Chapter 396: Chapter 316: Marry Her Then
Min Ning was already on the road, venturing alone into the expanse between heaven and earth, leaving his old friends behind in the homeland. Chen Yi’s brows showed a trace of melancholy, but he quickly splashed cold water on it, brushing it all away. After all, it was not yet time for his departure.
"Big Sister Min wants to see you."
After checking outside upon hearing the knock, Yin Tingxue turned back and spoke to Chen Yi.
"Let her come in," Chen Yi said.
Min Ning entrusted her to Chen Yi, which showed his trust in him. Naturally, Chen Yi wouldn’t betray such trust—whether it be out of emotion or obligation, whether he liked her or not. Moreover, she was Min Ning’s closest kin. As for the unresolved debts of gratitude and grudge from the past, they were not something he could simply erase, but for the sake of the righteous Min Ning, disregarding them seemed appropriate.
As long as Min Ming didn’t act recklessly or unnecessarily again, Chen Yi wouldn’t hold much resentment. Ultimately, it was love for one extended to those associated.
Yin Tingxue led Min Ming into the room. When the latter saw Chen Yi, her breathing quickened slightly, and her seemingly boneless slender hands clenched tightly.
Chen Yi gazed at Min Ming for a while before speaking:
"Is there something you need?"
To mitigate risks from An Hou, Chen Yi had prepared an empty room in the courtyard, originally a small maid’s bedroom that had long been used as a storeroom.
Min Ming had tidied up some belongings, and today she could move in under the guise of being a maid.
Min Ming took a deep breath, her lips trembling, but nothing came out for a long, long time as if she had lost her voice.
Chen Yi waited calmly for her to speak.
If it were in the past, he might have sneeringly asked how she felt about her younger sister being lost to him.
But now, Min Ning and he were inextricably intertwined—no longer just a young couple. Asking such a question, however justified, would feel monstrous. Chen Yi couldn’t bring himself to do it, especially since he no longer cared about his grudge with Min Ming.
After a long silence, Min Ming eventually stammered out:
"Will you marry her?"
"Of course, we will," Chen Yi replied. He knew very well that he deeply loved Min Ning.
"Good... good... as long as you marry her."
At this, Min Ming inexplicably sighed in relief, then broke into tears and laughter.
Large teardrops fell to the ground as her knees gave out, and she collapsed with a thud, bowing low and gently knocking her head to the floor.
"This concubine thanks Chief of a Thousand Households for your immense kindness!"
Chen Yi watched her silently for a long while before speaking:
"Why resort to kneeling?"
Min Ming’s delicate forehead remained pressed to the ground, her backside raised like a towering slope. The tight palace attire outlined rounded curves, showcasing her feminine fragility; however, Chen Yi’s gaze scarcely held any trace of desire.
He could understand Min Ming’s worry for her younger sister.
When such a cherished relative is all that remains in the world, and you see her seemingly entrusted to the wrong person, seemingly jumping into hell itself, how could you not try to stop it?
Yet understanding aside, she had nearly caused Yin Tingxue to flee again, standing against him.
Initially, Chen Yi had considered revenge, but with time, and Min Ning’s continued actions, as well as the subtle influence of the women around him, he slowly let go.
Thus, back then, Chen Yi had said: I don’t want you anymore.
That was not an empty statement.
Even now, with Min Ming kneeling and bowing before him, Chen Yi felt no remnants of lust.
"Stand up," Chen Yi said calmly. "I don’t want to see women kneeling to me. Besides, it would be unseemly if Min Ning saw this."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yi shook his head and laughed. Min Ning had already left the capital—what did it matter whether she saw or not?
Yin Tingxue stood nearby watching this scene. Hearing Chen Yi tell Min Ming to stand, she saw her slowly rising and walked over.
"I have something to say."
After speaking to Chen Yi, she leaned in close, whispering softly by Min Ming’s ear:
"Big Sister Min, should you... offer an apology?"
