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  Ming Xuan opened her eyes to see the old, faded sky-blue canopy hanging down from the eaves. She felt as if she was in a dream and couldn't help but turn her head around, shocked to discover that this was actually the small house in the backyard of Baiyun An. The familiar layout, simple furnishings, even the paintings on the walls were exactly the same, it was exactly the room she had stayed in two months ago.

  A gentle voice sounded beside her ear, "Xuan Jie, wake up?"

  Yuan Hui carried the medicine bowl into the house, saw Ming Xuan trying to sit up, and quickly put down the tray in her hand. She went over to help her place a pillow behind her back, and softly comforted her, saying, "It's just that you caught a chill, drinking a bowl of hot ginger tea will drive out the cold and it'll be fine. Fortunately, the wound on your neck isn't deep, using some ointment for a few days will heal it."

  She handed over the medicine bowl, helping Ming Xuan drink it down, with a few parts of doting and scolding on her face. "Zhen Ge is messing around, that pool is deep, but there are many hidden reefs at the bottom, he didn't suffer from this when he was young, but now he's not light or heavy, playing such jokes. Xuan Jie, don't be angry, he has always been obedient and rarely so naughty, I've already scolded him, in the future he will definitely not do it again."

  Ming Xuan's eyes flashed with a few threads of confusion, "Chen Ge'er? Mischievous?"

  Is she talking about Pei Jingchen? Her face changed slightly, and she suddenly remembered the scenes before. No wonder, she was afraid that Han Xiu would be unfavorable to Pei Jingchen, so she pulled him down together. She only remembered seeing Han Xiu's painful face, but she had no impression of what happened afterwards.

  She wouldn't have appeared in the quiet room of the nunnery for no reason, so it must be that Pei Jingchen had sent her over.

  But this is Yu Zhen Shitai's forbidden land. Outsiders are not allowed to enter, so why did Yuan Hui mention that person with such an expression and such intimacy? She called him Zhen Ge...

  Ming Xuan slightly raised her head, with a puzzled expression in her eyes, and asked, "Master Yuanhui, are you the master of the Pei family?"

  Yuan Hui smiled and said, "I was the personal maid of Brother Chen's mother in the past. Thanks to Brother Chen for not abandoning me, he calls me Auntie."

  She suddenly let out a soft sigh and walked to the portrait in the corner of the wall. She stretched out her hand, with some nostalgia, gently stroking the jade face of the woman in the painting. "When the princess left, I promised her that I would take good care of Prince Chen. Unfortunately, being outside the red dust, everything is helpless. Yang's family has ulterior motives, and Prince Chen is in danger everywhere. The days spent in that mansion were very difficult, but fortunately, there will be someone by his side in the future to accompany him. I can also put down all worldly attachments and follow Shifu together with the ancient Buddha."

  Ming Xuan stared blankly at the painting of a lady pinning flowers. The first time she saw this painting, she felt that the woman in it looked familiar. It turned out to be a portrait of Yongjia County's main mother, Pei Jingxun's mother, Yu Zhen Shitai's beloved and cherished younger generation was her, this house was also her room, which can explain how Pei Jingxun sent her to the nunnery.

  It seemed like a fragment flashed through her mind, and her face suddenly changed. She opened her mouth, trembling slightly, and asked, "Master Yuanhui, did the young master of the Pei family jump from the medicine hut behind Qingliang Temple when he was a child?"

  Yuān Huì smiled and nodded. Her expression was warm and gentle, "The first time was an accidental fall, and she got hurt in several places. Later, Shī Tàizhě discovered that the hot spring water was constantly flowing and surging, which seemed to be very good for the body, so she let her jump into the water and soak frequently to strengthen her body. If it were an ordinary person who wasn't familiar with the underwater currents and rocky collisions, even if they didn't die, they would definitely not escape without getting hurt."

  She said apologetically. "Chen Ge said that he was startled and fell, and he regretted it very much. Xuan Jie, I don't know what the situation was like at the time, but Chen Ge has never been a reckless child, so there must have been some misunderstanding. The two weddings are approaching, and next month they will be together forever. But please don't get angry with him because of this, or it will cause trouble."

  Ming Xuan forced a smile and said, "Master Yuan Hui, I don't blame him."

  She also had to be grateful to him, if not for his help in making up such a lie, how could she explain her situation? The fact that she was forced by Han Xiuxiu, except for her grandmother, no one else knew about it. It was related to her reputation and couldn't let others know. Although Master Yuanyi had shown kindness to her from the beginning, this matter was not glorious after all. As a relative of Pei Jingyuan, Master Yuan would not want other men to entangle with her either.

  Yuan Hui smiled warmly at her and took down the clothes that had been dried on the rack. "The strict aunt from your esteemed residence is already waiting outside, Xiang sister. If you feel that your spirit is still okay, then change into new clothes and come out. If you still don't feel comfortable, I can pass on a message to let them return to the residence first."

  She lightly pursed her lips, "Then let's just say that Shifu has stayed here to live, and the old lady of the noble house won't blame us."

  Ming Xuan shook her head, "No need to bother, Master Yuanhui, I'm much better now."

  She quickly put on her clothes and stood up, forcing a smile at the corner of her mouth. "I've disturbed the peace of your abode, I should go and apologize to Shifu now, but since there's no bloodshed in the Buddha hall, and my clothes accidentally got stained with blood, I'll have to wait till next time to kowtow to Shifu."

  The door of the An Tang creaked open and Yan Niangniang and Dan Hong rushed up with anxious faces, "Miss!"

