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Night.
Song Residence.
Li Nuo and Song Jiaren sat on opposite sides of the desk, one reading previous imperial examination essays, the other perusing insights on Swordsmanship by a Martial Arts Grandmaster.
After an unknown period, Li Nuo closed his book and said, somewhat surprised, "How come we haven’t seen Mumu today?"
Usually, Mumu spent most of her time with them until it was time to sleep.
Sometimes, Li Nuo even felt that she was too clingy to him and his wife.
This left them with much less space for themselves.
Song Jiaren closed her book and said, "I don’t know, I just saw Ning’er chasing after her..."
Li Nuo also put his book away and said, "It’s getting late, let’s go to sleep."
As he was about to close the door, a figure suddenly burst into the courtyard.
Li Nuo saw a completely drenched, flustered Mumu and asked, "What happened?"
Song Mumu ran into the room and said, "Song Ning’er is chasing me, Brother Li Nuo, let me hide..."
As she finished speaking, another figure had already caught up.
Song Ning’er, equally soaked, holding a small basin, shouted angrily, "Song Mumu, stop running!"
The two sisters had a quarrel for some reason again.
If it were outside, Mumu would have places to hide.
Ning’er was not as capable as her and even carried a basin filled with water, which didn’t allow her to catch up.
But Mumu had run into the room and was cornered by Song Ning’er, with no place to hide.
Splash!
Song Ning’er threw all the water in the basin onto Song Mumu.
Li Nuo finally understood why both of them were all drenched.
The splash not only turned Mumu into a drenched chicken but also soaked half of Li Nuo’s bed, including the blanket which had just been changed yesterday, making it too wet to cover now.
"Song Ning’er, you wait!"
After splashing the water, Song Ning’er ran off, and Song Mumu chased after her, soon disappearing from Li Nuo and Song Jiaren’s sight.
Their visit was brief and their departure swift.
Li Nuo and Song Jiaren looked at the half-wet bed and blanket with a somewhat helpless expression.
Song Jiaren picked up the blanket to prevent the mattress below from getting wet, then said to Li Nuo, "I’ll go get another blanket..."
They originally had three blankets.
One was accidentally wet by Mumu yesterday, washed today but not yet dry, and the one just changed today fell victim to Ning’er’s mischief.
The two sisters seemed determined to replicate each event.
Song Jiaren was gone for a long time before returning.
When she walked back to the room, her hands were empty.
Li Nuo, slightly startled, asked, "Where’s the blanket?"
...
Li Nuo never imagined that all the blankets in Song Residence would fall victim to the two sisters.
In the afternoon, the sisters had started fighting somehow.
Ning’er splashed Mumu with a basin of water, and of course, Mumu wasn’t going to let that go, splashing a basin of water back.
If the matter had ended there, it would have been all right.
But once the sisters started quarreling, they would definitely not stop.
Ning’er, taking advantage of Mumu’s unpreparedness, splashed her again, wetting her freshly changed clothes, forcing Mumu to chase her all over the Song Residence, even seeking refuge on their parents’ bed couldn’t save her from Mumu’s pursuit.
Thus, the uncle and aunt’s blankets also suffered.
Then it became Ning’er chasing Mumu.
Mumu hid in the second uncle and aunt’s room, found by Ning’er, another blanket got drenched.
The two chased each other around, each responding with a basin, becoming the blanket assassins of Song Residence.
Originally, Song Residence had plenty of spare blankets.
With their antics, all the blankets ended up being used.
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The wife asked around, and not even one spare blanket was to be found.
When she returned, Mumu and Ning’er were being spanked by their mother, and she couldn’t stop it at all.
Li Nuo was greatly puzzled.
It was expected of Ning’er to be mischievous, but why did Mumu also join in the chaos?
In this cold weather, he was supposed to sleep at night, surely he couldn’t sleep without any cover?
These days, although his relationship with his wife had developed rapidly, it still had not reached the point of sharing a blanket.
Li Nuo thought for a moment and could only say, "Tonight, I’ll sleep in the side room. Layering a few clothes should be fine. Tomorrow, I’ll have Housekeeper Wu bring some blankets from Li Mansion..."
As he turned and walked towards the door, a voice suddenly came from behind him, "Never mind, it’s too cold at night, beware of catching a cold."
Li Nuo turned back, looking at his wife with a surprised expression.
Song Jiaren spread the only blanket and said, "We can just share one blanket..."
...
```
"Achoo!"
"Achoo!"
In another room within the Song Residence, the two sisters simultaneously sneezed as they lay on the bed.
Song Mu’er touched her nose and said to Song Ning’er, "Thank you."