An apology?
Min Ming didn’t immediately understand. Gratitude, certainly she felt grateful, but as for apologizing, she couldn’t think of anything to be sorry for.
Seeing this bewilderment, Yin Tingxue quietly reminded her:
"About what happened before."
"What happened before?"
Min Ming still seemed half perplexed, but soon she recalled what Yin Tingxue meant—the incident involving the Day Patrol Deity, her grandfather, obstructing Chen Yi. While guilt brewed in her heart, it was guilt toward Min Ning. She instinctively asked:
"Should I... apologize?"
Yin Tingxue calmly looked at her: "You schemed against him, and now you rely on him. If you don’t apologize, do you expect him to?"
Min Ming paused momentarily before comprehending, then lowered her head deeper and mumbled an apology.
Chen Yi let the words filter through one ear and out the other, his gaze drifting to Yin Tingxue. How could he not discern the young woman’s careful intentions?
She urged Min Ming to bow and apologize simply to ease the tension and cultivate harmony within this courtyard.
In that moment, she seemed exactly like a meticulous manager of the household.
...............
Outside the inner court gates of the imperial city.
"Little sister, this is as far as I can escort you. From here, you must follow the palace maids inside. Remember, when you meet Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, do not speak out of turn..."
Cui Bu halted, issuing a slew of stern instructions to Lin Wanxiao, who was dressed in plain mourning attire.
Lin Wanxiao’s expression remained calm, responding with slow acknowledgment. Over the past days, her face had thinned, making her frame appear even more delicate.
The palace maids approached from not far away, following orders from the Empress Dowager to escort Lin Wanxiao into the palace.
As Cui Bu watched, he stepped back several paces. Though he was a doctor of the Ministry of Personnel, a fifth-grade official subordinate to the Chief of Staff and Assistant Minister, he had never been summoned to meet the Empress Dowager alone. When the Heavenly Family’s envoy arrived at the Cui Mansion, he initially thought the Empress Dowager sought to discuss Ministry of Personnel affairs or intended to offer him a promotion to the inner court. In less than a quarter of an hour, he had even begun daydreaming about his future sedan chair or official attire. However, to his surprise, what the Empress Dowager wanted was Lin Wanxiao.
Lin Wanxiao had been widowed for quite some time.
The palace maids led the young widow left and right, twisting and turning until Lin Wanxiao—already somewhat dazed by her widowhood—felt wholly disoriented.
When the palace maids finally stopped, Lin Wanxiao’s half-lidded eyes fluttered as she pressed a hand to her head, her surroundings seeming to blur.
"It has been a long time, Lin Family daughter... or shall I say, Cui Family daughter."
As she crossed the threshold into Jingren Palace, her entire body stiffened.
Her fingers trembled as she slowly raised her face. The woman seated atop in phoenix robes, half-shadowed, stared down. Lin Wanxiao’s knees buckled, and under the palace maid’s careful aid, she knelt down.
"This common woman greets Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."
An Hou examined the young widow from head to toe. In mere months, the once vibrant Lin Family Young Lady had been reduced to such a fragile figure. Indeed, widowhood was the cruelest ordeal of all.
She herself had duties of governance to ward off the loneliness, but how Winter Guifei—a woman from Koryo—had survived all these years was beyond comprehension... unless, perhaps, the high-born foreigner harbored some hidden secret?
An Hou’s thoughts briefly wandered before snapping back to scrutinize Lin Wanxiao once more.
Lin Wanxiao, after all, had seen much of the world. Unlike Min Ming, she didn’t tremble uncontrollably. She quickly composed herself.
Observing this, a faintly indiscernible smile appeared on An Hou’s lips.
Lin Wanxiao waited quietly for the leader of the nation to speak.
And eventually, she heard a voice by her ear:
"These days, how many nightmares have you had?
How many times have you dreamed of that person?"