The night is deep, and the evening clouds are pouring down like ink, without a trace of starlight.
Chang Miaoer walked lightly down the corridor, wearing a light-colored flowing dress that gave her a sense of otherworldly temperament. When she arrived at the door of the study in the outer courtyard, she stepped forward and knocked gently.
“Bang, bang!”
White fingers knocked on the door, and the maid behind her was waiting with a food box.
With a "click", the study door opened from the inside. The servant who opened the door came out and saw Chang Miaoer in a light-colored dress. His eyes flashed with surprise, but then he didn't know how to address her and looked hesitant.
"I'm here to bring a bowl of ginseng soup to Dad on behalf of my wife. Please let him know!" Seeing this, Chang Miaoer explained with a smile.
The young servant was not very old, and he realized that this must be the young lady in the backyard of the mansion. He nodded quickly and said, "Young lady, wait a moment. I will go and report to the master."
Then the servant hurried inside and came out a moment later saying, "Miss, the master invites you in."
Chang Miaoer brought her maid into the room, and was stunned.
Inside the study, the first thing you see is a row of wooden bookshelves against the wall, and in front of the bookshelves is a long table with all kinds of pens, inks, papers and inkstones neatly placed on it. Chang Yongchang was not sitting at the table, but talking to someone on the guest table and chairs on the side.
As she entered, she felt two gazes coming at her. One came from Chang Yongnian, and the other cold and playful gaze came from the Sixth Prince Mu Yi who was standing next to Chang's father.
"Greetings, father. Greetings, Sixth Prince." Chang Miaoer lowered her eyes and bowed.
Since this was considered private, Chang Yongnian asked her to stand up and asked directly, "Miao'er, why did you come here suddenly?"
"Madam is worried about Daddy's health, so she specially made some ginseng soup and asked her daughter to bring it over." Chang Miaoer calmed herself down and spoke in a calm voice.
The maidservant beside her came forward at the right time and took out a bowl of warm ginseng soup from the food box and placed it on the table.
Chang Yongchang looked at the ginseng soup, stroked his beard and said, "Well, madam, you are thoughtful. Let's put it there for now."
Then he turned around and said to the distracted Sixth Prince, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Sixth Prince."
The Sixth Prince was holding a painting in his hand. It seemed that the two were talking about something before Chang Miao'er came in. Upon hearing this, he casually put the painting away, raised his phoenix eyes slightly and said, "Master Chang, you are too polite. The love between this couple is enviable."
After Chang Miaoer served the ginseng soup, she wanted to leave and didn't want to stay in the study any longer.
Taking advantage of this moment to put away the empty lunch box, she bowed and said, "Daddy, I will leave first."
Before he finished speaking, the Sixth Prince beside him said, "Master Chang, it's getting late. I will take this painting back and admire it later. Goodbye."
The two spoke one after another. Chang Yongchang smiled broadly and looked out the window. "Sixth Prince, it's getting late and you don't have any attendants with you. Why don't you let me escort you?"
The Sixth Prince stood up with the scroll in his hand. He glanced at Chang Miao'er beside him and said with a half-smile, "Thank you very much, Master Chang."
Chang Miao'er's heart skipped a beat. She glanced at the expression on Chang Yongnian's face, and her hand hanging in her sleeve unconsciously clenched into a fist. After a moment of silence, she said, "Yes."
She was given away as a gift!
…
A maid was holding a lantern beside her, and the dim candlelight only illuminated a small area.
The Sixth Prince, dressed in a black gilded robe and holding a scroll in his hand, strode ahead in the night. Chang Miaoer tried to keep a distance from him, walking not far away.
The study in the outer courtyard was not far from the guest house where the Sixth Prince lived. It was only a few steps away, but time seemed to pass exceptionally slowly. The night breeze was slightly cool, blowing across Chang Miaoer's forehead. The cold sweat that seeped out stuck her hair into wisps.
Chang Miaoer left in silence, and finally arrived at the guest house.
"Sixth Prince, I'll take my leave now." She stopped at the gate and said.
The Sixth Prince Mu Yi stopped when he heard this. He turned and looked at Chang Miaoer. She was wearing a light-colored dress under the candlelight. Her face was cold but with a charming charm. Her narrow and long phoenix eyes were dark. He raised his hand and grabbed her wrist.
"Miss Chang, if you leave in such a hurry, won't you disappoint Mr. Chang?" His voice was cold and low, but with a hint of smile.
Chang Miao'er looked at the slender white hand on her wrist, took a step back and said: "I don't understand what Your Highness means. Behind you is the guest house. Now that I have sent you there, I will take my leave."
After she said that, she used some clever strength to shake the man's hand away, and took a few steps back to create some distance.
"You..." The Sixth Prince Mu Yi felt his hand go numb and he lost all his strength. A look of surprise flashed across his face. He raised his eyes and saw that Chang Miaoer had already walked away.
Chang Miaoer and her maid walked hurriedly, as if a ghost was chasing them. They walked a long way before they stopped and looked back.
There was nothing in the silent night, and her rapid heartbeat finally slowed down. The maid next to her was still holding a lantern, and when she saw her stop, she also stopped.
"Give me the lantern and you can go back." Chang Miaoer glanced at the maid next to her and said.
The maid nodded and said, "Yes, Miss."
Chang Miao'er slowly walked back to the West Courtyard carrying the lantern, thinking to herself, "This is the last day. I will leave the house tomorrow."
When she returned, she heard faint crying sounds coming from the room. Her expression flickered, and a hint of grief brewed on her face, with tears in her eyes.
Then, Chang Miaoer walked into the room.
Behind the screen, Luo'er squatted in front of the bed with water and a handkerchief in her hand, her face stained with tears as she said, "Aunt Qing, have a drink of water. The young lady will be back soon."
Aunt Qing on the bed spoke weakly and her face was pale. She reluctantly took a sip of water from Luo'er's hand, but she couldn't drink it anymore. She covered her mouth with the handkerchief and coughed a few times, and then a streak of bright red blood appeared on the handkerchief.
When Luo'er saw this, her hands trembled violently and tears rolled down her face uncontrollably.
"Aunt, what's wrong with you?" Chang Miaoer walked past the screen and knelt down in front of the bed. Tears rolled down her eyes, and she looked so grief-stricken that she couldn't control herself.
When Luo'er saw her, she burst into tears with her.
Tears gradually welled up in Aunt Qing's eyes, and she said weakly, "Miao'er, Aunt Qing is fine, don't cry..."
That night, Chang Miaoer stayed by Aunt Qing's bedside and forced Luo'er to go back to her room to rest. She held Aunt Qing's hand and watched her until she stopped breathing. By the next morning, her body had lost its temperature.
"What did you say?" Lin sat in front of the bronze mirror in her pajamas, a little surprised.
Nanny Lin stood aside with her head bowed, repeating, "Madam, Concubine Qing passed away last night. I heard her body was already cold this morning."
Lin's expression gradually calmed down. She combed her hair and said, "Then let's have someone carry it out and bury it."
"This..." Nanny Lin hesitated before saying, "Madam, the Third Young Miss is kneeling in the courtyard, saying...she wants to take Concubine Qing to the temple to perform a ritual and establish a longevity tablet."
Lin's eyes half-closed, brows furrowed as he asked, "What?"
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