The carriage stopped.
With a gentle halt.
Mianmian woke up.
Just like in the past when she was in school, she would wake up when the bus stopped, hurriedly jumping off.
She had arrived at her stop just in time, quickly running into the crowd. Thank goodness, she wasn't late.
She was always so sleepy during school days, even falling asleep standing on the bus.
Her mind wasn't that smart, but she had to study hard, striving to be as good as others, even surpassing her classmates. So she would study late into the night, never getting enough sleep, and having to wake up very early.
As she started running, blending into the crowd of students, she would gradually wake up and become cheerful.
Even though everyone wore school uniforms, she could still recognize her classmates. Sometimes her shoulder would get a pat.
"Jiang Mianmian, have you finished memorizing that passage?"
"Ah, which one?"
"The Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River."
"Oh, we have to memorize that too? This one as well?"
Mianmian opened her eyes.
"Graceful as a startled swan, supple as a swimming dragon... Dim and indistinct, like a wisp of cloud veiling the moon; swaying and swirling, like whirling snow caught by the wind... Radiant as the morning sun rising over the dawn clouds, dazzling as a lotus blossom emerging from clear waves... Shoulders as if carved from jade, waist as slender as a roll of silk... Extraordinary in grace and charm, serene in demeanor and carriage... Wearing a gossamer dress of dazzling beauty, adorned with jade pendants of exquisite craftsmanship. Crowned with gold and kingfisher feathers, bedecked with gleaming pearls to illuminate her form..."
Before her appeared a living goddess of the Luo River.
Majestic and beautiful in one.
At that moment, Mianmian felt that she was truly a princess.
Breathtakingly beautiful, full of an unapproachable aura.
As if she were an unreal existence.
She realized then that beauty wasn't just skin deep, but radiated from within, from the very bones. She was truly beautiful, making you willing to accept all her faults.
As if everything she did was justified.
She was too beautiful.
Making one want to preserve this beauty, to make it eternal.
Not wanting her to age.
"Hui Yun, you're so beautiful."
Princess Hui Yun exuded her full regal aura. She had thought about many things during this journey.
She felt she had recovered, seeming to recall everything from the past.
Yet she also felt she might be even more ill, as she wanted to kill.
In the past, even when things didn't go her way, she only tormented herself, or at most played tricks on others. She had never laid a hand on anyone.
She couldn't even bear to harm a snake she had raised, releasing it into the deep mountains instead.
But she seemed to remember, worried about the snake, she went back to look for it. However, she had raised it too well. Once in the deep mountains, it was quickly snatched by a bird of prey, carried high into the sky, then dropped to its death. It was then torn apart by several predatory birds, followed by insects and small beasts, all feasting on it until it quickly disappeared.
The survival of the fittest.
She cried for a long time.
It was the first time Jingjue had held her, comforting her.
Jingjue said, "Princess, all things are equal. You and I will also dissipate one day."
She said, "If we're going to dissipate anyway, can you try to love me? Before we dissipate, try loving someone. Monks say all is emptiness, but without having possessed anything, how can one know what emptiness is?"
The more memories she recalled, the more painful and vivid she became, and the more beautiful.
"Call me grandmother or great-grandmother, don't use my name. It's disrespectful." Hui Yun's thoughts were brought back by the little one's call.
"Grandmother and great-grandmother worry about making you sound old. You're too beautiful," Jiang Mianmian sincerely exclaimed at that moment.
She wasn't just charming for her age; she was charm itself.
"Grandmother, are we home?"
Mianmian felt she had slept for quite a while.
"We are."
The gates of the Princess's Manor opened one after another.
Princess Hui Yun didn't get off the carriage, riding all the way to the front of her living quarters before stopping.
The Princess's Manor was also very large.
Almost like a small imperial palace.
And it was connected to the imperial palace.
The princess's return would probably be known to the emperor immediately.
However, the Imperial Son-in-law's Manor was not next door.
Back then, the imperial son-in-law had requested to build his manor and voluntarily chose a place far away, which the emperor approved.
Mianmian thought they had arrived at her home.
But when she got off the carriage, she found a magnificent palace in front of her.
They had arrived at the princess's palace.
In the snow, the palace looked like a fairyland, not of this world.
As they entered the palace, groups of palace maids lined both sides. It turned out there really were people wearing so little even in the heavy snow, each with bare shoulders and dressed in gauze.
The serving maids were all very beautiful.
The princess liked lively atmospheres, so there were many servants in the Princess's Manor.
The entire Princess's Manor was like Sleeping Beauty's world, coming back to life as the princess returned.
Mianmian looked at the golden splendor everywhere, seeing that even the handrails were golden. She really wanted to scratch them with a knife to see if any gold powder would fall off.
Speaking of which, was the "Golden Powder Family" called that because there was gold powder everywhere?
Princess Hui Yun saw the little one's expression and couldn't help but think that this child had a fearless look, with expressions and mannerisms very similar to her own, very princess-like. But how to put it, she didn't have any sense of nobility at all... She looked like someone who was rich but had never seen the world.
She wanted to cry, feeling it was her own fault. If she had raised and educated her from childhood, she wouldn't be like this.
Mianmian glanced at her grandmother princess, not knowing what she was thinking. If she knew her thoughts, she would laugh to death. As an heir to the core values of socialism, she looked at everything with a strong sense of ownership. As for not having nobility, it was normal, after all, she was just an ordinary citizen inside.
She accompanied her grandmother princess touring her great hall and her bedroom.
The ceiling height was really too high, with carved balustrades and jade structures above. Wasn't she afraid they might fall?
Hmm, after turning left and right until dizzy, she found there seemed to be a door connecting to an astronomical tower.
