While waiting for Nanny Zhang to return, Jun Ning’s heart was in turmoil. She appeared expressionless on the surface, but deep down, she had imagined countless possibilities about those letters. She had anticipated nurous tis the scene when Qi Xiao would return and et her. She had also thought countless tis about how she should face Qi Xiao.
Jing Shu noticed Jun Ning’s silence, as if lost in thought and not wanting to talk. She didn’t insist Jun Ning say anything nor did she disturb her but instead left with Xiang Si beforehand, without waiting for Nanny Zhang to return.
Jing Shu left the ti and space to Jun Ning.
Jun Ning was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t even realize when Jing Shu and Xiang Si left.
When she ca back to her senses, it was already ti for dinner.
...
Previously, when she dined alone, she didn’t feel lonely nor sensed anything uncomfortable. On the contrary, she enjoyed it, as being alone allowed her to finish eating quickly, take a quicker nap, and then get up early to read the mos.
Now, after learning about Qi Xiao’s certain feelings for her, she suddenly felt that dining alone wasn’t as pleasant anymore. There should be soone else by her side.
After dragging out the al, finally, Nanny Zhang returned.
Jun Ning’s eyes lit up as she saw Nanny Zhang’s figure.
Nanny Zhang was getting old, unwell, and a bit slow in her movents; she couldn’t be rushed.
This ti, after handing over the hard-acquired letters to Jun Ning, she apologetically said, "Your Majesty, this old servant is aging and useless, making you wait a long ti, deserving of punishnt!"
Jun Ning didn’t mind much and wasn’t just focused on the letters on the table.
She stepped forward to help Nanny Zhang up and said, "Nanny, what are you saying? You are the only one left by Grand Empress Dowager for , Ah Ning wants you by her side always."
"Your Majesty is too kind!" Nanny Zhang felt a bit ashad, "This old servant is rely a servant!"
"Does that an Nanny Zhang only sees Ah Ning as the master?" Jun Ning asked.
Nanny Zhang waved her hand, "Of course not." Ever since she had been with Jun Ning, she treated Jun Ning as if she were her own granddaughter.
"Then don’t say those polite words anymore." Jun Ning helped Nanny Zhang sit down, "Nanny Zhang, since you’ve made the effort to co over, stay with Ah Ning for a while. If you feel Ah Ning will be absorbed in reading the letters and may neglect you, making you bored, then help Ah Ning open these letters!"
"Alright, alright! This old servant will accompany you for a while." Nanny Zhang gladly obliged.
Only then did Jun Ning start looking at the pile of letters before her.
From the style of Qi Xiao’s handwriting on the letters, Jun Ning could instantly tell it was Qi Xiao’s without needing to deliberate.
Interestingly enough, Jun Ning read the officials’ mos every day and felt everyone’s writing seed similar, nothing special. Only Qi Xiao’s handwriting she could recognize at once.
The first letter from Qi Xiao was from three years ago.
[My sister Xiang Si, spring has arrived, though the chill is still severe. Is everything well with you lately? Did you rember to add clothes? Did you enter the palace to accompany your sister-in-law? I heard His Majesty is gone, your sister-in-law must be very sorrowful, right? If you have spare ti, visit her in the palace more, talk to her, console her. Of course, I know she’s very strong now, doesn’t need your guidance, and can resolve many things by herself. But brother still wants you to go, because it’s the only thing a brother far away in another country could do for her.]
Jun Ning recalled that just after Emperor Yongning passed away, Qi Xiangsi frequently visited her in the palace, even if she was too busy to chat with her, she would sit beside her for the whole afternoon, undeterred by rain or shine.
So it was Qi Xiao’s arrangent!
Jun Ning’s heart quivered.
After a while, she opened the next letter.
[My sister Xiang Si, brother has been out fighting battles for a year and is always concerned about you, afraid you might fall into the sa trouble caused by Jun Yang last ti, so brother must remind you to seek your sister-in-law’s help for matters you can’t decide. Your sister-in-law watched you grow up, like a sister and mother to you, she’s the person who cares for you the most in the world, besides brother, you must heed her words and be well. Brother misses you and also your sister-in-law. Hope you are safe.]
This letter mainly showed concern for Qi Xiangsi.
Yet, the simple yet weighty words at the end, "miss you," truly scorched Jun Ning.
Jun Ning’s ears felt a little warm.
As if to hide sothing, Jun Ning hastily opened the next letter.
[My sister Xiang Si, today is the Qiqiao Festival, a festival for couples. I prepared a gift for your sister-in-law, originally intending to send it over, but after pondering, decided not to. Can you go to the palace and visit your sister-in-law for brother? Bring the gift along. You saw her, consider it as brother seeing her. You gave her the gift, consider it as brother giving it to her.]
This letter indeed carried much ambiguity.
Jun Ning’s heart trembled fiercely upon finishing it!
So Qi Xiao truly had her in his heart; she had misunderstood earlier.
Jun Ning paused for a mont before continuing to read the letters.
But the next three letters were purely family letters from Qi Xiao to Qi Xiangsi, without ntioning Jun Ning or requesting Qi Xiangsi to visit Jun Ning in the palace.
After reading them, Jun Ning’s trembling heart cald down a little.
Not as restless!
Until she reached the next letter.
[My sister Xiang Si, brother has not been well lately because of hearing sothing unpleasant regarding your sister-in-law. They say your sister-in-law is close with Fei Yuque from Bei Xia, even having candlelit night chats and sharing drinks? Seems they get along well. Please help brother inquire into it in the palace, observe and see if it is true? Brother is anxious, about to be jealous to death, your sister-in-law can only belong to brother.]
Jun Ning: "......"
In the previous letters, the sentints were veiled with seemingly distant expressions, appearing dimly ambiguous. But in this letter, it was rather revealing.
Jun Ning seed to see Qi Xiao pacing anxiously, jealous, through the letter’s paper.
Jun Ning indulgently smiled and accepted the last few sheets of letters handed over by Nanny Zhang.
Yet on two of the letters, there was no ntion of Jun Ning, just simple family notifications, and a few discussions on household matters.
Upon reading them, Jun Ning felt a faint sense of loss.
She probably wished for Qi Xiao to ntion her in every family letter he wrote.
The last letter.
[My sister Xiang Si, brother has fought battles outside for years, people always praise as a high-spirited, heroic youth when I win, but when I suffer defeat, people always look at with peculiar eyes, making every step I take seem like walking on thin ice, trembling with fear. During such monts, I often think about your sister-in-law sitting in that position, scrutinized by countless eyes, does she feel the sa? Does she have incredibly tiring monts, struggling with subordinates, getting overwheld?]
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