Chapter Twelve

  As night fell, Li sat by the window and saw Yongzheng enter the study. Before long, Fuheng's house had gone dark. Yurou came out of the study and said something to the little maid, then went back in. The little maid who had been following her since childhood didn't think that one day she would be like this, waking up in the middle of the night wanting water, subconsciously calling out Yurou's name. When she came to her senses, she felt ridiculed, and slept dazedly for a whole night. When she woke up, she saw Yurou standing by her bed.

  Li smiled lightly: "If you're not here to attend to Master, what are you doing in my place?"

  Yan Yu went forward to help Li Shi put on her clothes, but Li Shi dodged away.

  "I have always been your maid."

  Li's eyes were full of sarcasm: "One day we will all be equal, who dares to say you are a servant girl?"

  Yan Yu raised her clear eyes: "I have ambitions, but I've always been loyal to Gege, these two things don't conflict!"

  On an early spring morning with a cool and damp air, Quan Pei wore a large cloak and walked around the courtyard. She vaguely saw Yan Yu in the Li family's house, and Xiao Yue said by her side: "She is indeed a clever maid."

  It's not possible, and he also knows that he is weak and can't leave Li's side for now.

  Night fell early, and Guan Pei easily became drowsy. Yongzheng went to his study, where a beautiful green vase with white yulan flowers sat on the huanghuali wood desk, emitting soft fragrance. Yan Yu stood quietly by the side.

  "Are these flowers picked by you?"

  Yan Yu smiled and said: "It was picked by me, I had heard before that master likes to put flowers on his desk, so I remembered it."

  The young and tender sweet breath of Xiang'er made Yongzheng unable to help but take a few more glances at Yan Yu: "If the empress can choose you, there must be a reason."

  When the study door creaked open, Li woke up and saw the silhouette of Ya Tou carrying water in the bright light from across the way. In the darkness, she sneered with a smile.

  The Lis and the Songs, as well as Yan Yu, were all waiting in the corridor outside. A maid came out, carrying a few strands of the warm fragrance unique to the mistress's quarters. After a moment, the mistress finished her prayers, and they all went inside. The maid attended to the mistress, styling her long hair into a bun, while the open jewelry box cast a faint glow of colorful light. The golden silk-embroidered red gemstone double phoenix hairpin shone brightly against the misty cloud-colored gold and silver silk phoenix bird embroidery on the flag-like robe, exuding an unspeakable air of luxury and opulence, a splendor that only someone like the mistress could pull off, but which ordinary people might not be able to bear.

  The girl handed over the handkerchief that Yan Yu had given her to Quan Pei, who took a look at it. Yan Yu's face turned red as she stood with her head down.

  "After this, let's call you Yan Gu Niang. From now on, serve Master well." Yan Yu hastily thanked the favor and received a pair of jade bangles rewarded by Quan Pei. From then on, another woman named Yan Gu Niang was added to the harem of Yongzheng.

  Song Shi went out of the house and looked westward, but didn't know how the child was doing.

  The goose girl followed Mrs. Li back to her house and served her with the same courtesy as the other maids, but some of the more coquettish maids in the courtyard would occasionally cast glances into Mrs. Li's room, wondering if they had what it took?

  The ninth brother, tenth brother, twelfth brother and fourteenth brother took the place of the thirteenth.

  "Fourteen: 'Thirteen, are you going to Fourth Brother's place again?'"

  Thirteen proudly raised his head: "Of course! I often see Fourth Aunt! She's really fierce, teaching me archery!"

  A group of younger brothers all showed envy in their eyes, the tenth brother roughly pushed thirteen: "Today we'll all go with you, and let Fourth Sister teach us too!"

  Thirteen was startled and waved his hand repeatedly: "Fourth Aunt won't casually teach people, you'll go in vain!"

  Fourteen pouted: "She's my fourth aunt, she must teach me too!"

  Jiu Ge's clever words were matched by Shi Si: "You speak up for me, and I'll do the same for you!" Shi Er feared being left behind, so he hastily added: "And me too!"

  "Don't worry!" she patted her small chest and guaranteed.

  Thirteen stood before Yongzheng with his head hung low, followed by a group of foolishly smiling brothers.

  Yu Zhen frowned: "What's going on here?"

  "Almost in unison: 'We've come for Fourth Sister!'"

  The girls were moving the deck chairs out, putting sheepskins on them. Xuan Pei sat down and a group of young masters rushed over. Shi Qi loudly said: "You can't just teach thirteen and not us, we want to learn too!"

  Thirteen White wore a tense expression, staring at Quan Pei's smiling mouth, afraid that if Quan Pei opened his mouth, he would expose himself and lose face in front of the brothers.

  She gave Tianyi a warm and slightly teasing glance, then turned to Quan Pei who was sitting in the chair: "I'm pregnant, didn't you know? Where can I teach you?"

  Thirteen's face lit up with joy at once, Fourth Aunt had indeed taught him archery before!

  Even a little kid knows that when you're pregnant, you can't overexert yourself, and wanting to follow Guan Yu to learn archery is simply impossible.

  The younger ones of the fourteen immediately became dizzy and confused. After all, Ninth Brother was older: "These younger brothers haven't heard, that's why they're so abrupt."

  The children came so happily, and Quan Pei didn't want them to leave empty-handed: "I made a few fun things the other day, I'll give them to you as soon as you arrive."

  Yatou brought out a few toys on a red lacquer tray, and the 14th brother quickly grabbed a slingshot, the 12th brother only got a roly-poly toy, the 9th brother grabbed a small fire gun, and the 10th brother got a spinning top.

