1446 A Little Too Enthusiastic
Lu Xue was Lu Tingchen and Chu Jiu’s daughter.
Sure enough, the sisters’ attention was distracted once they heard that their cousin was returning.
“Really? I haven’t seen her in ages,” Yaoyao said joyfully.
Ji’er chimed in, “Mother, when is Cousin Xue’er coming back?”
“She’s on the way. She should be arriving in another two days,” Lu Liangwei replied with a smile. On the inside, however, she felt a little sorry for her niece.
Back when Chu Jiu was about to give birth at the frontier, a Danjue spy broke into the military camp and ran into her. During the ensuing fight, Chu Jiu experienced miscarriage-like symptoms and was even stabbed by the spy.
Fortunately, Mother was present on that day as she had calculated Chu Jiu’s due date and traveled there to help her deliver the baby. If it were not for that, Chu Jiu would have lost her life. It was not hard to imagine how frail a child born in such a situation would turn out to be.
Over the years, Lu Liangwei and her mother managed to improve Lu Xue’s health by trying all kinds of methods.
However, the child was still weak and sickly, and she grew all the more so whenever winter came.
As it was already autumn, Grandmother sent servants to escort her back.
When Long Yin heard that Chu Qi was about to move out of the palace, he set his schoolwork aside and hurried to the imperial study out of worry for Ji’er.
He had not expected to be greeted with this news about his cousin upon stepping into the imperial study.
A faint smile spread across his face, which was the spitting image of Long Yang. “Mother, is Cousin Xue’er coming back?”
“Yes. She should be arriving in another two days,” Lu Liangwei answered. Because of Lu Xue’s poor health, her three children were extremely protective of her. “I know you all miss her. When she comes back, I’ll bring her to the palace and let her stay here for a few days.”
“All right.” Long Yin nodded, his face glowing with joy.
Long Yang eyed him suspiciously. Was his kid not being a little too enthusiastic about Lu Xue?
…
After moving out of Auspicious Palace, Chu Qi left the imperial palace and moved into the residence awarded to him by Long Yang.
When Ji’er returned to Auspicious Palace, the wing that Chu Qi used to occupy was already empty. Everything that belonged to him had been cleared out without leaving behind a single trace—it was as if the place had never been inhabited at all.
She stood in the vacant wing, feeling a little lost.
Lil Qi had been away for a whole year after Father sent him to conquer Southern Xinjiang, but during that time, his belongings were still here, which gave her reassurance that he could return anytime.
Now, however, everything that belonged to him was gone without a trace. Although he was still in the imperial capital, he seemed so far away from her.
Chang observed her in concern.
She did not understand why Chu Qi had decided to leave the palace just a few days after returning from Southern Xinjiang.
Given Ji’er’s attachment to him, what was going to become of her now that he was gone?
“Mother Chang, did Lil Qi leave any message before he left?” Just then, Ji’er turned and asked Chang.
Chang shook her head. “No. He left in quite a hurry.” It was the truth. When Lil Qi had returned with servants to move his belongings, she asked him the reason for his sudden leaving, but he remained silent. In the end, his only message was for her to take care of Ji’er and nothing else.
Lil Qi had very few possessions, so it was not long before they were all removed.
It was as if he was determined to break off relations.
She wondered what prompted Lil Qi to make a decision like this out of the blue.
Seeing Ji’er’s downcast face, she sighed inwardly and said, “Lil Qi said you can visit him whenever you’re free.”
