Under the same moonlight, there are others who are also restless day and night.
After Chang Lili left, the mother-in-law woke up.
She sat in the general's mansion, thinking over and over the words she had heard that day, her aged face streaked with tears.
The pain of losing her country often kept her awake at night, and the nightmarish fire also tormented her. It wasn't until Chang Lili grew up that she felt a little relief in Chang Lili's innocent and carefree smile.
Now, because of the precious child she raised, she is also heartbroken.
Why him of all people?
The mother-in-law pondered all night but couldn't come up with a solution. The next day, seeing Chang Lili's reluctant departure from Meng Yuxiu, she returned to her room without saying a word. Every time Chang Lili came to ask her, she would only say that she was not feeling well.
No matter how busy Meng Yuxiu was, he would always make time to visit Chang Lili in the forbidden area, just like always. When Chang Lili mentioned that her mother-in-law was not feeling well, he sent over top-quality ginseng and tonics the next day.
Chang Lili introduced it to her as if it were a treasure: "This is to replenish qi and blood. It was bestowed by the emperor. It was made in the palace and uses the best medicinal materials. Mother, please eat more of it."
The mother-in-law smiled.
Chang Lili then said, "Grandma, are you bored staying here these days? Would you like to go out and have some fun? I'll go with you."
It's inconvenient to come and go from here, and there are guards everywhere, but at least you can avoid seeing people you don't want to see. The mother-in-law shook her head slightly.
Chang Lili then said, "Grandma, why don't you go out and have some fun? Meng Yuxiu has a day off tomorrow and wants to take you to get a new dress made."
"What's a great general like him doing accompanying an old woman like me?"
"Well, you should go anyway. If you don't go, he'll come looking for me, and I don't want Jiang Yingxue and the others to see me."
If they saw this, they'd probably laugh at themselves terribly.
Seeing that her mother-in-law still seemed reluctant, Chang Lili said, "Besides, I also want to go see Lu Ming tomorrow, so the three of us can go together."
Finally, the mother-in-law reluctantly nodded.
More than half a month has passed since she last left the forbidden area, and she hasn't seen any trace of that group of people recently. Perhaps they've given up, or perhaps they, like her, haven't figured it out yet.
When Meng Yuxiu came to pick them up, the mother-in-law's face became even more serious.
She hadn't been sleeping well or eating for the past few days, and her already frail body had become even thinner. Meng Yuxiu thoughtfully suggested that she go see the imperial physician.
Chang Lili noticed that her mother-in-law seemed to have some kind of grudge against Meng Yuxiu, so she immediately said, "Then I'll go find Lu Ming. You take your mother-in-law there and then come pick me up."
Meng Yuxiu took her to the Lu residence, pinched her cheek, and said, "Stay here obediently. If you want to go out, have someone follow you."
“Okay, I promise.” Chang Lili smiled brightly. “General, take this opportunity to make a good impression and get your mother-in-law to accept you quickly.”
Meng Yuxiu chuckled and watched her enter the Lu residence before riding away.
When alone with Chang Lili's mother-in-law, Meng Yuxiu felt a little nervous, especially since for some reason, his mother-in-law seemed to have some dissatisfaction with him.
“Mother-in-law, let’s go directly to the Imperial Hospital and get two prescriptions from them.”
Hearing his words from inside the carriage, the old woman thought of the Imperial Hospital within the palace, let out a deep breath, and said, "Alright."
As the carriage drove through the bustling streets, and the road grew quieter, the old woman seemed to sense something. She lifted the curtain and looked out, her eyes widening in surprise.
The palace is still the same palace, with red walls and yellow tiles, solemn and magnificent, unchanged, and there is not even a trace of the fire from back then.
The Imperial Medical Academy was located at the outermost edge of the palace. Because of Meng Yuxiu's connections, they were able to enter quickly. Before the mother-in-law could recover from her initial shock and grief, the carriage stopped. Meng Yuxiu lifted the curtain and invited her to get off.
Standing on the familiar stone bricks, the old woman's hands trembled slightly. She restrained her gaze, avoiding looking at everything familiar around her. As she walked past others, she silently wondered to herself where she was and how many more steps it would take to turn the corner.
The slightest difference.
The uncomprehending grief made every step she took painful, as if she could hear wronged spirits walking through the high red walls, silently watching her revisit the place.
"puff!"
Meng Yuxiu was startled and quickly helped the swaying old man up. He frowned deeply as he looked at the pool of blood on the ground.
On the other side.
When Chang Lili arrived at the Lu residence, she learned that Lu Ming was not there.
That's right, that wild girl is definitely in the military camp now.
Unexpectedly, a servant in the Lu household told her, "Miss has gone to learn the zither."
Learning the piano?
It's obvious who this is for.
Chang Lili could no longer joke with Lu Ming as easily as before.
When Lu Ming returned carrying a zither, Chang Lili smiled and went over to her: "You've returned after completing your studies?"
Lu Ming glanced at her, then smiled and said, "You still know to come find me."
Chang Lili curiously helped her carry the zither back, saying, "You know I don't get to go out often. Last time on your birthday, I had something to do, so I left without saying goodbye."
Lu Ming didn't really care, but she didn't want to be as lively as usual.
Chang Lili held her hand and said, "Are you still angry? I was wrong, okay? It was Meng Yuxiu who told me that the Crown Prince's identity couldn't be revealed casually. I was afraid it would have some impact on him, so I kept it from you. I promise I'll tell you anything."
Lu Ming snorted and said, "I won't forgive you so easily. You've fooled me so badly because of your Meng Yuxiu."
Chang Lili smiled, then felt that Lu Ming seemed different. She didn't have as many girlish emotions and thoughts before, but now she seemed much more delicate.
She strummed the strings haphazardly a few times and asked, "Why did you decide to learn this? Didn't you swear you'd never play these things again?"
She still remembered Lu Ming's repeated claims that she was a heroine who was no less capable than any man, and that she disdained trivial matters like playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, which was why she and Chang Lili were kindred spirits.
Lu Ming smiled apologetically at her, then tapped the piano a few times with her fingers, producing a tune that showed she had been practicing quite a bit lately.
"His Highness enjoys playing the zither, and he taught me a little," Lu Ming added, trying to cover up the truth. "I found it quite interesting, so I learned it."
Chang Lili didn't know what to say for a moment, but Xiang pretended to be relaxed and said, "I really like him that much, I've even started learning the piano."
Lu Ming, always generous, said, "You know perfectly well that I liked him from the very first moment I saw him."
"What about Chu Huan?"
Lu Ming said strangely, "What does it have to do with him? Are you overthinking it? We are childhood sweethearts, but we are not that close. Sometimes I am annoyed by him and I depend on him, but I also treat him like a brother or sister. My feelings for Chu Huan are different from my feelings for His Highness."
She herself was so insightful that Chang Lili didn't know whether she should feel at ease or not.
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