Ties of Love, Ruan Wan

After catching up with Ajin and Amu for a while, Ajin went back. Xia Changfeng had originally planned to invite Ajin to his residence so that the two brothers could reunite.

However, Ruan Wan needed him to stay at the Lou residence to help her with her work, and Ruan Wan had asked him in advance. Only after A Jin agreed did she allow him to stay there.

It was tough on the three of them. During the Lunar New Year, all the workers stopped work and went home to celebrate, leaving only Ah Jin and Lan Yu listening to the zither.

Last year during the Spring Festival, Ruan Wan had just married into the Seventh Prince's residence and was pregnant, so she stayed in the courtyard, keeping A Qing and A Zi there as well.

Back then, they were still very reserved. Listening to the noisy firecrackers outside, they looked at each other with a mixture of wanting to look and not daring to. Ruan Wan still remembers it vividly.

So this year, Ruan Wan decided to take the two of them out for some fun and let them experience the atmosphere of the New Year in Da Xia.

The Miao New Year is on the 15th of May, a day for worshipping the gods. The New Year celebrations in the Miao region are not as lively as those in the Great Xia region.

The snow continued to fall for several days, covering the entire capital city in white. Ruan Wan ordered the servants in the courtyard not to sweep the snow away, but to leave it for Yuan Yuan and A Qing to play with.

After having lunch at Yaotai Courtyard, Xia Changfeng prepared to take Linglong Liang Qiaoyi and Yao Churong to the palace.

"There's really no need to keep Amu here. If anything happens, you can send him to the palace to find me."

Ruan Wan laughed and said, "What could possibly happen during the New Year? It's you people who are most vulnerable during the New Year. Amu is in charge of the manor's guards, so it's better for you to follow him."

Xia Changfeng knew that Ruan Wan was referring to Linglong, and that the remnants of the Chu state might take advantage of this opportunity to make a move.

Thinking of this, Xia Changfeng felt a lingering fear; the assassination attempt on Dengshi Street was still fresh in his mind.

Xia Changfeng asked with some concern, "Will there be any danger this time?"

Ruan Wan laughed and said, "Why don't you and Linglong just not ride in the same carriage?"

"This is outrageous! How can one not ride in the same carriage as the Princess!"

Ruan Wan smiled as she looked at Xia Changfeng, as if he used to ride in the same carriage with Linglong.

Xia Changfeng felt a little embarrassed by the stare and chuckled awkwardly, "It's not that you don't want to go, and I don't have any other excuse."

Ruan Wan laughed and said, "Didn't you just take two new, charming concubines? If you pamper them a little more, wouldn't it be perfectly legitimate?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Changfeng remained silent, saying, "I'll make arrangements with the guards at the palace gate. If you need anything, just have Aqing deliver a message to the east gate."

After saying that, Xia Changfeng put on his cloak and walked out.

Ruan Wan watched Xia Changfeng's hurried departure with a sense of helplessness. Every time this topic came up, he would run away.

Xia Changfeng always treated his two concubines, who had no family background, with indulging in pampering.

This is not what the emperor wants to see; the future empress can only come from the nobles of Great Xia.

Ruan Wan is now a holy maiden of Miao territory, and Linglong was once a princess of Chu. Neither of them could be a candidate for the future empress.

The inner quarters were like a small imperial court, and the emperor hoped that Xia Changfeng could learn the art of checks and balances.

Xia Ziru did this much better. He had more than a dozen people in his harem, and the Third Princess managed them all perfectly without him having to lift a finger. That was the demeanor of an empress.

At least that's what the emperor thought. The emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty was confident enough to believe that he was the greatest emperor of all time, that only he could unify this continent, and that only his son could inherit the throne.

Unfortunately, Xia Changfeng did not see it that way. He believed that everything was a system of checks and balances, and everything was a pawn, something that had transcended the realm of human beings.

He wanted to be a monarch, but he also wanted to be a living, breathing human being.

At the entrance of the Prince's Mansion, Liang Qiaoyi and Yao Churong had been waiting for a long time. Looking at Yao Churong's elaborate attire, Liang Qiaoyi asked curiously, "Why are you wearing all the jewelry you bought last time? Aren't you afraid the Empress will be angry?"

