Chapter 570 Old Debts
Strangely enough, when Li Mingshu got up the next day, she looked even better and had more energy than the day before.
Lin Changning washed up in another room late last night and didn't return to his room until late at night. Lin Changning thought Li Mingshu didn't know, since Li Mingshu had been sleeping for a whole day and night these days.
She pretended not to notice and went back to her room. Seeing the two of them fast asleep, she rubbed her aching knees. After lifting her robe, she saw that her knees were bruised and black. She rubbed the medicine that Qi Rong had given her, then got into bed and fell asleep with Yue'er and Li Mingshu in her arms.
The next day, Li Mingshu woke up early. After getting up, she looked at Lin Changning, who was still fast asleep, and a hint of heartache flashed in her eyes. She gently lifted Lin Changning's inner garment and saw the dark purple marks on Lin Changning's knees. A half-smile appeared on Li Mingshu's face, and a broken sob escaped her throat.
But fearing she would wake Lin Changning and Yue'er, Li Mingshu covered her mouth and lay down again, her shoulders twitching slightly, tears involuntarily sliding down her cheeks onto the pillow.
The slight noise woke Lin Changning. Always more vigilant when beside Li Mingshu, she groggily opened her eyes and asked, "A-Shu? You're awake?"
Not wanting Lin Changning to see her crying, Li Mingshu mumbled a reply and said, "Um, Aning, I want some water."
Lin Changning smoothly got off the bed: "Okay, I'll get you some water right away."
As soon as Lin Changning got out of bed, he felt his knees go weak, which instantly made him more alert. Enduring the soreness in his knees, he walked to the outer room, picked up a cup of warm honey water, and brought it back into the room.
While Lin Changning got out of bed, Li Mingshu quickly wiped away her tears, pretended nothing was wrong, and turned to watch Lin Changning yawn and walk towards her with a cup of water.
After taking the water, Li Mingshu took a sip of the slightly sweet honey water, finished it, and said, "I'm not sleepy anymore, let's go back, Aning."
The room was burning with fine charcoal. Lin Changning hummed in agreement and then ordered people to prepare. After dressing herself, she shook Yue'er awake and then summoned a maid to help Li Mingshu get dressed.
After wrapping her up, Lin Changning paused for a moment, then picked up Li Mingshu in his arms. Her knees were really sore from kneeling all the way up the mountain yesterday.
I felt that my knees and my entire leg were sore and weak.
Li Mingshu looked at Lin Changning, who was carrying her with slightly gritted teeth, and felt a little helpless: "A-Ning, let me walk around by myself today. I want to get some exercise."
Lin Changning hesitated for a moment: "It's cold outside, I'll carry you down."
Li Mingshu shook her head and insisted on walking by herself. Lin Changning couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he had no choice but to put his arm around her and slowly walk down the mountain.
Qi Rong accompanied Lin Changning through the rain yesterday. When they reached the mountainside and saw Lin Changning once again carrying the somewhat unsteady Li Mingshu in his arms, Qi Rong's eyes showed a hint of worry. He hesitated several times before finally saying nothing.
Lin Changning asked him to keep it a secret yesterday, and he had already agreed, so naturally he couldn't go back on his word.
After descending the mountain and bidding farewell to the abbot and the other monks, Lin Changning took a carriage with Li Mingshu towards Luojing.
The Emperor, Empress, Li Mingxiu, and Li Mingde are currently waiting at the Lin residence.
As soon as Li Mingxiu finished court, they headed to the Lin residence. Princess Li Mingshu's residence was still under renovation, while the Lin residence was a gift from the emperor. It was the former residence of an old duke, with gardens and forests, and was exquisitely built.
After reducing some of the illegal items, they were able to move in directly. Lin's mother and her two sisters-in-law had been working with the people sent by the Empress in the capital for several months to make it spacious and comfortable.
There were over a hundred maids and servants, both big and small. Lin's mother and her two sisters-in-law were also accompanied by people sent by the Empress. They were now doing their jobs with increasing ease. Knowing that Lin Changning and Li Mingshu would be returning home tomorrow, they had already tidied up the house early.
Upon receiving the news, Lin's mother originally intended to take her family to the city gate to welcome the emperor, empress, and eldest prince. After getting up early and finishing the morning court session, the emperor, empress, and eldest prince arrived at the Lin residence together.
They were caught off guard and had no choice but to send Zhiyuan out to pick them up. Li Mingshu was supposed to go to the palace with Lin Changning tonight after arriving at the Lin residence. However, before they returned, the emperor and empress arrived first.
Lin Changning and his entourage arrived at the city gate in less than five rooms. The gate at the end of the long street was wide open. The guards had received the news early that the princess was returning to the capital today. When they saw the long line of carriages, the guards went to greet them first.
"Your humble servant pays respects to the Princess, may you live a thousand years! May you live a thousand years! I also pay my respects to the Duke and the Marquis."
Sitting in the carriage, Qi Rong said loudly, "No need for formalities, lead us into the city."
The leading soldier quickly mounted his horse to build up his momentum, with men clearing the way on both sides. A group of soldiers stood at attention with their hands on their swords, while another group of men had already cleared the road in front of the carriage. On both sides of the road were the civilians who had been driven away.
"What's going on today? Why is there such a big commotion?"
"I just heard from the soldiers guarding the city that it seems the princess's carriage has entered the city."
"Oh, no wonder, is she the princess who knelt down from the foot of Jingling Temple to the temple gate yesterday to pray for peace?"
"Exactly."
"Then I'll have to take a good look. Such a deeply affectionate Yun Gui is a rare sight indeed."
Six fine horses from Hexi pulled Lin Changning and his companions in their carriage. The gilded bells hanging on the carriage jingled crisply as it moved. A crowd of onlookers gathered on both sides of the road, but the guards kept them firmly outside the carriage.
It's unclear who started it, but suddenly someone knelt down and shouted, "Long live the Princess! Long live the Princess!"
One person took the lead, and the rest of them knelt down in unison and shouted at the passing carriage.
Yue'er sat in the carriage, looking out curiously. Qi Rong held her on his lap and opened the carriage door and window a crack, allowing Yue'er to see the scene outside.
"Second Uncle, are they welcoming us?"
Qi Rong gently stroked Yue'er's silvery-white hair: "Yes, they are welcoming us."
Yue'er looked outside excitedly: "Do they all like us?"
Lin Changning, with Li Mingshu in his arms, smiled and said, "Yue'er is so cute, of course everyone likes her."
Yue'er seemed a little puzzled and asked, "Then why didn't the people in the manor like me and my mother before? They always gave us spoiled food, and every time I ate it, I got diarrhea."
Qi Rong's expression darkened: "Yue'er, tell your second uncle, who fed you spoiled food?"
Yue'er looked up at Qi Rong with an innocent expression: "The people in the little courtyard where we lived before, including the maids and others, were all mean to me and my mother, except for Sister Zhu'er who we can't find. They gave us ice water in winter and smelly food in summer. Yue'er thought it was because she wasn't liked..."
A shadow of gloom flashed in Lin Changning's eyes: "What makes Yue'er likable is those people."
After speaking, he and Qi Rong exchanged a glance, both of them seeing a hint of killing intent in each other's eyes.
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