Gu Moli answered quickly, a smile playing on her lips.
The old nun opened his mouth, but then swallowed his words.
Gu Moli turned and got into the carriage.
Before the carriage curtain fell, she glanced back at the main hall of Ganye Temple.
The bell rang.
One sound after another, mixed in with the rain, after listening for a while, my ears felt heavy.
The sandalwood scent lingered in the carriage, and dampness clung to the hem of her skirt.
Gu Moli took out an old jade pendant from her sleeve.
The jade pendant's edges were rounded, and it was still warm to the touch when held in the palm of the hand.
Qingwu lowered her voice.
"Princess, a letter has already been sent to the Hanzhang Hall."
Gu Moli ran her fingertips along the edge of the jade pendant.
"Does Mother know?"
"Knew."
Where is my elder brother?
Qingwu paused for a moment.
"We haven't received any news from His Highness yet."
Gu Moli looked at the jade pendant in her palm and chuckled softly.
"Brother is so busy these days."
Qingwu lowered her head, not daring to accept it.
Gu Moli tucked the jade pendant inside her clothes, close to her heart.
" Qingwu, have all the people in the temple been evacuated?"
"Half of them were withdrawn."
"Keep the other half."
Qingwu looked up.
Gu Moli lifted the carriage curtain, and raindrops rushed in, wetting her fingertips.
"The sisters-in-law have just moved in; there are some things they need to say, and someone has to listen."
Qingwu immediately lowered her head.
"Yes."
Gu Moli gazed at the rain, her voice soft.
Su Yao likes white plum blossoms.
" Shen Ling'er loves experimenting with medicine."
" Murong Xue is riding a horse."
Lin Qingdai practices her sword.
" Xie Wanqing reads travelogues."
" Liu Ruyan..."
As she said this, she pressed her fingertip against the old scar on the web of her hand, applying a little more pressure.
The scar is hidden under the skin and flesh, and is not visible on ordinary days, but it hurts when pressed.
Qingwu looked up at her.
Gu Moli lowered the curtain.
The carriage was a bit dark.
She sat up straight and smiled even more sweetly.
I wonder how much Liu Ruyan resembles me.
"I'm even more curious now."
Qingwu lowered her head even further.
Outside, the carriage rolled over the bluestone, and rain splashed onto the carriage walls, making a pattering sound.
When the carriage entered the palace, the Imperial Guard outside the palace gates recognized the carriage's emblem and bowed their heads.
Hanzhang Hall.
Noble Consort Chen sat by the couch, her teacup long since cold.
Eunuch Zhang whispered, "Your Highness, the princess has arrived."
Noble Consort Chen remained silent.
The sound of rain outside the palace was fine and dense.
When the slender figure entered through the doorway, she tightened her grip on the teacup.
Gu Moli entered the hall and knelt down respectfully.
Your son greets His Majesty the Empress Dowager.
Noble Consort Chen stared at the half-wet hem of her skirt.
Why did you come back?
Gu Moli looked up, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
Noble Consort Chen asked another question.
Can't you just listen to me?
Gu Moli said softly, "I heard that my imperial brother has married six sisters-in-law."
She paused, looking somewhat aggrieved.
"The temple has been quiet and austere lately, but my heart is restless, and I can't sleep."
Noble Consort Chen tightened her grip on the teacup.
So you requested permission to leave the temple?
"Your subject knows his mistake."
Gu Moli lowered her eyes and pouted.
"Mother, punish your son."
Noble Consort Chen did not respond to that statement.
She knew her daughter too well.
The more obedient someone is, the less trustworthy they are.
The incense burner in the hall emitted the fragrance of medicine, while the rain seeped in through the cracks in the door, creating a stuffy atmosphere.
Noble Consort Chen stared at her for a long time.
"You want to see your imperial brother?"
Gu Moli raised her face.
"Think."
Noble Consort Chen looked at her.
" Moli, he is already married."
Gu Moli smiled.
"Your subject understands."
"He married six sisters-in-law; the whole capital knows it."
Noble Consort Chen placed the teacup on the table, the bottom of the cup making a soft clinking sound.
"If you know it, you should avoid it."
Gu Moli raised her hand and straightened her sleeves, which were damp from the rain.
"Mother, must siblings avoid each other to the point of not seeing each other?"
Noble Consort Chen lowered her voice.
"You know that's not what I meant."
Gu Moli smelled the medicinal fragrance in the hall.
"Is Mother suffering from liver qi stagnation lately?"
Noble Consort Chen looked at her.
Gu Moli continued, "Was the prescription given by Sister-in-law Shen Family effective?"
Noble Consort Chen's eyelids twitched.
You even know this?
Gu Moli tilted her head.
