In the days that followed, Jiang Ning gradually learned some of the details of the past from Lan Xu.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Lan Xu''s family ran a small business in the Capital City selling cosmetics and perfumes, with a few shops that did quite well. At the age of fifteen, Lan Xu was deceived by Cheng Qiwen into the Prime Minister''s Mansion under the pretext that the Prime Minister''s wife wanted to buy cosmetics. After losing her chastity, Lan Xu was overwhelmed with pain and shame, unable to face her family. She attempted suicide several times butcked the courage to carry it out. Eventually, she fled to a nunnery on the outskirts of the Capital City, where she shaved her head and became a nun, nning to spend the rest of her life in solitude with the ancientmps and Buddha.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
However, fate had other ns. Two monthster, she discovered she was pregnant.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Ning''er, I wanted to take an abortion potion at that time," Lan Xu said, looking at Jiang Ning with a bitter smile. Even now, recalling those past events brought her nothing but endless pain.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"But when I had the potion ready and was about to drink it, I smelled the bitterness and suddenly felt nauseous, as if my stomach was churning. I used to take medicine without batting an eye..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"In the end, I forced myself to drink half a bowl, but I couldn''t take it anymore and vomited everything out..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"I smashed the bowl and wailed. At that moment, I thought, it must be this child, it wants toe into the world, it wants me to be its mother..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
And so, Lan Xu decided to give birth to the child, a child that would be hers alone.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The nunnery was not particrly affluent, but the nuns were kind-hearted. Upon learning of Lan Xu''s decision, they supported her, helping her buy herbs for a safe pregnancy and taking good care of her. They even worried that she wasn''t getting enough nutrition and bought meat to make soup for her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Ning''er, the abbesses were living bodhisattvas. Without them, I might have died long ago. That''s why I named you Lan Ling, because the nunnery was called Fuling Temple. Every time I see you, I remember their great kindness!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
When Lan Ling was born, the entire nunnery was overjoyed. This new life brought a sense of hope to the otherwise deste ce.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Unfortunately, the good times didn''tst long. When Lan Ling was five months old, she contracted a strange illness, running high fevers and vomiting everything she ate. The nuns of Fuling Temple pooled their money to hire a doctor, who prescribed medicine that improved Lan Ling''s condition. However, the doctor said the illness required two months of continuous medication to be cured.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The medicine was too expensive, and they couldn''t afford it.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"I held you and cried all night, feeling like my eyes would go blind. You were so small, how could you suffer so much in such a short time in the world? I wished I could trade my life for your health and safety..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning sighed softly, gently wiping away Lan Xu''s tears with her sleeve: "Mother, it''s not your fault. You''ve done everything you could, more than enough."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The rest of the story unfolded as Yuwen Yan had written in his letter. Lan Xu knelt for a long time at the Prime Minister''s Mansion with her child, and Lan Ling eventually became Nangong Ling.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
When Nangong Ya learned he had another daughter, he was stunned beyond words. He had originally nned to have Lan Xu take the child and leave after she was cured, but his father, Nangong Ling''s grandfather, intervened.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"How can the bloodline of the Nangong family be left to wander? This child will henceforth be called Nangong Ling, the third youngdy of the Prime Minister''s Mansion. I''d like to see who dares to object!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Did they force you to leave the Capital City?" Jiang Ning asked quietly, a sh of coldness in her eyes.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"No, I left on my own!" Lan Xu quickly replied, fearing Jiang Ning might misunderstand. "I knew your situation in the Prime Minister''s Mansion would be awkward. The Prime Minister''s wife has her own children, and I was afraid they wouldn''t treat you well. So I went to beg the wife, and I made a vow that I would never set foot in the Capital City again, asking her not to mistreat you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Seeing Jiang Ning''s silence, Lan Xu continued, "The Prime Minister''s wife is a good person, really! She admitted to me that she doesn''t have the heart to treat you as her own, but she wouldn''t take it out on a child. From now on, she is the Prime Minister''s wife, and you are the third youngdy of the Prime Minister''s Mansion. You have no connection to each other."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"When I was leaving the Capital City, the Prime Minister''s wife knew I had no money and gave me one hundred taels of silver for my journey. I returned to Fuling Temple and left half the money with the abbesses. With the rest, I wandered to Qushui City, bought a house, and settled down..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Lan Xu''s eyes filled with gratitude as she spoke. "The Prime Minister''s wife has been more than kind to me. I cannot break my vow. So... Ning''er, I cannot return to the Capital City with you!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Mother! Don''t be so stubborn," Jiang Ning pleaded, feeling a headacheing on.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
