"I wonder what's missing?" Chang Suining asked curiously.
Duan accurately pointed out the only thing that was missing: "When I made a bet with Your Highness, we were competing in embroidery skills. At that time, Your Highness and I each embroidered a handkerchief... When I sealed the box that year, I put the two handkerchiefs into the small box and put them in together."
At this point, Duan's eyes were already blurred with tears: "I think His Highness opened this box later... and took away the pair of ugly handkerchiefs."
Hearing the words "ugly handkerchief", Chang Suining didn't know how to respond for a moment.
The handkerchiefs were indeed incredibly ugly, and she was indeed the one who took them.
Before she went to Beidi to marry, she had secretly met Meng Lie for the last time. For various reasons, she left half of the token to Meng Lie, saying that if she had any errands to entrust to him in the future, she would send someone to see him with the other half of the token.
In fact, she knew very well the reason why Bei Di specifically asked her to marry him. She did not think that she had a chance to return to Dasheng alive, nor did she think that the token would have any use worth mentioning.
But faced with her confidant who was crying and refusing to leave, wishing to sacrifice his life for her, she couldn't just give in and say bluntly, "I will definitely die on this trip."
Therefore, her words at the beginning were mostly just to appease others, and the token was just a reassurance.
But she was afraid that Meng Lie would always take this matter to heart, and that half of the token would fall into the hands of an untrustworthy person and bring trouble to her former confidant. So, for the sake of safety, she chose to leave the token behind and did not carry it with her to Beidi.
That night, she dug out the box, threw the half token in it, and sat on the ground alone reminiscing about the past. She took the pair of ugly handkerchiefs with her, thinking that it would be nice to take them out and make fun of Duan Zhenyi when Beidi was unhappy.
"There are so many valuable and interesting things in this box, but His Highness only took away the pair of handkerchiefs. How could this not be because he couldn't bear to part with me..." Duan was about to burst into tears: "I knew that even though His Highness said he didn't want to see me, I was the one he cared about the most in his heart!"
"Before Her Highness got married, I asked for an audience several times, but she refused to see me..."
"I originally thought, what marriage? To hell with that nonsense!" Duan was moved by the scene and could no longer suppress the sadness and regret in her heart for many years: "If His Highness is willing to see me, I will find a way to take His Highness away from the capital, anywhere is fine..."
As she spoke, she took the handkerchief handed to her by Chang Suining and wiped her tears: "Anyway, no matter where I flee to, Your Highness will always be able to protect and feed me."
Chang Suining: “…”
After escaping, he still needs her to support him, so the meaning of running away together is... to make her an extra burden?
But at that time, Duan Zhenyi was already married and had children, but he was still thinking of running away with her... Putting aside whether it was reliable or not, his determination to abandon her husband and children for her was indeed moving.
Duan regretted deeply and cried, "I should have been more decisive at the beginning. If His Highness refused to see me, I should have climbed over the wall to see His Highness!"
Chang Suining subconsciously glanced at the high wall of the Princess's Mansion and felt that the key point was not whether it was decisive enough, but whether Duan Zhenyi could climb over it.
Seeing Duan's tears falling more and more, Chang Suining felt at a loss as to what to do.
She was a person who could not cry, and whenever she saw others crying with her, she didn't know what to do. This was also the reason why she didn't want to see Duan Zhenyi before her marriage.
But unexpectedly, Li Shang managed to escape, but Chang Suining did not, and she had to go through this today.
She was not good at comforting people, but it was inappropriate to say nothing at this moment, so she could only say: "Madam, I am sorry for your loss..."
But these words didn't work, and seemed to remind Duan of the fact that "the person is already dead", making Duan cry even more uncontrollably.
Seeing this, Chang Suining decided to take another approach: "Madam, those handkerchiefs... may not be taken away by Her Royal Highness the Princess, right?"
As she spoke, her voice was very soft and slow, and she looked hesitantly behind Duan.
Although she is not good at persuading people, she is very experienced in beating and intimidating others.
The girl's look immediately made Duan's scalp tighten. She stopped crying and said in a low voice, "No way..."
But she couldn't help but think of the strange noise she just heard. Her body froze for a moment, and she could only comfort herself: "I think ghosts would look down on things like that..."
Chang Suining seemed to think for a moment and said, "Not necessarily."
After all, the embroidery technique itself is quite otherworldly, so it makes sense that it would be favored by ghosts.
Duan seemed to have thought of this as well, and she no longer cared about being sad. After her servants filled the pit, she hurriedly took her things and fled.
Several people returned to the princess's residence through the back door, tidied their clothes, and cleaned the dirt off their shoes. Then Chang Suining helped Duan, whose eyes were red and swollen and seemed to be unable to take care of herself, out.
