When Wan Jinlan left the palace, she had already had lunch in Ci'an Palace. The Empress Dowager's attitude towards her was the same as before, as if the last fight had never happened, and her previous worries disappeared.
In the carriage were the food and supplies that Concubine Wan had asked her to deliver to Anyang. She was not in a hurry to return to her farm outside the capital for the time being, but instead strolled around the streets of the outer city.
I bought some rouge, powder and snacks, had a bowl of wontons at a stall, and bought some uniquely shaped sugar figures and beautiful little lanterns.
When she got on the carriage back to the outskirts of Beijing, no one noticed that the style of the silver hairpin on her head had changed, not even Chuntao, who knew her best.
The task of giving the silver hairpin away, which her aunt had previously instructed her to do, had already been completed in the jewelry shop.
My aunt said that we should avoid being seen by others, so she naturally acted cautiously.
As the carriage set off back to the outskirts of Beijing, she noticed the driver, Ma Liu, looked strange, so she asked, "What's wrong?"
Ma Liu frowned and said, "Perhaps my eyes are blurry. I seem to have seen the man who stopped at the entrance of the alley to deliver the letter to the girl last year, but in the blink of an eye, he disappeared again."
Wan Jinlan looked around the market and found nothing unusual.
Even after several months, she could still recognize the messenger at a glance if she saw him again, mainly because he had a big mole on the lower right side of his cheek.
When we returned to the outskirts of Beijing, the red sunset had illuminated half the sky. A gentle breeze blew, making rustling sounds in the woods, and the chirping of insects and birds on both sides of the road became much more lively.
The carriage went directly to the imperial farm outside Beijing.
After the maid in charge of the imperial farm went in to report, Wan Jinlan waited in the reception room for nearly an incense stick of time before Anyang arrived.
When Anyang came, he looked dazed and she couldn't tell whether he was happy or sad.
"My aunt sent you some food, so I brought it to you." Wan Jinlan put down the herbal tea in her hand and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you?"
Anyang waved her hand and sent all the maids away, leaving only the two of them.
Anyang sat beside Wan Jinlan and held her wrist. "I was a little skeptical about what Third Brother said before, but I didn't expect that Father really wanted to marry me off."
Although Concubine Wan had previously expressed concerns and wanted to arrange a marriage for her as soon as possible to put her mind at ease, Anyang hadn't taken it seriously, wondering how could her father, with his love for her, allow her to marry? But today, her third brother had arrived, saying that her mother had begged her father several times to arrange her marriage with Zhou Shi'an, but he had pushed her aside until the Northern Rong envoy arrived in Beijing. She felt a deep sense of unease.
"Who's here today?" Wan Jinlan asked.
The eighth princess was worried that her mother had returned to the palace, and Anyang was the only master in the imperial manor for the time being, so who told her?
Anyang's face flushed. "My third brother came this morning. Just now, Master Chen disguised himself as my third brother's servant and brought me something. He said that if I didn't want to marry, he would protect me anywhere and would remain anonymous for the rest of my life to protect me."
Wan Jinlan was dumbfounded. "Mr. Chen? Chen Congbai? He wants to elope with you?"
She was indeed a little surprised.
On the day of the opera, Chen Congbai had clearly ignored Princess Anyang from beginning to end, and the two of them had no communication at all. So why would Chen Congbai rashly make such a proposal? For Anyang, he gave up his family in Kyoto? This man's love for Princess Anyang was so deep that he was willing to sacrifice the lives of his own people!
But Chen Congbai didn't even participate in the fight that day. Even Zhou Shi'an knew to stand up and protect Anyang, but he was clearly indifferent. Is there something wrong with this?
Princess Anyang looked dazed and incredulous, her eyes shrouded in emotion she herself hadn't even noticed. "Sister Jinlan, I just realized how it feels when someone is willing to give up everything for you."
Wan Jinlan was speechless for a moment.
I was shocked by what Chen Congbai had done, and there was still an unignorable weirdness in my heart.
"Did you agree to his request?"
Anyang shook his head. "Why would I agree? If I leave, my mother will definitely be punished if she stays alone in the palace."
Wan Jinlan said, "My aunt and father will not let you marry." Then she told her about what her father had done and told her about the situation she had heard from her grandparents.
Wan Jinlan had some guesses in her mind that her aunt's decision to ask her to send the hairpin out of the palace today must be related to Anyang's matter.
She trusted the mansion and her aunt more than the indifferent Mr. Chen.
Moreover, Chen Congbai didn't come earlier or later, but came to Anyang to talk about all these nonsense when her father had expressed a tough attitude and even the relationship with the emperor became tense.
After returning to the villa, she summoned Ma Liu's son Ma Xing and asked him to find someone to keep an eye on Chen Congbai.
Ma Liu worked in the government office and was smart. Her father would sometimes assign some tasks to her because Ma Xing was acquainted with some beggars and poor people in the outer city of Kyoto.
As long as Ma Xing is taught how to keep an eye on people, he won't have to do it himself, as someone will do it for him wholeheartedly.
Wan Jinlan gave the money for the job to Ma Liu, and then told him the facial features of the person who delivered the letter to her at the entrance of the alley, and asked him to find this person.
Ma Xing received the order and went to do the work quickly.
On the other side, in Xiao Minghuan's manor, Chen Congbai was talking with Xiao Minghuan in the study.
"Brother Chen, don't worry. Princess Anyang will not agree to elope with you, and she will not be sent to marry. You just need to take good care of her during this period of time, and everything will be a sure thing." Xiao Minghuan said confidently.
He was so sure that Princess Anyang would not marry a foreign prince because Wan Qiuyu told him that Princess Anyang ended up marrying for the second time to Beirong.
Chen Congbai understood his family's situation since he was a child. Starting from his generation, the Chen family lost even the title of earl. His father was obsessed with business, and the family was only rich but not noble. His mother wanted him to marry a daughter from a wealthy family to change the current situation of the family. He already had someone he loved, but could not give her a legitimate status.
There are some things he doesn't want to do, but he has no choice.
Concealing the thoughts in his eyes, Chen Congbai said with a hint of gratitude: "Thank you for your support, Your Highness. If one day you marry the princess, the Chen family will definitely be loyal to you."
"The ginseng His Highness gifted me last time was quite effective in treating my mother's illness. My mother asked me to express my sincere gratitude to His Highness."
Chen Congbai has a heroic appearance. When he speaks nicely, he doesn't sound flattering and is a little stiff. It is obvious that he is not very experienced in doing such things.
Immediately afterwards, Chen Congbai presented a silver note worth ten thousand taels. After a period of refusal between the two, Xiao Minghuan finally accepted the note.
After Chen Congbai left, Wan Qiuyu entered the study.
"Chen Congbai has become much more sensible recently." Xiao Minghuan sneered at the banknotes.
Wan Qiuyu smiled and said, "Given the Chen family's situation, if he doesn't find a backer, he won't even be qualified to enter the palace in the future. Your Highness has shown him a clear path. If he doesn't follow it, he would be extremely foolish."
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