Upon learning that it was Granny Chen herself who had gone to Tinglan Courtyard to invite someone, Song Nanxin felt an increasing sense of unease.
What if Song Yihuan had said something unfavorable to her during the meeting with the Princess of Ning and exposed her inability to conceive?
Thankfully, Fuling then said, "Don't worry, Eldest Miss. Fourth Miss didn't say anything at the Princess's place. Instead, she praised you highly. The Princess examined Young Master Wu's studies, and soon after, she let Fourth Miss and Young Master Wu leave."
Granny Zhao also comforted her, saying, "Fuling is right. If Fourth Miss had said something at the Princess's place, the Princess would have come to Shulan Courtyard to hold you accountable by now. Since everything was fine until Fourth Miss left, it means Fourth Miss managed to hide the truth from the Princess."
That was true, but Song Nanxin was worried about more than just Song Yihuan leaking the matter. She was more worried that...
Baizhi voiced Song Nanxin's concern, saying, "I wonder what kind of sweet talk Fourth Miss and Young Master Wu gave the Princess to make her care so much about them and even summon them separately, avoiding you. If Fourth Miss gets any ideas and deliberately ingratiates herself with the Princess and becomes a concubine in the mansion, all your previous plans will go to waste."
That's right. That was exactly what she was worried about!
If Song Yihuan caught the eye of the Princess of Ning and was left to be a concubine for Ji Lingchuan, and Song Yihuan knew about her inability to conceive...
No, she would never allow such a thing to happen!
Song Nanxin gritted her teeth in hatred.
In the final analysis, today's incident was because her power in this Prince's Mansion was too low.
She even had to look at others' faces when going to Jingtao Courtyard and entering Ji Lingchuan's study. How could she expect to control the situation in Songhe Courtyard?
She had to find a way to take control of the household power in the mansion as soon as possible. Only in this way could she have control over everything in this Prince's Mansion.
Glaring at Fuling viciously, Song Nanxin said, "I'll forgive you this time. If something like this happens again, you must inform me immediately."
Fuling replied respectfully, "Yes, Eldest Miss."
When Fuling returned to Tinglan Courtyard, she happened to meet Chunxing coming out. Chunxing was greatly startled by Fuling's blood - smeared face.
"Goodness me! You scared me to death!"
Worried about waking up Song Yihuan and her younger brother, Chunxing leaned over and whispered, "Where have you been? Why are you coming back with a blood - smeared face?"
Fuling said, "I wasn't looking at the road just now and tripped."
Chunxing rolled her eyes gloatingly and left with a "Serves you right."
Fuling fetched some water and was about to treat the wound on her head when she heard Chunxing coming over and muttering in a low voice:
"Let me make it clear first. I'm not feeling sorry for you. I'm just worried that if your wound on the face gets worse, it will scare Young Master Wu. You know, our Young Master Wu can't stand being scared."
Fuling was touched and whispered, "Thank you."
Chunxing snorted, "No need to thank me. I just hope you can take better care of our Fourth Miss and let her suffer less."
Fuling looked at Song Yihuan's closed door, remembered the marks on her body, and lowered her head in silence.
...
After stopping Song Yihuan in the courtyard and saying those words, Ji Lingchuan strode back to Jingtao Courtyard and went straight into his study.
He stood in front of the table, his chest heaving. His breath still hadn't calmed down.
Fuzhou was about to put all the military books back on the bookshelf. Ji Lingchuan looked up and saw his action, and said, "Come here."
He handed the rice paper with "Sheng Lü Qi Meng" written on it to Fuzhou and asked, "Take a look. How do you think the calligraphy on it is?"
Fuzhou leaned forward to take a closer look, clicked his tongue, and hesitated, "This calligraphy. Why does it seem familiar to me?"
Ji Lingchuan's eyes were fixed on Fuzhou as if he was trying to confirm something. He said, "Where is it familiar? Where have you seen it before?"
Fuzhou thought carefully for a while, then suddenly clapped his hands and said, "Isn't this Your Highness's calligraphy?"
Ji Lingchuan thought to himself that it was as he had expected. She was indeed deliberately imitating his calligraphy. It seemed that he hadn't wronged her.
Fuzhou's answer diminished the vague sense of guilt in Ji Lingchuan's heart. He took back the note from Fuzhou's hand and casually placed it on the table, saying, "
"Alright, you can go. There's no need to serve me."
Fuzhou secretly sized up his expression, replied "Yes," and then retreated.
Ji Lingchuan was left alone in the study. He sat in the chair for a long time before getting up and walking towards the innermost part of the study.
Finding the black wooden box, Ji Lingchuan returned to the table. He carefully took out the letter inside, then opened the ledger in his hand, found the marked place, and put them together for a careful comparison.
With the reference, the difference between the two calligraphies became more obvious.
The strokes of the calligraphy on the letter varied in thickness, while the strokes on the ledger were steady. The only connection was that the strokes of a few identical characters were the same.
Could they have been written by the same person?
Ji Lingchuan pondered.
And where did the apricot blossom fragrance on the letter from that year come from?
Taking out the somewhat rusty nine - ring puzzle, Ji Lingchuan carefully wiped it with a handkerchief. There was a determined look in his eyes.
I will definitely find you.
After nightfall, when Fuzhou came to serve Ji Lingchuan to rest, he mentioned, "Just now, I saw Granny Chen wandering outside Jingtao Courtyard again. I'm afraid she's here to spy on information again."
Presumably, the Princess of Ning had seen him take away the two ledgers and was trying to urge him to dote on Song Nanxin in Shulan Courtyard so that the Prince's Mansion of Ning could have a young heir soon.
After getting the ledgers, Ji Lingchuan did want to go to Shulan Courtyard to test Song Nanxin. But somehow, the image of Song Yihuan standing in front of the rose bushes appeared in front of his eyes.
Graceful and charming, with a slender waist, eyes like rippling water, and lips like vermilion dots.
Ji Lingchuan turned his back, his voice as cold as frost, "I've been busy lately. I don't have the mood for such things."
Fuzhou knew his master's character best. He was always decisive. As long as he didn't want to do something, no one could force him.
It seemed that the Princess of the Prince's Mansion wasn't really favored by the Prince.
Hanging up Ji Lingchuan's clothes, Fuzhou blew out the oil lamp and retreated.
Ji Lingchuan slept very soundly after lying down and, for the first time in a long time, had a dream.
In the dream, under the bright moonlight, in the colorful flower bushes deep in the grassland on the border, two figures were tightly entangled.
Ji Lingchuan pressed a woman tightly. He untied the woman's waistband, and his calloused palm messed up her collar, revealing her slender neck and fair shoulders.
He lowered his head and playfully kissed down from the woman's neck, causing the woman in his arms to tremble. Finally, he bit down on her delicate shoulder. The pain made her lift her chin slightly, and a soft moan escaped from her mouth.
"Your Highness... not here..."
The voice was like a clear spring in the mountain stream, tinkling like jade pendants, soft and alluring to the bone.