Farewell Flower Festival

After returning from court, Mu Tianling first asked Chaoyan what she was doing. Eunuch Wu said that she was not feeling well and was resting in the room.

After changing out of his court robes, Mu Tianling came to Chao Yan's residence. As soon as he entered the small courtyard, he saw someone sitting on a swing, and his face suddenly darkened.

"What are you doing here?" Mu Tianling asked coldly.

Han Lie said, "I came here to show my face because I was afraid that Xiao Lianzi would be worried." At this point, he lowered his voice and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, I didn't tell Xiao Lianzi about the drug test.

Mu Tianling ordered them to leave, "It's getting late, please go back, Second Young Master."

Han Lie sat on the swing without moving, his eyes fixed on the flowerbed next to him, "Are these all grown from small lotus seeds?"

Mu Tianling didn't respond.

The flowers and trees inside are growing well. Flowers of different colors mixed together like a colorful oil painting. It does not make people feel messy, but instead reveals a vigorous vitality, growing freely and unrestrained.

When Feicui came from the other end of the corridor and saw Mu Tianling coming, she turned around to greet him, holding a bowl of brown sugar water in her hand. Mu Tianling thought it was medicine and asked if the doctor had checked it.

Han Lie chuckled.

Jade's face turned a little red with embarrassment.

Seeing that she was hesitant, Mu Tianling thought Chaoyan had some difficult illness and asked again.

Han Lie asked, "Your Highness, why do you want to know so much about a girl's affairs?"

Mu Tianling asked Feicui to step back.

After Feicui entered the house with the brown sugar water, she came out again after a while and bowed to Han Lie, saying, "The young lady said it was getting late, so she won't keep the second young master for dinner."

Han Lie stood up this time and said, "Then I'll come back in a few days."

"No need." Mu Tianling responded coldly.

Han Lie said, "Girls don't like men who don't know what's good for them." After saying that, he walked away.

After Feicui entered the house, Mu Tianling stopped in the yard and looked at the flowers for a while. His eyes shifted to the house in front several times, and then he walked over.

Seeing him walk in as if nothing had happened, Chao Yan suddenly felt a surge of anger in her heart.

"Your Highness, don't you know to knock before entering?"

Hearing that she was in a bad mood, Mu Tianling's voice unconsciously softened when he spoke, "You should have a good rest these days. You don't have to come and serve me." Chao Yan said "oh", which seemed perfunctory.

Considering that she was not feeling well, he did not bother with her.

……

In the next few days, the Jiuxingsi followed the clues and found out a list of local officials who had committed bribery.

After the list was submitted, there was another wave of personnel changes including promotions and appointments of officials, and the situation in the court also quietly changed.

But Zhao Zhong was not implicated. Although Wei Chang came from under his command, there was no trace of him in the account books.

However, Mu Tianling found another thing from the Wei Mansion. It was an old portrait that was hidden in the secret compartment of the study by Wei Chang.

The person in the portrait was a man. Mu Tianling did not recognize him, but Eunuch Wu did. He was his uncle's deputy general Liu Lei. Like Zhao Zhong, he was deeply trusted by his uncle and was his uncle's right-hand man.

Judging from Wei Chang's resume, he should have nothing to do with the other party, so it is very likely that he is working for Zhao Zhong.

Finding the person in the portrait might help us uncover the secret behind Prince Ning's disappearance.

But that happened more than ten years ago, so it’s not easy to find the person. There’s also a worse possibility: the person may no longer be alive.

But as long as there is a glimmer of hope, don't give up.

……

After the turmoil in the court gradually subsided, the invitation from the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery was delivered to Prince Ling's Mansion.

Zhao Huan and Yin Rong's wedding is scheduled for three days later.

After Concubine Yin adopted Furong as her adopted daughter, she named her Yin Rong and kept her in the palace to teach her the rules.

On the wedding day, half of the officials in the capital came to congratulate, most of them out of respect for Concubine Yin, and those who did not come also sent people to deliver gifts.

