It was a warm spring afternoon, and Shangguan Wanning was accustomed to sitting by the lotus pond in the garden.
She was feeding the carp in the pond absentmindedly, her thoughts a little confused and complicated.
Faintly, she seemed to sense something strange. She looked down and saw an emerald green snake moving quickly towards her, its bright red tongue swallowing and spitting out fluids. Its pair of green bean-sized eyes emitted an icy light.
Shangguan Wan Ning felt cold all over and couldn't help but scream.
The maidservant serving beside her was so frightened that she stepped back subconsciously.
Five or six girls were pushing each other on the narrow wooden bridge. Shangguan Wanning felt as if someone hit her waist, her center of gravity was unstable, and she fell backwards.
She hit her head on the rockery next to her, bleeding profusely and feeling dizzy.
She endured the pain and tried her best to stand up, but was suddenly bumped by a maid who ran over.
With a "plop", Shangguan Wanning fell into the lotus pond. The cold water submerged her, and she felt as if the whole world had gone quiet.
"Someone come... help... the young lady fell into the water..."
Lutong was so anxious that she burst into tears. Her loud cries for help attracted the nearby servants, who ran to the lotus pond and were about to jump into the water to save her, but were stopped by Aunt Zhao who came rushing over.
"No, you are all grown men. If you go into the water to save the young lady, there will be a lot of strife. If this gets out, the young lady's reputation will be ruined. How will she get married in the future?"
Aunt Zhao's words frightened the servants, and they stood aside, hesitating to move forward.
Seeing this, Lutong cried even harder.
"What could be more important than the young lady's life? The young lady is not good at swimming, please go and save her, otherwise she will die... Please..."
Lutong's pleading did not elicit any action from anyone, and Aunt Zhao seemed even more unhurried.
"Go find some old ladies who know how to swim."
Lu Tong saw through Aunt Zhao's thoughts and glared at her fiercely.
"What's up?"
A deep voice was heard. Lu Tong turned around and rushed over and knelt down as if he had seen a savior.
"General, the young lady fell into the water..."
Zheng Binghong jumped in without waiting for Lutong to finish her words. He groped around in the lotus pond and rescued Shangguan Wanning who had already fainted.
"Quick, call the imperial physician." Zheng Binghong was dripping with water, and rushed to the room with Shangguan Wanning in his arms. "Ning'er, wake up, it's your uncle... Don't be afraid, wake up, your uncle will protect you..."
Shangguan Wan Ning tried to open her eyes in a daze, but her vision was still white and blurry.
She tried to open her mouth, but in the end she said nothing and fainted.
Shangguan Wanning didn’t know how long she had been unconscious. When she woke up, she found herself in darkness, surrounded by cold winds and fog.
What is this place?
She has never been here.
Shangguan Wan Ning bravely walked forward, but no matter how she walked, she seemed unable to get out of the darkness. The area was so quiet that it seemed that she was the only living person there. She could even hear the echo of her own breathing.
"Where on earth is this?"
Fear spread and expanded in every pore of Shangguan Wanning's body.
Finally, she seemed to hear light footsteps behind her, and she turned around hastily.
Mu Jingrui stood in front of her covered in blood.
His scattered long hair covered most of his face, and blood was still oozing out from streaks. His eyes were sinister and he exuded a fierce murderous aura.
He moved closer to her step by step.
"Jingrui...what happened?"
Mu Jingrui did not answer. His eyes became even more fierce and he suddenly pounced towards her.
"Jing Rui..."
Shangguan Wanning screamed and sat up hastily.
"Miss, how are you?" Lu Tong hurried forward and asked anxiously.
Shangguan Wanning was gasping for breath in fear. She looked around. It was a bright sunny day outside. This was her familiar boudoir.
The anxious and caring look in Lu Tong's eyes made her feel warm in her heart, and she couldn't help but hug Lu Tong.
"Miss, are you having a nightmare?"
Shangguan Wanning couldn't help shivering when she thought of Mu Jingrui's appearance in her dream. She then realized that her whole body was soaked in cold sweat, and waves of burning pain came from her forehead.
Only then did she vaguely remember some scenes, and her memory froze at the moment she fell into the water.
"Midori, what happened?"
Lu Tong told the story in detail. She was still scared when she thought about it. She sobbed and said, "Fortunately, the general arrived in time, otherwise... the consequences would be disastrous. Miss, if anything happened to you, I would not be able to survive."
Shangguan Wanning patted Lutong on the back and comforted her. She recalled the unexpected snake and the scene when she bumped into the rockery...
I'm afraid it's not a coincidence.
"Ning'er, you're finally awake." Madam Shangguan walked in and sat down beside her daughter's bed, feeling distressed. "Does it still hurt? You're so pitiful... You're injured like this."
"Mom, I'm fine." Shangguan Wanning didn't want to make her mother worry, so she kept all her doubts in her heart.
She looked out the window, estimating that she had not been unconscious for too long, and asked, "Mom, where is my uncle? Fortunately, he saved me today."
"Your uncle is in the study talking to your father. After all, you are grown up now, and it is not convenient for him to enter your room. I will send someone to tell him that you are awake, so that he can rest assured."
Madam Shangguan tidied up Shangguan Wanning's messy hair and said, "Look at you, you are all sweaty. I will ask the servants to prepare a bath for you."
"Mom, do you know why my uncle is looking for dad?"
"I never ask about men's affairs. But just now when I went to the study, I heard them saying that the Crown Prince had won a victory and was on his way back to the capital. He will be able to return to the capital the day after tomorrow at the latest."
Shangguan Wanning was stunned, and a huge surprise spread and rolled in her heart.
Mu Jingrui did not disappoint her and he really returned triumphantly.
"Ning'er, what's wrong with you? Are you cold? Why are you shaking all over?"
Shangguan Wanning came back to her senses, with a look of joy on her face. "Mom, I'm fine, don't worry."
Madam Shangguan did not ask any further questions and ordered Lutong and several experienced maids to prepare hot water for Shangguan Wanning.
Shangguan Wanning was filled with thoughts, constantly recalling everything from her previous life.
If she helps the prince ascend the throne, finds out the truth about the Mu family being framed, and helps Mu Jingrui become famous and successful, she will be able to save hundreds of lives from the Shangguan and Zheng families.
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