Li Man'er almost spat out the food in her mouth, finding such a person speaking so strangely. It was cheesy and completely ruined his persona.
"Hmph, less talking while eating. 'Do not speak while eating, do not speak while sleeping.'" Li Man'er ate diligently, trying her best not to look at Qi Yihan's face. His gaze was too intense, making her feel shy.
One should enjoy good food while eating; strange talk truly ruined the appetite.
Qi Yihan, perhaps afraid Li Man'er would get angry, also ate seriously and did not say any more strange things that would damage his persona.
The two ate dinner quietly and then drank tea on the mountain for a while.
The red clay stove bubbled away. Qi Yihan handed Li Man'er a cup of tea, "Cold?"
"It's alright. Having experienced the winds and snow of Mobei, the chill of the capital is nothing." The weather was still a bit chilly in early spring, but not that cold. They weren't in the wilderness, and there was a brazier indoors. Looking at the beautiful scenery outside the window, it was quite comfortable.
"Things will get very busy in a few days. Why don't you stay here for a few days to relax? Once I'm busy, I might not have a moment's rest."
"What's so busy?" She had no idea.
"The Princess's Manor, delivering the betrothal gifts."
Li Man'er frowned, almost forgetting these two matters.
Her Princess's Manor had already been granted. Qi Yihan had sent people to oversee the renovation. It was quite a task to tidy up such a large manor. Coincidentally, this manor had undergone routine renovation just three months prior, which had taken over three months. Therefore, this time, only the plaque needed to be changed, and the details elsewhere in the manor needed to be adjusted before they could move in.
Too many coincidences inevitably made Li Man'er think further. How could an empty house take over three months to renovate? She didn't believe Qi Yihan had no hand in it.
To what extent must a person's plan be meticulously calculated to be foolproof, leading everyone by the nose? If even one step went wrong, things would turn out differently. Qi Yihan was truly a master strategist, not only possessing brilliant tactics but also needing to understand everyone's habits and personalities perfectly. Achieving this was incredibly difficult.
"The date for delivering the betrothal gifts won't be too far off. Once you move into the Princess's Manor, I can start making arrangements here."
This process seemed quite tedious.
Hmm, it seemed there were no elders in her family to preside over things. If there were elders, she could have saved a lot of trouble.
Ah, why was it so troublesome?
"You're drinking tea, but your heart is not calm."
"Alas."
This sigh, laden with unspoken words, indeed gave Qi Yihan a hint of understanding. "Are you finding it troublesome?"
"Hehe." Li Man'er giggled foolishly, holding her teacup. "You guessed it."
"The wedding will be even more troublesome," Qi Yihan said, his slender fingers gently stroking the pattern on the cup. "Royal weddings are all the same, very complex and elaborate. There are investitures, ancestral worship, and paying respects to the Emperor..."
Just thinking about it made her scalp tingle.
"But you are the bride, so you don't need to worry. You will be guided through the entire process."
Li Man'er looked up and saw Qi Yihan gazing at her intently. The look in his eyes was intense and passionate, like a dense, sprawling net about to descend and ensnare her.
There was still plenty of time before the wedding; no need to fear him.
Qi Yihan seemed to guess her thoughts, and a smile bloomed on his lips. "No need to rush, everything is arranged."
"Who's rushing?" Li Man'er bristled again, acting ferocious. "I'm tired, let's go down the mountain."
Qi Yihan naturally indulged her and accompanied her down the mountain.
Li Man'er returned to the warm inner room, tossed her coat to Ziyan, and lay down on the window-side kang to rest. Ziyan quickly found a blanket and covered her before sitting down to doze off.
She slept until evening.
"The Princess is awake."
Li Man'er saw that it was completely dark outside and immediately said, "It's this late, why didn't you wake me?"
"His Highness feared you were tired and instructed me to let you sleep longer." Ziyan wrung out a towel and handed it to Li Man'er. "Wipe your face."
After wiping her face, Li Man'er felt more refreshed.
"Are you hungry? Dinner is ready in the kitchen. His Highness said we can eat anytime."
"I'm fine. I'll get up first and change my clothes."
Ziyan lit the lamp and opened the wardrobe, selecting an outfit suitable for Li Man'er for her to see.
"Princess, how about this one?"
Li Man'er nodded in agreement, changed her clothes, and redid her hair before telling Ziyan to serve the meal.
Ziyan, being clever, first went to inform Qi Yihan and then specifically went to the kitchen.
As the Princess's personal maid and someone close to the future Princess Consort, no one in the kitchen dared to slight her. They immediately began preparations. One of the cooks even gave her a bowl of warm egg custard to fill her stomach first.
Ziyan had never received such treatment at the Iron Gallant Marquis's manor. However, she understood social etiquette. If she refused, they might not feel at ease.
So, Ziyan ate in the kitchen and then returned to the main room with people carrying food boxes.
"Your Highness, Princess, shall we serve the meal?"
"Serve it!"
Ziyan arranged the exquisite dishes on the table and then quietly retreated to the side room.
Seeing her arrive, Jin Feng and Yu Lu immediately stood up. "Sister Ziyan."
"Please sit, no need to be so formal."
Both appeared somewhat nervous. "Does the Princess need any attendants?"
"No," Ziyan replied. "The Princess prefers to arrange her own daily life. Just follow instructions and don't be so anxious. Our Princess has a good temper. As long as you work diligently, speak less, and do more, the Princess will not blame you."
The two quickly thanked her for her guidance.
After waiting for about an hour, the meal finally concluded.
Qi Yihan ordered the remnants to be cleared and hot tea to be prepared.
"You can stay here with peace of mind. We'll go back in a couple of days."
Li Man'er listened, somewhat confused. "You're not going back either?"
"What, are you afraid people will gossip?"
"Of course not," Li Man'er said indifferently. "Am I afraid of what they say? You know how poor my reputation was back then. Those people said terrible things, and I got through it all."
Thinking of this, Qi Yihan's eyes darkened, as if considering whether to avenge her.
"That was a long time ago. I've already dealt with quite a few people, there's no need to stir up more trouble." Li Man'er smiled at him. "You brought me out, and specifically came to this estate. Are you hiding something from me, something you don't want me to know?"
Qi Yihan was slightly taken aback. Seeing this, Li Man'er knew she had hit the mark and guessed correctly!