Chapter 67 The couple both fell ill
Once in the carriage, Xie Shang draped a cloak over her shoulders, pulled her into his arms, and began to dry her hair. Jiang Fenghua pulled his hand away, saying, "Your Highness is soaked too, let me dry you as well!"
"I am in good health, but you should be careful not to catch a cold," Xie Shang said with concern.
Her voice was delicate and gentle, but it sounded extremely unpleasant to Su Tingwan. The large carriage could hold at least three or four people, yet they were huddled together, caring for each other. She couldn't help but say, "Jiang Fenghua, stop pretending. You deliberately went down to dance and seduce A Shang."
Xie Shang was surprised by Su Tingwan's harsh words. He had truly misjudged her. Just as he was about to speak...
Jiang Fenghua suddenly moved a little distance away from Xie Shang, her eyes clear, "What does Consort Su mean?"
In front of Xie Shang, Su Tingwan said directly, "I just saw you jump off the carriage."
Jiang Fenghua's eyes widened, puzzled and seemingly a little angry. She remained elegant and unhurried, saying, "Well, with such a tall carriage, how am I supposed to get off without jumping? What exactly does Consort Su mean? And Consort Su keeps using the word 'seduction,' ruining my reputation like this. I'm afraid people will misunderstand me, Jiang Fenghua, as some kind of disreputable person."
Su Tingwan was extremely upset. She was jealous and resentful, as if Jiang Fenghua was saying that she was deliberately trying to ruin her reputation.
She quickly said, "Ah Shang, that's not what I meant."
"Wanwan, I have told you before that you should think more before you speak and act, and never speak recklessly." Xie Shang dodged her hand, his eyes cold, and asked her in a deep voice, "Do you know the truth about what happened in the palace tonight? What exactly is Consort Su's plan? Why was that man the only one to appear in her palace?"
Su Tingwan's body stiffened, her fingers twisting the handkerchief. "I don't know why my aunt would do such a thing. I don't believe my aunt would have an affair with another man. My aunt must have been framed."
"She has been targeting my princess." Xie Shang cut to the chase. Even if she was framed, it was she who harmed others first, and he didn't want to defend Consort Su.
"Ah, why is Aunt targeting the Princess?" Su Tingwan feigned ignorance, becoming increasingly nervous.
"Why is she targeting Ruan Ruan? You really don't know?" Xie Shang asked suspiciously. "Why did you invite the Princess to the Imperial Garden? That man was hiding there. What is Consort Su's plan? Do you know?"
"As I said, I wanted to go admire the flowers. I didn't know who was hiding there. I didn't see any men when I went. What could Aunt Yunfang have planned? Besides, I've been in the manor the whole time and know nothing." Su Tingwan remembered Yunfang's words. If she was exposed, she would deny it to the death, otherwise she would be finished. She didn't know where Aunt Yunfang had run off to.
"Where did the maid Consort Su sent to serve you go?" Xie Shang asked again. He knew Wanwan had changed; she wasn't like this before.
“A maid? Your Highness means Aunt Yunfang, right? She was sent by my aunt to teach me etiquette. I didn’t see her today and don’t know where she went,” Su Tingwan said.
Xie Shang had already discovered that Yun Fang had deliberately lured a drunkard to bully Jiang Fenghua on the night of the flower viewing party. He had remained calm for so long because he did not believe that Wanwan was involved in the matter. He never expected that Wanwan would lie.
Even when they consummated their marriage, she drugged him. Who taught her to do all this?
He knew Su Tingwan wouldn't come up with such despicable ideas, but he didn't believe she was completely unaware that Yunfang's master was Consort Su.
Tonight, she clearly took Jiang Fenghua to the Imperial Garden at Yunfang's behest, but unexpectedly, Zhang Yumo stopped them halfway there. Therefore, Zhang Yumo stayed with Jiang Fenghua, which was also at Jiang Jinyan's instruction.
