A piece of Japanese incense

By lunchtime, the sky was extremely gloomy and raindrops as big as soybeans fell from the sky.

The carriage moved slowly on the wide palace road, the sound of horse hooves and the sound of wheels rolling intertwined.

Yutuan, Yuyi and I sat in a carriage that was covered in silk on all sides, with windows inlaid with gold and gems and covered by a curtain of light blue crepe.

"Miss, I didn't expect that we would really leave the palace!" Yu Tuan couldn't hide her excitement, and her words were full of excitement.

Although I hate rainy days, I am in a good mood now. I just need to return home and stay in seclusion for ten days or half a month, and then use my illness and poor health as an excuse so that I don't have to enter the palace in the future. Now I feel like I can fly with wings, hahaha.

The carriage finally drove out of the palace gate. Perhaps because of the rain, there were very few people on the street. All that could be heard was the splashing of water by the guards' footsteps and the rustling sound of raindrops hitting the oil-paper umbrellas.

The carriage slowly drove through the streets, the rumbling of wheels and the clatter of horse hooves interweaving into a unique melody.

Yu Tuan complained: "This car is so slow, it's been so long and it hasn't arrived yet!"

"Don't be anxious. I guess Yuzhu must have been waiting for us at the entrance of the alley a long time ago. We haven't heard his voice yet, so we probably haven't even reached the alley yet." Yuyi comforted him softly.

I don't know how long it was, but occasionally I heard a few pedestrians walking hurriedly. The footsteps turned into a creaking sound, as if they were walking on a muddy road. I was puzzled, and in the distance I heard the calls of cows and sheep.

"No! This is not the way home!" I straightened my back and looked at Yutuan vigilantly.

"Stop the car! Where are we going? Stop the car!" Yu Tuan knocked on the car window violently.

The horse's hooves braked suddenly, and a loud cry came from its nose, letting out a long neigh.

"Miss Zhi, we have just left the city gate and are now heading towards the suburbs." A man's clear and mellow voice came from outside the car, speaking in a calm tone.

"Outskirts of the city!? Aren't we going back to Yun Mansion?"

"His Majesty has specially allowed you and Miss Fang to recuperate in Suiyuan in the eastern suburbs. You can return home only after you have recovered. During the next week, I will be responsible for protecting you. If the lady has any instructions, please let me know at any time."

Yu Yi whispered, "What kind of protection? Isn't this just imprisoning us in a different place?"

"That's right! They let us live with that Fang Juexia. Isn't this just an attempt to disgust us?" Yu Tuan agreed.

The carriage finally stopped. The long wait made me feel uneasy in the carriage. My legs even felt a little numb. I moved my buttocks, trying to find a comfortable position.

Yuyi nudged Yutuan with her elbow, and Yutuan yelled, "Why don't you let us get off the car! It's stuffy in the car, and our girl is not feeling well!"

"Miss Zhi, please wait a moment. Miss Fang is still unconscious and needs to be carried into the garden to settle down before Miss Zhi can enter."

Yu Tuan rolled his eyes, his tone revealing gloating: "This Xiaohan, could it be that Fang Juexia burned the entire piece of incense stick? He still hasn't woken up yet."

Yuyi and I put our index fingers to our mouths, signaling her to speak softly.

Finally we got off the car. The tall gate tower of Sui Garden stood majestically, and everyone was standing in front of the gate with white towels covering their faces.

The drizzle was like silk, gently falling on the ground, and the air was filled with the warm scent of soil and rain, making people feel fresh and pleasant. The mountains in the distance and the trees and houses nearby were all looming in the rain curtain. Occasionally, when the wind blew, the raindrops drifted with the wind, hitting my body and veil, bringing a hint of coolness.

"I'm here to greet Miss Zhi. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. I'm Wang Qin, the head of the garden. I've heard of your virtuous name for a long time. It's a great honor to meet you today."

I frowned, looking at the man kneeling on the ground, getting wet in the rain, feeling a little resistance in my heart. His voice sounded a little malicious, like a clown laughing at me weirdly.

There were about 10 to 20 people kneeling behind him. They should be the people who took care of the garden on a daily basis. I raised my hand.

He was still kneeling on the ground, seemingly not noticing that I had tightened my grip on Yu Tuan's hand.

"All of you, get up! Thank you for your hard work while the girl is recovering from her illness." Yu Tuan took out a small bag of silver from his pocket and threw it to him, saying in a tough tone: "Rinse it with boiling water before using it, so as not to pass on the disease to you!"

"Thank you, Miss. You are welcome!"

A girl who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old led us into the garden. Her long yellow hair was simply tied into a ponytail and she was wearing tattered clothes. Although her face was dark, it could not hide her lively eyes.

Walking into the house, the first thing that catches your eye is the spacious courtyard surrounded by high walls, as if it is an independent little world, isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world; the ground paved with bluestone has been polished by the years and is as smooth as jade; in the center of the courtyard there is a tall ancient tree with luxuriant branches and leaves, which adds a bit of vitality and tranquility to the house; the walls are covered with traces of time, and the mottled bricks and stones reveal an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.

The raindrops gently hit the glazed tiles of the ancient house, making a clear and pleasant sound. The rain flowed down the eaves, forming a curtain of water and splashing water.

We walked in the corridor of the house. The lanterns in the corridor looked hazy and mysterious against the backdrop of the rain, emitting a soft light, which added a bit of warmth and tranquility to the house.

"Sister, how far do we have to go?" Yu Yi asked eagerly.

She didn't respond, but just kept walking forward without looking back. The three of us had no choice but to hold hands and follow her.

We came to a courtyard called "Bishuixie". As soon as we stepped into the courtyard, the door was locked.

"Hey! We are here to recuperate! Not to go to jail!" Yu Tuan protested passionately.

"Oh! Let's go in and take a look first."

The pond in the courtyard was filled with rain water, with a few withered leaves floating on the water; the rain hit the pond, causing ripples; the fish in the pond were playing; the trees in the courtyard looked particularly green under the rain, with crystal water droplets rolling on the leaves, sparkling with light.

As you enter the main hall, you will find that the furnishings are very exquisite, with mahogany furniture, porcelain, calligraphy and paintings and other antique cultural relics.

"I wonder which imperial physician will come to check the girl's pulse and treat her. What if the truth is revealed?"

"Oh no! All our plans are messed up." I looked around the house and sighed, "On a rainy day like this, we should have been hiding in our house, listening to the sound of rain hitting the windows, enjoying the rare tranquility, or maybe sitting around the stove, boiling a pot of hot tea, and talking about family matters~"

"I don't know where Xiaohan and the others are. If Miss Fang wakes up, I don't know how she will lose her temper and torture Xiaohan!"

"Have our luggage been delivered?"

"In the west wing, does the girl want to take a bath?"

"Find my silver needle first. No matter what Xiaohan's situation is, if the imperial physician really comes, we have to get through this first."