Standing nearby, Tanxiang said with an innocent-looking face, “Madam, are you remembering it wrong? This servant has been in Qiangwei Courtyard this entire time. When this servant recently came out to pick a few branches of plum blossoms for Mistress Wan, this servant met the marquis, who asked where Madam was, so this servant brought him here.”


  Ji Man found her words laughable. “Oh? If you’ve been in Qiangwei Courtyard this entire time, then how did you see me enter this room?”


  Tanxiang paused. Her expression was slightly unpleasant.

  Marquis Moyu stretched his foot out and lightly kicked Nie Sangyu’s stool. He chuckled and said, “How can your words be so prickly when you’re already in so much pain? Can you still walk?”


  Ji Man straightened her posture. Her lips twitched. Why was Ning Yuxuan in such a good mood today? He was even in the mood to tease her.

  “Even if this servant can’t walk, this servant wouldn’t choose this place to rest.”


  Ning Yuxuan cast a glance at the nearby bed that was neatly made up. He smiled and asked, “Are you planning on sleeping here then?”


  Ji Man paused before dryly laughing.

  Nearby, Tanxiang had already looked everywhere in the room while standing in the same spot. She mumbled to herself, “Where is he?”


  Ji Man shook her head at Ning Yuxuan, who seemed as if he was going to pick her up. “This servant still wants to ask Tanxiang something. Why did you lead me into this room for no reason? You lied to me by saying that the marquis was drunk, sent Dengxin away, and locked the doors. What were you planning?”


  Tanxiang froze for a moment. Ning Yuxuan looked at her with a baffled expression.

  Dengxin came into the room. Seeing that Marquis Moyu was perfectly fine, she said in surprise, “Eh? Isn’t the marquis supposed to be drunk? Has he already recovered? This servant looked in the southern kitchen for a long time, but couldn’t find the sobering soup. Tanxiang, where do you leave it?”


  Ning Yuxuan paused. He looked around the room, and his gaze was somewhat sharp when it fell on Tanxiang.

  Tanxiang slightly trembled. She pursed her lips and said, “What sobering soup? This servant only led the marquis here to look for Madam and doesn’t know anything else, ah.”


  Ji Man pretended to inadvertently look up at the ceiling. The person hidden on the beam was watching this lively show. Such a big person, Marquis Moyu would definitely see him if he looked up.

  “Never mind, there’s no need to pursue this matter. Just treat it as this servant misunderstanding Tanxiang.” Ji Man stretched both of her hands out at Ning Yuxuan. “This servant can’t walk by myself. My lord, this servant will have to trouble you for help.”


  Marquis Moyu raised his eyebrows. He went over and wanted to carry her in princess carry, but she was injured at her waist. If he carried her that way, it would feel like her waist was being twisted into two pieces. After thinking it over, Ning Yuxuan decided to just carry her as if she was a baby. Face to face, with his hand under her butt instead of her knees, he lifted her up.

  Nie Sangyu was a bit thin-skinned, and her face turned red.

  This position…… It was really…… too indecent.

  Tanxiang and Dengxin were both stunned, but Ning Yuxuan was very calm.

  Without any expression on his face, he said, “Bring over Madam’s cloak.”


  Dengxin hurriedly brought over the cloak and covered up her master so that this indecent position was hidden.

  Ji Man dryly laughed. “My lord, you’re really working hard.”


  “En.” Ning Yuxuan turned around and started walking out. “You’re quite heavy.”


  Ji Man, “.……”


  It was still snowing outside, so she tucked her head against Ning Yuxuan’s chest. Wrapped up in the warm cloak, she suddenly felt very at ease.

  Dengxin had originally wanted to come closer to shield her master from the snow with an umbrella. But, holding the umbrella, for an inexplicable reason, she didn’t dare to come closer to them.

  Strangely, Marquis Moyu was walking very slowly. Even though he had said she was heavy, he wasn’t willing to walk faster and return to Feiwan Courtyard sooner.

  Ji Man sighed. With her face against his chest, she asked, “Are you just a tsundere, ah?”


  She could feel the sound vibration in his ribcage as he asked, “What does tsundere mean?” Her ears felt a bit tingly.

  Not showing the slightest sign of blushing, Ji Man said, “Tsundere means…… valiantly handsome and elegantly unrestrained.”


  (T/N: Tsundere is a Japanese word used to describe a character that starts off as cold and arrogant, but becomes sweet and affectionate when he or she fall in love.)

  Ning Yuxuan seemed as if he was suddenly enlightened. “I haven’t heard of this term before. But, it’s interesting word. I’m a natural tsundere.”


  The sound of muffled laughter came from Ji Man, but it was followed by acute pain that caused her to gasp several times.

  Marquis Moyu felt that this woman was sometimes an odd, unfathomable mystery. And yet, holding her like this, it felt nice and warm. He actually wanted to walk a little bit longer like this.

  Dengxin had look at Feiwan Courtyard’s sign three times already and finally couldn’t resist calling out, “My lord……”


  Ning Yuxuan only responded with an “En.” It was only when he felt that the person in his arms had fallen asleep and his arms were feeling numb that he finally walked into Feiwan Courtyard.

  “Why did she fall today?”


  “Xia-

  and Honored Concubine Zheng were fighting in the kitchen. My master ended up being accidentally pushed by someone when she went over there.”


  “They’re certainly being troublesome enough. Bring over the liniment.”


  “Understood…… should this servant apply it?

  “No need.”


  While Ji Man was still half-asleep, she felt her clothes being taken off. It felt a bit cold. Then, a nicely scented and warm quilt covered her, and someone was gently rubbing the painful spot between her waist and lower back. Very quickly, she fell into a deep sleep.

  —


  The next day, when she woke up, the first thing she saw was Marquis Moyu’s expressionless face.

  “I’m going to the imperial court.”


  “This servant will respectfully send my lord off.” With one hand supporting her waist, she helped him change his clothes.

  When she went to rub her waist, she noticed that it felt much better, so her mood became pretty good.

  After sending away this great Buddha, Ji Man went to the neighboring room to visit Xi-er, then she went to play with the toddy cat in the backyard.

  The toddy cat was already pretty big. It had a fur coat that alternated between black and gray, as well as a pair of beautiful, deep, yellow eyes.

  Dengxin had once asked her master what would be a good name for this toddy cat.

  After thinking it over, Ji Man said, “Let’s call it Big Meow.”


  Dengxin had always thought that her master was a very talented and artistically inclined woman. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have named this place Feiwan Courtyard or compose so many wonderful poems. And so, she thought that her master would give this toddy cat a poetic name too.

  But, with a totally serious expression, she had actually said to call it Big Meow.

  Dengxin sighed. Every day, she collected bones and meat from the kitchen to feed Big Meow.