Gu Ying felt a warmth in her heart. There were some things she wanted to talk to him about, but then she thought again - Jiang Yin was dead and there would no longer be anyone who could hinder her life with the Eldest Prince. So she felt there was no need to talk about it further.
"So Su He was preparing to return to Bianjing, but Prince Duan ordered him to continue staying in Changzhou to investigate the extermination case from years ago?"
Zhao Changdu said, "Yes, Su He did receive a secret order from Prince Duan."
Gu Ying was somewhat emotional. "Prince Duan seems to be becoming more and more extraordinary."
Indeed, none of the royal men had simple thoughts... She had thought Prince Duan was gentle-natured, honest and simple-minded without any ambitious desire to fight for the crown prince's position. But now it seemed that after the toxins had been removed from his body and he had a year or two more to recuperate, Li Yang would have more trouble competing with him over the Eastern Palace.
Zhao Changdu imperceptibly watched the young lady's expression and the corners of his lips curled indulgently. "If not for Miss Gu saving his life, Prince Duan would not have been able to recover like this. So his achievements today are all thanks to Miss Gu."
Gu Ying smiled, eyes curving. Recently the Eldest Prince had become better and better at praising her. Her heart felt sweet and she tilted her head to give him a little peck on the face.
The young lady's kiss was fleeting and superficial.
Zhao Changdu's brows sunk deeper, unsatisfied as he grasped the back of her head to deepen the kiss somewhat.
It was half an hour later before Gu Ying finally emerged from the inner room, her face flushed red. She called the rouge to bring in the cold then reheated food and dishes.
After the evening meal, the Eldest Prince went into the study to go through government documents.
Gu Ying embroidered a belly wrap for the child in her belly. Yanzhi and Yin Zhu sat in front of her and reported all the big and small matters of the residence to her one by one.
Cheng seemed to be well-behaved on the surface, but in reality she would send people every day to gather news outside the Changfeng Pavilion.
After Gu Ying feigned illness, Cheng had wanted to send people breaking into Changfeng Pavilion to stir up trouble several times, but was always blocked by Yin Zhu.
As for Huo Qiyan, she was even more unruly, loitering outside Changfeng Pavilion every other day.
Previously when the Eldest Prince was not there, she had not returned to the Huo residence. And now that the Eldest Prince had just returned, she would dress up prettily and wait along the path he must take when returning to the residence, addressing him intimately as Cousin.
"When the Eldest Prince walked past her cold-faced tonight, her own face turned green. It felt so satisfying," Yanzhi laughed as she vividly imitated Huo Qiyan's awkward state. "My lady, when you were not here, the things Huo Second Miss dared to presumptuously claim! She even addressed herself as the Eldest Prince's wife, and said to the servants every day that she was the Eldest Prince's cousin and would sooner or later marry into Prince's residence. Sometimes she would specifically come to cause trouble for us maids too. If Elder Sister Yin Zhu did not help, I would have almost been beaten by her!"
Gu Ying listened with a tranquil expression, her hands continuously working.
The Eldest Prince had said long ago that all the food, clothing, and living expenditures of Changfeng Pavilion would be handled by the Eldest Prince himself and did not need to go through the Prince's official accounts. So even if Cheng wanted to interfere, it would be difficult. In contrast, after years of Zhao Changxing's extravagance, the Prince's residence had become an empty shell. Cheng did not have any presentable shops, manors, or properties in her hands, so she wanted to set her sights on Changfeng Pavilion.
Gu Ying thought for a bit before asking, "Has Zhao Rou come by?"
"How could she not have? She's come several times. I saw it as Cheng suspecting that my lady is not in the residence, so she deliberately let Madam Huo come test it out."
"She hasn't noticed anything?"
"No, but—" Yanzhi's eyes flickered as she suddenly recalled a small detail. "Madam Huo asked some strange questions about Granny Sun, and not only that, she even personally came once saying she wanted to bring Granny Sun back to Baomo Hall on Madam Cheng's behalf."
