Chapter 51: Bad Intentions
After the news that the Second Prince had asked His Majesty for permission to grant him a marriage spread in the palace, wherever A Lian went, she saw attentive smiling faces.
She hurried to Fenghe Courtyard carrying the bird's nest that had just been cooked in the kitchen. Many of the maids and servants she met wanted to snatch the food box from her: "Why do you want to make the young lady do such rough work? Why don't I take it for you?"
In the past, the servants in the Second Prince's Mansion did not dare to neglect or despise them, but there was obviously a clear difference in the treatment of guests and future mistresses.
When A Lian entered Feng He Courtyard, several maids came up to greet her with joy on their faces. They were obviously glad that they had followed the right master. They originally thought that she would temporarily serve the visiting Miss Tang, but unexpectedly, she would be promoted to a member of the future princess's courtyard. Even if she was a maid, it was quite glorious for her to go out.
"Sister A-Lian, let us do the running. You're tired from serving Miss Tang. Take a rest when you have time."
"You called me the wrong name. You should call me princess."
A-Lian took out the money for the head maid and said modestly, "It's nothing. Don't make noises. It might be bad if the girl hears it." But she was so proud in her heart.
The maids were all delighted: "The news came from the servants in His Highness' study, how could it be false?"
Ah Lian dealt with the maids who came up to her to curry favor with her, pushed open the door, walked around the screen, and went straight to the inner bedroom. Tang Ying was sitting on the embroidery stool in front of the window embroidering. When she saw her come in, she raised her embroidery frame and looked very distressed: "Ah Lian, look, I always feel that the Qilin I embroidered is not good-looking. It can't compare with the embroiderer in Your Highness's mansion. Even if I give it away, I'm afraid Your Highness won't be able to wear it to see people."
She originally wanted to embroider a Kirin purse for the Second Prince, but after drawing a picture and trying to embroider it, this was already the best-looking of the five, but it was still not as exquisite as the one on Yuan Lang's body, and anyone with a discerning eye could tell.
The embroiderer in the Second Prince's mansion came from the palace and was personally selected by the Imperial Concubine. She was also the top embroiderer in the capital. Tang Ying, who grew up in the border town and only learned embroidery from her wet nurse since childhood, could naturally not compare to her.
Ah Lian said cheerfully, giving her some advice: "...why don't you let the embroiderer in the mansion embroider the purse and let you sew it?" She joked: "Anyway, it's all from your heart. His Highness likes you. Even if you don't give him the purse, he will be happy to see you."
Every time the Second Prince came, he would ask about Tang Ying's well-being and seemed to want to hold her in his hands. It was obvious that he liked her very much.
Tang Ying looked shy, her cheeks flushed: "Alian, stop talking nonsense! Are you going to make fun of me too?"
Ah Lian took out the bird's nest porridge from the food box, wrung out a towel from the wash basin and handed it to her: "I am telling the truth, the young lady should reward me."
"You deserve a beating!" Tang Ying giggled: "How about I give you a slap in the face?" She pretended to hit her.
"I was wrong! Is it okay if I was wrong?"
The master and servant were joking around when a maid's voice rang out from outside: "Sister A-Lian, His Highness Feng Kui to bring something to the young lady."
Tang Ying dragged out her voice: "Your second brother Feng is here, why don't you go quickly."
Ah Lian's face turned red, and she seemed annoyed: "It was obviously His Highness who sent someone to deliver something to the young lady, and the young lady still framed me."
She walked briskly and excitedly out of the door to see that Feng Kui was standing in the yard carrying a large food box.
Feng Kui was the personal bodyguard of the Second Prince. He had regular features, thick eyebrows and big eyes. The 19-year-old boy had an upright figure. When he saw A Lian, he smiled with joy and walked over to her quickly. “A Lian, this is the snack that His Highness asked for when he went to the palace to see the Empress today. He asked me to deliver it to Miss Tang.”
Ah Lian bowed and said, "I want to thank His Highness on behalf of your young lady." She called a maid to carry the bird's nest and said, "Bring the bird's nest to the tea room. When the young lady has finished eating the bird's nest, bring it up with her afternoon tea."
