Princess Xiangsi - Chapter 200
In the garden stood rows of stone tablets, each inscribed with the life story of a member of the royal family. She remembered that her father and mother were buried together, and their tombstones were connected.
She had only been to the royal garden once when she was a child. Only members of the royal family were qualified to enter the royal garden, and she never entered it again when her mother passed away, because she was no longer a member of the royal family.
Relying on her intuition and childhood memories, she groped around the courtyard for a while, and soon found her father's and mother's tombstones.
Qingyun knelt down on both knees.
"Father, Mother, thank you for raising me for more than ten years. You both know that I am not a very talkative person. Although I have a thousand words in my heart, I cannot say a word at this moment. I believe you both understand what I want to say. Father, you have spoiled me too much all this time. It turns out that you have always known that my disfigurement has been cured, and that I am Qingyun. If Lige had not told me, would you have kept it from me for the rest of your life? No wonder Lige's Qingyun Pavilion can not make clothes for the royal family. It turns out that his backer is Father."
Qingyun's nose tingled slightly.
"Father, Mother, you have both met Li Ge. He is the right person for me in this life, and I'm sure you will both be satisfied. A hundred years from now, Li Ge and I will go to pay our respects to you both again. This is the last time I've come here. Father, Mother, take care."
After saying this, Qingyun kowtowed three times heavily on the ground.
After returning to the Snow Palace, Qingyun removed the white flower from her hair and replaced it with several pearl hairpins. She also changed her clothes into an apricot-yellow floral shirt and a brocade auspicious cloud skirt.
Qingyun sat in front of the dressing mirror, using an eyebrow pencil dipped in indigo to carefully draw her eyebrows. She was drawing long eyebrows, with a thin, pointed inner corner, a broad, thick middle section, and a slender, willow-leaf-shaped tail.
From today onward, she will have to get used to not having anyone help her with her hair and makeup.
Qingyun picked up the lip rouge and gently dabbed it between her lips, making them as red as cinnabar.
Today is Qingyi's wedding day, and she can't overshadow the bride. This makeup is just right, giving her a subtle and radiant beauty.
"Princess, Sister Qingyi is ready."
"Okay." Qingyun smiled, got up and walked into the room with blue clothes.
Dressed in a red robe, her slender waist was bound by a red silk ribbon, making her figure appear even more graceful. Adorned with a phoenix coronet and wedding gown, a slight blush appeared on her face.
"My daughter has come of age," Qingyun couldn't help but exclaim.
Upon seeing Qingyun, Qingyi's eyes began to redden again.
"Qingyi, the bride mustn't cry!" Qingyun said with a smile. She stepped forward and handed Qingyi a box. "This is your dowry."
Qingyi sobbed a few times, sniffled, nodded, and said in a choked voice, "Thank you, Princess."
Qingyun nodded with a smile.
Just then, Qianghui rushed in and said, "Princess, Guard Nalan's bridal sedan chair has arrived."
Upon hearing this, tears welled up in Qingyi's eyes again.
Qingyi felt a little flustered. She felt that after today's parting, she would never see the princess again. She knelt down and kowtowed heavily. "Qingyi thanks the princess for her kindness."
Then she kowtowed twice more.
"Qingyi..." Qingyun bent down to help Qingyi up. "Look, your makeup is all ruined. You can fix it in the bridal sedan chair later! It wouldn't be good if you missed the auspicious time."
Qingyun covered Qingyi's head with a red veil, and Qianghui helped her out. Qingyun didn't turn back to Xuedian until she saw the bridal sedan chair disappear into the distance.
Since that day, Situ Xingyun has forbidden her from leaving the palace. Once the balance is broken, everything becomes so dark, and the gentle surface of the past is gone.
After Qingyi left, Qingyun fell silent, and the entire Snow Palace gradually became quiet. Every palace maid in the palace walked quietly, for fear of disturbing the princess who was gazing at the scenery outside the window in a daze.
They lived in constant fear, worried about the princess's silence and terrified of the emperor's words that day, "I will settle this score later." But the emperor hadn't stepped into the Snow Palace these past few days, probably because Consort Yu had given birth! And Prince Ande hadn't come to the Snow Palace either; it was said the emperor had placed him under house arrest, forbidding him from leaving the palace.
Qingyun gazed out the window at the azure sky, watching the occasional bird fly by, lost in thought. She didn't really know what she was looking at; she just felt something stuck in her chest, making her very uncomfortable. It was a very oppressive feeling.
Qianghui, who had been staring at Qingyun, mustered her courage and stepped forward, saying, "Princess, would you like to go see the baby boy born to Consort Yu? I've heard he's very cute. Besides, the Emperor is attending the morning court session right now, so you definitely won't run into him."
Qingyun paused, recalling the image of a newborn baby. That was the power of new life. She pursed her lips and nodded.
Qianghui was overjoyed, a wide smile spreading across her lips. "Great! The princess has been sitting by the window in a daze for the past two days, and now she's finally willing to go out and move around."
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The side story of "Princess Longing" is on Dan Ying's Sina blog, but it is recommended to read the ending first before reading the side story.
Volume 3: Truth and Falsehood in the Palace - Preparing to Leave (Part 2)
Yuxuan.
Wuxia had just given birth and was still very weak, but she was in good spirits. When she saw the baby, a gentle expression would appear on her face.
When Qingyun entered Yuxuan, she saw this heartwarming scene.
She lay half-reclined on the bed, gently holding the baby in her arms, a tender smile on her lips, her eyes radiating maternal glow.
She felt as if a riot of colors had bloomed around her, making her feel as if she were bathed in a spring breeze.
"Wuxia." Qingyun smiled and walked over to sit by Wuxia's bedside.
"Sister Qingyun." Wuxia nodded, her every smile and frown revealing a mature charm. In just a few short years, the innocent and lively little girl of the past has now transformed into a dignified and serene mother.
"Wuxia, you've changed a lot."
Wu Xia was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I know." Then she turned her head to look at Qingyun and winked mischievously, "Sister Qingyun, you've changed a lot too."
Qingyun raised an eyebrow and smiled, "What do you mean?"
After a moment's hesitation, Wu Xia replied, "The Qingyun of the past was aloof and unapproachable. But now she's much gentler, and occasionally displays a girlish shyness and a sweet smile, making people want to get close to her. I think this was brought by Prince Ande!"
Qingyun touched her face in a daze, murmuring to herself, "Is it really like that?"