After Gan Qiongying sent the news of her departure from the palace back to the princess's residence early in the morning, the entire residence began to bustle with activity.
From the front yard to the backyard kitchen, and even the private guards who never miss a day of training, everyone was as jubilant as if it were New Year's Day.
Although none of them could help Gan Qiongying in any way, and they didn't even know the inside story, they were far away from the palace and sensed the unusual situation in the entire capital. Because the princess had stayed in the palace for too long, they all guessed that the princess might have encountered difficulties.
Now that the princess has left the palace unharmed, how could they not be happy?
They wished they could all crowd at the gates of the imperial city to welcome him.
In fact, the people who were able to greet the princess had been carefully selected, and they were all senior elders with experience, led by Manyue.
In addition, there's the prince consort himself.
However, the journey that was supposed to begin that morning was delayed because of the prince consort. Manyue paced anxiously in the courtyard, but dared not suggest that she go to the palace gate to wait for him first.
We can only send Chen Wa on horseback first, so that if the princess comes out early, there won't be no one at the gate.
Manyue even harbored resentment towards the prince consort. During this time, everyone in the princess's residence was focused on the prince consort, because the princess was not in the residence, and everyone in the courtyard was putting all their energy on the prince consort alone.
Moreover, because of the ideas instilled in her by Gan Qiongying, Manyue had an extraordinary respect for the prince consort.
But not today!
Full Moon hasn't been separated from the princess for this long in a long time. She misses the princess terribly and is worried about her so much that she's almost going crazy. But the prince consort has been making a ruckus in the house since morning and hasn't come out yet!
What on earth are they doing? They won't let her in to see!
The resentment outside was growing stronger and stronger, and it was as if the full moon was about to turn into a demon on the spot.
Inside the room, Sanjiu and Tianjiao, along with a group of maids brought from the Prince Consort's residence, were all walking back and forth quickly, carrying all sorts of clothes and decorations in their hands. A thin layer of sweat appeared on everyone's forehead; they were all extremely nervous.
"How many outfits has Master changed into today?" Sanjiu grabbed Tianjiao, who was about to go around the screen to present the new clothes, and asked in a low voice, "These are all the clothes that the Prince Consort usually wears. I see that quite a few new ones have been made. Isn't there any that he likes?"
Sweetcorn glanced sideways at the tall and burly Sanjiu, whose nose was also covered in sweat.
"The master can wear whatever he likes; it's none of your business to interfere!"
"But……"
Sweetie glared at Sanjiu, and Sanjiu dared not say another word.
In fact, Li Hua has changed her clothes about twenty times since this morning.
Not only her clothes, but also her hair accessories and hairstyles have been changed more than ten times.
He was more anxious and nervous than any of the maids in the courtyard; he was practically bursting into flames.
He received the news early in the morning that Gan Qiongying was leaving the palace today, and he began making preparations, while also making a decision that was extremely difficult for him.
That was his plan to use his true appearance to receive Gan Qiongying.
However, Li Hua had grown accustomed to seeing himself wearing a human skin mask over the years, and suddenly... he regained his true appearance. He disguised himself as Zhongli Zhengzhen for several days, constantly dressing up as Zhongli Zhengzhen.
But now that the moment has come, and Gan Qiongying is about to leave the palace, Li Hua still can't decide how he should appear before her.
He cannot dress like Jin Chuan; at the very least, he must be distinguishable from Zhong Li Zhengzhen.
Ideally, it should be a difference that Gan Qiongying can remember at a glance.
Li Hua looked in the mirror, and every time she changed her clothes, the sweat on her back would soak through her undershirt.
He was so nervous. Looking at himself in the mirror, he clearly looked exactly like Zhongli Zhengzhen, and was even fairer than Zhongli Zhengzhen because his face had been covered for many years.
But the more Li Hua looked at it, the more awkward she felt, and the less confident she became.
This appearance is clearly his real face, but he always feels... like he stole someone else's face, and he simply doesn't know how to face himself.
Li Hua once considered putting the human skin mask back on, but planned to explain it to Gan Qiongying slowly after she returned, revealing the truth little by little and giving her enough psychological preparation.
However, every time Li Hua picked up the human skin mask, she threw it away again.
This time, Gan Qiongying went into danger alone and refused to tell him what was happening in the palace, clearly showing that she did not trust him at all. For nearly a month, Li Hua truly felt what it meant for each day to feel like a year.
He truly felt that there was no time left for him to waste.
If he can't gain Gan Qiongying's trust quickly, what will he do if something like this happens again? He can't be completely clueless like this time.
He wanted to stand with Gan Qiongying through thick and thin, and he wanted Gan Qiongying to treat him as one of her own.
So Li Hua gritted her teeth and hardened her heart, but in the end, she still didn't put the mask back on.
These are twenty-four sets of clothes. Li Hua had made this plan long ago, and therefore had already customized all kinds of clothes for herself in the first half month.
It's a pity that he has never put any thought into his appearance over the years. This last-minute attempt to improve his appearance just looks awkward no matter how you look at it.
If he dressed too extravagantly, he would have no way to feign pitifulness and gain Gan Qiongying's sympathy.
However, if his attire is too plain, considering Zhongli Zhengzhen's flamboyant and unrestrained habits, people will remember his appearance at a glance. If Gan Qiongying... cannot distinguish him from Zhongli Zhengzhen, then Li Hua will truly be in despair.
Therefore, he was conflicted and changed his mind again and again.
Li Hua even gave up on herself and wanted to smash the mirror.
When Li Hua finally went out, the full moon outside practically knelt down in admiration.
As a result, when Manyue looked at the prince consort who had finally emerged after a whole morning of fussing, she couldn't see anything unusual about him... and he was even wearing a mask?
"Prince Consort, let's set off quickly!" Although Manyue was very puzzled, she didn't have time to think about what was going on with the Prince Consort.
Li Hua was so nervous that her palms were sweaty. After being helped into the carriage, she was so tense that her muscles started to ache.
After getting into the car, he took off his cloak and took deep breaths to calm himself down.
He rehearsed the prepared words in his mind, but he didn't necessarily have to be eloquent and expressive, or have the same enthusiasm he had when negotiating business deals, just to convince Gan Qiongying to believe him.
Sitting in the carriage, Li Hua felt a profound sense of isolation and emptiness.
He never took off his mask to show his true face in his entire life. He didn't even show his true face to himself. What if Gan Qiongying saw him and didn't like his appearance?
If Gan Qiongying only liked the way he used to look when he wore a mask... Li Hua clenched his robe tightly. He even thought that if she really only liked that look, then Li Hua could wear a human skin mask for the rest of his life.
His mind was in turmoil from thinking so much that by the time he actually arrived at the palace gate, Li Hua had completely forgotten the words he had prepared.
He sat stiffly in the carriage like a puppet that had been freed from human control, unable to hear the sounds outside, his fingers stiff from gripping the weight so tightly that he didn't change his position for a long time, and he couldn't even feel the soreness and numbness in his body.
He seemed to have been stripped of all his senses, and his mind was completely blank.
Li Hua moved his lips, intending to repeat what he wanted to say in a low voice.
But in the end, he only moved his lips... He seemed to have lost the ability to speak.
He even neurotically considered changing his mind at the last minute and wanting to put the human skin mask back on.
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