Jiang Yubao's heart trembled, and he knew this was his own mistake, and he didn't know why it had turned out this way.
After thinking for a while, he said, "Your servant asked. It's the young lady's personal maid. She might have entered the pavilion with the young lady, and then..."
Sima Hao nodded upon hearing this. It was just a maid, so that was the end of it.
However, he still said with a grim face, "Be careful in the future. If something like this happens again, you know the consequences."
Jiang Yubao trembled all over upon hearing this, his head bowed even lower. He replied cautiously, "Your servant understands."
At the same time, he secretly thought that the old emperor's temper had truly become increasingly overbearing.
Sima Han and Yi Zhiye walked out of the imperial garden and saw Namuchong and Yue Qingxin standing not far away.
The two walked quickly, and the four of them didn't say much, walking together towards the palace gate.
Outside the palace, they saw a carriage still parked there. Sitting in the driver's seat was Huo Si.
Huo Si saw the four of them approaching and quickly got off the carriage. He hurried to them, "I just saw many people leaving in carriages, all in a hurry. But I didn't see my masters coming out. My heart has been uneasy. Has something happened?"
Although it was a bit presumptuous for a servant to say such things, the four of them were all used to it. This was Huo Si's concern for them.
Yi Zhiye chuckled and said, "Uncle Huo, don't worry. There were some things, but they had nothing to do with us. Let's hurry back. Maybe we can even celebrate the New Year together."
Huo Si smiled and nodded upon hearing this. He asked the four of them to get into the carriage quickly, then waved his whip and urged the carriage forward.
Inside the carriage, Yi Zhiye lay lazily on the soft seat, while Sima Han and the other two leaned against the carriage wall.
"Regarding what happened tonight, who do you think did it?" Yi Zhiye fiddled with a jade pendant, his voice cheerful.
Sima Han chuckled upon hearing this. "You're already like this. Don't you already have an answer? Why are you asking me?"
Yi Zhiye propped himself up, looked at Sima Han's face, and said, "I just want to see if our thoughts are the same."
Sima Han nodded upon hearing this. "No need to think. It must be the old emperor's scheme. However, I just saw a fleeting look of shock on the old emperor's face. It's possible that there are still some things he didn't anticipate."
Yi Zhiye said, "That's for sure. But, judging by his satisfied look, you can tell that even if there were some unexpected events, they were probably harmless, or even beneficial to him. Otherwise... heh heh."
Yi Zhiye's final laugh made Sima Han's expression turn a little unpleasant.
What Yi Zhiye said just now was right. There were unexpected events tonight, but not just the minor, harmless one just now.
His lack of cooperation with Yi Zhiye was also an unexpected event.
It was beyond Sima Hao's expectations. Sima Hao would not let it go just like that.
Thinking that Sima Hao would come up with all sorts of ways to force him to comply in the future, Sima Han felt a headache coming on.
Seeing that Yi Zhiye and Sima Han had fallen silent, Namuchong and Yue Qingxin exchanged a glance and still said nothing.
Although Yi Zhiye appeared very relaxed, even with a faint smile, Sima Han knew that his heart was not relaxed at all.
The carriage traveled all the way to Siyangwu. After entering the gate, Huo Si stopped the carriage and turned to close the door before hurrying towards the backyard. Before entering the backyard, he finally caught up with the four of them.
Entering the backyard, it was already quiet. Passing by the flower garden, one could tell that many people had been there before. Although things had been tidied up, the traces remained.
It was no surprise that Zheng Wei must have had the servants eat their New Year's Eve dinner here. But with so many servants gathered together on such a festive occasion, shouldn't they stay up past midnight to celebrate together?
It wasn't even midnight yet, and it was still very early. Why was no one here?
A faint sense of confusion arose in their hearts, and they hurried towards Shian Yuan.
Upon entering Shian Yuan, it was still silent.
Their brows furrowed simultaneously. What was going on? Where had everyone gone?
Just as they were about to head towards the east wing, they suddenly noticed that the lights in the west wing were on.
No one lived in the west wing, so why were the lights on?
Feeling puzzled, they turned and walked towards the west wing.
As they reached the door, they heard crying sounds, as well as Zheng Wei's low comforting voice.
Before they could open the door, someone ran towards them with their head down and was about to rush in. However, they collided with Yue Qingxin, who was about to open the door.
Yue Qingxin frowned and looked. Seeing that it was Huo Fen, she said in surprise, "Huo Fen, what's wrong?"
Huo Fen, who had just collided with someone, was already startled. Upon hearing someone call her name, she instinctively looked up.
"Madam Yue, you're back?"
Looking up and seeing Yue Qingxin, Huo Fen was overjoyed and instinctively replied.
After waking up, she noticed the others beside Yue Qingxin and was about to formally greet them with a luggage.
Yue Qingxin waved her hand to stop her and asked strangely, "What's wrong? Didn't we say we were going to stay up for the night? Why haven't we seen anyone on our way here?"
Huo Fen showed a worried expression upon hearing this. "There was originally a banquet in the garden, but the young miss suddenly developed a fever for some reason."
Yue Qingxin was startled upon hearing this. "A fever?"
Huo Fen nodded. "Yes. As soon as I discovered it, I went to find Master Zheng in the front. Master Zheng didn't delay at all and brought Physician Fan back. After returning, Physician Fan diagnosed it as a high fever and then made medicine for the young miss. However, the medicine was too bitter, and the young miss was unwilling to take it herself."
Yue Qingxin nodded and opened the door to enter.
Ruan Ruan had also grown up under her care. Her health had always been good, and she had never been sick. What was wrong today?
Entering the bedroom, she saw Zheng Wei walking back and forth with Ruan Ruan in his arms, humming some unknown tune.
