Good news (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival)
Smoke swirled and spread everywhere. Lin Xu slowly kowtowed on the ground, and a faint yet incredibly firm voice drifted out:
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness."
After expressing their gratitude, the group chatted idly, laughing and joking. Miao Yiyun, with her cheerful and lively personality, made the Empress and Princess Duanhe laugh repeatedly. Dou Zhen, however, remained dignified and gentle. Even when Miao Yiyun tried her best to make funny remarks, she simply covered her lips, her gentle demeanor unchanged.
Before half a cup of tea had been brewed, the Empress looked tired, and the purple-clad palace maid who had led the two of them in earlier carefully massaged her shoulders. Several young ladies from noble families of similar age, seeing this, politely greeted her and took their leave in turn.
Once outside Changchun Palace, the group's pace quickened considerably. Miao Yiyun, having received the Empress's decree, was in high spirits, linking arms with Liao Yan and reminiscing loudly about their childhood anecdotes. Lin Xu and Zhu Ling walked slowly at the back of the group, feeling a whirlwind of emotions swirling within them. Lost in thought, they heard a gentle voice beside them; it was Dou Zhen, hurrying up to them.
"I haven't even said congratulations yet. I was calling you 'sister' just now, but now I have to change my address and call you 'sister-in-law'."
Lin Xu recalled the silence that day after the bamboo forest was shrouded in shadow, and smiled shyly: "It's only been a short time since we were betrothed. It will be some time before she officially enters the family. It's not too late for you to change your address later, sister."
Dou Zhenyi smiled and said, "Sister, don't be shy. Since we'll be family from now on, I'm not afraid of you laughing at me. I'm sure you've heard before that my second brother has many hobbies, but he's a bit too careless. You, on the other hand, are quiet and elegant, and so beautiful. It would be perfect if you could stay by my brother's side from now on."
After passing through several palace gates, they arrived at a passageway. Ahead stood a hunched palace attendant holding a whisk, followed by a thin, yet familiar-looking child. As the two figures drew closer, the attendant stopped at a bend in the passageway, and the child disappeared into the depths of the passage.
Lin Xu didn't think much of it. Dou Zhen's sedan chair stopped outside Yongding Gate. After waving goodbye to her, he continued forward. After walking only a few dozen steps, he suddenly saw a figure flash out from the passageway. He was almost frightened by the blurry shadow.
Upon closer inspection, the young man dressed in an indigo-blue brocade jacket adorned with the Eight Immortals and auspicious symbols was none other than the Ninth Prince, a classmate of Zhiqiongtang.
Lin Xu bowed slightly and greeted them warmly:
"Your Highness is well."
The boy, who was in a hurry, was only eight years old. His cheeks were as delicate as a soft dumpling, but there were two very faint tear tracks on them that shimmered in the light and shadow. His eyes, like round almonds, were fixed on the person in front of him, but he lowered his guard after recognizing Lin Xu.
The Ninth Prince straightened his clothes and tried to remain calm, saying, "So it's Miss Lin. Why haven't you left the palace yet?"
Although she and the Ninth Prince saw each other every day at school, they had almost never spoken. Now, upon their sudden encounter, Lin Xu pretended not to notice the tears welling in his eyes, simply nodding slightly and softly saying:
"I was supposed to leave the palace and go home after class, but today I was fortunate enough to be invited by Her Majesty the Empress and Her Highness the Princess to sit in Changchun Palace for a while, which delayed me until now."
The Ninth Prince nodded slightly to show that he understood, and was about to say something when the elderly palace attendant beside him whispered a reminder: "Your Highness, it's getting late, it's time to set off."
His words appeared respectful, but they subtly conveyed a sense of command.
Lin Xu noticed that there were also a few not very noticeable stains on the collar of the Ninth Prince's jacket. If you weren't very close, you definitely wouldn't be able to see them.
Upon hearing this, a deep sense of disgust flashed across the Ninth Prince's eyes. He pursed his lips but said nothing more, simply turning to leave.
Watching that small figure walk forward, pretending to be an adult when he was still a child, Lin Xu finally spoke softly: "I must thank Your Highness for speaking up for me during the school exam that day."
The small, thin figure, who had already taken a few steps, paused upon hearing this. After a long while, a very soft voice came from ahead:
"No need."
.
It was nearly evening when she returned to the Lin residence. Before she could even rest, the news that the Empress had bestowed a marriage upon her to Dou Yanxun spread throughout the entire mansion. In an instant, all the servants and maids were beaming with joy. The Empress was kind and benevolent, but she rarely interfered in the marriages of her subjects. This was the first time in the dynasty that a marriage had been personally bestowed by the Empress, which was naturally considered a first-class honor.
Lin Fu and Gao Youyi sat together in the main hall, with Qi Shi and Lan Yue sitting beside them. Seeing several maids ushering Lin Xu over, Gao Youyi hurriedly had the servants serve tea and offer him a seat, saying with a smile, "Good Xu'er, you must be tired after a day of studying. Come and sit down and rest."
As soon as Lin Xu sat down, Madam Qi smiled and twirled her handkerchief: "The other day we were saying that once Xu'er's coming-of-age ceremony was over, her wedding would be just around the corner. I never imagined that just a few days later, such a great joy would actually happen. For our family to receive a marriage bestowed by the Empress herself is truly an unparalleled honor. It's something that ordinary families can only dream of."
Lin Fu, his face filled with worry, said in a deep voice, "Did Her Majesty the Empress say anything else? Why did she suddenly bestow you in marriage to the Dou family?"
