Upon hearing the words of Gu Yan’s younger sister, Yun Xiangye hurried forward to pick up her daughter. Looking at Xiao Jingru, she said, “Little Princess, her name is Yun Ran, and her nickname is Nuonuo. She isn’t foolish; it’s just that she’s not yet two years old and hasn’t learned to speak.”
Xiao Jingru looked up at Yun Xiangye, blinking her eyes, then turned her gaze to Gu Yan standing beside Yun Xiangye.
This was the first time Gu Yan had seen a little sister who was only a year older than his own daughter. The little sister resembled her father more.
Xie Zhixuan said, “Jingru, you must not be rude to Nuonuo. Hurry and greet your brother and sister-in-law.”
Xiao Jingru obediently called out, “Brother, sister-in-law.”
Xie Zhixuan turned to Yun Xiangye and said, “As her sister-in-law, you don’t need to address her as ‘Little Princess.’ Jingru is the child I had in my later years. Since her birth, she has been plagued by minor illnesses, and her father and I have inevitably spoiled her a bit. Earlier, she was rude to Nuonuo. If she continues to be this unreasonable and bullies Nuonuo in the future, you may discipline her as you see fit.”
Yun Xiangye tightened her embrace around Xiao Nuonuo and simply smiled at Xiao Jingru. “Sister Jingru is only a year older than Nuonuo and still doesn’t know better. It’s alright.”
How could she dare to discipline the Princess Royal’s youngest daughter?
Xie Zhixuan walked up to Yun Xiangye and said, “I had the Qingfeng Garden renovated for you as your residence. It’s getting late now. You should go to Qingfeng Garden first to settle your belongings and rest for a while. There will be a family banquet at Jiangyue Pavilion at three quarters past the hour of the rooster.”
Yun Xiangye replied, “Yes.”
Carrying Xiao Nuonuo in her arms, Yun Xiangye went with Gu Yan to the courtyard prepared for them by the Princess Royal.
After walking for about half a quarter of an hour, Yun Xiangye still hadn’t reached their courtyard. She couldn’t help but marvel at the vastness of the Princess Royal’s estate—even after walking for half a quarter of an hour, they still hadn’t arrived.
Gu Yan wanted to take their daughter from Yun Xiangye’s arms.
But Yun Xiangye held her daughter tightly, unwilling to hand her over to Gu Yan.
After passing through another courtyard, they finally arrived at Qingfeng Garden.
Gu Yan glanced at Yun Xiangye, knowing she hadn’t yet adjusted to everything that had happened today and was still angry with him for hiding his identity from her for three years. He said, “You take our daughter back to the room and settle in. See if anything is missing. I’ll go to the study to take a look.”
Yun Xiangye replied, “Mm.”
It was the twelfth lunar month, and the two wintersweet trees in Qingfeng Garden were in full bloom, while camellias competed to blossom as well.
“Flowers!”
Seeing the two plum trees in the garden, Xiao Nuonuo stretched out her little hands, wanting to pick the plum blossoms.
Yun Xiangye carried Xiao Nuonuo over, allowing her to pick the green plum blossoms—a rare sight indeed.
“Don’t touch!”
A maid dressed in luxurious attire ran over and shouted sternly.
“These plum blossoms are not to be touched casually.”
The maid looked at Yun Xiangye with disdain in her eyes. “These two green plum trees are hard to come by. They are Her Highness the Princess Royal’s favorite plum blossoms and have only just begun to bloom. They must not be carelessly ruined.”
Hearing the maid’s words, Yun Xiangye stopped her daughter from playing with the flowers. “Nuonuo, don’t play with them.”
Xiao Nuonuo, frightened by the stranger’s scolding, buried herself in Yun Xiangye’s embrace.
Yun Xiangye turned to the newcomer and said, “I apologize. I didn’t know these two green plum trees were so precious. Nuonuo, remember not to play with the flowers in the future.”
