0127 Lucky Babbler (Six)
Shu Wei woke up early that day as well.
After washing up, Xu'er asked her what she planned to do today. She thought for a moment and sighed slightly, "I haven't visited my grandmother for many days. Today I'll go and show her my filial piety."
When she went out, a dark blue haze still hung in the sky. She walked under the pale moon, her shadow stretching long, but her heart was pounding. The further she walked, the more apprehensive she became.
After she made up her mind to sever ties with Li Qiao, she began to take stock of the items he had given her over the years and had them sent back to the Prince of Wuwei's residence one by one.
During this time, Li Qiao visited her several times, but she politely declined each time with an excuse.
With such a commotion, it's impossible for the people in the mansion not to know.
However, her stepmother, Madam Luo, had never paid much attention to her, so it wasn't surprising that she didn't react much.
But her grandmother didn't seem to care, which left her somewhat puzzled.
She knew that her grandmother always cherished the family's reputation and valued the marriage with the Prince of the County very much. But now she had rejected the Prince of the County several times, and it was likely that before long, Li Qiao would lose interest in her, and this excellent marriage would probably have to be called off.
Is it possible that because she has lost her value in the family line, even her beloved grandmother will treat her coldly from now on?
Shu Wei's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. Even though she immediately took out her handkerchief to wipe them away, her face was still wet with cold sweat. She had never felt so wronged and pained, not even when she had completely broken ties with Li Qiao in her previous life.
Xu'er noticed that she was in a bad mood and quickly came up to help her.
Feeling the warmth, Shu Wei quickly gripped Xu'er's hand tightly.
Upon arriving at the courtyard gate, Shu Wei saw that the person guarding the entrance was Aunt Lü, the old lady's personal maid. She paused for a moment, then forced a smile and greeted her.
"Why is Aunt Lü standing outside? Has Grandmother gotten up inside?"
Aunt Lü looked Shu Wei up and down for a while, then smiled and said, "Young lady, you're up early. The old lady is already up and is chanting scriptures inside. She's a light sleeper and has been getting up at this time for the past few years."
Upon hearing this, Shu Wei was taken aback, and her mind vaguely recalled the time when she lived in her grandmother's gauze-covered wardrobe as a child.
My grandmother was a model of excellence her whole life, but there was one thing in which she was not so perfect.
—Grandmother was always sleepy. Although every time Aunt Lü came to wake her up, she would summon someone to help her get up in less than half a breath, never delaying for a moment, Shu Wei could always see her rubbing her eyes while yawning with her lips covered behind a handkerchief.
She was young then, and she spoke her mind freely, advising Old Madam Li that if she hadn't slept enough, she should go back to sleep, and that she could entrust anything to her.
She couldn't quite remember what Madam Li said at the time, but she did remember that a rare smile appeared on her usually stern face as she pulled her into her arms and hugged her.
Her birth mother died early, her birth father was neglectful, and her stepmother was unkind. Only when her grandmother held her in her arms, calling her her "heart and soul," did she feel that she was also a flesh-and-blood young woman who could laugh and get angry.
Her grandmother was clearly the closest person to her in the world, but before that, her heart was entirely devoted to Li Qiao, and she didn't even know that her grandmother was having trouble sleeping at night.
Feeling guilty, Shu Wei took a deep breath before pushing open the door and going inside.
"grandmother."
Madam Li sat upright in her chair, fiddling with her prayer beads. When she saw that it was her, she was not surprised. She opened her eyes, looked at her, and nodded to her, asking her to sit down.
Shu Wei looked around and saw that only a dim lamp was lit in the room, which appeared even darker under the yellow silk lampshade. She hesitated for a moment, but finally followed her heart and instead of sitting on the armchairs on either side, she moved a small stool and sat down next to Old Madam Li.
"How has Grandmother been feeling lately?" Shu Wei lowered her eyes, took out a massage hammer from a chest beside her, and gently massaged Old Madam Li's legs. "When I came in, I heard from Aunt Lü that Grandmother has been sleeping lightly these days and gets up very early every day..."
Madam Li closed her eyes to rest, the sandalwood beads in her hand clicking softly. After a long while, she replied in a low voice, "It's nothing, it's just that as people get older, they can't escape this."
Shu Wei made a soft "eh" sound, then seemed to say nothing more, and continued to massage Madam Li's legs with her head bowed and breath in peace.
Old Madam Li strummed her sandalwood prayer beads, but could no longer recite the scriptures. She stared at Shu Wei's dark hair for a long while before finally speaking slowly:
"Wei'er is eighteen this year, isn't she?"
