Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As soon as the words left her lips, the princess sighed softly to herself, "Well, it’s better not to see her. After all these years, without me by her side, she has grown up. As long as she is safe, why should I disturb her?"
The room fell silent for a moment, and then the host let out a deep sigh. "Worry leads to chaos... Princess, everyone knows you have left. The Left Chancellor has been raising Miss Mei Shuang alone, and the hardships he faces are unknown to outsiders. I know that if it weren't for this chance encounter revealing that Miss Mei Shuang has not left, you would not have traveled such a long way. Deep down, you still cannot let go..."
Silence.
Then the princess spoke softly, "A child’s failure reflects on the parent... Although I am not by her side, I have heard that Shuang'er has been proud and solitary since childhood, often making enemies. Every time I hear this, my heart aches unbearably, yet there is nothing I can do... I only hope that after entering the palace, she can learn propriety and righteousness under the Empress Dowager's guidance. But who would have thought there would be later calamities... Alas, it is all my fault for bringing her into this world without giving her maternal love and guidance... If it weren't for the Empress Dowager's protection, I fear she would have... Alas... Now that I am here, how should I even begin to speak to her..."
The princess's voice sounded sorrowful, and by the end of her words, tears welled in her eyes.
"Princess, please do not blame yourself," the Abbot said with deep emotion. "Everything you did in the past was beyond your control. Even if you made plans and arrangements for her, it wouldn’t guarantee everything would be perfect. Her temperament is also a result of the Left Chancellor's concern for you; his excessive pity has led to this. Alas, in others' eyes, Miss Mei Shuang comes from a noble background and enjoys wealth and honor, but who knows the pain she carries inside? She lost maternal love at such a young age; now that she has grown up, she is still pitiful. If it weren't for Chu Xiruo confirming that she is indeed the Shuang'er from before, I wouldn't dare recognize her either. You used to sigh when you heard news about her; now that she is safe in this world, can you finally rest easy?"
Mei Shuang listened in a daze. Hadn't they said before that her mother was no longer around? Why was she suddenly referred to as "Princess" today? What kind of identity was that? No wonder the Abbot mentioned her having childhood ailments; it seemed he recognized her long ago. But what was her mother doing here at this moment? Did she come specifically to see her after hearing about her miraculous return?
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard the princess let out another long sigh.
The Abbot continued to comfort her. "Now Miss Mei Shuang has undergone a complete transformation; she is no longer that proud girl from before but has become sensible and reasonable. As for why she changed so quickly, perhaps you should ask her directly. Even if you are reluctant to acknowledge her, she is still your daughter and your blood; you must face this reality. The events of those years had their reasons; you cannot blame yourself entirely..."
His words hinted at a desire for mother and daughter to reunite.
"Is that so?" The princess raised tear-filled eyes and looked at the Abbot with some doubt. "They say a leopard cannot change its spots; how could such a thing happen?"
The Abbot replied joyfully, "If the princess is ready, I can call her back from the mountain so you can observe her from a distance."
"Well... that might be good..."
After a moment of silence, the princess suddenly remembered something and asked, "What about that child from the Chu family?"
"Oh, I have already asked the Abbess at the temple to take her out for a tour. That child is incredibly intelligent and sees through everything. It seems that her connection with the Emperor is merely an illusion. Although she is reluctant to believe it, she cannot deny this fact. Therefore, she must change her mindset."
Hearing this, the princess couldn't help but sigh, "Alas, I heard that she and the Current Emperor were a perfect match, yet they were torn apart by the Empress Dowager for Shuang'er. Who would have thought that the final outcome would be like this, leaving this child heartbroken? Men, when it comes down to it, are ultimately heartless..."
The Abbot felt a pang in his heart; this inevitably brought up the princess's own sorrows, and he dared not offer any advice but could only listen.
"This child has suffered a lot because of Shuang'er in the past, yet now she holds no grudges. Sigh, if she stays here for a long time, you must treat her well; it would be a way to atone for Shuang'er..."
"Amitabha, of course," the Abbot replied.
After a pause, the Abbot said, "It's almost noon; they should be back from gathering firewood soon. Princess, please rest here while I step out for a moment."
As the sound of the Abbot's footsteps faded from the meditation room, Mei Shuang panicked. Having eavesdropped for so long, if the Abbot asked about her whereabouts, she wouldn't know how to explain.
Quietly retracing her steps, she jumped over the wall and climbed down the slope for a while before turning back and pretending to have just come down from the mountain. She happened to run into the Little Nun sent by the Abbot to find them.
"Benefactor, you're back! The Abbot was just looking for you."
"Okay," Mei Shuang wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I'll head over right away."
Noticing that Mei Shuang's hands were empty, the Little Nun curiously asked, "Where's your basket for gathering firewood?"
Mei Shuang thought to herself that this was bad. Luckily, she was quick-witted. As she walked, she said, "I felt a bit unwell earlier; I left the basket behind. I'll go get it later this afternoon."
"Are you okay?" the Little Nun asked with concern.
"I'm fine." Looking into the Little Nun's clear eyes made Mei Shuang feel a bit embarrassed about her lie. She waved her hand dismissively. "Maybe I just caught a chill."
