Madam Lin was worried, but she still refused to lower herself. "Hmph, what good deed has she done that everyone in the Prime Minister's residence has to go and invite her?"
“I warned her more than once, but she talked back to me several times in order to curry favor with Prince Jing.”
Lin lowered her eyes, "He brought it on himself."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yanwan's unease, which had been weighing on her mind for some time, finally dissipated.
On the surface, however, she seemed very worried. "I heard that it's that Mr. Ruan who's taking care of Qingwan. He's the one who tried to elope with her in town but failed. Qingwan is upset right now. If she listens to that man's instigation and does something else, I'm afraid it won't be good."
Madam Lin frowned. "The one surnamed Ruan?"
“That’s right. Ah Lin inquired about it; it was that person who told the Prince about Shuiyuan Town, and the Prince mistakenly thought Qingwan was implicated, which is why…”
Lin slammed her hand on the table and stood up. "Is her brain made of mush? She's already learned her lesson, and she still keeps that person around!"
"They can't distinguish between relatives and friends, good and bad!"
Thanks to Jiang Yanwan, Lin refused to go with her to find Lin Qingwan the next day.
Before leaving, Jiang Yanwan specifically instructed her servants to tell Jiang Zhenlin when he returned that she had gone to beg Lin Qingwan to return to the mansion.
A small courtyard in the east of the city.
Ruan Tinghuai simmered chicken soup for two hours in the morning. He poured the shredded chicken, greens, and noodles into the soup, and Mu Xue praised it highly for its aroma.
He asked Mu Xue to take it inside, and then went back to the kitchen to busy himself with making desserts.
Lin Qingwan usually feeds him as much as he wants, and he also eats a few hawthorn pills in between, which does not affect his speed of eating the second meal.
But I didn't touch my chopsticks today.
"Miss, Mr. Ruan has been busy all morning, it won't taste good if it gets cold," Mu Xue reminded her.
Lin Qingwan hadn't slept well all night, and her eyes were covered in dark circles. "Take it out and tell the master that he doesn't need to make it for me anymore."
Mu Xue exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, you..."
Lin Qingwan sighed, "I can't drag him down with me."
Mu Xue's eyes reddened.
"He fell into Prince Jing's hands because of me. If it happens again, I don't know if I will be able to save him."
"Sir deserves someone better."
Mu Xue delivered the shredded chicken noodles to the kitchen untouched. Ruan Tinghuai was taken aback. "Is Qingwan feeling unwell? I'll go ask the guards to inform Physician Zhu."
Mu Xue said, "Miss is not feeling unwell. She said that Master doesn't need to work so hard anymore, and she's gotten tired of eating it these past few days."
"We'll find a chef later."
Ruan Tinghuai stiffened, forced a smile, and patted the flour off her hands. "Then I'll go ask her what she wants to eat. It's too much trouble to hire a cook."
"Isn't it good that I made it for her?"
Mu Xue stopped him, "Sir, Miss will return to the Prime Minister's residence sooner or later, there's no point in you doing this."
Ruan Tinghuai's heart clenched, and her breath tightened. "I can take her wherever she wants to go."
Mu Xue was saddened to see him like this, but she had to keep a cold face. "As the head of all officials, how far can you take Miss? She is already living such a difficult life. Does she want to be ridiculed for eloping with someone else?"
The words "elope" touched a raw nerve in Ruan Tinghuai's heart. "I will propose marriage, so that no one will laugh at her."
"If you propose marriage, will the Prime Minister's family agree?"
"Given her status, even if she has suffered these things, once the rumors die down, the madam will naturally find a suitable young master from a prominent family to marry her off to the young lady."
Ruan Tinghuai opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't speak and his mind went blank.
Mu Xue turned her back, her face full of sorrow. "Miss also said that the New Year is coming soon, and she could tell Guard Tong to let you leave the city sooner."
Ruan Tinghuai felt like a lump of mud in his heart.
Mu Xue returned to her room, sniffed, and without needing to elaborate, Lin Qingwan could imagine what her husband was feeling.
She closed her eyes weakly. "When will you depart, sir?"
"The gentleman went out to buy groceries and didn't say anything."
Lin Qingwan felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
In the morning, Cang Ying arrived with palace servants, saying that the Crown Prince would be bringing the young prince over for New Year's Eve dinner. Lin Qingwan hurriedly said, "I...I'll be there this afternoon..."
"Miss Qingwan, you misunderstand. Please stay here in peace." Cangying smiled kindly. "His Highness has not seen you for many days and finally managed to get the Crown Prince's permission."
"If you move out, this servant's head will be moved too."
Feng'er?
Lin Qingwan felt a surge of tenderness when she thought of the little dumpling. "Then I'll go to another room. Please tidy it up; the smell of medicine is very strong here."
She was a little flustered, and her face turned red.
Cang Ying bowed low, his attitude extremely respectful, "The Crown Prince will accompany His Majesty to the Temple of Heaven to pray for blessings on the morning of the first day of the lunar month, and will not be staying here overnight."
"It's because His Highness always complains that the food at the palace banquets isn't enough every year, and he always asks for special meals when he gets back. This year, His Highness remembered you, so the Crown Prince ordered a meal to be prepared here."
Having New Year's Eve dinner with the Crown Prince and the young prince?
Lin Qingwan dared not think about it, but she had no right to refuse.
For the past fifteen New Year's Eves, she had sat alone in the cold, damp room until dawn. If her adoptive father was home, Cheng would be in a better mood and give her a hot meal. If her adoptive father was not home, Cheng would deliberately soil the sheets and blankets and make her wash them in the middle of the night.
As she chiseled through the ice, she listened to the laughter and chatter of other people's homes, a scene of countless lights shining, while she stood alone in a corner where even the moonlight couldn't illuminate her.
At that time, she would think that her biological parents must miss her very much.
When she returned after taking poison to reunite with her family, she was thinking that this year's Lunar New Year's Eve would finally not be spent alone, with her parents and younger brother by her side. Even if she died on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, she would have no regrets.
Seeing that she remained silent, Cangying continued, "Does Miss Qingwan like lanterns? If you don't mind, I'll have some hung in the courtyard. His Highness will be even happier."
Cang Ying's politeness made Lin Qingwan uncomfortable. "I don't mind. I like lanterns too."
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