The person behind the rockery also left.
ng Qianqian didn’t chase after them but turned and walked toward Bao Shu.
The little one stretched out her small arms toward her the mont she saw her.
ng Qianqian skillfully picked up Bao Shu.
Bao Shu lay in her arms, lazily kicking her tiny feet in comfort.
Lu Yuan snorted coldly.
ng Qianqian bowed and said, "Greetings to the Grand Commander."
Lu Yuan responded indifferently with a hum.
ng Qianqian didn’t ntion she ca to find Bao Shu, and Lu Yuan didn’t ask why she wasn’t at the banquet but instead wandering here.
ng Qianqian only felt curious: where had Ban Xia and Tan’er gone?
"They went to eat," Lu Yuan said blandly.
ng Qianqian: "..."
The two walked in the direction of Linde Hall.
In ng Qianqian’s arms, Bao Shu had fallen asleep. No wonder this little one, who never clung to Lu Yuan for hugs, had actively asked to be held—turns out she was sleepy.
ng Qianqian recounted what had happened in the garden: "The woman was Consort Li; the phrases ’seven days’ and ’on the way’ were spoken by the man. It sounded like he was delivering a ssage to Consort Li. His voice was sowhat familiar, but I can’t yet identify who he is. However, he was struck by my silver needle, which is poisoned. Unless treated, he’ll die within three days."
When they reached the entrance of Linde Hall, Lu Yuan did not enter but instead called out for Qing Shuang.
Qing Shuang appeared from the shadows, took the sleeping Bao Shu from ng Qianqian’s arms, and followed Lu Yuan out of the palace.
ng Qianqian thought he had co to attend the banquet and had naturally assud he was heading to Linde Hall with Bao Shu in tow. Turns out, that wasn’t the case?
"Hmm, but this isn’t even on the way," she murmured.
Sure enough, Tan’er and Ban Xia were at the feast, sitting at the sa table as the female mbers of the Zhou Family. She didn’t know what exactly the two maids had chatted about with Miss Zhou, but it left Miss Zhou in tears, like a pear blossom bathed in rain.
ng Qianqian went to the table for distinguished guests.
Everyone had already reached a tacit understanding—nobody would ntion that she had been married before. Everything would remain as it always was.
As soon as ng Qianqian sat down, Zhang Feihu said, "Where did you wander off to? The Grand Commander ca by earlier, but look at your poor timing!"
Though there had been a small disruption during the welco banquet, on the whole, everyone seed to have enjoyed themselves.
How could they not? They had just witnessed such juicy drama.
After the banquet, the young Emperor went to Changchun Palace.
Consort Li was in her private chambers, examining portraits of aristocratic ladies sent by the Household Affairs Office.
"Mother Consort."
"You’ve co, my Emperor?"
Consort Li smiled warmly.
Zong Zhengxi approached her side, glanced at the portraits on the table, and asked, "Why did Mother Consort not attend the banquet? Are you feeling unwell?"
Consort Li had originally intended to attend the banquet alongside the ladies of the Wen Family and the Lu Family, but she changed her mind at the last mont, sending them ahead without her.
Consort Li smiled subtly and said, "Ah, I felt a bit dizzy earlier and rested for a while. It’s nothing serious."
The young Emperor asked worriedly, "Did you summon the Imperial Physician?"
"I did," Consort Li replied. She placed three selected portraits at the top of the pile and said to her son, "My Emperor, among these three young ladies, which one pleases you most?"
The young Emperor frowned and asked, "What is Mother Consort implying?"
Consort Li said, "Mother Consort wishes to choose an Empress for you."
The young Emperor was stunned. "Mother Consort, I’ll only turn fifteen next month!"
Consort Li said earnestly, "Precisely because you’re only fifteen, Mother Consort is thinking ahead. Lu Yuan dominates the court, justifying his actions by saying you’re too young to assu power. In the Great Zhou, n co of age at twenty, but if a man under twenty marries, he may don the ceremonial crown on his wedding day and perform the coming-of-age rites. Once you’re wed, Lu Yuan will have no reason to delay your ascent to full authority!"
The young Emperor swept his gaze over the three portraits and said, "I like none of them!"
Consort Li said, "Then simply appoint an Empress first. When you et soone you like in the future, you can always add her to the harem!"
"I’m going to study now," the young Emperor said, turning and leaving Changchun Palace.
"Ah, gone just like that? This child!" Consort Li sighed. Suddenly recalling sothing, she said, "Soone, tell : what happened at today’s banquet?"
...
