The subtle fragrance of cotton needles

Tu knew that Xia Zhibai had returned today, but because Xia Yanxiang was not well yet, she did not go to the city gate.

However, when Tu came to Ao Yan Xuan early in the morning, she found that Xia Yanxiang was not in the room. Tu was shocked and asked Tinglan hurriedly: "Where is Yan'er? Why did she disappear so early in the morning?"

Xia Yanxiang knew that she couldn't hide it, so she left Tinglan to explain to Tu before she left: "The young lady said that she went to the city gate to meet the eldest master. Please don't worry, she will be back soon."

Mrs. Tu was not only not relieved, but even more worried: "She went to the city gate? She is not fully recovered yet, how can she go out?"

Yue Qing came over from behind at this time: "Don't worry! Yan'er is fine."

Knowing that Yueqing and Shen doted on Xia Yanxiang, Tu had no other options: "But Yan'er is not fully recovered yet. Even if she wants to go, she should let us know and have someone accompany her. How can we let her go alone? There are so many people at the city gate today. Wouldn't it be bad if she gets bumped into something?"

"Mother~" Xia Yanxiang just came back at this time. She was not surprised to hear the servants say that Tu came. She walked in slowly and said, "Yan'er is not that fragile!"

Yue Qing and Tu heard Xia Yanxiang's voice and turned back at the same time. They saw Xia Yanxiang's slightly pale face. Tu said distressedly, "You! Can't you take care of yourself first?"

Xia Yanxiang came over and took Tu's hand, and said coquettishly: "Mother, Yan'er will never do that again, so please don't be angry!"

Mrs. Tu lost her temper because of Xia Yanxiang, and the little anger she pretended to have disappeared: "Okay, okay, I'll go now, but don't make trouble like this next time!"

"I know, I know!" Xia Yanxiang knew that Tu would not be angry with her, so she just acted coquettishly.

"Okay, let your mistress take your pulse. Don't take it lightly. You've seriously injured your vitality this time!" Tu patted her hands and turned to let Yue Qing take Xia Yanxiang's pulse.

Yue Qing understood and walked over. Xia Yanxiang obediently stretched out her hand, and Yue Qing took her pulse.

After a while, Yue Qing's expression did not change, and he let go of her hand: "Don't worry, Yan'er is fine. Although the poisoning was fierce this time, fortunately it penetrated slowly and did not hurt her lungs."

Tu was finally relieved, but she thought of another thing and asked Xia Yanxiang, "Yan'er, do you suspect anyone of being poisoned this time?"

Xia Yanxiang had long known that Tu would ask this question, and she had already thought of an excuse: "I don't know, I just drank a glass of wine at the palace banquet, and then I lost consciousness."

do not know?

Yue Qing also felt something was wrong and raised her own question: "Who would poison you but not let you die?"

Xia Yanxiang shook her head, rolled her eyes, and then replied, "I left the banquet before I fainted, and someone slipped me a note saying that the emperor was going to marry me to His Royal Highness Prince Yuan."

"Your Highness Prince Yuan?" Tu and Yue Qing asked in unison, "A marriage grant?"

"Could it be that someone knew that the emperor was going to marry you to His Royal Highness Prince Yuan and didn't want you to marry His Royal Highness Prince Yuan, so they poisoned you?" Yue Qing asked in surprise, "But why? If they didn't want you to marry His Royal Highness Prince Yuan, why didn't they just kill you directly?"

Xia Yanxiang shook her head.

Yue Qing was frowning and thinking, and Tu was also a little suspicious. Seeing them like this, Xia Yanxiang quickly interrupted them and said, "Mother, Master's wife, since we can't figure it out, let's not force it! I heard from the servants that the emperor has handed the matter over to the Dali Temple. Why don't we wait for the Dali Temple to investigate!"

Tu and Yue Qing really couldn't figure it out, but after listening to Xia Yanxiang's words, they felt that it made sense and stopped worrying about it.

Xia Yanxiang carefully observed the reactions of Tu and Yue Qing, and only breathed a sigh of relief after she was sure that they were no longer obsessed with the matter.

Xia Zhibai's wife Li took Xia Zhibai's daughter Xia Hanyun to Zhuozhou, so they did not attend the palace banquet this time. Xia Zhibai returned to Beijing today, and they will arrive in Beijing tomorrow.

After Xia Zhibai entered the palace and met Mo Cheng, he returned to the Xia Mansion first.

Yue Qing had not left yet. It was Tu who asked her to stay and see Xia Yanxiang. Just when Xia Qianxiang and Xia Yanxiang were chatting with Tu in Wenti Pavilion, Xia Zhibai arrived at the Xia Mansion.

Xia Zhibai is back, so of course he has to go to the front yard to see Xia Liu first. When Tu and Xia Yanxiang heard the news, they were so happy that they managed to control themselves and waited for Xia Zhibai in Wenti Pavilion.

"Madam! The eldest master is here!"

Tu's eyes were slightly red, as if she had grown old. She stood up tremblingly and looked at the tall man striding in with tearful eyes.

"I am an unfilial son. I pay my respects to my mother." Xia Zhibai came back without taking off his armor. The tough armor clanged against each other, highlighting the man's great achievements in fighting for his country.

Tu's excitement was even more intense than Xia Yanxiang's in her previous life when she watched Xia Zhibai die. She hurriedly helped Xia Zhibai up and said, "My son, you have suffered so much! I'm afraid you must have had a very hard time these past few years!"

Xia Zhibai hadn't been back to Beijing for three years. Seeing his mother so excited, even a passionate man like him couldn't help but shed tears.

Xia Yanxiang secretly wiped her tears aside, without disturbing the deep love between Xia Zhibai and Tu.

Yue Qing was also infected by the atmosphere and couldn't help but shed tears.

Although Xia Qianxiang was a concubine's daughter, she had always been treated as just siblings by Xia Zhibai, with no distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. Therefore, she had been very good to these brothers and sisters since they were young. Xia Zhibai couldn't help but feel a little excited after not seeing Xia Qianxiang for many years.

After Xia Zhibai knelt down and bowed to Tu in a proper manner, Tu helped him up and asked attentively, "Bai'er, I'm sorry for your hardship. You will stay in the capital for a long time this time, right?"

Xia Zhibai nodded slightly and replied, "Yes, mother. It was the emperor's decision that my son came back this time. Besides, the situation at the border is stable now, and there are still 100,000 soldiers guarding the border. There is no need for my son to go back for the time being."

To put it bluntly, there was no war on the border for the time being, and the emperor was afraid that Xia Zhibai would become powerful by gathering troops on the border, so he quickly recalled Xia Zhibai to stay in the capital.

Mrs. Tu nodded, and then continued, "My wife has been to Zhuozhou to deliver festival gifts. She has sent a letter saying that she will arrive tomorrow. I wanted to rush back to meet you, but I couldn't make it in time."

Speaking of his wife and daughter, Xia Zhibai's eyes became red again. Li found out she was pregnant after he left. Three years later, she gave birth to a daughter. However, he had been staying in the frontier and had never returned, so he had never seen his daughter.

He was the one who was sorry for Li. He and Li had just been married for half a year when the emperor sent them to the frontier to fight, leaving Li alone in the capital. Thanks to his mother's careful care, Li was able to give birth smoothly.