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墨書 Inktalez
Qing Wu was in the West Courtyard when she heard the news.
She initially thought it was a joke, after all, it was mid-year, and even if there were orders to be issued, they shouldn't be coming from here. However, both Danqing and Peach Silk confirmed that the news had indeed come from the master, and it was true.
“Wu Langzhong and Madam Wu are still here, and Master and Mistress cannot leave. The Young Masters will be coming over shortly, so I wanted to inform you in advance,” Danqing said.
Peach Silk nodded in agreement.
Only then did Qing Wu realize that it was indeed true.
A chill ran through her heart, leaving her feeling empty without knowing why. She sat there absentmindedly for a while until she heard Dou Mama calling her, snapping her back to reality as she murmured, “What is it?”
Dou Mama signaled for the maidservants to leave. Once they were alone, she spoke to Qing Wu: “Should I go inquire about the news from His Majesty?”
His Majesty?
Huo Yun'ai?
Thinking of that cold young man who always looked at her with a warm smile, Qing Wu felt a pang of sorrow in her heart, and her eyes began to mist over. She quickly blinked to hide her thoughts.
That empty feeling she had just now was because of this.
If he left, wouldn’t she be unable to see him again?
“No need.” Qing Wu clutched the hem of her garment tightly, trying hard not to think too much so that her voice would sound calmer, “He must already know.”
Having spent many years in the palace, Dou Mama had witnessed countless significant events. How could she not notice the changes in the young lady's mood?
Seeing how difficult it was for her to speak another word, Dou Mama felt troubled as well and hurriedly reassured her: “This must not be His Majesty's idea. You should not worry.”
Worry?
Yes.
What is she worried about?
On New Year's Eve, when saying goodbye at Zheng Ning's house, Huo Yun'ai had told her that during the Lantern Festival, he would find a way to meet her and give her the most beautiful lantern in the world.
Not only that, he also asked her what filling she liked for the tangyuan, which would be prepared by the people from the Imperial Kitchen and given to her when they met.
He had promised her, and he would surely keep his word. Since that was the case, the order had nothing to do with him.
Thinking of this, inexplicably, Qing Wu felt a little better inside. However, the bittersweet sorrow of parting was still somewhat difficult to ease.
Unwilling to dwell on it any longer, she jumped off the chair, took a moment to compose herself, and smiled, "Why is it so noisy outside? It must be the Brothers arriving. And Brother San must be here too. I'll go take a look."
After saying that, she quickly stepped out of the room.
Although she walked hurriedly, her age made her movements slow. Just as she stepped out of the door, the Brothers had already entered the West Courtyard.
Liu Anfeng was running at the front.
As soon as he saw that fluffy white figure appear outside the house, he shouted loudly, "Wu, come in quickly; it's cold outside." With that, he hurried over and pulled Qing Wu inside.
Just as Qing Wu stood firm, Liu Anzhi and Liu An Ting followed closely behind and entered.
Seeing the serious expressions on the Brothers' faces, Qing Wu knew that this matter was set in stone and there was absolutely no doubt about it.
She forced a smile and asked, "I heard we're moving? Is it true?" Then she glanced at her newly arranged room and sighed, "What a pity. Mother put so much effort into this courtyard for me."
Hearing her words filled with reluctance, the three brothers felt somewhat relieved.
When they first arrived home, the situation was still fresh in their memories. Now, as they were about to move to a new place, their biggest concern was that the younger sister would not be able to adapt.
Looking at Qing Wu now, it was clear that she had accepted the fact that they were moving. Although she was reluctant to leave, there were no signs of strong resistance. They had initially prepared a lot of comforting words but slowly swallowed them back and did not speak them.
Time was tight. In just a few days, they would be leaving the capital for the distant northwest.
The whole family became busy, each instructing their household members to pack their things.
Some of the servants in the house had come alone to sell themselves into service and would naturally follow them to the northwest. Those who had come to work long-term had two options: one was to resign and leave, and the other was to stay behind in the capital to look after the house.
The decisions of the servants needed to be asked one by one before finalizing. Mama Huang could not manage alone, so she went to ask Dou Mama for help.
Dou Mama refused.
In her view, nothing else mattered; taking care of the young lady was the most important task. Given the tense situation at home, she felt it was even more crucial to keep a close eye on Qing Wu, ensuring that nothing went wrong.
Mama Huang had some complaints about this. However, the He Family believed Dou Mama was right.
"Qing Wu is already weak and has only just arrived in the capital before having to move again to a more distant place. The reason we invited Dou Mama here was specifically to take care of Qing Wu. In this situation, her first priority should be to look after Qing Wu; everything else is secondary."
The He Family understood that Mama Huang was overwhelmed. Moreover, there were many matters in other courtyards, but Qing Wu's area was relatively simple since they had just arrived and did not have too many people or belongings, allowing for some extra hands to help out.
After some consideration, the He Family suggested, "Why not let Danqing help you? She is attentive and steady in her work; she should be useful."
Mama Huang quickly thanked the He Family and called for Danqing to handle this matter promptly.
In Qing Wu's room, there were originally two main maidservants. With one now helping outside, only Peach Silk remained in the courtyard, taking charge and instructing the other maidservants to pack up the boxes.
