Before the carriage arrived in front of the Earl's mansion, the sounds of music and firecrackers could already be heard from afar. Lucy helped me lift the carriage curtain. The red lanterns made the whole street seem like a dreamland. From a distance, I saw the whole family standing in front of the gate waiting. My eyes became hot and tears were about to fall, but in front of everyone, I could only hold them back desperately.
When my carriage drove over, the servants and maids at home came over early to help me. Father and mother's expressions were neither happy nor sad. Their faces were smiling like spring breeze, and their eyes were filled with tears. I was just about to throw myself into mother's arms when suddenly everyone knelt down in unison and respectfully shouted, "Your subject Ignatius and his family pay respects to the young mistress."
I was immediately stunned on the spot. Only then did I remember that I was already a court lady selected by the king. I just had to wait for the imperial decree to be issued in the next two days to determine my status and rank. In one day, my world had already undergone earth-shaking changes. Feeling sad and bitter in my heart, I couldn't help shedding tears and reached out to help my parents.
Father quickly waved his hand: "Young mistress, this is not allowed. This is not in accordance with the rules." Alice quickly handed over a silk handkerchief. I wiped away my tears and tried my best to keep my tone calm and said, "Get up."
Only then did everyone stand up and welcome me in like stars surrounding the moon. At present, only our family had a family banquet. Father was about to let me sit in the seat of honor. I immediately knelt down and said with tears in my eyes: "Daughter is unfilial. I can no longer bring joy to my parents. But my parents still follow the rules so strictly. I really feel uneasy in my heart."
Parents quickly came over to help me. I knelt still and continued to say: "Please listen to what daughter has to say. Although daughter is already someone from the royal family, my respect and love for my parents cannot be abandoned. Please allow daughter to still serve you with filial piety before entering the palace. Otherwise, daughter would rather kneel here forever."
Mother was already in tears. Father nodded and said with tears in his eyes, "Good, good! Ignatius really didn't give birth to this filial daughter in vain." Only then did he signal my two younger sisters, Sophia and Eve, to help me up and sit down in turn to have a meal.
I was in a state of distraction. Coupled with being tired after a whole day, I didn't have much appetite after all. So I said goodnight to my parents early and went back to my room to rest.
Lucy and Alice had tidied up the bed early. Although I was tired, I couldn't sleep at all. Just as I was changing into my nightgown and wanted to sleep in a mess, father personally brought a cup of hot chocolate to see me.
Father called me "Isabella", and his eyes were already filled with tears. I sat beside father and finally cried on father's arm. Father called me: "My child, father has come so late to tell you a few words. Although you are only fifteen years old, you have always been strong-minded. When you were seven years old, you didn't like your name 'Isabella Ross'. You thought that 'Ross' was too ordinary and simply didn't want it. When you grew up, father also let you do everything. Now that you are going to enter the palace to serve, you can't act on your own temper anymore. You must be cautious and careful in everything and be as calm as Claire."
I nodded and promised: "Daughter knows. Daughter will pay attention to propriety and follow the rules in everything."
Father sighed deeply: "I didn't want you to enter the palace originally. But there is no avoiding it, so it can only be like this. The courts of all dynasties have always been places of disputes. Moreover, during the selection in the main hall of the Palace of Versailles yesterday, the king has paid a lot of attention to you. Presumably, there will be many disputes in the future. You must be careful and protect yourself."
I comforted father while holding back my tears: "Didn't you always say that daughter is extremely intelligent? Father can rest assured."
Father's face was full of worry and he said with concern: "Everyone who wants to survive in the court is intelligent. Father is worried that you are extremely beautiful and talented. Before entering the palace, you have already attracted the king's attention. Inevitably, you will be envied and plotted against by people in the court. If you use your intelligence to fight again, I'm afraid you will only harm yourself in vain. Remember that if you don't have absolute certainty to gain favor, you must restrain your sharpness and hide your abilities." Father doesn't ask you to strive for glory and wealth, but only asks that my precious daughter can live a peaceful life until old age."
