"Is that someone from Bushou Palace?" Zheng Haoyuan said in surprise, "Who are they beating? Such an amusing event, why didn't my cousin invite me to watch together?"
"Amusing?" Zheng Nianru didn't feel that way, "Ganging up on one person, it's not interesting at all."
"Then cousin, what do you find amusing?" Zheng Haoyuan immediately grabbed Zheng Nianru's sleeve and asked with a look of eagerness.
Zheng Nianru glanced at Zheng Haoyuan, her warm spring breeze-like demeanor nearly made one forget the cold of the previous day. Her alluring eyes seemed to be woven from silk, the masterpiece of the heavens, her body light and graceful in her pink and soft brocade dresses with elevated silver threads, layered with a grey chiffon skirt covered by a dark pattern feather gauze; sitting there amidst flowering splendor, she was like spring itself.
"Cousin—" For the first time, Zheng Haoyuan was somewhat dazzled. His mother too was adorned in blooms and brocades, but this feeling was different, "You look so beautiful today, just like... um, just like an extremely beautiful blossoming flower."
Zheng Nianru laughed, her mood slightly lifted. Who wouldn't feel good after being praised? Moreover, at this time, she was not yet indulging in extreme luxury or care that came later with her growing allure; she relied solely on her youth and her own merits.
"Fu Gong, if you help me out, I'll tell you an amusing idea."
"What help do you need? Just tell me." Zheng Haoyuan's eyes shone with anticipation. He had already pleaded with his uncle to send people to search for The Savage from the North Meng Tribe, but his uncle said it would take three to four months for such a journey back and forth.
"You go and rescue that boy," Zheng Nianru said as she slightly lifted her chin, the beaten young man was gradually becoming motionless.
"Does cousin know him?" It didn't matter whether she knew him or not, why would it concern him—if his cousin wanted to save someone, then he would just save them, "I'll be back in no time."
Nanny Yun looked at her own mistress with some reproach. Why bother saving someone, what's it to us? The Fourth Prince isn't a kind man, the Crown Prince is right, it's better to have less contact with him.
In a moment, Zheng Haoyuan drove away a terrified Eunuch Kang Ning and others, and personally dragged Nanmen Yu back.
"Cousin, please open the door quickly." Qishun Building wasn't an easy place to enter, with the front and back courtyard doors securely locked. Zheng Haoyuan had to make several promises of not bringing anyone else before he could enter.
The main door opened swiftly, and two grey-clad eunuchs quickly dragged the boy inside. Zheng Haoyuan did not linger and headed straight for Zheng Nianru's Qishun Building.
"Cousin, I want to have someone renovate Qishun Building properly," Zheng Haoyuan complimented upon entering. The building's exterior seemed old and run-down, but inside, it was a different world altogether. The entire building's floor was laid with uniform planks of ebony wood, even the planks laid on the corridor verandas were from hundred-year-old quality timber. Right in the center, a bronze incense burner as tall as a man emitted spiraling smoke, the dark purple silk curtains hung from the lofty beams, spreading across the floor. Zheng Haoyuan saw Zheng Nianru reclining on a rose soft rattan couch, the pastries served by Fu Dong were also very tempting.
"Cousin, I sincerely thank you for this thought," Zheng Nianru said, her smile slight. If it weren't for the fact that Zheng Haoyuan was not a reliable backer, she might have considered maintaining such a relationship, providing herself with an alternative path.
...
"Commandery Princess, how should we deal with that boy in the back courtyard?" Nanny Yun felt it was somewhat inappropriate. The boy was barely breathing, severely injured and might blink and die any second. How could they get involved in such a troublesome matter?
Zheng Nianru rose from her afternoon nap, holding a small Green Gold Warmer in her hands, gazing at the outside world; the grey-white sky, the sun hidden behind the layers of clouds, a slight and chilly breeze rustling the branches.
It's been several days, and I haven't gone to see the Crown Prince? Perhaps I have pushed him too far away.