As soon as Yi Zhiye entered the room, he said, "Zheng Wei, what's wrong with Ruan Ruan?"
Namuchong slapped Yi Zhiye on the head. "Can't you be quieter? Ruan Ruan is sick."
Yi Zhiye rubbed his head and opened his mouth to retort, but in the end, he said nothing, thinking to himself: Ruan Ruan is sick, I won't argue with you for now.
Zheng Wei had already turned around after hearing Yi Zhiye's words. Seeing that they had returned, he didn't show much surprise, as if he had already known everything.
However, Yue Qingxin was too concerned to pay attention to anything else. She walked up quickly and reached out to take Ruan Ruan.
Unexpectedly, Ruan Ruan, who would usually reach out for a hug upon seeing Yue Qingxin, showed no reaction today.
When Yue Qingxin tried to hug her, she even dodged backward. Yue Qingxin continued to reach out, and her lips pouted, and she suddenly burst into tears.
"This..."
Yue Qingxin frowned and withdrew her hand, feeling a hint of sadness. What was wrong? She didn't even want to be hugged by her anymore?
Zheng Wei gently patted Ruan Ruan's back and kept comforting her. After a long while, Ruan Ruan finally stopped crying, but she was still sobbing a little.
Yue Qingxin quickly asked what was wrong. Hearing Zheng Wei recount Ruan Ruan's condition, Yue Qingxin's heart ached terribly.
Such a young child had to suffer so much. How could this not make one's heart ache!
Zheng Wei patted Ruan Ruan's back and said, "I'll watch her here. You guys see how you want to sleep tonight. Sima Han, are you taking Sima Shuixian back to sleep, or what?"
Yue Qingxin quickly said, "No, I'll sleep in the west wing tonight and watch the three of them, lest they develop a fever again at night."
Zheng Wei did not refuse. After all, he was also afraid that the other three might feel uncomfortable.
Since Yue Qingxin was willing to take care of them, it was for the best.
That night, Ruan Ruan slept and woke up repeatedly. It wasn't until dawn that she felt much better and fell asleep peacefully.
Having stayed up all night, Zheng Wei's eyes were red, and his face was full of fatigue.
He rubbed his hands, then rubbed his face, and Zheng Wei stood up and tiptoed outside.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Huo Fen and the wet nurse standing outside. Seeing Zheng Wei come out, they quickly paid their respects.
After getting up, Huo Fen stepped forward and said, "My mother made some porridge for the young miss. Do you want me to call her to eat some?"
Zheng Wei shook his head. "She just fell asleep. I'll feed her when she wakes up. I'll ask Uncle Fan to come over again later."
Huo Fen agreed and continued, "Master has been up all night. Go and rest for a while. I and the wet nurse will watch here."
Zheng Wei neither agreed nor disagreed. He just asked the two of them to go inside to watch while he himself walked towards the main house.
Huo Fen and the two exchanged a glance and didn't say much. They tiptoed and walked into the west wing.
Zheng Wei strode into the main house. After entering the bedroom, he closed the door behind him and walked to the bedside before sitting down.
Gently stroking Shen Xiaoyan's eyebrows, Zheng Wei said softly, "Mimi, Ruan Ruan had a high fever all night yesterday and kept saying she wanted her mother. You've been asleep for so long, shouldn't you wake up too?"
"I don't blame you if you want to be lazy, but you have to think about our three children. They are still so young and need your love as a mother. When they are sick or in pain, they still hope you can be by their side. No matter how well I, as their father, do, or how much care the others give, it cannot replace you as their mother. Don't you agree?"
After Zheng Wei finished speaking, only silence remained in the room.
The person on the bed was still unresponsive, not even her breathing changed.
It was as if she hadn't heard a single word of what Zheng Wei had just said.
But in reality, it was not the case. After Zheng Wei stood up and left, a tear quickly fell from the corner of Shen Xiaoyan's eye, disappearing into her hair without a trace, but leaving tear marks on her face.
Zheng Wei did not leave. After a while, he returned with hot water and a towel.
After washing the towel with hot water and wringing it dry, Zheng Wei walked back to the bedside with the towel.
Just as Zheng Wei was about to place the towel on Su Yi's face, he suddenly noticed the tear marks on Shen Xiaoyan's face.
Zheng Wei's originally pained expression instantly turned joyful and excited. He sat by Shen Xiaoyan's side, stroked her face, and said with a trembling voice, "Mimi, did you hear what I just said? You heard, didn't you?"
"Mimi, since you heard me, please wake up quickly. Ruan Ruan is waiting for you to hug and kiss her."
"Mimi, aren't you the most resourceful? You told me before that where you come from, when children are sick, they can take a sweet medicine and don't have to suffer or drink bitter medicinal soup. Hurry and wake up, and bring out the medicine for Ruan Ruan to take, okay?"
"Mimi, you don't know, Ruan Ruan was unwilling to take the medicine, and Huo Fen and the wet nurse had to force it into her. Seeing Ruan Ruan cry and unable to catch her breath, I was heartbroken."
Zheng Wei spoke one sentence after another, looking at Shen Xiaoyan's face, unwilling to miss any of her expressions.
Until he saw another tear fall from the corner of Shen Xiaoyan's eye, Zheng Wei's nose twitched, and he almost shed tears.
Mimi had a reaction. She could hear him speak.
But since she could hear and react, why didn't she wake up?
Outside the space, Zheng Wei was filled with confusion. He was both happy and sad, his expression indescribable.
And Shen Xiaoyan, inside the space, was already close to breaking down.
She was thinking of ways to repair her soul when she suddenly heard Zheng Wei's voice.