"Hysteria?"
Wasn't that just madness! But on that day during the snow-viewing banquet by the fire, Nan Yuan'er didn't seem like someone who had gone mad.
Ji Hong couldn't fathom why his Imperial Aunt cared so much about Nan Yuan'er. She was merely a pitiable soul, swept along by so-called destiny to attain a status and position she didn't deserve.
"It seems so," Ji Hong nodded.
He wasn't certain, and the wet nurse hadn't provided a definite answer either. However, for someone who, despite her efforts to hide it, couldn't conceal the desire for power within her heart, it was hard not to descend into madness in her current state.
Nan Shiying stroked her chin. The wet nurse Ji Hong had assigned to Zou Yun'er was an elder who had served two dynasties. Previously, she was a wet nurse at the Shangshan Bureau, making it difficult to dismiss her as an ordinary person. And Nan Yuan'er, at least based on past interactions and encounters, was not an intelligent woman.
"Does Imperial Aunt care deeply about this matter?" Ji Hong couldn't help but feel curious seeing Nan Shiying's eyes slightly lowered in thought.
Nan Shiying smiled, "I just find it amusing."
She tidied the crumbs of pastry remaining under her fingernails. Her visit to the palace today was merely to inquire about the wet nurse's observations and experiences at the Nan Manor. Having taken the blame for Ji Hong, she naturally expected some reward.
"Japan happened to present a giant coral as tribute before the year's end, extremely rare..."
Nan Shiying raised her hand, stopping Ji Hong's senseless promotion. What giant coral? It was merely a useless decorative piece. In her previous life, she possessed the entire world and had seen all sorts of rare treasures. How could she be captivated by a mere coral?
"I heard that the late Emperor discovered a mine back then..." Nan Shiying spoke, then paused, her voice trailing off.
Upon hearing this, Ji Hong's hand trembled, nearly dropping the teacup to the floor. If his Imperial Uncle's phoenix eyes hadn't narrowed, with his deep, dark gaze fixed upon him, he would have made his Imperial Aunt go look at herself in the moat, to see if her face was so large that the entire moat couldn't contain it.
She truly dared to bring it up!
Ji Hong placed the teacup back on the table, wiped his hand which had been splashed with a few drops of tea with a handkerchief, and his gaze fell upon Nan Shiying's face. Then, he quickly glanced at his Imperial Uncle, who had once again lowered his head, single-mindedly peeling fruit and nut shells for his Imperial Aunt.
What a sin!
The mine his father discovered back then was a hundred meters deep. The annual income from the mined ore to this day accounted for one-fifth of the annual treasury's revenue, a substantial amount. Furthermore, there were still many areas near that mine that had yet to be excavated, meaning it wasn't just a mine, but a gold mine.
Just as Ji Hong was contemplating how to refuse without harming their mutual dignity, Nan Shiying seemed to take a breath and continued, "Another meteorite was discovered near that mine."
Ji Hong: "..."
Damn it!
He clearly saw a hint of slyness on his Imperial Aunt's expressionless face.
Ji Hong looked at Ji Jinmo, his eyes filled with accusation.
Ji Jinmo placed the peeled nut kernels into Nan Shiying's palm, ignoring Ji Hong's accusatory gaze, and issued an irrefutable command, "Deliver the meteorite to my manor tonight."
Ji Hong clenched his fists. He glanced at the teacup before him, and for a moment, he wanted to pick up the cup and throw it at these two heartless individuals. However, reason still gripped his throat, stopping his impulsive nerves and preventing him from a beating after reaching adulthood.
Nan Shiying ate the nuts in her hand, thought for a moment, then took out a white porcelain bottle from her embrace and handed it to Ji Hong. "This is a qi-preserving pill I newly developed. It benefits qi, nourishes blood, detoxifies, and nourishes the liver."
Better not to take it!
Seeing Ji Hong not take it, Nan Shiying placed the medicine by his hand and said to him, "Excessive work without rest is undoubtedly harmful to the body. I know of the Emperor's diligent heart, but you must also cherish your health. Your sallow complexion indicates liver stagnation; repressed liver qi can lead to yellowish whites of the eyes, irritability, and restlessness. This qi-preserving pill can protect liver qi and neutralize the agitation."
Ji Hong was slightly startled. He lowered his gaze to the porcelain bottle pushed towards his hand, then looked up at his Imperial Aunt. A warm current flowed through his heart, and he felt ashamed for being genuinely annoyed by his Imperial Aunt's jest. "So, Imperial Aunt was joking because she noticed I was unwell. It was me..."
"No, I did it deliberately. What if you had actually given me the mine?"
Nan Shiying interrupted Ji Hong's sincere repentance. The mist in Ji Hong's eyes instantly dissipated, and he felt his back molars itching, needing something to bite to relieve it.
He picked up the medicine bottle, opened it, poured out a pill, and threw it into his mouth. Without water, he chewed it directly.
The sudden burst of bitterness felt like his skull was being struck hard by an iron rod. Yes, he was struck by a rod, hence his foolishness in chewing the medicine!
Ji Hong, with a pained expression, picked up the teacup and poured water into his mouth. One cup wasn't enough, so he poured another before the bitterness in his mouth finally subsided.
Nan Shiying then spoke slowly, a remark that could be described as piercing the heart, "Oh, I forgot to tell you just now. This medicine tastes bitter; it's best swallowed."
"Don't chew!"
She did it on purpose, she definitely did it on purpose!
Ji Hong truly missed the days when he would secretly pull on his Imperial Uncle's sleeve, crying and complaining. At that time, although his Imperial Uncle would condescendingly hold his head down, forcing him to turn his head so that his snot and tears wouldn't stain his sleeves, he would still punish those who bullied him in secret. But now, his Imperial Uncle had found someone he cherished and ignored his nephew. Truly, seeing new people happy meant forgetting those who were crying.
Seeing Ji Hong look at him with a mournful expression, Ji Jinmo furrowed his brows, seemingly not understanding why he suddenly appeared this way. After a moment, he picked up the teapot and refilled Ji Hong's empty teacup.
Ji Hong looked at Ji Jinmo, then at the teacup in his hand, and let out a long sigh.
He picked up the cup and drank the tea!
Nan Shiying almost burst out laughing.
That evening, Ji Hong ordered the meteorite, which had been stored in the national treasury, to be delivered to Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying had Lu Wan place the meteorite, which was only the size of a plate, into a box, and then had her place this box into a slightly larger box. The boxes were nested, five or six layers deep, before she finally placed this nested package into her private vault.