In the imperial palace of Cangwu Kingdom.
In Chengxun Hall.
Gu Hanxun was dealing with the important affairs of the court.
Someone came to report from outside.
It was said that the commander of the imperial guards failed to send the person to the execution ground, and the army had returned.
The reporter also said that Deputy Envoy Qi and Lord Shadow had escorted a carriage into the palace.
There was not the slightest ripple between Gu Hanxun's eyebrows.
The reporter withdrew.
After a while.
The chief eunuch of the palace servants also rushed over.
As soon as he saw Gu Hanxun, he knelt down quickly.
"Your Majesty, the Queen has returned."
Gu Hanxun, who was correcting the memorials, didn't react, and his pen didn't pause at all.
But if you got closer.
You would find that his strokes were in a complete mess. On the memorial, there were only two words densely written - Ningning.
Gu Hanxun frowned tightly.
His hands seemed to be trembling.
He put down the writing brush in his hand tremblingly.
The ink drop on the tip of his nose fell on the memorial, smudging a circle of ink.
"Your Majesty?"
"She, is she really back?"
The chief eunuch lowered his head and replied, "Yes."
Gu Hanxun's eyes felt sour, and his tears welled up in his eyes.
"Where is she?"
"Deputy Envoy Qi and Lord Shadow are escorting the Queen here to Chengxun Hall."
Gu Hanxun stood up quickly.
His clothes were a bit in a mess. He quickly called the palace servants to bring him a neat and clean robe.
He stood in the study, and his mood couldn't calm down for a long time.
Was it really her?
Was she really back?
There were footsteps outside the hall.
Gu Hanxun wanted to stand up, but then sat down again. He was so restless. He really wanted to rush out to see if she was really back.
But in the end, he suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and sat down.
They entered the hall.
Gu Hanxun looked up.
At this look, he couldn't help but feel extremely disappointed.
In the main hall, the two people standing there were Qi Yue and Shadow respectively. There was not the slightest sign of Ningning.
Gu Hanxun's disappointment came in an instant.
"Come here, drag that chief eunuch out and behead him."
"Your Majesty, please spare my life, please spare my life, Your Majesty."
"Your Highness, wait a moment."
Shadow said quickly.
"What?"
"The Queen did come back with us. Moreover, she brought Nanny Lan back. But once Nanny Lan got close to Chengxun Hall, she would always tremble involuntarily. The Queen had no choice but to send Nanny Lan back to Xinzheku first."
"She went back to Xinzheku?"
"Yes. Your Majesty needn't worry. Your subordinate has sent quite a few guards to follow the Queen. She will definitely not be wronged."
"Prepare the carriage. I'm going to Xinzheku."
"Your Majesty, you mustn't."
"Why not?"
"The Queen said that you don't need to look for her. After she settles Nanny Lan down, she will come to you."
"Really—?"
Gu Hanxun's hands were still trembling slightly.
He originally wanted to take a sip of tea to calm his nerves.
But when the teacup was in his hand, the tea overflowed continuously because of the trembling of his hands. Gu Hanxun had no choice but to put the teacup down.
It had been almost four years.
Really almost four years.
During these nearly four years.
He had thought about it countless times.
He had also met her countless times in his dreams.
Gu Hanxun had regretted and worked hard, but there was no medicine for regret in the world. They couldn't go back to the old days.
Every time he saw the two wooden sticks placed in the room, Gu Hanxun would always think of Zhao Shuning with dark eye circles, who had given him the elixir.
Since she left.
Until the second year, he sent a purple ling grass to Changkong Academy every month. Under the purple ling grass, there was also a medicinal herb called Chinese angelica.
He wanted to tell her that he hadn't forgotten the kindness of her giving him the cultivation elixir back then. If she was willing to come back, he would surely treat her well.
He had been waiting.
Now, had he finally waited for her to come back?
At this time, Zhao Shuning brought Nanny Lan back to Xinzheku.
She found the room of the person in charge where Nanny Lan used to live. Now, another woman had moved into that room.
The woman wasn't very old.
But she was extremely mean and vicious.
As soon as Zhao Shuning pushed the door open, the woman's whip had already lashed over. Fortunately, Zhao Shuning reacted quickly, so the whip didn't hit her and Nanny Lan in the face.
Zhao Shuning grabbed the whip.
She gave it a hard tug and pulled the woman to the ground.
"How dare you! Who are you? I was going to beat you, but you even dared to fight back. I'm a subordinate of Deputy Envoy Qi. If you offend me, you'll probably never get along well in this palace."
Zhao Shuning ignored the woman. Instead, she helped Nanny Lan to the bedside.
She let Nanny Lan lie down first.
When the woman saw this, she got extremely anxious and roared.
"That's the brocade I just found from outside the palace. You lowly wretch. Don't dirty my place."
The woman struggled to get up.
She rushed towards Zhao Shuning and the others.
Zhao Shuning didn't make a move.
Because she knew that she was in the imperial palace of Cangwu Kingdom. There were hundreds and thousands of eyes staring at her. Someone would surely make a move.
Sure enough.
The next moment.
There was a crisp clicking sound from the woman's knees. Before the woman reached Zhao Shuning, she knelt down directly.
"Your Majesty the Queen, you've been frightened."
Five guards were kneeling outside the room.
No matter how many times Zhao Shuning had emphasized with them, their address for her remained the same.
"Come here. This arrogant slave has offended the Queen. Take this slave away immediately."
Zhao Shuning watched as those people dragged the woman with a pale face in front of her away without saying a word.
"Your Majesty the Queen, if you've settled Nanny Lan down, please go to Chengxun Hall quickly. His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."
"I see."
Zhao Shuning stood up.
"Nanny Lan, you have a good rest. I'll come back to see you later."
Nanny Lan nodded.
Perhaps she was too tired. After saying that, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Zhao Shuning went out with those people.
She walked towards Chengxun Hall.
Before she reached Chengxun Hall, she saw Gu Hanxun waiting at the entrance of the main hall with many palace servants.
Time had passed by, just like in the old days.
When Concubine Xiao had taken her out of Xinzheku, Gu Hanxun had also been waiting at the entrance. The only difference was that back then he had been sitting in a wheelchair, but now, he was standing upright with his legs.
Gu Hanxun had been looking forward to this for a long time.
When he saw Zhao Shuning appear for the first time, he still couldn't hold back his emotions.
Zhao Shuning stood opposite him.
He looked at her.
His voice was a bit choked.
"You're back."
Gu Hanxun used the words "come back", but Zhao Shuning had never regarded Cangwu Kingdom as her home.
"I'm here to ask you for a favor."
Gu Hanxun said, "You must be tired. I've had people prepare a lot of your favorite pastries. Let's go in first and then talk, okay?"
Zhao Shuning didn't say a word.
Gu Hanxun stretched out his hand.
"Come on. I'll take you in."
"Gu Hanxun."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"I'm not your wife."