Shilin stayed overnight in Gu Zhong's mansion, and after leaving court the next day, he waited at the corner door outside the inner palace. After a long time, he saw Yu Yan's maid coming out and handing him a letter.

"Master Xu, the princess and Miss Lu went to the fourth princess's place at the request of the Queen Mother, but they couldn't come. The princess asked her maid to give this to you."

"It's time to thank the princess for me." The palace maid replied and went in. As Shilin walked, he couldn't wait to open the letter and read it. A line of delicate regular script was Mei Niang's handwriting.

"Everything is fine, don't worry." After reading, Shilin took a deep breath, carefully hid the letter in his arms, and strode away.

At that time, four people carried a blue-topped official sedan and stopped at the main gate of the Prince Consort's Mansion. Bilian and Xiaorou, who had received the letter, stood outside to greet them. When Shilin got off the sedan, a familiar face came into view, making both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law smile with excitement.

tears.

"You're back?" She was already in front of Bilian, and her mouth was full of words, but she could only hold back these three words.

"Um."

"Daughter-in-law, I have met my father. He has worked hard all the way." Seeing that her parents-in-law said little, Xiaorou immediately greeted her with a smile and bowed to greet her.

"Xiaorou, you don't need to be polite. You have worked hard these years to help your mother-in-law take care of the housework."

"It's not hard, this is what a daughter-in-law should do."

"Don't just stand at the door, go and meet your parents first." Bilian reminded, Xiaorou quickly helped Shilin into the house. His eyes passed over Bilian, and his smile was faint. He had not seen each other for many years, and he was much thinner.

I was speechless for a moment, so I had no choice but to follow my daughter-in-law into the house. When I arrived at the main hall, I saw the father-in-law, his handsome face, and Baoshan. When I walked to the front, I knelt down and saluted the two elders.

"Father, mother, the unfilial son Shilin... is back, and I would like to apologize to my two parents." There were tears in his eyes, he bit his lips tightly, and did not dare to look up.

"Get up, just come back." The father-in-law said with a cold face and ignored him. The handsome face was expressionless and lazily replied, with a faint cry.

"My son is unfilial and has made his parents worry and worry about him. He has shouldered the responsibility of raising me for many years. I still ask my parents to punish him." He refused to get up and knelt straight. The father-in-law glanced at him and couldn't help but sigh. Jiao Rong looked straight at him.

Looking at his slightly haggard face, he must have been sleeping rough all the way, and he said knowingly while feeling distressed:

"Shilin, my parents are old and can no longer bear any stimulation. After working hard all my life, I only look forward to having children and grandchildren around my knees in my old age, and the family will be safe and reunited healthily. Your parents are in heaven.

, it is difficult to reunite, why are you so cruel to leave us, can't your family and children keep you? We don't ask for wealth, we only hope... we only hope that Gu'an and Xiaoshan can come back safely, and you don't want to leave us anymore.

Let's go, even if mother begs you, okay? When we two old people close our eyes, we can't care about what you want to do if we don't see it." Old Jiaorong burst into tears and broke down in sobs, and the father-in-law followed suit.

His eyes were red but he still didn't say a word.

"Mom..., I'm sorry for you, I deserve to die." Jiao Rong's words shocked Shilin's heart, making him so ashamed that he, a seven-foot tall man, couldn't hold back tears and knocked his forehead heavily to the ground.

Baoshan looked helpless, Xiaorou leaned against him, and kept wiping the tears she shed with a handkerchief. Bilian saw this in her eyes, feeling sad in her heart, and turned around and ran to the inner hall.

"You brat, look at how many people are grieving for you. It doesn't matter if you don't care about us. But Bilian is your bride-in-law. After all, you grew up together. We have been married for many years, and we leave just as soon as we say it. Are you worthy of her?"

I really want to break your legs and not let go of my anger. For the sake of Bilian, I will spare you for now. If there is a next time, I will see if I don’t beat you to death with my own hands." The father-in-law helped him up with force and held him for many years.

Yu Yue roared out.

"Dad..." Shilin was overwhelmed with emotion and held on to the father-in-law's arm tightly.

"Why are you still lingering? Go chase your wife. She has suffered so much all these years."