Yao Churong turned around and showed Liang Qiaoyi her outfit. To be honest, most of the jewelry she chose was small and exquisite. Paired with a newly made rose-red floral jacket, she looked particularly charming against the backdrop of the white snow, without being too flamboyant.

Yao Churong smiled and said, "Today is the New Year, so naturally we should dress festively. In our family, we always wear new clothes for the New Year, and the Empress will surely understand."

As they were talking, Linglong came out, followed by a large group of maids and wet nurses. Mingyue, who was already able to walk, was still wrapped up tightly and carried by her wet nurse.

Yao Churong and Liang Qiaoyi hurriedly stepped forward to greet her. Yao Churong smiled and walked to Linglong's side, looking at Linglong's outfit. "Sister, you look so beautiful today!"

Seeing Yao Churong's admiring and envious expression without a trace of flattery, Linglong couldn't help but smile smugly. Since the Miao Holy Maiden wasn't going today, she would naturally represent the dignity of the royal palace.

Liang Qiaoyi also glanced at Linglong's outfit, which was undeniably luxurious, a stark contrast to her Mid-Autumn Festival attire.

She looked at her outfit again and was both amused and exasperated. It was far too plain, and she was being far too cautious.

If you dress nicely for the New Year, who cares about that?

Linglong smiled and said, "Chu Rong, you're dressed quite festively today."

Yao Churong smiled as she showed off her jewelry, saying, "My sister asked me to buy this for the Mid-Autumn Festival last time, and I specifically saved it to wear for the New Year."

There was no disdain in Linglong's eyes, but rather a hint of heartache. "Look at you, you can just buy new ones for the New Year. Why keep them? You are now a concubine in the Prince's mansion; you can't be so stingy anymore."

Yao Churong smiled and took Linglong's arm, "Okay, sister."

At this moment, Liang Qiaoyi's face was somewhat unpleasant. If Yao Churong was being called stingy even though she was dressed so elegantly, then wouldn't she be considered shabby?

Moreover, Yao Churong and the Princess Consort have become so intimate, it seems that her daily visits to Qingfang Courtyard to curry favor with the Princess Consort have been effective.

However, this would mean that Yao Churong would be considered part of the princess's faction, which is not a good thing.

Linglong glanced at Liang Qiaoyi indifferently, frowning, "Why are you dressed so plainly? Anyone who didn't know better would think our royal palace has fallen on hard times."

Liang Qiaoyi could only bow to Linglong and say, "I'm just used to wearing brightly colored clothes; I'll go change right away."

Seeing Liang Qiaoyi like this, Linglong became increasingly irritated and waved her hand, "That's fine. Go change your clothes. Do you want us all to wait for you?"

Liang Qiaoyi lowered her head and whispered, "This humble servant dares not."

Looking at Liang Qiaoyi's appearance, so delicate and pitiful, anyone who didn't know better would think that they had bullied her back in the mansion.

Linglong looked at Yao Churong, who was poised and confident, and liked her even more.

At this moment, Xia Changfeng rushed over, unaware of the strange atmosphere, and got into the first carriage. Linglong, with Yujie's help, also got into the carriage.

Yao Churong and Liang Qiaoyi rode in the same carriage, with Liang Qiaoyi still immersed in the shame and indignation from earlier.

Yao Churong sighed, "Sister, I reminded you before I left to wear something festive, after all, it's the New Year."

These words were undoubtedly a slap in the face to Liang Qiaoyi. Her face flushed red and then turned pale, and she could only force a smile, saying, "It was indeed my lack of consideration."

Liang Qiaoyi sighed again, "Sister, why are you so careful? Our family background, appearance, and overall quality pose absolutely no threat to the Princess and the Holy Maiden. They wouldn't even consider us a threat."

That makes sense. Liang Qiaoyi was also wondering if she was being overly cautious and taking herself too seriously.

