Неr wоrds fеll upon Zhuang Shiуаng’s ears, striking him аs entirelу соrrесt. Нe immediаtely lowered his voiсе and оrderеd, “Gо аnd hаve thе guаrds whо рrоteсted the yоung lаdy уesterdaу tied up. First, givе them sixtу hеаvу strоkеs.”
Siхty strokеs сould bе fаtаl. Mаdam Zhоu рanickеd: “Мastеr… Master…” Тhese werе mеn shе had sрent a greаt dеаl of silvеr tо bribе, intеnding tо grоom thеm intо her оwn trusted fоllowers. Nоw, theу wеrе being uрrооtеd entirely—hоw could she bear it!
Нan Yan steрped fоrward аnd аffeсtionately helped her up. “Concubine, there’s no need to panic. These servants, relying on someone backing them up, have been running amok all along, showing no respect for the masters of the mansion. Punishing them now will help them understand the situation. With Sister Yu Shan still missing, Concubine should return to Dove Tree Courtyard and rest earlier.” She then instructed Shu Hong, “Bring out the gift I brought for Concubine Mei.”
Shu Hong hurried forward and presented a small jade box. Han Yan opened it to reveal a crystal-clear jade Buddha, about the size of a little finger, threaded through the middle with a thin red cord.
Han Yan handed the box to Zhuang Shiyang, smiling brightly. “Actually, Yan’er came to Hibiscus Garden today to give this jade Buddha to Concubine Mei. I obtained this jade Buddha from a temple long ago. Wearing it can protect one’s safety. Now that Concubine Mei is carrying Yan’er’s little brother, I’d like to give this jade Buddha to her, hoping my little brother can be born safely.”
Zhuang Shiyang was immensely pleased by Han Yan’s repeated references to “little brother” and, for once, nodded in praise. “You are quite thoughtful.”
Han Yan glanced at Madam Zhou. “If Concubine is worried about Sister Yu Shan, why not go to the prayer hall and ask the Bodhisattva for protection? The gods watch from above, and the Bodhisattva sees everything. Evil people will surely face retribution. Perhaps the Bodhisattva will take pity, and in a few days, Sister Yu Shan might return safe and sound on her own.”
Madam Zhou felt that Han Yan’s words carried an eerie undertone, as if hinting at something. The layered meaning sent chills down her spine, raising goosebumps all over her body. She forced a smile and replied, “Fourth Miss is right.”
Knowing when to stop, Han Yan bid farewell to Zhuang Shiyang and left Hibiscus Garden in high spirits.
As soon as she stepped out of Hibiscus Garden, her smile faded. Ji Lan, sharp-eyed, noticed her troubled expression and quickly asked, “Miss, has something happened?”
Han Yan shook her head, her thoughts in disarray. This was the second time—the second time Madam Zhou had uttered the word “bastard.” The first time, it was about Hanming; this time, it was about her. No matter how bold Madam Zhou was, she wouldn’t fabricate stories about her and Zhuang Hanming’s origins without reason, unless there was some truth to it. Moreover, there’s no smoke without fire—Zhuang Shiyang’s attitude toward them indeed didn’t resemble that of a father.
As if grasping the crux of the matter, Han Yan hesitated. Should she investigate further? If she did, how would Zhuang Hanming cope with the identity of not being the legitimate heir? Yet, the idea that Zhuang Shiyang would willingly raise another man’s son was truly hard to accept.
After a long while, she finally said, “Ji Lan, go and find out which servants in this mansion have been here the longest. If you get the chance, approach them and chat with them.”
Ji Lan nodded in understanding. Han Yan sighed, the joy she had felt from winning a battle completely vanished, replaced only by a faint sense of melancholy.
Meanwhile, at the Xuan Qing Prince’s Mansion...Snow-white rice paper was spread out, the characters on it still carrying the scent of ink. Fu Yunxi held a brush in one hand, but he lowered his head in contemplation, appearing somewhat absent-minded.
"What's going on with you and your servant?" Cheng Lei, standing to the side, finally couldn't help but ask. He was straightforward by nature, and the habits he had developed on the battlefield simply wouldn't allow him to watch his friend act foolishly like this. "What are you thinking about so intently?"
Fu Yunxi paused his hand and said calmly, "Nothing." Then he changed the subject: "What movements have there been from Western Rong?"
Cheng Lei glanced at the table, his face full of worry. "Same as before. Ever since that so-called Tuer Mu became the ruler, he's been harassing the border villages every now and then. He doesn't really engage in proper battles, just snatches some small things—it's truly beneath contempt. By the time our soldiers arrive, they've already retreated. The common people are suffering terribly, and we have no solution. It's even more frustrating than fighting a war."
"He's a clever man," Fu Yunxi said. "It just depends on whether he can endure."
Cheng Lei shrugged. "What about you? Today, the Seventh Prince's show of force was truly grand. He didn't hesitate to kill so many nobles in the capital to create chaos, just to make people believe you were mistakenly killed by rebels. But..." He shook his head. "He really underestimated you."
Fu Yunxi lowered his head and began writing on the letter paper. "Let him be. It's not the first time."
Cheng Lei teased with a sly smile, "I heard there was also a beauty saving the hero today. I say, old friend, that little girl is only thirteen this year. Aren't you afraid others will think you're too old?"
Fu Yunxi didn't mind Cheng Lei's unrestrained words. His mind recalled those stubborn, clear eyes, and his expression faltered slightly before he spoke: "I have no relationship with her."
Cheng Lei waved his hand dismissively, utterly unconvinced. "Who would believe that? I heard everyone saw it today, right, Muyan?"
Receiving no response for a while, he turned back in confusion and found Muyan staring blankly at the wound on his hand. Cheng Lei, sharp-eyed, immediately recognized the handkerchief used to bandage the wound as one belonging to a woman. Intending to joke, he loudly called out to Muyan, "Muyan, following your ice-cold master, you've finally come to your senses today, hahaha! I thought you'd be a monk like your master for the rest of your life. Who would have thought such a good thing would happen today? It seems Xuan Qing Prince's Mansion is having a string of happy events lately."
Muyan was startled, a faint blush appearing on his usually expressionless face. His mind recalled the image of that thin, small girl resolutely stabbing herself with a hairpin, only to later gently bandage his wound. He had never been this close to any woman before, so he couldn't understand the meaning behind these contradictory actions. He just instinctively kept that handkerchief.
Fu Yunxi had finished writing the letter by now. He folded the paper, placed it in an envelope, and tossed it into Cheng Lei's arms.
Cheng Lei was still shaking his head and sighing with emotion. "It's not even spring yet..."
"Get lost!" An inkstone came flying at him.
After New Year's Eve, the weather finally cleared.
The thick snow on the ground hadn't melted, but the sun cast golden rays across the mountains. The morning air in the valley was fresh and pleasant, carrying the fragrance of morning dew, intoxicating to breathe.
A steep cliff was spanned by a sky bridge, and beyond the bridge lay a vast, dense forest. At that moment, a woman in black stood before a shrub, holding a long sword. In front of her stood three petite young girls, led by Han Yan."Thank you, Master, for the medicine." Han Yan respectfully bowed to her.
The incense and knockout drug from yesterday were both obtained from Chai Jing. This master seemed to have some connections with the martial world, so Han Yan tried asking for them. Unexpectedly, Chai Jing agreed quite readily.
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