"Aqi, I didn't expect we'd end up this way. If I'd known earlier, I wouldn't have agreed to that ridiculous agreement. But now I regret it. I'm taking it back, but it's a one-sided decision. I won't force you. Think about it yourself and listen to what it says. We have time. We need to deal with the Fourth Brother and the Crown Prince soon. There are too many important matters awaiting us. I'll wait for you. When everything is clear, you can touch it and tell me your decision, okay?"
Meng Qi breathed a sigh of relief. This was good. She felt relieved that Song Chengze could be so thoughtful. She was really afraid that Song Chengze would ask her to make a decision right away. Should she nod or shake her head?
Song Chengze clearly felt Meng Qi's relaxation, and couldn't help but feel fortunate for his decision. As the saying goes, there's no need to be impatient.
He suddenly laughed at himself. Although he was a very patient person, he still had to distinguish between good and bad. When it came to matters between men and women, when had he ever allowed himself to be so wronged, so cautious, so...humble.
This reminded him of when he went to the palace a few days ago to discuss how to present the letter obtained by Concubine Xiu to the emperor. His mother was standing at the window with a faded peony silk flower in her hand. He didn't dare to disturb her. Over the years, whenever his mother took out this silk flower, he could feel a deep sadness from her, a sense of powerlessness and loss.
He just stared at his mother's back for a long time, then listened to her whisper, "You know what? I was angry and helpless at first. I kept thinking, if I hadn't walked down that alley that day, or if I hadn't worn that plum blossom-scented skirt, or even before that, if I hadn't entered Prince Jing'an's mansion, would everything now be different?"
He was stunned. He had never heard his mother talk about the past with him. He knew that his mother was framed by the late Queen to serve his father. His mother never knew that the late Queen Mother had always been in love with Leng Meixiang. It was because of that skirt that the drunken Emperor... And the thatched hut next to the alleyway that his mother mentioned...
Concubine Lian turned around, but her expression wasn't as sad as Song Chengze had imagined. She smiled slightly and carefully placed the peony silk flower into the box. "Ze'er, you have to remember that although many things in this world depend on the outcome, not all good outcomes have a good process. Look, no matter how well I preserve this flower, it can't regain its original splendor. Therefore, the process of some things, especially the kind that is accumulated, that is achieved bit by bit with care, love, and effort, is the most beautiful. Moreover, the result brought about by such a process, even if you lose it in the future, when you recall it, it will still be beautiful."
Song Chengze looked up, remembering the Lin family's tireless support for him over the years. He remembered the man whose last name wasn't Lin, who had devoted his heart and soul to him, managing the Lin family's business to a thriving state, ensuring he never had to worry about money. He also remembered the man's large peony flowers embroidered on the cuffs and hem of his robe during his only trip to Yangzhou...
――――――
Meng Qi couldn't help but caress her cheek as she thought about the day she'd been talking to Song Chengze about Concubine Xiu. She didn't know when their relationship had evolved from handshakes to hugs to kisses, little by little, without her feeling the slightest bit of awkwardness. It was as natural as if it had just happened.
And Song Chengze always manages to control it all well. When he feels scared or worried, he always stops in time, stopping at the most beautiful moment, just like that day, he left after saying those words.
As he was about to leave, he paused, looking at the wind chimes on the porch, bathed in the light of lanterns. He gently raised his hand, and a clear voice echoed. "As for her, if you change your mind, I will find her a good place, whether inside or outside the palace, with picturesque scenery, or a mansion of high status, as long as she likes it. If you don't change your mind, given her abilities, she'll be more useful in the palace."
After saying this, Song Chengze turned around again and said, "So, Aqi, what happens to her is entirely up to you."
Meng Qi was stunned at first, but only after Song Chengze strode out of Jing'an Garden did she understand what Song Chengze meant.
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