The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 1084: Chapter 1059: Glory Amidst Chaos 127

Anning was just about to fall asleep when she received a message from An Xin.

Noble Consort Li actually wants to come to the Dajing Dynasty under the instigation of the system, intending to charm Xiao Yuan and extract more Dragon Energy.

Anning laughed.

She changed into her nightgown and lay down. Xiao Yuan saw her lying beside him and reached out to hold her in his arms.

Anning pushed Xiao Yuan: ”Someone’s fancying you, you really have your blessings.”

Xiao Yuan was taken aback for a moment, not understanding what Anning meant.

Anning smiled softly and told Xiao Yuan the message An Xin had sent.

Xiao Yuan chuckled: ”Isn’t this just perfect? We’ve been thinking about when to deal with that dumb system, and now it’s delivered right to us, saving us a lot of trouble.”

Anning thought about it and agreed, finding herself somewhat anticipating the situation.

Meanwhile, Princess Fengyang found herself unable to sleep.

She had been out all day, heading to East Street near the palace to find some help.

Princess Fengyang went with Princess Chuyang, hoping Chuyang would help pick some people to set up the manor Anning mentioned.

As they came out of the palace and approached East Street, Princess Fengyang spotted a familiar face.

She saw that person carrying some items, zigzagging into East Street, and was momentarily stunned.

Princess Chuyang tugged on Fengyang’s sleeve: ”Sister, what’s wrong?”

Princess Fengyang came back to her senses: ”Nothing, just saw a familiar face.”

She wasn’t in a hurry to find help. Instead, she had Princess Chuyang get off the carriage with her, instructing the coachman to wait in the big courtyard in East Street, as they walked over together.

Princess Fengyang walked, occasionally stopping, following that person into East Street and stopping in front of a small courtyard.

She watched as the courtyard door opened, and in that instant, she saw a face so striking that it left her breathless. Then she saw Xiao Kai carrying things into the courtyard.

Princess Fengyang wasn’t mistaken, she did see Xiao Kai, who had now changed his name to Wang Qi.

Princess Fengyang stood at the corner for quite a while before turning to ask Princess Chuyang: ”Sister, do you know who lives in this courtyard?”

Princess Chuyang thought for a moment: ”I heard from Sister Le Yang that the people living on East Street are servants from the palace. This courtyard is occupied by actors who once performed for the Emperor of Da Qi in the palace, while the big courtyard is where the servants live.”

Fengyang frowned and waited a while before going with Princess Chuyang to the big courtyard to select people.

The big courtyard on East Street housed women who once served the Emperor of Da Qi. When the Emperor visited the palace in Suzhou, local officials presented beauties to him. The Emperor favored a few but didn’t take them back to the capital.

These women, having been favored by the Emperor, couldn’t leave the palace, but without being taken back to the capital, they didn’t have an easy time in the palace either.

Then there were the servants, including palace maids and eunuchs. If the Emperor didn’t return to the palace, these servants would grow old and die there.

After Xiao Yuan set the capital in Suzhou, Anning selected quite a number of people to serve in the palace, but some were left behind.

Among them were many young eunuchs, whom Anning hadn’t thought about how to settle individually and had no time to do so, leaving them to stay temporarily.

These people, knowing Princess Fengyang was there to select them, all perked up, hoping to be chosen by a master and leave.

They were truly fed up with living on East Street and yearned for a chance to leave, to follow a favored master and have a bright future.

Before Princess Fengyang and Princess Chuyang arrived, these people dressed themselves up, trying to clean up and wore what they considered their finest apparel, hoping to catch the master’s eye.

When Fengyang and Chuyang arrived, a steward gathered everyone in the courtyard.

Fengyang pointed at the palace maids and said to Chuyang: ”Sister, please help me pick some people.”

Chuyang smiled: ”Alright, coincidentally, I’m short of a few hands in my own palace, so I’ll pick a few too.”

Fengyang walked among the eunuchs, scrutinizing each one before selecting about thirty young eunuchs.

Chuyang selected four to fifty palace maids and a dozen nannies.

After the selections were made, Fengyang said to the steward: ”Please train them well and in a few days take them to the imperial manor to familiarize them with the environment. I plan to host a flower banquet there soon, so they need to acquaint themselves quickly with the procedures.”

The steward quickly agreed with a smile.

Fengyang then softly asked him: ”I heard there are actors living here as well. Do you know who manages them?”

The steward replied: ”Reporting to the Princess, Lv Changhe is in charge of them.”

Fengyang nodded: ”Please send him a message, asking him to come to my palace tomorrow as I have some matters to discuss with him.”

After speaking, Fengyang and Chuyang returned to the palace.

Back in her quarters, Fengyang couldn’t stop thinking about the stunning face she saw earlier.

That person... was incredibly good-looking, with features so exquisitely perfect, skin so fair it seemed to glow, and an indescribable melancholic aura that left Fengyang captivated in just one glance.

She stayed in her room for a while, feeling restless, and decided to take a stroll around the palace.

She happened to run into Anning on her way to the conservatory, and Fengyang joined her.

Once inside, Fengyang said to Anning: ”Mother, I want to, I want to open my own residence outside the palace.”

Uh?

Anning paused: ”Why do you have such thoughts? You’re still young, and your older brothers and sisters are still living in the palace. It might seem inappropriate for you to move out alone.”

Fengyang clung to Anning’s arm, speaking as they walked: ”Mother, didn’t I mention before, I don’t want to get married; I just want to keep a man I like, but it’s not suitable to do so in the palace. Outside, in my own residence, everything would be more convenient.”

Anning was rather dumbfounded.

She hadn’t expected Fengyang to be so candid and resolute, considering her age. She was already thinking about keeping a ’young pup.’

”It’s not quite suitable to build a residence outside the palace right now.”

Anning pulled Fengyang to sit down: ”You know, your father is likely to go to war with Da Qi next year. If we win, we’ll move to the capital. By that time, a princess mansion in Suzhou would be useless. It’s just a year, bear with it. When we get to the capital, I’ll have a princess mansion built to your liking, and you can do as you wish.”

”But.”

Fengyang was a bit anxious: ”But I’m fond of someone now, and if I don’t have a mansion, where will I keep him?”

What else could Anning do? Despite Fengyang’s willfulness, as her daughter, she had to be appeased.

”You can keep him without a mansion for the time being. I’ll give you the manor for now. You can keep him there and bring him along when we move to the capital.”

Fengyang was delighted: ”Alright then.”

Anning shook her head speechlessly: ”You’re getting more willful as you grow.”

Fengyang chuckled happily.

Anning then asked her: ”About that person, does he agree? You mustn’t forcefully take someone’s son.”

Fengyang was nonchalant: ”I’m just preparing ahead. If he agrees, I’ll have him stay at the manor, and I’ll visit him when I have time. If he doesn’t agree, then forget it. I won’t force it. There are plenty of good-looking, understanding men out there. I don’t need to compel anyone.”