"I……"

"Go quickly." The father-in-law shouted angrily, and Shilin stood up in panic and walked towards the inner hall.

"Oh, it will be good to come back, it will be good to come back, Gu'an and Xiaoshan will also come back, Shilin will definitely save them." Jiao Rong murmured to herself, which also gave others some hope.

Following the bedroom, Shilin hesitated for a few seconds before gently stepping in. Looking around, he saw clean and simple furniture, plain bed curtains, a statue of Guanyin on the table under the window, and three incense sticks that were about to burn out.

With the green smoke rising, they became closer together, making it difficult to tell them apart. Just like Bilian sitting beside the bed wiping her tears, everything seemed like yesterday.

"Bilian..." Shilin stepped forward, his hand that was still in mid-air finally touched her shoulder, and he could clearly feel her trembling momentarily.

"You're tired. I'll ask the maid to prepare the bath water and take a rest first." Before he could say the next sentence, Bilian immediately wiped her tears, walked around him and pushed the door out, leaving Shilin with a blank face, facing herself.

His wife was at a loss what to do.

It was night, Bilian tidied the bed and prepared two quilts. Until Shilin entered the room, he didn't say a word. Even when he was eating, he only lowered his head and occasionally served others food. The two of them lay there, still speechless.

The sounds of intertwined breathing confirmed each other's existence.

"Don't worry, even if I risk my life, I will bring Gu'an back." Suddenly, Shilin was no longer silent and looked at Bilian very firmly, only to see that her pillow had been wet with tears, her eyes were red, and she was full of grievances.

, guilt and pity suddenly rose in his heart, he reached out and took Bilian into his arms, patting her shoulder to comfort her.

"I'm sorry..." The belated apology caused Bilian to collapse completely. She buried herself in Shilin's chest and cried muffledly. The overflowing tears finally slid down his cheeks and merged into the blood vessels that were still closely connected.

Yuxia Palace

Just after lunch, the chambermaid from the Queen Mother's Palace came to pick up Qingyue. Princess Anling, the fourth daughter of the emperor, was born to the Yin family, a talented person of the late emperor. She was seventeen years old. She was born slim and unsmiling. Her mother was not favored by the late emperor during her lifetime.

, she didn’t have a prince, she became depressed and sick all day long, and died early. As a result, she became even more taciturn, and because she didn’t have a good relationship, she naturally didn’t receive much attention, so she became the chosen one for this marriage. She had nowhere to complain about her pain, thinking that her life was about to end.

Drifting and hopeless, a face that was originally fair and plain was as joyless as frost.

"Please let me measure the princess." The chambermaid motioned to the palace maid to hold up the ruler. Mei Niang looked at it carefully and then waved her hand to push it away.

"No need, the princess's measurements have been memorized by the common girl."

"Remember it? The girl has never measured it, how can she remember it?"

"..." Mei Niang smiled and bowed slightly: "Please tell the Queen Mother, father-in-law, that it will be completed within three days."

"Yes, I will send the girl back to the palace." The servant was confused and lost interest, leading Qingyue out of the palace with a sullen face. From the beginning to the end, the princess did not speak, and stood watching with cold eyes like a puppet, as if everything had nothing to do with her.

The servant only bowed slightly when leaving, and turned around to leave without waiting for her to say goodbye. Mei Niang still bowed and left. When she raised her eyes, she saw the princess's lips slightly curved. This was the first time she saw such an innocent and disdainful person.

The smile is a bit sincere and a bit unfathomable.

Three days later in the morning, a ray of light penetrated into the house and cast its back on the person sleeping at the table. The candle lamp had long been burned out and the remaining red color had solidified. The table was scattered with embroidery thread and rags, vaguely covering the needles.

With slender fingers, the door opened slightly, followed by a pair of embroidered shoes, which could not be lighter, moved to the table, and without waiting for anyone to notice, he rummaged through the table, and his eyes fell on the mahogany box next to him. He held up the lid with both hands.

His eyes suddenly brightened, and he took out the scissors from his arms in secret joy, pulled up a corner of the fabric and tore it violently. Perhaps he was too hasty, and when it was torn apart, there was a "sting" sound, and the scissors in his hand accidentally fell to the ground.

