Nong Nu Jiao

"Please walk quietly; she's been preferring peace and quiet lately."

Emperor Shengwu, accompanied by Cen Lingyi and Yan Chenghui, arrived at the entrance of Ninghe Palace and turned back to give them instructions.

Cen Lingyi nodded obediently.

Yan Chenghui's expression, however, was solemn.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Miss."

Wang Yue and Wang Yun bowed in unison.

"How are you today? Have you gotten up for a walk?"

Emperor Shengwu asked them in a low voice.

Both of them shook their heads.

Wang Yun said, "I only ate two bites of rice."

Emperor Shengwu, with a solemn expression, took the lead and entered the inner hall.

The inner chamber doors and windows were tightly locked, and blackout curtains were drawn over the windows. Heavy bed curtains hung down, blocking out almost all the light.

"Lou'er, why do you like staying in such a dark place?"

Emperor Shengwu raised his hand and lifted the bed curtains.

Cen Lingyi and Yan Chenghui quickly stepped forward to check.

Xiao Yulou lay on the bed, looking at the top of the tent. His face was pale, his appearance was emaciated, and he remained silent. He looked very weak and had no trace of his former self.

"aunt……"

Cen Lingyi called out, her heart filled with sorrow.

How did someone who was perfectly fine just a few days ago suddenly become like this?

Xiao Yulou heard her voice and finally moved.

She glanced at Cen Lingyi, her eyes dull and lifeless, and remained silent.

"Mother."

Yan Chenghui also called her that.

Xiao Yulou rolled her eyes and glanced at him, but still did not respond.

"Xiao Liu is looking at you specifically, do you want to get up and talk to her?"

Emperor Shengwu asked her.

Xiao Yulou's face was turned toward him, but her gaze was fixed on nothingness, and she still ignored him.

Cen Lingyi couldn't help but tug at Yan Chenghui's sleeve.

What should we do?

Yan Chenghui patted her hand discreetly, signaling her to calm down.

"Xiao Liu and Yuan Zhao are getting married. I came to tell you."

Emperor Shengwu's heart clenched, and he took another step forward, speaking once more.

Xiao Yulou still ignored him.

"Little Six, come here. Call her Mother."

Emperor Shengwu turned around and instructed Cen Lingyi.

Cen Lingyi stepped forward and, looking at Xiao Yulou's withered appearance, almost burst into tears, thinking of all the kindness Xiao Yulou had shown her in the past.

"Mother."

At this moment, she no longer cared about being shy; she only hoped that she could play a role and restore Xiao Yulou's interest in the world.

A glimmer of light finally appeared in Xiao Yulou's eyes. She looked at Cen Lingyi and reached out her hand.

"Mother."

Cen Lingyi placed her hand in hers.

Xiao Yulou held her hand and spoke slowly, his tone gentle, but his voice was a little hoarse: "Your mother has given you everything she could. Get married and live a good life."

"Um."

Cen Lingyi nodded, almost unable to hold back her sobs.

"Don't cry."

Emperor Shengwu was getting anxious, but he didn't dare to scold her, for fear of upsetting Xiao Yulou.

"Mother, you must get better." Cen Lingyi said, holding back her tears. "Huaijiao is growing up, and we still want another child. Mother, please help us take care of the baby when you get better, okay?"

She thought for a moment and realized that for the Imperial Concubine's illness, it was best to give her more hope for life and the beauty of the world so that she could have something to look forward to and would gradually recover.

"it is good."

Xiao Yulou smiled.

"Mother has agreed, so you can't go back on your word."

Cen Lingyi gripped her hand tightly.

"You can go now, I'm tired."

Xiao Yulou withdrew his hand, lay back down, and looked at the top of the tent again.

Cen Lingyi was at a loss and subconsciously looked at Emperor Shengwu.

Emperor Shengwu, his face pale, waved his hand.

There's no point in staying any longer.

"She was quite talkative today, considering you've all come."

Upon exiting the door, Emperor Shengwu stopped in his tracks.

"Your son will try to find a folk doctor to treat Mother Consort."

The banquet was held in Huizhou.

