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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, they shouldn't be issued at this time. However, both Danqing and Peach Silk confirmed that the news came from the master, and it was indeed true.
“Wu Langzhong and Madam Wu are still here, and Master and Mistress cannot leave. The Young Masters will come over shortly, so the servants wanted to inform you in advance,” said Danqing.
Peach Silk nodded in agreement.
Only then did Qing Wu realize that it was real.
Her heart sank, feeling empty for no apparent reason. She sat there absentmindedly for a while until she heard Dou Mama calling her, snapping her back to reality. She murmured, “What is it?”
Dou Mama signaled for the maids to leave. Once they were alone, she spoke to Qing Wu: “Should I go ask 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 an inexplicable ache 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 she left, wouldn’t she be unable to see him?
“No need,” Qing Wu said firmly, gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, trying hard not to think too much so that her voice would sound calmer. “He must already know.”
Having been in the palace for many years, Dou Mama had seen countless significant events. How could she not notice the changes in the young lady's mood?
Seeing that it was difficult for her to speak another word without struggling, Dou Mama felt quite troubled herself and quickly reassured her: “This must not be His Majesty's idea. You can rest assured.”
Rest assured?
Yes.
What is she worried about?
On New Year's Eve, when saying goodbye at Zheng Ning's house, Huo Yun'ai also mentioned that when the Lantern Festival comes, 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 glutinous rice balls, which would be prepared by the Imperial Kitchen and given to her when they met.
He had promised her, and he would definitely 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. However, the bittersweet sorrow of parting was still somewhat difficult to alleviate.
Not wanting to think about 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 who have arrived. And Brother San must be here too. I'll go take a look."
After saying this, she quickly walked out of the room.
Although she walked quickly, her age made her legs slow. Just as she stepped out of the door, the Brothers had already entered the West Courtyard.
Liu Anfeng was running in front.
As soon as he saw that fluffy white figure appear outside, 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 still, 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 absolutely not a bit fake.
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 reassured.
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 whether the younger sister would 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 was no overt resistance from her. They had prepared a lot of comforting words but slowly swallowed them back and chose not to speak.
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 were individuals who had sold themselves into service and would naturally follow them to the northwest. Others were long-term workers in the household and had two choices: one was to resign and leave, and the other was to stay in the capital to look after the house.
The decisions regarding the servants' departures needed to be discussed one by one before finalizing. Mama Huang, overwhelmed with tasks, came to ask Dou Mama for help.
Dou Mama refused.
In her view, nothing else mattered; taking care of the young lady was the priority. Given the tense situation at home, she felt it was even more important 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 primary task should be to look after Qing Wu; everything else is secondary.”
The He Family understood that Mama Huang was too busy. Moreover, there were many matters in other courtyards, but Qing Wu's area was relatively simple since she had just arrived and did not have too many people or belongings, allowing for some manpower to assist elsewhere.
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 maids. With one gone to help outside, only Peach Silk remained in the courtyard, taking charge and instructing the other maids to pack up boxes and chests.
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, eager to meet Qing Wu. Compared to before, it was much more convenient.
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 properly dressed, they headed out.
Every household was still filled with the festive atmosphere 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 about the impending farewell. Instantly, 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 and now noticing that the young lady was also in white, it was clear both were mourning. Thus, there were no overly festive greetings; they simply led 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 at a table by the window, sipping from his cup. His usually fair face now had a slight flush, clearly indicating he was slightly tipsy and had likely been waiting for quite some time.
Hearing the door open and close, the young man turned his head to look over. Upon seeing Qing Wu, he did not rush over joyfully as he usually did to embrace her; instead, he set down his cup and opened his arms, waiting for her to come over.
Without any hesitation, Qing Wu ran towards him and leaped into his embrace.
The familiar cool touch 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. It wasn't until after rubbing them a few times that she realized she had used 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. Tiny droplets of water still clung to her long eyelashes.
Huo Yun'ai suddenly understood and reached out with his long fingers to gently wipe away the beads of water from her eyes.
Feeling his gentle touch, Qing Wu almost cried again and quickly turned her face away, rubbing it with the back of her hand.
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 finger to stroke the hair at her temple and said softly, "It's alright. In a few years, I will let you come back. This time..." He paused, his voice tinged with undeniable 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 held her close and said softly, "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've hurriedly written some more and given them to Qin Shuying. Later, I'll have Dou Mama take them back for you to practice diligently. Do you think you can manage that?"
The girl nodded repeatedly.
"The eating habits there are different from those in the capital. Also, there aren't any of the delicate snacks found in the capital. If there's anything you want to eat, just tell Dou Mama and have her make it for you."
"Dou Mama... will she go too?" Qing Wu asked cautiously.
Seeing the unhidden anticipation and hope in her expression, Huo Yun'ai smiled, "Of course she'll go." 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 elaborate much on this. He simply said, "He will set off early to make some arrangements and will wait for you there."
Though he spoke lightly, Qing Wu knew that he must have discussed everything in detail with Zheng Ning.
There were countless words she wanted to express, but in the end, it could only be summed up in a simple "Thank you."
Huo Yun'ai looked at the girl sincerely thanking him and smiled faintly.
"No need to thank me. I do all this so that you can return safely."
The Young Emperor took the girl's hand and squeezed it gently. Then he leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I will always be here waiting for you. Remember, you must come back."
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