Xiao Nuonuo blinked her eyes as she looked at Yun Xiangye, seemingly aware that she had done something wrong, tears welling up in her eyes.
Yun Xiangye coaxed Xiao Nuonuo, saying, “Tomorrow, let Auntie Run go to the street and see if there are any plum blossoms for sale. If there are, Nuonuo can play with the flowers as much as you like.”
The maid Zhuyi sneered, “Our Princess Royal has always loved plants and trees and cannot stand to see anyone mistreat flowers.”
Yun Xiangye looked at the maids in the princess’s residence and then at her tearful little daughter, speaking softly, “Nuonuo, flowers really shouldn’t be mistreated. From now on, we won’t play with flowers anymore, okay?”
Nuonuo continued to sob pitifully on Yun Xiangye’s shoulder.
Yun Xiangye carried her daughter into the room, where three beautifully dressed maids were taking out the items Yun Xiangye had brought from Jiangnan and placing them in a bamboo basket nearby.
Yun Xiangye entered and asked, “These things are perfectly fine. Why are they all being thrown into the bamboo basket?”
“Madam, the clothes and fabrics you brought are simply too poor in quality. They should be discarded…”
Yun Xiangye frowned and said, “You don’t need to help tidy up here. I can pack my own belongings.”
The maids exchanged glances and stopped what they were doing.
The maid who had earlier advised against playing with flowers walked up to Yun Xiangye and spoke in an unfriendly tone:
“If you don’t want us to serve you, that’s fine. Lianyi, Lanyi, Meiyi, and I are only here to serve the heir. How many senior maids do you have? I’ll speak to the steward and arrange for a few more senior maids for you.”
Yun Xiangye examined the maid before her. Even the maids in the princess’s residence were so pleasing to the eye.
The maids in Qingfeng Garden were also exceptionally beautiful.
Yun Xiangye said, “I only have one maid, Run’er. What’s your name?”
Zhuyi replied, “I’m Zhuyi. We’ll go tidy up the heir’s room now.”
Yun Xiangye asked, “The heir’s room? Doesn’t Gu Yan live with us?”
Zhuyi said, “Madam, the heir has his own room in the front courtyard of Qingfeng Garden. In the future, if the heir takes concubines, he can’t always stay with you.”
Yun Xiangye was stunned. She felt a chill run through her body, and a surge of anger welled up in her heart!
What a Gu Yan! Hiding his identity from her for three years, and now he even wants to take concubines!
Zhuyi glanced at Yun Xiangye and said, “We’ll take our leave now.”
After putting her daughter down, Yun Xiangye had Run’er close the door and took a deep breath.
Yun Xiangye sat on the small couch, gazing at the luxurious furniture in the room and the large bed made of golden nanmu wood—everywhere exuded opulence.
Run’er pouted and said, “Miss, these maids are truly unruly. You are, after all, the mistress of Qingfeng Garden, yet they dare to mention concubines in front of you…”
Yun Xiangye felt a chill in her limbs. “I’ve heard that in some official households, they arrange for maids to teach young men about marital affairs early on…”
Run’er looked at Yun Xiangye and asked, “Are you saying that those four maids earlier are the young master’s concubines?”
Yun Xiangye whispered, “That’s not necessarily the case, but such things do happen in official households.”
As Gu Yan’s wife, those four maids had shown her no respect at all, which made Yun Xiangye even more suspicious.
Run’er began tidying up the clothes from the bamboo basket.
Seeing Run’er’s expression, Yun Xiangye said, “There’s no need to rush unpacking. We might not stay in the princess’s residence for long.”
Run’er whispered, “Huh?”
Yun Xiangye said, “Although I was born into humble circumstances, I would never tolerate my husband having multiple wives and concubines.”
Yun Xiangye considered herself not so magnanimous as to share her husband with other women, much less allow her Nuonuo to compete with half-siblings for their father’s affection.
If Gu Yan were to take a concubine, then she would have no choice but to seek a divorce.