Chapter 418 Imitation Jade (2)
… …
Meihua Garden had a patch of land that was overgrown with weeds due to years of neglect. After Yun Qi moved in, he bought many medicinal seedlings and planted them in the garden, tending to them carefully every day. As winter passed and spring arrived, the tender green branches and leaves broke through the soil, growing vigorously and pleasingly.
He dug up a few perilla plants from the garden, planted them in flowerpots, and placed them on the balcony in the house, patiently pruning the branches and leaves.
“Why hasn't Your Highness come these past two days? Is she busy with other matters again?”
Ever since his eyes recovered, Princess Consort would come to Meihua Garden to sit for a while whenever she had nothing to do. But there had been no activity these past two days, and even news of her was hard to come by.
Kong looked at his young master, hesitatingly, “A few days ago, the young master of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan came to the mansion as a guest…”
Clang—
The pruning shears fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
Seeing Yun Qi looking lost and dejected, Kong felt regret in his heart. He hadn't dared to tell the young master about this matter these past two days because he was afraid that the young master would be saddened!
It wasn't easy for the relationship between His Highness and the young master to ease up a bit, but unexpectedly, the young master of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan came again. Ever since Yun Rong arrived, His Highness had been spending all day with him, and hadn't come to the backyard anymore. Even the young master had been left out in the cold.
Yun Qi bent down to pick up the shears from the ground and went to the medicinal garden outside.
“Where is Your Highness now?”
“Yi… Yiyun Palace.”
Kong's voice was even softer.
Princess Consort usually goes to Yiyun Palace to rest. The name of this palace speaks for itself, it was named by Her Highness back then when she missed Young Master Yun Rong day and night… Kong looked at his young master again, seeing that there was no great emotional fluctuation on his face, still that calm and gentle appearance, only a hint of coolness seemed to have appeared in his eyes.
Yun Qi picked some mild herbs, brewed a bowl of nourishing soup, and personally took it to Yiyun Palace.
Over there, Sang Luo was discussing something with Yun Rong, the two of them chatting and laughing.
When Yun Qi came over and saw this scene, an inexplicable irritability suddenly rose in his heart, and his chest felt stuffy and uncomfortable. He restrained the emotions in his eyes, pursed his lips, and said, “I haven't seen Your Highness for a long time. I heard Kong say you were in the palace, so I brewed a bowl of nourishing soup. I wonder if it suits Your Highness's taste.”
Sang Luo was surprised, “You are so thoughtful, thank you, Qi.”
Yun Qi smiled bitterly, “I am Your Highness's consort, these are my duties, it's just that I used to be weak and inconvenient.” He added, “Your Highness is always so busy that you don't have time to eat. If Your Highness doesn't mind, I can come over and personally serve Your Highness in the future.”
“No need, you are also my consort. I married you into the family not to have you serve me. It's better to leave these chores to the servants.” Sang Luo couldn't bear to tire him out in his frail state.
“Thank you for Your Highness's consideration.” The smile on Yun Qi's face became more sincere. He stepped forward and handed the warm soup to Sang Luo, considerate and gentle, “It's not so hot on the way here, Your Highness should drink it while it's hot, it's good for your body.”
Yun Rong looked at the two of them being so harmonious, the smile in his eyes faded a little, and he glanced at the bowl of soup, “Oh? Wan'er is healthy and has no illness, drinking too much of these soups will be bad for the body.”
Yun Qi retorted, “Your Highness's body doesn't seem to have any major problems, but I have been by Your Highness's side day and night for so long, so naturally I am most clear about her physical condition. Her liver fire is strong, her body is cold, and she has internal deficiencies. If she doesn't nourish herself early, problems will arise sooner or later.” He looked at Sang Luo again, “This is specially made for you based on Your Highness's physical condition.”
Yun Rong was choked and speechless. After all, he was not the princess's bed partner, so naturally he had no right to speak.
However, Yun Qi deliberately mentioned his status as a consort, which made Yun Rong feel a little unhappy. Clearly, he was the first to meet the princess, but Yun Qi's words made him an outsider. Even his care for the princess's physical condition was not as meticulous as this newcomer's…
After Sang Luo took the soup, she immediately felt a warm current flowing into her abdomen, spreading to her limbs, making her body feel warm and comfortable, and her complexion became healthy and rosy.
“In the future, every midday and evening, I will prepare soup for Your Highness. If Your Highness is busy and doesn't have time to go to Meihua Garden, it's okay, I will help Your Highness bring the soup over.”
Sang Luo smiled, “Thank you, Qi! You are so good to me!”
Yun Qi smiled shyly, “Being able to serve Your Highness is my greatest honor in this life.”
Yun Rong, who was on the side, tightened his grip on the teacup, his face slightly gloomy.
In the past, the princess would only show such a smile to him, but he didn't expect that she would transfer her affection so quickly. But Yun Qi was just a disfigured person, far inferior to him.
“It seems that Wan'er and Xiao Qi's relationship is very good. The rumors I heard before were just groundless.” Yun Rong smiled noncommittally.
Princess Ji Wan and Yun Rong had known each other for many years, so she was most able to detect her changes. Sang Luo quickly said, “Yun Qi is also your younger brother, so naturally I have to take care of him. I was also young and ignorant at the time and did some wrong things.”
Yun Rong stared at her for a long time, finally sighing, “Wan'er has really grown up.”
“Haha, everyone changes.”
“I have some things to take care of, so I'll take my leave first.” Yun Rong chatted for a while before bidding farewell.
“What is brother going to do?” Yun Qi sat beside Sang Luo, gently and slowly kneading and blending spices.
Pale blue clouds of smoke rose from the exquisite and elaborate incense burner, seeming to have the effect of clearing the mind and calming the nerves. Sang Luo felt much more relaxed as she smelled it.
“He said that some things happened within the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan that he needed to resolve.”
“Does Your Highness know what exactly happened within the clan?”
“This…” Sang Luo really didn't know, “Yun Rong didn't tell me in detail.”
Yun Qi smiled noncommittally, “He didn't come to the mansion to ask you for a sum of money and then leave again, did he?”
Sang Luo stared at him in astonishment, “How do you know?”
Yun Qi said unhurriedly, “Brother is not doing this for the first time. Over the years, he has been distant from Your Highness, taking a lot of money from your hands one after another, adding up to almost half of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan's treasury.”
Sang Luo was speechless.
Yun Qi looked at her again, earnestly saying, “Your Highness, I have no intention of interfering with how you dispose of the money and property under your control, but there is one thing I need to remind Your Highness, so as not to end up losing both people and money.”
“…You say.”
“Brother is nominally the child of the clan leader and his wife, but after all, he is not the wife's own child. The wife has always hoped to have a biological heir to inherit the clan property, and secretly does not allow the clan leader to hand over real power to him. The position of young master is just a formality, just an empty name without power or wealth.” Yun Qi's voice carried a hint of mockery, “And not long ago, the clan leader's wife became pregnant.”
“… …”
“If I were brother, I would definitely be anxious and eager to seek a way out at this time, and the princess's wealth would be the greatest help for him to recruit troops and win over people's hearts.”