  Although they were disappointed, they were all excited again because of the gifts, and a group of children ran far away with excitement.

  Thirteen stood behind Yongzheng, sneaking a peek at Quan Pei. Seeing Quan Pei smiling at him, he felt a bit embarrassed and rubbed his head: "I won't lie to you again in the future."

  The warm and bright sunlight shone on Quan Pei's body, she smiled and closed her eyes: "I'll only help you this once, there won't be a next time."

  Yongzheng sat in the study writing, he himself came out and sat beside Guan'er: "A group of children want you to teach what?"

  "Last time I saw others bullying fourteen shooting arrows poorly, I pulled the bow and shot a few arrows myself, didn't expect to be remembered by them, and they even asked me to teach them."

  "Yuan Zong is shocked: 'You can shoot arrows and I didn't even know!'"

  She gently stroked her slightly bulging belly: "It's just for fun."

  At this moment, Quan Pei looked gentle and warm. Yongzheng pulled her quilt for her: "Is there anything you can't..."

  In May, the Emperor toured the suburbs, taking with him the First Prince, Third Prince, Yin Zhen, Fifth Prince and Eighth Prince. In the palace, only Li Shi was qualified to follow, without any controversy.

  Ruan Yu was about to give birth in July, and her belly was now obviously big. However, she still moved lightly, and from behind, it wasn't apparent that she was pregnant. She wore a dark green high-waisted skirt with a light-colored outer garment draped over it, sitting on the couch counting things. Yongzheng walked over and held her hand: "Take a rest, there are people to do it."

  He sighed and said: "You are about to give birth, I am not by your side, be careful with everything."

  Wei Zifu smoothed out his clothes: "You also need to take care of yourself, what I told you is still important, once we leave the palace things won't be like they are now."

  He nodded: "Don't worry about this."

  When the mansion is built, there will be more servants needed. If they all rely on the Imperial Household Department to assign them, who knows how many outsiders are mixed in? It's still better to find some reliable and trustworthy ones from outside when going out.

  In May, the weather gradually warms up, flowers and trees flourish, and green trees provide shade. When the masters go out, only a group of ladies-in-waiting are left in the master's residence, without their male owners, the air is filled with a few degrees of harmony.

  San Fu Jin was also four months pregnant, wearing a pale green cheongsam with floral patterns, looking quite plump. She gazed enviously at Quan Pei: "You're so lucky, you don't look like you've gained any weight at all."

  Wu Fu Jin sat on one side cracking melon seeds: "I'd rather die fat!"

  Outside the pavilion, the lake was covered with lotus leaves, and Quan Pei put down her fishing rod. San Fu Jin laughed: "If you catch fish, we'll have fish soup for lunch."

  Wufu Jin was unhappy and casually picked up a fruit and threw it into the water. Sanfu Jin looked at her: "What's wrong with you?"

  "Our family says I'm not our grandfather's favorite, they want me to bring in a younger sister from outside!"

  San Fu Jin said in a low voice: "Is it the younger sister of that spoiled concubine of yours? She looks quite pretty."

  Wu Fu Jin hummed and said, "Indeed." She seemed to have thought of something and turned her head to ask Quan Pei, "Do you have any sisters born out of wedlock?"

  "There is one who is seven years younger than me."

  Wu Fu Jin poked Wu Quan Pei: "This is even better, after some years when you're no longer in favor, who knows, you might be sent here."

  Wu Fu Jin's words were not pleasant to hear, but Quan Pei didn't mind. She thought about that naive and innocent younger sister of hers, whose eyes always had a few sparks: "This is indeed hard to say."

  Wu Fu Jin heard this and felt as if she had found someone who was just like her, and didn't feel so angry anymore: "What do you think I should do?"

  "It's not that easy to get in, is it? There's still the Empress Dowager and Consort Yi. Go cry to Consort Yi, don't say much, just cry pitifully. Consort Yi is a proud person, she can't bear others meddling in her son's affairs, this matter won't be easily settled."

  San Fu Jin said: "The road is walked out by people, you go try it, I'll see what kind of idea Quan Yu has."

  Just as they were talking, a big fish was hooked by Quan Pei. The girls quickly brought over a basin to put the fish in. San Fu Jin smiled and said: "Today we have good luck with food!"

  The sun cast a person's shadow beside the artificial hill all the way to the lake surface, someone whispered: "I didn't know that Fourth Mistress was so beautiful..."

  San Fu Jin and Wu Fu Jin went back early because they felt tired, Quan Pei caught a few more fish before putting away the rod. The emperor didn't even go to the Imperial Garden, it was so deserted that they didn't see a single palace maid for a long time. The lake's surface surrounded by artificial hills, suddenly heard a loud splash, Quan Pei and Xiao Yue both stopped in their tracks, Xiao Yue trembled and said: "It sounds like someone!"

  Born with a keen sense, Quan Pei felt an intense crisis. The three-sided fake mountain and one side of water made the road rugged and narrow, with shadows all over the ground. Xiao Yue was still holding a basin of fish in her hand, and if she took a wrong step, it would be a disaster. There seemed to be footsteps in the shadows. Quan Pei led Xiao Yue back to a shaded area, when someone said, "Didn't you see that there's someone here?"

  "Just take a look!"

  I don't know what kind of palace drama I've encountered again, but who exactly did that person in the water offend?

  The eunuch's footsteps were getting closer and closer, Quan Pei gripped the hairpin in her hand tightly. If someone dared to throw people into the water in broad daylight, they must not be underestimated. If discovered, she feared she would die without a place to rest her body.

  Ruan Yu picked up a stone and threw it into the water. The two eunuchs' footsteps paused for a moment, then quickened again.