Mu Tianyuan also wanted to join in the fun, but Liu Sui kept a close eye on him and forbade him to go to the wedding banquet and cause trouble. Liu Sui sent a gift to the Marquis's Mansion. Zhao Zhong wanted to invite the palace maid who sent the gift to have a cup of tea, but the maid said she had to go back and report, so she declined.

Mu Tianqi happened to be on official business, so he sent his bodyguard Zheng Huai to deliver a gift. After delivering the gift, Zheng Huai left without even giving anyone a chance to ask him to stay for a cup of tea.

Mu Tianchen also had official business to attend to, so he went to the military camp outside the city and did not ask anyone to send a gift over. However, his mother, Concubine Shu, sent a palace maid to deliver a gift.

In the end, the only one who arrived to watch the ceremony was the Fourth Prince Mu Tianling.

Han Lie took the initiative to come over to greet him, looked around, and asked, "Isn't Xiao Lianzi here?"

Mu Tianling ignored it.

"If it weren't for Your Highness, this marriage would not have been possible. The Marquis' Mansion should thank Your Highness for being the matchmaker." Han Lie said.

Mu Tianling still ignored it.

Seeing Zhao Zhong coming over here, Han Lie stepped forward to congratulate him. Zhao Zhong exchanged a few words with Mu Tianling and was about to greet other guests, but Han Lie's casual words made his face change.

"I thought today would be the prince's big day."

Previously, Zhao Huan was recognized by the outside world as the young marquis and the future successor of the marquisate, but in the end the position of the crown prince fell to his half-brother Zhao Cheng.

"My dear nephew, you are joking. Cheng'er is the prince of the Marquis' Mansion."

After Zhao Zhong left, Han Lie said to Mu Tianling gloatingly: "There will be good shows to watch in the future."

When the newcomers entered, Zhao Huan saw Mu Tianling and his eyes seemed to spit fire as he glared at him viciously.

As a result, he was not careful when crossing the threshold and fell flat on his face in public, causing everyone in the room to laugh.

The wedding ended in a farce.

For a period of time afterwards, it became a topic of conversation among people, adding another heavy blow to Zhao Huan's reputation.

……

Less than a month after the wedding, after Mu Tianling went out that day, a carriage stopped at the gate of Prince Ling's Mansion, and a maid went over and handed a visiting card to the gatekeeper.

Then, the visiting card was delivered to Chao Yan by Feicui.

When Chaoyan saw the owner of the visiting card, she almost didn't recognize her as Furong at first sight. The other party was dressed elegantly and luxuriously, and looked like a completely different person.

As soon as they met, Furong gave Chaoyan a valuable gift, a pair of jade bracelets, and specifically revealed that these were top-quality items bought from Ruyitang, which seemed like a way of showing off her wealth.

Ruyitang is a time-honored brand in Beijing. Only the rich or the noble can buy jewelry there.

After Jade and Amber served the tea, Furong asked them and the two maids to leave first, as if she wanted to have a private conversation with Chaoyan. Furong picked up the teacup and scraped it, and put it down before it touched her lips, and said politely, "Sister, how are you doing recently?"

Chao Yan said, "Very good." She also asked politely, "How have you been recently?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Furong sighed and wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

Chaoyan was a little confused and even doubted what socially unacceptable thing she had just said.

After wiping her tears with a handkerchief, Furong began to complain to Chaoyan, saying that Zhao Huan did not come home every day less than a month after their marriage.

Chao Yan thought that Tiantian was exaggerating a bit, but given Zhao Huan's stubborn nature, he would definitely have affairs with other women outside.

Furong said that she asked her maid to find out from Zhao Huan’s servant that Zhao Huan had bought another house outside to keep a mistress, and he never looked at her in a good mood when he came back. He didn’t take her seriously at all and threatened to divorce her at the slightest provocation. Life was really unbearable...