Cen Lingyi lowered her head sadly, still finding it hard to accept.

How could the Imperial Concubine, a perfectly healthy person, fall ill like this?

"Go."

Emperor Shengwu waved his hand and sighed.

Cen Lingyi looked at him. He was a man who was always unpredictable and full of dignity, but this time he looked like he had aged ten years, with a few strands of white hair at his temples.

It seems that the matter of the Imperial Concubine had taken a heavy toll on his mind.

She followed Yan Chenghui away, and when she looked back to see that no one was around, she asked, "Yan Chenghui, what is your aunt's illness?"

"He is listless, taciturn, and indifferent to everything in the world." Yan Chenghui looked ahead, lost in thought: "The imperial physician is right, it's a mental illness."

"Has it been because you've been confined in the deep palace for too long these past years?"

Cen Lingyi asked him.

"It's because I've been trapped in people and things I don't like for too long."

Yan Chenghui glanced at her sideways and said.

"It is indeed very painful." Cen Lingyi thought for a moment and said, "In the past, when my aunt lost her temper and became emotional, she could release some of her pent-up feelings. Now, she has nowhere to express them, and all the anger is piling up inside her..."

If she were trapped next to someone she dislikes, like Lu Huaiyou...

She only thought about it for a moment before she couldn't help but shiver.

That was something I couldn't endure even for a single day.

My aunt has been trapped for so many years, how could she not be in pain?

Yan Chenghui looked into the distance, shook his head, and said, "Your father-in-law's family has all settled down and are just waiting for their return. Would you like to go and see them?"

That's my home.

Cen Lingyi corrected her in a low voice.

"Your home is in the Eastern Palace."

Yan Chenghui held her hand.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

"I won't watch it anymore. I'll watch it when my parents come back."

Cen Lingyi decided not to go see it.

"Why? Don't you miss home?"

Yan Chenghui was somewhat surprised.

Yan Chenghui thought that Cen Lingyi would be eager to go back to the place where she grew up as a child, no, the place where they grew up together.

"Looking at it reminds me of the past, and I can't help but cry. When my parents come back, I'll cry again, so wouldn't all my crying in the first place have been for nothing?"

Cen Lingyi tilted her head to look at him, her eyebrows curving into a smile.

"You're quite shrewd."

Yan Chenghui burst out laughing.

*

It is unknown who leaked the news of Cen Qingshan's return to the mansion.

As soon as the Cen family opened their gates, carriages and horses streamed in and out of the mansion, and people came one after another to offer their congratulations.

Former colleagues and relatives all came with gifts to congratulate Cen Gong on the exoneration of his wrongful conviction and his family's return to the capital.

When Cen Lingyi returned with Yan Chenghui, she was greeted by a bustling scene at their door.

"These people, who wouldn't have offered my family a single helping hand in the past, are now coming so eagerly."

Cen Lingyi couldn't help but feel emotional.

"Human nature is such that we fawn over the powerful and trample on the weak." Yan Chenghui took her hand: "Let's go."

"Big brother, second sister, come quick!"

Cen Lingyi held Yan Huaijiao's hand with her other hand, turned around and greeted her older brother and sister with a smile.

In the flower hall, Cen Qingshan and his wife were entertaining guests, their faces bearing polite smiles, but their fatigue was hard to hide.

They are getting old, and after a long and tiring journey, they have to face so many people and things when they come back.

"Let's close the door to visitors."

Yan Chenghui turned around and gave the instructions.

Yun Que immediately went to do it.

Cen Qingshan was finally able to catch his breath and look at his children.

"Lingzhi, Lingyi, Wanrou... come here and let your father take a look."

When his children, whom he hadn't seen for many years, stood before him, even this usually calm and collected old tutor couldn't help but have tears well up in his eyes and stream down his face.

"Father, Mother."

Cen Lingzhi stepped forward and knelt down.

Cen Lingyi and Cen Wanrou also pulled the children down to kneel.

Yan Chenghui walked to Cen Lingyi's side and bent his knees to kneel.

Cen Qingshan was startled and quickly stepped forward to help him up: "Your Highness, you dare not kneel before this old man..."

