The two exchanged a smile, looking like old friends.
Zhao Shuning instinctively reached out her hand, wanting to ruffle Gu Zhiruo's hair. But after a moment's thought, she withdrew it.
The little kid of the past had now grown into a responsible ruler of a country. It was worth all the painstaking teachings she had given him back then.
"Sister Ling—"
"Yes?"
"You don't need to be deliberately distant from me. In my heart, you'll always be my family."
"You've finally grown up."
"Even if I've grown up, in Sister Ling's heart and in front of you, I'll always be a kid, right?"
"Maybe."
But you're no longer those kids from back then. Now you're scattered across the Nine - Continent Continent, each having grown.
"Sister Ling, what are you going to do next?"
"Go to the Eastern Continent."
"The Eastern Continent?"
"That's Xiaoyuer's real hometown. I have something important to do there. I'll leave after your aura stabilizes."
"Has Dongfang also returned to the Eastern Continent?"
"No. I heard that people from the Dongfang Family once invited him to the Qingyun Country, but he refused."
The two chatted casually. Although Gu Zhiruo was reluctant to part, once Zhao Shuning made a decision, he couldn't stop her back then, and now he didn't have the ability to do so either.
"Sister Ling, if you need the Cangwu Country to do anything for you, you can just—"
"Kid, you don't need to say these words to me. If that day really comes, you don't need to do anything for me. Saving you back then was just a piece of cake. You don't need to remember it so deeply."
Gu Zhiruo shook his head firmly.
"Sister Ling, back then when you needed us, we weren't by your side. This has always been a thorn in our hearts. If such a thing happens again in the future, even if it means flying into the fire like a moth, we'll surely rush to your side."
Flying into the fire like a moth? Maybe it really was.
Zhao Shuning stroked Gu Zhiruo's hair and thought that the child in front of her had truly grown up.
"There's a daughter in the Xu Family named Xu Yue'er. I quite like this girl."
Gu Zhiruo looked puzzled.
Zhao Shuning continued, "I'm just giving a suggestion. It still depends on your own will."
"Sister Ling—"
"By the way, I found a silver plate in the palace walls."
"Silver plate?" What was that?
"I'm going to take it away."
"If Sister Ling needs it, just take it. You don't need to inform me specifically."
"You don't even know what the silver plate is for, yet you agree to let me take it?"
"It doesn't matter whether I need it or not. But if Sister Ling needs it, then it belongs to you."
Zhao Shuning couldn't help but smile.
"I take back what I said about you growing up. Your current personality isn't much different from when you were a kid."
"Sister Ling, what about Xia Wanning—"
"She's received all the punishments she deserves. In her later years, she won't live a comfortable life."
"Does Sister know everything?"
Zhao Shuning nodded. Her expression was a bit sorrowful. For Xia Wanning, the thing she couldn't forgive the most was about Ji Qinglin.
Such a pure - hearted Ji Qinglin died in the hands of the woman he loved the most. Just imagining that kind of pain made Zhao Shuning feel unbearable.
"Forget it. Let's not talk about them. Except for her, I'm very satisfied with each of you kids. You've all done a great job."
Gu Zhiruo looked absent - minded.
"I'm useless. All these years, I've relied on Sister Ling's care."
"Are you talking about the matter of Master Banyue?"
"Yes."
"The noble person Master Banyue mentioned should be you, Sister Ling, right?"
Zhao Shuning nodded understandingly. After talking to Gu Zhiruo for a while, she was about to go out to look for some spiritual herbs.
Gu Zhiruo's aura was only temporarily stable. If there was a slight mistake, he might still lose his life. She couldn't leave now. She could only minimize Gu Zhiruo's injuries as much as possible.
In the palace, thanks to Zhao Shuning's arrangements, although the ruler wasn't in the palace, in the former court, Grand Tutor Xu, Old Miao, and some loyal old officials were taking care of things. In the harem, Xu Yue'er was handling things in an orderly manner.
This military rebellion made the people of the Cangwu Country see Old Miao, who was illiterate but had the benevolence of a doctor, and also witnessed Xu Yue'er, the daughter of the grand tutor, being calm and self - composed, as well as decisive and resolute when handling harem affairs.
A palace rebellion had changed people's hearts greatly.
When Xu Yue'er finished dealing with some matters in the harem, she leaned on the wooden railing, deep in thought.
Her father had probably told her everything that had happened that night. Regarding Concubine Mei Xuan, although her father didn't say anything, the news in the palace couldn't be kept that tight. After several inquiries, Xu Yue'er knew the general situation.
Concubine Mei Xuan had always been the woman she respected the most. Xu Yue'er used to think that Concubine Mei Xuan was the most suitable woman for the ruler. She was beautiful and talented, gentle - tempered, and dignified. She was a height that Xu Yue'er could never reach.
But such a person had also made mistakes, and it was a huge mistake that the world couldn't tolerate.
The ruler was such a good person. How could Concubine Mei Xuan be so cruel as to do so many things to let him down?
"Miss Xu, all the miscellaneous affairs in the harem have been organized into a register. You need to deal with them."
"Okay."
Xu Yue'er pulled herself out of her thoughts and walked towards the room for handling harem affairs. When passing by the garden, she heard some little palace maids whispering. Hearing them mention her name, she couldn't help but stop.
"Looking at Miss Xu's current situation, she might be the next ruler's wife."
"It's hard to say. You know, handling harem affairs wasn't personally assigned by the ruler. It was the woman like a goddess who appeared that night."
"True. We don't even know what her identity is. The grand tutor actually respects her so much."
"And Old Miao beside the grand tutor, who is now the head of the Imperial Hospital, is also very respectful to that woman."
"Not only that. I heard that even the ruler doesn't dare to say a single word against her."
"So, that woman should be the ruler's next wife?"
"It's hard to say—"
"Cough, cough, cough—"
An older palace maid caught a glimpse of Xu Yue'er's clothes and quickly coughed to remind them. The little palace maids knelt down in a hurry upon hearing this.
"Miss Xu, these kids are ignorant. Please don't take their words to heart."
Xu Yue'er just shook her head with a smile.
"Auntie, don't worry. I didn't hear anything just now." Then she nodded to them and stepped into the room.
The moment the door closed, the smile on her face disappeared.
The woman like a heavenly goddess? Was it her? Other than her, Xu Yue'er really couldn't think of anyone else who had the ability to save the ruler from the depths of misery.
"If it's really her, I'm even less qualified to compete with her."
She forced a smile and cheered herself up.
"There are still a bunch of things to deal with. I can't let the ruler come back and still face these miscellaneous affairs."