Chapter 469 Farewell
Nanny Wu knelt on the blue bricks, her knees having long lost all feeling.
Feng Ming's sword was pressed against her back, but the cold touch was not as cold as the chill in her memory - when the Princess was summoned by King Ning, she was leaning on the gilded couch, playing with the jade armor with her fingertips, and the candlelight cast spider-web-like shadows at the corners of her eyes.
"I never thought Cui Xi would be so stupid as to take the initiative to show her goodwill to Lin Miaoyin!" The armor slammed heavily on the table, and the sound penetrated the mist of memory.
Nanny Wu stared at the red coral bracelet on the princess' wrist. It was a birthday gift she bought three years ago. But now the candlelight was particularly glaring. "She knows too many of my secrets. Nanny Wu, do you understand what I mean?"
A rusty taste rose in his throat, and the image of Cui Xi kneeling in front of him that day appeared in front of him.
There was a greedy gleam in the little girl's eyes: "Mammy, as long as I can help the princess get rid of Lin Miaoyin, I can replace you as the personal maid, right?" The creaking sound of the door was still in her ears. Mammy Wu bowed her head and knocked to the ground, her forehead touching the cold bricks.
The eldest princess had been staring at her lately as if she were looking at an old, stained object.
Last time, regarding the palace physician’s matter, every word of “Madame Wu has become senile and confused” was like a knife cutting into my heart.
Beigong You's dark clothes looked like flowing ink in the moonlight. He played with the jade pendant on his waist and said nonchalantly, "Send her to the princess and ask her if killing someone in front of me was a deliberate warning from her mother to me?"
These words were like a heavy hammer, knocking open the box deep in my memory.
"Your Highness!" She suddenly broke free from Feng Ming's grip.
The night wind blew up her gray hair, which looked like frost and snow in the moonlight.
The moment Beigong You turned around, Nanny Wu kowtowed heavily. The dull sound of her forehead hitting the bluestone slab startled the birds sleeping under the eaves.
"Your Majesty, can you give Cuixi a proper burial?" Her voice was hoarse as a torn silk. "I brought this child into the mansion, and I watched her grow up!"
In my memory, the little girl who was jumping and shouting "Mammy, try it" while holding an osmanthus cake gradually overlapped with the woman who pulled out a dagger with a grin in the dungeon.
"She overheard something she shouldn't have heard," Madam Wu choked up, "Her infidelity has already been dealt with. I can't bear to see her die in such a hasty manner..."
A taste of rust rose in her throat, and she knew that Feng Ming's sword was getting closer.
Beigong You was silent for a long time, and the jade pendant made a slight sound between his fingers.
"Feng Ming," he finally said, "Go pick a coffin for her!"
All of Nanny Wu's strength suddenly left her and she collapsed to the ground.
Feng Ming lowered his voice and said, "My Lord, this is the eldest princess..."
"I know my limits." Beigong You turned and left, his black cloak brushing across Nanny Wu's trembling fingertips, "Send the person over."
Feng Ming pressed his sword even harder, but Nanny Wu smiled.
When she first entered the palace twenty years ago, the eldest princess was so gentle when she taught her to identify spices; when Cui Xi embroidered a handkerchief for the first time, she taught her how to thread a needle step by step... All the scenes flashed before her eyes like a kaleidoscope.
The dusk was as dark as ink, gradually permeating the entire palace.
When Feng Ming escorted Nanny Wu into the Princess's courtyard, the palace lanterns in the corridor had already been lit, casting mottled shadows on the blue brick floor.
The courtyard was silent, except for the evening breeze that blew up a few dead leaves, making a rustling sound.
The eldest princess was sitting at a carved round table having a meal, the silver tableware glowing coldly under the candlelight.
She picked up a piece of emerald shrimp with chopsticks slowly and leisurely, her movements were so graceful as if everything around her had nothing to do with her.
Feng Ming clasped his fists and saluted, his voice steady: "Your Highness, Cui Xi went to speak to the prince, and the prince asked Wu Ma to verify it. Who knew that Wu Ma killed Cui Xi in front of the prince! The prince asked his subordinates to ask if what she did was assigned by you."
The eldest princess paused for a moment, then returned to normal.
She still lowered her head, not even looking at Nanny Wu, and spoke in a cold tone as if she was discussing a trivial matter: "I dare not keep a servant who attacks in front of the master anymore! Let your prince decide how to deal with him!"
Nanny Wu's knees hit the ground heavily, making a dull sound.
She raised her head, her eyes full of pleading: "Your Highness, please consider that I have served you for many years and let me end my life on my own. Don't dirty your hands and yours, and don't ruin your mother-son relationship!"
As soon as these words came out, even the air seemed to freeze.
She knew that she was just a discarded pawn, but even so, she still wanted to fight for a little dignity for her ending.
The eldest princess finally raised her head and her eyes fell on Nanny Wu like cold stars.
There was no warmth in those eyes, as if they were examining a shabby object.
After a long while, she finally said, "Go!"
Before she finished speaking, she turned to look at Feng Ming again, with a mocking smile on her lips: "You should go with him too, in case your prince suspects that I will do something in there."
Feng Ming took the order and left with Nanny Wu.
The lights in the courtyard where the maids lived were dim. A group of maids gathered at the door and immediately started whispering when they saw Feng Ming escorting Madam Wu in.
"I heard that Madam Wu killed Cui Xi!"
"Oh my God, what's going on?"
There was a lot of discussion.
When Birong heard the news, she stumbled over.
Seeing Nanny Wu’s calm face, her eyes instantly turned red. She rushed forward desperately, but was stopped by Feng Ming.
"Let her take me away!" Aunt Wu looked at Feng Ming, her tone calm but with a hint of sadness, "I can't trouble you to collect the body of an old woman like me!"
The yard suddenly became quiet. Everyone looked at Nanny Wu and Feng Ming in horror, not daring to breathe.
Birong finally broke free from Feng Ming's obstruction, and knelt down beside Madam Wu, tears welling up in her eyes: "Madam, did you do something wrong? I'll go and beg the master to take the punishment on your behalf!"
She clutched onto Nanny Wu's sleeve tightly, as if she could hold on to something in this way.
Nanny Wu reached out her hand and wiped away the tears on Birong's face with trembling hands: "Silly child, don't be silly. This is fate..."
The moonlight was like crumpled silver foil, sprinkling sparsely in the yard where the maid lived.
Birong tightly grasped the sleeves of Nanny Wu, her tears falling on the blue bricks, leaving dark water marks: "I'll go and beg the princess, I, I'll go and beg the princess! They will definitely..."
Her voice was trembling, and the end of it was filled with an almost desperate plea.
"Shut up!" Nanny Wu suddenly shouted, her voice exploding in the silent courtyard.
She glanced at the maids dodging around her, and a last glimmer of dignity flashed in her eyes: "What are you all looking at here? Don't you have anything to do? You all want to accompany an old woman like me on the road, right?"
Before he finished speaking, the maids stumbled and fled in all directions like frightened birds.
The night wind blew dead leaves past the corner of the wall. Birong slumped on the ground, looking at Nanny Wu's hunched back in the moonlight, and finally burst into tears.
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