Since it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to go out, all the restaurants, big and small, were fully booked. Ruan Wan and her companions decided to have their New Year's Eve dinner at the mansion first before going out to stroll around the streets.

After packing up Xiao Yuanyuan's things, Ruan Wan gave everyone at Yaotai Courtyard a day off, and the three of them took Xiao Yuanyuan straight to South Street.

No sooner had Ruan Wan and the others left than a figure slipped into Yaotai Courtyard and headed straight for the woodshed.

The man was dressed in black, with a lithe and light steps. He first tiptoed to the door of the house, and after confirming that no one was inside, he went to the woodshed.

At this time, Yaotai Courtyard was pitch black and deserted. The man in black moved freely and went straight to the woodshed.

A lock was loosely placed on the door, and the man in black dared not enter rashly. He first looked through the window to see if there was an ambush inside.

After confirming that no one was in sight, the man in black gently unlocked the door, took out a dagger with his left hand, placed it in front of his chest, and gently pushed the door open with the hilt of the knife.

The man in black peered inside and saw that it was indeed empty. He then slipped inside and closed the woodshed door.

The man in black looked around and saw nothing but some dry firewood, pots, pans, and bowls. There was no one watching over the place, nor was there the person he was looking for.

After thoroughly searching the cabinet and the burlap bag, finding no clues, the man in black put everything back in its place and hurriedly left Yaotai Courtyard.

Meanwhile, inside Qingfang Courtyard, maids and servants lay sprawled on the ground, and all the courtyard and room doors were kicked open.

As the candlelight flickered, a cold glint appeared. On the round table in the room, a dagger was stuck in the ground, and beneath it was a piece of white cloth with a line of bloody words written on it.

Beside the strip of cloth lay a severed hand, its cut surface dried out and its fingers stiff. Judging from the joints and rough skin, it was likely a man's hand.

At this moment, Ruan Wan, A Qing, and A Zi, holding little Yuan Yuan, were already standing on South Street.

Most people are still at home having their New Year's Eve dinner. At this time, there aren't many people on the streets, but they're not few either; they're just not crowded.

Unlike the colorful lanterns of the Lantern Festival, the lanterns in the streets and alleys are all bright red, looking like a sea of ​​fire from afar.

In Ruan Wan's eyes, this vast expanse of fiery red resembled a battlefield strewn with corpses and paved with blood.

This was the first time little Yuan Yuan had ever seen so many people. She turned her little head this way and that, her big eyes looking at the world with curiosity.

Aqing and Azi were also overwhelmed by what they saw. Although the Seventh Prince's mansion was magnificent, it was far less lively and bustling than the market.

Many merchants also took advantage of this time to make money. There were candied hawthorn stalls, sesame seed cake stalls, shadow puppet shows, and sugar figurine makers. Aqing and Azi's eyes couldn't keep up with all the sights.

Ruan Wan and her companions attracted a lot of attention on the street. The name of the Miao Holy Maiden had already spread throughout the streets and alleys. Moreover, although A Qing and A Zi were wearing thick clothes from the Great Xia Dynasty to get through the winter, their headdresses were still from the Miao region, making them very conspicuous.

There's also a little Yuan Yuan, as cute as a crystal doll, whose clear, bell-like laughter is particularly eye-catching.

Ruan Wan didn't care about any of this, letting the people around her watch and whisper among themselves.

At the palace gate, Xia Changfeng and Xia Ziru's carriages arrived at the East Gate almost simultaneously.

Xia Changfeng had three carriages, and a large group of people disembarked, while Xia Ziru only had one carriage.

Xia Ziru jumped off the carriage first, then personally lifted the curtain and helped the Third Princess down from the carriage, looking very affectionate.

Linglong and the Third Princess greeted each other, and Liang Qiaoyi and Yao Churong also bowed to Xia Ziru and the Third Princess.

Xia Ziru glanced at the group of people behind Xia Changfeng, raised an eyebrow and smiled, "With so many people, this year's New Year's Eve is sure to be especially lively. Hey, why didn't the Holy Maiden come today?"

