Chapter 12
The candlelight in the upper room was bright, as if it were daytime. A beautiful girl stood under the lamp, with a smile on her face and an indescribable beauty in her eyes.
Concubine Han looked at the girl in front of her, sitting on the couch, and was stunned for a few moments, unable to say a word.
On the other hand, Nanny Chen, who was opposite, quickly smoothed things over with a smile and said, "Toffee, it's our little Highness who is back. You must be extremely happy."
After being called out by Nanny Chen, Concubine Han suddenly came back to her senses as if she was in another world, but she subconsciously asked: "Why are you back?"
As soon as these words came out, the faces of all the maids and maids in the room looked like they didn't know what to do.
Chunxi and Tinghe, who were standing behind, both had dissatisfaction in their eyes.
They all didn't expect that the first thing the concubine said was this.
On the contrary, Xie Lingyu looked at Concubine Han with a calm expression and did not feel any surprise at all. She could even explain with a slight smile: "Mom, this serious illness has made me realize that I live alone in Shangyang Palace and spend very little time with my mother. I'm so young, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to be at my mother's knees in the future."
When these words were spoken, all the listeners present felt deeply panicked.
Concubine Han frowned even more and whispered: "You are still young, how can you say such depressing words."
It's just that her tone was a bit harsh, making it hard to tell that she was concerned about her daughter. Instead, it seemed more like a reproach.
As a result, Nanny Chen was so busy that she spoke cautiously: "Your Highness, the concubine really cares about you. Although you were not allowed to go because you were seriously ill, she still wanted to send people three times a day to inquire about your condition. After the imperial doctor Cao returned to the palace, , the concubine even went to the Queen Mother's Palace in person to inquire about your condition."
Grandma Chen's change of words caused Concubine Han to realize that what she just said was too harsh.
"You are my only child. How can I not be anxious when I hear you say such things?" Concubine Han's voice softened now.
Xie Lingyu then said slowly: "I'm sorry, mother, but it's my daughter who is ignorant and makes you worry."
Interrupted by Xie Lingyu's words, Concubine Han could only give up and continue to ask why she suddenly returned to Chang'an.
If you ask again, it will appear that Concubine Han does not have a motherly heart.
It can be seen that sometimes, preemptive strike does work.
Xie Lingyu directly brought up the matter of her serious illness before her mother attacked, and the reason why she secretly returned to Chang'an was on Chunxiao's side.
It also completely cut off the opportunity for her mother to send her back to Shangyang Palace again.
Although it is impossible for Xie Lingyu to go back now.
Sure enough, after hearing what she said, Concubine Han seemed to accept it and said softly: "It's good that you come back. In fact, I originally wanted to have someone take you back to my house after you recover."
Xie Lingyu almost laughed. She didn't know that her mother still wanted her to come back.
After all, the reply He Lanfang brought back to her a few days ago was that the concubine felt that now was not a good time for her to return to Chang'an.
"Thank you, mother, for thinking about her. Now that my daughter is back, she can stay with her mother every day and fulfill her filial piety."
Xie Lingyu's temperament is actually impatient with such hypocrisy and coercion, but after all, she is his biological mother, so she still has to put some thought into it.
Seeing how filial motherly and filial they were, Grandma Chen couldn't help but smile and said: "Princess, Your Highness came back unexpectedly and must have not had dinner yet. Why don't you hurry up and ask someone to pass on the meal? Your Highness returned to Chang'an after a day of traveling. He must have been exhausted."
After being reminded like this, Concubine Han came to her senses and immediately ordered people to prepare dinner.
Xie Lingyu watched with cold eyes. There were some things that he had not thought about in detail. Now that he was out of the way, he realized that something was wrong.
Compared to her mother and concubine, Grandma Chen did everything properly.
It's a pity that she never saw it through before.
At this time, Concubine Han looked at the people still standing in the room, and then she remembered to say: "Stop standing now, sit down and rest for a while."
Xie Lingyu walked over casually and sat down next to Concubine Han.
It seems that she should be sitting in that position.
Zhang Hanning, who was behind him, saw that the place where he usually sat was taken by someone else. He didn't dare to complain at all, so he just lowered his head and sat down at the lower position.