Zhao Rou was a prestigious and dignified lady. Before she married out, she was the pearl in the old Prince's palm. Even after she married into the Huo family she had the final say. For her to plead on behalf of an old granny was truly baffling.
Yin Lan frowned, her instincts telling her that Zhao and Cheng definitely had ghosts in their bellies. "My lady, just who is this Granny Sun that even Madam Cheng and Madam Zhao are pleading for her?"
Gu Ying murmured in thought, "Previously, what were the results of the investigation Huai An sent people to do?"
Yin Lan said, "Lord Huai told this slave that Granny Sun is just an ordinary commoner. There really is nothing worth investigating further, only that she had served Madam Cheng for many years and was an elderly person by Madam Cheng's side."
"Yes, yes, yes—" Yanzhi followed up. "That was exactly what Madam Huo said, that Madam Cheng was used to Granny Sun and uncomfortable with other people serving her. She wanted to bring Granny Sun back and it was unreasonable for her to be detained like this when she did not commit any major offense."
Gu Ying put down her needlework, voice focused. "In that case, there must be a secret Cheng is trying to cover up about her."
Yin Lan and Yanzhi looked towards her simultaneously.
"What could the secret be, my lady?"
Gu Ying laughed lightly. "Since there is a mystery surrounding Granny Sun, we will pry open her mouth and make her tell it herself."
"But Granny Sun's mouth is clamped tighter than a turtle's mouth," Yanzhi's face drooped. "Even if the skies collapse, her mouth would still be shut tight."
Gu Ying smiled faintly. "I have my ways."
...
The next day, as soon as it started getting light, the Eldest Prince got up and left for court.
Gu Ying struggled up from bed to help the Eldest Prince change clothes and do his hair. But before she even finished dressing the Eldest Prince, she ended up clinging onto him in his embrace and napping a while longer.
Zhao Changdu liked her clinging onto him and he sucked on her lips for a good long time before letting her go.
Gu Ying was kissed more awake now, a charming flush on her cheeks as she gazed at the man's exceptionally refined and handsome visage in the morning. In her heart she secretly swore that after Jiang Yin's death, she would properly accompany the Eldest Prince for life and grow old with him white-headed. Hadn't he said there were no men who would remain loyal to one woman for life? She was determined to prove that such a love was possible.
After the Eldest Prince left, Changfeng Pavilion became happily bustling.
Yanzhi and Yin Lan lifted the curtains from outside and came in, some drawing water, some wringing towels. Very quickly they had Gu Ying washed and made-up, clear and beautiful.
The news of the Eldest Prince's return to Bianjing would spread through the court today. She, having recuperated from illness within Changfeng Pavilion for a month or two now, also ought to demonstrate that she was "well" - at least the Empress in the palace and the Emperor had to know that she had been staying obediently the entire time in the Prince's residence. The longer she was ill, the deeper the regret the Emperor would feel towards the Prince's residence, and the more highly he would regard the Eldest Prince.
Moreover, now that she was "recovered", there would be no shortage of visitors coming to see her.
And indeed, as soon as the news spread last night of the Eldest Prince's return to the capital, visits and gifts started being delivered from the various households since early morning today.
The battlefield for men was the court, while the battlefield for women was the inner residence. These people had all come intending to curry favor with the Prince's residence and the Eldest Prince.
With the Eldest Prince's promotion to Vice Minister of the Privy Council at the young age of merely thirty-something, military power was in his grasp.
Cheng hated her, hated Changfeng Pavilion, absolutely seething with rage. Yet in front of the madams of other prominent families, she still had to gracefully greet Gu Ying with concern about her illness.
Cheng had always been adept at social niceties. After lunch, as the ladies went to watch opera at the theatre she had arranged, Cheng originally wanted to chat with Gu Ying about Granny Sun.
But the moment she caught sight of Gu Ying's slightly bulging belly, Cheng's expression instantly darkened.
