Zhou Yunshen was momentarily at a loss for words.
Yun Jinnian smiled slightly and continued, "But since he is Zhou Brother’s master, he must be extremely knowledgeable and respected by others!"
Indeed, she had never heard of Dou Chengshan before.
However, to be the tutor of the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Kingdom, one must certainly possess some remarkable abilities.
Moreover, seeing how he taught Zhou Yunshen to appear calm and polite on the surface while being deeply reserved, it was evident that Dou Chengshan was no ordinary person.
"Yes, the master is known as a great scholar of our time, truly admirable. However, he is now old and unwell. That is why I sent someone to bring him from Great Zhou. I wanted to discuss matters with him in detail once you returned, but after sending several invitations and receiving no response, I had no choice but to send Teng Fei to fetch you, even resorting to a lie. I hope you won’t blame me!" Zhou Yunshen spoke earnestly.
His sincerity was palpable.
Yun Jinnian smiled gently, "I won’t blame you. Please, Zhou Brother, lead the way!"
Zhou Yunshen stood up, leading Yun Jinnian out of the main courtyard. After walking through several corridors, they arrived at a large courtyard.
An older woman immediately bowed, "Greetings, Your Highness!" She looked at Yun Jinnian and, although she didn’t recognize her, made a slight curtsy.
"Where is Jingjing?" Zhou Yunshen asked indifferently.
"Replying to Your Highness, Commandery Princess Jing is attending to the old master’s medication!"
Zhou Yunshen nodded and gestured to Yun Jinnian, "Please!"
Yun Jinnian smiled faintly and followed him into the courtyard.
This courtyard was very different from Zhou Yunshen’s, being tranquil and elegant.
Just then, a young woman in a pink dress emerged, "Greetings, Your Highness!" She looked at Yun Jinnian with a smile in her eyes, "And this must be Princess Yijia!"
"Yes, it is her indeed!"
Yun Jinnian looked at the young woman before her, dressed in pink, with a delicate face full of confidence and a smile at the corners of her eyes.
As both Commandery Princesses, there was no need for formal salutations. Yun Jinnian nodded slightly as a greeting.
Dou Jingjing was somewhat surprised that such an extremely beautiful woman was a doctor. But considering Yun Jinnian’s background and experiences that she had heard about, it made sense.
Without the love of elders, one must find their own path.
Such a woman need not be feared for taking anything away. The Empress would never allow the Crown Prince to take a woman like her as his principal consort.
Collecting her thoughts, she smiled, "Princess Yijia, you are too kind!"
"No need for such courtesy, Commandery Princess Jing," Yun Jinnian replied indifferently.
Although Dou Jingjing hid it well, Yun Jinnian still sensed the hostility and disdain in her eyes.
Hence, she remained distant and had no intention of making friends.
Zhou Yunshen smiled warmly, "There’s no need for formalities between you two. Jingjing, has the master had a rest?"
"Not yet. Father heard you were here and asked me to come out and greet you!" Dou Jingjing said, inviting Zhou Yunshen and Yun Jinnian inside.
She was Dou Chengshan’s youngest daughter, born to a concubine.
However, her mother had died giving birth to her, and she was raised by the legitimate wife. It’s worth noting that she was now married and living elsewhere.
Dou Jingjing was a clever young woman, who made Dou Chengshan happy. Moreover, having a daughter at sixty made him exceptionally doting. Dou Jingjing had also caught the Empress’s eye and was titled Commandery Princess Jing, with the Empress planning to marry her to Zhou Yunshen.
Through this, they hoped to secure Dou Chengshan’s influence to help Zhou Yunshen ascend to the throne smoothly.
However, Zhou Yunshen did not return to the Great Zhou Kingdom and stayed in Tianchu Country. The Empress used Zhou Yunshen’s request to bring Dou Chengshan for medical treatment as a pretext to send Dou Jingjing as well.
The implications were clear!