At this time, Concubine Han looked at Zhang Hanning and said with a gentle face: "Yu'er, I guess you haven't met Hanning yet. This is your aunt's cousin and she lives in the house now."
Xie Lingyu's black eyes, as clear as glass, finally fell on Zhang Hanning coldly.
This was the first time that she looked at the other person seriously.
Although they have met countless times in previous lives, this is indeed the first time they have met.
It's funny to say that compared to her biological daughter, Zhang Hanning looks more like Concubine Han. It's obvious that her mother is just Concubine Han's concubine's sister.
Concubine Han became Princess Yongning not because of her outstanding appearance, but because she was born in the Han family of Nanyang.
She is a noble lady with a graceful temperament. Even though she is now a widowed concubine, she does not show her age. She looks like a beauty that has been preserved by the years.
On the other hand, although Zhang Hanning looks a bit like Concubine Han, her background is very different and she is not very calm and calm.
At this time, she was sitting at the bottom and felt even more embarrassed when Xie Lingyu looked at her twice.
"I've just seen it," Xie Lingyu's voice sounded like jade.
Concubine Han now remembered that they had entered the house together just now, so she asked with a smile: "But we met when we were admitted to the hospital just now. It seems that you sisters are destined to be together."
Tinghe, who was standing next to him at the moment, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
She couldn't wait to clear up the relationship for her Highness.
Who the hell, the concubine dares to let her and His Highness call her sisters.
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Hanning, who was sitting upright, suddenly stood up and knelt on the ground.
She moved, and the long silk fabric hanging on her shoulders floated, and then followed her kneeling figure, dragging it on the ground, looking pitifully weak.
"Please forgive me, aunt and your highness." Zhang Hanning's voice was slightly choked.
Concubine Han was caught off guard by her move and couldn't help but asked with concern: "Han Ning, what's going on? Why does Hao Duanduan have to kneel down."
"Just now, when I met His Highness on the street, the maid next to me didn't know His Highness's identity and actually bumped into His Highness. I failed to control the maid, so I asked my aunt and Your Highness to punish me."
After hearing this, Concubine Han had a disapproving smile on her face: "What do I think it is? You have never met Yu'er since you came to Chang'an. It would not be surprising even if you didn't recognize her when you met on the street."
These words were too obviously biased, which made Zhang Hanning feel slightly relieved in his heart.
She was afraid before that because her biological daughter was back, her aunt would no longer care about her niece who showed up halfway.
"Okay, get up. We are a family together. We don't have to kneel down easily."
Concubine Han gestured to the maid next to her to help Zhang Hanning up.
Just as the maid was about to walk over, Xie Lingyu, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly raised her eyelashes that were drooping indifferently, fell on the kneeling Zhang Hanning, and said word by word: "It's more than that."
Her tone was not questioning, but there was a sense of oppression that people did not dare to despise.
Even the maid next to the concubine stopped, wondering if she should step forward to help Zhang Hanning up at this moment.
"More than that?" Concubine Han was a little confused.
With a status like Xie Lingyu's, it was natural that she would not speak in person.
She raised her hand slightly and made a gesture, and Tinghe behind her immediately understood.
Tinghe took a step forward and saluted Concubine Han: "Greetings to Concubine Han. My maid is Tinghe who is serving His Highness. What happened today was my personal experience."
So Tinghe almost knocked her down on the street by Zhang Hanning's motorcade, and the other party even threw down a handful of copper coins to humiliate her. When they met again at the gate of the palace, his attitude was even more arrogant and domineering. After a few words of discord, he threatened to send her to Jinwu Guard.
In the end, the guards on both sides drew their knives.
Although Ting He was particularly angry, when he reported back to Concubine Han, he was very honest and did not add any jealousy.
"Taifei, this servant is blind and did not recognize the driver of His Highness's car, so he bumped into His Highness. Please give me a punishment," Xiao Man had already been frightened to the point of weakening his legs. Before he could finish what He said, he had already knelt down. beg for mercy.
Zhang Hanning looked at her like this and said hurriedly: "Auntie, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have gone out casually. If you want to be punished, just punish me."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Han immediately showed a distressed expression: "What's wrong with you? It was my permission for you to go out today."
