A life of ups and downs is pure joy

Lin Qinghuan came to Ning Sijue's mansion for the first time. She looked around curiously for a while, then saw Bai Weian coming over with several maids.

"Sister-in-law, you're here, why are you bringing so many things?"

Bai Weian walked up and took Lin Qinghuan's hand and spoke affectionately.

"I'm here to bother my sister. Where's Sister Yan?"

Lin Qinghuan asked as they walked towards the main hall.

"Sister Yan caught a cold, took some medicine and went to bed. She even asked me to apologize to my sister-in-law."

Bai Weian said that this woman loves to laugh, perhaps because she has a pair of moon-like eyes, and her smile is very pleasing to the eye.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I bought some according to my preferences. I just thought it was for fun."

Lin Qinghuan said after he sat down.

"Sister-in-law has the best vision. The Crown Princess has been talking about you for a while. When can we go and pay our respects to her together?"

Bai Weian remembered that when he went to the East Palace a few days ago, Su Yuefei mentioned several times about Lin Qinghuan's suffering during childbirth.

"Okay, let's go together on a good day."

Lin Qinghuan sat up straight and looked around at the layout of Ning Sijue's mansion. There were indeed quite a lot of calligraphy and paintings. It seemed that he really liked these. No wonder he often gave her pens, ink, paper and inkstone.

"Sister-in-law is a blessed person after all. Lord Xiao dotes on her, and now she has a son, who is also very beautiful. I think she must be very happy every day."

Bai Weian looked at Lin Qinghuan enviously and said.

"Sister, why are you so worried? Doesn't the Sixth Prince treat you well?"

Lin Qinghuan had heard that the person in charge of the Sixth Prince's mansion now was Bai Weian, and that Yan Ruyu was weak in character and stayed in her courtyard all day long, reciting poems and composing music.

"Not really. My husband has a gentle nature and treats Sister Yan and me very well. It's just that we can't seem to get into his heart. I see that my husband is very lonely and I don't know what to do. My sister-in-law is here today, and An'er wants to ask for some advice. After all, my sister-in-law and Master Xiao are very affectionate."

Bai Weian took a sip of tea and looked at Lin Qinghuan and said.

"This... The Sixth Prince and my husband have completely different personalities. My sister naturally understands him best. Why are you asking me for advice? It's just a joke."

Lin Qinghuan felt that Bai Weian's words were a little strange, but she was not familiar with her, so how could they talk about such a close topic?

"I always feel that my husband treats his sister-in-law..."

"Huan'er..."

When Ning Sijue heard A Ping say that Lin Qinghuan went to look for him in the East Palace, he immediately abandoned Ning Jinyang and rushed to the mansion.

Bai Weian saw Ning Sijue walking in quickly with a happy smile, and immediately stood up, but found that his smile immediately disappeared when he saw him sitting there.

"Sister Changping is here, why didn't you send someone to let me know?"

Ning Sijue sat down, and Bai Weian stood beside him and lowered his head.

"I saw my husband hurried to the East Palace early in the morning. I thought there was something important going on, so I took the initiative to entertain my sister-in-law."

Bai Weian glanced at Lin Qinghuan who was sitting below and then said in a low voice.

"Although I came to thank the Sixth Prince for saving my life, I actually came to chat with Sister Bai."

Lin Qinghuan saw that the atmosphere between the two was a little strange and spoke quickly.

"I'll go get dinner ready first, while my husband and sister-in-law continue their conversation."

Bai Weian noticed that Ning Sijue's eyes had never left Princess Changping since the day of choosing the concubine, and today he wanted to confirm his guess.

"Sister Bai, please stop busying yourself. I will be back home soon."

Lin Qinghuan quickly stood up and said.

"I have collected many famous paintings. You have always liked painting. Come with me to the study to take a look."

Ning Sijue looked at Lin Qinghuan and spoke gently, then nodded to Bai Weian and told him a few of Lin Qinghuan's favorite dishes.

Seeing the situation, Lin Qinghuan had no choice but to agree. He stood up and walked towards the study with Ning Sijue. Bai Weian looked at their backs.

"It's her, but you know you have to call her Sister Changping after all."

Ning Sijue's study is very large. There are many famous swords hanging on the walls, and their scabbards are unusual. There are also many calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall behind the desk.

