Chapter 8: Suspicion arises How could Jiang Yunjin know
Someone fell into the water?
Everyone's expression changed and they immediately walked towards the stern of the ship where the sound came from.
Jiang Zhaoyue was apprehensive: "Is it Xiyun?"
Yang Jingling shook her head to indicate she didn't know: "Second Miss Xie is here today, too."
Xie Xiyun did not go lotus picking with them, saying that she wanted to go with her half-sister. The Miss Xie who fell into the water might be Xie Xiyun's half-sister.
Walking out of the inner room and reaching the stern, one could only see large patches of red and green lotus leaves and rippling water surfaces in the gaps. Through the clusters of lotus flowers came the sound of a woman struggling and crying for help, which was terrifying.
The lush lotus pond turned into a phantom cave that swallowed people. Cui Yiluo only saw the lotus flowers trembling and could not clearly see the figure of the person who fell into the water.
Several noble ladies standing at the bow of the boat also screamed in panic. The noble lady closest to the lake was forcibly pulled away by the palace servants, and tears fell from her eyes in anxiety.
"Don't stop me! Sister! Someone come quickly!"
Jiang Zhaoyue was horrified. "It's Xiyun! Your Highness! Can you please send someone into the water to rescue her?"
Xiao Ying immediately asked the palace servants and eunuchs on board, but was told that none of them could swim. She inevitably panicked, "Eunuch Xu, go get someone."
"Your Highness! There is no boat on our ship. How can I call for help?"
Xie Xiyun's cries for help were becoming increasingly weaker.
Qingle Lake is not small. There is only Xiao Ying's pleasure boat around it. A few miles away, there are only lotus flowers and lotus leaves, and no one is in sight.
If no one else went into the water, Xie Xiyun would probably drown in the lake.
Cui Yiluo's face was solemn. The others also realized this and looked panicked. Xiao Ying stamped her feet anxiously. "Do you have a rope? Why don't you tie a rope and go into the water?"
"Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness. It's used to tie up lotus flowers. Go get it quickly. You, prepare to go into the water."
At Eunuch Xu's command, the palace maids hurriedly responded and ran to the bow of the boat, and chaos immediately broke out on the boat.
Xie Xiyun's cry for help was completely drowned out by Qingle Lake at some point. All people could hear was the ethereal cry of birds, which sounded like a death warrant ringing in their ears, making their feet feel cold.
The boat was rocking as the palace servants and eunuchs hurriedly prepared to launch it, swaying unsteadily on the lake, like standing on a shaky rope on a mountain path. The men could only hold on to each other to steady themselves. Cui Yiluo stood at the outermost edge, watching the movement fade into the lotus pond. She bit her lip slightly and took a step forward thoughtfully.
But before she could take a step forward, a pair of hands suddenly pushed her hard on the back.
Cui Yiluo didn't have time to look back before she fell into the lotus leaves.
Xiao Ying watched someone fall into the lake right before her eyes, her whole body trembling with anxiety: "Miss Cui! Miss Cui has also fallen into the water! Come on! Quickly tie the rope and get down!"
Even in summer, suddenly plunging into the lake would be as painful as an icicle piercing into bones and blood.
Concubine Qiong likes lotus flowers, and Qingle Lake has always been well maintained, so the view in the water is relatively clear. It didn't take Cui Yiluo much effort to see Xie Xiyun sinking not far away.
She grabbed a few bunches of lotus stems to steady herself. The thorns on the roots pierced her tender palms. Cui Yiluo frowned slightly, steadied herself, and swam towards Xie Xiyun.
Xie Xiyun was already unconscious. Cui Yiluo helped her out of the water, and she met everyone's faces that were both surprised and delighted.
Cui Yiluo dragged the person and still shuttled among the lotus flowers like a fish, and lifted the person onto Xie Xiyun's boat nearby.
The noble lady who had just been forcibly held back by the palace servants immediately rushed over and almost pushed Cui Yiluo back into the water.
She threw herself in front of the unconscious Xie Xiyun and burst into tears: "Sister! Sister, are you okay? What should I do if something happens to you?"
Xie Xiyun's sister seemed to be about to cry her heart out, and several noble ladies couldn't help but come forward to comfort her.
Xiao Ying reacted quickly and ordered someone to row a boat over to take Cui Yiluo and the other person back to the pleasure boat for the return journey.
Xie Xiyun's sister cried and refused to let go: "Sister..."
Yang Jingling glanced at him with a sullen expression, "Second Miss Xie, if I delay your sister's treatment, are you willing to take the consequences?"
Xie Xiyun's sister stood there in a daze, stammering, with tears half-fallen and condensed in her eyes, but after a few breaths she finally let go.