Gao Youyi knew that Lin Fu harbored resentment towards her daughter's feelings for Dou Yanxun. Having received detailed instructions from Madam Yang that day, she naturally had more to consider. Before she could even plan carefully, the marriage between the Lin and Dou families came so quickly, leaving her feeling quite unprepared. Seeing Lin Xu sitting calmly in the hall, her unease intensified.
Based on her intuition, she felt that this marriage seemed to be something Lin Xu had asked for himself, so she simply picked up her teacup and looked at Lin Xu without saying a word.
Lin Xu tidied up her scattered skirts before raising her head and saying firmly, "Father and Mother, today was supposed to be the day I entered the palace to study. Everything was as usual, but I didn't expect that thanks to Princess Kunrou, I was also invited to have tea as a classmate. And Her Majesty the Empress was in a good mood today, so she was happy to grant my wish."
Seeing his daughter's resolute expression, Lin Fu felt only regret and pain, but after a moment's thought, he pondered and said:
"Although you may find it annoying, your father still has to ask one more question: are you absolutely determined to marry that Dou Yanxun?"
Lin Xu nodded gently.
She faced the crowd and saw a hint of reluctance and regret in Gao Youyi's eyes as she lowered her head to fiddle with the teacup lid; Lan Yue sat to the side, her beautiful face pursed, her expression calm as usual; while Qi Shi sat on the far left, her eyes radiating undisguised delight and smugness. She lightly touched the powder on the sides of her nose with a handkerchief before smiling sweetly and saying:
"What a beautiful scene of mutual affection, unwavering until death. Even I, witnessing this, am deeply moved by their profound love."
She glanced back at Lin Fu, her voice soft and sweet, as if soaked in honey, "Since this marriage is something Xu'er herself is happy about, then it is a rare and joyous occasion. Our Lin family has been a family of noble birth for generations, so tomorrow we should quickly find someone to calculate an auspicious day and make a proper ceremony to show the supreme honor that Her Majesty the Empress has personally bestowed this marriage upon our Lin family."
Gao Youyi slammed the teacup lid down, glanced sharply at the giggling Qi Shi, and said coldly:
“Since Aunt Qi knows that the Lin family is not a small or insignificant family, then she should naturally show the demeanor of a prestigious family like the Zan Ying family. Xu’er is the only daughter whom the master has doted on since childhood, and her affection is unparalleled in the Lin family. Even if she is about to get married, she should carefully plan and make the best arrangements for everything. Why rush it?”
After saying this, she glanced at Lin Fu, whose face was grave, and then her expression softened slightly:
"Furthermore, Master and Chang Huaisheng of the Dou family both serve in the court and are old acquaintances. They should meet to settle this matter."
Lin Fu nodded slowly upon hearing this, finished his tea, and then glanced at Madam Qi, saying, "Now that you are quite far along in your pregnancy, you should worry less about household affairs. With Youyi managing everything in the mansion, things will be safe and error-free."
Ignoring the hint of anger on Qi's face, Lin Fu continued, "Now that autumn has arrived and the weather is getting cooler, those ice blocks piled up like mountains in your courtyard might disturb the fetus. I'll have the steward remove them all later."
Qi was always obedient in front of Lin Fu. Even though she was angry inside, she could only lower her head and agree, and said nothing more.
.
Within a few days, another matter that Lin Xu had been longing for also received a response.
On this day, Dr. Zhiqiong was off duty, so she was spared the rare opportunity to go to the palace. After getting up in the morning, she had her usual breakfast, then practiced calligraphy and fed the parrot. Two maids brought in fresh flowers from the flower shop to the warm pavilion one by one.
It is late autumn, the season when osmanthus blossoms fill the air with their fragrance. A pale green porcelain vase with paper-cut plum blossoms and double handles is adorned with a profusion of golden and silver osmanthus flowers, their blossoms scattered like layers of shattered gold and silver, exuding a delicate and intoxicating aroma. Beside it lies a pot of three-petaled hibiscus in full bloom, its graceful form and petals each a different color, several glistening dewdrops resting quietly upon it, showcasing its exquisite beauty.
Zhu Ling thanked him sweetly and then led a few maids out of the side hall to collect their reward money. After the noise had subsided, Lin Xu got up and walked to the hibiscus tree.
The flowers were layered and vibrant without any unusual colors, but upon closer inspection of the fertile soil beside them, a small clump of soil was fresh and dark, as if it had just been turned over.
She picked up the golden scissors that were placed aside, and after fiddling with them for a while, she found a crumpled piece of paper under the handful of black soil.
Upon closer inspection, the character "歧" (qi) was found calmly written on it.
The martial arts school guard who had spoken up for her in front of everyone in her past life was punished because of her and eventually disappeared. She had tried many times to win Zhao Qi over before he was punished, but he was thwarted by his loyalty to his former master, the Dou family.
Since Zhiyuan was transferred to the flower room, she has had much more freedom of movement. Now that news has suddenly come, she must have discovered an important clue while she was away from the manor.
Lin Xu calmly restored and leveled the soil beneath the hibiscus plant, then picked up a clean handkerchief and wiped his hands clean.
Looking into the distance, a few glimpses of clarity gradually emerged.
Outside the window, the autumn scenery is already desolate and quiet. From the clear spring to the quiet autumn, the sparse paulownia trees are turning green, gradually revealing a sense of desolation.
Unbeknownst to her, she had walked alone to this point, and the road ahead was finally beginning to see a glimmer of dawn through the hazy fog.
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