Chapter 112 Returning to the Palace
Princess Yizhen was truly startled by this sudden accident. She was perfectly fine just a moment ago, so why did she faint upon seeing someone?
Not to mention that Lan Wu is now the apple of Chu Mingheng's eye, just the fact that something happened as soon as Zhu Qing arrived would make even her think twice.
The royal family is most wary of accidents, and they take even the slightest disturbance to heart, let alone Chu Mingheng, the prince who has been the crown prince since birth and has survived countless assassination attempts to this day.
Seeing Zhu Qing being taken away, Yi Zhen quickly knelt down to pledge her loyalty, saying that she didn't know anything unusual about Zhu Qing, but only kept her because of her excellent incense-making skills.
Chu Mingheng didn't have time to pay attention to her right now. He glanced at her sideways, picked up Lan Wu, and left the main hall.
The servants quickly led the way and found a quiet and comfortable room for the two masters to rest for the time being.
Chu Mingheng stood guard by the bed. When the palace servants brought him a handkerchief and cold water, he stepped forward and placed the handkerchief on Lan Wu's forehead. Looking at her flushed face, he regretted it in his heart—if he had known there would be a strong wind today, even though he had brought her out to play, he should have kept a close eye on her. Otherwise, she would not have fallen ill so easily.
Fortunately, it was just a common cold. Although it looked serious, according to the imperial physician, after sweating it out, I recovered in a day.
"Your Majesty, the medicine has arrived." Mu Jin brought in the medicine bowl and watched as His Majesty helped the Empress sit up and fed her the medicine.
She had just taken the medicine when she heard His Majesty speak:
"Give the order to lay down soft cushions and blankets inside the carriage, and to carefully inspect the windows and doors to prevent drafts. We'll be returning to the palace soon."
Ultimately, Chu Mingheng didn't trust these people. He didn't believe Yi Zhen, nor did he believe the imperial physician who said Lan Wu was just a common cold.
Mu Jin didn't say anything more, only bowed her head and replied "Yes," and hurriedly went out to prepare.
Outside the door, Princess Yizhen paced back and forth. When she saw Mu Jin come out, she quickly grabbed her arm and asked if Lan Wu was feeling any better.
"Your Highness, Her Majesty is still unconscious."
Yizhen was about to ask something when she heard Mujin say that she was going to arrange a carriage. She was taken aback and knew that they were leaving.
He glanced cautiously inside the hall, released Mu Jin's hand, stepped across the threshold, and waited outside the screen, asking softly, "Why is Your Majesty returning to the palace so soon? The night breeze is chilly on the way; I'm afraid it might make Consort Zhen uncomfortable..."
"Get in here." Chu Mingheng didn't even look up, coldly beckoning the man in.
Yi Zhen was so frightened that she trembled and hurriedly went inside.
She didn't dare to speak loudly when she entered the hall. She simply knelt down with her knees bent and tried her best to distance herself from the situation: "Your Majesty, please understand. Your Majesty, I really didn't know that Zhu Qing had any ulterior motives—I only kept her because I thought she was good at making incense!"
Chu Mingheng ignored her, simply took off the towel that had been heated on Lan Wu's forehead, put it back in cool water, wrung it out, and put it back on Lan Wu.
After doing all this, he turned back and looked down at Yizhen.
"Are you very familiar with the Lin family? I've heard that the Lin family's daughter has been visiting your residence frequently lately."
Why are you suddenly bringing up the Lin family?
Yi Zhen frantically recalled in her mind—the Lin family was a powerful and influential clan in the capital. Of the two daughters born to the Lin family, one married the Princess Consort of Wei, and the other was Lin Lianran, who had just come of age and missed the imperial concubine selection. However, she was also quite gentle and quiet. She only interacted with the Lin family because of her fifth brother.
But now, according to her brother's words, shouldn't she be associating with the Lin family?
Yi Zhen's forehead was covered in sweat as she cautiously replied, "I don't come often, only two or three times, always with other noble ladies. I haven't had any private contact with her."
Although she was a woman and did not participate in the struggle for imperial power, how could she be unaware of everything when she was caught in the vortex?
When the emperor ascended the throne, it was perfectly legitimate, as he was both the crown prince and had received an imperial edict from the emperor. However, with such a momentous event as the new emperor's ascension, it was hard to guarantee that no one would have ulterior motives.
There were very few imperial heirs who survived in the palace. Even if they wanted to rebel, they were all quickly suppressed with a single blow.
Even now, Prince Xuan is still imprisoned in the Prince Xuan's Mansion, while only Prince Wei is more at ease, a carefree prince with nothing to do.
But now, does Your Majesty mean that Prince Wei harbors disloyal intentions?!
Yi Zhen suppressed her expression, fearing she might hear something terrible.
"You'd better pray that the maid named Zhuqing is innocent, otherwise..." Chu Mingheng's words were not finished, but they were enough to serve as a warning.
At this moment, Mu Jin had prepared the carriage outside.
Chu Mingheng wrapped Lan Wu in a quilt and carried her horizontally, afraid that she would catch a chill. He covered most of her face with the quilt, making sure there was no draft, and carried her all the way to the outside of the manor.
The carriage was warm, with two more layers of soft cushions than when we left the palace.
Lan Wu had just taken her medicine and was sleeping relatively peacefully, but her rosy little face looked like she was in great pain.
Chu Mingheng touched her face, wishing he could suffer in her place.
"Make sure the carriage moves smoothly," he instructed the person outside.
Chen Kang'an quickly replied, "Yes."
Lan Wu was unaware that she had boarded a carriage, but as her consciousness sank, it seemed as if she had returned to her previous life.
She clearly remembered that face. The woman led people in and read out the so-called "imperial edict," but she was never shown the edict. She just spoke the words on the edict, saying that she was to be strangled.
She shouted that it was impossible and that she wanted to see the Emperor. In her struggle, she was slapped hard across the face, and the world spun before her eyes, her face burning with pain.
This person…this woman looked at her without any emotion, but when the servants below came forward with a long, thin cloth, a sudden look of disgust flashed in her eyes, as if she were looking through her at someone else.
Her slender neck was tightly strangled, and her fingers struggled desperately, but she could only grasp at the wet mud on the ground, ending up with her hands covered in dirt.
Her face began to flush, her eyes almost bulged out, and the space for her to breathe became less and less until it disappeared completely. Her chest was completely blocked, and she felt like it was going to explode. The scene before her eyes gradually blurred until she could see nothing at all.
...
"A bunch of useless trash!"
"...If anything happens to her, you..."
"Go and summon Tai again..."
She could hear these sounds intermittently, and the voice, filled with anger and suppressed control, sounded particularly familiar. But in her memory, the owner of that voice had never lost his composure like this. He was an emperor; he had never acted like an unreasonable and stubborn person, making a lot of noise.
Lan Wu's thoughts returned temporarily from the chaos. She opened her lips, her voice barely audible, and said something between each opening and closing.
The noise around her stopped, and someone lay beside her, bringing a familiar scent.
“…Don’t…make a noise…” Lan Wu said a few words before falling into a deep sleep again.
Upon hearing this, Chu Mingheng tightly shut his mouth, his face tense, and his eyes, red with shock and anger, blinked slowly. He looked at Lan Wu carefully, as if afraid that she would fall asleep forever.
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