I looked at father's eyes seriously and said word by word: "Daughter doesn't seek to gain the favor of His Majesty either. Daughter only hopes to live a peaceful life in the palace without any waves and protect the whole Ignatius family and my own life."
Father's eyes were full of affection and he said lovingly: "It's a pity that at such a young age, you have to endure hardships in this court. Father really can't bear it."
I raised the back of my hand to dry my tears and said in a deep voice: "Now that things have come to this point, daughter has no way back and can only move forward step by step."
Seeing me say this, father was slightly relieved. After thinking for a long time, he tentatively asked: "The people you take into the palace must be trusted ones and also clever and capable. Have you thought about who you want to take?"
I knew what father meant and said: "Daughter has thought about this long ago. Lucy is quick-witted and Alice is meticulous. Daughter wants to take them both into the palace."
Father slightly relaxed and said: "This is also good. They have grown up with you since childhood. Father is also at ease when they accompany you."
I lowered my head and said: "If they stay at home, in the future, they will at most marry a servant boy. Even if father has the intention, there will definitely be no good future for them. If it is too obvious, it will instead make mother suspicious and the whole family will be in turmoil." Father's slightly aged face flashed with a hint of unspeakable guilt and shame. I couldn't bear it in my heart and said softly: "Although Alice is still a servant when she enters the palace with me, in the future, if there is an opportunity, she can be betrothed to a good family."
Father sighed deeply and said: "I know this. It also depends on her fortune."
I said to father: "Father can rest assured. I am like sisters with her and will definitely not treat her unfairly."
After seeing father off, I "huffed" and blew out the candle, filling the room with darkness.
The next morning, Lucy and Alice helped me get up and wash. I suddenly remembered something. Just as I was about to go out, I remembered that I was already a young mistress and couldn't leave the mansion casually. So I summoned the little maid Betty in the room and instructed: "Go and find out if Sophia, the daughter of the mayor of a small town in Provence who is a show girl this year, has been selected and where she lives. Don't make a fuss. Come back and tell me."
She responded and went out. After half a day, she came back and said to me: "Reporting to the young mistress, Miss Sophia has been selected. Now she lives at the Rolle Inn in Jingya Alley in the west city. However, I heard that she only came to participate in the selection with an aunt. She is already very short of money. Yesterday, she couldn't even pay the reward money. It was 垫付 by the innkeeper." I frowned. This is really inappropriate. How can a selected young mistress still live in an inn? If the eunuchs and guiding nuns who come to announce the decree in these two days see this, how can she stand firm in the palace in the future?
I thought for a moment and said to Betty: "Go and invite the master."
In just a stick of incense time, father arrived. Even though I tried my best to stop him, he still saluted me before sitting down at my table. After saluting, he was again that doting father of mine and started chatting and laughing.
I said to father: "Father, daughter has something to discuss with you. Daughter met a show girl yesterday and once helped her. Now she has been selected as a young mistress. However, she is from a humble background and her family is in financial difficulties. She is still staying in an inn. It's really too desolate. Daughter wants to bring her to live with us. What does father think?"
Father stroked his beard and thought for a moment and said: "Since you like her, there is nothing inappropriate. I will ask your brother to bring her here."
In the evening, a small sedan chair brought Sophia and her aunt over. Mother had long asked the servants to clean up the Chunyue Pavilion next door, prepare clothes and jewelry, and also assigned several maids to serve them.
After having dinner, brother accompanied Sophia to my Xuerong Pavilion with a beaming face. As soon as Sophia saw me, her face was full of tears and she was about to kneel down. I quickly got up to help her and said with a smile: "You and I are the same kind of people. Why are you performing such a great ceremony to me?" Lucy was quick-witted and immediately let Sophia: "Miss Sophia and aunt, please sit down." Only then did Sophia and her aunt Hilda sit down.