The two were taken into the inner room.
Jiang Zhaoyue was worried: "Cousin, are you feeling unwell?"
Cui Yiluo shook her head and looked at Yang Jingling who was taking the pulse of the unconscious Xie Xiyun.
Yang Jingling looked embarrassed, withdrew her hand and pressed on Xie Xiyun's chest and abdomen.
Xie Xiyun's face was pale, her hair tangled and plastered to her face, and she was breathing more in than out. Yang Jingling exerted force with her hands, and she immediately vomited a lot of water, but she still didn't wake up.
"We need to find a place to give Xiyun acupuncture as soon as possible."
Xiao Ying immediately shouted, "Hurry up!"
The people below knew the seriousness of the situation and did not dare to delay. They gritted their teeth and rowed as fast as they could. Soon they reached the shore.
As soon as they got ashore, several palace maids went to report to Concubine Qiong, and the rest of them were busy looking for clothes and calling for doctors. Those who had not gone to pick lotus on the shore immediately gathered around them when they saw what was happening, and in an instant they surrounded them in three circles inside and outside.
"What happened? Who fell into the water?"
The situation was in chaos, and those who appeared to care for each other were also thinking about their own things. "Quickly take off your outer robes and put them on the two girls, don't let them catch a cold!"
The people of Daqi were open-minded, and covering the drowned was a matter of urgency and would not attract criticism. Several young men immediately began to take off their outer robes, but they had other thoughts in mind: they were vying to give them to Cui and Xie.
In the chaos, Cui Yiluo saw Jiang Yunjin walking quickly between the crowd. She had a hunch that something was wrong and was about to take a closer look at his expression when suddenly her vision darkened.
A black robe with gold edges blocked all vision, completely covering her slender figure.
She subconsciously pulled off her robe, but met Fang Yuanling's eyes directly.
He gave her a deep look, then turned and left. If it weren't for his outer robe, it would almost seem as if he had never appeared.
Cui Yiluo frowned.
"The Imperial Concubine has arrived!"
A path was immediately made through the crowd, and a noble lady was seen walking quickly, surrounded by a crowd of people. Her appearance was beautiful and charming but not gaudy, like a peony in full bloom.
Cui Yiluo had never seen Concubine Qiong before, but she knew her identity at a glance. Only she could be so regal and flamboyant. Cui Yiluo remembered Jiang Zhaoyue's words about her and the imperial concubine being somewhat similar, and turned to look at Concubine Qiong's appearance.
Before she could even take a second look, she heard Lan Hui's loud voice: "Yiluo!"
Lan Hui followed Concubine Qiong and came over. Her eyes were red with worry. She hurriedly pulled Cui Yiluo to ask her about the situation.
While answering her aunt, Cui Yiluo couldn't help but glance at Concubine Qiong and Xiao Ying. Concubine Qiong hurriedly pulled Xiao Ying over and carefully examined her. Only after confirming that she was unharmed did she feel relieved and coax her daughter softly.
Concubine Qiong is domineering and fierce, but when facing her daughter, she acts like an ordinary mother and daughter.
Cui Yiluo had never lived with her mother, but she had seen her. Her stepmother's sister often brought her daughter to visit the family home. Her nominal aunt was harsh in her words, but she was like a different person with her daughter, speaking softly and gently, never using a harsh word.
Cui Yiluo came back to her senses and realized that she had been staring at the imperial concubine and her daughter, which was too inappropriate, so she quickly looked away without making a sound.
After comforting her daughter, Concubine Qiong glanced coldly at everyone, and her gaze lingered on Cui Yiluo for a moment.
This unexpected incident at the Lotus Banquet was like a slap in the face! Concubine Qiong's upturned eyes revealed a fierce rage: "Quickly take Miss Xie and Miss Cui to the side hall and send for the medical officer. Whether this was an accident or intentional, I will get to the bottom of it."
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Xie Xiyun's condition was more serious than Cui Yiluo's, and she was carefully cared for. The maids first brought Cui Yiluo a cloak, then went to find suitable clothes for her. Yuan Ling's outer robe was neatly folded and placed on a low mahogany table nearby.
Lan Hui and Jiang Zhaoyue were accompanying her. It had been inconvenient with so many people just now, but now it was just the three of them. Lan Hui said, "Yiluo, why are you so impulsive? Auntie knows you have a kind heart, but saving a drowning person is extremely dangerous. What if something happens to you? Do you want to make Auntie feel guilty for the rest of her life?"
When Lan Hui heard Cui Yiluo suddenly jump into the water to save someone, she was so frightened that she almost fainted on the spot. The shock was still there, her heart was still beating wildly, and she covered her chest and her eyes were red as she spoke.
