无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

Jiang Ning yawned and said with teary eyes, “Gucheng, go to sleep. You’ve had a long night. I will return to the palace later tomorrow, you can sleep in a bit and don’t hurry to get up.”

Without another word, Gucheng turned and left.

Jiang Ning’s eyes were so heavy that she could barely keep them open, but she couldn’t rest yet.

There was one more very important thing to do.

She found a lantern, carried it herself, and ran to Lin Zizi’s courtyard.

The maid opened the door in a daze and, seeing her, quickly bowed, “Seventh Miss, why are you here so late?”

“I’m looking for my father.”

“Oh, please come in, it’s very cold outside.” The maid hurriedly took the lantern. “I’ll hold this for you. Old Master is in Madam’s room, the lights are out, and they must have gone to bed.”

“It’s urgent.”

Jiang Ning pulled her cloak closer, stepped on the crunching snow, lifted the curtain, and knocked on Lin Zizi’s bedroom door: “Mother, it’s me.”

Lin Zizi was a light sleeper and sat up abruptly.

“Zizi, what’s wrong?” As his wife stirred, Jiang Ruobai woke up too, reaching out to pat her, murmuring reassuring words, “Did you have a nightmare? It’s alright, Seventh Sister has been found, there’s nothing to fear.”

“No, it really is Ning’er’s voice.” Lin Zizi tried to get around her husband and get out of bed to open the door.

“Dad, I have something. Wake up!” Jiang Ning called again.

“It really is Seventh Sister.” Jiang Ruobai held his wife back, “It’s cold outside, you stay in bed, I’ll go open the door. This unlucky child, not asleep so late, what is she doing here…”

Lin Zizi, angered, said, “What are you saying? She’s been in my arms since she was born. She was lost when she was so little, maybe she cried herself to sleep so many nights… Maybe she’s scared after having a nightmare and came to find her mother, and you’re complaining about her…”

Her eyes reddened, and her heart ached.

“Hey, why are you crying? I said the wrong thing. How could I complain about her? She’s the apple of my eye, I can’t love her enough. I just said it casually, don’t overthink it.”

“Say it in front of the child, and she will definitely be sad.”

“I won’t, I promise I won’t.” Jiang Ruobai comforted his wife before getting out of bed to open the door.

Jiang Ning’s coldness hit him in the face.

Jiang Ruobai shivered and pulled her inside, “It’s late at night, and it’s even snowing. Aren’t you afraid of freezing?”

Jiang Ning looked over at the bed and, seeing Lin Zizi sitting up, whispered, “Did my visit disturb you both?”

“Nonsense, what’s wrong with you, child? So disrespectful.” Lin Zizi’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she patted a spot on the bed, “It’s warm under the blanket. Come here, to your mother.”

Jiang Ning shook her head and laughed, “I won’t fight Dad for a spot in the bed. Mother, you sleep. I have something to discuss with Father. Dad, put on some clothes and come to the outer room.”

Her coming so late must mean something big was happening.

Jiang Ruobai, a high-ranking official, was used to working late at night. He took a coat, draped it over himself, and followed Jiang Ning outside.

A servant girl had already brought a fire basin, candles, and hot tea.

“What’s the matter, what’s the hurry?” Jiang Ruobai asked.

“Take a look at this first.” Jiang Ning placed the pieced-together fragments of paper in front of him, then picked up the teacup to drink tea and warm her hands, all the while closely watching his expression.

After glancing over the paper, Jiang Ruobai laughed, “Where did you get this scrap of paper? It looks like my handwriting.”