Worry
When Shangguan Zeyu returned, it was already 9 PM.
Steward Cui had been anxiously waiting at the gate of the mansion since early morning. As soon as he saw Shangguan Zeyu appear, he hurriedly lifted his clothes and ran up to him.
Shangguan Zeyu had never seen Steward Cui so out of control, and suspicion quickly crept onto his face.
"What's wrong?"
Butler Cui was terrified, but he dared not hesitate and forced himself to tell Shangguan Zeyu everything that had happened to Jiang Yan.
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Zeyu said nothing and hurriedly headed towards Pear Blossom Residence.
Seeing this, Zhang Qin hurriedly chased after them.
Shangguan Zeyu didn't say a word the whole way, and Zhang Qin didn't dare to ask anything either.
When the two arrived at Pear Blossom Residence, the courtyard was already in chaos, and there was a faint smell of blood in the air.
Shangguan Zeyu didn't linger; he bypassed the servants and ran into the house.
Huang Ying's eyes were red as she wiped Jiang Yan's hands until Shangguan Zeyu walked up to her and asked, "How is Ruyi?" She suddenly stood up in surprise, "Your Highness." Tears welled up in her eyes again.
Shangguan Zeyu looked past her to see Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan's face was still as white as a sheet of paper, and her lips had no color at all.
Fortunately, otherwise he would have naively thought that she was just asleep.
"Have you taken your medicine?" Shangguan Zeyu gently sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Jiang Yan with tenderness, and asked softly.
"Your Highness, it has already been taken."
"Didn't you call a doctor to take another look?" Shangguan Zeyu carefully pulled Jiang Yan's right hand, which was outside the blanket.
The hand was completely cold, icy, and limp, as if it had no bones.
Shangguan Zeyu gently caressed it, his heart aching more and more each time.
"Zhang Qin, take my token to the palace and invite the Imperial Physician Wang. Tell him to cancel his other consultations and stay at the Duan Prince's residence until Consort Liu wakes up safely." He tore off the golden, palm-sized square waist tag with the character "Duan" engraved on it from his right waist and handed it to Zhang Qin.
Zhang Qin accepted it with both hands, bowed, and ran out quickly.
Huang Ying was still standing to the side, sobbing softly. Shang Gu Zeyu didn't look at her and said, "Go wait outside and stop crying."
Huang Ying didn't dare disobey the order. She wiped her face with her sleeve and said, "Yes, this servant obeys." She left, looking back every few steps.
Shangguan Zeyu's forced composure slowly crumbled.
He held Jiang Yan's right hand tightly with both hands, looking at her with pity and helplessness, as if talking to himself, or as if speaking to Jiang Yan.
"Ruyi, who exactly are you? What should I do with you?"
Shangguan Zeyu sat by the bedside, not blinking an eye, watching over Jiang Yan all night. He didn't leave until the next day, when he personally fed Jiang Yan her medicine and confirmed that her condition was improving.
Shangguan Zeyu was not surprised that such a thing could happen in the Prince's mansion, but what he did not expect was that they would disregard him so much and openly commit such a murderous act.
Was he being too lenient?
Shangguan Zeyu returned to Yunxiao Pavilion, freshened up, and then went to Peach Blossom Village.
Xiao Yiqing was angry because he had stayed overnight at Pear Blossom Residence.
"Get out! You idiot!! Didn't you say there wasn't anything? Then what did I just hear? Huh??"
When Xiao Yiqing is calm and peaceful, she is the epitome of nobility and elegance.
However, when she gets angry, throws a tantrum, and shouts and screams, even the most vulgar shrew on the street can't compare to her.
Shangguan Zeyu had come to Peach Blossom Village against her will, so when she heard her talking nonsense and throwing a tantrum, her face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
He quickened his pace into the house and asked in a cold voice at the door.
"Your Highness, you don't want to stay in Peach Blossom Village anymore, is that it?"
Xiao Yiqing stood with her hands on her hips, her back to the door, trembling with anger.
When she suddenly heard Shangguan Zeyu's voice, she couldn't help but pause.
Shangguan Zeyu stepped inside with only his right foot, his left foot still outside. He didn't speak again, but stared at her with cold eyes.
Chunhua stood at the door and saw that Xiao Yiqing was still standing there without moving, so she wanted to go and remind her.
Shangguan Zeyu shot her a sharp glare: "Insolence!! Do you think I'm talking nonsense?"
Chunhua was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly to apologize.
Xiao Yiqing no longer doubted her ears. She slowly turned around, forced an unnatural smile, and looked at Shangguan Zeyu.