Jiang Zhaoyue comforted her, "Mother, my cousin is fine. Why are you saying such unlucky words? My cousin looks delicate, but she is actually very capable."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lan Hui glared at him as expected.
At this time, the palace maids came into the room with the medical officer.
"Second Madam Jiang, Miss Jiang, the Imperial Concubine has ordered everyone to go to the main hall."
Obviously, Concubine Qiong did not believe that Xie Xiyun's fall into the water was an accident and was determined to thoroughly investigate what happened today.
Lan Hui looked hesitant. She was worried about Cui Yiluo and planned to refuse.
Seeing this, the leading maid said anxiously, "The Queen has ordered that no one should be left behind."
Cui Yiluo suddenly said, "Aunt, you and cousin should go quickly. The medical officer is here. You don't have to worry about me."
Lan Hui hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, and with an apologetic look on her face, she comforted Cui Yiluo: "Yiluo, your aunt and your cousin will be back soon. Please let the medical officer treat you first."
After saying that, he hurried away with Jiang Zhaoyue.
Suddenly, only a medical officer and a palace maid were left in the side hall. After the medical officer took Cui Yiluo's pulse, he said that she had caught a slight cold and was not seriously injured. Then the palace maid took her away to get a prescription.
The room was empty. Cui Yiluo sat on the couch, her slender fingers casually playing with the two straps of her cloak.
Except for her and Xie Xiyun, everyone was called to the main hall by the imperial concubine, and Jiang Yunjin must be among them.
She originally wanted to use the excuse of a relapse of her foot injury to call Jiang Yunjin over, but the imperial concubine ordered that no one should be left behind, so it seemed that this plan would not work.
Thinking of Jiang Yunjin's quick steps just now, Cui Yiluo turned her head while hooking her laces. Although she couldn't see his expression clearly because her view was blocked by Yuan Ling's outer robe, she could see the haste in his posture.
Too much had happened today, revealing the intrigues of the wealthy and powerful families in Shengjing. The tide surged beneath the surface, with Xie Xiyun drowning, the terrified nobles and palace maids on the boat, and the man who had intended to kill her, taking advantage of the chaos and attacking her.
Cui Yiluo's eyes were gloomy.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the door. The footsteps were steady and powerful. It was a man, not the palace maid just now.
Cui Yiluo's expression immediately became sharp and cold, and she quickly grasped the dagger at her waist.
She turned around and got off the couch, leaning her body against the lattice door in a completely defensive posture.
Xie Xiyun was not far away, and there must be a lot of people watching over her. She just needed to buy time and resist them before the palace maids arrived. Maybe she could even catch the person behind the plot to kill her.
An uncontrollable tremor welled up in her chest, and she felt that if she could solve the mystery of the person behind the repeated attacks on her, something buried deep in the darkness would see the light of day.
Why did that person want to kill her? What on earth did they want from her?
The footsteps were getting closer and closer, only a few steps away from entering the room.
The dagger was slightly unsheathed, and the cold light it emitted reflected on Cui Yiluo's cheek.
The man walked in, and Cui Yiluo saw the person clearly through the gap in the lattice door.
She reacted very quickly, putting the dagger behind her waist and covering it with her cloak. She turned around smoothly and came out from behind the lattice door. Her eyes were filled with autumn water, as if the lake water shining with sunlight just now remained in her beautiful eyes.
"cousin."
Jiang Yunjin took a few steps closer and paused his gaze on her cloak.
Then he spoke again with a normal expression: "I have something to ask you."
Cui Yiluo asked what she suspected in her heart: "Cousin, why did you come to see me at this time? Did the Imperial Concubine order you to find out what happened today?"
He remained silent, his expression darkening and sharpening as he asked, "Why did you fall into the water today?"
Cui Yiluo blinked: "Cousin, haven't you heard? I saved Miss Xie."
Jiang Yunjin stared at her: "Did you take the initiative to jump into the water to save people?"
Cui Yiluo's expression froze.
How would he know?
Everyone on the two boats thought that she had jumped into the water to save people. Even Xiao Ying, who was closest to her and thought she had fallen into the lake, thought that she had jumped into the water to save people after seeing her rescue Xie Xiyun to shore.
Jiang Yunjin was not there at all, so why would he suspect that she was pushed down?
And how did he leave the main hall?
Cui Yiluo's eyes, reflecting the fragmented sunlight, shone with a sharpness.
The author has something to say:
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A Luo: [question mark]
These two chapters lay the groundwork for the subsequent development, so the cousin will appear more frequently below [spreading hands]
Don't forget to collect it, my dears.
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