Chapter 17 All those who could swim were dead.
Lu Mingzhu approached Yu Nian mysteriously and started chatting with her.
"Sister Niannian, I heard that the Princess has a few new koi fish in her pond. Do you want to go and see them? People say that if you make a wish to a koi fish, your wish will come true."
Unlike Yu Nian, Lu Mingzhu was a restless girl who wanted to wander around after only staying for a short while.
Although Yu Nian has a youthful appearance, she is actually approaching thirty and has little interest in flowers, birds, fish and insects.
She had no interest in such mystical things as wishing on koi fish.
"I'm not watching anymore, I'll be taking my seat soon."
A light gauze fan covered half of her face. Yu Nian yawned. It was midday in early autumn, and the sun was shining brightly, with the feeling of an lingering summer heat.
"Then I'll go take a look, and while I'm at it, I'll grant Nian Nian's wish. What's your wish?"
Lu Mingzhu stared at Yu Nian with her big, bright eyes, and Yu Nian was somewhat defeated by the girl's innocence.
I wish fish could really grant people's wishes.
Yu Nian's wish must be to immediately return to her home in her own world, with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and a big watermelon, and to curl up on the sofa and lie there like a corpse for a week before doing anything else.
Yu Nian wouldn't tell anyone about these things; she could only think about them to herself and enjoy them in silence.
"I have no wishes."
Yu Nian squinted her eyes, looking languid in the sunlight like a satisfied cat.
But Lu Mingzhu smiled maturely on her somewhat childish face: "Hehe, I know even if Sister Niannian doesn't say it. It's okay, I'll make a wish to the koi for you."
After Lu Mingzhu finished speaking, she ran off happily.
Yu Nian actually found this girl quite interesting, much better than some of those sarcastic and weird women.
Yu Nian wondered what Lu Mingzhu knew, but seeing how happy she was, she figured it couldn't be anything bad.
Thinking about it, Yu Nian closed her eyes and enjoyed the afternoon sun.
Little did she know that she had fallen into the trap set by some strange and unsavory women.
"Princess, this isn't right. After all, Her Majesty the Empress intends for the Crown Prince and Miss Yu to..."
Behind the screen, Du Juan, the princess's trusted maid, looked terrified. Disobeying the empress's orders was no small offense. After all, the princess was the empress's daughter, and those who carried out her orders would be the ones to suffer.
"You fool! The one who will ascend the throne in the future is the Crown Prince. Can't you see that the Crown Prince likes Yu Zhirou? If I really do as the Empress Dowager says today, and the Crown Prince hates me, how can I have a good life?"
After the princess finished speaking, she handed a packet of medicine powder to Dujuan, a ruthless glint in her eyes.
She had never liked Yu Nian, that pretentious woman, and now that she had a chance to teach her a lesson, how could the princess let it go?
"You just need to get things done. As for Mother, I'll have my own explanation later."
Anyway, by then it will be too late, and it will suit the Crown Prince's wishes, so even if the Empress wants to blame her, it will be useless.
The master and servant walked around the screen, and after only a few steps, they heard a commotion outside the banquet hall.
Someone kept shouting, "Someone has fallen into the water! Someone has fallen into the water! Help!"
"Who has fallen into the water?"
The princess frowned deeply. Who was so foolish as to cause trouble on her birthday?
"Your Highness, she is the illegitimate daughter of Minister Lu, Miss Lu Mingzhu, the third daughter of Minister Lu."
The servant immediately stepped forward to report, and the princess frowned even more upon hearing this.
"What are you all standing there for! Help them!"
Lu Mingzhu is just a concubine's daughter, but her older sister is a Noble Consort. The Noble Consort and the Empress have always been at odds. If her younger sister had gotten into trouble at the Empress's eldest princess's birthday party, that would be a real problem.
"We have already gone to find a skilled swimmer, Princess, please be patient."
In Dazhao, in such crowded and chaotic situations, it was not acceptable to rescue a woman who had fallen into the water, especially during the season when clothing was light. Rescuing someone carelessly could damage the reputation of both the woman and the rescuer.
"big eater!"
The princess cursed anxiously, but as she spoke, she saw a light blue figure jump down from the stands and quickly swim towards Lu Mingzhu, who was already exhausted and on the verge of death.
Wow, this water is really cold.
Yu Nian wasn't a pushover. At first, she didn't intend to jump, but everyone around her was watching and no one went down to save her.
Yu Nian asked Chun Tao and learned that in this world where etiquette and reputation are paramount, women who fall into the water cannot be rescued casually.
Without thinking twice, Yu Nian took off her shoes and socks and plunged into the water. No matter what, she had to get the person out of the water first.
Lu Mingzhu was struggling and about to sink into the pond when Yu Nian reached out and grabbed her waist at the last moment.
Rescuing someone from the water is physically demanding. Luckily, this girl is thin and weak, otherwise Yu Nian really wouldn't have been able to pull her up.
Yu Nian dragged Lu Mingzhu ashore, and Chun Tao immediately took a thin blanket and wrapped it around Yu Nian and Lu Mingzhu.
Yu Nian first checked Lu Mingzhu's condition and found that she was fine for the time being, then turned to look at the eldest princess on the high platform.
"Your Highness, please prepare a private room so that Miss Lu and I can change our clothes."
When the eldest princess realized that it was Yu Nian who had saved the person, she barely suppressed her anger. Had all the people from the Great Zhao Kingdom who had been drowned died?
It's a shame she got all the attention; it would have been better to just let Lu Mingzhu drown.
The princess remained composed and said politely, "Of course, Dujuan, go and make the arrangements."
Some onlookers cheered for Yu Nian, some enjoyed the spectacle, and others remarked that it was strange that the Lu family's young lady could fall so easily, given the high pond railing.
On the stands, Crown Prince Li Mingjin's eyes were unusually deep.
He remembered clearly that he had once saved Yu Nian from falling into the water while playing. In his previous life, Yu Nian clearly did not know how to swim.
Upon arriving at the private room, Lu Mingzhu, still shaken, had just drunk a bowl of ginger soup when she came to her senses and threw herself into Yu Nian's arms, bursting into tears.
"Sister Niannian, I thought I was going to die, that I would never be able to eat anything delicious again, waaaaah..."
"Wow...it's so tight, you seem to have quite a bit of strength."
Yu Nian pried Lu Mingzhu off her like an octopus. In Yu Nian's mind, the system notification appeared: "Heroic act, 1000 merit points reward has been credited."
Yu Nian was somewhat moved; it turned out that the reward the system had mentioned was this.
"You fell off such a high railing. If you misbehave again, I won't save you."
Lu Mingzhu changed out of her wet clothes while pouting.
“I wasn’t being naughty. I was making a wish with my eyes closed when I suddenly felt someone push me from behind, and then I fell into the pond.”
Did someone push you?
Yu Nian had already changed her clothes and looked at Lu Mingzhu with some surprise. Who would dare to lay a hand on the Imperial Concubine's own sister in such a setting?
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