Yan Zi came over and took the food box from Feng Kui.
Feng Kui's hands were empty, his eyes drifted toward the courtyard gate, and he asked in a low voice: "I'm leaving, won't you see me off?"
A Lian spat at him, her cheeks flushed: "If you want to leave, just go. Why are you asking me?" She was quite shy like a little girl.
She and Feng Kui met in Baicheng, and on the way back to Beijing, she was able to rely on Feng Kui's care everywhere. When she entered the Second Prince's Mansion, Feng Kui's care was even more indispensable.
After returning to Beijing, Feng Kui would go to the street every now and then to buy some small gifts for her, and would also take the initiative to tell her about things at home. His parents and elder brother were guarding the imperially granted farm for His Highness in the suburbs of Beijing. His family had just married off his sister-in-law last year, and they lived a very wealthy life. Every time he went back to the countryside on vacation, his family would always nag him to get married.
Feng Kui hesitated, looking back every few steps, staring at her eagerly.
A'lian followed with a blushing face. When they came out of Fenghe Courtyard, Feng Kui grabbed A'lian's wrist, dragged her past the maids and servants in the mansion, and went straight into the rockery cave in the backyard. He hugged her and wanted to kiss her.
"Second Brother Feng, you——"
"Call me Erlang." Feng Kui stuffed something into her hand. A Lian felt the hard hairpin was still hot. Thinking of being held in Feng Kui's arms all the way and being infected by his body temperature, her heart was also warm. She called "Erlang" softly, and was then hugged by Feng Kui and kissed.
Suddenly, she heard some noise outside. She didn't know which courtyard it was from but a few maids passing by together. A Lian was so scared that she hid in Feng Kui's arms, not daring to move.
After waiting for the voices outside to fade away, A-Lian punched his solid chest several times: "In broad daylight, you..."
Feng Kui whispered in her ear: "Can you come over tonight? My dear A'lian, I used two months' salary to make you a gold hairpin, which is considered to be the finalization of our relationship. Anyway, you are already mine. Last time... I was so happy that I couldn't sleep for half the night. I miss you every day."
"But we haven't gotten married yet..." The last time Feng Kui came to see her after drinking, it was in the middle of the night, and he pushed her into a rock cave and raped her. After she went back, she was worried for half the night, for one thing, she was afraid that someone would find out, and two, she was afraid that Feng Kui would deny him. Unexpectedly, Feng Kui came to see her more frequently in the next half month, and repeatedly mentioned the matter of marriage, which made A Lian gradually feel relieved.
"What are you afraid of? When His Highness's marriage is settled and your master marries His Highness, it will be our turn. I have already told His Highness that I will marry you in a grand ceremony!" The man kept pestering her, and A Lian could not resist his pleading and agreed.
The two people parted reluctantly. A Lian walked back while taking out the gold hairpin to look at it carefully, stroking it constantly, with an indescribable sweetness in her heart.
Feng Kui returned to the front yard and went straight to the second prince's study.
"How about it?"
Feng Kui's face was calm and indifferent. He stood there respectfully and replied, "The fish has been hooked. I will try to scare her tonight and see if I can make her tell the truth."
Yuan Lang had a strange smile on his face: "There is only one month left before the Wanshou Festival. I was thinking of waiting until after the festival to ask my father to grant me marriage, but... I can't wait any longer!" He gently stroked the face of the girl in the wedding dress in the painting: "I met Fu Chen a few days ago. I wanted to visit him, but he repeatedly stopped me. This kid better not have any bad intentions..."
Feng Kui stood quietly.
After a long while, Yuan Lang seemed to remember that there was another person in the room, so he looked up and asked, "Anything else?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, since the dispute in the palace, the Grand Princess's Mansion has sent out several groups of people to hunt down the little beggar, but the beggar seems to be quite skilled and escaped several times."
"They all escaped?" Yuan Lang was a little interested: "This Zhang Er is quite skilled. Send someone to investigate. It would be even better if he could be brought to the mansion."
Feng Kui took the order and left.