Seeing Duan crying like this, the maid of the Princess's Mansion who was guarding the gate felt sad and wanted to persuade her but didn't know where to start. She could only bow and lead Duan and her group out of the mansion.
But the maid gradually felt that there was something wrong with the servant who was carrying the boxes.
The box was still the same box, but the servant's steps and demeanor seemed a little different.
When the servant stepped out of the gate of the Princess's Mansion, a layer of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.
He had tried his best to look relaxed, but there were too many things in the box and the journey was too long!
If the boxes his wife brought had not been light enough, he would not have been able to lift so many things.
Duan was feeling very nervous all the way. She picked the one who looked the strongest, but it didn't look like he was doing well.
She had already imagined the terrible situation where the servant would be exhausted and fall down with the box, and all the stolen goods in the box would spill out... If that happened, she would not have to live. The Double Ninth Festival next year would be her death anniversary. By commemorating her death anniversary and the Double Ninth Festival together, the Duke Zheng's Mansion could save one sacrifice every year.
Fortunately, not only was she afraid of being embarrassed, but the servants also had their dignity to save, so they struggled to leave the Princess's Mansion.
But the trembling body and the strangeness on his face could no longer be concealed.
The look of suspicion on the maid's face was almost visible.
"Hey, Wei De, what's wrong with you?" At this time, Duan's voice sounded in surprise and concern: "Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"
The servant's expression changed several times: "Madam, I have a severe stomachache..."
Another servant who was waiting beside the carriage and was unaware of the situation hurriedly went to take the box from his hand upon hearing this.
Wei De quickly stepped around him, put the box into the carriage with his last breath, and then covered his stomach in pain.
"This..." The maid of the Princess's Mansion could only say: "Then I will take this young man to the clean room."
Duan nodded and agreed: "Go quickly."
The servant, who was so tired that he didn't even want to take a step, wanted to cry but had no tears. However, he could only thank the maid with a flushed face, and followed the maid into the princess's mansion through a side door to keep a fictitious appointment for a clean room.
A quarter of an hour later, when the servant came out of the Princess's house, his trembling steps were indeed so exhausted as if he had been squatting in the toilet for three days and three nights.
Duan saw this and felt guilty, so he decided to go back and pay another five taels of silver.
The maid in the Princess's Mansion was still suspicious.
After watching Duan's carriage go away, the maid returned to the eldest princess's residence and carefully checked it inside and out.
After confirming that nothing was missing, the maid couldn't help but blame herself - what was she thinking? How could the wife of Duke Zheng come to the Princess's residence to steal things? Madam Duan was the best wife of the Princess when she was alive. Madam Duan didn't even accompany her on the ancestral worship trip this time, but stayed in the capital to worship the Princess. And she actually speculated about others with such a mean mind, is she still a human being?
The maid was feeling extremely ashamed, but Duan, who had escaped with the stolen goods and was sitting in the carriage, had put away her sadness and was immersed in the joy of having her wish fulfilled.
She held Chang Suining's hand and sighed in a low voice, "Ningning, your dream is truly amazing!"
I often smile without saying a word.
She has something even more divine.
"I wonder if you could do me another favor?" Duan's eyes were eager and filled with a hint of request.
"Madam, please speak."
"If you have the chance to dream about Her Highness again...can you help me ask where she was reincarnated?" There was a look of longing in Duan's eyes.
Chang Suining paused for a moment and said, "Since you can still dream, I guess you haven't been reincarnated yet."
"That's right..." Duan thought for a moment, her eyes suddenly brightened: "Then can you tell His Highness that if she is reincarnated, she should be born into my family!"
"?" Chang Suining subconsciously looked at her abdomen and felt a little frightened.
Duan smiled uncomfortably. Although she wanted to say that she was willing to work harder for His Highness, she chose to be more reserved in front of the younger generation: "It would be good if you could come to our Wei family. Zi Gu won't be able to find a wife for a while, so you probably can't count on him... If His Highness can't wait, going to the second house is also feasible."
Listening to the reincarnation guide provided by Duan, Chang Suining nodded as calmly as possible: "...I will convey it when I have the chance."
"But...it has been more than ten years. If His Highness has not been reincarnated yet, could it be that he has some unfulfilled wishes?" Duan said thoughtfully.
"Maybe." Chang Suining looked at the street outside the car through a corner of the car curtain that was blown by the wind.
Duan asked her to help ask about the eldest princess's unfulfilled wishes when she saw her in her dream again.
Chang Suining nodded.
She had an unfulfilled wish.
But she planned to end it herself.
When the carriage passed by Dengtai Tower, Chang Suining's gaze lingered silently for a moment.
