After a while, Zhou Fu quietly went out.
Seeing this, a maid from the Prince's mansion stepped forward and asked, "Miss, are you going to change your clothes?"
Zhou Fu smiled and said, "No, I just happened to get along well with the young lady in your household. I saw that she had been wronged, and I wanted to go and comfort her. Could you please take me there?"
After she finished speaking, Zhou Fu's maid quietly slipped her a red envelope.
The maidservant in the Prince's mansion quietly accepted the red envelope and whispered, "This servant will take you there."
Yanran was rolling around on the bed, laughing happily, when she suddenly heard Jiaojiao let out a low whistle.
"Who's here?" She sat up in bed and tidied her hair.
Jiang'er went out and took a look, then said, "Ninth Miss Zhou, have you gone to the wrong place?"
Zhou Fu saw Jiang'er and said with a smile, "I've come to talk to your young lady."
She has always been careful with her reputation and is also very understanding, making her a natural and caring older sister.
Yanran: "Who is it?"
Jiang'er said, "It's Ninth Miss Zhou."
Chirp? Yanran rolled her eyes, clearly not wanting to engage in any pretense with Zhou Fu.
She disliked Zhou Fu almost subconsciously.
She thought this woman was fake, yet she was still self-righteous.
"Come in." Yanran tidied her hair.
When Zhou Fu entered, he hesitated for a moment when he saw Jiaojiao Jiao curled up on the kang (a heated brick bed).
But she quickly regained her composure and said, "What a majestic tiger! This is the first time I've ever seen a real tiger."
"It's alright. You live on the border, so it's okay if you're a little narrow-minded," Yanran said sincerely. "I won't laugh at you."
Zhou Fu: "..."
For a moment, she couldn't tell whether Yanran was being sarcastic or Wuji.
Jiang'er stood to the side, head down, her shoulders shaking as she tried to suppress her laughter.
That young mistress of hers really has a sharp tongue.
Zhou Fu smiled awkwardly and said, "Although Her Highness the Princess criticized you in public, I think she definitely meant well."
Yanran: "Of course. My mother is naturally doing this for my own good. Does your mother not treat you well?"
Zhou Fu's computer crashed again.
"I didn't expect you to be so sensible at such a young age." Seeing that her provocation had failed, Zhou Fu changed her tone.
Praising others is always a winning strategy.
But Yanran just happened to run into a brick wall.
"Being mature has nothing to do with age; some people are never mature, no matter how old they are."
Zhou Fu: "..."
Why did she feel like she was being indirectly insulted?
"What do you need me for?" Yanran asked.
If there's nothing else, hurry up and leave so as not to disturb her rest.
"It's nothing serious, I'm just worried you might do something rash..." Zhou Fu smiled, "I didn't expect you to be so sensible. I have a younger brother, you're probably the same age, but everyone in the family spoils him, and he's still immature..."
The implication is that Yanran is not favored, which is why she is so sensible.
Yanran said lazily, "Really? Then you'd better teach him a lesson, lest he become a spendthrift and ruin the family business. My mother said that a son needs a good beating to be filial. I suggest you make arrangements to discipline him, don't be soft-hearted."
Zhou Fu forced a smile, "It would be better if she were a little bigger. I admire Her Highness the Princess even more now."
"My mother is truly amazing; you'll have a lot to learn from her in the future!"
Zhou Fu: "..."
How am I supposed to respond to this?!
This child is far too unruly and difficult to tame; she truly is the daughter of the Prince of Prince of Jin!
Zhou Fu originally intended to get close to Yanran to help her achieve her goal.
Now she has a vague feeling that this idea might not work.
Yanran said, "By the way, is it that you want to become my father's concubine?"
Zhou Fu was startled and quickly said, "You can't say things like that, young lady."
"Just tell me if it's true or not, that's all. It's just you, me, and our respective maids here, how can you talk nonsense?"
"No, I didn't. That was just my eighth sister joking."
"Oh, that's a pity," Yanran said, "It means you won't be able to learn from my mother as often as before."
Zhou Fu: "..."
We simply couldn't see eye to eye; a single word would be too much. The conversation died down.
She couldn't sit still any longer, and after saying a few more words, she got up to take her leave.
Yanran jumped onto the kang (a heated brick bed), watched her leave through the window, and spat, "Trying to bully me because I'm young! Jiang'er, did you succeed?"
Jiang'er presented a jade pendant—the very one Zhou Fu wore at his waist.
She said somewhat nervously, "Miss, is this alright? If Her Majesty finds out, won't she kick me out...?"
She had told her girlfriends that no matter what, and for whatever reason, they couldn't ask for anything more, or they would be kicked out without any qualms.
But Yanran just instructed her to do that...
This is truly a difficult situation.
Yanran said with a grin, "What's there to be afraid of? You're mine. If Mother scolds me, I'll just say I've graduated."
Jiang'er: "... What do you need this jade pendant for...?"
I haven't decided yet.
Jiang'er: "..."
"What if it works? Even if it doesn't, it'll be good to make her nervous." Yanran casually pressed the jade pendant under the mat, making a face and saying, "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know, but Mother Consort doesn't."
Jiang'er dared not speak, she was so worried.
After the banquet ended, Tang Zhuyun went back and rested for a while before getting up and sitting down at her desk.
"Your Majesty, won't you rest a little longer?"
I'll write a letter to Yingying first.
"Write a letter to the Crown Princess? Didn't you just write one a few days ago?" Xiu'er said while tidying up Tang Zhuyun's clothes and jewelry.
Tang Zhuyun: "Ask her for some medicine. Don't touch it, I'll take care of it myself later."
"It's nothing, just pregnancy. My mother was still able to get out of bed when she was pregnant with me! Do you need any medicine?"
"Tuberculosis."
She had some doubts that Concubine Yu had tuberculosis.
With current medical technology, it's difficult to survive tuberculosis for more than two years... But just in case, she still plans to ask Ren Yingying for some medication that might be needed for lung diseases.
"Are you really going to help Zhou Xu? What if what she said is false?"
"I'm just saving one person, I won't suffer any losses."
"That's true," Xiu'er said. "We should still be careful. Should we tell the Prince about this?"
"We definitely need to tell the Prince that this is no longer just a matter of the inner quarters."
What could she possibly do with Zhou Xu? She would definitely have to ask the Prince of Jin what he needed Zhou Xu for.
"You're right. I just don't know if the Crown Princess has any more medicine..."
Yes, she definitely has it.
Ren Yingying: I do have one, but I'm having a great time right now and don't have time to deal with it.
Spring is in full bloom throughout the capital, and the weather is getting warmer.
Ren Yingying and her "harem" members went fishing and barbecuing by the pond in the palace.
Various kinds of meat sizzled and dripped with oil on the iron rack, emitting a mouthwatering aroma.
Qu Nian lay down beside him and licked his lips.
It wants to eat.
Ren Yingying, on the other hand, was fishing—no, fishing for the koi he had once bought at a high price—and laughing heartily from time to time.
"Princess Consort, Princess Consort, something terrible has happened..."