Yijuan cloud

Chapter 18
The maid was wearing a pomegranate red silk skirt, with golden hairpins and pearls on both sides of her bun. Without waiting for Huixin and I to react, she walked straight up the steps as if there was no one around.

I rushed to stop her and said, "This sister has been placed by the prince."

She glanced at me and said, "I have just turned on the lamp for a while. It would be too early to go to bed at this time. It concerns the princess's well-being. If I don't report it to the prince in time, how many of you have the brains to take care of anything that happens?"

Hui Xin said: "Since the princess sprained her foot, shouldn't she call a doctor quickly? She called the prince over, but he didn't know the injury..."

"You..." The maid raised her hand to call, and I pulled Huixin sideways to avoid it. The palm deflected and landed on my shoulder.

I turned to look at her and said with a smile: "If you want us to invite the prince to come out, we can just do it. Why should sister take action?"

Huixin was about to speak anxiously, so I shook her hand hard.

The maid was stunned for a moment and said coldly: "Go quickly."

Looking at the closed door in front of me, I called out in a low voice: "Your Majesty."

I thought I had to wait for a while, but as soon as I finished speaking, a gentle voice came from inside: "Come in."

Hesitantly, he pushed the door open and entered. The room was brightly lit with candles, and the faint scent of benzoin came to his nostrils.

I lowered my eyes and stopped walking half a step forward. The beaded curtain opened with a crash. Although Cao Yingshan had her head turned away, she was still wearing a home-style plain-colored straight-collared wide-breasted narrow-sleeved blouse and horse-faced skirt. She seemed to be looking forward to seeing her. He came to me and said, "But something happened?"

I nodded and briefly explained what had just happened.

Cao Yingshan immediately turned around and went back, saying: "Your Majesty, it's amazing. Sister Xu sprained her foot. I don't know what's going on. We have to go and have a look."

"Why are you injured?" Through the bead curtain, a shadowy figure saw Prince Yi standing up from the Eight Immortals table, and whispered to Cao Yingshan, "It's dark outside, so don't go and rest early."

"Your Majesty, I already know everything about my identity. If I don't go and visit, wouldn't it be disrespectful to me?" Cao Yingshan said.

"Okay, let's go together." After saying that, the person came over, and I hurriedly opened the curtain.

I was supporting Cao Yingshan, several maids were carrying sheep's horn lanterns, servants, women and servants were surrounding me, and a group of people were meandering around the palace.

The maid next to the princess was walking with everyone worried, and she must not have expected that Cao Yingshan would follow.

Cao Yingshan whispered to me: "I thought she was being generous, but it has only been two days since she lost her composure and behaved like this. She is clearly telling the truth, which makes people look down upon her."

I said: "Who said it wasn't the case? That's why I didn't stop you and called you and the prince."

Cao Yingshan chuckled, "You still understand me. She wanted to show off to me, so she forced me to leave my room. Although I didn't care about it, I couldn't win her heart. Wait until the prince and I go to see it. Now, leave the prince to her."

I smiled and said nothing.

Xu Guo did not expect that such a large crowd would be mobilized. She half-reclined on the couch and scolded the maid who reported the news: "Fang also said why he couldn't find anyone when he turned around. He just stumbled and dared to disturb the prince and Master Cao! That's right! Punishment!"

The maid hurriedly knelt down and cried: "This slave is confused. I also saw that the princess's feet were swollen, and she was afraid that she had broken a bone, so she felt panicked, so she hurriedly went to invite the prince."

"Don't blame her. She is also confused when she cares. Has the doctor seen it? What should I say?"

King Yi sat on the couch, looking at the hem of Xu's skirt with concern, his voice soft.

Mrs. Xu was a bride, and in front of a room full of servants and maids, she lowered her beautiful eyes slightly and said softly: "I've seen it, and it's not hurt. I said it will be fine after a few days of rest."

King Yi nodded, "Fortunately, it's okay. It's just a misfortune. Madam must not worry about the palace these days. Yingshan will take care of it first."

