Chapter 12 — Duong Mui Knelt Down to Pray for the Crown Prince's True Love, I Smiled and Gave Up the Marriage

I don't turn back. Sunlight shines in from outside the door. Falling on people. Extremely warm. I raised my head. Look towards the sky. The sky is very blue. The clouds are very white. The wind is very light. We have finally reclaimed everything that belongs to us. Three months later. Chung Linh Xu was taken to a manor house on the outskirts of the capital to "convalesce". Talk about convalescence. But in reality it is house arrest. The story of her having an affair with an outside man was not made public. People who need to know. We all know it already. Tieu Tan Nghiem never mentioned her name again. Just like in this world. Such a person has never existed. Half a year later. A piece of news came from the courtyard. Chung Linh Xu's "illness worsened". In the end, he did not survive. At death. Next to her. There is not a single person. She fell into the well. Then drowned. When we heard that news. I'm in the garden looking at flowers. Thanh Hanh stood next to him. Look at me carefully.

“Miss... Are you okay?”

I look at the flower branch in my hand. It's a red dahlia. Blooming extremely brilliantly. So red that it was exactly like the blood that had dyed the whole street red on the day the Marquis's estate was confiscated and beheaded in his previous life. I gently put the flower branch down.

“I'm okay.”

“Just suddenly remembered some old things.”

Thanh Hanh blinked.

“What is it, Miss?”

I look at her. Smiling softly.

“Remember a story.”

“In that story, there was a girl who was pushed into a deep well by someone else, and then drowned to death.”

“She has returned.”

“Reclaim all the debts that others owe you.”

Thanh Hanh listened and was stunned over and over again.

“What happens after that?”

I raised my head and looked towards the sky. The sky is very blue. The clouds are very white. The wind is very light.

“After that, she kept looking at the flowers.”

“Just stay in the sun forever.”

“Living to a very old age.”

“So old that my hair has turned white.”

“So old that all my teeth have fallen out.”

“But she was always smiling.”

Thanh Hanh also laughed.

“That's good then.”

I nodded slightly.

"That's right."

“It's really good.”

The sunlight gently covers people. Extremely warm. I slowly closed my eyes. Take a deep breath. In the air. Has the scent of flowers. Has the scent of young grass. Taste of freedom. Five years later. Spring March. The grass and trees are green. The swallow spreads its wings and flies. I sat in the pavilion at the back of the Marquis's garden. Quietly watch the spring scene filling the garden. Peach blossoms have bloomed. A white pink color spread everywhere. Every time the spring wind gently blows. Each peach blossom petal flew away. Falling onto the stone table. Fall to my knees. Thanh Hanh brought a cup of tea and walked over. Smiling and placing it next to my hand.

“Miss, you're dumbfounded again.”

I picked up the cup of tea. Gently take a sip.

“Not dumbfounded.”

“But I'm thinking about a few things.”

“What are you thinking about?”

I looked towards that old peach tree.

“Thinking of someone.”

Thanh Hanh blinked. Don't dare ask who it is. Who are you thinking about? Every year at this exact time. We are all sitting in this pavilion. Quietly look at that peach tree. Then remember that person. It's been five years. Every year is the same. Outside, there was a series of footsteps. The butler hurried over. Bow down to perform the ceremony.

“Eldest lady, Crown Prince His Highness has arrived.”

My eyebrows moved slightly. Tieu Tan Nghiem? What did he come here for? Since what happened five years ago. He never stepped foot into the Marquis Palace again. Never met each other again. Thanh Hanh's face changed slightly. She lowered her voice and asked:

“Miss, do you need a slave to refuse him?”

I put down the tea cup.

“No need.”

“Let him in.”

When Tieu Tan Nghiem entered the flower garden. I am standing under the peach tree. Five years no see. Arrogance was always clearly visible in the eyebrows and corners of his eyes in the past. Now it has faded a lot. Instead. Is a kind of fatigue. A kind of loneliness and sadness that cannot be expressed in words. He stood a few steps away from me. Quietly look at me. The eyes are extremely complicated. There is nostalgia. There is regret. There was also a hint of... begging. I didn't move at all. Just calmly looked at him.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”

"I don't know if there's any advice?"

Tieu Tan Nghiem opened his mouth slightly. A very long time passed. I just called out in a hoarse voice:

“Lanh Nghi…”

I interrupted him.

“Your Highness should call me 'Miss Chung'.”