The Princess's Manor was too big to tour in a day.
Mianmian asked the princess, "Grandmother, can I bring my elder sister to tour next time? She would definitely be very happy."
"Alright, I'll have people arrange fixed rooms for you sisters, so you can come for long stays anytime."
"Grandmother, I should go home tonight, otherwise my parents will worry."
"I've sent a message to your parents. I'll send you back tomorrow."
Mianmian thought that was fine.
"Grandmother, can you climb trees? I see there are many big trees here. It seems like you could see the imperial palace directly if you climbed up."
Princess Hui Yun scratched her head.
"No climbing trees. Why do you want to see the imperial palace?"
"I have a godfather in the palace."
"What?" Princess Hui Yun asked strangely.
"When I was little, an uncle who was close to my father, because there was no food to eat - we were very poor then, we all couldn't eat our fill - that uncle castrated himself, then said he was going to the palace to make a living. Before he left, he recognized me, my elder sister, and elder brother as his godchildren. He said if he died, we should remember to burn paper money for him. They say my godfather survived and is living very well, but I want to see for myself if my godfather is really doing well."
Princess Hui Yun: ...This little brat is killing me without a knife.
Every sentence stabs me a thousand times.
My heart, riddled with wounds, bleeds everywhere. Bleeding and bleeding until I get used to it.
"I'll take you into the palace tomorrow. You can go find your godfather."
"No, I have to go home tomorrow. If I don't return home for a day, my whole family will probably worry. I've never been away from my parents before. I'll go with you the day after tomorrow." Jiang Mianmian said.
Princess Hui Yun: ...Thank you, I'm touched, but also want to hit her.
Night fell.
Mianmian had an exceptionally sumptuous dinner with her grandmother princess at the Princess's Manor.
Over twenty dishes... each dish was filling after just one bite.
Very luxurious, some dishes were surprisingly delicious.
But, it was like eating at a high-end restaurant. After finishing, thinking back, it didn't seem as satisfying as eating at a roadside stall.
The sense of ceremony was strong, but the sense of participation was lacking.
Mianmian was worried that her grandmother princess's mental illness might worsen from her stimulation.
At present, her grandmother princess seemed a bit overexcited.
She even ate a bit too much.
Judging from the princess grandmother's physical condition, it should still be quite good.
However, she must have many hidden injuries and ailments.
Some people are like that, living on hormone secretions, able to ignore various pains.
A way of living through mental victory.
Mianmian thought about feeding her grandmother princess some spirit spring water, then going home.
So she decided to stay for the night.
The princess usually ate very little, but today she ate unusually much.
She seemed to have a good appetite.
She mainly didn't want to be picky with food in front of the little brat, setting a bad example.
This way, if she saw the little brat being picky, she could criticize her righteously.
To be a role model, the princess really had to go to great lengths.
She ate many dishes that looked healthy but didn't taste good.
She felt a bit nauseous.
Yet she still had to eat gracefully and nobly in front of the little brat.
Princess Hui Yun planned to throw up after finishing if she really couldn't bear it.
She had done this kind of thing before anyway.
Mianmian passed water to her grandmother princess, who gratefully drank it.
This child might be mischievous, but she was still very filial.
That night.
After telling many stories to the little brat, she finally managed to lull her to sleep.
Princess Hui Yun felt that taking care of children was exhausting.
She increasingly realized how difficult it must be for Qin. Not only had Qin raised three children so well, but she had also adopted Little Cong. She thought she should reward Qin with more gifts, noticing how plainly she dressed.
Having been constantly pestered by the little brat, she hadn't had a chance to induce vomiting, and now she felt everything had been digested and she couldn't bring it up anymore.
Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a tumultuous churning in her stomach.
It seemed she had eaten something that disagreed with her.
She had to admit that age was catching up with her; eating such things now upset her stomach.
Princess Hui Yun dashed to the bathroom.
She felt completely drained from diarrhea, which seemed endless. Sitting on the toilet, she could smell the stench emanating from her entire body.
She was thankful that the little brat was asleep; otherwise, she might have popped up to say, "Princess, please poop."
She wasn't sure if she would have actually raised a hand to the child if that had happened.
Princess Hui Yun struggled for most of the night. Fortunately, she always had attendants to serve her. After being cleaned up, Princess Hui Yun lay down next to the little brat and fell asleep.
At daybreak, Mianmian opened her eyes to see the beautiful woman lying beside her. Her long hair was spread out, her skin like jade, her figure curvaceous. She was lying on her side, close to Mianmian, who found her breath catching for a moment.
She was startled, feeling for an instant as if she were being embraced by an stunningly beautiful female ghost.
Princess Hui Yun opened her eyes, looking a bit confused, then came to her senses as she saw the little one in her arms.
Mianmian felt her heart racing. There really were ageless goddesses in this world. She herself had grown up drinking spiritual spring water, and this was as good as it got for her.
But this grandmother princess, in every move she made, was naturally unrivaled. It was as if drinking the spiritual spring water had merely wiped away the dust from her, making her even more beautiful and alluring. Even as a girl herself, Mianmian felt shy about looking at her too much.
"Grandma, when will you send me home?"
"What's the rush? Your father has court today. We'll go back together after he's done," Princess Hui Yun said with a yawn, speaking lazily.
Mianmian took the opportunity to roll away a bit.
Princess Hui Yun: "Why are you running away? We've already slept together all night."
"Princess, you're too beautiful. I'm afraid I might fall in love with you."
Princess Hui Yun gritted her teeth, wanting to smack someone first thing in the morning. The little brat had been so well-behaved while asleep, but as soon as she woke up, she started talking nonsense.
...
