Quick Transmigration: Leisure

Until the beginning of Hai hour,

The rows of eunuchs who had been waiting outside the desolate palace gates finally left, confirming that no distinguished guests would be arriving today.

As soon as the head eunuch left, Xia Youmi performed a feat of dismantling the house with her bare hands in front of the remaining "audience." After eating and drinking her fill, she worked hard to rebuild the cat tree for Nian Nian and rearranged the items that had been put away.

There were overturned tables and chairs, tree branches lying across the middle of the yard (the ones that had been swept away were "borrowed" from the big tree), and a wooden basin in the corner of the wall, missing a corner and filled with fine dry sand.

Don't delve too deeply into the logic; you can use it every year anyway.

It's just a pity that it's not appropriate to place a basin of incense ash water on the eaves in front of outsiders.

That little concubine might come to visit her again in a few days, so she can't leave any real evidence against her. Even if the other party knows it's all thanks to Nian Nian, they'll still attribute it to her.

Niannian was catching up on sleep, feeling a bit exhausted. When it was being guarded by the eunuch, it had carefully searched for an exit from a blind spot to prevent Youmi from eating the hidden food. It had sneaked through under the noses of the group and brought back fresh, delicious snacks without leaving a trace, which had worn it out.

Especially at night, I wanted to scout out the area and tell my newly recruited underlings how to settle in safely; I still had a lot to do.

Xia Youmi then let it rest in bed for most of the afternoon.

She wouldn't have a problem going hungry for a couple of meals, but since Nian Nian was so thoughtful, Xia Youmi didn't forget to reciprocate. This time, the courtyard's layout was slightly different from before, to better suit Nian Nian's transitions.

They even have the leisure to meticulously polish each part, making it both beautiful, clean, and fragrant.

The debate in the Xuan Shi Hall

It was only thanks to Feng Chengyuan's restraint, and the forceful intervention of the Fourth and Fifth Princes, that the matter was finally resolved. Although the Ninth Prince kept clamoring to return everyone to him, or to lock him up as well, and to curse him for going back on his word and going crazy, he was still clamoring for a solution.

Feng Chengyuan was so angry that he couldn't eat.

Unfortunately, it wasn't strong enough every year; otherwise, if the emperor was "picky" about food, someone would have happily accepted the delicacies for him.

......

As the entire capital was shrouded in night, secret talks began in various places.

There are so many rice grains that Xia Youmi couldn't possibly remember them all just by thinking about them.

Most princes' residences are not far from the capital, but the Ninth Prince does not live in his own residence. His most frequented residence is a house facing northwest, and the prison is not far from the door.

This place also made it easy for him to leave whenever he wanted. Although his willfulness and resistance were exaggerated and disguised, the capital was not a place to stay for long, and his patience was gradually running out.

In the other direction of the prison cell was a martial arts school. Since the military camp gates were no longer open, he could only find "martial arts masters" to spar with, and he would often improve himself based on the excellence of his opponents.

Although he is under supervision, it must be said that Feng Chengnian's health has improved in the past two years compared to when he was busy participating in the struggle for the throne.

With fewer complicated and troublesome matters, he no longer needed to hold lavish banquets to entertain various dignitaries, nor did he need to worry about the subtle conflicts between his seventh and eighth brothers and shoulder the heavy responsibility of mediating them.

Once upon a time,

He was genuinely confident because his seventh and eighth brothers were both politically astute and had extensive connections, and with his military expertise, their combined strength was definitely greater than that of the fourth, fifth, and sixth brothers.

He had it all figured out. He could win over the fourth brother, since he was well-connected with both sides. The fifth brother was a talented individual with many interests, and even if he lost, he wouldn't necessarily fall from grace. The only one he couldn't stand was the sixth brother.

Unexpectedly,

He recognized that Seventh Brother was the enemy camp, Sixth Brother had been secretly associating with Eighth Brother, and Ninth Brother Feng Chengnian was confused for a while.

