As the sunset faded and night fell, the Eighth Prince's wife ate a little food and then went alone to the Eighth Prince's study.
The Eighth Prince's wife dismissed the maids and carefully touched all the marks left on the Eighth Prince's body.
The teacup the Eighth Prince drank from, the chair he sat in, the calligraphy brush he used, the classics he read… they all seemed to carry his presence, as if he had never left. A cold night wind blew in, and the Eighth Prince's wife shivered. The books on her desk were ruffled by the wind, a few pages turned.
The Eighth Prince's wife noticed a small note tucked inside the book. Curious, she picked it up and saw that it was the Eighth Prince's handwriting!
"If you see this letter and have not returned, do not wait for their return; protect your children and ensure your safety!"
The Eighth Prince's wife burst into tears, clutching the note and wailing. It turned out that the Eighth Prince had foreseen this and had secretly left a letter before his arrest, hoping that his wife could preserve her bloodline and leave the palace.
"Your Highness, Your Highness..." The Eighth Prince's wife cried heartbrokenly, as if she were pouring out all the pent-up frustration and resentment she had felt. The maids outside heard the Eighth Prince's wife's cries and stamped their feet anxiously, but they dared not disobey orders and go in without permission, so they could only cry with her outside.
After crying for a while, the Eighth Prince's wife finally calmed down. She leaned against his desk, reminiscing about their sweet moments together. Her eyes were vacant as she murmured, "Your Highness, rest assured, I've taken good care of the child. I haven't disappointed the Prince's expectations..."
The Eighth Prince's wife clutched the note he had left her, suppressing her grief and blaming herself, "It's such a pity I can't take care of them for you... I've already sent Chen away with them, away from this place of trouble. They'll definitely live a good life!"
The Eighth Prince's wife sobbed and said with a smile, "I don't want to leave here! I don't want to leave the Prince either!"
As night deepened, the Eighth Prince's wife finally emerged from the Eighth Prince's study. The maids rushed forward to support her, but noticing her hands were icy cold, they said worriedly, "Princess, let us help you back to rest..." The Eighth Prince's wife, unusually, smiled and nodded at the maids, allowing them to lead her back to her room.
The maids were busy making the bed for the Eighth Prince's wife when she suddenly called out, "You may all leave!" The maids were taken aback and said worriedly, "But Princess..." Before they could finish, the Eighth Prince's wife smiled and waved her hand, saying, "It's alright, I just want to be alone today..." The maids looked at each other, hesitant.
"You can all go back now. There's no need to keep watch anymore. Everyone's exhausted. Go back and get a good night's sleep, and you'll feel much better when you wake up every day!"
The Eighth Prince's wife remained expressionless, her thoughts unreadable. The maids, knowing her temperament well, dared not speak, bowing and slowly retreating.
The Eighth Prince's wife took out the prepared princess dress from the cupboard and changed into it. After dressing herself up, she glanced indifferently at the candlestick on the table, casually pushed it aside, and turned back to lie down on the bed before the flame could rise...
"Oh no! There's a fire! Help! Help me!"
A scream rang out through the night sky. At this moment, only the Eighth Prince's wife was in the main courtyard. As the flames illuminated half the sky and thick smoke billowed, the main courtyard was no longer safe for anyone to approach. Maids and servants rushed over with water, and even the imperial guards at the gate were alerted and joined in the firefighting efforts.
But it was all too late. The main courtyard of the Eighth Prince's mansion was mostly burned down, and everywhere there was the pungent smell of burning, blackened beams and roofs, and traces of water spillage...
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