The bright moonlight before my bed is like frost already.

  "Is your injury healed? Where are you going?" Hongli rode up to Fu Heng, seeing that his riding posture was upright and his face, firm and sunny, no longer showed the pallor and fatigue of two days ago, and he felt a great deal more at ease.

  "I'm going to Shichahai to see my sister." Fu Heng said helplessly as he stopped his horse.

  Hongli, on the emperor's orders, went from Zhili to Henan to Shandong, inspecting warehouses along the way. The ones in front were fine, but those in Shandong had severe embezzlement and accumulation of deficits. By the deadline for completion in the fifth year of Yongzheng's reign, not even half was completed. Due to heavy fire expenses and numerous private dispatches, it was difficult to investigate clearly. Many officials who were deeply involved learned of their arrival and set up many obstacles to block their progress. In the end, beatings turned into killings... Along the way, the guards protecting them died or stayed behind to recover from injuries, dwindling from eighteen to only six people following them.

  Fu Heng, as Hong Li's main assistant, not only took charge of most of the inspections but also repeatedly acted as his substitute when the assassins attempted to kill them. The most dangerous instance was when he directly rushed forward and blocked a sword for him... Despite this, he didn't stay behind to recover like other bodyguards, instead gritting his teeth and persisting in protecting Hong Li on their return to the capital.

  Hongli was aware of the situation and had made a decision to treat his younger brother-in-law well, but he did not know that Fu Heng had secretly given him a small bag of yulan fruit meat - which was scooped out from the red yulan fruit and had already condensed into a heart shape, with a color that started from milky yellow and turned red. Although the taste and smell of this yulan fruit meat were slightly inferior, its effect on injured people was the best among all yulan fruits. Not only did it have the effects of nourishing and detoxifying the body, but it also contained the essence of life, which could make up for the physical trauma caused by blood loss and insufficient nutrition in a short period of time.

  Fu Heng has been taking one pill every morning and evening since he got injured. Although the taste is a bit sour, the effect is remarkable. Not only did his wound recover quickly, but he also didn't feel too tired after riding a horse for half a day with an injury.

  "It just so happens that the Emperor also awarded me a villa by Shichahai, let's go take a look..." Hongli smiled slyly. As soon as he returned, he knew that Yunzhu had gone to stay at the Fucha family's estate in Shichahai, and he was sure that Fu Heng wouldn't be able to resist going to see his sister. This wasn't a guess, it was a certainty - he really was wise.

  "Future brother-in-law, you haven't even married my sister yet, is this meeting really necessary?"

  What a stubborn old man. Hongli muttered to himself in discontent, but still knew what was proper, "Don't worry, you can tell your sister all about the thoughts that have been on your mind since you parted ways, I'll just go drink tea in the main hall and wait for you."

  That's sour.

  Unable to meet, I really don't know what to do. Fu Heng muttered to himself, unaware of the taste, and glanced at Wu Shu, who was also riding a horse and holding the reins but pretending not to hear, and had no choice but to lead the way in front.

  When arriving at the manor, a faint sound of piano came over.

  On the other side of the wall was a garden, and the faint scent of osmanthus flowers could be smelled outside. Guessing that the person in his heart might be playing the zither under the osmanthus tree in the garden, Hongli's lips curled up with a faint smile, his eyes gentle, and his smile pure.

  "You go in, I'll wait for you outside." He said, getting off his horse and handing the reins to Wu Shu, then quietly making his way along the wall of the estate to a place where he could hear more clearly.

  Fu Heng grunted and turned towards the mansion gate. The gatekeeper recognized him and quickly ushered him in.

  Hongli was willing to maintain etiquette for Yunzhu, considering her reputation, but he wasn't a rigid person. Just then, outside the wall where the sound of the guqin could be heard most clearly, there was a jujube tree. He sprang up and jumped onto it, choosing a sturdy branch to step on, and looked towards the manor with his head raised.

  The Fu family's garden by the Shichahai is not too big, but it is very exquisite. The corridor extending from the main courtyard has winding railings on both sides, with large and small courtyards, pavilions and buildings rising into the clouds. There are over a hundred plum blossoms, peach blossoms, crabapple flowers, and magnolia flowers planted throughout the garden. In the garden, there is a delicate artificial hill, surrounded by pavilions, tall pines, cypresses, and osmanthus trees, which are now full of fragrant osmanthus fruits...