Although the camps seem clear, aren't they just ordered by age and seniority?

In reality, this represents different political views. Simply put, when a village builds a road, one group supports it and another group opposes it. These are two straightforward opposing sides.

However, when one side is working hard to promote its own plan, there is a traitor in the team who secretly manipulates the resources and connections within the camp to do the opposite. Who would be better off in this situation?

The ninth brother not only blamed the seventh brother, but he also blamed the eighth brother for keeping it from him.

Later on, he had no choice but to stay here because he couldn't remain silent. Feng Chengnian had to give an explanation to the crowd that followed him.

If he could, he wouldn't want to help either side.

He even wished that his father could live to be two hundred years old, so that he could remain a subject and a son for the rest of his life.

Instead of having nothing at all like we have now.

He had already taken care of Shao Bo, trying his best to prevent him from suffering any more. As for Shao Kuang, the best news was that there was no news; at least he had left the capital, and given his temperament, there were endless possibilities.

Xiaomier, she's the one who's pitiful.

Feng Chengnian recalled that the last time he saw Xiaomier was at the banquet before she was sent to the Cold Palace.

From a man's perspective, he could see that Seventh Brother cared about her. In terms of rank, she was second only to the aunt and niece of the Gongsun family. Her title was "Yuan," which, although in meaning, meant just an ordinary little flower, corresponding to her inconspicuous background.

However, "芫" and "原" are homophones, and he did not believe that an emperor would not understand the hidden meaning.

If an ordinary person were to rise to power and become a favored concubine, it wouldn't be worth their attention. However, everyone knows that she was the woman he publicly chose as his concubine. The title of Ninth Prince came first, and his high position as Consort Yuan came second.

No matter how much it is necessary to check and balance the Gongsun family, choosing Xiao Mi'er is not the best answer.

Because, in the eyes of the major families, the threat level is almost zero.

Even if Xiaomi'er gives birth to a prince first, it will be of no use. She has no one behind her, and even if she grows up, she won't be able to stand at the starting line. That's how cruel it is.

He could have foreseen this.

Given Xiaomi'er's personality, she wouldn't allow her child to stand opposite countless courtiers and powerful families and face endless threats.

She would rather live like this now.

Can,

It was Feng Chengnian's incompetence that led him to loudly proclaim his intention to protect everyone, yet he failed to truly protect a single person.

Although he was relieved that the seventh prince's life was still not easy, the court officials and even those around him made things difficult for him in various ways.

But in this world, the loser has even less say.

He couldn't abandon his subordinates like the fourth prince, nor could he back down like the fifth prince, giving up everything related to imperial power. He couldn't let go of his maternal family, nor could he let go of the Great Northwest.

Alone and guarding the prison gates, Feng Chengnian wished Shao Guang were still here, for he could always come and go freely amidst conspiracies and intrigues.

I can always make the most comfortable and worthwhile choices for him.

And now,

He couldn't even keep his basic promise to protect Xiaomi'er.

Today, he finally realized that the reason why he went from being one of the only two concubines to becoming the new emperor's concubine, and now a commoner in the cold palace, was largely due to his own actions.

Feng Chengyuan blamed the heartache he couldn't have on him.

They believed that Xiao Mi'er was still thinking of the Ninth Prince and waiting for her former master, which was why she didn't have any true intentions.

However, after much consideration, this reason turned out to be the best solution. If Feng Chengyuan had known that the person he was thinking about was a fellow opera performer, Xiao Mi'er's condition would not have been any better than it is now.

At least, he can use this as a legitimate excuse to say, "You promised not to kill her."

Given the base nature of men,

They might even deliberately flatter him, as if he were superior.

If he discovers that all of this is fake and meaningless, he will instantly feel cheap and refuse to admit that he has stolen a common peasant woman.

That's so laughable.

Midnight,

Feng Chengnian lay in the cold room, laughing louder and louder, his laughter growing increasingly arrogant.

Each of them is bound by their own cage; who is more noble than whom?