Ayane's voice was not loud when she spoke, but every word was like a basin of cold water being poured down, making the newly shaken Princess Cheng feel cold all over.
Xie Tianyu's deep affection, every word he said after returning home, the wavering and hesitation she had just now, were all like a big joke slapped on her face, and even the tears on her shoulders that originally moved her had changed. It becomes sticky and scorching.
Princess Cheng lowered her head and glanced at her skinny wrist. Gu Helian had teased her this morning that she was about to become a skeleton. She looked so ugly that it was difficult to look at her.
But Xie Tianyu didn't see it until Aunt Jiang mentioned she was pregnant.
He just looked at her affectionately, just like he did every day in the past. The guilt, longing, regret and sentiment seemed to have been well known in his bones and could be used at any time.
Ayane saw that Princess Cheng's face was pale, so she stretched out her hand to wrap up the wound on her finger.
"My slave doesn't know what love is, but I also know that truly caring about someone is not about words. You must not ignore other things just for a few sweet words."
After she finished speaking, she didn't say anything more and just said:
"The wound on your hand is a bit deep. Don't touch the water for the next few days."
Aunt Jiang had been away for a long time. When she came over with water, she found that Princess Cheng's hand had been bandaged.
"Princess, your hands..." Grandma Jiang was surprised.
"The princess was in severe pain just now, so the servant used other methods to apply medicine first. Aunt Jiang should cleanse the princess's hands and change her clothes. There are blood stains on her body." Ayane said.
After hearing this, Aunt Jiang noticed that there was a stain on Princess Cheng's body: "Why is it stained with blood? Princess, please wait while I go get some clothes for you."
I saw Nanny Jiang hurriedly go around to the back of the Bisha cabinet, and skillfully rummaged through the place where the clothes were originally stored in the back compartment.
Princess Cheng looked at the figure through the gap in the window lattice and was stunned for a moment. She didn't know why but suddenly remembered what Ayane said just now.
"...I really care about a person, not just words."
"I have only met you twice, but I can still detect your changes. I have been sharing the same bed with you for more than ten years, but he can't see your bloody hands..."
Xie Tianyu couldn't see it.
Where is Aunt Jiang?
Princess Cheng was startled by the sudden thought.
Aunt Jiang has taken care of her for decades. She has been by her side since she was a child. She knows everything about her and is the most considerate to her.
But on the way back from the old concubine, she didn't even ask her a question, and even after she came back, she just helped Xie Tianyu explain.
It was Ayane's mention that made Nanny Jiang suddenly realize that her hands were still bleeding. It was also Ayane's mention that she saw the blood stains on her dress...
Princess Cheng suddenly tightened her hands, feeling a chill pouring from her head to her feet, and her face turned extremely white.
"Princess, can you see through this? I remember that you liked this the most in the past." Aunt Jiang came out with an autumn-colored dress embroidered with bamboo patterns.
Princess Cheng recognized that it was given to her by Xie Tianyu, and it was also Xie Tianyu's favorite.
Her palm tightened: "Change another one."
"Princess?" Nanny Jiang was stunned for a moment.
Princess Cheng's voice was slightly stiff: "The old concubine is seriously ill. This color is too eye-catching. Please change to something plain."
Aunt Jiang lowered her eyes and looked at the dress in her hand. Is this color eye-catching? But thinking about what Dr. Sun said, saying that the old concubine might not survive the night, she didn't refute it at all. She directly put away the clothes in her hands and said, "Then I will pick another one for you."
Aunt Jiang entered the inner room again, and Princess Cheng looked at her back with an unpredictable expression.
…
After Princess Cheng returned home, Tang Ning was worried about that, but the news from there would not be sent back for a while.
She spent the day talking to Song Ru who had regained consciousness for a while, and then sent someone to Fu's house to give a return gift. She also sent an apology gift to Qian Qiyue, who was frightened yesterday, and then went home. Over at Hejitang, he looked through the books he had brought back from the Lu family.
When it got dark, Xiao Yan came back from outside exhausted.
Seeing that there seemed to be someone in the Hexi Hall, he turned to look at Uncle He, who whispered: "The girl came here in the afternoon and has been reading over at Yueli Terrace."
Xiao Yan's eyes softened, and after waving his hand to stop, he went straight into the inner room.
It was already dark outside, but the lights had not been lit in the Crane Hall, and the surroundings were somewhat unclear. Only the remaining sunset glow on the lake outside was set against the Leaping Carp Terrace, and a figure of Youdao could be vaguely seen crouching in his usual care. Resting on Zhezi's small couch.
The four-legged couch was just enough for him to sleep on with his clothes on, but it seemed much wider to the petite Tang Ning.
She was lying on her side on the couch, as if she was asleep. Her long and wide dress hung down close to her body, outlining the exquisite curves of her waist. The book in her hand was half covered on her chest, and her black hair fell a little.
There was only a faint afterglow left, as if it had jumped over the fence by the lake and landed on her eyelashes, dancing. With the slightest sound of wind outside, it gradually faded towards the edge of her face, and finally only a hazy light and shadow remained.