Song Ning’er’s bottom was burning with pain, and tears circled in her eyes, but she still feigned strength, "Hmph, no need to thank me, I did it for Brother Li Nuo, not for you!"
She had always felt guilty towards Brother Li Nuo.
She had treated him so in the past, yet he was still so kind to her, always making sure that whatever nice things he gave to Song Mu’er, she got too.
To repay him, enduring some grievances was only right.
Song Mu’er did not argue with Song Ning’er. She lay on the bed, feeling utterly drained, and soon fell asleep...
Meanwhile, Li Nuo, who was lying on the bed, had no desire to sleep at all.
He had never imagined that the first time he would share a bed with his wife would be due to Mumu and Ning’er’s unintentional mistake.
In the grand scheme of things, everything had its divine purpose.
What’s done was done, and there was no need to question it further.
All efforts would eventually see their rewards.
If it weren’t for his consistent wooing over the past month, even if there was only one blanket left, she wouldn’t have invited him to share it.
He turned his head and saw that his wife was already asleep.
The bed was large, and even though they shared the same blanket, there was still a gap between their bodies.
But that was all the distance that remained.
Months had passed, and unbeknownst to them, their relationship had traversed many a hill and valley...
Soon, Li Nuo contentedly drifted into sleep.
Next to him, Song Jiaren’s long lashes trembled slightly, and her eyes slowly opened.
She slightly turned her head and a captivating smile curled at the corner of her lips.
...
The next morning when Li Nuo woke up, there was no one beside him.
The blanket still held a faint warmth and a delicate fragrance.
Song Jiaren walked in carrying breakfast. After Li Nuo had eaten, he did not mention anything about the previous night. Everything seemed just as usual.
However, when Housekeeper Wu came in to ask whether he wanted to go out that day, Li Nuo spoke up, "Later, after you take me to the Ministry of Justice, swing by the Li Mansion to fetch two blankets..."
Song Jiaren’s eyelashes fluttered, but she said nothing.
Shortly after, at the entrance to the Ministry of Justice.
Li Nuo alighted from the carriage, and Housekeeper Wu asked, "Young master, will two blankets be enough?"
Li Nuo said, "What blankets?"
Housekeeper Wu was astonished and said, "Didn’t young master just say..."
Li Nuo said, "No need to fetch them. If the young madame asks, just say you forgot..."
It was common for Housekeeper Wu, being advanced in age, to have a poor memory.
After instructing him specifically to forget about the matter, Li Nuo entered the Ministry of Justice.
When he reached the government office, Li Nuo was slightly startled.
Seated behind the desk was a familiar figure.
Li Nuo said with joy, "You’re back!"
Li Anning merely lifted her eyes slightly and nodded expressionlessly.
Li Nuo was taken aback.
Given their relationship, after not seeing each other for a whole month, even if there was no warm hug, a gentle smile should have been forthcoming.
Who could have upset her?
However, she had spent the past month watching over her mother’s tomb, so it was normal for her mood to be somber.
He would give her some time to recover.
He said nothing more and quietly sat opposite Li Anning.
Shortly after, a constable brought in a stack of documents, saying, "Your Highness, these are some files that have accumulated over the days; after you stamp them, they can be submitted to the Ministry of Justice..."
Li Anning nodded briefly and audibly said, "Leave them there."
Li Nuo waited.
Normally, such matters were handled by Li Anning.
But he had waited all morning, and Li Anning did not even mention it.
He was preparing to go home for lunch when Li Anning suddenly coughed lightly.
Li Nuo didn’t think much of it, but as he reached the doorway of the government office, he heard her cough again, this time more severely.
Li Nuo turned back, concerned, and said, "You sound uncomfortable. I’ll bring you some loquat syrup when I come back this afternoon..."
Li Anning softly spoke, "This morning, when I came to the Ministry of Justice, I heard a poem, but I don’t quite understand its meaning. You’re quite knowledgeable about poetry, could you help me analyze it..."
Li Nuo walked back, sat down opposite her, and asked, "What poem?"
Li Anning leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, and said, "There’s a beauty, unforgettable at sight. If not seen in a day, it drives one mad with thoughts... Wishing to match in virtue, to walk hand in hand. If flight is not possible, it will lead to my doom."
Li Nuo thought for a moment and explained, "This is an ode, titled ’On People,’ but it truly speaks to aspirations. The ’beauty’ here symbolizes lofty and distant ideals. The surface of the ode writes of pursuing a beauty but failing, yet it actually expresses the author’s unrewarded ambitions and his thoughts and feelings of concern for the state and its people..."