The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

When Yinxiang returned, Muxiang was already waiting by the courtyard gate.

Upon seeing him, she greeted him, "This servant greets Your Highness."

Yinxiang then slowly turned his head to look at her. In his current state, the Thirteenth Prince probably couldn't even see her, let alone ask about his wife.

Zhang Rui, standing behind Yinxiang, shrugged at Mu Xiang with a worried expression.

Mu Xiang said, "When the Princess Consort woke up today, she asked the Master why he hadn't visited her or even asked about her these past few days since she fell ill."

Yinxiang remained silent for a moment, then asked, "How has your wife been these days?"

"Although the imperial physician has come to see her, there is no sign of improvement in the princess's health. Her cough is getting worse, she can't eat or sleep well, and she has lost a lot of weight these days."

After taking her medicine today, she said she wanted to see the master. Mu Xiang emphasized the words "wanted to see" heavily.

Upon hearing this, Yinxiang turned around, took two steps, and then stopped. Zhang Rui, who was behind him, kept giving Muxiang anxious looks, urging her to say a few more words.

But Mu Xiang remembered Qing Wan's instructions: if Yin Xiang didn't go, she should go back.

So she opened her mouth, but didn't say anything.

Yinxiang paused for a moment and said to Muxiang, "Tell the Fujin to take good care of herself and I will visit her in a few days."

Mu Xiang gritted her teeth inwardly, making sure no one noticed, and ignoring Zhang Rui's constant hints from behind Yinxiang, she bowed and left.

Zhang Rui stared in disbelief as Mu Xiang left, then hurriedly advised, "Master, this is the first time the Fujin has said she wanted to see you."

She is still ill. I heard that this woman is most vulnerable when she is ill. You are the closest person to the Princess Consort in the palace.

"Please go and take a look..."

Before Zhang Rui could finish speaking, Yinxiang had already left, not forgetting to ask Zhang Rui to bring him some wine.

When Muxiang returned to the main room, Qingwan was still asleep, so she didn't rush in to talk to her. Instead, she waited outside the bedroom with Chenxiang.

Seeing that she was all alone, Chenxiang was inevitably a little disappointed, but also felt that it was only right.

She was disappointed because Qingwan wanted to see Yinxiang, and she didn't want Qingwan to be disappointed. The reason was that Qingwan was ill, and if Yinxiang came, Qingwan would definitely comfort him. Chenxiang didn't want Qingwan to be upset.

Moreover, with these two together, it's unclear who is trying to persuade whom.

Yinxiang had just picked up the wine pot in the study, but put it down before even taking a sip.

Then he suddenly got up, ignoring Zhang Rui who was dozing off by the door, and went to the main room.

Yinxiang hadn't had a proper night's sleep for many days, and Zhang Rui could only stay up with him.

It's fine when I have something to do, but as soon as I stop, I can't help but doze off, which is why I fell asleep.

Yinxiang entered the room. The bedroom door was closed, and two maids were talking together.

The two men stood up as soon as they saw him. Yinxiang did not stop walking and said, "Get out and close the door. Do not come in without my permission."

"My lord, the princess consort is still asleep."

"I know, get out." Yinxiang's voice wasn't loud, but the two maids were always a little afraid of him, so they pushed and shoved each other and left, closing the door behind them.

Yinxiang quietly entered the room. Qingwan, who was behind the curtain, was not sleeping soundly, her brows slightly furrowed.

He raised his hand to try to smooth the wrinkles between Qingwan's brows, which made the woman's eyelids flutter, as if she was about to wake up.

After he removed his hand, Qingwan's brows relaxed, and she fell asleep again.

Yinxiang showed his first smile in several days. Qingwan often slept with half her face buried in the blanket, and if she was disturbed, she would bury her whole face in it.

Even their Moyaqi is like that, so someone always has to watch over her when she sleeps.

