Chapter 4: Prince Yong's Blessing of Jin, Very Good

Nian Suxin went to the temple to offer incense and encountered a snowstorm on her way back. After waiting for a long time, Nian Gengyao finally brought her back. However, due to the cold wind, Nian Suxin fell ill with a high fever.

The Nian family invited many doctors from the capital, and Nian's wife never left Nian Suxin's side. Finally, Nian's father had to swallow his pride and went to the palace to ask for Kangxi's help. This led to the chief physician from the Imperial Hospital personally coming to treat Nian Suxin, stabilizing her condition.

After the physician left, Nian's father and mother, feeling relieved, took Nian Xiyao and Nian Gengyao to the flower hall without saying a word.

"Tell me, who is the lady that Qiu Yan mentioned?" Now that their daughter's condition had stabilized, Nian's wife naturally wanted to clear things up.

"Mother, it's all my fault," Nian Gengyao stood up, looking hesitant. After thinking for a moment, he decided to tell the truth, "Not long ago, the Emperor decreed that the Nian family be placed under the command of Prince Yong, and with the selection of concubines approaching, the Emperor hinted at giving my sister to Prince Yong. I secretly contacted Prince Yong, and I don't know how the Prince's consort got wind of it, which led to the misunderstanding about my sister."

"Nonsense! How can we speculate on the Emperor's intentions? Regardless of the Emperor's arrangements, you should not overinterpret or take action. The Prince's consort's actions towards your sister were the result of your unauthorized actions," Nian's father frowned, showing some anger on his face.

Nian Gengyao took two steps forward and knelt in front of his father, saying, "Father, even if I didn't do this, the Emperor might not necessarily change his mind, and Prince Yong might have his own thoughts. The matter of the selection of concubines has never been within our control. Why can't we plan ahead?"

Nian's father was taken aback for a moment, then sighed heavily.

Nian Gengyao continued to persuade, "Now the struggle for the throne is becoming more intense. The Prince's removal and reinstatement not only failed to deter everyone, but also intensified the competition among the princes. Now the Emperor not only placed the Nian family under Prince Yong, but also intends to give my sister to Prince Yong. Isn't the intention behind this clear enough?"

"What do you mean?" Nian's father's face changed slightly.

"What I mean is, instead of sitting back and waiting to be pushed by fate, why not take the initiative and support someone with potential? Perhaps the Emperor does not want his subjects to participate in the struggle for the throne, but his actions have pushed everyone into it," Nian Gengyao's words struck a chord with Nian's father and the others, causing their expressions to change unpredictably.

Nian's father had always known that his second son had his own way of doing things, but he didn't expect him to see things so clearly and plan so far ahead. He was more worried than angry when he saw his daughter in danger because of him. He didn't expect that his son had calculated everything so accurately.

Nian's wife's expression changed several times as she listened. "Even so, isn't the Prince's consort being too aggressive? Whether or not she enters the mansion is one thing, but she dared to harm our daughter. If she really enters the mansion, she might directly take our daughter's life."

Nian Gengyao immediately said, "Mother, I think this is a good thing. With the current reputation of the Prince's consort, who wouldn't praise her as virtuous? Instead of waiting for our daughter to suffer a great loss after entering the mansion and then realizing the true nature of the Prince's consort, I feel more at ease now."

Some things didn't need to be said too explicitly; reaching a consensus was enough. Nian's father and the others didn't stay in their daughter's courtyard for too long. After speaking, they got up and left, while Nian's wife stayed to take care of her daughter. When she entered the room again, Qiu Yan happened to be carrying a bowl of medicine out, and Nian Suxin, who was lying on the bed, had already woken up at some point.

She was wrapped in a blanket, with a faint blush on her delicate face, and her clear peach blossom eyes were fixed on her, making Nian's wife feel soft-hearted.

Nian's wife took a few steps forward and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to touch her forehead, and said softly, "Suxin, you're awake. Is there anywhere that still feels uncomfortable?"

Looking at her mother so close, Nian Suxin's eyes turned slightly red. She leaned forward and fell into her arms, choking out, "Mother..."

Nian's wife held her slender body, thinking about how Nian Suxin had almost lost her life when she was unconscious. Her heart ached, "You child, I told you not to go, but you insisted on going. It was dangerous in the snowstorm, and you encountered someone with ulterior motives. What should I do with you?"

Nian Suxin leaned against her mother's chest, listening to her mother's rambling voice, feeling as if she were in a dream. Her parents were still alive, she hadn't died yet, she hadn't experienced endless loss, nor had she been surrounded by infinite despair. She subconsciously hugged her mother's waist, unable to help but cry out, "Mother, I didn't do anything, but why did they plot against me? Why did they want to harm me..."

Nian's wife was distressed by her daughter's tears, "Don't cry, don't cry. Tell me, who plotted against you, and who wanted to harm you? With me here, I will definitely seek justice for you."

Nian Suxin remained silent, unsure whether she should talk about the misery of her past life or the grievances of her present life.

"What's wrong? Don't you remember?"

"No, I remember everything. How could I forget?" Nian Suxin felt the meticulous care of Lady Nian, and finally managed to stop her tears, but they still flowed uncontrollably. She choked out, "Although that lady appeared to be kind, her words were anything but polite. She even hinted, both directly and indirectly, that I should not enter the household as a concubine."

"She hinted that you should not become a concubine?" Lady Nian furrowed her brows. Was the Princess of Yong being so direct?

"Yes, although she didn't say it outright, she seemed to have a special understanding of my situation. I had some doubts, and when a lord came by, I took the opportunity to test the waters. I didn't expect her to change her expression immediately, and she even seemed to have murderous intent towards me."

"She had murderous intent towards you?" Lady Nian's expression froze, and she instinctively clenched her fists. "How dare she!?"

Lady Nian kept these words in her heart, and after carefully asking a few more questions, she felt that Nian Suxin had revealed almost everything she knew. She comforted her softly, and only after she had fallen asleep did Lady Nian return to the main courtyard with a cold expression.

Mr. Nian watched Lady Nian return with a cold expression and didn't rush. He waited until she had settled before asking, "How is it? Is there any conclusion to this matter?"

Lady Nian's eyes flickered slightly as she thought of the scene where her daughter had been critically ill. She gritted her teeth and said, "All of this should be the idea of the Princess of Yong herself. I don't know where she got the information, but she was convinced that our daughter would enter the household. She wanted to start with our daughter, to prevent her from entering the household and becoming a concubine."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Nian instantly imagined a scene where Ula Nara threatened their daughter, and couldn't help but snort in anger. "The Princess of Yong is quite something!"