The next day Li Hua left the Imperial City in the carriage sent by Yi Junjie. After sending away Li Hua, when Li Rui stepped back inside the Plum Courtyard, she couldn’t help but feel a little lonely.

Li Zhan, Li Mei, and Li Hua all left. No, she was alone to fight her wars. But she comforted herself with the fact that Li Hua would be safe from now on.

That morning, she sat in the front hall for a long time hearing the chirping of birds.

———————-

Imperial Palace

A week passed. The Second Prince didn’t visit the abodes of any concubine and Lantai Courtyard in Xinhe Palace for the past seven days.

Yi Huiqing didn’t have any problem with this. She was spending her days very happily doing her own things. Sometimes she would cook something delicious or she would try to learn something new. All in all, she discovered a new life for herself that makes her felt alive. Now she laughed more and her eyes were bright. Even her personal maidservant noticed this.

But it was not the same case with other concubines in Xinhe Palace. The problem aroused when Concubine Shaolin had finished the period given by Yi Huiqing to dismiss the morning greetings. Yi Huiqing could not waive concubine Shaolin forever so the new concubine finally stepped out of her abode and on the first day she was taunted till she was in tears.

Zhao Zhang Wei didn’t visit her even once since she had arrived in Xinhe Palace.

It was a humiliation for Concubine Shaolin and a joke for other concubines.

But after two or three days, the concubines felt restless and hence requested Yi Huiqing to talk to Zhao Zhang Wei about this.

Yi Huiqing was helpless after their continuous pleas. She complained inside her heart.

‘Even when he was not here, he won’t let her live peacefully without any worry.’

So Yi Huiqing had to visit Zhao Zhang Wei unwillingly for the sake of ‘her younger sisters’.

When she went to meet Zhao Zhang Wei, Eunuch Zhang was standing outside the study room. She told him the purpose of her visit and asked between their conversation the reason for The Second Prince’s fewer visits in the inner courtyard. 

But Eunuch Zhang just told her that His Highness had been busy in court matters and then went inside the study room to inform Zhao Zhang Wei about her visit.

A few minutes later when she went inside the study room, she saw Zhao Zhang Wei working on something. She couldn’t help but think how her heart was strangely calm looking at this man today.

Wasn’t it a sign that she had been successful in doing what she wanted?

She put a smile on her lips and curtsied to greet him.

“Wangfei greets Wangye.”

Zhao Zhang Wei raised his head to look at her and put down the documents in his hands. Different from the cold expression of that days, his face had a gentle smile but it didn’t stir her heart at all this time.

She just wondered how many times he had smiled at her like this in these four years hiding from her that her child was killed by someone else.

She forcefully suppressed down her waving emotions and said politely.

“Wangye seems very busy these days.”

Instead of replying to her, Zhao Zhang Wei stood up from his chair and Yi Huiqing saw as he came in front of her, held her hands, and sat her down on a comfy chair.

“Why did Wangfei suddenly decided to visit me? Is Wangfei’s health alright now?”

It took a moment for Yi Huiqing to understand why he asked her about her health. She maintained her smile and said

“Yes, this Wangfei’s health is very well. Physician Sun is an expert in his profession. This Wangfei indeed worried Wangye for nothing.”

She wanted to take her hands out from his as she felt a little weird but remembering his reaction from last time, she didn’t do so.

“This Wangfei just came to see if Wangye is very busy. Wangye didn’t visit the inner courtyard for the past week. All the younger sisters miss Wangye very much.”

Zhao Zhang Wei was sitting in front of her. Hearing her words, he hummed a little.

“I shall go today.”

Yi Huiqing was a bit startled when he said ‘I’ instead of ‘Benwang’ or ‘This Prince’. She had never heard him talking without using honorifics. 

She also felt that he was a bit different today but she ignored it and stood up.

“Then this Wangfei should take her leave instead of disturbing Wangye.”

She performed a bow and then hurriedly left the study room unbeknownst of the gentle smile playing on Zhao Zhang Wei’s lips seeing her act.

Outside the study room, Yi Huiqing paused suddenly and scolded herself inside her heart.

‘What was she afraid of to run away like this?’

She frowned and then walked at a normal pace to her courtyard.

The concubines in the Inner courtyard soon got the news that Wangfei talked to Wangye today. Knowing the topic of their conversation already, they prepared themselves for Wangye’s visit to the inner courtyard.

