The gate of the Marquis Mansion.
The sky was gloomy. The dark clouds in the sky turned into a snowstorm and fell rustlingly. The ancient courtyard looked like it had been painted with a layer of white lime and was connected to the sky.
The palace carriage was parked quietly on the open space, and the honor guard of dozens of people was waiting in front of the door.
Lan Miao held Xue'er and Qingzhi's hands and slowly bent down to let them stand side by side. Qingzhi was still a little taller than Xue'er.
Yan Hong, who was following Lan Miao, stepped forward, put her hand on Qingzhi's shoulder and said softly.
"Miss Qingzhi, say goodbye to Concubine Lan."
A mature expression that did not belong to her age appeared on Qingzhi's small face. She nodded and took the initiative to loosen Lan Miao's hand. She raised her hand and waved it in the air. "Auntie, can I still call you like this? I heard from the maid beside me that when you become a noble lady in the palace, you will no longer be my auntie."
"I will always be Qingzhi's auntie. When there are only close people around, Qingzhi can call me however she wants. Okay?"
Lan Miao stroked Qingzhi's hairpin and sighed with emotion.
"If you have a hard time in the mansion in the future, you must tell auntie. Don't be afraid of anything."
"Well... Although it's a bit late, I still want to say sorry to auntie on behalf of my mother. She has also gone to be punished now. Can auntie stop being angry with her?"
Qingzhi said hesitantly.
She knew that her mother had done something bad and was not a good person. Before, she also thought it would be great if that person was not her own mother.
However, after that person left for so long, she missed her a little.
She did not know what she was thinking.
Lan Miao looked straight into Qingzhi's pupils and sighed imperceptibly.
"Auntie is no longer angry. Everyone has to pay the price for what they have done. Some prices are heavy and there are many of them. It doesn't matter if Qingzhi doesn't understand now. She will understand in the future."
"Oh..."
Qingzhi really did not understand.
She just intuitively felt that auntie's eyes looked very sad, as if hiding a cloud.
The atmosphere became a bit heavy.
At this moment, Xue'er came over and hugged Qingzhi tightly. She even tried to lift her up, but in the end, she could not lift her up. She said with a laugh, "Oh, Qingzhi is heavier and taller than me. It seems that I have to eat more in the future."
Both Lan Miao and Qingzhi were amused by Xue'er.
"Well... I'm taller than you, Xue'er."
Qingzhi was hugged tightly by Xue'er. Finally, a smile appeared on her face. At this moment, she suddenly remembered that Xue'er no longer had a father. She was much stronger than her.
"Okay, hurry up and separate. Don't let people see the joke on the street."
Lan Miao smiled and separated the two children.
"Okay, goodbye, auntie. Goodbye, Xue'er."
Qingzhi waved her hand and stayed where she was. She watched Lan Miao and Xue'er get on the carriage with the help of the palace people. She then turned around and returned to the Marquis Mansion.
The mighty carriage gradually went away.
It drove through the bustling market, passed through the long street and arrived at the more quiet and majestic imperial city all the way.
Lan Miao lifted the curtain of the carriage.
The majestic palace in front could not be seen at a glance.
This would be her destination in the future.
When she returned to the palace, it was already late. The palace people directly took them to the Hall of Eternal Joy. All the items that Lan Miao had in the Lovesickness Pavilion were moved here without any difference. When Lan Miao arrived at the Hall of Eternal Joy, she held Xue'er's hand and walked in step by step.
The Hall of Eternal Joy occupied a very large area.
The spacious palace was extremely luxurious. The door was brand new and majestic. The courtyard was filled with plum blossom trees covered with a thin layer of snow, charming and clean.
Emperor Jingxiang was pacing back and forth in the main hall at this moment.
He lowered his head, but from time to time, he would raise his head and ask An He, who was standing at the door, "How is it? Have they returned?"
An He almost could not hold back his laughter.
How many times had he asked?
Concubine Lan left the palace once. His Majesty was so worried that he was like a nobody.
"It's coming soon, Your Majesty. The noble lady is at the door."
"Good."
When he heard that Lan Miao had already arrived at the door, Emperor Jingxiang put on his airs again. He straightened his clothes, sat back in front of the desk in the hall and casually flipped through the book on the desk, pretending to be concentrated and not caring at all.
Lan Miao brought Xue'er in. His head was still hanging behind the book and he did not raise it.
It was not until Lan Miao saluted and greeted him, "Your Majesty is safe."
Xue'er also shouted with Lan Miao.
Only then did Emperor Jingxiang look up and look at the two of them. He said calmly, "You're back?"
"I'm back."
Lan Miao said with a smile. Then she helped Xue'er up and walked gracefully to Emperor Jingxiang's side. She sat down beside the desk. Xue'er also nestled beside Lan Miao's knees. Emperor Jingxiang blocked the book in front of his face. The scene was harmonious and filled with strange silence.
Not long after, Xue'er's pair of black and shiny eyes looked at Emperor Jingxiang curiously.
"What book is Your Majesty reading?"
Xue'er asked casually.
Emperor Jingxiang was stunned. He just casually took a book and did not turn a page for a long time. How did he know what book it was?
However, in front of his wife, he did not want his wife to see through his little thoughts.
"I'll test you. Do you know what book it is?"
Emperor Jingxiang put down the book. His voice was calm and he threw the question back to Xue'er.
Xue'er's eyes were a bit strange. "This is the 'Jade Collection Annotation'. Is Your Majesty testing whether I can read or not? I know a lot of words. The master also said that I'm very smart."
Emperor Jingxiang was stunned inexplicably.
He did not even know what the book was called. How did this little thing know?
"How do you know?"
"Your Majesty, the title of the book is written on the cover page. Xue'er naturally knows. Does Your Majesty think that Xue'er is a fool?"
Xue'er felt that His Majesty was very strange. Did His Majesty become her stepfather and hate her very much? Xue'er scratched her head and said crisply to Lan Miao.
"Mother, His Majesty thinks that I'm a fool."
"You're still complaining?"
Emperor Jingxiang was angry and laughed. This little thing was still complaining to his wife in front of him.
"Pfft..."
Lan Miao could not help it and laughed out loud. Emperor Jingxiang could no longer pretend. He put his arms around Lan Miao's shoulders and the two of them looked at Xue'er and laughed.
"Okay, Xue'er is tired, right? Let Sister Hanbi take you to the side hall to rest."
Lan Miao stroked Xue'er's head.
"Huh? Can't Xue'er sleep with mother?"
This question was asked. Lan Miao did not know how to answer for a moment.
Emperor Jingxiang was straightforward. "Because I want to sleep with your mother. You have to sleep alone. You have to learn to be independent. Do you know?"
Lan Miao's face turned red. Xue'er was still a child. His Majesty's words were too direct.
Xue'er's mouth moved and she seemed to understand something.
She obediently nodded and got up to salute Lan Miao and Emperor Jingxiang.
"Then Xue'er will leave."
"Go."
Xue'er left the main hall with Hanbi. She was still thinking about what His Majesty had said in her heart. It seemed that His Majesty was not independent enough, so he had to sleep with mother. Yes, it must be like this.
Not long after, only the two of them were left in the hall.
Emperor Jingxiang looked at Lan Miao with a deep look in his eyes and said calmly, "Why did you take so long to return, wife? Is the Marquis Mansion very interesting?"
This sentence seemed to carry a faint resentment of being alone in the empty boudoir.