Concubine Liu De read the storybooks as seriously as she read historical books. I couldn't help but admire her focused expression. Every time she chose a book, she would politely show it to me and ask if it was okay. Naturally, I nodded and agreed: "Yes, yes, of course!"
Later, when she came to a book covered with blue paper, she flipped through it casually, but seemed to be stunned for a moment, then flipped through it again, and her eyes stayed on a page for a long time.
Is it the plot's twists and turns, or the writing's incomprehensible? Why did Concubine Liu De spend so long looking at this one page?
Could it be that - she is also a person who easily becomes daydreamy like me?
But when I saw Concubine Liu De's serious and focused expression, I immediately threw this ridiculous idea out of my mind.
I called out cautiously, "Sister?"
She quickly recovered her composure, showing neither panic nor anger at being interrupted. This detail really made me secretly admire her.
"Sister," she said, turning the book over and handing it to me naturally, "I didn't expect you like looking at maps. I really admire you for that."
I took a look—it turned out to be an atlas. The page that Concubine Liu De showed me contained the specific details of the shops on Zhuque Street. I was a little surprised that I even had such a book. I laughed and said, "I don't remember much either..."
"I'd like to borrow this book. Would you agree?" she asked me, just like she had asked for my opinion before. I naturally nodded in agreement, "Of course, of course."
Compared to a storybook, a map book seems to have even less appeal to me at the moment.
She placed the book on the previous stack, picked out another storybook, and smiled at me gently: "I've picked so many, enough for me to read for a while. Thank you so much, sister."
I waved my hands: "It's okay, as long as my sister likes it."
Anyway, I have so many books just gathering dust, so it's a good thing if more people read them.
Then she gently asked me how my recovery was going and if I remembered anything.
I shook my head. All I could remember was what Song Heng said to me in the evening, but it would be better not to mention it, so I naturally kept it to myself.
She sighed with some regret. I knew she was sad that my memories of many years had vanished, but now I had adjusted myself and smiled optimistically at her: "Don't worry about me, sister. I believe I can remember them slowly. If I remember them in the future, I will definitely come and tell you."
She nodded in agreement and touched my head gently. As it was getting late, Xiao Ning helped her back to Zhuang Ning Palace.
Xiao Tao and Xiao Cui, who were standing by, watched her leave respectfully. Xiao Cui sighed with regret, "It's a pity that Concubine Liu De is not in good health..."
Xiao Tao also had a sense of injustice: "That's right, although Taifu Liu has no real power, he is also a first-rank official and has a good reputation. If Concubine Liu De is willing to fight for it, the position of the head of the harem..."
"Xiao Tao." I immediately stopped her from talking. Even I, who has lost my memory, know what to say and what not to say. Xiao Tao is always so reckless and impulsive.
She stuck out her tongue, then thought of something and smiled at me, "Yes, my young mistress is still here. His Majesty often comes to our Chenxiang Pavilion. Maybe in the future..."
Become a queen?
This wasn't something I'd considered too deeply. As soon as I regained my memory, I knew my Mu family was powerful and could help Song Heng. As for the deeper level—I didn't seem to have much objection.
But if you want to get involved in the intrigues in the harem, you will feel overwhelmed.
But during this period of time, I felt that the harem was peaceful. I never met the queen, who seemed to have a natural incompatible temperament with me. The ordinary concubines just greeted me and got by. There were also concubines like Concubine Liu De who were kind and gentle to people... I didn't expect to see all the bloody plots in the novels.
After all, books are books and reality is reality.
This is fine, I can live my life happily, and I can also be by Song Heng's side, and Song Heng happens to be nice to me too - thinking about it this way, I feel that my life is complete.
As I was thinking, I suddenly remembered something and asked Xiao Cui and Xiao Tao with some confusion: "Is my father very busy with government affairs? I don't think I have seen them since I woke up..."
It’s not that I have to be so pretentious as to ask them to come and see me, but after all, we are related by blood, so I’m a little curious why I haven’t seen them since I woke up?
Xiao Tao paused, and Xiao Cui said to me gently, "After the young lady woke up, His Majesty brought the news to Lord Mu, but after all, the young lady is a concubine in the harem, so Lord Mu and his wife can't come to see her easily."
I nodded and thought it made sense. Alas, a daughter who is married off is like water spilled, not to mention that this water was spilled in the Forbidden City.
"My lady, you are the beloved daughter of both Lord Mu and Mrs. Zhuang. You can rest assured about this!" Xiao Tao added quickly.
They told me this when I first woke up, so of course I remembered it: "Yeah, I understand. I was just asking out of curiosity."
"I'm sleepy too, you guys go down too." I felt sleepy and waved my hand to let them go down.
They carefully helped me remove my jewelry and makeup, then helped me onto the bed and carefully left.
It’s actually quite strange. Sometimes I feel like I’m not quite used to this feeling of being taken care of in such meticulous ways. I didn’t expect that I haven’t fully adapted to it even after being taken care of for nearly eighteen years.
He gathered the quilt around him and fell into a deep sleep.
Zhuang Ning Palace.
Under the lamp, Concubine Liu De used her fair hands to pull out the second blue-covered book from the top and opened the page she had been reading for a long time in the Chenxiang Pavilion today.
"It was all a dream, a mere spectacle. The twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month."
This was Mu Chenshuang's handwriting, which she had seen by chance before; this was also her atlas, there was no doubt about it.
She did go for a walk today by chance, and the two of them happened to talk about storybooks.
She suddenly remembered that Xiaohua had told her that Mu Chenshuang had taken out the money shop deposit slip from the bookcase, so she decided to go along with it and see if she could find out anything more.
When they arrived at Chenxiang Pavilion, she motioned Xiao Ning to come forward to help, and also wanted Xiao Ning to go and see if there were any other deposit slips and other things. However, she did not wait until she came back to ask Xiao Ning if he had seen anything. Instead, she flipped through a map book herself.
The atlas was covered in circles and dots, the ink having long since dried. One page contained a large map of the capital, with a route already mapped out from the palace's side gate, Zuoyao Gate, directly to the city's main gate, Dongbei Gate.
Thinking of the deposit certificate that Mu Chenshuang had deposited at Qianji Money House.
See this route again.
Turn to the title page again.
I also heard that Mu Chenshuang practiced horse riding every day after leaving the palace.
…
Under the lamp, Concubine Liu De's face was already pale due to her long-term illness. She slightly curved her pale lips and handed the atlas to Xiao Ning: "Lock this atlas up and don't lose it."
Xiao Ning took it with both hands, and then Concubine Liu De thought of something else: "Call Xiaohua."
Xiaohua was arranged to handle some chores in Zhuangning Palace, just like a servant who was really appreciated by Concubine Liu De for her hardworking quality. She did not have a very high status and her salary was ordinary.
Everyone in the palace almost forgot about Xiaohua.
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