He was the only one left in the study. Yuan Lang lowered his head and stared at the portrait in front of him intently, muttering to himself: "When the imperial decree granting marriage comes down, Teng Yun should be back."
※※※
There is only one month left until the Wanshou Festival, and there are more and more unfamiliar faces in the capital.
Today, Tang Ying did not go out to beg for food. She wore the narrow-sleeved black official uniform of the Forbidden Cavalry Division. She had a fair face and a long sword on her waist. She looked heroic and followed the people from the Fengzi Division to Sifang Pavilion. The leader of the team was Fu Chen. There were about ten people from the Fengzi Division and three people from the Ying Division.
Hongxiang, Wanyu, and Tang Ying.
Liu Zhong of the Feng Department explained the mission of this trip to everyone as they walked: "Three days ago, the King of Nanyue brought his son to Beijing to celebrate Your Majesty's birthday and stayed at the Sifang Pavilion. But today we received a report that an extremely important item that the son carried with him was lost. The people in Jingzhao have been investigating for two days but still have no clues, so they had to report it to the higher authorities, and even the Ministry of Justice was involved. This matter alarmed Your Majesty, and Your Majesty ordered the Imperial Cavalry Division and the Ministry of Justice to go together to recover the lost items for the son."
Hong Xiang: "What's so important that the Ministry of Labor and the Cavalry Department need to search for it together?"
Tang Ying: "Jingzhao has picked all of them."
Fu Chen smiled.
He went to borrow someone from Yao Niang today, and his reason was very legitimate: "It is said that the prince of Nanyue brought several concubines and beauties with him. They are also the wives of the prince of a vassal state. It is not easy for us to force our way in. Aunt, please send a few people to go with us to investigate."
When Yao Niang heard the word "Nanyue", her ears buzzed and her expression became a little dull: "The prince of Nanyue lost something?" She soon returned to her usual frivolous attitude: "Fu boy, are you trying to use your power for personal gain?"
She had originally intended to tease him, but she had not expected Fu Chen to accept it and actually bow to her: "Aunt has good eyesight, and I didn't mean to hide it. I wonder if Aunt is willing to oblige me?"
Yao Niang waved her hand and sent someone to call Tang Ying over, as well as Hongxiang and Wanyu.
"Commander Fu, even if you are in a hurry to get married, don't be too conspicuous." She lazily lay back on the table and yawned loudly, as if she was not awake yet.
Fu Chen: "Thank you, aunt, for your thoughtful consideration."
The three people from the Shadow Department followed Yao Niang's instructions and obeyed Commander Fu's orders in everything.
Hongxiang glanced at Fu Chen first, and she could hardly suppress the joy in her heart.
Tang Ying pretended to salute Fu Chen and said, "Greetings, Commander." She acted in a businesslike and distant manner.
Unfortunately, Fu Chen was not going to let her have her wish, and asked with concern: "Is your leg injury okay?"
Hongxiang: “…”
Wanyu: "Are you injured on your leg?"
Tang Ying had a blank expression on her face, and she felt that Master Fu did it on purpose: "Thank you for your concern, Master. I am fine now."
Fu Chen didn't believe it at all, and he found it funny that she pretended to be serious and distanced herself from him in front of everyone. He even rubbed her head in front of everyone and said, "Be careful these two days, don't let the wound break."
Yao Niang smiled with a hint of melancholy, as if she was recalling her youth.
Tang Ying stared at him. She always felt that Commander Fu had bad intentions. Did he want his colleagues in the Shadow Department who coveted Lord Fu's beauty to share her with them?
Therefore, after leaving the office, she deliberately dawdled and fell behind.
Hongxiang followed Fu Chen closely, walking three steps behind him so that she would not bump into him and yet could talk to him at any time.
Commander Fu ignored the girl's approach, walked slowly in front with his hands behind his back, and listened to the conversation of a group of people behind him.
Hongxiang had no choice but to chase after Liu Zhong to talk, and occasionally sneak a peek at what Lord Fu was doing.
Although they were going to Sifang Pavilion to investigate a case, the group walked out in a leisurely style as if they were shopping.