These words obviously seemed to be excusing Zhang Hanning.
As expected, Concubine Han turned to look at Xie Lingyu and said softly: "Your sister will have haircut in more than a month. It was my mother who asked her to go out to look at hairpin rings and jewelry. Well, on your first day home, don't worry about it. These things are not pleasant. Since I am your sister's maid, I can leave it to her to discipline you. Besides, it is just a quarrel between two maids."
In Concubine Han's opinion, it was just a few quarrels between Xiaoman and Tinghe.
It's not worth mobilizing troops and crowds like this.
Tinghe's eyes widened in disbelief. She was His Highness's maid, and Xiaoman was slapping His Highness in the face by humiliating her like this. How could the concubine let her off so lightly?
How could the concubine be so partial to this little lady Zhang?
Xie Lingyu's expression was calm from beginning to end, as if he had not sensed the concubine's partiality.
Or perhaps, she has long been accustomed to this kind of partiality, and is even not surprised.
She really didn't understand her previous life, because her mother always told her that Zhang Hanning's life experience was miserable and she was just a little orphan without a father and mother. In the future, she would at most be given a generous dowry to marry her off. yes.
And she is the real owner of the palace, and she should be lenient to others.
Naturally, he wanted to treat his cousin who was a guest in the palace favorably.
Xie Lingyu was indeed as generous as Concubine Han hoped. After all, she already had the most noble status that a woman in this world could have. She really shouldn't care about a little Zhang Hanning.
But just because she gave in and didn't care about anything, her relationship with her mother ended up being cold.
Her mother, however, remained silent towards Zhang Hanning.
All the tender affection she did not enjoy from Concubine Han was taken away by Zhang Hanning.
Seeing that Xie Lingyu still refused to let go and did not let Zhang Hanning stand up, Concubine Han also looked a little worried: "I know that this servant should not rush into you today..."
"Mother." Xie Lingyu suddenly shouted.
Concubine Han's words were interrupted suddenly, and she could only look at Xie Lingyu blankly.
The girl sat upright with her thin back, turned her head and glanced at the kneeling person, and then said slowly: "Mother, it is not a problem if she bumps into me today. After all, she is a maid who lives in our palace. Even if she were to be punished, it would be done behind closed doors.”
She said the word "guest residence" very calmly, without deliberately emphasizing it.
It's like passing by casually.
Zhang Hanning, who was kneeling, clutched her hand tightly. The reason why she took the initiative to admit her mistake was because she wanted to use the concubine's consistent love for her to turn this matter into a minor matter.
After living in the palace for so long, she knew that the concubine would definitely speak for her.
But the word "visiting" still touched the deepest worry in her heart.
No matter how much she is liked by the concubine, she is just an outsider living here.
"If the noble family next to me were replaced today, and she was so domineering, would others think that I, Prince Yongning, behaved like this?" Did you send me to Shangyang Palace? To this day, the censors at the Censorship Station are waiting for us, Yongning Palace, to make a mistake."
Concubine Han was so shocked by her words that she froze on the couch.
How could she forget that when Xie Lingyu inherited the throne, there was a flood of opposition in the court.
It was precisely to preserve the throne that she asked Xie Lingyu to live in seclusion in Shangyang Palace and keep a low profile.
So Xie Lingyu kept a low profile and stayed in Shangyang Palace day after day.
Xie Lingyu lowered his eyelashes slightly, hiding a hint of sarcasm in his eyes.
Nowadays, she is no longer the innocent girl who wants to be loved by her mother. She thinks that as long as she keeps giving in, her mother will understand her efforts and be willing to treat her tenderly.
Until she slowly turned her head and looked at Xiaoman who was kneeling on the ground.
"Prince Yongning's Mansion cannot keep you."
Zhang Hanning did not expect that Xie Lingyu would use such thunderous methods as soon as he came back and directly expel the maid next to her from the palace. She looked at Concubine Han pleadingly.
But before Concubine Han could speak, Xie Lingyu spoke again.
The girl's voice was very soft and cold: "How can I let others break the rules that I even have to abide by?"
