surprise
After Ju'an and Siwei led Ping'an to the study, Lu Fengping immediately looked over, wanting to see what Cui Shenzhi meant by 'harmed Ping'an,' but only saw an ordinary little palace maid with her head down, someone you could see anywhere in the palace.
He glanced at Cui Shenzhi and asked with some doubt, "Where's Ping An? Didn't you say you wanted me to come and check on her?"
Ju An and Si Wei exchanged a glance and then whispered, "Ping An, Physician Lu is calling for you."
Lu Fengping was wondering if Ping An could hear Ju An's soft voice when he saw the unremarkable little palace maid step forward and curtsy to him.
"This servant greets Physician Lu."
Lu Fengping was stunned. It took him a while to realize that the person in front of him was Ping An. But whether it was his gestures or his tone of voice, the current Ping An was completely different from the Ping An he had met before.
—Whether it's a peaceful, genuine appearance or a pretense.
But this shouldn't be the case. With Ping An's kind of mindset, no matter how much she was bullied, she shouldn't have ended up like this.
Lu Fengping was momentarily confused, unsure how to react to such peace.
Is it that they are happy that Ping An has become so lifeless, and most likely won't do anything to Cui Lingxian anymore? Or is it that they are saddened that a vibrant person has been turned into such a lifeless state? Or is it that they suspect there is a trap and are testing her one after another?
Just then, Siwei stepped forward with a worried expression.
"Imperial Physician Lu, please take a look at Ping An. Ju An and I have applied medicine to her wounds, but..." Si Wei choked up, saying with some reluctance, "But she has too many wounds. I'm really worried about what will happen if there are any wounds deep in her bones."
Under these circumstances, Lu Fengping naturally wouldn't refuse. However, the result of the pulse diagnosis was that no hidden injuries were found, since Ping An had already been beaten by Qiu Yan with trepidation.
Upon learning of this, Siwei breathed a sigh of relief and quickly hugged and comforted Ping An.
Looking at Ping An, who was unresponsive in Si Wei's arms, Cui Shenzhi closed his eyes in distress, as if he could pretend that nothing had happened as long as he couldn't see it.
At the same time, Cui Lingxian's clear voice came from outside the study. Cui Shenzhi quickly looked at Ping An, only to find that Ping An's eyes were still as still as a pool of water, calm and undisturbed.
His heart sank completely.
Cui Lingxian, unaware of anything, hopped in.
"Shenzhi, Qi Kang said you need my help with something. What is it?"
“It wasn’t me,” Choi Shin-ji paused, “it was Ping An.”
"Peaceful? Didn't Ju An say she just caught a slight cold and would be fine after a few days of rest? Has her condition worsened? Then why are you with me? You should..."
"Ling Xian, I'm here," Lu Fengping said weakly from the side.
"Idiot, since you're here, why don't you go check on Ping An? What are you doing sitting here so leisurely?"
Lu Fengping glanced at Ping An beside him, and thinking of Cui Lingxian's fondness for Ping An, he remained silent for a moment before pointing at Ping An and saying, "I'm just helping Ping An with his medical treatment."
Cui Lingxian looked in the direction Lu Fengping pointed and only saw a palace maid who was somewhat familiar but not quite. She didn't pay attention to her and turned her head back after glancing at her.
"You're saying she's Ping An?" Cui Lingxian laughed. "What nonsense are you spouting? She's just a common palace maid, how could she possibly be Ping..."
At Lu Fengping's prompting, Cui Lingxian glanced at Ping An a few more times before she could see Ping An's face clearly. The words she was about to say stuck in her throat.
She remained silent for a long while before tentatively asking, "Ping An, is that you?"
"Your Highness, it is this servant."
Cui Lingxian was also stunned.
She turned around and said somewhat flusteredly, "I know, you're joking with me. You're all teaming up to scare me, aren't you? Or is this person not Ping An at all, but someone you saw who looks a lot like Ping An, so you brought him here for me to see?"
Choi Shin-ji sighed heavily.
"Ling Xian, she is Ping An."
Lu Fengping added insult to injury from the side.
“Ling Xian, I am a doctor. I have taken Ping An’s pulse. I can confirm that she is Ping An.”
Cui Lingxian couldn't keep her composure any longer.
She bit her lip and walked up to Ping An, her eyes filled with heartache as she said, "Ping An, what's wrong? Did someone bully you? Tell me who it was, and I'll fight back for you, okay? I'm your little fairy, I'll protect you, so please don't scare me like this, okay?"
Ping An's eyes remained unchanged. She simply curtsied and said in a calm tone, "Your Highness is joking. No one has bullied this servant."
Seeing Ping An's impenetrable demeanor, Cui Lingxian felt both wronged and sad. She turned her head and glared angrily at Cui Shenzhi, who shook his head and looked at Ju An and Siwei.
Ju An and Si Wei exchanged a glance, looked at Cui Lingxian in front of them, and silently lowered their heads.
Shen Meiwu only caused Ping An to be in this state because he got a little closer to Cui Shenzhi. If Cui Lingxian were to start a fight with Shen Meiwu over Ping An, Ping An would be doomed.