"Sixth Prince, my husband asked me to bring you the sword you've been looking for. I don't understand it, I only know that he said you like it."

When Lin Qinghuan saw the sword on the wall, he turned around and spoke to Ning Sijue.

"When no one is around, you can call me Ajue. That's what Ayu used to call me. Sixth Prince sounds a bit too distant."

Ning Sijue took out a painting from the wooden box, brought it to Lin Qinghuan, and gently unfolded it on the desk.

"Hmm, good. Whose calligraphy and painting is this? It's obviously from a master."

Lin Qinghuan also looked at the painting on the table with curiosity. It was obvious that the painter was quite skilled. Although it had been well preserved, one could still see the sense of age.

Ning Sijue looked at Lin Qinghuan who was looking down at the painting seriously. The faint fragrance from her hair was refreshing. He couldn't help but stare at her beautiful profile.

"Hmm...Ajue doesn't know who it belongs to?"

Lin Qinghuan looked at the painting for a while and found that Ning Sijue had not responded. She raised her head curiously, met the boy's eyes, and met his handsome smile.

"Is there a flower on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Lin Qinghuan smiled faintly, looked away and continued to look at the calligraphy and painting on the table. For some reason, she seemed to see the Xiao Yu of the past, with a smile as gentle as spring breeze. Perhaps it was because the two young men had a good relationship, which made Lin Qinghuan's thoughts confused and her face flushed.

"This is the posthumous work of the Zhou Ancestor. My father got it from the Grand Secretary Dong, and I asked for it."

Ning Sijue spoke gently to Lin Qinghuan.

"Who is Zhou Zu?"

Lin Qinghuan asked.

"It's interesting that you love painting but don't know the origin of painting."

Ning Sijue said jokingly.

"I know Zhou Zhiyi, but I don't know if you call him Zhou Zu. After all, I'm not the kind of person who loves to study."

Lin Qinghuan complained coquettishly.

"It's all my fault. Everyone has always known him as Zhou Zhiyi, but few people know that his mother named him Zhou Zu."

Ning Sijue looked at Lin Qinghuan's playful and angry expression and smiled unconsciously, then quickly apologized.

"Didn't you say you had a lot of calligraphy and paintings? Why don't you take them out and let me continue to appreciate them?"

Lin Qinghuan chuckled and then said.

"I'll take them all now, but before that, I want to see the calligraphy and painting that Huan'er wants to give me."

Ning Sijue remembered that Chuxia was holding a scroll of calligraphy and painting in her hand.

"You have sharp eyes. How could you spot only calligraphy and painting among all those gifts?"

Lin Qinghuan smiled, then gestured to Chuxia at the door to bring in the painting she had drawn.

"You painted a bustling market, which is quite unique."

Ning Sijue looked at Lin Qinghuan's masterpiece and said, "Is this the market in Tuyan County?"

Lin Qinghuan smiled and nodded, "How did you find out?"

"The people in this painting are wearing oversized clothes, but it's this place that reminds me."

Ning Sijue pointed his slender index finger at the candied haws stall in the painting where he had specially run to buy them for Lin Qinghuan. The uncle selling the goods was particularly vivid, as was the one in Lin Qinghuan's painting.

"I really like their candied haws. I think it's because of you that I know how delicious they are. I wonder if Jue likes this painting?"

Lin Qinghuan asked.

"Of course I like it. After seeing your painting, I naturally don't like the works of Zhou Zu and other masters."

Ning Sijue rolled up Lin Qinghuan's painting carefully as if it were a treasure, as if he was afraid that she would take it back.

"Even if you don't want to see their paintings, I still want to see them." Lin Qinghuan asked mischievously.

"I'll take it right here. If you like it, I'll give it all to you."

Ning Sijue happily held Lin Qinghuan's scroll and placed it in the most conspicuous vase on the bookshelf. He then went to the wooden box next to it and took out a bunch of peerless paintings that he had found specially for Lin Qinghuan.

Two people who love calligraphy and painting stood by the desk and chatted quietly about the works of masters, and they got along very well.

In Ning Jinyang's study in the Eastern Palace, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince saw that Ning Sijue, who was supposed to be in the study reviewing documents for him, was nowhere to be seen again.

"Where's Jue'er?"

