Peach Blossom.

Yu'er followed the singing to Meixiangxie, only to see that it was crowded with people, almost blocking the door.

Yu'er was supported by Xiuping and finally squeezed into the door. She saw Taoye sitting on the high platform in the middle of the room, playing and singing the pipa.

The singer has a peach-leaf bun with exposed hair, dark eyebrows and red lips, and a plum blossom skirt that drags on the ground. She is more beautiful than ever.

After the song was finished, the whole audience was in an uproar, cheering continuously, and everyone shouted, "Miss Tao, please sing another song!"

However, Tao Ye just smiled lightly, turned around and went upstairs holding the pipa.

Yu'er wanted to go forward and say hello, but just as she took a step, she was stepped on by someone who was cheering.

Xiuping hurriedly supported Yuer.

The two of them looked up and saw Tao Ye had already reached the corridor on the second floor. There was still a group of people downstairs shouting, "Miss Tao, please give me a favor!"

Tao Ye still ignored him and went straight back to her room.

Yu'er had always seen Tao Ye being obedient and passionate towards her father before, but she didn't expect that she would become so cold and elegant now.

She was wondering when she heard someone beside her whisper, "This Miss Tao is just a newcomer in the industry, why is she so arrogant? It's rare that so many people are willing to support her."

Another person laughed and replied, "Haven't you heard of her? She has a very unusual background. She was once the concubine of the prince consort and was forcibly sold to a brothel by the princess."

"Which Prince Consort?"

"Who else could it be? Of course it must be the famous Prince Consort Wang, the most handsome man in Jiankang, who mutilated his own feet because he didn't want to marry the princess!"

Several people nearby heard this and laughed among themselves, saying, "Sure enough, this princess is the most tyrannical person in the world. She forced her first wife to death, sold her concubines, and molded her husband like dough."

Yu'er couldn't help but frown. She didn't know the identities of these guests and how they dared to talk about the princess in public.

She didn't know where this rumor came from, but based on this rumor, she was sure that she had not recognized the wrong person.

Yu'er took a few steps forward and was about to go upstairs, but was stopped by Shen Hui's maid Fuxuan: "I wonder what this lady is doing upstairs?"

Yu'er said, "I want to meet Miss Tao."

"Miss Tao is not someone you can meet just because you want to."

Yu'er felt the money bag around her waist and found that there was not much money left. She couldn't afford to spend it in a place like Meixiang Pavilion, so she took off a jade hairpin from her head and asked, "Is this okay?"

Xiuping quickly held Yu'er's hand and said, "Miss, this is the last relic of your mother."

"Mother is no longer with us. Now the most important thing is father's illness." Yu'er put the jade hairpin into Fuxuan's hand.

Fuxuan gave way.

Yu'er went upstairs and walked to Taoye's door. The door was open. She looked out and saw Taoye sitting in front of the dressing table, removing the false nails on her fingers.

Yu'er noticed that there were cracks on Taoye's fingers, probably because she practiced the pipa too frequently and was injured by the strings.

When she was about to enter the room, Yu'er felt extremely nervous, a mentality she had never had before when facing Tao Ye.

She concentrated and held her breath, then called out a very abrupt title: "Mother..."

Tao Ye was a little surprised to hear the name "mother". She turned around and saw Yu'er, who was still wearing a veil as before, and Xiuping was following behind her.

She remembered that Yu'er had never spoken to her on her own initiative before, and even when she inevitably mentioned her to others, she always referred to her as "fox spirit". After not seeing her for several months, she actually started calling her "mother"?

However, Tao Ye was not happy to hear this title at this time. Since she had already written the divorce letter, how could it be a joke?

When she had no connection with Wang Jing anymore, Yu'er certainly had nothing to do with her at all.

She then pretended to be indifferent: "Miss, did you recognize the wrong person?"

Yu'er left Xiuping outside the door and walked in alone. She mustered up the courage to call out, "Mom, I know you are angry with me. I am here to apologize to you."

"Is it necessary?" Tao Ye couldn't help but laugh, with some contempt: "I think your father should have told you that I have divorced him. Now, I am just a prostitute, and you are a rich lady, why do you have to step on cheap people?"

Yu'er thought about it and decided that all this was probably nonsense. Only by telling Taoye about her father's physical condition could she attract Taoye's attention.

She walked closer to Tao Ye, squatted down and held Tao Ye's hand: "Mother, actually I came to you to tell you about your father's illness."

Tao Ye pulled her hand away but did not refute Yu'er's words. Perhaps in her heart, she still wanted to know about Wang Jing.

"I only recently found out that the medicine my father took was so harmful to his health. My mother should have known for a long time that he lost his sense of taste due to the medicine..."

