"ah!"
Consort Zheng gasped in surprise, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.
The dart, accompanied by the whooshing sound of the wind, flew past Consort Zheng's head and struck the wooden pillar behind her with a clang.
The emperor slammed his hand on the table and rose angrily.
"presumptuous!"
"It was I who was impolite."
A faint smile suddenly appeared on Su Qingcai's face. He removed his blindfold and stared at Consort Zheng with a half-smile, saying, "Is Consort Zheng alright? Forgive my blunder for startling Your Highness. Please do not take offense."
Consort Zheng remained slumped on the ground, her face deathly pale. Sharp darts had severed a few strands of her hair, which landed on her dress as a silent mockery.
The palace servants around her were also stunned by the shock, and none of them reacted in time to help Consort Zheng up, leaving her sitting there in a very disheveled state.
“You…” Consort Zheng trembled as she got up and threw herself into the Emperor’s arms, her resentful eyes fixed on Su Qingcai.
"Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince clearly did this on purpose! You must punish him!"
“Your Highness Consort Zheng, you cannot slander me.” Su Qingcai’s expression remained unchanged. He stood there calmly, as if he had not been the one who caused the chaos. “If Your Highness Consort Zheng had not asked me to shoot darts blindfolded, how could this have happened? Please forgive me, Your Highness Consort Zheng.”
"Lies!" Consort Zheng shouted urgently. Although Su Qingcai apologized, he didn't show a trace of remorse. He was clearly doing it on purpose! It must be to get revenge on Su Xiaoning!
Consort Zheng was so angry that her eyes welled up with tears. She tugged at the emperor's robe and said coquettishly, "Your Majesty, I have suffered such a great injustice, won't you even say a word for me...?"
She seemed too hasty, her mind in turmoil, and the bell on her wrist jingled unconsciously a few times, making a clear "ring-ring" sound.
Upon hearing the bell, the emperor, who was supposed to help Consort Zheng deal with Su Qingcai, suddenly came to his senses. He pushed Consort Zheng away and said coldly, "I have matters to discuss with the Ninth Prince. All of you, leave!"
"Your Majesty!" Consort Zheng exclaimed in surprise. After realizing what was happening, she raised her wrist to ring the bell, but the Emperor waved his hand, and a large group of palace servants rushed forward and forcibly led her out of the Imperial Garden.
The emperor didn't say what Su Xiaoning's fate was. Su Xiaoning stood there somewhat helplessly. Su Qingcai came over, took the apple off her, and whispered, "You go first. I'll come find you after I've finished dealing with things here."
Su Qingcai's eyes shone brightly. He gave Su Xiaoning a reassuring look, then gently pushed her away.
Su Xiaoning glanced at Su Qingcai one last time before retreating with the crowd. Soon, the entire vast Imperial Garden was empty, with no one else disturbing the Emperor and Su Qingcai.
"Xiao Jiu, come here." The emperor beckoned to Su Qingcai and slumped wearily into a chair.
Su Qingcai walked over as instructed, and asked with some concern, "Your Majesty, you haven't been feeling well lately, has something happened?"
The emperor gave a bitter smile and sighed, "Things that you can notice, I often fail to grasp... I seem to have contracted a strange illness lately, I'm often not lucid, and I don't know why I do things I shouldn't. Xiao Jiu, don't blame me, I didn't originally intend to blind you."
He looked lifeless, as if he had been tormented and exhausted.
Su Qingcai's heart tightened, her throat bobbed, and she didn't know what to say. She asked cautiously, "How could this happen? Has His Majesty consulted the imperial physicians?"
Although the emperor was not in good health normally, he had never been so listless before, so there must be something fishy about this.
While Su Qingcai was pondering, the Emperor shook his head and said helplessly, "If the imperial physicians were useful, why would I need to ask you this? No one can figure out the cause of my strange illness, so there is no cure."
“Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, protected by auspicious clouds and auspicious energy. You cannot speak such words carelessly!” Su Qingcai pursed his lips, a sudden sadness rising in his heart. “What disease in this world cannot be cured? Your Majesty need not worry. The Drunken Physician Bai Hua is at my residence. I will invite him to examine Your Majesty.”
"The Drunken Physician Bai Hua? If he can really diagnose any problems, that would be good..."
With things having come to this point, there was no other way. The Emperor sighed a few more times and could only accept Su Qingcai's suggestion.
...
On the other side, inside the side room.
Meng Ruqiao sat alone in the room, blood seeping from the wound on her arm again, but she seemed oblivious, sitting there woodenly as if time had stood still.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and then Su Xiaoning pushed the door open and entered.
Upon seeing Meng Ruqiao's bleeding arm, she exclaimed in alarm and rushed forward.
"Good heavens, what happened to you! The imperial physicians in the palace didn't even bandage you properly! Don't move around, let me treat your wound."
Su Xiaoning only intended to find Meng Ruqiao and tell her what had happened, but she never expected to see such a scene. Without saying a word, she grabbed Meng Ruqiao's arm, took out a medicine bottle from her pocket, and began to treat her wounds again.
Meng Ruqiao opened her mouth, feeling a little bitter, but she didn't say anything and quietly let Su Xiaoning do as she pleased.
A short while later, someone strode in and said, "I've come to deliver medicine for Miss Meng's wounds."
Su Xiaoning turned around and saw that the person who came was Shen Jun.
Shen Jun stood straight in place, his expression serious, without looking at Meng Ruqiao.
The emperor didn't send medicine for wounds earlier, but now he remembers to send Shen Jun to deliver it? This probably wasn't his own idea.
Su Xiaoning easily understood. She glanced at Meng Ruqiao, who was deliberately keeping her head down and not saying a word, then got up and left the room. Before leaving, she pushed Shen Jun back inside, saying, "Since you've come to deliver the medicine, then you can treat Miss Meng. I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now!"
After saying that, Su Xiaoning ignored Meng Ruqiao and Shen Jun's reactions and slammed the door shut.
She clapped her hands in satisfaction and casually walked into the courtyard. Halfway there, she bumped into Su Qingcai.
"You're back so soon? What did you say to the Emperor?" Su Xiaoning asked in surprise, but Su Qingcai in front of her had a sullen face and looked unhappy.
Su Qingcai stared at Su Xiaoning for a long time, then frowned and said, "The Emperor wants me to shoot darts blindfolded, why did you agree?"
"Huh?" Su Xiaoning was a little confused. "How could I refuse in this situation? Besides, I already told you I have good luck with koi fish, so you don't need to worry."
Having good luck is not a reason for you not to cherish yourself!
Su Qingcai let out a low growl, his gloomy face like a dark cloud pressing down.
Su Xiaoning pursed her lips and said softly, "What's the use of yelling at me? Some things aren't a matter of whether I want to or not..."
"But I don't want you to be like this." Su Qingcai clenched his fist and suddenly hugged Su Xiaoning tightly.
"I don't want you to be in any danger..."
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