Song Chaoyu turned her head away, she really didn't dare to look into Mu Changxi's eyes, nor did she know what Mu Changxi was still hiding from her.
In fact, wasn't she also hiding something from Mu Changxi?
In Mu Changxi's eyes, they had only been separated for a year, and they had even met many times during this year.
But for Song Chaoyu, it had been a full three years, and a chasm of life and death!
In her previous life, no matter what, she would never have thought that she would one day marry Han Xi, right?
In this life, how many unknowns, how many surprises or shocks, were yet unknown to her?
She hesitated for a long time, and then whispered, "Anyway, it's already like this. Let's both try our best to live the lives we want. I will adapt, and you must adapt too. Perhaps we cannot be like other couples, after all, you are His Highness the Prince of Ning. But... I will try my best. I will live my life well, no matter where I am, no matter who I marry."
These were the truest words in her heart, and also the extravagant hope she could not achieve in her previous life.
Hearing Song Chaoyu's words, Mu Changxi felt a little more at ease.
"Good."
Finally, a smile appeared on his face: "With your words, I can be at ease. Don't worry, before the wedding, unless it's necessary, I will not see you again, nor will I let you fall into any more unease."
He clapped his hands, and his personal eunuch, Xiao Ruizhi, came out from behind.
He handed a box to Song Chaoyu, and Mu Changxi also said, "Take this to protect yourself. Although you are from an official family, you must be careful all the way. Jiangzhou is relatively peaceful, and your Song family's mansion is still there. However, the human relationships there are complicated, so you must follow your grandmother."
How did he know about the Song family's affairs in Jiangzhou?
Song Chaoyu opened the box and found that it contained a very exquisite small long knife.
At first glance, it looked like just a golden hairpin, with a pattern of plum blossoms falling in the snow intricately carved at one end.
However, upon closer inspection, she realized it had a scabbard.
Song Chaoyu reached out, held the small long knife in her hand, and then gently opened the golden scabbard—
A hint of cold light suddenly appeared, and the small long knife looked extremely sharp.
This item was actually very practical. Whether it was hidden on one's person or worn as a hairpin on the head, no one would be suspicious.
But if she truly encountered danger, it might save her life.
Originally, Song Chaoyu wanted to refuse, but after thinking about it, she generously accepted the item: "Thank you, Your Highness."
Mu Changxi was afraid that Song Chaoyu would not accept it. Since returning to the capital, they had always been distant. If it were something Han Xi gave her, she would definitely accept it.
Seeing Song Chaoyu accept the item at this moment, he finally breathed a sigh of relief: "I have nothing else. I just wanted to reassure you. If you have time, you can visit my mother before leaving the capital. She wasn't trying to make things difficult for you that day; in fact, she likes you very much. She was just... feeling sorry for me."
Yes.
Song Chaoyu remembered that Consort Xian had been saying that some of Song Chaoyu's actions would hurt Mu Changxi's heart.
Song Chaoyu nodded: "Yes, before I leave, I will go."
That day, Mu Changxi did not say anything more to Song Chaoyu.
And before leaving the capital, Song Chaoyu did indeed visit the Empress and Consort Xian in the palace, accompanied by the Eldest Madam.
They both bestowed many things upon Song Chaoyu, and the Eldest Madam, for once, did not make any sarcastic remarks about Song Chaoyu.
Until the day they were to leave the capital, Song Yuan personally escorted the Old Madam to the city gate of the capital early in the morning to show his filial piety.
Song Chaoyu followed behind the Old Madam and promised Song Yuan that she would take good care of her grandmother.
The Eldest Madam seemed reluctant to part with Song Yuan, but Song Yuan didn't even glance at the Eldest Madam. He only said that everything at home would be handled by the Fourth Concubine and Concubine Liu, and that the Eldest Madam could go to their hometown with peace of mind.
The carriage slowly moved away from the capital. Jiangzhou was in the southern region, so they would definitely be traveling towards increasingly warmer places.
—
The Old Madam was old, and traveling by carriage was always tiring.
Even though they stayed in the best inns in several prefectural cities along the way, after ten days of bumping along in the carriage, the Old Madam's body began to feel unwell.
At first, it was just a slight diarrhea, and then she caught a cold.
Song Chaoyu took good care of the Old Madam, while the Eldest Madam seemed lost in thought all day.
Seeing that the Old Madam's health was not good, even though there were still three days' journey to Jiangzhou, they decided to rest for a day in a place called "Hongye Town."
However, Hongye Town had a large number of merchants coming and going during this time, and even inns were in short supply.
They could only book two superior rooms, so Song Chaoyu volunteered to take care of the Old Madam.
They entered the room in the afternoon, and the Old Madam slept through the afternoon. By evening, she seemed to have recovered much of her spirit.
While Song Chaoyu went out to order food for the Old Madam, she saw the Eldest Madam slip into the Old Madam's room.
When Song Chaoyu returned, she learned that the Eldest Madam's distraction was all due to Song Yanjiao.
As soon as they left the capital, the Eldest Madam had received a letter from Song Yanjiao, sent by someone.
It said that she had not been living well in the Prince of Ning's mansion these days.
That Wu Lingru was always opposing her. Although she had already consummated her marriage with His Highness the Prince of Ning, she was not as favored as Wu Lingru, who accompanied the Prince to drink and practice swordplay every day.
While massaging the Old Madam's legs, the Eldest Madam sighed, "I don't know why this daughter of the Wu family is so seductive! Our Jiao'er said that just before we left, didn't this Wu Lingru enter the Prince of Ning's mansion? As soon as she entered, she elevated a maidservant with a decent appearance to be the Prince of Ning's concubine! And the two of them served the Prince of Ning together, making the Prince of Ning very happy! The Prince of Ning's mansion is clearly dominated by Wu Lingru!"
The Old Madam was tired and didn't want to listen to the Eldest Madam talk so much.
She slightly raised her eyelids and frowned: "His Highness the Prince of Ning is acting recklessly. As the Princess of Ning, Jiao'er should also advise him more. She should not let him act recklessly; that is what the Princess of Ning should do. Wu Lingru is just a secondary consort, how can she surpass our Jiao'er? Moreover, she entered the mansion a full month later than Jiao'er, and only arrived two days ago. Are you already afraid?"
Wu Lingru's behavior was not like this in her previous life.
However, in her previous life, Wu Lingru was "the sole ruler" in the Prince of Ning's mansion. In this life, it was likely that Song Yanjiao made her wary, which was why she used such methods.
Seeing that the Old Madam did not want to intervene, the Eldest Madam became even more aggrieved: "Mother! Our Jiao'er is so wronged. As her mother, I cannot bear to see it. You, as her grandmother, naturally cannot bear to see it either, right?"