Seeing that brother was beside her, Sophia barely raised her sleeve to wipe away her tears and said: "Sophia is deeply grateful to Sister Isabella for taking pity on me. Only then do I have a place to stay in the capital. When I enter the palace in the future, I won't be looked down upon by others. Sophia really has no way to repay this kindness." Hilda was also extremely grateful.
Brother laughed and said at the side: "Just now when I went to the inn, the innkeeper thought that Miss Sophia was a rare commodity and insisted on not letting them go. In the end, I sent him away with a few punches and kicks."
I pretended to scold: "In front of Miss Sophia, how can you talk about such fighting and killing things and scare us with your martial arts!"
Sophia burst out laughing and said repeatedly: "It doesn't matter. Thanks to the young hero of Isabella's family!"
I laughed and said: "Still 'young hero'? It would be good if you don't scare us." Everyone couldn't help laughing together.
As the night deepened, I sent Sophia back to her room alone. The moonlight poured down on the winding corridor like water. I sincerely said to Sophia: "Sophia, living in my house is just like living in your own home. Don't be restrained. If you lack anything, tell me. If the maids and old women are not good, also tell me. Don't wrong yourself." Sophia was moved in her heart. She held my hand and said: "Sophia is humble. I don't know what kind of blessing I have cultivated to be cherished by sister. Only then can I enter the palace at ease. Sophia can only repay with sincerity and support sister and accompany sister in the palace for the rest of our lives."
My heart warmed and I held her hand tightly and sincerely called: "Good sister."
After a day, the eunuchs from the palace came to announce the decree. Father, mother, me, elder brother, and two younger sisters went to the hall to receive the decree. The eunuch announced: "On August 24, 1733, copied from the king's bedroom by the General Office of the Imperial Household Department. By imperial decree: Isabella, the fifteen-year-old daughter of Ignatius, the Count of Champagne, is appointed as a court lady of the sixth rank. She is given the title 'Snow'. She will enter the palace on September 15. So it is decreed."
I couldn't tell whether I was sad or happy in my heart. I just quietly received the decree and expressed my gratitude.
Then a woman in palace maid's clothing was introduced. She was very elegant and had a kind expression on her face. I knew it was the teaching nun. So I slightly bowed and called: "Nun." She was stunned. She probably didn't expect me to treat her so politely. She quickly knelt down to pay respects to me and said: "Your servant Margaret pays respects to the young mistress." According to the rules of our dynasty, the teaching nun has a special status. During the period of teaching the young mistress palace etiquette, she doesn't need to kowtow and perform a grand ceremony to the concubines and young mistresses. So at the first meeting, she just knelt down to pay respects.
Father had already prepared money and gifts and gave them to the eunuch who announced the decree. Mother was careful. Considering that Sophia was staying temporarily and was short of money, she even gave Sophia's share to the eunuch.
The eunuch accepted the gifts and went to the Chunyue Pavilion next door to announce the decree:
"On August 24, 1733, copied from the king's bedroom by the General Office of the Imperial Household Department. By imperial decree: Sophia, the daughter of the mayor of a small town in Provence, is appointed as a court lady of the seventh rank. She will enter the palace on September 15. So it is decreed."
Sophia and Hilda were overjoyed and burst into tears. Since I lived with Sophia, the teaching nun was also Margaret.
After announcing the decree, the nun and the eunuch were led to have tea. A good room was prepared for the nun and she was treated well with delicious food and drink.
The people who went to inquire for news also came back. Because it was just entering the palace, the positions of the newly selected young mistresses were not high. They were all below the fifth-rank concubine. Claire was appointed as a court lady of the fifth rank. She would enter the palace on the same day as me. A total of fifteen young mistresses were selected this time and they would enter the palace in three batches. Sophia, Claire, and I were in the last batch.
I was slightly relieved. Not only could I enter the palace two days later, but also the three of us were familiar with each other. After entering the palace, we could take care of each other and wouldn't be lonely for a long time.
