Jiang Pengju was brought into the space by Bai Sheng and returned to the capital. Lu Ye then placed him at the Ye Sheng Gate.
Lu Ye explained to Bai Sheng that the Wei family next door had a very hidden basement where he had temporarily confined Jiang Pengju.
Bai Sheng merely asked him if the Wei family was reliable.
Lu Ye replied, "Extremely reliable; they are brothers I would lay down my life for."
With that, Bai Sheng stopped asking.
After all, torture and interrogation were too brutal. With her ferocious husband around, her own hands would never be stained with blood.
Time flew by, and it was soon the time for Consort Mei to have her face treated.
Ziqiu donned Consort Mei's mask and stayed in Yong'an Palace to impersonate her. Consort Mei, along with Eunuch Zhu, slipped out of the palace discreetly.
To facilitate future actions, only Ziqiu and Eunuch Zhu in Yong'an Palace knew about Consort Mei's facial treatment. Furthermore, Consort Mei intended to keep this matter a secret indefinitely.
Bai Sheng chose an east wing room in the triple-courtyard residence and had Uncle Ding's men tidy it up, so Consort Mei could reside there upon arrival.
Uncle San had been nervous for many days knowing Consort Mei was coming for facial treatment. He spent his days strenuously exercising his muscles, practicing running and martial arts with his prosthetic limbs, striving to minimize the gap between the prosthetics and his real leg.
Besides exercising, he also requested a considerable amount of skin creams and masks from Bai Sheng. He diligently cared for his skin daily, meticulously grooming his face.
Uncle San was already exceptionally handsome. With the fading of the scars on his face and the effect of the skin creams, his weathered, time-worn face, which had endured twenty years of hardship, finally regained its radiance.
Understanding Uncle San's aspirations, Bai Sheng specially purchased several sets of splendid robes for him. On the day Consort Mei arrived at the Lu residence, a dashing, elegant, and refined Uncle San emerged.
Uncle Si's condition had also significantly improved after treatment. If he had previously possessed the disposition of a three-year-old child, he now resembled a child of five or six, having become much more sensible.
However, Bai Sheng still kept important matters like Consort Mei's facial treatment a secret from him. He spent his days mixing with Lu Yun and the other children, learning to call Lu Yun "Boss" as Tian Dou and the others did.
Lu Yun had tried to correct him many times without success, so in the end, Lu Yun called him Uncle Si, and he called Lu Yun Boss.
After Consort Mei and Eunuch Zhu had secretly fled the palace, to avoid detection, Bai Sheng had Lu Tong drive a carriage to the palace gates to greet them. Yang Ming followed in another carriage, providing rear guard in case of any pursuit.
Upon reaching Yuhua Lane, they entered the Lu residence without any fanfare, there was no enthusiastic welcome ceremony.
Only Bai Sheng, Lu Ye, Uncle Ding, and Uncle San were aware of Consort Mei's impending arrival.
Bai Sheng had briefed her family in advance, explaining that Consort Mei and Eunuch Zhu were her friends and were staying with them temporarily for medical treatment.
The family harbored no doubts. Under Uncle Ding's guidance, all the servants understood that whatever their master said was final, and that any events occurring within the household, regardless of size, must never be divulged to outsiders.
Consort Mei entered the room Bai Sheng had prepared for her and scanned her surroundings, her heart filled with sorrow.
Twenty years. The Baili family was truly and completely gone. Hundreds of people, all reduced to vengeful spirits overnight.
Such a family with excellent reputation had not a single descendant left; it was truly a case of being "cut off from descendants."
The Emperor was truly cruel to have ordered the execution of nine generations.
Even if the Baili family had indeed colluded with enemies and committed treason, given the immense contributions the Baili family had made to the Great Xia Dynasty, if the Emperor had shown even a sliver of gratitude, he would not have resorted to such a drastic punishment.
Moreover, the Baili family had been framed by treacherous officials.
"Your Highness, I have prepared some ordinary women's casual clothes for you. Please quickly change out of your maidservant attire," Bai Sheng said with a smile as she entered.
"Alright," Consort Mei replied in a heavy tone, taking the clothes from Bai Sheng's hand.
Bai Sheng guessed that Consort Mei might be thinking of the past, which was why her mood was so somber. So, she smiled and said, "Your Highness, hurry and change. I have a surprise for you later."
"A surprise?" Looking at Bai Sheng's smile, Consort Mei's worries lessened considerably.
"You'll know soon enough!" Bai Sheng winked at her, smiled, and walked out, closing the door behind her.
To facilitate taking care of Consort Mei, Eunuch Zhu's room was right next to hers. Bai Sheng had also prepared some ordinary men's attire for him.
A Qiu looked puzzled. "Madam, since these two guests are not husband and wife, why are they living so close together? Is it not inconvenient?"
Bai Sheng replied, "Our home is not some noble or high-status mansion that adheres to so many strict rules. Besides, they are in a master-servant relationship, and living close by is convenient for care."
A Qiu nodded and had no further questions. Whatever Madam said was what she said.
Consort Mei changed into her clothes and stepped out. Through the thin veil of the curtain hat, she slowly surveyed everything before her.
Grey walls and black tiles, eaves and columns, wooden doors and iron locks, flower beds and stone tables, old trees and swings. Time had left behind relics of the past, but the joy of the old inhabitants was nowhere to be seen.
Consort Mei's sorrowful gaze suddenly fixed on the courtyard gate.
The heavy courtyard gate creaked open slowly. A corner of a sky-blue robe appeared by the gate, followed by a tall and upright figure.
Consort Mei's eyes widened, and her body involuntarily staggered back a step.
An illusion, this must be an illusion!
After steadying herself, Consort Mei immediately closed her eyes, continuously telling herself it was an illusion. When she opened her eyes again, the person before her would surely disappear.
However, she clearly heard footsteps, approaching her step by step.
Consort Mei slowly opened her eyes and looked at the person standing close to her, so shocked she couldn't speak. "You... you..."
Uncle Cripple, Uncle San, Baili Rongmo suppressed his inner excitement as much as possible and smiled faintly, "Mei Qing, you are not mistaken, it is indeed me."
He did not address her as "Consort Mei Your Highness" because the dog emperor was not worthy! In his eyes, she was merely Mei Qing.
Consort Mei grabbed his arm and squeezed it tightly. "Baili—" She suddenly realized she shouldn't say that name and merely asked with confusion, "Your leg?"
"It's a prosthetic," Uncle San lifted the hem of his robe and showed her his prosthetic leg with a smile.
Consort Mei touched her chest. For a moment, she had truly thought she had seen a ghost.
"It's good that you are still alive," Consort Mei said, her eyes moistening.
Baili Rongmo also nodded with red eyes, "Yes, I am still alive."
The courtyard gate creaked open again. Bai Sheng, Lu Ye, and Uncle Ding walked in smiling.
Lu Ye whispered, "Uncle San, Your Highness, let's talk inside."
"Uncle San? You... you are—" Consort Mei pointed at Lu Ye, utterly astonished.
"Indeed," Lu Ye nodded with a smile.
Consort Mei gasped, deeply moved. The Baili family had an heir!
After Bai Sheng and the other three entered the study, Uncle Ding stood guard outside the door, preventing anyone from approaching.
"Baili Rongmo, you are not dead! And Lu Ye calls you Uncle San?" Consort Mei exclaimed uncontrollably in her excitement.
She looked from Uncle San to Lu Ye with wide eyes filled with surprise.
They were so alike!
"Yes, I am still alive," Baili Rongmo nodded with red eyes. "Lu Ye is the eldest son of my elder sister."