I was sold when I opened my eyes! My sick and disabled husband comforts me every night after he wake

If it weren't for Ah Qi, she really wouldn't have been able to come back for three days, but she didn't want to tell them about it, so as not to make them worry.

Thinking of this, she quickly came up with a reasonable excuse.

"I came back to pick up some things. I'll go to the palace again tomorrow. Oh, by the way, the Empress Dowager has bestowed a house upon us. You all go back and pack your things now, and we'll move in a little while."

Upon hearing this, Mo Ning's face turned ashen in an instant. Yuan Tianxiong noticed the change and asked,

"Miss Lan, is the Empress Dowager going to bestow a courtyard upon us? Does this mean we'll be staying in the capital for a long time?"

Lan Zhi shrugged and shook her head, saying:

"I don't know either, but since the Empress Dowager has done this, it means we won't be able to leave anytime soon."

At this point, she looked at Nie Yuan.

"If you're in a hurry to go back and report, then you can go now. We can't go back for the time being."

Nie Yuan scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.

"I was thinking that with so many people here, it would be quite expensive to feed and care for them. I just sent those officials back, and I was hoping to hear good news from you after you left the palace in three or four days. But now I still don't have any definite news. How can I go back to report? Oh well, I have nothing to do back home anyway. I'll stay here for a few more days. I haven't had enough of this bustling capital yet."

Seeing that Nie Yuan was determined, Lan Zhi had no choice but to nod in agreement.

"Then it's your decision. Let's go back and pack our things now. When the palace staff arrive, we'll move."

She then looked at Xiangxiu.

"Xiangxiu, this is Aqi. You two are about the same age. She will live with you from now on. You can take care of the housework, such as washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning."

Xiangxiu nodded shyly, then took Aqi to pack their things. Mao Mao also ran to pack his own. Seeing this, Mo Ning waved his hand to send Yuan Tianxiong away. Only when it was just the two of them left did he eagerly ask what was going on.

"Lan Zhi, why did the Empress Dowager keep you here? How was your day in the palace? Did you encounter anything unusual? Did anyone bully you?"

Seeing how anxious he was to ask, Lan Zhi quickly shook her head and explained.

"No one gave me any trouble, but some of what you said was absolutely right."

"What did she say? How is the Empress Dowager? Have you diagnosed her illness?"

"The Empress Dowager is perfectly fine, which is what I'm curious about. You know what? She was actually faking her illness."

As she said this, she glanced quickly towards the door, then ran over and closed it. She then approached Mo Ning, looking at him with a mysterious expression.

"Let me tell you, the Empress Dowager is in good health, but for some reason she insisted on pretending to be sick. When she saw me, she stopped pretending. By the way, she has already kept me as her personal physician. I need to stay by her side and take good care of her from now on."

"what?"

Mo Ning had a bad feeling, and her face turned deathly pale in an instant.

"Does the Empress Dowager want you to stay in the palace?"

Lan Zhi nodded solemnly.

"Yes, and she told me about her faking illness, and she wants me to keep it a secret with her. You mustn't tell anyone else about this! If it gets out, you'll lose your head."

Mo Ning was well aware of the seriousness of the matter, but why was the Empress Dowager feigning illness?

"You saw the Empress?"

Lan Zhi immediately nodded emphatically.

"I saw it. Just like you said, she really doesn't want the Empress Dowager to be happy."

Upon hearing this, Mo Ning's lips curled into a disdainful expression, and then he nodded.

"Did you see anyone else?"

Lan Zhi thought for a while,

"Yes, and the Crown Prince is also in the Longevity Palace."

"Wei Jian'an?"

Lan Zhi was surprised when he said that name.

How dare you address the Crown Prince by his given name?

Mo Ning breathed a sigh of relief, then shook his head.

"It's fine to talk about it behind someone's back."

"That's true. By the way, Ah Qi was kicked out of the palace because of me. I promised her that I would pay her the same wages she would have received while working in the palace. Let her stay here for now. Anyway, the Empress Dowager's rewards to me will be substantial, so it won't make a difference if I pay her one more person's wages."

She was packing her things as she spoke, but found that Mo Ning was not responding to her.

When she turned to look at him, he was sitting there in a daze.

"Mo Ning, what's wrong?"

She approached him and asked in surprise,

"Are you angry because I brought Ah Qi back without discussing it with you?"

Mo Ning then came to her senses and hurriedly shook her head.

"You're the boss in this house, I'm not angry."

"So you were daydreaming just now. What were you thinking about? Oh right, didn't you say you'd tell me your hidden secret once I left the palace?"

Mo Ning originally intended to tell her these things in detail, but that was before she entered the palace. He thought that after she returned, she would no longer have any contact with people in the palace, so it wouldn't matter if she knew.

But now she has to go back to the palace, and if the truth is told to her, she will definitely find it hard to accept.

If, because of him, she harbors resentment towards anyone in the palace, especially the Crown Prince and the Empress, and expresses it verbally, then she will be in danger.

No, he couldn't tell her the truth, at least not before he revealed his true self.

Thinking of this, he stood up from his wheelchair, took her hands in his, and whispered:

"The reason I want to wear a mask when I go out is because I used to be the son of an official. My family originally lived in the capital. My father was a very high-ranking official, and my mother was his concubine. Five years ago, because I was highly regarded by my father, my older brothers were afraid that I would inherit all of my father's property, so they harmed me like this..."

At this point, he let out a long sigh of relief. Lan Zhi looked at him with great sympathy.

"Who is your father? Is he also an official in the capital? Do you plan to visit him this time you've come back?"

Mo Ning shook his head.

"I don't want to say much about my father. I'll tell you about him later when I have the chance. Also, I won't go to see them for now, but I will later. Lan Zhi, I don't want to mention my family anymore. I'll tell you about them later when I have the chance, okay?"

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her hair, and breathed a sigh of apology.

"My mother may have gone to seek revenge on the person who harmed me, which is why she never returned. I came here this time to inquire about her whereabouts. You must be careful in the palace."

She nestled her head against his chest and nodded emphatically.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself. Besides, I can leave the palace anytime. I've thought about it. After the Empress Dowager's matter is over, we'll sell the courtyard she bestowed upon us, and then we won't go back to Kangzhuang Village. We'll find a new place to live. Do you think my idea is feasible?"

Listening to her plans for the future, Mo Ning felt a sharp pang in her heart.

How could he not want such a life? But it seems he will never be able to achieve it in this lifetime.

He held her tightly, a feeling of indescribable sorrow welling up inside him.