After calming down, Changning stared blankly at the wooden hairpin, still unable to believe that Meng Guqing was gone just like that.
How is that possible?!
She suddenly remembered what Meng Guqing had told her before she left: that she hoped seeing this wooden hairpin would remind her of her.
The more I reflect on this sentence, the more meaningful it seems.
Could it be... that she faked her death?
That means Meng Guqing had already decided not to return when he left the capital.
No wonder she took all that luggage and gave the weapons and jewelry to Feng Sheng'e and Hutuli. Changning even joked at the time, saying, "Is she not living a good life anymore?"
Unexpectedly, she had already made up her mind to leave the Prince's mansion.
Changning thought about it more and more and it seemed very likely. The news she heard from the wind was from outside sources, and it hadn't been mentioned in Yinzhen's letter. It was such a big matter; he couldn't possibly not have told her.
That's good, returning to the grasslands should suit her better.
After thinking it through, Changning instructed Chuixue and Granny Zhang to guard the gate and keep a close watch on the news, preventing the people below from spreading rumors.
When Changning received Yinzhen's letter, she breathed a sigh of relief. Sure enough, Meng Guqing had faked his death. That heartless man, he even kept it from her! It had truly given her a fright!
However, Yinzhen wrote the letter in a very secretive way; he wouldn't write such a big matter so openly and frankly.
Otherwise, she would become Prince Guo's "Consort Xi An".
He used a secret code between two people, which was the storybook that Changning himself had written. After faking her death, Shen Niannian returned and became Niu Hulu Niannian.
In his letter, Yinzhen mentioned, "I wonder how Niohuru is doing these days."
Changning understood immediately.
Upon learning that Meng Guqing was safe and sound, she felt relieved, though she still worried about the rest.
Now that Prince Ujumchin and his wife have both passed away, only Meng Guqing is left. Can she make it through?
The matter of faking death is of great importance. The fact that Yinzhen agreed to it suggests that things are indeed not going well on the grasslands. I hope Meng Guqing's trip goes smoothly.
Relieved, she felt she had to cooperate, so she closed her doors to visitors, saying only that she was heartbroken by the death of Qing Fujin and needed time to rest during her pregnancy.
When Feng Sheng'e, Hu Tuli, and Fei Yang'a heard about this, they were extremely anxious and rushed over to ask Chang Ning. Fortunately, Chang Ning explained the situation so vividly that he became hoarse, which finally stopped them from crying.
In the main courtyard of the Fujin (princess's wife), the mother and son were also enjoying a warm and cozy time.
"Honghui, how have you been adjusting to life in the palace these past few days? Are you keeping up with your studies? Are you comfortable in your accommodations?"
Seeing his mother's concerned expression, Honghui felt a warmth in his heart: "Mother, don't worry, I'm settling in very well. Grandma takes good care of us. I'm also keeping up with my studies."
After saying this, Honghui coughed softly again. The weather had been getting cooler these past few days, and his throat was a little sore again.
The princess couldn't help but sigh. Honghui's health had always been a worry for her. She had carefully cared for him for so many years, and although there had been some improvement, he was still different from other normal children.
Especially the two princes from Qingzhi Courtyard next door, who often interacted with their sons, saw him more often. Hongyan was four years younger than Honghui, and it seemed the boy was almost catching up to him.
The princess gently took her son's hand and softly instructed him, "Now that you've entered the palace, your mother won't be able to take care of you as often. If you feel unwell, remember to tell the princess. As for your studies, try to learn as much as you can, but if you can't finish, just forget about it. Don't stay up late studying."
The Fujin (wife) knew her son's temperament; like herself, he was extremely competitive and always wanted to be the best at everything. She also understood Honghui's inner turmoil: he wanted to maintain his dignity as an older brother, but more importantly, he wanted to prove himself and surpass Hongyan in everything.
Her gaze towards Honghui was full of affection, yet her eyes held sorrow. She prided herself on being a lady of noble birth, a woman of a prominent family, and believed no one was more suitable to be the primary wife. But she was not a good mother.
She had indeed hoped that Honghui would excel and win more of Yinzhen's favor.
But upon hearing the news of the passing of Qingfu's entire family, she couldn't help but feel deeply saddened.
What could be more important than the reunion of mother and child, and the joy of family life?
The thought of Honghui dying prematurely made her heart stop; she dared not think any further.
That's fine. It's good enough if the child is healthy. He's the eldest son, Yinzhen's own son; he won't abandon him. The position of heir apparent is best if he can obtain it. If not, she doesn't want to force the child.
Honghui smiled gently, his expression full of filial affection: "I know that my mother cares about me."
The princess consort scrutinized him. The eleven-year-old boy had already grown taller, yet he remained thin and frail; even horseback riding hadn't made him any stronger. Because of this, he hadn't been vaccinated against smallpox. The princess consort feared he wouldn't survive.
But now there are rumors that the Emperor wants to vaccinate the princes of the Crown Prince's family with smallpox, and it seems that all these cousins will want to be vaccinated as well.
"Honghui, you should rest early these days, and don't study too hard. Take care of your health first."
Honghui felt sweet inside with his mother's care, but he wasn't going to listen to her.
Now that all his cousins are studying together, it's easy to see their varying abilities. He doesn't want to be like Hongqing, carefree and skipping school. He wants to stand out among his brothers. However, his grades aren't as good as Hongxi's, so he plans to study harder at home to see if he can improve.
When the Fujin saw that he didn't take it to heart, and then thought that he was already a big boy, she decided to talk it out and explain the pros and cons clearly, so that Honghui could make his own decision.
"News has come from the palace that you will be vaccinated against smallpox in a few days. Vaccination is very risky for children; many have died before they could survive." The Princess Consort's voice was calm, and Honghui's eyes widened.
Why is Mother suddenly speaking so bluntly?
Aren't you afraid of scaring him?
The princess ignored his expression and said to herself, "You are my only son. If you are gone, how will your mother live?"
That's a very strong statement.
It struck Honghui's heart like a heavy drumbeat.
He understood what his mother meant.
But the princess consort wasn't going to let him off the hook, so she decided to talk her way out of it.
"Qingfu is gone, and her Abu Eji has also passed away."
Honghui was startled; this was the first time he had heard of someone close to him passing away.
Just a while ago, she was alive and well, smiling and inviting him over for barbecue. Honghui often saw Qing'e's mother riding horses and shooting arrows; her skills were even better than his father's, and he had secretly envied her before.
Upon first hearing this news, it was somewhat hard to accept.
Today, the wife seemed to want to teach him a lesson, no longer keeping everything from him as she had done before.
Because the Fujin (Prince's wife) discovered that Honghui had his own ideas and could make judgments; he wouldn't blindly listen to her or Yinzhen's (the Prince's) opinions. You had to convince him in his heart before he would act accordingly.
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