Xuan Yi received the order and, token in hand, headed to the imperial palace.
The butler opened his mouth, but in the end, dared not stop her. He could only pray that his master would return to the manor quickly.
As for Nan Shiying, she remained standing tall and radiant, showing no intention of entering the manor.
A flash of hatred crossed Liu Shi's eyes. She pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth, her brows furrowed as if in concern. A shimmering light flickered in her eyes, adding a touch of sickly pallor. She then coughed a few times, her voice seemingly weak and strained. With great effort, she said, "This humble subject welcomes Her Highness into the manor."
Nan Shiying nodded to Liu Shi before stepping towards the main gate.
Liu Shi watched Nan Shiying's retreating back, her eyes seemingly filled with the most venomous poison in the world. Her heart burned with boiling hatred, regretting that she hadn't strangled the girl with a rope back then.
After escorting her to Pinglan Pavilion, Liu Shi could no longer contain herself. She curtsied to Nan Shiying again and then said, "Your Highness, this humble subject… cough, cough, cough, cough! This humble subject is gravely ill and fears passing the contagion to Your Highness. This humble subject… this humble subject… cough, cough, cough, cough!"
She covered her mouth, coughing violently.
Nan Shiying's face showed concern. She turned and grabbed Liu Shi's hand, "Aunt, how could you be so severely ill? Alas, I only thought those wretched servants were exaggerating. Had I known you were in such poor health, no matter how difficult those hounds made things, I would never have asked you to preside over matters."
Her words were sincere and earnest, her eyes brimming with layered concern. Anyone unaware of the situation might have marveled at the touching scene of filial piety.
Liu Shi's lips stiffened slightly. She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but found she couldn't.
She almost lost control of her facial muscles, revealing her disgust and hatred. Liu Shi took a deep breath, patted Nan Shiying's hand, and chided with a smile, "Look at you, child, what nonsense you speak! If not for today's events, I wouldn't have known such a disobedient person existed in the manor. I should thank you for purging the inner court for me; you've been a great help."
Nan Shiying's eyes crinkled with a smile. A silver needle had appeared on her fingertip. The moment she released Liu Shi's hand, the needle pierced Liu Shi's skin.
She casually retracted the needle and said with a smile, "Aunt Liu, you flatter me. Aunt, please go back and rest quickly."
"Alright~"
Liu Shi also nodded with a smile, then instructed the butler who had been following her, "Nan Fu, please take good care of Ying'er for me."
The butler's mouth turned bitter. However, he still depended on Liu Shi. Despite his reluctance, he dared not disobey her orders and could only resign himself, "Yes, Madam."
After Liu Shi left, Nan Fu suddenly knelt at Nan Shiying's feet and vigorously slapped himself, "Your Highness, I was blind and foolish before. I deserve to die. I dare not hope for Your Highness's forgiveness, I only wish to atone."
Nan Fu.
Liu Shi's second lackey.
He had often bullied Nan Shiying to please Liu Shi.
Making her eat spoiled food, forcing her to bark like a dog in public, making her stand barefoot on the frozen lake in the biting winter snow – she remembered every single one of these incidents.
However, now was not the time to seek justice for the deceased Nan Shiying.
She could not yet reveal that she was not Qing Yuan.
Nan Shiying quietly gazed at the Nan manor, her eyes as deep as a black hole capable of devouring and tearing apart everything. A sharp killing intent seemed to condense in the air around her, forming a stifling sense of dread that hovered over Nan Fu's head. Then, it suddenly poured in from the top of his head, seeping into his body through his scalp, into his blood, and then rapidly expanding and spreading like a poisonous vine, tightly binding his entire body and even his soul.
Just as Nan Fu was about to be crushed by this fear, Nan Shiying finally spoke, "Scram!"
"Thank you, Princess, thank you, Princess."
Nan Fu felt the joy of a narrow escape. He hastily kowtowed his thanks, then scrambled to his feet. However, his legs were already weak, and as he stood up, he fell to the ground, face first.
With a "thump."
Nan Fu landed solidly, but compared to the fear of death, he no longer felt any pain. He scrambled and crawled out of Pinglan Pavilion.
"Clap, clap, clap, clap~"
Crisp applause echoed. Nan Shiying turned and looked back, spotting Nan Yu Jin leaning against the porch of Pinglan Pavilion.
A faint smile played on Nan Yu Jin's lips, his voice as clear as the wind, but his words were laced with biting sarcasm, "One should look at a person with new eyes after three days away. If you had even half of this assertiveness before, you wouldn't have ended up as trash to be trampled on."
Nan Shiying sneered, "You still have time to care about me. If I were you, I'd worry about myself. Although you are the eldest grandson of the Nan manor, Father clearly favors the child born to that woman. Don't let it come to the point where you lose your inheritance."
Nan Yu Jin's expression immediately soured. If she hadn't caused Qing'er's death back then, his mother wouldn't have been so devastated, allowing that bitch Liu Shi to seize control of the Nan manor's affairs. If there was anyone he hated the most, it would be Liu Shi and her son, then Nan Yuan'er, and then her, Nan Shiying.
He glared fiercely at Nan Shiying, flicked his sleeve, and turned to leave.
Watching Nan Yu Jin's retreating back, Nan Shiying felt a sense of regret.
If not for being in the Nan manor, she truly wanted to say more to Nan Yu Jin. Regarding that incident back then, she found it increasingly suspicious. Why had Nan Yu Qing ordered someone to call Nan Shiying to the lake in the backyard that day, and how had she then accidentally fallen into the lake?
Since Nan Yu Qing's death, Madam Wang had been utterly dejected, and it was then that Liu Shi gained control of the Nan manor's household. Her own already difficult situation had become even more precarious after that.
If no one had schemed behind this, it would truly be a ghost.
Nan Shiying's eyes flickered a few times before she withdrew her gaze and, with Green Wan and others, entered the room.
Pinglan Pavilion was considered a decent courtyard within the Nan manor. It was currently deep winter, yet the Muyao flowers in the courtyard were still blooming vibrantly. It was quite miraculous that this flower could bloom year-round.
After the commotion outside the Nan manor, the servants had long been frightened out of their wits, and none dared to provoke Nan Shiying any further.
The maids assigned to serve Nan Shiying in Pinglan Pavilion were as quiet as quail, doing whatever Green Wan asked of them.
After drinking half a cup of tea, Nan Shiying finally waited for Nan Chao Yin.
"Your Highness, Nan Chao Yin has arrived."
Nan Shiying put down her teacup and gave a faint hum.
Finally, he had arrived!