Ju An and Si Wei's reactions caught the attention of Cui Shenzhi and Lu Fengping.
Cui Shenzhi lowered his eyes and said softly, trying not to reveal his feelings, "Ling Xian, Ping An is very afraid of me now, but she seems to still have some affection for you. Why don't you accompany her for a walk in the East Palace and talk to her? Maybe she will feel better."
Cui Lingxian had no suspicions and took Ping An's hand, heading towards the East Palace Garden where they often went.
Once Cui Lingxian and Ping An were completely out of sight, Cui Shenzhi asked with a stern face, "What did Ping An say to you?"
Ju An walked to the study door and asked the people outside to move away before Si Wei spoke up: "Ping An... she cried and begged the Imperial Concubine and Aunt Yan Zhi not to hit her anymore. She also said that she would never come near Your Highness again and begged the Imperial Concubine and Aunt Yan Zhi to let her go."
Cui Shenzhi looked surprised, while Lu Fengping looked enlightened.
Yes, Ping An will definitely take action to deal with Ling Xian. Once Shen Meiwu realizes this, she can't just sit idly by. Only Shen Meiwu has the ability to kidnap Ping An from the East Palace and torment her like this without alerting anyone. She probably keeps Ping An away from Shen Zhi because she's worried that Ping An will also target Shen Zhi.
Lu Fengping got the answer, but Cui Shenzhi was completely confused.
Did Shen Meiwu attack Ping An? Or was it because of him? Why? How could this be?
Not to mention that besides the people of the East Palace, only Ling Xian and Feng Ping knew about Ping An's affairs, and they weren't the type to spread rumors everywhere. How did Shen Meiwu find out about Ping An's affairs? Besides, Ping An is such a simple and harmless person, what harm could it do if she got close to him? Moreover, Shen Meiwu is so gentle and loving, he doesn't believe that Shen Meiwu would do such a cruel thing to Ping An.
Cui Shenzhi pursed his lips and walked out, wanting to go to Chengqian Palace to ask Shen Meiwu if there was any misunderstanding.
Siwei quickly stopped him.
"Your Highness!" In his haste, Siwei's voice rose unintentionally: "If you go to see the Imperial Concubine, the Ping An you see next time may not be covered in wounds, but rather ice-cold!"
Choi Shin-ji stopped moving.
He turned around, his gaze piercing Siwei like a sharp sword.
"Siwei, why are you so certain that the Imperial Concubine would kill Ping An? Is there something you're hiding from me?"
Siwei lowered his head and dared not speak, while Ju'an also looked like he was keeping something to himself.
Cui Shenzhi narrowed his eyes: "You must understand that I am the master of the Eastern Palace. You are indeed palace servants, but your fate is in my hands."
This was the first time Choi Shin-ji had used his power to suppress others, and everyone present was surprised, but the tactic was indeed effective.
Upon hearing this, not only Siwei, but also Ju'an, who was guarding the door, and Qi Kang, who was standing to the side, knelt down.
*****
Qi Kang, having grown up with Cui Shenzhi, was quite close to him. After struggling for a moment, he mustered his courage and said, "Your Highness, actually... actually, the Imperial Concubine you see is not the same as the Imperial Concubine we see."
"You may think that the Imperial Concubine is gentle and kind, but that gentleness is only for you and the Princess. As for us palace servants, the Imperial Concubine has never been an easy person to deal with."
"Take those palace servants who accidentally offended the Imperial Concubine and then came to you for help. The Imperial Concubine said to your face that she wouldn't hold it against them, but without exception, they would all be arrested and taken to the Imperial Prison for violating palace rules within a month, where they would be tortured to death."
"Just like Guo Shu."
"Moreover, when I went to Chengqian Palace to pay my respects to the Noble Consort, she not only asked about Ping An, but also told me to send Ping An away as soon as possible. I thought it was because Ping An had caused too much trouble and caught the Noble Consort's attention, but now it seems that perhaps the Noble Consort was testing you, testing your attitude towards Ping An's situation."
Choi Shin-ji's face darkened.
Why didn't you tell me these things before?
"Your Highness," Qi Kang said with a wry smile, "You are on good terms with the Princess and trust the Imperial Concubine so much, why should I tell you this? In any case, the Imperial Concubine would never harm you. Rather than letting you know these things and harboring resentment towards the Imperial Concubine, it's better to keep it from you, isn't it?"
better?
Choi Shin-ji didn't think so.
According to Qi Kang, the gentle and loving Shen Meiwu he had seen over the years was all an illusion. How much of what Shen Meiwu said to him was true?
Is it true that Shen Meiwu said Fu Yunjin was pushed into Cui Sugong's bed because she didn't like him? Is it true that Shen Meiwu said Fu Yunjin was her rival in love but actually her sister, and that the two had a good relationship before she died? Is it true that Shen Meiwu said Fu Yunjin's death was purely accidental?
Lu Fengping's face was also full of surprise.
They were surprised not only by Shen Meiwu's character, but also by her action.
Shen Meiwu is Cui Lingxian's mother, not Cui Shenzhi's mother, yet just because Ping An got a little closer to Cui Shenzhi, she tormented Ping An into this state. That doesn't seem right!
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