The rage that had been burning within her vanished the moment she turned away, replaced by the docile demeanor of a charming kitten.
Shangguan Zeyu made no attempt to hide his contempt for her, gave a cold laugh, and stepped in with his other foot.
How could Xiao Yiqing not see his blatant contempt? Her heart felt like it had been violently clenched, the pain so intense that she almost couldn't breathe.
"Your Highness, you came to my humble abode so early this morning. Have you had breakfast yet?"
Shangguan Zeyu sat down, his eyes cold and fixed on her.
Xiao Yiqing felt a chill run down her spine from his gaze and felt extremely uncomfortable. She chuckled awkwardly twice and walked to his side.
"Your Highness, why are you looking at me like that? I thought I had done something wrong."
Shangguan Zeyu's cold smile once again stung Xiao Yiqing's heart, which was filled with love for him. Her hands and feet became stiff and unresponsive due to the pain in her heart.
"Your Highness, you surely know why I have come?"
Xiao Yiqing's ingratiating smile instantly froze on her face.
She gave a dry laugh, then slowly walked around behind Shangguan Zeyu, her hands seemingly boneless, gently placing them on his shoulders, and began to massage them one after another.
A cold glint flashed in Shangguan Zeyu's eyes again.
He stretched out his right hand and, with lightning speed, accurately grasped her hand.
"Is Your Highness sure you don't want to speak to me?"
Xiao Yiqing could no longer maintain the forced smile and composure on her face, and looked to Chunhua for help.
But because Chunhua had just been scolded by Shangguan Zeyu, she was still kneeling on the ground with her head down.
Having no other choice, she took a deep breath discreetly, gently freeing her right hand from Shangguan Zeyu's merciless grip, and said.
"Your Highness has come about Consort Liu, hasn't he?" He walked around to Shangguan Zeyu's left, but did not sit on the chaise longue next to him.
Shangguan Zeyu's eyes were sharp, revealing an inscrutable meaning. He gave her a deep look, then sneered at the person in front of him.
Xiao Yiqing was now terrified.
No matter how outrageous her actions had been in the past, the prince had never shown her such disrespect as he had now!
That bitch Liu Ruyi!
What exactly did she say to the prince? What kind of spell did she cast on him? How could the usually calm and composed prince suddenly lose his temper and disrespect her because of her?
"Does Your Highness wish me to summon someone?"
"No, Your Highness, I have heard about what happened. According to my speculation, no one but Wu Lanyu could have done something so audacious and outrageous."
Shangguan Zeyu sneered and looked at her: "Where does the princess get such certainty? Could you explain it to me?"
Shangguan Zeyu was the key to winning Xiao Yiqing's heart. Just like now, Shangguan Zeyu only smiled slightly at her, and she was as if bewitched, floating on air and forgetting herself.
“Your Highness, what’s there to analyze? Sister Wu has always disliked Consort Liu and has complained to me several times, saying... saying that Consort Liu seduced Your Highness, preventing the other sisters from serving you.”
As Xiao Yiqing spoke, she was like a monitor, capturing every expression of Shangguan Zeyu, even the slightest breath, in her mind.
Shangguan Zeyu couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Xiao Yiqing initially laughed along with him, but as she laughed, she sensed something was wrong and her smile froze on her face.
As expected, Shangguan Zeyu had the last laugh, giving her a cold glance.
"Your Highness, I act based solely on evidence, not one-sided accounts. Since you've stated it concerns Wu Lanyu, then send for her to come to Peach Blossom Village!"
Xiao Yiqing hurriedly looked at Chunhua, who was kneeling on the ground with her head bowed: "Chunhua, go and invite Madam Wu!"
But Shangguan Zeyu said, "No need! Zhang Qin, go and invite Madam Wu!"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Xiao Yiqing's face flushed red and then turned pale. She frantically bit her lower lip, her hands unconsciously tugging at the sides of her clothes.
While Zhang Qin went to invite Wu Lanyu, Shangguan Zeyu didn't say another word to Xiao Yiqing, or even give her a second glance.
Several times she tried to break the awkwardness and stiffness between them by smiling and saying a few words to him, but her attempts were thwarted by his indifferent profile.
When Zhang Qin went to invite Wu Lanyu, he ran into Wu Lanyu on the way. He wondered if Wu Lanyu was waiting for someone to invite her.
Upon hearing that Zhang Qin had invited her to Peach Blossom Village on the orders of the Prince, a triumphant smile instantly appeared on her face.
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