The princess left Dongting Lake, followed the Shu Road and traveled through mountains and rivers to Kuizhou to marry the Xie family. There was no need to mention that Xie Jialang left her and hurriedly left home on the wedding night. It was considered unavoidable. But over the past six months, Xie's mother's contempt, the princess's request for perfection, and the Mu family's servants who came with her to marry, who didn't see it and feel pain in their hearts
No one expected that when the princess woke up in the morning, she seemed like a different person. She said she wanted to go back to Dongting Lake. It was a blessing from heaven.
Some of the maids followed into the house to pack up, while others ran out immediately to ask the steward to summon Qi Dingfu and quickly arrange the carriages and horses to prepare for the journey. Everyone was busy and happy.
Unlike the jubilant maids, although Mother Mu also felt deeply aggrieved for the princess and somewhat dissatisfied with the Xie family, the princess' decision was too sudden and seemed a bit abnormal.
She recalled the princess' eyes that could not hide the tears when she opened the door just now. She felt more and more uneasy. She entered the house and saw the princess folding some underwear by herself. After hesitating for a moment, she followed her and asked softly, "Did the princess cry this morning? Can you tell the nanny why you suddenly want to go back to Dongting?"
Fu Lan turned around and met Mu's mother's eyes that were staring at her with concern, and a wave of sadness surged in her heart again.
It was a feeling of sorrow that was filled with infinite regret, yet mixed with infinite gratitude.
Her parents had a close relationship. Although her father was the King of Changsha, he only had one queen in his life, her mother. After her mother died of illness when she was ten years old, her father's old injuries from fighting in his early years also recurred, and his health deteriorated day by day. When she was thirteen years old, not long after a marriage was arranged for her, he followed her mother.
Although her parents are no longer with her in this life, and she has lost the love that seemed like a dream, she can still clearly feel in her heart that everything must be real and true, which was the love of her past life. It was that kind of heart-wrenching pain that made her cry uncontrollably when she woke up this morning.
But she was still lucky.
She was her sixteen-year-old self again.
In this new life, she will be separated from her loved ones in her previous life and will never see them again, but she has a chance to save her brother. She has a kind sister-in-law and Mother Mu who is so kind to her and protected her family with her life.
She tried her best to force back the heat in her eyes and said, "I'm fine, I just had a nightmare last night, don't worry, mom."
"Mother Mu, I want to go back to Dongting. I have made up my mind."
After a pause, she continued.
The princess has always been gentle and obedient since she was a child.
This was the first time that Mu's mother had seen her make a decision in such a tone. There was absolutely no room for negotiation.
Although she was still confused, she stopped asking questions and just said softly, "Okay. If the princess wants to go back to Dongting, then let's go back."
Mu Fulan came to the table, took out a wax-sealed letter she had written this morning and handed it over.
"Mother Mu, please send someone capable to deliver this letter to my sister-in-law as quickly as possible! I have something important to tell my sister-in-law as soon as possible. There are so many of us, and I'm afraid there will be some delays even if we travel faster."
"This letter is extremely important. Please!"
She emphasized it again in an emphatic tone.
Mother Mu became more and more confused, but seeing her serious expression, she nodded, took the letter, turned around and hurried out.
Fu Lan watched Mother Mu's back as she left and slowly let out a breath.
"My lady, when we return this time, the weather will probably be cold. Should we take this fox fur coat or that cloak? Or both?"
Danzhu pointed to some winter clothes and asked her which ones she liked.
Fulan turned around and said, "Pack up all the books I brought with me, including the medical books, and the pair of Zhou Kui-patterned jars on the shelf, and take them back. You can also take whatever clothes you want, as long as you have enough to change on the way back."
Danzhu was stunned.
When the princess came here to marry, in addition to a generous dowry, she also brought many of her books, including medical books.
The pair of Zhou Kui-patterned jars were the favorites of the late old King of Changsha, who loved his sister so much that he included them in his dowry as a keepsake for his sister.
Danzhu thought the princess was just going back to stay for a while. Why did she abandon her clothes and pack up these heavy items that were inconvenient to carry
"My lady?"
She was a little confused.
"Just do as I tell you."
Fulan smiled at her.
The maid had no choice but to nod and direct people to continue packing.
"Madam, please slow down! Be careful with the steps!"
Suddenly, a voice was heard at the door.
Fulan turned her head.
Xie's mother hurried over from the direction of the main hall. She didn't need Qiuju's support. She took a few steps up the stairs and stopped at the door of the east wing. She didn't go in, but stood outside the threshold. She glanced at the open boxes on the floor in the room and her face darkened.
"Mu, what do you mean? Qiuju just told me that, but I still don't believe it! Are you really going back to your parents' home?"
When Danzhu Zhuyu and others saw Xie's mother coming, they stopped what they were doing and looked at Fulan.