After Sophia and I received the conferment ceremony, we began to live in separate courtyards. We still lived in the mansion of the Count of Champagne. But our Xuerong Pavilion and Chunyue Pavilion were sealed off. Outside, there were guards sent by the palace standing guard. Inside, there were eunuchs and palace maids serving. Men were strictly prohibited from entering. Only the teaching nun accompanied us to learn etiquette and waited for the day of entering the palace on September 15.
After the conferment, the rules were strict. Except for the personal maids who were to be taken into the palace who could serve closely, even when father and elder brother met me, they had to talk to me through a curtain while kneeling on the cushions outside the door. Mother and younger sisters could still see me once a day, but they also had to pay respects to me according to etiquette.
Sophia and I were both concubines, so we could often come and go and also learn etiquette together.
In this way, it seemed that Sophia was more relaxed and at ease than me. Without male relatives around, she didn't have to watch her family kneel down and pay respects to her.
The French court has always emphasized "strict hierarchy." My title of "Snow Court Lady" symbolizes that I am already someone of the king. Although I am only a low-ranking concubine, my parents, brothers, and sisters also have to kneel down and pay respects to me.
I really couldn't bear to watch father kneel outside the curtain and pay respects to me, saying: "May the Snow Court Lady be auspicious. May the young mistress live a long and healthy life." Then he leaned forward and talked to me. This made me feel indescribably uncomfortable and sad.
I had to avoid seeing father. Every day, my younger sister Sophia and Eve would tell father about my recent situation and remind father to take care of himself.
Every day, Sophia and I would get up early and listen to Margaret explain the palace rules. In the afternoon, after taking a nap as usual, we would get up and practice etiquette postures such as standing, walking, paying respects, and eating. Sophia and I were quick learners. Soon we became proficient. In our free time, we would listen to Margaret tell some palace anecdotes. Margaret had originally served beside the queen. She was humble, straightforward, and extremely considerate. Margaret seldom mentioned palace affairs. But as days passed and we spent time together day and night, although there were only a few words, I also understood the general situation of the palace.
King Louis is thirty-five years old this year. As early as twenty years ago, he got married. He married Marie, the cousin of the current queen. Although the queen is two years older than the king, she is dignified and gentle. People at that time all praised the queen as "gentle and virtuous, beautiful and reflecting the palace." She and the king were very affectionate and also very popular in the harem. Unexpectedly, five years after their grand wedding, the queen died in childbirth. Even the newborn little prince couldn't be saved. The king was deeply saddened and posthumously conferred her the title of "Pure Yuan Queen." Then he chose the queen's younger sister, also the cousin of the empress dowager, Concubine Marianne to succeed as the queen. Although the current queen is not extremely beautiful, she is also lenient and kind. The king respects her quite a bit. However, the king is young. After losing the Pure Yuan Queen, he inevitably has many favorites. At present, the most favored person in the palace is Concubine Amanda of the Palace of Versailles. It is said that she is extremely beautiful and has won the king's favor. No one in the palace dares to oppose her. Not to mention all the concubines, even the queen has to give in to her by three points.
Logically speaking, the queen is the cousin of the empress dowager. For the sake of relatives or the glory and favor of the relatives on the mother's side, the empress dowager would not sit idly by. The empress dowager of our dynasty is as capable as a man. When the king first
ascended the throne and was still young, she had been in charge of the government behind a curtain for three years. With lightning speed, she took back the imperial power from the regent and personally executed the regent, implicating his followers and completely eradicating the regent's power. Only then did the current prosperous situation emerge. However, after completely eliminating the regent's party, the empress dowager fell seriously ill. Presumably due to exhaustion, she then had the intention of retiring and living in seclusion for self-cultivation. Since then, except for major festivals, she has lived in seclusion in the Empress Dowager's Palace and closed the door. She devotes herself to worshipping Buddha and no longer interferes in the affairs of the court and the harem. She leaves everything to the emperor and empress to handle.
