Once bitten, one is afraid of ropes for ten years. Old Madam Ling never truly loved Ling Qingwan, and now she doesn't think Ling Qingwan is reliable.
Regarding the matters concerning the Ling Mansion, Nanny Zhang knew that it was not a good idea to say too much, so she did not comment further.
At this time in Iris Pavilion, Ling Qingwan had just finished writing a letter and handed it to Madam Pu. Along with the letter, there were also two banknotes.
"Miss, I can just go to the accounting office to ask for the money for the gifts. There's no need for you to spend money." Nanny Pu held the banknote and wanted to return it to Ling Qingwan.
Ling Qingwan shook her head.
"I apologized to the princess in my own name. If I had gone through the accounts in the mansion, it would have been very easy for the old lady to find out. Ling Chuchu is stupid, but the old lady is a smart person. I helped Ling Chuchu to avoid punishment. She just felt dissatisfied with Ling Chuchu. If she knew that everything was set up by me, wouldn't I have helped Ling Chuchu in vain?"
If that's the case, it would be better to let Ling Chuchu take those whippings. The princess is angry, this matter will definitely not be solved in a few strokes.
"I understand." Nanny Pu lowered her head and responded.
"Miss, there is something I can't figure out." Qiao'er then spoke. She tilted her head, with a puzzled look on her face.
"You say." Ling Qingwan raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and her smile was very gentle.
"You helped the eldest lady today in order to make the old lady feel that the eldest lady is more stupid in comparison, so as to create a rift between the two of them. You have already done it now, and the princess has not caused you any trouble, so why do you still want to give gifts to the princess?" Qiao'er was puzzled.
I'm afraid it's not just Qiao'er, in the eyes of everyone, Ling Qingwan's gift is unnecessary.
"Everyone in Tokyo has heard that the princess dotes on An Yi. An Yi just caught a cold. Ling Feng was once a marquis, but she didn't care at all and came to the Ling Mansion to ask for an explanation. Even the old lady, who has always been highly respected, had to endure the humiliation in front of the princess. It shows how much she values An Yi. Logically, I should not be exempt from punishment, but the princess did not mention my fault at all."
"I think it's because An Yi said good things about me in front of the princess before, but no matter what the reason is, it's true that she deliberately let me off the hook and didn't punish me. I took advantage of her reluctance to plead for Ling Chuchu, which is ungrateful and took her kindness for granted. I sent this gift to the palace to apologize to her and to thank her for her trust in me."
"There are not many people who are nice to me. Don't let the princess feel disappointed." Ling Qingwan said lightly.
She handed the matter over to Nanny Park because she was thoughtful and she felt relieved that there would be no mistakes along the way.
Nanny Pu and Qiao'er looked at each other, and in addition to admiration, they also felt a little distressed for Ling Qingwan.
Not long after this incident, An Yi appeared in front of Ling Qingwan alive and kicking again.
"Are you feeling better?" Ling Qingwan asked helplessly, pulling An Yi to sit down.
After not seeing her for a few days, An Yi indeed looked thinner.
"Oh! Don't worry! I'm fine." An Yi straightened up and patted his chest, as if to prove something to Ling Qingwan.
Ling Qingwan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
She said she was helpless, fearing that An Yi would come out and wander around before she fully recovered, but Ling Qingwan's words were full of doting.
"Oh, right! I heard from Aunt Qiu that my mother came to the Ling Mansion to settle accounts with Ling Chuchu, but you stopped her, right?" An Yi leaned over and couldn't wait to discuss this with Ling Qingwan. "Why did you stop her? Ling Chuchu is so mean, she should be beaten to cure her arrogant temper."
An Yi pouted, her tone was very excited. She wished she could come with the princess that day, and she would not feel comfortable until she saw the whip hitting Ling Chuchu.
"I am also wrong in this matter. Logically speaking, if the princess wants to punish someone, I should be punished as well. I didn't think of helping Ling Chuchu to get away with it." Ling Qingwan explained to An Yi.
As for the inside story, Ling Qingwan naturally would not tell An Yi.
"I have made it clear to my mother. You did nothing wrong. It was Ling Chuchu who provoked me." An Yi frowned, looking a little displeased.
"She is your mother and the person closest to you, but in my eyes, she is the princess of a royal family, and I am just the daughter of a minor official of the sixth rank. You don't need to follow the rules in front of her, but I do." Ling Qingwan had no choice but to explain to Anyi in more detail.
Because of her own selfishness, she caused An Yi to fall into the lake in vain but was unable to teach Ling Chuchu a lesson. Ling Qingwan inevitably felt guilty towards An Yi.
"Okay, don't think about it. This is my fault. I promise you that if I have the chance in the future, I will help you teach Ling Chuchu a lesson. Okay?" Ling Qingwan affectionately took An Yi's arm and leaned over to comfort her.
"You said it." An Yi's face was full of reluctance, and her lips were almost pouted to the sky.
"That's what I said." Ling Qingwan nodded heavily in agreement.
"By the way, you came to Ling Mansion to see me today, I'm afraid it wasn't just for this."
Seeing that An Yi was still unhappy, Ling Qingwan simply changed the subject so that An Yi would not think about it again.
"I've been bored to death staying in the mansion these days. Now that I can finally get out, I want to ask you to go out and play with me." After being reminded by Ling Qingwan, An Yi remembered that she came to the Ling Mansion to find Ling Qingwan to play together.
"Okay, okay, I'll accompany you." Ling Qingwan giggled.
She already felt guilty towards An Yi because of this matter. If it could make An Yi happier, Ling Qingwan would agree to whatever she wanted.
Ling Qingwan packed up and went out with An Yi. An Yi was tired of strolling around Zhuque Street, so she took Ling Qingwan to the west of the city.
"I guarantee you've never been to this place." An Yi looked mysterious.
"What does it do?" Ling Qingwan became curious.
Even if she had never heard of it in this life, it is not certain that she had been to the place An Yi mentioned in her previous life.
"Just follow me." An Yi quickened her pace, pulling Ling Qingwan along, and walked westward.
Soon, we crossed a long bridge and arrived at the lakeside. In front of us was a towering tree covered with red cloth strips and wooden signs. When the wind blew, the wooden signs collided with each other, making a crisp sound.
Ling Qingwan's heart trembled.
Memories of her past life surged into Ling Qingwan's mind. She saw Song Zhiqing standing upright in a green robe, and Ling Qingwan holding a wooden sign in her hand, standing on tiptoe and tying it to a tree.
"We will be together for life. Write our names on the wooden sign and tie it to the tree, and we will live together till old age." Ling Qingwan chuckled. Her voice was as sweet as a bell.
At that time, she was loved by her mother and brother, and was engaged to her lover, becoming the most envied woman in the capital. Ling Qingwan didn't know what sorrow was, and foolishly thought that she could stay with Song Zhiqing for the rest of her life.
Nowadays, she no longer has feelings for Song Zhiqing. It's just that the memory of Song Zhiqing in her past life is too deep, and even now when she thinks of him, she still hates him to the bone.
“Wanwan? Wanwan?”
An Yi shook Ling Qingwan hard, pulling her back from her thoughts.