  She herself was wearing a moon-white embroidered cheongsam with huge yellow chrysanthemum patterns, a pink pearl hairpin on her head, and a pair of pearl earrings, her face pale and delicate, sitting under the osmanthus tree gently strumming the guqin, elegant and beautiful like the Goddess of Cold Mountain.

  Staring blankly at her, he couldn't even bear to blink. When he followed Fu Heng here, he also couldn't figure out what he was doing, and he didn't see anyone! He only knew that in his heart there was something called longing, although they couldn't meet face-to-face, but being close to her made his heart feel a sweet and joyful warmth, just like this moment, his heart felt warm and his soul was serene and beautiful, both body and mind were full...

  Frozen tears, like shooting stars falling, shattered someone's thoughts. In the cycle of reincarnation, the future has been lost, and the face in dreams is blurred. The Kunlun Mountains are far away from the rivers and lakes, flowers bloom and wither, filling the sky, sighing at the fleeting nature of human life, between heaven and earth. Love is like the wind, love is like smoke, a pipa melody that lasts for a thousand years, this life's fate, next life's fate, the vast ocean has become a flowing river...

  A "Thousand Year Fate" was being played back and forth, originally her thoughts were still wandering in the past and present... but Hongli's flying onto the jujube tree and Fu Heng's big strides made Yunzhu quickly come back to herself, her heart moved, and she hummed out the lyrics from memory, however the line "love is like wind, love is like smoke" was muttered very quietly.

  The soft singing voice made the people on the tree even more infatuated.

  "Sister." Fu Heng called out, his eyes scanning the jujube tree outside the garden wall about ten or so zhang away, he didn't want to give someone a free ride.

  "Spring and you, when did you come back?" Yunzhu stopped stroking the piano, stood up, smiled and looked at her closest younger brother. Seeing that he was full of energy, she smiled even more deeply, with a hint of slyness in her eyes, which were like autumn water under the moonlight, clear and beautiful.

  "Back for two days."

  "Is anyone hurt?" She remembered that a few years ago, the corruption and misappropriation of official grain were still very serious. The two young men went to investigate and would definitely be in danger.

  "It's nothing serious." Fu Heng said casually.

  Still got hurt. People who have been fighting for many years, big or small wounds, will leave behind hidden diseases after healing. If not nursed and nourished in time, it's hard to avoid a major illness breaking out. "Let's go, I'll cook you a good meal to supplement." As for the one on the tree, the northwest wind flavor should be pretty good too, enjoy it while you can.

  Hongli watched with wide eyes as the sister and brother walked towards a courtyard in the southwest, filled with envy and jealousy! That hateful Chunhe, dared to leave him outside the garden while he enjoyed good food... In the future when Yunzhu becomes his Fu Jin, see if he will be allowed to come to their door, then let Yunzhu make delicious food for himself, beautiful clothes, and let that little boy stare blankly!

  Ling Hui, who was waiting on the side, asked as they looked at each other. They also noticed that someone was peeking from the jujube tree outside the garden. "I'll leave it to you." Ling Hui picked up her zither and followed closely back to the courtyard. Su Wen pursed her lips, since Ninth Master didn't care, he must be acquainted with them. She instructed a few young maids to clean up the tea cups, pastries, and fruit platter on the stone table and left as well.

  Hongli saw the situation and could only pinch his nose, with a embarrassed face he jumped down from the tree and said to Wu Shu: "Bring me General's water bottle!" Not even a cup of hot tea was had, humph.

  Fu Heng came out with the food box in less than a minute. Hong Li said with satisfaction, "You still remember me, not bad." Fu Heng was unhappy, "If it weren't for you, I'd still be enjoying delicious food at my sister's place, and rushing to come out..." Not knowing that he was being disliked by others. Fortunately, when it was time to eat, his sister gave up her share first.

  Actually, Yunzhu is testing the effect of Space Jade Lychee Fruit, and the test targets are herself and Uncle Duan's people.

  "Wu Shulai, you go to the Zhuangzi first and prepare." Hongli restored his perfect imperial son demeanor. For him, seeing Yunzhu today, relieving his longing, and being able to eat Yunzhu's delicious food was truly worth it. Fu Heng's little awkwardness even made him more pleased.

