort would likely make a scene, which would be unseemly.
Ren Yaoqi said understandingly, "It might be better to care for them nearby. After all, Miss Zhao and Miss Yan's statuses are different from the other young ladies."
Lady Xu also said, "Keeping them under close watch might prevent them from causing any trouble."
The Princess Consort said nothing, only patting Ren Yaoqi's hand.
By then, it was already late in the day. Seeing that matters had been settled, Ren Yaoqi took her leave together with Lady Xu.After Ren Yaoqi and Lady Xu left, the Princess Consort frowned and instructed Nanny Xin, "Go find out who's been gossiping in front of the Old Princess Consort! Over there, someone just fell ill, and over here, they're already planning to bring people into the mansion!"
Nanny Xin immediately went to carry out the order. She returned in the evening, just as the Princess Consort was about to retire for the night, and reported, "The physician who examined Miss Zhao today happened to also come to check the Princess Consort's health, so the Old Princess Consort learned about Miss Zhao's illness."
The Princess Consort responded noncommittally, "Happened to?"
Nanny Xin lowered her head and said, "Physician Yang is not yet thirty years old. Normally, it wouldn't be his turn to attend to the Old Princess Consort, but she enjoys his witty conversation and his ability to read people. Coupled with his decent medical skills, she specifically requested him. Usually, Physician Yang also makes house calls to other households, such as the Yun Family, the Su Family, and the Meng Family. He is familiar with these families and has some reputation in Yanbei."
The Princess Consort curved her lips into a reserved smile, one that would make no one doubt she was Xiao Jingxi's mother, as the two shared some resemblance in appearance.
"A good man should temper himself while he's young, lest a piece of uncut jade be eroded by the comforts of a gentle life and turn into scrap metal. I heard from the Prince that Jiajing Pass is short of military physicians. Since he is capable, let him go to Jiajing Pass to gain some experience."
"Yes, Princess Consort. This servant will see to it immediately."
"Have him leave tonight," the Princess Consort added softly.
Before leaving, Nanny Xin asked, "Physician Yang has recently gained the Old Princess Consort's trust. What if she insists on recalling him after finding out?"
The Princess Consort was being attended to by her maids as they removed the hairpins from her hair. She didn't even pause at the question. "Once he goes to Jiajing Pass, he will have accepted a military order. Military orders are as weighty as mountains. Those who disobey will naturally face military discipline. His life is his own, and that is no longer our concern."
"Should we not investigate the person behind Physician Yang?"
This time, the Princess Consort remained silent for a moment before asking, "When is Consort Dowager Yun returning?"
"Her Highness originally said she would return before the New Year, but later mentioned she wanted to wait until the weather warmed up before traveling. She should be back soon. Should this servant send someone to inquire tomorrow?"
The Princess Consort seemed to think of something and sighed softly. "You may go."
Nanny Xin said nothing more and withdrew.
The Princess Consort adjusted her hair in front of the mirror, her eyes carrying a hint of worry that was not easily noticed. Su Jin, thinking she was checking for gray hairs, quickly smiled and said, "Your hair is dark and glossy, Princess Consort. Many ladies outside have been asking about the secret recipe you use for washing your hair."
The Princess Consort smiled at this, sighing with some emotion. "My son is about to marry. I am growing old."
Several maids hurriedly said, "The Princess Consort is not old at all!"
The Princess Consort shook her head. "Everyone grows old. Those who don't are monsters. When I grow old, Jingxi and Jinglin will have grown up, and it won't be so easy for others to bully them. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I wish I could age faster."
The maids exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.It was Su Jin who said with a smile, "The young master is about to get married soon. It won't be long before our Prince's Mansion has a little young master. By then, the Princess Consort certainly won't want to age too quickly. You'll surely want to see the little young master marry and have children, and then see the birth of a great-grandson..."
The Princess Consort was amused by her words, then nodded seriously and said, "Yes, you're right. I still want to see my son surrounded by children and grandchildren. My son has suffered so much in his life. My only wish is for him to be safe and sound, and for everything to go smoothly and as he wishes. As long as it can make him happy and bring him joy, no matter what it is, I think it's good."
As she spoke these words, the worry that had been in the Princess Consort's eyes earlier vanished, replaced by deep affection and hope. This made her appear less stern and more gentle than she usually did in front of others—it was the look only a mother could have.
Yan Ningshuang and Zhao Yingqiu were brought to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion by the Old Princess Consort on the night of the Dragon Boat Festival and were settled in a side hall not far from the Old Princess Consort's chambers. The servants attending to them were all arranged by the Old Princess Consort herself. The Princess Consort did not comment much on this matter and even sent her maids to visit Zhao Yingqiu on her behalf, bestowing many gifts upon both of them.
Zhao Yingqiu's illness was not severe. After resting for a few days, she recovered and did not relapse. The two of them were often summoned by the Old Princess Consort for conversation, and it was clear that they had won her favor. They also paid their respects to the Princess Consort every day, and the Princess Consort received them most of the time.
However, neither Yan Ningshuang nor Zhao Yingqiu saw Xiao Jingxi or Xiao Jinglin again, not even by chance in the gardens.
Once, when Yan Ningshuang went to pay her respects to the Princess Consort, she asked, "After staying in the Prince's Mansion for a few days, I haven't seen the Commandery Princess or Young Master Xiao. I had originally intended to pay my respects to them, but it seems I've been remiss."
The Princess Consort smiled and said, "Jinglin has gone out and won't be back until next month. As for Jingxi..." The Princess Consort slowly took a sip of tea. "Jingxi is in poor health and usually recuperates quietly at the hot spring villa."
"Hot spring villa?" Yan Ningshuang was taken aback.
The Princess Consort nodded gently and said, "Yes, the hot spring villa is the most suitable place for recuperation. I had originally thought of letting you stay there for a while to rest, but since you've come to the Prince's Mansion, it's just as well. You'll have time to keep the Old Princess Consort company—she likes you both very much."
Yan Ningshuang's smile stiffened slightly.
Zhao Yingqiu, on the other hand, remained proper and well-behaved at all times, without any inappropriate words or actions. Every day, aside from paying her respects to the Princess Consort, she either stayed with the Old Princess Consort or remained in her own room, rarely wandering around.
However, compared to the Old Princess Consort, the Princess Consort's attitude toward Zhao Yingqiu—the cousin of her eldest daughter-in-law—was not particularly warm. Although she gave her everything she was due, she treated her no differently from Yan Ningshuang. In contrast, the Old Princess Consort was much closer to Zhao Yingqiu.
Thus, in the following days, Yan Ningshuang and Zhao Yingqiu were left in the care of the Princess Consort. The Yanbei Prince's Mansion remained peaceful, with no incidents occurring. After all, the key individuals involved were not present, so even if someone wanted to stir up trouble, there was no opportunity.
However, now that she had already entered the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, Yan Ningshuang could no longer change her mind and go to the hot spring villa. Otherwise, her intentions would be too obvious, and the Princess Consort was no fool.Therefore, during this period, Ren Yaoqi lived quite leisurely.
One day, Ren Yaoqi went to Lady Xu's place to deliver the last music score she had repaired. She was to be married in a few months, and Lady Xu had instructed her to set aside her current tasks once they were completed, leaving the rest for the following year. After all, the task of revising the books could not be finished in just a few years.
Unexpectedly, while visiting the Xu residence, Ren Yaoqi once again encountered Pei Zhiyan.
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