Deep in Shou'an Palace, Concubine Shoukang was alone in her bedroom. She had sent away all the servants, turned off the lights, and lay quietly on the bed.
Over the past decade, she has developed a unique habit: she doesn't want any palace servants to serve her in the inner hall at night.
Over the years, everyone has taken this kind of persistence for granted, and no one is surprised by it anymore.
In the inner hall, only the quiet of the Concubine's own breathing echoed softly. The silence was like the depths of an ancient tomb, filled with a deep and solemn solemnity. Yet, in this silence, Concubine Shoukang quietly and silently got out of bed. She gently lit a lamp, and the light flickered in the darkness, illuminating her solemn face.
She walked into the inner chamber and pushed open an ancient screen. Behind the screen, a hidden door led to a little-known secret room in the harem. This was the secret of Shoukang Palace and a sacred place in her heart.
The door slowly opened, revealing the secret room. There, a solemn tablet was enshrined, with the words "Nanzhao Princess Shu Yunzhu, posthumously named Consort Mei" engraved on it.
Concubine Shoukang bowed deeply in front of the tablet, and then sat cross-legged on the cushion in front of the coffin.
"Ashu," she said softly, her tone full of worry, "the thing I was most worried about finally happened."
Her words revealed endless worry and heaviness. "Back then, we carefully planned just to prepare for the possibility of being exposed. The old marquis and I both prepared a way out. However, what's happening now is what I fear the most."
A hint of determination flashed in Concubine Shoukang's eyes.
"Shurou is a good child, but in this matter... Ah Shu, your spirit in heaven must bless them and never let these two children make such a big mistake."
She stayed in front of the coffin and prayed all night, and finally took out a brocade box.
This brocade box contained her last hope and method. Gazing at it, she seemed to see the dawn of the future, but also the shadow of the past. But no matter what, she was ready to face the unknown fate.
In the main hall of General Weiyuan's Mansion, Ding Dayong held a letter from his sister, Concubine Shoukang, in the palace, with a firm look in his eyes.
After reading the letter, he did not hesitate at all. He knew what was described in the letter and was fully aware of its importance.
He had been taught martial arts and horse riding by his sister since childhood, and he understood her sacrifice in giving up her freedom to enter the palace for the sake of the family's honor. Now, when his sister needed him, he naturally did not hesitate.
"Go and ask the young lady to come quickly and prepare to follow me into the palace!" Ding Dayong's voice was loud, revealing his unquestionable determination.
At this moment, Ding Xinwan was in the stable of the general's mansion, watching intently as her beloved horse Heiyun gave birth to a new life.
The birth of the foal seemed to bring a special joy and vitality to this early morning.
"Miss, look! Heiyun's foal is actually white, so beautiful!" The little maid beside her excitedly pointed at the newborn foal and shouted.
Ding Xinwan smiled slightly and explained gently, "That's because its father is Snow White, and this foal looks more like its father."
As she spoke, she gently picked up a blanket and carefully wrapped the newborn foal.
Wrapped in the warmth of the blanket, the foal stood up shakily and began to run happily in the stable, as if celebrating the new moment of its arrival in this world.
Ding Xinwan was carefully caring for the newborn foal when Xiao Si, the servant from the mansion, hurried over and said breathlessly, "Miss, the general asks you to go to the front hall immediately. He has something important to discuss."
Ding Xinwan was slightly stunned, then nodded, indicating that she understood.
She patted the foal's head gently, then turned and left. Although she was reluctant, she also understood that her father must have something important to tell her at this time.
When she stepped into the main hall, she saw her father, Ding Dayong, sitting there with a serious expression on his face, holding a letter tightly in his hand. Ding Xinwan's heart tightened, and she secretly guessed the contents of the letter.
"Wan'er, you're here." Ding Dayong looked up at his daughter, his eyes revealing a deep meaning. "I just received a letter from your aunt. Something happened in the palace. You and I need to go to the palace immediately."
When Ding Xinwan heard this, although she didn't know what exactly had happened, she could feel an unprecedented sense of urgency from her father's expression and tone.
She didn't ask any more questions, but nodded firmly: "Then my daughter will go and prepare it."
So, Ding Xinwan and Ding Dayong immediately began to prepare to enter the palace. They changed into formal clothes, took the necessary items, and then got on the carriage and headed straight to the palace.
In the carriage, Ding Dayong stared at his daughter and sighed deeply.
Ever since his wife Feng gave birth to a daughter, her health has never recovered. And because she failed to give birth to another child, the Feng family was worried that the position of mistress would fall into the hands of an outsider. They once proposed to send Feng's half-sister to be a concubine to continue the Ding family's bloodline.
However, Ding Dayong rejected all these proposals.
His refusal was not due to any other considerations, but because he was afraid that his daughter would be bullied by her stepmother.
What's more, he had already prepared to die on the battlefield and didn't care much about passing on his family line.
In his opinion, having a daughter like Ding Xinwan was already a blessing from God.
However, there was one thing he had not expected: those old conventions about motherless upbringing actually became a stumbling block for his daughter's marriage.
The Dowager Concubine Shoukang in the palace has always been paying attention to the young talents in the court, but she has not been able to find a suitable candidate for a while.
Today, he finally received a letter from his sister, Concubine Shoukang, informing him that he had arranged a marriage for Ding Xinwan and urging them to enter the palace immediately to discuss it.
Of course, a sentence in the letter made Ding Dayong frown slightly.
"No matter what, you must obey the eldest sister's arrangements. There can be no disagreement."
This sentence stirred up a ripple of uneasiness in his heart. Although he knew that Concubine Shoukang had always loved his niece and treated her as her own daughter, this sudden determination and seriousness still made him feel a little doubtful.
"Your aunt wants you to go to the palace today. I'm afraid it is related to your marriage. Remember to abide by the palace rules and don't make your aunt angry." Ding Dayong admonished his daughter in a gentle tone.
Ding Xinwan nodded obediently in response: "I understand, father."
She was feeling a bit down. Two days ago, the family had received a wedding invitation from the third son of the Xingyuan Marquisate, Xue Jiyan, to the princess, along with wedding cakes.
For some reason, after hearing the news, she felt a sense of emptiness in her heart.
Originally, she had hoped that Xue Jiyan would work in the Ministry of Revenue and write a letter to the emperor proposing to establish a textile workshop for the widows of soldiers who died in the capital so that they could have an extra income to supplement their family expenses.
However, now that the third son of Xue is about to become a royal consort, he is busy preparing for the wedding and probably has no time to take care of this matter.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel an inexplicable sadness in her heart - whether it was because the Textile Institute might not be built, or because it might be difficult to meet Xue Jiyan again in the future, she herself couldn't tell.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