It had been over ten days since they had recognized each other as mother and daughter. Jiang Ning had been urging Lan Xu to leave with her, promising to take care of her with Liu Ming''an, but Lan Xu repeatedly refused. Today, after recounting these past events, she once again firmly declined.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Ning''er, I have no other desires in life, only to wish for your happiness and safety. Now that I see you growing up beautiful, sensible, and well-behaved, and having found a good man to spend your life with, I have no regrets."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning sighed again. Alright, she decided not to press the matter for now. She would stay with her for a while longer. If necessary, she could always knock her out and take her away. After all, on her wedding day, Lan Xu must be seated at the high table.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Earlier, Jiang Ning had returned to the inn to pack up and check out. She encountered the three guards from the Prime Minister''s Mansion again and managed to shake them off. Since then, Jiang Ning had been staying at Lan Xu''s house.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Lan Xu seemed to want to make up for the lost years, preparing delicious meals for Jiang Ning every day and not letting her do any housework. Even when Jiang Ning felt bored and wanted to sweep the courtyard, Lan Xu would snatch the broom away.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Ning''er, rest. I''ll do it. Go y by yourself."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning was being pampered into a delicate youngdy who didn''t lift a finger.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning walked to the edge of the courtyard, where a small plot ofnd had been set aside for growing flowers.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Snow-white, fingernail-sized flowers hung on slender stems, resembling a string of tinynterns.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
They were lily of the valley.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning recognized these flowers. In her previous life, Nangong Muyan loved tending to nts and small animals, though she had a knack for killing anything she tried to nurture.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"s, maybe I''ve killed too many people, and the killing aura is too strong. That''s why nothing I raise survives," Nangong Muyan had once said, looking at a dead cactus. She was only ten or so at the time, and Jiang Ning was still very afraid of her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The young Jiang Ning, feeling uneasy, wondered if she shouldfort the frowning assassin over her dead nts. But Nangong Muyan soon smiled and said, "Oh well, dead is dead. As long as you grow up, that''s all that matters."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A gentle breeze passed by, causing the lily of the valley to sway gently, like a silent wind chime. Yet, the air was filled with the sweet scent of osmanthus.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Days passed by in this simple and warm manner. Jiang Ning ate and slept at Lan Xu''s house, feeling bored and idle most of the time, often thinking of Liu Ming''an.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Then, on a day in March, the government suddenly posted an announcement: The heir to the throne of Great Liang had been appointed, and it was none other than Prince of Xiang, Yuwen Yan.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
What was going on? Jiang Ning was puzzled. Nangong Ya had said the Emperor wanted to maintain a bnce among Prince of Xiang, Prince of Rui, and Prince of Lin. Why would he appoint a crown prince at this time?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
While apanying Lan Xu to sell osmanthus cakes, Jiang Ning used the excuse of needing a drink to sit in a bustling tavern for a while.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
In such ces, men often drank and talked loudly about current events, mixing various news, much like gossiping vige women.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The appointment of a crown prince was a major event. The tavern was abuzz with discussions about it. Jiang Ning ordered a pot of wine, a te of braised beef, and a dish of peanuts, finding a discreet corner to sit in. Soon enough, she heard what she wanted.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Mao San, you just came back from the Capital City. Do you know why Prince of Xiang was appointed as the crown prince?" someone asked in a hushed voice.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Discussing state affairs was a capital offense, but curiosity often got the better of people.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
As soon as this was said, the attention of the tavern shifted to the old man called "Mao San."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Alcohol gave people courage, and being the center of attention was another kind of strength. Mao San took a sip of wine, nced around, and his face showed a hint of pride.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"The Crown Prince was appointed by the Emperor. How could I, a mere businessman, guess what the Emperor is thinking?" Mao San said, pretending to respond to the person who asked, but his voice was loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear. "But there''s another matter I know about, and I wonder if there''s any connection. It''s been the talk of the Capital City..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Mao San smacked his lips, sighing andmenting, then slowly took a few sips of wine, leaving the eager listeners on the edge of their seats.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"What is it? Spit it out already!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Stop beating around the bush! Just tell us!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Brother Mao, please, just say it!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Having teased the crowd enough, Mao San finally spoke in a mysterious tone, "The Prince of Rui is dead! He died a horrible death! He was sliced hundreds of times, like a fish fillet, and when his body was found, his mouth was stuffed with his own flesh!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Ooh..." A collective gasp echoed through the room, and everyone fell silent.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning''s chopsticks paused mid-air as she picked up peanuts, her expression grave.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
There was no need to guess who was behind this method of death.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Nangong Muyan!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But wasn''t the Prince of Rui betrothed to her?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Even if she didn''t want to marry, a single stab would have sufficed. There was no need to torture him like this.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
What on earth has happened in the Capital City?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0