Ning Jinyang asked the two little maids at the door curiously.

"Your Highness, the Sixth Prince has a distinguished guest at his residence, so he hurried back."

The little maid whispered that the Sixth Prince had left in a hurry without even saying a word.

"What kind of distinguished guest could he have in his house?"

Ning Jinyang asked while rolling his eyes as he looked at the table full of documents.

"I heard Master Ping say something about the princess coming to thank him for saving her life, and then I saw the Sixth Prince leave in a hurry."

The little maid whispered.

"You go down."

Ning Jinyang waved his hand to signal the maid to leave.

Then he paced back and forth in the study with a frown on his face.

"Ajue, Ajue, there are tens of thousands of women in this world, why do you choose Changping?"

Ning Jinyang pounded his hands and sighed.

Dusk had arrived, and the two who had spent the entire afternoon appreciating calligraphy and painting in the study walked side by side to the front hall. Lin Qinghuan hadn't expected Ning Sijue to be so knowledgeable about the masterpieces of calligraphy and painting. He had gained a lot of knowledge in the afternoon, and he probably didn't need to read any more books.

"Sister-in-law, are these dishes to your liking?"

Bai Weian naturally knew Lin Qinghuan's background and that she was the Princess of Changping, who was personally conferred by His Majesty, and also had court robes and a seal on her body, so he was very polite to her.

"It's delicious, Sister Bai, you've worked so hard. I came here to thank you, but I didn't expect you'd be busy all afternoon. If you have nothing to do, you can come to my house and sit down."

Lin Qinghuan looked at Bai Weian and found his smile soothing. Although he was not good-looking, he made people feel very approachable.

"That would be my sister's honor."

Bai Weian smiled faintly, then stood up and served fish soup to Ning Sijue and Lin Qinghuan. Seeing this, Lin Qinghuan stood up and took it with both hands. After all, this woman was also the Sixth Prince's concubine.

"Please sit down, there's no need to be so formal at a family dinner."

Ning Sijue looked at the two women and said, one kept showing her affection, while the other responded reluctantly.

"It's rare that my husband is so happy today. It's a pity that Sister Yan is sick and can't make it to this lively dinner."

Bai Weian had never seen him so happy since she married Ning Sijue.

After the family dinner, Ning Sijue and Bai Weian accompanied Lin Qinghuan to the gate of the mansion, where the carriage had been waiting for a long time.

"I'll take you back."

Ning Sijue stepped forward and helped Lin Qinghuan into the carriage. Bai Weian was watching him from behind. It turned out that such tenderness was only given to Changping.

"My wife is still waiting for you at the door. I can go back by myself."

Lin Qinghuan waved to Bai Weian behind Ning Sijue, and then asked Yun Xiang and Chu Xia to close the small wooden door of the carriage.

"Young Madam seems particularly happy today."

Yun Xiang lifted the curtain and took another look at Ning Sijue and Bai Weian who were still standing at the door watching the carriage drive away, then slowly lowered the curtain and said.

"Well, I haven't been this happy in a long time."

Lin Qinghuan didn't hide anything and said it directly. Chuxia looked at her daughter worriedly.

"It seems that the young lady and the Sixth Prince's White Consort are quite compatible. She should come to visit her more often in the future, so that the young lady can be happy every day."

Yun Xiang naturally didn't know Chu Xia's worries, and just thought that his young lady liked Bai Weian.

"Well, that's true."

Lin Qinghuan nodded with a smile, pulled aside the curtain and glanced at the starry sky outside the window. The summer breeze blew gently, blowing up the strands of hair on her temples, and her mood became more comfortable.

"In a few days, when my son-in-law comes back, I can go and learn painting from a master."

Chu Xia said beside him.

Lin Qinghuan turned around and looked at her.

"You reminded me that when I go to become your disciple, I should bring the Zhou Zu work that the Sixth Prince gave me with me as my gift to the disciple."

Lin Qinghuan glanced at the several scrolls of famous paintings placed nearby and remembered what Ning Sijue had told him.

"Ok."

When Chu Xia heard Lin Qinghuan mention Ning Sijue again, she could only nod helplessly.

"I'll rest for a while. Call me when we get there."

Lin Qinghuan leaned on Yun Xiang, closed her eyes and murmured with a smile.