Tao Ye didn't say anything. Of course she remembered that Wang Jing had told her about losing her sense of taste. However, because it was something that could not be seen or touched, she had kind of forgotten about it over time.

Yu'er continued, "I think mother probably doesn't know yet that he has lost more than just his sense of taste."

Tao Ye was a little shocked. She glanced at Yu'er and seemed to have guessed what Yu'er was going to say next.

"Of his five senses, only hearing is not that bad now. He has long lost his sight and even his sensitivity to touch. After the blow of my grandmother's death, his health is worse than before. My third uncle said that he has already shown signs of dying..." At this point, Yu'er's eyes were already blurred with tears.

Tao Ye broke out in a cold sweat after hearing this. What Yu'er said was even more terrifying than she had imagined.

"He distanced himself from you because he didn't want to be discovered. In fact, he cares about you and misses you very much. Uncle San said that if you could come back to him, he might live longer, so I'm looking for you everywhere..." Yu'er twitched and looked at Taoye with pleading eyes.

Things happened a little suddenly, Tao Ye felt very confused. She thought about it for a long time before she slowly got some clues.

She looked at Yu'er and sighed softly: "Even if what you said is true, I can't go back to him. Last time, I just went to your house for a while, and the princess sent me to the brothel. If I go again, won't she kill me directly? Besides, I owe Boss Shen a lot of money for this, so I dare not leave Meixiangxie easily."

"I know, I know everything..." Yu'er wiped her tears. When she heard Tao Ye's words, she was so nervous that she was a little flustered: "When my grandfather is out of danger, my father will definitely leave the capital and leave the princess. At that time, no one can hinder you... But before that, can you go see him occasionally? Make him happy?"

Listening to these words, Tao Ye couldn't help but frown. Why did these words sound like a mistress waiting for an opportunity to become a regular employee? She had to find an opportunity to meet secretly before becoming a regular employee?

She had liked Wang Jing for so long, it was impossible for her to say that she had let it go, but she had thought it over carefully before leaving Yongchang. Although they had been married, Wang Jing was nominally his son-in-law, and her existence was either that of a mistress or a concubine, both of which she was unwilling to accept.

"Are you asking me to have an affair with him?" Tao Ye looked at Yu'er and smiled, but her smile was fake.

Yu Er felt embarrassed when she heard this: "No... of course not..."

Tao Ye calmed down and finally made up her mind: "Then please go back. I told him when I gave him the divorce letter. Even if he really loves me, it has to be after he and the princess divorce. I can't follow him without a proper name or reason."

"But...what if he doesn't live to see the divorce? Don't you want to see him again?" Yu'er didn't want to say that. She was afraid that saying such words would become a curse, but she couldn't think of a better reason to convince Taoye.

Tao Ye's mood, which had just been controlled, was disturbed again by this sentence. She felt that she was actually more afraid of Wang Jing's death than Yu'er, but she really didn't know what to do.

"Even if he is just a friend of yours... can you go visit an old friend who is sick?" Yu'er started sobbing again, she was so humble.

Tao Ye felt more and more conflicted. She rubbed her hands together and her palms were sweaty.

Seeing Tao Ye was hesitant, Yu Er simply knelt on the ground and said, "Mother, I beg you..."

Tao Ye was shocked and felt very confused.

Fuxuan's voice was heard in the corridor: "Miss Tao, a distinguished guest has come downstairs and has paid a large sum of money to have you sing. Boss Shen wants you to come down quickly."

Tao Ye felt even more overwhelmed and hurriedly picked up the pipa.

Yu'er knew that Tao Ye didn't have time to continue listening to her, so she had to quickly say, "There is a ferry one mile to the east. I will take my father there to wait for you at noon tomorrow..."

Before Yu'er could finish her words, Tao Ye had already walked out of the room holding the pipa.

Yu'er was still kneeling there, and suddenly she burst into tears.

Tao Ye walked out of the house. She heard Yu'er crying and almost started crying too.

But when she saw Xiuping outside the door staring at her, she swallowed back the tears that were about to flow, tried to smile, and slowly walked downstairs towards the group of guests who were looking up at her.

Xiuping came in and helped Yuer, who was kneeling and crying, up, then slowly walked out and stood in the corridor looking down.

They heard Tao Ye's singing again. Just like what they saw when they first arrived, Tao Ye was playing and singing by herself, but she forgot to put false nails on her fingers.

Yu'er had no choice but to leave Meixiangxie under Xiuping's persuasion.

Arriving at the entrance of Meixiangxie, Yu'er looked back at Taoye again. Even if she had enough time for a long talk, she had no confidence that she could convince Taoye. She just silently hoped that Taoye would keep the appointment tomorrow.