The two of them chatted as they entered the temple.
The Abbot called Mei Shuang over, gazing at her porcelain-white face. After a careful look, he nodded and said kindly, "You've been feeling much better these days. If you continue like this, you'll recover soon. Um, is it tiring to gather firewood on the mountain?"
Mei Shuang understood that the Abbot was changing the subject to ask about trivial matters, clearly with an ulterior motive. He likely wanted those hidden in the shadows to see how she was doing now.
She pretended not to know and shook her head with a smile, saying, "Not tiring. Besides, gathering firewood is good exercise."
The Abbot chuckled, "It's just some rough work; doing it occasionally is fine, but don't overdo it."
Mei Shuang shrugged, "Thank you for your kindness, Abbot."
"Alright, you may go."
Watching Mei Shuang head to her room, the Abbot turned and looked toward his meditation room, where the princess was quietly watching from behind the window.
Now, Mei Shuang had changed significantly compared to before, even if she only spoke a few words.
Dressed in coarse clothing and doing hard work without complaint, enjoying it instead, treating others well, speaking appropriately, and remaining humble—was this still the same Mei Shuang from before?
Through the long window, the princess stared blankly at that clear and bright face as if looking at her younger self. Unable to hold back her tears, she began to sob.
...
When the Abbot returned to his meditation room, he found it empty except for a small hairpin and a letter on the table.
The letter was addressed "To my dear child."
The Abbot trembled as he collected the items and quickly turned to leave the temple. Looking up at the winding path down the mountain, he saw two dark figures growing increasingly distant.
He sighed deeply and stood in a daze for a while before returning to the temple.
It seems she has entrusted this matter to herself, but how should I explain the background to Mei Shuang?
The weather turned hot suddenly; just a few days ago, it was still chilly in spring. After a spring rain, the willow buds turned green, and the gentle breeze brushed against her face, as if summer had arrived.
Even the temperature in the mountains rose. When she went to gather firewood, she saw that the mountains, which had previously been barren with only dry branches and weeds, were now covered in vibrant greenery, full of life.
Mei Shuang climbed to the highest slope, stood at the top, spread her arms wide under the sunlight, lightly closed her eyes to feel the soft wind passing over her, and took a deep breath as if the air was filled with a sweet fragrance.
When she opened her eyes, her mind was clear and her heart felt serene.
Such days were indeed so beautiful.
In the distance, Little Nun spotted Mei Shuang on the slope, enjoying the spring breeze with ease. Dressed in white garments with wide sleeves fluttering in the wind, she looked like a celestial being from beyond, stunning Little Nun in an instant. For a moment, she forgot what she was supposed to do.
After staring at Mei Shuang's back for quite a while, she finally remembered her task and cupped her hands into a trumpet shape, calling out towards Mei Shuang's direction, "Benefactor, please come down quickly; Abbot is looking for you..."
Not far away under a large tree, a master and servant were watching this scene.
The Servant occasionally stole glances at his master, who was gazing at the white figure on the mountaintop as if ready to take flight. His expression was calm and his dark eyes were fixed on her. He had been waiting here for quite some time without saying a word.
He felt a bitter smile inside; even though she was so close, he could only watch over her like this day after day. What kind of situation was this?
He couldn't understand it at all.
Purple Dawn Palace.
The weather gradually warmed up, and the scenery outside was vibrant with spring colors. The flowers in the Imperial Garden bloomed in a variety of shapes and hues, creating a stunning display.
After much persuasion from Aunt Yu, Empress Dowager Mingxi, who had been ill for a long time, finally decided to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden.
As she walked, she occasionally heard the cheerful laughter of the concubines deep within the garden. Sometimes, she even caught sight of some of them flying kites together. She couldn't help but sigh, "Ah, at such a beautiful age, how could they know what sorrow is? By the time I reached this age, I was probably already worn out by worries..."
Hearing Empress Dowager Mingxi about to complain again, which would inevitably lead to sadness, Aunt Yu quickly advised her, "In these peaceful times, with the Emperor governing wisely, it is a blessing that there is nothing troubling you. What is there to worry about?"
"How can there be no worries?" Empress Dowager Mingxi retorted angrily. "With Mei Shuang not in the palace, there is so much less laughter around me. I pity the Emperor; I specially allowed Chu Xiruo to return to the palace, yet for some reason, she left again. As for the concubines in this palace, none of them catch the Emperor's eye. Tell me, what kind of person is my son?"
Aunt Yu dared not comment on the Current Emperor and could only feign ignorance.
"Still, since Shuang'er is alive, why hasn't there been any news? The Emperor handles matters with his ministers swiftly enough; how can he not find even a single girl? And where has he been? He hasn't come to pay his respects these days..."
After complaining for quite some time and feeling parched, Empress Dowager Mingxi was just in time to see Consort Chen approaching. After respectfully greeting her, Consort Chen knelt down and presented a basket of tea.
Empress Dowager Mingxi took it and managed to drink a few sips to soothe her throat. Then she looked at the dignified and beautiful Consort Chen before her and suddenly felt a turmoil within her heart. It seemed that no matter how great one's beauty, splendid attire, or noble lineage might be, sometimes they were merely extravagant embellishments.
Comment 0 Comment Count