Opening his eyes, looking around, he saw a little palace maid squatting on the ground...

"What are you doing?" Mei Niang stood up suddenly and took the little palace maid's hand.

"Destroy it, I will destroy it." The little maid stared at her fiercely and wanted to pick up the scissors. Mei Niang hurriedly kicked them away, and the maid pushed her away and tore them apart with her hands.

"No, you can't." Mei Niang rushed towards her, grabbing the joke in her hand, and the two of them twisted together.

"Let go quickly, or I'll be rude to you." The little palace maid showed no sign of weakness, and held on tightly regardless of her identity.

"I worked hard for three days and three nights to complete this. How can I allow you to destroy it? If you don't stop, don't blame me for calling people." Mei Niang naturally refused to let go. She grabbed the little palace maid's arm and forced it open.

The little palace maid became anxious after hearing this, and bit Mei Niang's wrist hard, forcing her to let go. Although it hurt, Mei Niang still held on tightly. Under the stalemate, the little palace maid increased her strength, and a fishy smell leaked out from her teeth.

, she trembled with fear, and finally let go. She saw that the rips on the pink sleeves had been dyed red. The little palace maid suddenly kicked Mei Niang in the waist, and the pain made her let go, and quickly grabbed the satin

, pull at the crack and tear it down.

"No……"

"Qingyue, are you up?" At this time, Yuyan's voice sounded outside the house, and both of them looked toward the door in shock.

"Come on, let's go." Mei Niang got up, grabbed the satin, and pushed the little palace maid.

"I won't leave." The little palace maid was reluctant to let go of the satin and dragged it.

"This is a national treasure. Whoever destroys it will die. Don't you want to live?" This sentence made the little palace maid back away again and again, her face turned pale.

"Qingyue, what are you doing? You haven't opened the door yet?" Yu Yan knocked on the door again, and Mei Niang hurriedly pushed the little palace maid towards the house.

"Here he comes, I just woke up, let me put on some clothes."

"Hurry up, my mother has sent someone to pick her up. She wants to send the clothes to Yuxia Palace for Fourth Sister to try on."

"Okay, I'll be fine soon."

"Climb out of here, you should know the way. Don't tell anyone what happened today, okay?" Mei Niang opened the window of the inner room and pointed outside.

"What about you? The satin is ruined."

"I have a way. You can leave quickly." The little palace maid looked at her with shame and gratitude, and immediately climbed out of the window. Seeing her leaving, Mei Niang closed the window. After leaving the inner room, she picked up a rag from the table and wrapped it around it.

After covering the wound, he changed out of his blood-stained clothes, put away the satin, and then opened the door for Yuyan.

"Why does it take so long? If you don't open it, I will ask the imperial guards to open it for me."

"How can that be done? A group of grown men broke into my house, what a shame."

"Who made you linger in there for so long? You thought something had happened." Yu Yan flipped through the embroidery thread randomly and watched Mei Niang combing her hair and dressing up. Seeing that she didn't open the door just now, she almost wanted to break in.

"I'm so well behaved. What could happen to you would be your fault for worrying too much." Mei Niang picked up the comb and combed it along her hair. She then picked up a beaded flower and put it in her hair. She looked in the mirror, got up and walked over.

Beside Yuyan.

"Are you worried? I am entrusted by others, and I am loyal to them."

"Who dares to trust you, princess?"

"What do you think?" Yuyan raised her eyebrows and looked at her strangely. Her light green gauze dress was light and elegant, and her two long strands of hair hung down on her chest. Her face looked slightly tired, but she was still beautiful and elegant.

"...Humph, there's nothing nice to say." Mei Niang knew what she wanted to say, so she blushed and pouted.

"Isn't it bad to talk? Just be nice."

"Is this what you came here to tell me? The Queen Mother's people are waiting outside the door."

"Hey, you are suppressing me after moving my mother? Well, forget me for being nosy. Just let him wait. It's none of my business until the sun goes down."

"Who... who will wait until the sun goes down?" Her guilty expression had already been caught by Yu Yan, who deliberately walked around her and shouted:

"I don't know." After saying that, she walked out the door, and Mei Niang hurriedly chased after her.
Chapter completed!