In addition, the concubines in the palace are divided into eight grades and sixteen ranks. People like me, Claire, and Sophia are just low-ranking concubines. We are not the main figures in the inner court and can only be called "young mistresses." We live in the attic courtyards in the palace and have no main hall to live in. Only from the third-rank noble consort can one be called "master" or "Your Majesty" and be qualified to become the main figure in the inner court, live in the main hall, and manage the affairs of one palace. Although there are many main positions among the concubines in the harem, since the current queen was promoted from noble consort to queen, the positions of the four first-rank noble consorts, namely noble, virtuous, kind, and virtuous consorts, have been vacant and waiting for someone worthy. Aunt Margaret once sincerely said to me in private that with the young mistress's natural talent and appearance, it is only a matter of time before she gains the favor of the emperor and ascends to one of the four consort positions and enjoys glory and wealth. I just smiled faintly and changed the topic with other matters.
Since the imperial decree was issued, mother, accompanied by Sophia, has been busy preparing the personal jewelry and clothes that I will take into the palace. We can't take too much to avoid seeming petty, nor can we take too little to be looked down upon for not being presentable. Everything must be exquisitely elegant. Such picky and busy work has also taken a lot of effort. Since Sophia has lived in our house, she has been treated equally as me. Naturally, preparations must also be made for her.
Although I can't see Claire and can't meet my family casually, my relationship with Sophia has become increasingly firm. We are inseparable every day and address each other as sisters. We even take turns wearing a jade hairpin.
However, I am not in a happy mood. There is intense inner anxiety and a festering sore has grown on the corner of my mouth. Sophia and Hilda hurriedly made a folk remedy from their hometown and applied it to me overnight before it gradually subsided.
On the last night before entering the palace, by custom, family members can meet and see me off. My parents, accompanied by my elder brother and two younger sisters, came to see me. Margaret took everyone and left early. Only we were left crying with tears streaming down our faces.
After this separation, I will live in the deep palace from now on. It will be extremely difficult to see each other again.
I stopped crying and looked at Sophia and Eve. Sophia is just twelve years old and has just grown up. Although she is not as beautiful as me, she is also very delicate. However, her temperament is too gentle and weak, and she is indecisive. I'm afraid she won't achieve much in the future. Eve is still young, only seven years old. But there is a lot of intelligence in her eyes. Her temperament is bright and lively, extremely clever. My parents say that she looks seven or eight points like me when I was young. In the future, she will surely be extremely beautiful. Therefore, I especially love her, and she is also particularly attached to me.
Sophia tried her best to restrain her crying. Eve doesn't fully understand worldly affairs yet. She just hugged my neck and cried, "Sister, don't go." They are both still young and can't take on any responsibilities for the family. Fortunately, my elder brother Henry is young and promising. Although he is only four years older than me, he is already proficient in both literature and martial arts. He is just waiting to go and guard the border with the army in three months to make contributions to the country.
I looked at my mother again. She is less than forty years old. Coupled with her usual good maintenance, she looks even younger. But within three months, both her eldest son and eldest daughter will leave her side. There are many more haggard expressions on her face. She kept wiping the tears on her face with a handkerchief, but she couldn't wipe them clean. Tears rolled down in strings like broken beads.
I said through tears, "Mother, I am going to the palace. I won't be wronged. Brother is also going to earn fame. The two younger sisters can still bring joy to you." Mother nodded repeatedly, but she couldn't stop crying. She sobbed even more.
Mother wiped away her tears forcefully and reminded me: "Once you enter the palace gate, it is as deep as the sea. Isabella should take good care of herself and cherish herself. When getting along with the concubines, you must be extra careful. Naturally, it is good to be a favorite concubine of the king. But mother only wants her daughter. Therefore, protecting one's own life is even more crucial. No matter what, you must protect yourself first."
I forced a smile and said, "Mother, rest assured. I have remembered everything. I also hope that parents will take good care of themselves."
Father's face was full of sadness. He remained silent and only said solemnly, "Isabella, from now on, all your honor and disgrace depend on yourself. Naturally, the honor and disgrace of the entire Ignatius family also depend on you."