Dou Mama allowed the chaos outside to continue while she focused on Qing Wu. She personally poured tea and served meals for Qing Wu three times a day.
In this situation, when Qin Shuying found a way to send a message, Huo Yun'ai hurriedly left the palace wanting to meet Qing Wu, it was actually more convenient than before.
Dou Mama informed the He Family that she would take the young lady out to buy some items. The He Family agreed and reminded her to prioritize Qing Wu in everything.
After Dou Mama acknowledged this, she stepped back. Once Qing Wu was dressed appropriately, they headed out.
Every household was still filled with the festive spirit of the New Year. The streets were adorned with bright red lanterns celebrating the holiday. Laughter and joy floated through the air, causing Qing Wu in the carriage to smile involuntarily.
However, before that smile could reach her heart, she thought of the impending farewell. Suddenly, her heart sank, and that faint smile froze at the corners of her lips.
Zheng Ning's residence was too far from Liu Residence. This meeting was a last-minute decision and too rushed; Huo Yun'ai didn't have much time. Therefore, they decided on a restaurant located between the palace and Liu Residence.
When Qing Wu arrived, Huo Yun'ai had just gotten there not long ago.
The guests were unaware of each other's backgrounds. Seeing the extremely handsome young man dressed in white earlier and now noticing the young lady also in white, it was clear that both had experienced a recent loss in their families. Thus, there were no overly festive greetings; they simply guided them to the door and bowed out.
Qin Shuying and Dou Mama waited outside.
As Qing Wu pushed open the door and entered, she saw the White-Clad Youth sitting by the window, sipping from his cup. His usually fair face now bore a faint blush, clearly having indulged a little; he must have been waiting for quite some time.
Hearing the sound of the door opening and closing, the young man turned his head to look over. Upon seeing Qing Wu, instead of joyfully rushing over to embrace her as he usually did, he set down his cup and opened his arms, waiting for her to come closer.
Without any hesitation, Qing Wu ran towards him and leaped into his embrace.
The familiar cool sensation enveloped her instantly.
Qing Wu felt a lump in her throat, and her eyes became moist. Not wanting him to notice her vulnerability, she quickly wiped her eyes vigorously. However, after rubbing a few times, she realized that she had been using his clothing to dry her tears.
Feeling embarrassed, Qing Wu hurriedly pushed him away.
Due to the earlier rush, the mist on her eyes had not been completely wiped away. The girl's eyes were red and moist, with droplets still clinging to her long eyelashes.
Huo Yun'ai suddenly understood and reached out with his long fingers to gently wipe away the tears from her eyes.
Feeling his gentle treatment, Qing Wu almost cried again and quickly turned her face away, using the back of her hand to rub her eyes.
Huo Yun'ai sighed quietly and picked her up, sitting her on his lap. He forced a smile and said, "What are you sad about? Are you not planning to come back?"
Qing Wu shook her head.
She didn't know why she wasn't coming back. Perhaps it was because she relied on him too much, or perhaps it was because she was very worried about this lonely boy. The thought of parting from him made her sadness multiply.
Huo Yun'ai felt a heavy weight in his heart as well.
He raised his fingers to stroke the hair at her temple and gently said, "It's alright. In a few years, I will let you come back. This time..." He paused, his voice filled with uncontainable anger, "...this time it was those people acting on their own accord. It was not my intention."
Qing Wu had already guessed that it was not his directive and nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.
Seeing the obedient look on the girl's face made Huo Yun'ai's heart ache even more.
He embraced her and softly said, "When you get there, make sure to study on time and practice your writing regularly. Have you remembered all the characters I taught you? I hurriedly wrote some more and gave them to Qin Shuying. Later, I'll have Dou Mama take them back with you so you can practice well. Do you think you can manage that?"
The girl nodded repeatedly.
"The eating habits there are different from those in the capital. Moreover, there aren't any of the exquisite snacks found in the capital. If there's anything you want to eat, just tell Dou Mama, and she'll make it for you."
"Dou Mama... is she going too?" Qing Wu asked cautiously.
Seeing the unhidden hope and expectation in her expression, Huo Yun'ai smiled, "Of course she's going." He tapped her forehead gently, "I've instructed Dou Mama to keep a close eye on you and bring you back."
Qing Wu couldn't help but feel joyful.
Seeing her smile, the Young Emperor's expression softened a bit, and he continued with a matter.
"I will have Zheng Ning accompany you. He seems carefree but is actually very observant and has a wide circle of friends. In the northwest, he has quite a few acquaintances. With him looking after you, I can be much more at ease."
Qing Wu did not expect this arrangement; her expression changed instantly as she looked up at him in astonishment.
Huo Yun'ai smiled and did not explain much. He simply said, "He will set off early to make some arrangements and wait for you there."
Although he spoke lightly, Qing Wu knew that he must have discussed this in detail with Zheng Ning.
With a thousand words to express her feelings, she could only say one thing: "Thank you."
Huo Yun'ai looked at the girl sincerely thanking him and smiled faintly.
"No need to thank me. I do this so that you can return safely."
The Young Emperor took the girl's hand and squeezed it tightly. Then he gently leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I have always been here waiting for you. Remember, you must come back."
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