Madam Mei stuffed a pair of chopsticks into Ah Li's hand.

Liu Luoxue then looked at Ah Li with a graceful demeanor and said, "Hello, madam."

Madam Mei, who was holding a glass of water to rinse her mouth, was startled by Liu Luoxue's address of "Madam." She looked at Ali, whose hair was tied up at the back of her head, and she did indeed look somewhat like a married woman.

Ah Li didn't mind. Seeing that this person was younger than her, she said, "Miss Liu is fine too."

Looking at Liu Luoxue now, and then thinking about Su Wenqin, Ali suddenly realized that he seemed to be younger than her too.

Ah Li didn't hesitate for long. She tasted it and then put down her chopsticks.

Consort Mei then asked Ah Li, "How's the taste?"

"very good."

Consort Mei smiled with satisfaction. She then said to Liu Luoxue, "You don't need to stand here anymore. Su Wenheng and Su Wenqin are probably in the front yard. Go find them."

"Um."

Liu Luoxue's face was still flushed as she left with her maid.

After everyone left, Consort Mei had the side dishes on the table removed.

Ah Li took a sip of tea and said to Consort Mei, "I'm leaving now."

Consort Mei put down her tea and asked, "Is it something wrong with my side?"

"No, it's because I finally managed to leave the palace, and I want to go out and see the world."

Consort Mei sighed, took out a plaque from her sleeve, and said, "Take this plaque with you. If you encounter any difficulties, take this plaque to the rice shop with a plum blossom on its signboard, and the people there will help you."

Ahri accepted the sign and said, "Then you must take good care of yourself."

Consort Mei smiled faintly and said, "Yes."

Ah Li left, leaving Rongcheng.

As night deepened, someone stood motionless at the entrance to Consort Mei's courtyard.

A maid was startled, and upon closer inspection, she saw it was Su Wenqin.

Su Wenqin didn't know why he came here. He just couldn't see Ah Li go back, so he wanted to see if she was still here.

When Consort Mei learned of this news from her maid, she was cutting the burnt-out black thread inside the candle with scissors, saying, "Su Wenqin is out of the game. Tell him that Ali has left."

The person they choose cannot be a lovesick fool.