I nodded vigorously. Looking up, I saw that my brother seemed to be thinking about something and remained silent. I knew that my brother was not such a hesitant person. There must be something important. So I said, "Parents, please take the sisters to rest. Isabella has a few words to say to my brother."
After repeated exhortations from my parents, they finally left reluctantly.
My brother didn't expect that I would take the initiative to keep him behind. His expression was slightly surprised. My voice was gentle: "Brother, if you have anything to say, you can say it now."
My brother hesitated for a while and took out a flowery note from his sleeve. There was a faint fragrance of perfume on the paper. As soon as I smelled it, I knew who had written it. My brother finally spoke: "Winston entrusted me to give this to you. I have been thinking about it for two days. I don't know if I should let you know."
I glanced indifferently at the note and said: "Brother, he is confused. Are you also confused? Secret exchanges between men and women are a great crime for court ladies."
My brother's words gradually became softer, full of emotion: "I know it violates palace rules. But his affection..."
My voice suddenly became cold: "Isabella knows she can't bear it!" I saw shame on my brother's face. After calming down, his tone became gentle: "Doesn't brother understand Isabella yet? Winston is not the one Isabella has in mind. Isabella has no one in mind either."
My brother nodded slightly: "He also knows that things can't be undone. But he just wants you to understand his feelings. I have always been on good terms with Winston. I really can't bear to see him suffer from lovesickness." He paused and put the letter in my hand. "You can deal with this letter yourself."
I responded with an "um" and threw the letter on the table. My tone was indifferent: "Help me tell Winston to be a good court physician and don't bother about me anymore."
My brother stared at me: "I will convey your words. But according to his temperament, he may not do as you wish."
I remained noncommittal. I reached out and pulled out a silver hairpin to brighten the candle wick. Gently blew off the sparking candle ash picked out by the hairpin. "Just convey the message for me. This is a reminder for him. If he can do it, it will be good for both me and him. If he can't, it may not necessarily be harmful to me. Just let him know that now I and he have different identities. We are no longer as we were before." Then I turned and took out a sky-blue robe and handed it to my brother. Softly said: "Isabella has made a new robe. I hope brother will see it as seeing Isabella. The border is cold and bitter. The palace is also difficult. Brother and Isabella must both take care of themselves."
My brother put away the robe. His face was full of reluctance and he looked at me quietly. I was silent for a long time. Vaguely, I was still that six or seven-year-old little girl. My brother put me on his shoulder and carried me to pick the most beautiful roses in May.
I composed myself and asked Alice to send my brother away. Looking at his back, my heart ached. Big tears rolled down.
I ordered Lucy to bring in a brazier. Just as I was about to burn Winston's letter. Suddenly, I saw a very large tear stain on the back of the letter. It fell on the hibiscus-red flowery note and seemed to be bleeding. In the end, I couldn't bear it. I opened it and saw only two short lines of cursive writing: "Once entering the palace is as deep as the sea. From now on, lovers are strangers." The ink was weak and intermittent. Presumably, when writing, his heart was so sad that his handwriting was weak.
I was annoyed in my heart. There are such self-indulgent people. When was he ever my lover? I casually crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it into the brazier. The flowery note was immediately swallowed up by the flames.
Lucy immediately took the brazier away. Alice came up and poured black tea and advised: "Did Master Winston make the young lady angry again? Although his affection is good, it is not used in the right place. Young lady, don't take it to heart like him."
I took a sip of tea. My heart was in turmoil. Clearly, the scene half a month ago before I entered the palace for the selection emerged in my mind. According to palace rules, imperial physicians cannot diagnose and treat people other than the royal family without imperial orders. However, he has always been on good terms with my family. So in his spare time, he often comes privately. That day, he sat in the small hall in my pavilion. After feeling my pulse for a long time, he suddenly said to me: "Miss Isabella, if I come to propose marriage, would you be willing to marry me?"
