Chapter 72 His undergarments were soaked through.

The water in Yaoguang Pool is very deep.

The noise from the shore faded into the distance.

Jiang Zhi held her breath and swam for an unknown amount of time until she had exhaled all the air from her lungs before finally daring to surface.

Sure enough, there was no one around anymore.

She determined her location and slowly swam towards a secluded spot.

Yao Guang Pond wasn't very big, and she soon saw the shore.

The shore was covered in moss and was wet and slippery, and the water was still very deep. She couldn't find a place to use as leverage to get ashore.

Just as I was about to swim a little further along the lake, a branch as thick as my forearm suddenly fell down in front of me.

"Come on up." A gentle voice came from inside.

She looked up warily, only to see a man sitting on the shore, looking down at her.

The man's face was obscured by the light, but his figure was somewhat thin, and the large brocade robe made him appear even more frail.

Seeing that Jiang Zhi did not move, he did not urge her, but only reminded her, "There are many loose stones on this shore, be careful when you come up."

Jiang Zhi did not refuse. She grabbed the branch that was handed to her and used it to slowly climb ashore.

"Thank you for saving me." She had been swimming for a while and was exhausted. She was soaking wet and didn't care about her appearance. She sat down on the ground to catch her breath and rest.

A soft laugh came from beside her, "Today is the Crown Prince's engagement banquet. Which official's wife are you, and how did you end up in the pond?"

Jiang Zhi straightened her clothes slightly. "A white cat suddenly darted out during the banquet. In the chaos, I lost my footing and fell into the water. In my panic, I drifted further and further away, which is how I ended up here."

What happened at the banquet can be easily found out by asking anyone. Although the person's identity is unknown, most men who can enter and leave the palace are of noble birth, so lying will not do him any good.

She looked up at the person opposite her and suddenly froze.

She hadn't seen clearly because of the backlighting, but the person was sitting in an ebony wheelchair with a thin blanket covering his knees. He was tall and slender, with gentle features and eyes as unfathomable as obsidian, quietly fixed on her.

"It must be Xue Gu. Zhao Hui spoils this cat too much, letting it run wild. Ordinary palace servants can't do anything about it. It's just that you've been frightened."

His voice was gentle, but weak from a long illness.

Jiang Zhi dared not be disrespectful in the slightest and bowed to him properly, saying, "This humble woman has been impolite. I greet Your Highness, the Crown Prince of Xiang."

Xiao Yunheng asked her, "How did you know my identity?"

He chuckled self-deprecatingly as soon as he finished speaking, "That's true, I'm the only cripple in this palace, anyone could guess that."

Jiang Zhi didn't dare to reply at all.

The Prince of Xiang was the younger brother of the current emperor. He died on the battlefield in the north while leading troops into battle, and at that time, the Princess of Xiang was only five months pregnant.

The Emperor, mindful of the Prince of Xiang's loyalty and bravery, bestowed upon the child the title of Prince Xiang's heir as soon as the child was born, and showered him with rewards.

She also pitied Xiao Yunheng for losing his father at a young age, and treated him with extra care and favor, often summoning him to the palace to keep him company, a treatment that even her own sons did not receive.

Unfortunately, when he was eight years old, Xiao Yunheng fell from the artificial hill at the Prince of Xiang's residence, breaking both his legs and becoming unable to walk again.

The emperor was furious, feeling deeply sorry for failing his deceased younger brother in not protecting his only heir. He ordered that Xiao Yunheng be brought into the palace to be raised until he came of age, at which point he was allowed to return to the Prince of Xiang's residence.

Jiang Zhi deduced his identity from his age, attire, and the wheelchair he was sitting in.

Seeing that she didn't answer, Xiao Yunheng smiled nonchalantly, "It's alright, I won't blame you. It's just that you're not in the right state to go back directly. Come with me."

Without waiting for Jiang Zhi's reply, he turned and left, maneuvering his wheelchair around.

The wheels crunched over the branches and withered leaves, making a soft, rustling sound as they drove away.

Jiang Zhi didn't hesitate for long and followed.

In her previous life, she had no connection with the Crown Prince of Xiang. She only heard that he was gentle and indifferent by nature, and because of his poor health, he never participated in court affairs. He was a person who was in the center of power but was as pure as a breeze and as bright as the moon.

Although it is unknown whether he was seeking fame or reputation, Xiao Yunheng, as the heir apparent, should not have the leisure to come here to frame her.

Jiang Zhi followed Xiao Yunheng for a short while before arriving at a palace that looked long abandoned.

There were no steps or thresholds in front of the palace, and the passageway was widened so that his wheelchair could easily enter and exit.

Upon entering the hall, one sees many wooden railings installed on the corridors and walls, but they have not been cleaned for a long time and are covered with a thin layer of dust.

Jiang Zhi realized that this must be the palace where the Crown Prince of Xiang lived before he came of age.

Sure enough, Xiao Yunheng said calmly, "This is the palace where I lived when I was young. My legs can't stand the cold. There should still be some charcoal in the small kitchen in the west wing. Go and get the stove, and you can dry your clothes in the palace."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Jiang Zhi immediately said respectfully.

She was indeed in a terrible state, her clothes were wet and clung to her body, and she was shivering from the cold when the wind blew by.

Without any hesitation, she went to the small kitchen, found some charcoal and a stove, and moved them behind the screen in the hall.

"I have other matters to attend to. You may leave once your clothes are dry. If you do not know the way, ask a palace maid or eunuch for directions."

Xiao Yunheng pushed the wheelchair out, then suddenly stopped and turned to ask her, "By the way, I still don't know your name?"

Jiang Zhi answered truthfully: "My daughter is Jiang Zhi, and my father is Jiang Zhengting, the Minister of Rites."

"So she's Minister Jiang's daughter." Xiao Yunheng nodded thoughtfully, then left without saying anything more.

Jiang Zhi looked around the room and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that there was no one else there.

She went around to the well behind the house, drew a basin of water, lit a fire in the stove, took off her outer garment through the screen and slowly dried it, then wrung out the water with a cloth to wipe the dirt off her face.

Although her inner garment was also soaked, this was not a place she was familiar with, so she only dared to sit by the stove, using her fingers as a comb to untangle her messy hair, and then re-tied it into a simple bun after it was half-dry.

Once her outer garment was completely dry, she took off her inner garment, intending to put the outer garment back on first and then put the inner garment back on once it was dry.

Just as she took it off, she suddenly heard extremely faint footsteps coming from outside.

Jiang Zhi was startled and quickly reached for the outer robe, but the person was faster. Her fingertips had just touched it when the person had already stepped over the screen!

The newcomer seemed to have not expected anyone to be in this abandoned palace. He couldn't stop in time and his gaze fell on Jiang Zhi's smooth, bare back. Her fair skin shone with a delicate luster under the firelight. Her half-dry black hair was loosely tied up, with a few strands falling down her back, like the finest jade in the world.

Jiang Zhi only had time to turn her curled-up body away from him, her voice trembling with panic, "Aren't you going to get out of here?!"

The man realized what had happened and apologized, "I'm sorry, I thought no one was inside. I didn't mean to spy."

Just as he was about to retreat behind the screen, Jiang Zhi recognized his voice and turned to look at him in surprise, "Young Master Xie?"