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Shen Ning packed up the silver needles and turned to walk out.
Ji Yucang rose and draped a robe over himself, lifting his hand to gently cover his heart and lung area. Indeed, there was not a trace of pain to be felt.
He raised his eyes to watch Shen Ning’s departing figure.
The girl’s figure was slender, her demeanor calm and unruffled, her emotions as clear as a pool of water, colder than himself, devoid of any trace of the seven emotions and six desires.
He couldn’t help but sigh softly.
To conquer the heart of such a woman would likely be a very lengthy process, but fortunately, she was now his, and no one else could take her away.
“Master.” Ling Feng stood at the door, looking at Ji Yucang’s disheveled appearance, his expression a mix of surprise and joy, “The Princess Consort…”
“She should be fine within the day.” Ji Yucang regained his composure, his tone steady and indifferent, “The Princess Consort’s medical skills are superb, able to alleviate the pain of my poison flare-ups. This matter is not to be known by anyone for now.”
“Yes.” Ling Feng acknowledged.
“I am temporarily unable to go out. You take care of things outside.” Ji Yucang walked to the window, “Whatever the Princess Consort needs, have the steward of the estate arrange it. No one is allowed to neglect the Princess Consort.”
“Yes.” Ling Feng withdrew.
Shen Ning instructed Shi Qin to go to the accounts room to fetch some silver and then returned to the Golden Courtyard to rest briefly.
Upon arriving at the Golden Courtyard, she found someone kneeling in the courtyard.
Shen Ning paused slightly and turned her head to look at the few maids sweeping the courtyard.
A stewardess approached and respectfully greeted Shen Ning with a bow, “Princess Consort, the Regent’s cousin Miss Yanran has been kneeling here since she returned, saying she wishes to apologize to the Princess Consort.”
After Mama Wu was beaten to death, Shen Ning promoted another stewardess to take charge of managing the internal affairs of the courtyard, the very upright and conscientious Mama Yu standing before her.
“Understood.” Shen Ning’s tone was calm, “You may go about your duties.”
“Yes.”
Shen Ning stepped into the courtyard, walking past Gu Yanran without a glance, ascending the steps and approaching the door of her room.
“Princess Consort Sister-in-law.” Gu Yanran lifted her gaze, her red lips slightly pursed, wearing an expression of endurance and compromise, “I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have failed to give the Princess Consort Sister-in-law face in front of outsiders. I should understand the principle of sharing glory and loss together. Even if… even if my cousin’s words and actions were slightly inappropriate, I… I should have firmly stood by the Princess Consort Sister-in-law…”
“Close the door.” Shen Ning’s voice was indifferent, “If she continues to make a fuss, throw her out.”
“Yes.”
Gu Yanran’s face turned red with anger, her eyes fixed on the closed door, the handkerchief in her hand almost twisted into a ball.
Damn Shen Ning.
She had knelt down to her, what more did she want?
Did she really think she was like the Empress Dowager?
Gu Yanran bit her lip, unsure whether to stand up or continue kneeling, not knowing what to do for a moment.
Looking around, she pointed at a maid who was sweeping: “You, come here.”
The maid approached timidly: “Miss.”
Gu Yanran lowered her eyes, her voice soft and weak: “Go to the Regent and tell him that I accidentally angered the Princess Consort and am now kneeling at her door to apologize, but the Princess Consort is ignoring me.”
The maid was startled and immediately knelt down: “I dare not, I absolutely dare not!”
Miss Gu was overestimating her, as a mere servant, how could she dare to seek an audience with the Regent on her own? And how could she have the audacity to gossip about the Princess Consort?
She wouldn’t dare to do such a thing even if she had nine lives.
Gu Yanran bit her lip, feeling like scolding the maid for being useless. However, she had always presented herself as gentle and kind in the estate, so she just let her eyes turn red and stared at the maid pitifully without saying a word.
The poor little maid, who usually just swept the floors and watered the plants, would kneel and greet her masters from afar, not even daring to lift her head, only wishing for peace and to avoid trouble. She never imagined she would be caught up by Miss Gu today.
After thinking for a moment, she could only say weakly, “I’ll try.”
Gu Yanran nodded slowly, showing gratitude: “Thank you.”
The little maid quickly got up and ran out.
However, as soon as she reached the outside of Golden Courtyard, she saw Mama Yu, who was bringing snacks, walking quickly over: “Xing, you should be cleaning in the Princess Consort’s courtyard. Where are you going?”
Xing knelt down with a thud: “Mama Yu.”
Mama Yu frowned.
“Miss… Miss Gu asked me to see the Master…” Xing trembled with fear, “I said my status is too low to see the Master, but she… she…”
Mama Yu’s frown deepened: “The Regent Master has ordered that no one is to disturb him today. You are neglecting your duties and trying to shirk work. Kneel here for an hour and don’t go anywhere.”
“Yes.” Xing let out a long sigh of relief, “Thank you, Mama Yu.”
Mama Yu carried the snacks into Golden Courtyard and called over all the maids working in the courtyard: “Who is in charge of Xing?”
Gu Yanran’s expression changed slightly as she turned to look at the stern-faced Mama Yu.
A senior maid approached: “Mama Yu.”
“Miss Lan Hua.” Mama Yu greeted her politely after seeing her, exchanging a few pleasantries, “Xing has neglected her duties and left without permission. I’ve punished her by making her kneel outside for an hour, and I wanted to inform you.”
Lan Hua and Lan Zhi were originally trained as palace officials and were transferred by the Regent to deliver the wedding dress to Shen Ning. After Shen Ning married into the Regent’s estate, they stayed in Golden Courtyard as the head maids, with better treatment than before and without the constraints of palace rules, enjoying much more freedom.
All the maids in the Princess Consort’s courtyard were under their management, except for the personal female bodyguards Shi Qin and Shi Qi.
“Xing has always been clever and diligent. I wonder what happened today.” Lan Hua said, puzzled. “I’ll ask her later. Thank you, Mama Yu.”
“It’s no trouble. These are freshly baked snacks from the kitchen. I’ve brought some for the Princess Consort.” Mama Yu said as she stepped into the room. “Lunch is being prepared. The Princess Consort can have a taste of the snacks first.”
Shen Ning felt somewhat tired. Seeing Mama Yu enter, she simply said, “Let them share the snacks. I’m a bit tired and need to rest for half an hour.”
Her encounter with the Empress Dowager in the palace had drained a bit of her energy, and rushing back with the antidote from the Emperor without stopping, then performing acupuncture on Ji Yucang, had further depleted her strength.
She urgently needed to replenish her lost energy.
Compounding the antidote was also a task that consumed both physical and mental energy, requiring her to be fully rested.
“Yes.” Mama Yu handed the snacks to Lan Zhi, “Then I won’t disturb the Princess Consort. Lunch will be sent over in half an hour.”