"While I was in the temple, I occasionally overheard people gossiping about the capital."
Noble Consort Chen looked at her innocent appearance, and her palms grew colder and colder.
"Could gossip have reached Ganye Temple?"
"Mother, please don't blame them."
Gu Moli said softly, "Your subject is lonely and willing to listen; others will naturally be willing to speak as well."
Noble Consort Chen's gaze fell on the tiger's mouth (the area between the thumb and forefinger).
"After all these years, does your hand still hurt?"
Gu Moli paused, pressing her hand on the old scar.
After a while, she put her hands back on her knees.
"It doesn't hurt."
Noble Consort Chen looked at that hand.
" Li'er, you should forget the injuries you sustained when you shielded your elder brother from broken porcelain shards as a child."
Gu Moli looked up.
"Pain can be forgotten."
She paused.
"But I will never forget the jade pendant my brother gave me, nor the promise he made."
Noble Consort Chen's expression darkened.
" Moli."
Gu Moli was still smiling.
"Your Majesty, I only wish to ask you one question."
Noble Consort Chen did not respond.
Gu Moli asked softly, "Does Liu Ruyan really resemble me in some way?"
The hall fell silent.
Eunuch Zhang lowered his head even further and gestured for all the servants beside him to leave.
Noble Consort Chen looked at Gu Moli and finally understood why she insisted on returning early.
Who told you that?
Gu Moli gently pressed the space between her thumb and forefinger, and said sweetly, "People in the capital love to talk; Mother Consort can't stop them."
Noble Consort Chen stood up.
" Moli, you are not allowed to touch Liu Ruyan."
Gu Moli also stood up, her movements impeccably graceful.
"Don't worry, Mother."
She looked up, her smile growing even sweeter.
"Your son will not touch your sister-in-law."
Noble Consort Chen did not relax.
Gu Moli added, "Your subject only wants to see if, when you marry her, you think of me."
Noble Consort Chen tightened her fingers inside her sleeve.
" Eunuch Zhang."
Eunuch Zhang hurriedly stepped forward.
"This old servant is here."
"Pass on a message to Prince Yi's Residence."
Noble Consort Chen looked at Gu Moli.
Just say the princess has returned to the palace.
Gu Moli gave a slight curtsy.
"Mother, there's no need to rush."
She took a neatly folded visiting card from her sleeve and placed it on the table.
"Your subject has already written a visiting card to the Prince Yi's Residence."
Noble Consort Chen lowered her head.
On the visiting card, a line of beautiful small characters lay there peacefully.
[Tomorrow at 9 AM, Moli will pay her respects to her elder brother and six sisters-in-law.]
The rain grew heavier.
Gu Moli smiled.
"Mother."
Noble Consort Chen looked at her.
Gu Moli looked out the window at the rain.
Do you think your brother has changed?
Noble Consort Chen's throat tightened, and she couldn't speak immediately.
Gu Moli waited for two breaths.
I didn't get an answer.
She smiled again.
"It seems things have really changed."
She pressed her fingertip against the old scar on the web of her hand, slowly moving it downwards.
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten married."
Noble Consort Chen gave Eunuch Zhang a wink.
Eunuch Zhang hurriedly withdrew and personally closed the palace door.
Only the mother and daughter remained inside the hall.
Noble Consort Chen suppressed her anger.
" Li'er, I know what you want to do."
Gu Moli looked at her quietly.
Noble Consort Chen said, word by word, "Not now."
Gu Moli blinked.
"Mother, why not?"
Her voice was still sweet.
"You and Father told me when I was a child that you only wished for your son to live a happy life."
Even when you're happy, you can't act recklessly!
Noble Consort Chen took a step forward.
He's your brother!
The smile on Gu Moli's lips faded slightly.
Noble Consort Chen stared at her.
"Your father will not agree!"
"Father?"
Gu Moli repeated it softly.
"That's true."
She looked up, and something welled up in her eyes that she couldn't suppress.
"Everything is decided by my father's word; if he's unhappy, he'll send me to Ganye Temple."
Noble Consort Chen felt a tightness in her chest.
" Moli, shut up."
Gu Moli took half a step forward.
"Then... Mother."
She asked softly, "What if my brother Ran became emperor?"
Snap--
Before she could finish speaking, Noble Consort Chen slapped her across the face.
Gu Moli turned her face to one side, the pearl hairpin in her hair jingling softly.
The medicinal incense in the hall turned bitter due to the dampness of the rain.
Noble Consort Chen's hand was still suspended in mid-air, her fingertips numb.
She looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with both anger and pain.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Gu Moli did not turn around immediately.
Noble Consort Chen enunciated each word clearly.
"Don't ruin Ran'er!"