  "Hmph." Wu Shu felt that the sunlight wasn't so dazzling anymore. Although he spent most of his time pretending to be a wooden stake, his brain wasn't actually made of wood. Looking at these two "old men" who were about the same age as him, sometimes he really wanted to throw his head back and let out a long howl - it was too childish!

  But he was just a slave, and had to swallow all the things that should or shouldn't be said. Silence for them wasn't just golden, sometimes it represented life itself.

  The estate awarded by Yongzheng to Hongli was more than ten times larger than that of the Fuca family, and also came with fertile fields, lakes, mountains and forests.

  Fu Heng originally thought that his own garden was already beautiful enough, but Hongli's mansion was even more grand and magnificent. The large courtyard surrounded the small one, with pavilions and kiosks hidden among the flowers and trees, and the courtyards were deeply secluded. In the northern part of the garden, which was the center of the mountain villa's scenery, there was a lake with changing lights and scattered islands. On the east side of the lake were tens of hectares of lush green fields, interspersed with several tall elm and locust trees.

  Looking at the whole villa, it is grand and elegant, quiet and secluded, simple and natural... very much in line with today's color.

  Visiting the Zhuangzi can be done at any time, but eating is best when it's hot. As soon as they entered the hall, Hongli gestured to Wu Shu to open the food box, inside which were two cylindrical white-based Qinghua porcelain bowls and two long-handled porcelain spoons, just enough for one person each, no need to add more bowls or chopsticks.

  Hongli opened the lid, and saw that it was filled with eight-tenths of porridge. The rice porridge was cooked just right, crystal clear and round, each grain separate and not sticky. The porridge liquid was thick and thin in the right proportions, with a faint green color, emitting a light fragrance that made his mouth water. He used a long spoon to stir the porridge in a circle, and found that besides the crystal-clear rice grains, there were also some transparent, silk-like jasmine flower petals and small white things cut into grain-sized pieces, very few, which had a strong elasticity when eaten, with a fragrance of jasmine and cow's milk. It was unknown what they were made of, but there were too few of them.

  The porridge is neither cold nor hot, just right for eating.

  Hongli thought that Yunzhu really liked Yulan flowers, and even put them in the porridge, but it smelled pretty good...

  The action is elegant, but the speed makes Wu Shu come tongue-tied. Is it that delicious? It's been brought from the Fu Cha family garden to here and it's almost cold, can you still like this appearance, it's hard to understand.

  It's unclear whether it was the good mood or the porridge that was truly delicious, but after Hongli finished eating, he felt extremely refreshed and comfortable in body and mind, thinking to himself that if only the wedding could be held sooner!

  This feeling of expecting happiness only occurs when thinking of Yunzhu, other women... As soon as he thought of other women, his eyebrows unconsciously furrowed slightly. He didn't expect that after returning from Shandong, Fuling had already been pregnant for nearly two months. If Yunzhu knew, would she be unhappy?

  Let me calculate the date, it was that day when I was extremely confused and got pregnant. Never mind, Fuling is serving me well, as long as she behaves herself, I will treat her as a filial daughter to my parents, and also avoid putting too much pressure on Yunzhu after her big wedding. Third Aunt's husband, Dong E's family, is a good example of what not to do.

  Not to mention that all the children born by Hongshi's two concubines died young, even the daughter born by his wife Tong'ergi also passed away in April this year. If it weren't for this, perhaps Hongshi wouldn't have resolutely abandoned his Aixinjueluo identity and decided to "die of illness". This point, although Yongzheng didn't say it out loud, he was extremely displeased in his heart.

  Not to mention how Qi Fei, who was unaware of the situation, would treat Dong E. Although Dong E was not a likable person, seeing her guarding the empty mansion and suffering, not being favored by her elders... Hong Li initially didn't have any feelings, but as soon as he thought about Yun Zhu being treated the same way, he couldn't bear it.

  He knew that, with the emperor's few sons and no grandsons to speak of, he was the only one left standing. He couldn't help but feel envious seeing his other brothers' children thriving. Not to mention the empress dowager and the emperor's mother, who had been neglected due to the emperor's busy schedule. The three most powerful people in the palace had pinned their hopes on him since Hong's death, and the pressure was palpable even to him.

  Fuling had an unexpected pregnancy, regardless of whether she was happy or not, it solved one of her problems. However, she would have preferred that her first son with Yunzhu be the eldest and the most senior...