Till evening, Eunuch Zhang didn’t come to the inner courtyard. There was no information about which abode will be graced by The Second Prince’s visit today so the restlessness grew with every passing minute.

Inside her abode, Shaolin was being readied by her maids.

“Today His Highness will definitely visit mistress. This servant heard that the past week His Highness was busy and hence couldn’t come to the inner courtyard so today is naturally my mistress day.”

Shaolin blushed red hearing the maid’s words. The maid continued

“Then those other concubines will have to shut their loose mouth.”

A trace of contempt flashed in Shaolin’s eyes hearing the maid’s words but it was soon replaced by joy when she heard the maid praising her how she looked so much beautiful and The Second Prince would definitely be entranced by her beauty.

However, her happiness didn’t stay much longer when a maid ran inside and informed her that…..

——————

The Lantai Courtyard was the same. Yi Huiqing was currently frowning looking at her painting. It looked a bit awful but she couldn’t find where did she go wrong.

Daiyu standing behind her mistress controlled her laugh looking at the pink pig drawn by her mistress. It looked very cute and funny. But looking at her mistress’s serious face she didn’t want to hurt her.

‘How can anyone learn painting just by reading a book?’ She wanted to tell her mistress.

At this moment, the eunuch from outside announced in a loud voice.

“Welcoming His Royal Second Highness inside the Lantai Courtyard.”

The brush in Yi Huiqing’s hands fell on the floor and her mouth was opened in surprise.

‘What was he doing here?’

Her maid, Daiyu, nudged her hurriedly to compose herself. Waking up from the trance, she firstly ordered Daiyu to hide the painting. When Daiyu was no longer in the room she searched around the room for something anxiously.

Till the time, Zhao Zhang Wei stepped inside the room, Yi Huiqing and her maid were already standing there to greet him.

With a polite smile, Yi Huiqing greeted him and was about to bow but she was stopped by him.

“There is no need for these formalities.”

Hearing this, she directly said what was inside her heart with a very calm face.

“Wangye should have visited Younger Sister Shaolin instead of this Wangfei.”

Zhao Zhang Wei felt angry when she said this. With not so smile he said

“I thought Wangfei is missing me. But it doesn’t seem so seeing how eagerly Wangfei is ready to send me to others.”

Inside her heart, Yi Huiqing said

‘I clearly mentioned to you who is remembering you restlessly.’

But outwardly she said

“What is Wangye saying? This one is just afraid that Younger sister would think of me as an enemy. Wangye should be aware of what results a woman’s envy can have.”

She said it from her experience but Zhao Zhang Wei misunderstood and said solemnly

“Why does Wangfei need to be afraid of this? Wangfei doesn’t need to tolerate anyone who is disrespectful.”

He looked at her and his voice was a little gentle this time.

 “Wangfei is the main wife. Every woman in Xinhe Palace comes after Wangfei.”

But the words didn’t affect Yi Huiqing at all. She had already heard them many times in the past four years.

Seeing that there was no way that he will leave, she asked Daiyu to tell the maids to arrange the dishes accordingly.

Soon the meal was set and both of them sat down around the table. The maids serve the dishes. Just like last time, there were two kinds of dishes on the table.

Half an hour later, Zhao Zhang Wei had already put down his chopsticks but Yi Huiqing was still eating. He patiently waited for her.

A few minutes later, she finally put down her chopsticks stood up, and seeing this Zhao Zhang Wei also got up. But something caught his eye and he frowned.

There was a bright red stain on the place where Yi Huiqing was sitting before.

When Yi Huiqing saw him sitting still and seeing him looking behind her, she followed his gaze. She saw the red stain and her face became red instantly.

She covered the stain with her handkerchief and Zhao Zhang Wei removed his gaze and saw how embarrassed she looked.

She kneeled down and said nervously.

“This Wangfei apologizes for letting Wangye seeing something like this.”

Zhao Zhang Wei gaze softened when he saw her behaving like this.

“Wangfei is nowhere at fault.”

Saying this, he tried to raise her from the ground by holding her hands but she avoided his hand.

“This Wangfei requests Wangye to leave me alone.”

Zhao Zhang Wei saw that her cheeks were still red and she was really shy. So he didn’t insist anymore.

Still kneeling on the floor, Yi Huiqing saw Zhao Zhang Wei’s feet turning around.

Hence, this time the Second Prince left Lantai Courtyard again before even midnight.