Upon hearing this, Shu Wei paused in her movements and looked up at Old Madam Li.
The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments, then she suddenly stood up and knelt down at the feet of Old Madam Li with a "plop".
“Wei’er has made a mistake. She secretly returned all the things that the Prince had sent her without telling her grandmother. Although it was an impulsive act, I do not regret it. Please punish me, Grandmother.”
Old Madam Li stared at her with her cloudy, deep eyes: "Grandmother is old and doesn't know many things. Tell Grandmother how the Prince has bullied you and made you make such a choice."
Shu Wei felt a bitter taste in her throat: "It may sound naive, but the Prince isn't sincere towards me, and I don't want him anymore..."
Madam Li frowned, her gaze still fixed on Shu Wei, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.
Looking at her grandmother's expression, Shu Wei felt her heart sink deeper and deeper. She knew that her grandmother was blaming her for being impulsive and shallow, for ruining such a great opportunity for the Shu family to marry into the imperial family over such a trivial matter.
But there are some things she's already experienced once, and she doesn't want to go through them again.
Shu Wei's eyes swelled with pain, and a large tear suddenly rolled down her cheek. The teardrop was crystal clear and stained a dark patch on her collar.
“Please have mercy, Grandmother,” she bowed deeply, “Wei’er truly does not wish to make another mistake.”
Madam Li's voice was cold as she looked at her indifferently: "Some things have already been done, and even if you repent now, it will be of no use. Second Sister has a clear sense of right and wrong. Ever since you used her to scheme against Third Sister, she no longer treats you as an older sister. As for Third Sister, although she may seem weak and timid, she is actually quite shrewd and will not easily forgive you."
Shu Wei paused for a moment, then said resolutely, "Second Sister has her own pursuits, and Third Sister has her own thoughts. I have never been on the same path as them. This time, I am severing ties with the Prince only so that I can live a little happier in the future, not to win back any of them. If any of them want to take revenge on me in the future, I will defend myself and rely on my own abilities."
Madam Li's eyes flickered slightly as she looked down at her stubborn face: "You still have the same temper as when you were a child."
When she was a child, Shu Wei was fighting with a cousin from the Shu clan over a sachet, and no matter which elder came to persuade her, she refused to let go.
Madam Li told her that if she gave up the sachet, everyone in the clan would praise her for being sensible, and the younger cousin would be extremely grateful to her.
But Shuwei refused, stating directly that neither the praise from her elders nor the gratitude from her cousin could compare to a sachet she liked.
The same is true now. She had foreseen the outcome of her scheme against Shufu and Shuyin, but she still did it.
Having made the decision, she no longer expected any sisterly affection. If others sought revenge, she would retaliate. Everyone was free to live their own lives, and that was all.
With her cane in hand, Madam Li stood up from her chair, walked slowly to Shu Wei's side, and personally helped her up.
"What are your plans now that you've left the Prince?"
Shu Wei stood up somewhat blankly. In her two lives, it seemed that she had never done anything she was truly passionate about. She was good at reading, managing accounts, and needlework, but she didn't enjoy any of them. She did what others asked her to do.
If Old Madam Li really asked her that question, she truly wouldn't know what to do. There was only one thing—
She no longer wanted to be the princess consort listed in the imperial genealogy.
She's been doing it for over ten years, and that's exactly what it's like.
“I don’t know,” Shu Wei said softly. “It’s ridiculous. I’ve lived for so long, but I can’t even find something I like. I just wish to stay with my grandmother for a long time. That would be enough.”
“In that case, you can come and keep me company often from now on.” Madam Li turned around and sat down in front of the chair.
Shu Wei was taken aback that Old Madam Li would so easily agree to her severing ties with Li Qiao. Her eyes widened immediately, and she stammered, "Grandmother means..."
"Why are you looking at me with such surprise? In your heart, is your grandmother a petty person who bows down to power?" Old Madam Li said slowly. "Li Qiao was originally a good son-in-law because my Wei'er liked him, but now my Wei'er doesn't like him anymore. No matter how close he is to the imperial family, he is worthless in my eyes."
Hearing what Madam Li said, Shu Wei was completely stunned. A strong wave of emotion surged in her chest, and she couldn't help but throw herself onto her grandmother's lap and burst into tears.
Madam Li lovingly stroked her temples and said softly, "Of all my grandchildren, you are the one I love the most, even more than your younger brother."
She gazed into the distance, her voice softening: "Chang'an is a chaotic and unpleasant place, not a good place to retire. In two years, I will return to my ancestral home. If you are willing, you can come with me then."
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