He knew she was embarrassed and quickly changed the subject, not wanting his wife to be unhappy.
"I'll show you around. There are quite a few rooms here."
"Okay."
Qi Yihan then led Li Man'er around the house.
Ancient bedrooms were generally not very large; they believed this could gather vital energy and allow the body to better sense the subtle magnetic fields of heaven and earth.
Li Man'er had gotten used to it after being here for so long. Fortunately, behind the bedroom was the washing area, along with a screen. Then came the main hall, and a side hall.
Qi Yihan had people design the side hall to resemble a lounge, furnished with a desk for reading, writing, and painting. Several cabinets surprisingly contained many good things, all prepared by him. In addition, there was a large heated brick bed by the window for resting and dining. Everything was meticulously arranged.
"When did you have people prepare this?"
Qi Yihan simply said, "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I had it cleaned up after returning from Mobei."
"Why would I need a Princess's Manor? It would be better to just live here."
"You still need one."
Li Man'er sat on a chair by the brick bed, not caring about her image. "But, as far as I know, not all princesses have a manor."
"The ranks are different, so the treatment differs. You are Princess Anning, the highest-ranking princess. Your fiefdom and revenue are also very good. The difference between counties is not just in size."
Hearing this, Li Man'er understood.
Simply put, all the taxes within her fiefdom, after the portion for the imperial court, belonged to her. Some counties, though large in area, were poor and could only yield limited taxes. Other counties were well-connected, with ports and extensive trade, collecting more taxes.
The county she was granted was a prosperous region.
Could it be that the Emperor deliberately spared no expense to win over the Ninth Prince?
Indeed, their relationship had been strained before. If the Emperor didn't make a substantial offer, how could he get Qi Yihan to side with him? However, the ultimate outcome of such an alliance would be disintegration. The Emperor worried that Qi Yihan might usurp him. After dealing with the Empress Dowager, he would surely target him.
But what hidden cards did the Empress Dowager hold that made the Emperor shift his focus, abandoning such a formidable foe as Qi Yihan to attack his own mother?
This was somewhat incomprehensible.
However, this matter was not important for now. With her presence, the Emperor wouldn't die anytime soon. Giving birth to another little prince would make everything perfect.
"I'll rest in the side room for a bit. If you have nothing to do, I'll take you to see the hot springs and then we can have dinner."
"Hot springs? Dinner?"
"Yes." Qi Yihan simply said, "Rest for a while first."
Li Man'er was confused but could only nod.
There were many clothes hanging in the cabinet, mostly cloaks and capes for outerwear, with many pairs of shoes below, appearing to be her size.
Li Man'er's face flushed uncontrollably. The thought that Qi Yihan had arranged all this made her unable to help but overthink.
Fortunately, there were no undergarments, or she would have found a hole to crawl into.
Well, Qi Yihan shouldn't be that reckless.
She felt her face burning and quickly patted it, trying to calm herself down.
There was tea on the table. Li Man'er felt its temperature, poured herself a cup, and drank it down.
Soon, Ziyan came to call her.
"Your Highness, the Prince asks if you are ready."
"I'm ready. There's nothing more to prepare. Let's go!"
They met Qi Yihan and A'wu in the courtyard.
The two attendants were perceptive. After bowing, they retreated a few steps and followed their respective masters.
Ziyan was steady, and A'wu was even more taciturn. The two treated each other as if they were air.
The scenery in the garden was beautiful, but it was all meticulously designed. While beautiful, it lacked a bit of natural charm. The two followed the small path in the garden, heading towards the mountain. Along the way, they saw mountain scenery. Although there were traces of human intervention, nature's bounty was more evident.
Li Man'er was quite interested. The chaotic air of the palace and the manor gave her a headache. The air in the mountains was much fresher. Although there were withered branches everywhere, and little green was visible, she found it very enjoyable and was happy looking everywhere.
Halfway up the mountain, Li Man'er saw a lot of steam. Immediately after, a row of small wooden houses appeared before her eyes.
"Is this the hot spring?"
"Yes, I originally wanted to divert the spring water down the mountain, but then I thought it would be nice to build a bathing house on the mountain path," Qi Yihan said with interest, explaining to Li Man'er.
"This row of houses in front is for bathing, divided by gender. Behind them is the area for resting and dining, and one can stay here briefly. However, fire cannot be used on the mountain, making winter uninhabitable. In summer, there are many mosquitoes. It's best to visit in spring and autumn for a comfortable stay."
A'wu stood behind, with his arms crossed, listening to his Prince's chatter. He secretly marveled. When had the Prince ever spoken so much? He truly treated the Princess differently.
"Do you want to bathe, or do you want to eat?"
Li Man'er was almost startled by his words. "Uh, I'm hungry." Alright, she admitted she was being a coward. Bathing was a bit too risky.
Qi Yihan, as if he had expected her choice, turned to A'wu and said, "Send someone to bring up the food."
Li Man'er was curious. Was A'wu going to run down the mountain? To her surprise, A'wu took out two small flags and began signaling.
Amazing!
"The flower garden is within the park. If you want to see it, we can go after dinner."
"Okay!"
As the two walked and talked, servants saw them approaching, quickly bowed, and opened the door to a room, respectfully inviting them in.
"The scenery here is excellent. You can see the beautiful mountain views and overlook the garden. It's a win-win."
The room wasn't very warm, indicating it wasn't the most suitable season. Although there were braziers, it was not as comfortable as underfloor heating.
However, fire prevention was also crucial. If fires could be lit on the mountain, it might cause a wildfire at any moment, which would not be a trivial matter.
Even the braziers posed a certain risk.
Just then, someone carrying food boxes came up the mountain.
The fat steward wasn't there, likely too fat to walk. Instead, a shrewd-looking young servant led people to set up the prepared dishes on the table.
There were no delicacies from the imperial court. The dishes served were the most ordinary home-style meals.
"The vegetables are all grown in the garden. They might not taste exceptionally good, but they have a unique flavor. Try them."
This was also meticulously arranged by Qi Yihan.
Looking at the dishes, Li Man'er could tell that these ingredients were natural and unprocessed, likely with minimal seasoning. They would have a delicious taste.
The fish soup was fresh and delicious. Even the ordinary scrambled eggs tasted better than those at the manor. The bright green vegetables, seasoned lightly, were crisp and sweet in her mouth.
"Why aren't you eating?" Li Man'er wondered if her eating style was too uncouth and had startled Qi Yihan. No, they had eaten together before, and she ate the same way.
"Beauty is its own feast."