After instructing Fuling to put away the clothes after they were dry, Song Yihuan entered the house and went to check on Song Yixuan.
The little boy was sound asleep in bed. His face looked much paler than before, which made Song Yihuan feel extremely heart - aching.
As if sensing her presence, Song Yixuan leaned in her direction, looking utterly trusting.
Song Yihuan reached out to stroke his hair. Suddenly, she heard a few faint mumbles.
She leaned over to listen carefully and couldn't help but be stunned.
"Brother - in - law, you're so great."
She wondered what this little guy had dreamed about that he actually praised Ji Lingchuan.
Song Yihuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She tapped his forehead and smiled helplessly.
Having made up his mind to take Song Nanxin back to her natal family, Ji Lingchuan set the date for the visit that night, which would be two days later. In these two days, he had to prepare some gifts for everyone in his wife's family.
The Marquis Ding'an's Mansion was now under the management of the marquis. Besides his legitimate wife, Lady Meng, he had three concubines still alive.
Song Nanxin was Lady Meng's daughter. She had an older half - brother, a younger full - blooded brother, three younger half - sisters of different ages including Song Yihuan, and two young half - brothers including Song Yixuan.
This was just the first branch of the family. There were also the second and third branches living in the marquis's mansion, but those people had nothing to do with Ji Lingchuan and he didn't need to worry about them. But all in all, he really needed to prepare a lot of things. So he was very busy these two days and was rarely seen in the mansion.
Just thinking about going back to the Marquis Ding'an's Mansion again, especially since it was Ji Lingchuan who took the initiative to suggest taking his wife back to her natal family, Song Yihuan didn't feel very good these two days. Her speed of copying books slowed down a lot. She only managed to copy three books in two days.
But no matter how reluctant she was, she had to go back this time. Otherwise, it would be unreasonable both emotionally and rationally.
Song Yixuan seemed to sense her inner distress. He was very quiet and well - behaved these two days and tried not to bother her. The siblings sat quietly in the room doing their own things. Suddenly, Song Yihuan heard a few special birdcalls.
Her heart skipped a beat. She recognized this as the secret signal Qi Lei usually used to contact her. Avoiding Song Yixuan and the two maids, she quietly slipped out of the back door of the Prince Ning's Mansion and met Qi Lei in a deep alley not far from the mansion, following the birdcalls.
After making sure there was no one around, Song Yihuan lowered her voice and asked, "Uncle Qi, why are you here?"
"I'm here to give this to you." Qi Lei reached into his bosom and handed something to her. "The day before yesterday, right after you left my place, that Lord Ling came to my door. He said this was the commendation order and reward for you. I was worried that keeping it with me for too long might cause trouble, so I decided to give it to you."
Song Yihuan was stunned.
So, the day before yesterday, before Ji Lingchuan went to the Changyue Nunnery to pick up her elder sister, he had also gone to Uncle Qi's place? And he had gone there specifically for her?
She opened it in front of Qi Lei and found that there were twenty silver ingots of ten taels each and three silver notes of one hundred taels each. In total, it was five hundred taels.
She looked up at Qi Lei in surprise with a full face of shock: "This..."
Qi Lei had long known there was so much silver in it. He said, "Take it. Lord Ling and Lord Gu also said that if someone could help them solve the case, there would be a generous reward. With this silver, if you really find that divine doctor, you don't have to worry about not having money to treat Xuan'er."
After bidding farewell to Qi Lei, Song Yihuan quietly returned to the Tinglan Courtyard with the package. Sitting in the room, looking at the silver in her hand, she was also very excited.
With this silver, if she wanted to flee the capital in the future, she wouldn't have to worry about not having money.
In a new place, she could buy a comfortable mansion and live there comfortably with Xuan'er, completely away from all the troubles.
She put the silver and silver notes in the secret compartment of the box, her heart full of hope for the future.
Time passed in a flash. Soon it was the day for Song Nanxin and Ji Lingchuan to visit her natal family.
Having received the news from the Shulan Courtyard, Song Yihuan got up early, dressed and groomed herself neatly. Then, looking at the time, she let Fuling carry Song Yixuan and went out towards the Pine - Crane Courtyard of the Princess Ning.
When Song Yihuan arrived at the Pine - Crane Courtyard, she saw Ji Lingchuan waiting under the wisteria trellis outside the courtyard.
The dappled sunlight shone on him, making the man look heroic and extraordinary.
Song Yihuan couldn't help but lighten her steps, but the man had already noticed. He turned around and looked at her.
Their eyes met in the air. The man's phoenix eyes were so deep that one couldn't see the bottom, which made Song Yihuan's heart tremble. She immediately lowered her eyelashes to block that hard - to - ignore scrutiny.
She heard Song Yixuan's excited voice: "Brother - in - law, why are you here?"
Song Yihuan curtsied to Ji Lingchuan and said, "Yihuan and Yixuan greet brother - in - law."
She heard the man reply faintly: "There's no need for such formalities."
After standing up, Song Yihuan stepped aside to keep a distance from him. She folded her hands in front of her and stood there properly.
Although the place was spacious and there was a certain distance between Song Yihuan and Ji Lingchuan, she just couldn't ignore his presence. But due to her status, she didn't dare to look in his direction.
No one knew that she was extremely nervous at this moment.
Although Fuling and Chunxing both said that he didn't see the apricot - blossom dress hanging on the clothesline, she still felt a little uneasy.
She comforted herself in her heart. They had just glanced at each other in the medical hall that day, and she was wearing a veil. He should not have noticed anything.
Even if he really recognized her, she could just say that she had gone to the medical hall to get medicine for Xuan'er. As for why she changed her clothes after coming back, it was because the skirt was splashed with mud on the way and got dirty.
She suddenly thought that he had specially gone to Uncle Qi's place to send her the silver and the commendation order before going to pick up her elder sister. Should she take this opportunity when her elder sister was not around to thank him seriously?
Just as she was daydreaming, a figure gradually walked over from afar. It was Song Nanxin who was late. So Song Yihuan gave up the idea of thanking him.
For today's visit to her natal family, Song Nanxin was dressed in a way that could be described as "extremely wealthy".
All the jewelry she wore was bestowed by the palace during the wedding. There were several round pearls on the golden hairpin. The golden bracelets on her wrists were shining brightly. Her clothes were the latest style from the brocade workshop, and her makeup was carefully done. Her complexion was rosy and she looked radiant.
Song Yihuan only wore a hibiscus jade hairpin on her head. Her earrings were just two simple red beads. The patterns on her clothes were only on the waist and cuffs. Although it looked much plainer, her beautiful and naturally charming appearance not only wasn't outshone by Song Nanxin but also made her look very elegant.
Ji Lingchuan only glanced at Song Nanxin and then shifted his gaze. All that came to his mind at this moment was Song Yihuan's charming side - face that he had glimpsed just now, and the faint apricot - blossom fragrance that wafted over with the wind.