"Commandery Princess, haven't you been neglecting the Crown Prince for too long?" They had finally reached a good relationship with the Crown Prince, after spending so much time and effort to find someone in this Imperial Palace who could oppose the Empress Dowager.
Zheng Nianru remained silent. She didn't know how to explain it to Nanny Yun—that she might actually fall for her cousin, making things truly difficult and turning everything upside down, with most of her people facing unfavorable outcomes.
Nanny Yun had said early in the morning that one mustn't take things to heart, as none of the girls from the Art Workshop truly did; they were used and then discarded, used and discarded again. Nanny Yun's methods were too direct, incapable of dealing with someone as clever as Zheng Congyuan.
"Yes, to catch by letting loose is a fine tactic, but it's not as if you're letting the bird truly fly away," Nanny Yun sighed for a moment, feeling somewhat astonished. The Commandery Princess seemed to have grown up all of a sudden, and even she was finding it hard to grasp the Commandery Princess's thoughts.
"What Nanny Yun says is true, but I feel that it has always been us taking the initiative; now it's time to change that," Zheng Nianru said, lowering her head as she took the teacup from Nian Xia's hand. The moment the tea touched her lips, the bitterness and the fragrance intertwined, shadowing one another like temptation alongside evil.
"Let's go, let's have a look," Zheng Nianru said as she suddenly stood up. Nanny Yun was so surprised that she hadn't yet realized what they were going to see, and she hastily followed.
"Commandery Princess, shall we change your clothes?" After all, going out required proper attire, and these clothes were not suitable for an official outing.
Why come to the back courtyard? It finally dawned on Nanny Yun whom Zheng Nianru was going to see.
A stench of blood hit them squarely in the face as soon as they entered, causing Nanny Yun to wrinkle her nose. The dim room barely allowed her to discern the figure on the single bed against the wall, a young man whose body was covered in bloodstains, his chest laid bare and bruised a dark purple.
Zheng Nianru also frowned. Aside from that night, this was the first time she had observed the young man so closely. She now realized that Nanmen Yu was frailer than she had imagined, not at all like the figure who in later years would tower over her, easily lifting her with one hand.
The eunuchs who swept the outer courtyards hurried in at that moment, their purpose unclear as they positioned themselves to one side.
"What are you staring at? Bring some hot water, clean the wound, and change the dressing," Nanny Yun commanded, reminded involuntarily of their own past hardships by the young man's pitiable state. It was a shame about such a face; if he could be saved, he might still be of some use.
The eunuchs quickly set to work on changing his dressing. But as they approached the young man, he grabbed the collar of the eunuch closest to him, his eyes flashing a chilling light.
"San He?" the young man uttered with difficulty. The eunuch shuddered, spilling the medicine onto the young man's body, the bottles clattering and rolling across the floor.
"San He?" he had passed out when someone was coming to his rescue. What would happen to San He?
"Your man?" Zheng Nianru spoke up, vaguely recalling that Nanmen Yu had an attendant.
The young man's gaze followed the sound and then landed on a trailing light purple silk gown, the fine dark purple flowers winding around the waist blooming before his eyes.
The young man suddenly realized, was it she who had saved him? The anger and ferocity within him had no place to hide in an instant, mocking his wretchedness.
"Then..."
The young man subconsciously thought to flee, to find San He. He couldn't...
But Zheng Nianru stepped forward, puzzlement within as she could not find the answer. For instance, how was it that this young man was capable of killing?
Zheng Nianru pulled open the front of the young man's clothing, his ribcage visibly stark, such a feeble frame. Was it even lighter than her own?
"Back off, all of you—back off," Nanny Yun's eyelids twitched furiously as she dismissed them and quickly stepped forward. My lady ah, there's nothing to see in this physique, all wounded; surely different from the Crown Prince.
The young man stood there, stupefied, almost forgetting what he had initially intended to do. His skin uncontrollably trembled at the unbelievable touch of the young girl's fingers.