Xu's face suddenly changed, but unfortunately King Yi had already turned around and ordered: "A good person fell down, which shows that the people below are not trying their best. This is the first time, that's it. You must serve the princess with all your heart these days." , there is no room for error.”

His voice was not loud and he did not speak harshly, but he was inexplicably majestic and solemn, and the place suddenly became solemn.

Just as the people in Xu's room responded, he stood up and said to Xu warmly: "It's getting late. We have to return to Ning tomorrow. Madam, please rest early." After that, he walked out. .

When we went back, Cao Yingshan was also in a daze, and she also missed the step. Fortunately, I held her, but she staggered.

King Yi, who was walking aside, saw Cao Yingshan and took Cao Yingshan's arm naturally, and continued hand in hand back.

There was no more trouble this night. When I was on duty on the small couch in the side room, I listened to Huixin's faint breathing and felt sleepy.

In just two days, King Yi's words and deeds were all fair and orderly.

Moreover, he looks gentle, easy-going and generous, and always has a smile on his face.

At one time, I even privately thought that he was similar to the second young master Cao Junlei, but what happened tonight made me feel that under his gentle appearance, he actually had very strong opinions.

When the second young master laughs, I feel that he is really happy.

But Prince Yi is not.I opened my eyes, and under the cold moonlight, I thought about the way he looked when he smiled. Although there was a smile, there was no smile.

Thinking of Mrs. Xu's eclipse when she heard that Cao Yingshan was asked to take charge of the affairs of the house for a few days, she couldn't help but have a headache. She thought to herself, the prince thinks he is impartial, but what is his identity?
Not to mention Prime Minister Xu's status in the court, the prince should also give priority to the Xu family just in terms of the difference between the main house and the side houses.

During breakfast today, Cao Yingshan only had a few more mouthfuls of sugar-steamed cakes, so the prince ordered fresh ones from the kitchen to be delivered... I was startled. Could it be that Xu's gaffe tonight was because of that plate of cakes?
I barely slept at night, and when I returned to Ningxia with Cao Yingshan the next day, I felt a little out of spirits.

The convoy of the King and Princess of Italy left first, and then we set off.

Mr. Cao, his wife, Aunt You, the Second Young Master and others had been waiting outside the gate early. When they saw Cao Yingshan, they all saluted. Cao Yingshan lifted her up with red eyes and escorted her back to the yard.

Mr. Cao looked at the boxes of Guining gifts piled up in the hall, his serious face showed satisfaction, and said: "King Yi treats our Cao family well. Such generous gifts are beyond my expectation."

After some conversation, Cao Yingshan went to talk alone with Aunt You, and Master Cao and Mrs. Cao also separated for the time being.

I stood on the porch and waited.

The second young master came over and said, "Come and follow me to check the princess's return gift."

After following him for a while, he slowed down and walked side by side with me. He smiled and said, "Look how you look like you're not awake. What did you do last night?"

I thought about what happened last night, shook my head and said with a smile: "There were a lot of mosquitoes last night, so I had to fight all night."

He was startled for a moment, convinced, nodded, and said: "Third sister's temperament will not let you suffer if you care about the palace. It's just that she has an impatient temper. Please help her more."

"I know."

He frowned slightly and wanted to say something, but he didn't.

After walking silently for a while, he suddenly said: "There is something that I thought I should tell you about. You can find a chance to tell Third Sister."

I turned to look at him.

He said solemnly: "Fan Li came to the capital because he repeatedly performed extraordinary feats in the suppression of the Yellow Turban Army and was personally awarded by the Emperor. Unexpectedly, the Tatars invaded the Xuanfu and killed the general soldiers of the Xuanfu and looted wantonly. , the emperor issued an order to go on an expedition, and appointed Fan Li as his deputy general, and he will leave in a while."

The sleepiness disappeared, and I quickly asked: "Where is Mr. Fan now?"

"He's been staying at the inn."

I breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and said, "I was afraid that you would say that he lived at your house, which would cause me to be in trouble. I also wanted the young lady to meet him, but I knew it was impossible."

(End of this chapter)