Having been with Song Chaoyu for so long, Xiao Ruizhi understood Song Chaoyu's personality, "Moreover, the Princess treats us servants exceptionally well. If even then, we servants still didn't appreciate the Princess, we would truly be ungrateful!"
Song Chaoyu had long since won over everyone in the manor, earning their genuine respect and approval.
The more Xiao Ruizhi spoke, the more uncomfortable Mu Changxi felt.
He lowered his head, his fingers gently stroking the space between his knees, then instructed the coachman outside, "Slow down."
Xiao Ruizhi, however, did not understand and was even anxious, "Your Highness, shouldn't we return faster? The Princess is so intelligent; if she truly intends to leave, I fear the servants in the manor wouldn't be able to stop her!"
Yes, Mu Changxi knew.
If his A'yu was determined to leave, how could the servants in the manor possibly stop her?
She had, after all, endured so much to reach this point!
But Mu Changxi didn't understand what was happening to him.
He couldn't even comprehend the fear and helplessness that now swirled in his heart.
He was perhaps truly afraid, afraid that upon returning to the manor, he would find everything empty.
Afraid that his A'yu had truly left, and he couldn't bear it.
He was afraid of not being able to find Song Chaoyu, of not being able to reclaim the one person who held his heart.
Because of fear, he didn't want to face it so quickly.
With this thought, Mu Changxi closed his eyes.
But the carriage would eventually return to the gates of Chang Prince's Manor, and there were many things he still had to face.
"Whoa—"
As the carriage stopped, Mu Changxi, who had been keeping his eyes closed, opened them.
Servants from the manor, holding stools and lanterns, were already there to welcome Mu Changxi as he alighted. The street vendors outside the manor had already packed up, and every household had lit their lamps, presenting a scene of peace and tranquility.
But only Mu Changxi knew that a certain part of his heart suddenly felt empty.
Even as he got off the carriage, his legs felt a little weak, but thankfully, Xiao Ruizhi was quick to step forward and support him.
Seeing Mu Changxi's troubled expression, Xiao Ruizhi asked the servants at the gate, "Have you seen the Princess?"
The servants, not understanding, replied honestly, "The Princess is in the manor. She hasn't gone out since returning in the evening."
Xiao Ruizhi frowned, "I asked if you saw the Princess?"
The servants sensed something was amiss with Mu Changxi and answered even more cautiously, "Your Highness... I saw her when she returned in the evening. The Princess should be in the inner courtyard now, and we servants are not allowed to enter the inner courtyard freely."
To Mu Changxi, the servants' answers were useless.
Song Chaoyu would naturally return to the manor first before leaving.
Xiao Ruizhi wanted to ask more, but Mu Changxi stopped him, "No need to ask further. Once we enter the manor, won't we know if she's here or not?"
Seeing Mu Changxi's grim expression, Xiao Ruizhi said no more, merely nodding at the servant, leaving the young man even more bewildered about what was happening.
—
Entering the manor through the main gate, everywhere Mu Changxi looked, he saw memories of him and Song Chaoyu.
Ever since this Chang Prince's Manor was established, Mu Changxi had entrusted everything within the manor to Song Chaoyu.
The garden in the front courtyard, originally lifeless and furnished like any other manor, had been transformed.
Song Chaoyu had dismantled everything in the courtyard and created a small garden.
She said that seeing plants upon entering the manor would make one happy.
She had people plant many pine and cypress trees in the garden, saying that there should be flowers in spring and summer, and evergreen foliage in autumn and winter.
A manor should have vitality every day, so that the people living there could feel full of hope.
Beyond the garden was the main hall of the Prince's Manor.
When Song Chaoyu married into the Prince's Manor, the main hall was cluttered with valuable items gifted by others.
Mu Changxi remembered that when Song Chaoyu saw these items, she didn't, like other women, think of them as precious. Instead, her eyes lit up with amusement as she said that the items piled together were truly vulgar.
She had them all removed and replaced with the current clean and bright appearance.
Although the decorations were not excessive, the vast main hall appeared exceptionally elegant. Later, many noble families in the capital followed Song Chaoyu's method and renovated their front halls and courtyards.
Mu Changxi felt that Song Chaoyu's influence on others was always subtle, something she herself didn't notice, and neither did he, who lived with her.
Song Chaoyu was nowhere to be seen in the main hall.
At this hour, even the maids and servants who cleaned had retired.
However, a single candle remained lit in the main hall, waiting for Mu Changxi's return.
This was Song Chaoyu's habit; she would always leave a lamp lit in the main hall, waiting for Mu Changxi's late return. No matter how late Mu Changxi returned to the manor, seeing that candlelight would fill his heart with warmth.
But at this moment, the candlelight before Mu Changxi's eyes seemed to make his own eyes blur slightly.
His steps halted, unsure whether to proceed further.
"Your Highness, Your Highness?"
It was Xiao Ruizhi who gently called out in his ear, "Your Highness, what's wrong? Aren't we going in?"
"Go in!"
Despite his thoughts, Mu Changxi's steps moved forward again, "We have to face it, don't we, Xiao Ruizhi?"
This was the first time in his long service to Mu Changxi that Xiao Ruizhi heard such sadness in his tone.
He looked towards the manor and sighed softly, "Your Highness, please don't be sad. From what I see, everything in the manor is as it was. Perhaps the Princess hasn't left?"
He accompanied Mu Changxi further towards the back courtyard, saying as they walked, "Actually, Your Highness, I think the Princess is waiting for you in the sleeping quarters right now! Just like usual, no matter how late Your Highness returns, the Princess would leave a lamp lit for you in the sleeping quarters. The Princess loves Your Highness so deeply, naturally—"
However, before he could finish, Mu Changxi's steps stopped.
They hadn't reached the sleeping quarters yet, but they could already see them.
The direction of the sleeping quarters... was dark, without a single candle lit!
The candlelight that Song Chaoyu always left for Mu Changxi was not illuminating his way home today.
Even though the ground lanterns in the courtyard were still lit, and the starry sky was above, and the bricks and tiles were underfoot.
Mu Changxi's heart sank, bit by bit, with this unlit candle.
It was as if he were slowly falling into an ice cave, the cold and despair constantly entwining his heart.
It made him open his mouth, yet he couldn't utter a single word, as if even the breath he exhaled had become cold and despairing.