Today, ng Qianqian hadn’t spotted anyone from the Wang Family at the banquet. Upon inquiring, she learned that Lady Wang was ill, reportedly in serious condition. Imperial Censor Wang had not been attending court for several days, staying ho to care for his wife.
Lady Wang was the first friend ng Qianqian had made in the Capital City, so she decided to pay her a visit.
Lady Wang had once told her she could visit anyti.
So ng Qianqian went straight to the Wang residence unannounced.
As soon as she stated her identity, the servant warmly escorted her in. "My Lady has been talking about Miss ng for days. Every few days, she asks, ’Has Miss ng visited?’ We’ve been told that if Miss ng so much as passed by in the distance, we must invite her in for a visit!"
The other day, when she had left in a hurry, ng Qianqian hadn’t had a chance to send word to Lady Wang. She hadn’t expected to cause her to worry for so long.
In the main courtyard’s upper rooms, she saw Lady Wang being coaxed by Imperial Censor Wang into drinking her dicine.
"Once you finish this bowl, I’ll smash the dicine pot and never brew another batch!"
"You said the sa thing three days ago! Wang Daniu! Do your colleagues know how untrustworthy you are?"
ng Qianqian couldn’t help herself; she chuckled.
Both Imperial Censor Wang and Lady Wang turned toward the door.
Seeing it was ng Qianqian, Imperial Censor Wang’s face turned awkward.
Lady Wang, however, was delighted. "Qianqian!"
"Madam," ng Qianqian said, entering the room and bowing to Imperial Censor Wang. "Master Wang."
"Ahem," Imperial Censor Wang cleared his throat. "About this dicine—"
Lady Wang grabbed the bowl and downed it in one gulp.
"You two talk; I’ll go take a walk," Imperial Censor Wang said solemnly as he left the room.
Today’s attire made Lady Wang’s eyes light up. Rather than finding it inappropriate, she thought ng Qianqian looked dashing and heroic.
Lady Wang wanted to reach out and hold her hand but rembered she was ill and didn’t want to pass on her sickness. She drew back her hand and asked, "Qianqian, where have you been these days?"
ng Qianqian smiled and said, "I had so matters to attend to and made Lady Wang worry. When I heard you were unwell, I ca to see you. Madam, would you mind if I checked your pulse?"
"You know dicine?" Lady Wang generously extended her wrist.
"I’ve studied a little," ng Qianqian replied, placing three fingers lightly on Lady Wang’s wrist. "The liver fire attacking the lungs—this is caused by liver energy not dispersing smoothly, which has turned into heat due to emotional stagnation. Have you encountered anything troubling lately?"
Lady Wang looked at her with admiration. "Amazing."
She then frowned and began to share her frustrations.
ng Qianqian soon learned that Lady Wang had a daughter, a year younger than her, currently of marriageable age. Through the wife of one of Imperial Censor Wang’s colleagues, they had been matched with the legitimate second son of the Marquis of Pingyang.
Both sides had initially approved of the match, and the birthdates had been exchanged, but unexpectedly, the Marchioness of Pingyang abruptly broke off the engagent and proposed a match with the Lu Family instead, intending for her son to marry the Lu Family’s legitimate daughter, Lu Linglong.
Lady Wang was furious about the situation.
ng Qianqian said, "I haven’t heard anything about this from the Lu Family."
Lady Wang frowned. "The Lu Family approached you again?"
ng Qianqian thought for a mont and recounted the incident at the celebratory banquet, glossing over details about herself being ng Xiaojiu. She rely ntioned how Lu Xingzhou had scolded a lady for entering the n’s seating area.
She wasn’t deliberately trying to hide anything—how could she applaud herself without feeling shy?
Upon hearing that the Lu Family had made such a fool of themselves at the banquet, Lady Wang’s mood improved imdiately. Too bad she didn’t have a son; otherwise, she would have proposed marriage to this "ng Xiaojiu" herself!
After sitting with the Wang Family for half an hour, ng Qianqian left to find that night had fully fallen.
Tan’er and Ban Xia, having tired themselves out from a whole day at the Imperial Palace, had fallen asleep leaning against each other.
ng Qianqian draped cloaks over them and leaned back on a cushioned pillow herself, eventually dozing off too.
She dread of an endless sea of fire, haunting screams, and a man wearing a bamboo hat drawing his blade and killing her younger brother, who wasn’t yet seven.
"Search faster! We still need to return to the Capital City!"
The man kicked over the small corpse on the ground, the flas illuminating his hand, revealing a dove blood tattoo.
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