Chapter 244: Summoned to the Palace, Too Hasty
Ji Qingwu looked straight into Mo Lingling's eyes.
"Nothing is more important than your life. Even if the clinic is gone, you can't be gone. Do you understand?"
Mo Lingling's excitement came to an abrupt end.
She couldn't help but burst into tears. Ever since the incident at the Mo family, no one had ever told her the most important words about her life.
Mo Lingling blinked wildly, trying to force back the tears.
She didn't want to show her vulnerability, so Ji Qingwu pretended not to notice anything unusual about her. She looked around at the pile of lush Welwitschia plants surrounding her.
It's a pity to throw away such beautiful flowers.
But they are all right in front of me, always reminding me of things in the past, which is kind of annoying.
Ji Qingwu said, "Lingling, if you have some free time today, ask who on the street sells flowers and sell all these."
Mo Lingling thought that these flowers and plants were bought by Ji Qingwu, but after thinking about it, she understood why Wei Ting looked so bad on the way.
She promised: "Miss Ji, don't worry, I will definitely sell it without leaving a single leaf!"
*
The fourth day after Princess Qingyun’s wedding.
The empress dowager came back to her senses from the happy event and sent her aunt Fanghua to the Ji Mansion to convey her imperial edict.
The Ji family members all went to the front hall of Shou'an Hall to wait, but the decree had not been announced yet because everyone had not arrived yet.
The missing person is Ji Qingwu.
Madam Ji was the only one sitting in the room, while Aunt Fanghua and Mrs. Qiao were standing in the hall.
The old lady said a few polite words to Fanghua, and asked whether the Queen Mother and Princess Qingyun were well.
Fanghua said, "The Queen Mother and the Princess are both fine. The Princess and her husband returned to the palace together yesterday. It was a sweet time for them. The Queen Mother was very pleased to see them and was in a good mood."
Seeing that Fanghua had said so much but didn't say what the empress dowager's order was, Madam Ji knew that the person who should hear the order the most must not have arrived yet.
She said slowly to Mrs. Qiao, "Wife, send someone to see where Qingwu has gone."
Mrs. Qiao said yes, and quickly called Chunhua to her side, asking her to go to the road to greet Xiaowu.
Ji Qingyuan was standing next to Mrs. Wu. Ever since her son passed away, Mrs. Wu's spirit has not been as good as before and she didn't react much to what others said.
Ji Qingyuan looked dissatisfied, and the whole family was waiting for Ji Qingwu.
The ceremony was even grander than the time when she had just returned home. Even Old Madam Ji and the palace maids in charge of the Empress Dowager were waiting for her to arrive.
Ji Qingyuan said bitterly, "Aunt, Fifth Sister has been leaving early and coming back late recently. Could it be that she is not staying at home again and is rushing back from outside?"
Mrs. Qiao glanced at her and said, "Nothing, Xiaowu is coming over."
Ji Qingwu was indeed on the way; she was a little late, not because she didn't want to come.
Rather, although Wutong Garden where she was located was secluded, it was a bit remote and it would take more time to get there.
She had already counted the days at home.
Princess Qingyun had to return to the palace on the third day after her wedding. The Queen Mother had no time to take care of her at all, so she could only do so in the next few days.
But the Queen Mother was more anxious than she had expected. Early in the morning of the fourth day, she sent people over almost as soon as the palace gates opened.
This morning, Ji Qingwu deliberately did not go out and ordered Lanzhi to do her hair and makeup carefully. She was right.
In the hall of Shou'an Hall, before Ji Qingwu's people arrived, everyone heard soft clinking sounds coming from the corridor at the entrance.
It was the sound made by the rings on the hem of the dress colliding together.
After entering the door, Ji Qingwu smiled before speaking.
It was a jade pendant with a lotus and mandarin fish relief, and an apparently inconspicuous green jade ring. The two items hung on her slender waist, and they swayed and collided slightly when she walked, making a light and pleasant sound.
Ji Qingwu first greeted the old lady with a smile. Old lady Ji was also a master at hiding her emotions. She praised her for being well-behaved and did not complain at all that she was late.
The superficial work was done very well, and outsiders could not tell at all that there was a deep rift between the grandparents and grandchildren.
Fanghua, who had always looked calm, took a step forward and said with a smile, "Fifth Miss."
Ji Qingwu said: "Hello, Aunt Fanghua."
Fang Hua said loudly: "Everyone in the palace is here. I am here on the orders of the Empress Dowager. The Emperor's birthday is coming soon. The Empress Dowager is in charge of the preparations every day. This year, the Empress Dowager wants to do something new."
"The ladies in the harem couldn't come up with any good ideas, so the Queen Mother thought that the young ladies in the Ji Mansion might have something new, so she sent a servant to invite the two young ladies in the mansion to stay in the palace for a while to help with the preparations until His Majesty's birthday is over."
After listening to this, Ji Qingyuan said with joy, "Qingyuan has organized grandmother's birthday before with my aunt and mother. I am willing to share the worries for the Queen Mother."
It turned out that this was the excuse.
It’s just that Ji Qingyuan has experience, but Ji Qingwu has never even had a proper birthday, so how would he know how to organize a birthday ceremony, let alone the emperor’s birthday.
Ji Qingwu asked, "When is the emperor's birthday?"
Fanghua bowed her head respectfully and replied, "It is the ninth day of the eighth month."
After hearing this, Ji Qingyuan also realized that something was wrong, because there was not enough time left, only half a month.
Ordinary families would have to prepare birthday gifts one or two months in advance, so the Empress Dowager's excuse was too hasty.
Qiao immediately realized what the Queen Mother wanted to do.
"Aunt Fanghua, I am grateful to the Queen Mother for her regard for me. However, Xiaowu has not attended any birthday banquets during this period of time since he returned home. If he goes, he might even cause trouble for the Queen Mother."
Fanghua said: "Madam, there is no need to be too modest. The Fifth Miss is a kind-hearted lady. Even if the Majesty keeps her by her side, she will feel comfortable looking at her every day."
Ji Qingwu never thought that one day he would be able to make use of the effect of this auspicious ornament.
The words sound nice, but in fact he just wants to send her to the emperor.
Qiao said: "It's just..."
Madam Ji said sternly, "Ruying, I know you don't want Qingwu to be separated from you, but the Queen Mother has issued an order, so how can you refuse it again and again?"
Fanghua nodded and said, "That's exactly what the old lady said. This is the order of the Empress Dowager."
Now, Qiao's words were completely blocked.
Ji Qingwu looked at Qiao and nodded at her. Qiao frowned and stopped talking.
Fanghua said, "Ladies, please pack some clothes and follow me to the palace."
Ji Qingyuan asked in surprise: "Are you in such a hurry? Are you leaving soon?"
It's too hasty to take them away right after the order was issued.
Fanghua's gaze fell on Ji Qingwu. She saw that she had a smile on her face since she entered the door. No matter what shocking words she said, there was no surprise or joy on her face. She was calm and composed.
She said, "Ladies, please pack up quickly. The Queen Mother is waiting in the Cining Palace."
Ji Qingwu bowed and left Shou'an Hall.
Qiao followed her with a serious expression.
Until they arrived at Wutong Garden, closed the door tightly, and sat opposite each other.
"Xiaowu, what on earth are you thinking?"
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