Xiao Yan stood not far away and watched for a moment before deliberately making some noise.
Tang Ning opened her eyes in a daze, looked up and saw a figure in the dark. Even though she couldn't see his face, she still subconsciously said vaguely: "Brother?"
Xiao Yan walked out from there: "How can I sleep here without fear of catching a cold?"
Tang Ning muttered and stood up: "I wanted to read a book, but I didn't expect it to be too comfortable here."
There are medicinal springs and geothermal heat under the Crane Hall, and there is a cool breeze beside the Leap Platform. When the two rooms are mixed together, the warmth and heat are particularly hypnotic.
Tang Ning rubbed his eyes and stood up, only to find that everything was dark outside. He suddenly woke up: "Why is it so dark?"
"If you sleep a little longer, it will be daybreak."
Xiao Yan laughed, walked aside and lit the candle, waiting until the lampshade was put in place.
After the surroundings became bright again, he looked at the sleeping little girl with rosy cheeks: "Have you eaten yet?"
Tangning shook his head: "Not yet."
"Then use some with me."
"good."
After Xiao Yan called people in to pass the meal, he saw several books on the desk in front of him, with signs of reading on them. He picked them up and stacked them aside and said:
"The academy is already under construction. The Capital Construction Department will speed up the work after receiving the order. We have already recruited a group of migrant workers from the south of the city, and later there will be a group of people serving as laborers. I think the academy will be ready within three months at most. Built.”
The academy is different from ordinary mansions. It does not have so many etiquette and rules. It only needs to be spacious, bright, and strong enough to protect students from wind and rain.
Xiao Yan could vaguely guess Xiao Haitang's "ambition". He originally planned to build the academy according to the best specifications, but then he thought that if this was true, it would be too public and different from the Rong family's past behavior, which would violate the previous rules. The original intention of "finding a way out" for poor students is that if the academy fails for too long, most of the momentum that Tang Ning accumulated through the Lu family will dissipate.
Three months, at the latest.
It would be best if it could be completed within two months.
For this reason, Xiao Yan spent a lot of money and used Emperor An's life to put pressure on him. He wanted to build the academy first and then slowly make up for it if necessary.
Except for the most important library, which was built according to the best plan originally planned and could continue to be rebuilt after the academy began to accept students, the rest was kept simple.
Xiao Yan said to Tang Ning: "There should be many people who have applied to you during this period. Although some are utilitarian people who want to take advantage of others, many of them are gentlemen with good reputations and good moral character."
"You can distinguish them carefully first, and ask Hang Li and others to go out and find out their details. If you are still unsure, you can go to Cao Dejiang and others to check for you."
Tang Ning nodded and cheered: "Okay!"
"And have you thought about the name of the academy?" Xiao Yan asked.
Tang Ning shook his head: "Not yet. Brother, do you have any good suggestions?"
Xiao Yan said calmly: "Of course you name your academy yourself."
Tang Ning said "Oh", propped up her chin and muttered softly: "I haven't thought about it yet."
She originally wanted to use her grandfather's name and call it Qian'an Academy or Rong's Academy, but she felt that others would comment on her using her grandfather's posthumous name. Moreover, if she used her grandfather's name, people in Beijing would also think that the academy was If you have selfish motives, I'm afraid even His Majesty will be suspicious.
Since the day this academy was built, its purpose was to cultivate scholars from poor families to compete with aristocratic families.
If the academy that the emperor supported in every possible way ended up bearing the name of the Rong family, not to mention whether Emperor An would feel uncomfortable, I am afraid even the Qingliu courtiers in the court who originally supported it would murmur in their hearts.
Tang Ning suddenly glanced at Xiao Yan: "By the way, brother, I see you have gone to school. I have never asked you, do you have any words?"
Xiao Yan paused for a moment: "Why do you think of asking this?"
"I'm just curious. If it's inconvenient, I don't need to say anything."
"No inconvenience."
Xiao Yan lowered his eyelashes lightly: "My mother used to call me Yuan Sheng."
"Yuan Sheng?"
"Well, she hopes that I can be as bright as the rising sun."
"Yuan Sheng..."
Tang Ning smacked the name and thought it sounded good no matter what.
Xiao Yan heard the tenderness in her mouth as she called him, as if his heart was sinking in warm water. If he wanted to keep her, there were some things he had to let her know little by little.
Seeing the little girl's defenseless look, he said quietly: "This name is too unassuming. Don't say it to others, otherwise I won't be able to scare others in the future."
Tang Ning immediately laughed when he heard this: "Okay, I won't tell anyone else."
When Canglang came over with the food, he happened to hear these words outside the door. The look on his face changed slightly and he couldn't help but glance at Jinyun who was following him.
The word "Yuan Sheng" was used by the master when he was young. Although only a few people knew it at the time, and because of the master's noble status, others did not dare to call him by this name, but no one may remember it. Why did the master tell the girl like this?
Jinyun was silent for a moment: "Go back to the girl and be more respectful."
Canglang: "..."
Jinyun knocked on the door: "Master Governor, a message from Prince Cheng's Mansion has returned."
Xiao Yan's voice came from inside.
"Enter."