He thought it must be because of the medicine; although Qingwan might not have a good dream, she wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

He sat on the edge of the bed, finally feeling that the ground beneath his feet was solid and stable.

Qingwan wasn't really asleep. She vaguely sensed someone beside her and struggled to open her eyes. It was a broad, kind back.

She vaguely remembered that Yinxiang must have returned, and called out in a hoarse voice, "Master."

Hearing the sound, she quickly turned around: "Did I wake you up?"

"No." Qingwan squinted, and only sat up after she was fully awake. "I wasn't really asleep, I just feel a little dizzy. Ask them to come in and get me a glass of water, my mouth tastes really bitter."

Yinxiang got up and went to the table to test the teapot. He found that the teapot was still warm, so he figured it must have been changed before he came in. He poured himself a cup and handed it to Qingwan.

"Didn't your girl give you candied fruit this time?"

"It's blocked, probably because the medicine is too bitter, so it's not working."

Yinxiang then noticed that the person in front of him had lost a lot of weight. He pretended to get up and put down the cup to hide his expression and said casually, "You've lost a lot of weight these days."

Qingwan raised her hand to touch her face, and indeed, there was very little flesh on her face. In fact, she was not the only one who had lost weight.

"I've been sick for several days, and my father hasn't come to see me even once." Because of her illness, Qingwan's tone carried a rare vulnerability.

Yinxiang turned to look at Qingwan and found that she was not as weak as she had described. Her expression was gentle and her eyes were warm, just like every day before.

Yinxiang felt lost in her gaze, and thinking about what had happened over the past year, he was exhausted.

He lay down on the bed, but then rolled over and hugged Qingwan's waist, burying his whole body in her arms.

Qingwan wanted to say something, but a moment later, the person in her arms fell asleep.

Qingwan could only pull the blanket over him and let him sleep.

In the study, Zhang Rui woke up from a nap and found that Yinxiang was gone. He was terrified and went out to ask someone before he learned that Yinxiang had gone to the main house. He then hurriedly ran to the main house.

He saw Chenxiang and the other woman talking by the door, so he quickly ran over and greeted them in a flattering tone, "Sisters, are you inside?"

"Oh dear, Eunuch Zhang Rui, you've got some free time on your hands." Chen Xiang said in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

Zhang Rui hurriedly bowed and said, "I apologize to you two sisters. I really couldn't hold on any longer and took a nap. When I opened my eyes, Master was gone. I'm sorry to have troubled you two sisters to take care of me."

I'll stay here while my two older sisters go seek shelter from the cold.

“Who’s your older sister? We’re both younger than you,” Chenxiang muttered.

"Sister isn't about age, she's about status," Zhang Rui quickly said with a smile.

Mu Xiang was amused by the two of them, and then asked Zhang Rui, "What's been going on with the master these past few days? And what's going on with you? How come you fell asleep while serving him? That's a big no-no."

Zhang Rui looked distressed: "Sister, you don't know, but these past few days, Master hasn't had a full night's sleep. After drinking, he can only close his eyes for a short while before waking up covered in sweat."

I vaguely heard a few words; it must have been a dream about Consort Min and the two princesses.

If His Majesty hadn't sent someone to summon her early this morning, I'm afraid the Princess Consort really wouldn't have been able to see him.

"If Grandpa doesn't sleep, I dare not close my eyes either."

"Not to mention the master and his wife, even Aunt Yan..." Chenxiang's eyes reddened again as she spoke of this.

Mu Xiang patted her head to comfort her, and then said to Zhang Rui, "Since you can't hold on any longer, go and rest for a while. We'll keep an eye on Master and Princess here."

Zhang Rui didn't dare to move until Zhang Chun suddenly appeared out of nowhere and said, "I'll keep an eye on things for you, okay? With our boss's temper, if he wanted to blame you, would you still be standing here peacefully?"

"Go back and rest for a while, or you'll make a fool of yourself while serving me, and then see if I'll forgive you."

Zhang Rui then left, turning back every few steps.