Fulan looked at Mother Xie, and walked to the door to greet her. She said respectfully, "Mother-in-law, please come in and sit down. I was in a hurry and had a lot of things to pack, so I didn't come to tell you myself just now. Please don't blame me."
Mother Xie frowned tightly and said angrily: "Although my son left on the night of his wedding, it was the emperor's order and he didn't want to stay! You married into my family and you are a member of the Xie family. It's not that I will definitely not let you go back to your parents' home, but it's only been a short time and you want to go back?"
Fulan remained silent and did not respond.
Mother Xie paused.
"I am an old woman living alone, and I don't have the blessing of having a daughter-in-law to serve me. I accept it. But my son will be home soon. How can you be away when he comes back?"
Fulan said, "It's my fault, mother-in-law, please calm down."
Just this one sentence, nothing else.
The attitude was still respectful, but the meaning was very clear.
That means I have to go back to my mother's house this time.
The Mu family girl had been with her for more than half a year, and she was extremely submissive in front of her. This was the first time that Xie's mother had been rejected like this, and she became increasingly annoyed. However, she was still somewhat wary of her status, and did not dare to get too angry. She barely suppressed her anger and snorted.
"Mu, I know you are a princess and a lady, and you look down on my Xie family. I am an old country woman, and I am not worthy to be your mother-in-law. You must go back to your parents' home, and I dare not stop you. But before you leave, there is one thing I must tell you, so that you won't come back to complain."
How could Mu Fulan not guess what she wanted to say
"Mother-in-law wants to bring the daughter of the Qi family into the family?"
Her tone was calm.
Mother Xie was stunned, glanced at Mu Fulan, coughed, and slowed down her tone.
"You have been in my Xie family for some time. You must know some things. When my son was young, my Xie family was in a difficult situation. The master of the Qi family appreciated my son and did not dislike my Xie family. He promised his eldest daughter to my son. Later, the eldest daughter of the Qi family unfortunately passed away. Although the engagement was cancelled, my son has been struggling outside for many years. I am grateful to the Qi family for taking care of me. I am where I am today. Although you are married now, my son and Feng'er have always been in love with each other. Feng'er knows her status and is willing to be a mistress. What I mean is that when my son comes home, we will do this..."
Fulan watched Xie's mother's mouth opening and closing, her eyes prying at her, listened to her seemingly cautious but actually righteous tone, and gradually became absent-minded.
Yeah, how could she not know
Not long after she got married, she had pieced together many things about her husband, Xie, during the blank years before he married her from her mother Xie's seemingly unintentional daily nagging.
Xie's mother's husband was the postmaster at that time. That year, he offended a passing official and was beaten severely. He vomited blood and died after returning home. Her son, who was only 14 years old and had been feared since childhood, caught up with the official who had already left, killed dozens of people in the group, entrusted his mother to the Qi family, and left Xie County to become a bandit.
The memories of her past life, which she never wanted to look back on, suddenly came back to her at this moment.
She remembered it clearly. It was during this period of time, more than half a year after she married into the Xie family. Not long after, her husband returned home. After consummating their marriage, he mentioned the matter of the Qi girl to her, who had not yet recovered from the shyness and joy of her transformation from a girl to a woman.
Even before the marriage, she had secretly hoped more than once that she and the man she was going to marry, Xie Jialang, would be as loving and affectionate as her parents, sleeping in the same bed and being buried together in death.
But the moment he opened his mouth, she suppressed her disappointment, forced a smile, and agreed immediately.
How naive she was at that time.
I actually believed that a hundred-foot steel can be turned into something as soft as silk, and that a wife and a concubine can share the same husband.
Later, she finally found out.
In Xie Changgeng's eyes, there was only his imperial ambition and hegemony.
The princess of the King of Changsha was just a stepping stone for him. If she was gone, she was gone.
This Lingfeng from the Qi family might be his perfect match.
The stupid one is just myself. Originally, death is death, and it is not a pity.
However, when the handsome young man in the dream, dressed in white and covered in blood, committed suicide with the sword of his father, who gave him the other half of his flesh and blood, in the dark palace, in front of the spirit of his deceased mother whom he had guarded for many years, and the question he uttered before his death, "Mother, is it right for me to do this?" rang in her ears again, it was as if a blunt knife was cutting Fulan's chest and heart again and again, leaving her skin torn and bleeding.
The corners of her eyes were slightly red, and her nails dug deeply into her palms.
"You decide. I have no objection."
Her expression was colder than ice and snow, and she spoke calmly.
Xie's mother had expected that she would not dare to object. But she was satisfied to finally get a quick agreement. She glanced at the boxes in the room, suppressed her dissatisfaction, and said, "Go early and come back early! My son will surely come home victorious soon."