Chen Shou and the Cui brothers spent their first night in the pitch-black mountains, keeping torches burning to keep wild animals away. Chen Shou and the eldest Cui brother took turns keeping watch, while the eldest Cui brother's wife and second brother, one old and one ill, were not allowed to keep watch.
Meanwhile, under the Fourth Prince's arrangement, Cui Niang left the palace safely, and a carriage was waiting for her outside the palace.
As Cui Niang walked out of Shunzhen Gate, she looked back at the magnificent palace, feeling a pang of sadness. She had entered this palace when she was barely thirteen, and fifteen years had passed since then. She had gone from a young girl to a nearly thirty-year-old spinster, destined to live a solitary life unless she became someone's second wife.
"Aunt, the concubine is waiting for you. Let's go." A little maid was standing by the carriage. It was Lan Qi, Lan Qin's maid. She was sent by Lan Qin to pick her up.
"Thank you so much, Consort, for troubling you to come and fetch me." Cui Niang carried only a bundle; she didn't have much to take with her. She had completely bid farewell to the past; why should she carry those belongings?
"Aunt, please get in the carriage. I'll help you with your bundle." Lan Qi stepped forward, intending to take the bundle from Cui Niang's shoulder. She knew that Aunt Cui would soon be the head of the South Courtyard, even more powerful than Nian Xue.
"It's alright, it's not heavy. What's your name?" Cui Niang walked to the carriage, took Lan Qin's arm, and stepped onto the small stool that she had taken from the carriage.
After helping Cui Niang up, Lan Qi also got into the carriage.
"Aunt, my name is Lan Qi. Nianxue mentioned you, saying that we will all have to listen to your teachings from now on." Lan Qi was usually not very talkative, so she was pleasantly surprised that Lan Qin had asked her to pick up Cui Niang. She and Si Hua had entered the South Courtyard together. Si Hua was now serving in the inner room, while she was outside, hoping to gain Lan Qin's favor.
Cui Niang smiled and said simply, "Serve your master well, do your best and be attentive."
Lan Qi nodded as if she understood, and seeing that Cui Niang didn't seem to want to talk, she stopped bothering her.
The carriage traveled at a moderate pace, stopping deliberately at the side gate closest to the south courtyard when it arrived at the Fourth Prince's residence. Nianxue was already waiting there.
As Cui Niang and Lan Qi alighted from the carriage, Nian Xue greeted them with a smile, saying, "Auntie, you've finally arrived! The concubine has been talking about you all morning."
Cui Niang looked ashamed and said, "This servant came to serve the concubine. The concubine's behavior has truly left this servant at a loss for what to do."
Nianxue quickly took the bundle from Cui Niang's shoulder, and led Cui Niang into the room.
Lanqin had instructed Xicha and Sihua to prepare a room on the east side early in the morning, so that Cui Niang could live in the room alone. The room was fully furnished and equipped, and all that was needed was to add clothes.
With Nianxue and Lanqi, two young maids, pulling her along on either side, Cui Niang talked and laughed, and the sorrow in her heart gradually faded away.
As the three entered the gate, they heard the laughter of children in the courtyard. Naturally, Lanqin's voice was also there, as were the voices of Madam Song, Madam Geng, and Madam Wu.
There, Xichen was walking unsteadily on the ground, his waist bound by a strip of cloth by a maid. Lanqin and Wu Shi squatted in front of him, constantly trying to entice him to walk with small objects in their hands. In fact, he was only ten months old, and it was already quite good that he could do this.
Wuxiha was held in Song's arms, while Geng was teasing him with a cloth tiger. The courtyard was bustling with children and women.
"Cui Niang, you've finally arrived!" Lanqin saw Cui Niang enter, immediately stood up, and called out.
"This servant greets the Consort and all the princesses." Cui Niang quickly took Nianxue's hand, hurried a few steps, and bowed to Lanqin.
"Cui Niang, come here, let me introduce you." Lanqin pulled Cui Niang up and held her hand as she introduced her to the group of people.
"Cui Niang, do you remember me?" Song Shi said as she carried Wu Xiha down the steps. Lan Qin had already told Song Shi about Cui Niang. At first, Song Shi still had some reservations, after all, Cui Niang had once been Fujin's person and had caused her a lot of trouble in the Prince's quarters.
Sure enough, when Cui Niang saw Song Shi, all the things she had done back then came flooding back. She quickly bowed to Song Shi and said, "This servant greets Song Gege. This servant is truly ashamed to face Song Gege."
"Get up. You were her maid, and your actions were not your own choice. If I blamed you, I wouldn't be standing here today," Song said with a smile. Lanqin had advised her, saying: "Sister Song, Cui Niang was just a maid. Her life was in the hands of the Fujin (the Princess Consort). Serving her was simply her duty. To blame a maid is to be unreasonable. Buddhist teachings say that turning back is the right path. Cui Niang was inherently good, which is why she became a sore spot for the Fujin. The fact that she's still alive shows she has some ability. Now, having someone like her help us, who understands the Fujin so well, isn't that a good thing?"
Cui Niang bowed again, and Lan Qin immediately pulled her up.
“Niang Cui, this is Consort Geng, and this is Consort Wu. They are both consorts who came into the palace after the Fourth Prince left. You don’t recognize them,” Lanqin said.
"Greetings, Your Highnesses." Cui Niang bowed to each of them.
“Aunt Cui, you should take good care of Qin’er from now on. Sometimes she’s a little careless, and other times she’s as clever as a monkey. You’ll have to give her a lot of pointers and take good care of everything in the South Courtyard,” said Madam Song.
"Nianxue, take Cui Niang to her room and see if there's anything missing, and fix it. Xicha, pick out some of the fabrics from my cabinet and make a few clothes for Cui Niang," Lanqin said.
"Thank you for your generous gift, Consort Xie. This servant will take her leave now." Cui Niang bowed again.
"No one is allowed to leave at noon today. I have already instructed the kitchen to prepare." Lanqin was happy. As soon as people arrived, she thought about the gathering, playing cards, and laughing and joking with the children. She was really happy.
Cui Niang followed Nianxue into the room prepared for her. Looking at the furnishings, she saw that everything had been carefully arranged. Cui Niang sighed inwardly and couldn't help but say, "The concubine is so kind to me."
Nianxue was moved and said, "The concubine has always been very good to us. She never beats or scolds us, and she never forces us to do things we can't do. She is also very generous in giving us food and clothing. Aunt Cui, we are young and don't know as much as you do. From now on, we will follow Aunt Cui to serve our master."
Cui Niang nodded, recalling the years she spent by the Fujin's side.
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