Chapter 650 - 653: Entering the Palace
Madam He was having tea and chatting idly with a group of madams and young ladies.
The room was abuzz with the lively chatter of women.
When the butler suddenly hurried in, everyone stopped talking.
Madam He set down her teacup. "Is something wrong?"
The butler walked to her side, whispered a few words, and then handed her a handkerchief.
Madam He took the handkerchief and looked at it. It was indeed Princess Rouwan’s.
She gave everyone an apologetic smile.
"My apologies, something has come up at home. I must step away for a moment."
Everyone expressed their understanding.
Madam He rose and gracefully walked out of the flower hall.
As she walked, she spoke to the butler.
"Bring the person to me."
"Yes, Madam."
...
The gatekeeper quickly went and returned. He opened the main gate and said politely,
"This way, miss."
Hua Manman stepped over the high threshold and into the Zhong’an Bo Mansion.
She looked around as she walked, noticing that the mansion had barely changed. It was just as it had been, but there were more unfamiliar faces, likely new staff hired in recent years.
She found Madam He in the Octagonal Pavilion.
After six years, Madam He looked much older. Even though she was meticulously dressed today, she couldn’t hide the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
If one looked closely, one could even spot a few strands of silver in her hair.
’She’s only in her forties, yet she already has white hair.’
Hua Manman felt a bitter pang in her heart.
Madam He sized her up. "Who are you? Why would Princess Rouwan send you to find me?"
Hua Manman took a deep breath, trying to suppress the sorrow welling up inside her.
She curtsied and slowly explained her purpose.
"I am actually one of the Regent King’s people.
It is inconvenient for the Regent King to return to the capital at this time, so he sent me to escort Princess Rouwan and the young prince to his side.
However, I was only able to find Princess Rouwan, not the young prince.
I heard the young prince has entered the palace. Having no other choice, I came to seek help from you, Madam."
At the mention of the Regent King, Madam He’s expression changed slightly.
She raised a hand, and the maids who had been standing behind her all withdrew from the pavilion, keeping their distance.
Now, no one could overhear their conversation.
Madam He asked sternly, "Where is the Regent King now?"
Hua Manman: "He has gone to Lingnan. For now, all is well."
Madam He let out a small sigh of relief. "It’s good that he’s safe."
Because of Manman’s death, Madam He held much resentment toward the Regent King. But he was, after all, Gou Dan’s biological father, and for Gou Dan’s sake, she did not want anything to happen to him.
Madam He asked in a low voice, "How do you want me to help you?"
Hua Manman: "I want to enter the Imperial Palace. Once I find the young prince, I will take him and leave the palace secretly."
Madam He frowned in thought.
"Getting into the palace isn’t difficult. The hard part is getting Gou Dan out. He’s living with Princess Consort Zhen now, and I hear she’s very protective of him. She certainly won’t let him go easily."
Hua Manman: "I have my own ways to handle that. I only need your help to get into the palace."
Without much hesitation, Madam He agreed at once.
"Alright. You will come with me to the palace tomorrow."
Hua Manman was immensely grateful. "Thank you, Madam!"
Madam He: "If you truly want to thank me, then please deliver Gou Dan safely to the Regent King’s side. That child has already lost his mother; he cannot lose his father too."
A wave of sorrow washed over Hua Manman’s heart as she nodded in agreement.
"I swear I will reunite father and son!"
Madam He had someone arrange a guest room for Hua Manman and also had a maid’s outfit prepared according to her measurements.
After settling Hua Manman in, Madam He returned to entertain her guests.
Alone in the guest room, Hua Manman recalled the silver strands in Madam He’s hair and couldn’t help but sigh.
"I’m the one who has let her down."
The Three-colored Cat, which was wandering around the room with its tail held high, let out a meow.
MEOW!
System: "Madam He isn’t your real mother."
Hua Manman: "But she is a good mother. In my heart, there’s no difference between her and a real mother."
The system didn’t quite understand human emotions and could only let out another meow.
Hua Manman lay back on the bed, her hands pillowed behind her head, and lamented sincerely,
"I actually find it quite regrettable. Why couldn’t I have been Madam He’s biological daughter?"
Compared to her mother in modern society, Madam He was much closer to her ideal of what a mother should be.
The Three-colored Cat leaped onto the bed and curled up beside her.
Its long tail swept across her body.
System: "Go to sleep. You can have anything you want in your dreams."
...
「The next morning」 Madam He entered the palace on the pretext of visiting her daughter and grandson.
Hua Manman, disguised as a maid, followed behind Madam He.
The two left the Zhong’an Bo Mansion and took a carriage to the Imperial Palace.
Hua Manman asked in a low voice,
"Madam, you haven’t told anyone else about me, have you?"
Madam He knew what she was worried about and replied calmly, "Rest assured, I haven’t told a soul. Not even Mr. Bo knows about this."
Hua Manman smiled. "That’s for the best."
’From what I know of Elder Zhong’an, that man can’t be trusted.’
’If he were told anything, he would surely cause trouble later on.’
On this point, Madam He shared her opinion.
The carriage stopped before the palace gates.
When the gate guards saw that the visitor was the madam of the Zhong’an Bo Mansion, they immediately and politely let them pass.
After entering the palace, they could no longer ride in the carriage.
Madam He and Hua Manman had to proceed on foot.
The two walked all the way to the entrance of Yufu Palace.
A little eunuch was already waiting outside the gate. Seeing Madam He, he immediately hurried over to greet her eagerly.
"Madam, you’ve finally arrived! The Noble Consort has been waiting for you for a long time. Please, come in."
Madam He led Hua Manman into Yufu Palace.
Hua Manman kept her head bowed the entire time, appearing perfectly obedient.
They crossed the courtyard along a pebble path.
Suddenly, they heard someone shout.
"Young Master, come down from there!"
Madam He and Hua Manman stopped at the same time and looked toward the sound.
In the distance, two little eunuchs stood beneath a large tree, running around it in circles, frantic with worry.
A small figure was climbing up the tree trunk.
Even without seeing his face, just from the back, Hua Manman recognized him in a single glance. It was her son, Gou Dan!
Hua Manman’s heart pounded with excitement.
’I can’t believe I’ve found Gou Dan so soon.’
’This is going much more smoothly than I expected!’
Madam He also recognized Gou Dan and hurried over, calling out.
"Gou Dan, what are you doing? Come down right now!"
Li Xun had been ignoring the eunuchs’ shouts, but upon hearing his grandmother’s voice, he immediately stopped climbing and twisted his head to look down.
But his gaze fell not only on his grandmother but also on his mother, standing right behind her!
Overcome with shock and joy, Li Xun quickly slid down the tree trunk.
It wasn’t his first time climbing a tree; his movements were very practiced.
In just a moment, he landed steadily on the ground.
Seeing him safe and sound, the two little eunuchs let out a long sigh of relief.
Madam He was about to scold her grandson and tell him not to climb trees anymore.
Before the words could leave her mouth, however, she saw him running straight toward her, a joyful, surprised smile on his face.
The scolding on the tip of Madam He’s tongue was instantly swallowed back down.
’Oh, forget it. Boys will be boys. It’s fine for them to be a little mischievous.’