"I am kneeling before my father-in-law."

The banquet was held in Huizhou.

"You can't kneel, sit here. Get up, all of you, get up."

Cen Qingshan hurriedly greeted everyone.

"Lingyi, my child, you have suffered."

Cui Jinshu hugged Cen Lingyi tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"mother……"

Cen Lingyi threw herself into her arms, weeping bitterly, expressing her longing and concern over the years.

My mother looks old, but she still exudes the dignified demeanor of a matriarch.

"Mother..."

Yan Huaijiao felt sad when he saw her crying, and couldn't help but take her hand.

"Is this your child?"

When Cui Jinshu saw Huai Jiao, she stopped crying and asked him what was wrong.

"Yes, Mother, this is Huai Jiao." Cen Lingyi pulled Yan Huai Jiao over: "Huai Jiao, kowtow to your maternal grandmother."

"Grandmother".

Yan Huaijiao obediently knelt down, about to kowtow.

Cui Jinshu pulled him up, looked him over carefully, and liked him more and more the more she looked at him.

"He looks like the crown prince, and also like you when you were a child."

Cen Lingyi wiped away her tears and nodded.

"Lingzhi, today is a day of great joy. Go and bring your wife back."

Cen Qingshan gave the instructions.

Cen Qingshan looked up abruptly, incredulous: "Father, is what you said true?"

He abandoned Shuzhen and their child. After winning the battle and returning to the capital, he never dared to meet her, only secretly watching her and their child from the shadows.

"I've been corresponding with her father, and they both know that I did it for your own good back then. Go now."

Cen Qingshan waved his hand.

"Thank you, Father!"

Cen Lingzhi got up and walked away quickly, taking large strides and exuding a triumphant air.

Cen Lingyi couldn't help but smile; it had been a long time since she had seen her elder brother like this.

very nice.

"By the way, Mother, where's Third Brother?"

She looked around.

The fourth and fifth sisters, who were born out of wedlock, were both present, but the third brother, who was also born out of wedlock, was nowhere to be seen.

"It was just here." Cui Jinshu was also a little surprised. "Go and look for it."

Cen Yunfan arrived late, around lunchtime, when the whole family was sitting around the table.

"Third Brother..."

Cen Lingyi looked at him.

"Little sister, eldest brother and sister-in-law, second sister."

Cen Yunfan nodded to them, his face somber, and sat down around the table. He didn't look like someone he hadn't seen for many years at all; he looked refined and gentle, unlike the man he used to be.

In Cen Lingyi's memory, her third brother was a troublemaker who, like her eldest brother, disliked studying and preferred playing with weapons.

My father always said that as the Grand Tutor, he had taught so many students, yet not a single one of them in his own family loved to study.

Third Brother has changed his ways.

"Third brother..."

Cen Lingyi couldn't help but call out to him again.

From her perspective, Cen Yunfan's drooping eyes, both in shape and eyelashes, looked remarkably like hers.

She remembered the dagger that Yan Chenghui had been plunged into his heart.

Beside her, Yan Chenghui suddenly took her hand under the table and shook it, signaling her not to ask.

Cen Lingyi glanced at him sideways.

"It's him."

Yan Chenghui firmly stated.

At that time, Cen Yunfan was young and even more androgynous. His eyes were exactly the same as Jiaojiao's, so he could impersonate Jiaojiao without looking out of place.

Moreover, he only saw Cen Yunfan's eyes clearly after being stabbed with a dagger, so he naturally assumed it was Jiaojiao.

"Really..."

Cen Lingyi's dark pupils trembled.

Yan Chenghui said that the eyes of the person who assassinated him looked exactly like hers, and she thought of her third brother.

But what reason did Third Brother have to do this?

"He might have some unspeakable reason."

Yan Chenghui squeezed her hand again, telling her not to mention it again.

He could disregard anything concerning her family or those she cared about.

Cen Lingyi, however, was the kind of person who wanted to get to the bottom of everything.

After finishing her meal, she watched Cen Yunfan leave and then followed him.

"Third brother, wait a moment, I have something to ask you."

She called out to Cen Yunfan, who was ahead of her.