Xia Changfeng also laughed and said, "Princess Kangning is afraid of the cold, so the Holy Maiden won't be coming out. It's just that there are so many concubines and mistresses in the three mansions, only Third Sister-in-law is present."

Xia Ziru turned his head and took the Third Princess's hand. "There are too many people. It would be sad if anyone were missing, so I'll just bring your Third Sister-in-law."

The Third Princess was very pleased and smiled shyly.

This is Xia Ziru's secret to managing the inner quarters. No matter how many women are in the inner quarters, none of them can surpass Tang Kerou's position.

Whether in public or in private, Xia Ziru always gave Tang Kerou the respect she deserved.

Tang Kerou was able to tolerate having so many women in his inner quarters and still manage them well.

The Third Princess Consort Tang Kerou was renowned for her virtuousness throughout the capital.

With the Holy Maiden absent, all eyes were naturally on Linglong, making her elaborate dressing up all the more worthwhile.

Although she bears the infamy of treason, this is the path she chose. If the country wanted her dead, she would let the country perish. That's fair.

Linglong was a proud princess, and she naturally took it for granted that people would look up to her, whether for her status or her beauty.

She used to be overshadowed by Ruan Wan, and now she's overshadowed by the Miao Holy Maiden. Now she's going to enjoy being the center of attention.

Liang Qiaoyi was not in a good mood at the moment. She had dressed so simply to avoid the limelight, but now that everyone else was dressed in colorful clothes, her plain clothes made her stand out.

People kept glancing at her, covering their mouths and chuckling. Liang Qiaoyi was so embarrassed she didn't know what to do, but she still had to maintain a calm facade.

In contrast, Yao Churong was much more at ease, chatting happily with the concubines of the Second Prince's and Fourth Prince's residences.

Liang Qiaoyi seemed even more out of place. She had always prided herself on being smart and was a role model for her younger siblings at home. She never expected to appear so clumsy after marrying into the Seventh Prince's mansion.

This time, there were some subtle changes in the seating arrangement. The Empress remained on the right as always, while Consort Ruan Shu was on the left this time.

The crowd below all had expressions of watching a show, especially Consort Zhang, whose eyes were practically glued to Ruan Yuanyan, eager to see how she would lose her composure.

However, Ruan Yuanyan is no longer the impetuous girl she once was. She has become more composed and calm, and is focused on feeding her son soup.

The Emperor didn't seem to care much that the Holy Maiden didn't come this time, but the Empress was somewhat disappointed that Little Yuan Yuan hadn't come.

Mingyue stayed around the Empress's feet, hugging her legs and giggling. The Empress was somewhat relieved and picked Mingyue up to sit in her lap.

The banquet lasted until late into the night, with the family staying up all night to welcome the New Year. The sixth prince, Xia Wuxiu, still hadn't returned. Only when the four cities of Dongyi were completely loyal to him would he possibly be transferred back to the capital.

As the midnight bells rang, fireworks burst across the dark night sky, illuminating the snow-covered eaves.

The emperor and empress returned to the palace, and all the princes and princesses went home. Mingyue had already fallen asleep in her wet nurse's arms; the child couldn't stay up all night.

Liang Qiaoyi looked ashen-faced, while Yao Churong, having eaten and drunk her fill, looked completely satisfied and took Liang Qiaoyi's hand as they walked toward the east gate.

Xia Changfeng hurried to the east gate, where the guards rushed to greet him. Xia Changfeng asked, "Has someone come to deliver a message?"

The guard first bowed, then nodded. "Miss Aqing just came to deliver a message, requesting Your Highness to meet at Hesheng Tower on South Street after the banquet."

Xia Changfeng frowned. "You only mentioned this, nothing else?"

The guard nodded. "That's all Miss Aqing said."

What is she up to now? Could it be that Xiaozhu has finally come to her senses and wants to settle down with me?

Thinking of this, Xia Changfeng instantly perked up, jogged over to Linglong's side, and said with a smile, "I still have some things to take care of. I'll have Amu escort you back."

"Your Highness, where are you going so late? The roads are slippery with snow. Perhaps Amu should come along?"

Xia Changfeng had already run far away and disappeared at the palace gate.