I was immediately stunned. Shameful redness rushed to my face. My tone was icy: "Master Winston's words today, Isabella will pretend she never heard them."
He was both ashamed and flustered. He repeatedly apologized and said: "It's my fault. I was abrupt to Miss Isabella. Please don't be angry. I just hope that Miss Isabella doesn't go to the palace for selection."
I barely suppressed my anger and called Betty: "I'm tired. See the guest out!" I drove him out half like chasing him away.
Before he left, he looked directly at me and earnestly said to me: "I can't guarantee anything else, but I can guarantee to be good to Miss Isabella all my life. I hope Miss will consider it. If you are willing, you can ask Brother Henry to tell me. I will come to propose marriage immediately."
I turned around and just looked at the carved blackwood embroidery screen behind me without speaking.
I ignored this matter again and didn't mention it to my parents and elder brother.
Winston is really not the one I have in mind. I can't just marry myself off casually because I don't want to be selected. I can't.
I was in a state of turmoil. Despite Alice's persuasion to go to sleep, I put on a cloud silk cloak and paced alone on the corridor.
At the end of the corridor is Chunyue Pavilion where Sophia lives. Thinking that we will enter the palace tomorrow. She must have some private words to say to Hilda. It's not convenient to go to her place. So I turned and walked towards the garden. Suddenly, I was very reluctant to leave the Earl's mansion where I had lived for fifteen years. Every plant and tree was filled with my past feelings. I couldn't help being touched by the scene and feeling sad.
After strolling around for a while, the sky was already getting late. I was afraid that Aunt Margaret and all the maids and servants must have been impatient. So I quickened my pace and walked back. Passing by Xulangzhai where my elder brother lives is my Xuerong Pavilion. Just as I was walking, I suddenly heard a slight rustling sound from the corner door of Xulangzhai. There was a petite figure. I thought it was a maid serving my elder brother. Just as I was about to ask, a sudden realization dawned on me. If it wasn't Sophia, who else could it be?
I quickly hid behind a phoenix tree. I saw Sophia looking longingly at my elder brother's tall figure in front of the bedroom window of Xulangzhai. The silvery moonlight leaked down through the leaves of the phoenix tree. The shadows of the branches and leaves seemed like sparse dark embroidery falling on her, making her even more delicate and graceful. The corner of her clothes was fluttering in the night wind, but she still didn't feel the slightest chill in the wind. It was already mid-September. The several phoenix trees planted in front of Xulangzhai had begun to shed their leaves. In the silent falling of yellow leaves in the dead of night, I faintly heard Sophia's Depressed crying. Immediately, a sense of desolation filled my heart. Even if Sophia had feelings for my elder brother, I'm afraid it is already destined that they have no chance in this life. The night wind was blowing. Somehow, I thought of Winston's words: "Once entering the palace is as deep as the sea. From now on, lovers are strangers." For Sophia, these words were truly fitting.
I don't know how long I watched silently. Finally, Sophia left quietly.
I took a look at the light in my elder brother's room. I was secretly shocked. I had always boasted of being extremely intelligent. I didn't even notice that Sophia had developed deep feelings for my elder brother in just a dozen days. This affection was not shallow. So much so that on the night before entering the palace, she still shed tears looking at my elder brother's figure. I don't know if it was because Sophia was too shy and concealed it well or because I was in a bad mood recently and had no time to pay attention. I was really negligent. If there was really something between my elder brother and Sophia, it would not only ruin them but also be a great disaster that would affect both the An family and the Zhen family.
I couldn't help but worry. Then I thought that judging from tonight's situation, my elder brother should not know Sophia's feelings for him. At most, it's just Sophia's unrequited love. But I should appropriately remind Sophia. It's not easy for her to enter the palace. Don't let this affect her future in the palace.
Back in my room, there was nothing to say all night. I usually sleep lightly. With so many things on my mind, it was even more difficult to fall asleep. As I tossed and turned, the sky was already bright.
My last night at my parents' home had passed like this!