In the near future, she and Meng Lie may meet each other.
The wind outside the car became stronger, and the sunlight was once again obscured by gray clouds.
The sky was just a little overcast in the capital, but it was raining outside the imperial tombs.
The weather was still fine in the morning, but just when the ancestor worship ceremony was halfway through, the sky suddenly changed and cold raindrops soon fell.
As a last resort, the Emperor of the Holy Ceremonies had to lead all the officials away from the altar and into the inner hall to continue the unfinished process.
It is not uncommon for it to rain on the Double Ninth Festival, but this was a time of trouble. The sudden rain that interrupted the ancestor worship ceremony inevitably gave rise to ominous implications, which spread silently among all officials.
After the ceremony, Emperor Shengce entered the inner hall of the imperial mausoleum alone and quietly looked at the tablets of the Li family placed on the shrine under the offerings of incense and candles.
She was still wearing the sacrificial robes, and the tassels of the emperor's crown moved slightly above her gray hair.
The white candles and the eternal lamps in the hall were also swaying gently, reflecting the uncertain light in the eyes of the Holy Book Emperor, who was already aging but becoming more and more majestic.
She stood still for a long time before she spoke slowly in an unclear tone.
"Even you are blaming and punishing me—"
"I have devoted my heart and soul to the Great Sheng Empire, and have never done anything to subvert the Ming family for myself, but I still bear countless insults... However, if there were no me and no A Shang, how could the Great Sheng Empire have enjoyed the peace for more than a decade?"
"I have lost my own flesh and blood for Dasheng. Is it not wrong for me to hand over all this to someone who has made no contribution to Dasheng?"
She asked questions in every sentence, but those majestic and solemn tablets were destined not to give her an answer.
She didn't need their answers, she had the answer in her heart.
Outside the palace, there was a roar of wind and rain, which lasted until midnight.
The next morning, the emperor set out for Beijing.
However, when they were halfway through the journey, they encountered heavy rain and blocked the way.
The heavy rain delayed the original travel plan, and the rain continued all the way. When the emperor and his entourage approached the capital that day, it was dark and the city gates were closed.
The Emperor of the Holy Ce did not rush to move forward, but ordered them to rest in Dayun Temple for a day before entering the city.
This was not a precedent. After offering sacrifices to ancestors at the imperial mausoleum every year, the emperor would stay in Dayun Temple for one or two days on his way back to burn incense and offer sacrifices.
Everyone was exhausted after traveling in the cold rain, so they settled down in Dayun Temple. After drinking the hot soup brought by the monks and changing into dry clothes, most of them went to bed early.
Cui Jing had not rested yet, and had not even had time to change his wet clothes. He was in the corridor in front of the Main Hall, arranging defense and patrol arrangements with his subordinates in various places.
At this time, someone came wearing a cloak and holding an umbrella.
Cui Jing looked over.
The man took the umbrella and handed it to Changji, then walked towards Cui Jing.
"After the Saint summoned General Cui to finish his business, he went to the Heavenly Maiden Tower." Wei Shuyi conveyed.
He and his ministers had just finished discussing matters with the sage, but the sage refused to rest, but went to the Tiannu Pagoda in the rain, and instructed Cui Jing to go there as well.
Cui Jing nodded to indicate that he understood.
Wei Shuyi brought the message to the end, but he did not leave in a hurry. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally said, "General Cui, can you move over and have a chat?"
Cui Jing glanced at him, then turned and walked ahead.
Wei Shuyi followed.
The two men walked to the end of the corridor. Yuanxiang and Changji met and stood guard not far away. While doing their job, they did not forget to exchange glances.
"What's the matter?" Cui Jing asked.
"I just learned today that after the Hibiscus Flower Banquet, the Saint had someone secretly investigate where Madam Chang was and what she did in early February, and he had someone investigate every detail... Do you know why the Saint did this?"
The sound of rain outside the corridor was so loud that it almost completely covered up Wei Shuyi's already cautious and low voice.
But Cui Jing heard every word clearly, and a wave of emotion suddenly spread in the depths of his heart.
The corridor was dim on a rainy night. Cui Jing looked at Wei Shuyi and said, "In February, she returned to the capital with you. What happened to her in Hezhou at that time?"
He didn't want to delve into things she hadn't volunteered, but now he had to ask.
Today I recommend a completed book to you, "After the Ancestor Failed to Survive the Tribulation". The heroine walks alone on the road, and there is no CP~
Finishing the book seems stress-free. If it suits your taste, you can restock it... Hehehe In addition, you can recommend any book under this book. I welcome it very much, as long as you don't belittle or drag down other books! The more you recommend, the better. This way, you can keep restocking monthly tickets ()
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