  Dan Hong was so anxious that she almost cried, and just as she woke up, the people from Zhongyong Houfu and An Xian Houfu decided to search the mountain. She had lost her mistress but couldn't openly go looking for her, and if it wasn't for Long Geng, a young servant by Master Pei's side, coming to report the news, she and Yanyu would have been at a loss as to what to do.

  She helped Ming Xuan onto the carriage, and her tears finally couldn't stop falling. "Miss, that Han... are you okay?"

  Ming Xuan comforted her with a gentle smile, and she shook her head saying, "I'm fine, what about you? Are you guys okay?"

  Yan Laolao hastily said, "Those people put us in an empty Zen room. Later, we heard that the Zhongyong Hou Mansion's people were making a big fuss about searching the mountain. It was very noisy, and only then did I wake up. Dan Hong and I are both fine. We followed them to the back mountain where you were ambushed. Seventh Miss, you were no longer there. There were many people talking, so this matter must not be spread out. Dan Hong and I made an excuse that you had been called by Shifu to talk, and we sent all the servants who were following us back."

  She paused, "The coachman's name is Jian Laoliu, he was the one who showed quick wit and bravery on that mountain path. He's a reliable person, I've already instructed him not to mention what happened today to anyone. He knows the severity of the situation, if something happens to you, Miss, he'll also be in grave danger, so you don't have to worry."

  It's feared that the unexplained disappearance will cause a stir and lead to unpleasant associations.

  Ming Xuan nodded, "Strict Auntie, I have nothing to do with it. Today's trouble, don't tell Grandmother when you go back. She is old and her body is not very good. I'm afraid she will be worried and uncomfortable if she hears about it, and her illness will worsen."

  Yan's aunt somewhat disagreed, "But this matter is not trivial. If we don't tell Old Madam and ask her to think of a solution, how can we get by? Seventh Miss, in just over a month, you'll be getting married. If you go to the Pei household and this Lord Han continues to be so presumptuous, the Pei household won't be easy to deal with. That Yang Shi, the wife of the young master, is probably waiting with bated breath for you to make a mistake!"

  She thought for a moment and said, "It's really unavoidable, why don't we invite Old Lady Han to meet with Mrs. Han instead?"

  Ming Xuan weakly shook his head, "No need to, that person has already promised not to come and bother us again. He must have been in the military before, he understands the saying 'a word once spoken is like a horse that cannot be caught', let's just wait and see for now. If he continues, we can make other plans later."

  She paused for a moment and suddenly asked, "Nanny Yan, are there any other relatives in your hometown?"

  Yan's mother was taken aback, shaking her head in confusion. "I am a house-born child of the Auxiliary King's Manor," she said. "My parents were working on the estate, and there are no siblings in my family. In recent years, both my father and mother passed away, leaving only me alone."

  Ming Xuan hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Grandmother asked me that day if I had thought about which nanny to bring to the Pei family. I thought and thought, but the two old ladies who guard the house in the Xuyutang are loyal to me, but their vision is still a bit shallow after all. The Pei family is such a den of dragons and tigers, if there aren't a few reliable people by my side, I'm a little afraid..."

  She slowly raised her head, with deep hope in her eyes. "Auntie, among all the people in the manor, except for my grandmother, I respect and trust you the most. I know that you have been working hard by Grandmother's side for a lifetime, and this should be the time for you to enjoy your old age. If I were to make such an unreasonable request again, it would be somewhat excessive. But... can you consider it? Can you follow me to the Pei residence?"

  Yan's nanny was stunned for a moment. As Ming Xuan said, she was about to turn fifty and had worked hard by the side of Old Lady Zhu for a lifetime. After much hardship, she finally became the head nanny of An Tai Yuan, not only did Old Lady trust her, but everyone in the Hou Mansion respected her. Even when facing the Master and Mistress of the house, they would give her extra face.

  The old lady's body is getting worse by the day, and it seems that she won't live for more than two or three years. If the old lady passes away, Madame Hou will no longer need her services, and her situation in the Yongning Marquis' manor will become awkward. Her status was granted to her by the old lady, and after the old lady is gone, she will be nothing but a nobody. Who would still take her seriously? Moreover, her natal family has already perished, and she has no old home to return to. For the rest of her life, she might have to quietly wither away in some secluded corner of the Hou manor's backyard.

  At this time, Ming Xuan's request was like the deepest temptation, hitting right at the heart of Yan's nanny.

  She wasn't greedy for respect and power, but just couldn't bear the loneliness, hoping someone would think of her, miss her, rely on her, and make use of her. The Pei family was in a precarious situation, and even after Seventh Miss married into their household, her circumstances were still worrisome. If she had gone as an accompanying servant girl, her days wouldn't have been better than they were at the Marquis's manor, but since Seventh Miss needed her, she wasn't useless, which moved her heart.

  Ming Xuan gazed at Yan Niangniang with her bright and beautiful eyes, "Last time when we discussed the marriage with the Yan family, Grandmother mentioned that she wanted you to go to the Yan's house to help me out. I was afraid you wouldn't agree, so I rejected it. But this time..."

  She bit her lip, "Although the journey to the Pei family is uncertain, I guarantee that you will not be harmed in any way, nor will you suffer a single thread of hardship. If you are afraid of growing old with no one to care for you, Xue Su has no family, I will let her call you her godmother, and in the future, you will have a daughter and son-in-law! But if you are unwilling, I won't force it, I just hope that Nanny can consider it carefully."

  Yan's aunt lifted her head, she gently pinched Ming Xuan's palm, and nodded heavily, "I do."

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