The man admitted on the spot that Consort Su had brought him into the palace. Without the Emperor's decree, Consort Su could not leave the palace at all. However, Yunfang, who was by Su Tingwan's side, could come and go freely. She had Consort Su's special waist token. Just like last time, she would cover her face with a veil so that the man could not see her true face. The man's identity could be found out as soon as he left the palace. In addition, with the students entering the palace today, he could pretend to be a student and enter the palace. Everything would make sense if you just sorted it out.
Jiang Fenghua was the only one kept in the dark. Xie Shang didn't intend to let Jiang Fenghua know about these things either. It was estimated that Jiang Jinyan didn't want her to get involved in the power struggles of the harem, but his approach was indeed too direct.
Jiang Fenghua stared at Xie Shang with wide eyes, her emotions a mix of shock, confusion, and bewilderment. "Your Highness said that Consort Su wanted to harm me. I have no grudge against her, so why would she want to harm me?"
It's all for Su Tingwan's sake, that's why she wants to harm you, you idiot.
The more she acts this way, the more it shows that she is simple-minded and kind-hearted.
Jiang Fenghua's thought was that eliminating Consort Su would also eliminate Su Tingwan's strong backing. Simply suppressing Su Tingwan would not shake the Su family in the slightest and would be of no use.
She was merely digging into Su Tingwan's inner desires little by little, and letting Xie Shang see through her as nothing more than a scheming and cunning person like Consort Su. He would recognize reality through Su Tingwan and finally wake up.
So no matter how powerful the Su family is, for now she has cut off the Su family's connections in the palace. To completely defeat the Su family, she has to proceed slowly. She thinks she has to find a way to shake their foundation first in order to defeat them one by one. Defeating Consort Su is a crucial step.
Back at the Prince Heng's residence, Xie Shang instructed Steward Cheng to search for Yun Fang's whereabouts in front of Su Tingwan. Afterward, he accompanied Jiang Fenghua to Lan Yue Pavilion.
Su Tingwan was terrified when she heard this. Without Yunfang by her side, she felt lost and helpless. Xie Shang didn't ask her any more questions, and it was unclear whether he believed her or not.
-
In the middle of the night, Jiang Fenghua was awakened by thunder outside Lan Yue Pavilion. She then realized that she was covered in sweat and that her pillow was half-soaked.
She turned over and touched a burning hot body. At that moment, Jiang Fenghua became fully awake. It turned out that Xie Shang's body was burning hot.
She nudged him. "Your Highness."
She called out to him several times, but couldn't wake him. She quickly got up to light the lamp and saw that his face was burning red.
Jiang Fenghua quickly went to the side room to fetch cold water, wrung out a handkerchief, and placed it on his forehead.
In her past life, she had devoted herself to taking care of two children and raising them to adulthood, so she was quite adept at handling this kind of high fever.
She knew some basic pharmacology and had even learned about acupoints from the imperial physicians. She knew how to lower a fever quickly. Xie Shang had already fallen into a coma due to the fever. If the fever continued, he might become an idiot. Wouldn't all her efforts have become a joke?
Jiang Fenghua was quick; she found silver needles in her medicine box, accurately located the acupoints, and inserted them. She then twisted a handkerchief and changed the needles repeatedly until his forehead felt cold.
She found clean clothes for him to change into. After changing, she was already panting heavily. Xie Shang was strong, but she was too weak to move him. Fortunately, he was lying quietly on the bed, which made it easier for her to do so.
After changing her clothes, she changed the pillowcases, and it took her almost half an hour to finish.
The rain outside keeps falling and shows no signs of stopping. If it continues like this, the water level will rise.
When Xie Shang woke up, he saw Jiang Fenghua asleep by the bedside, holding a handkerchief in her hand. There were two basins of water and some handkerchiefs in front of the bed. His clothes had also been changed and placed aside. The room was a mess.
Xie Shang tried to speak, but felt a tearing pain in his throat and couldn't utter a single word.
He thought to himself: Has this king become mute? His head ached, his body ached, and he had no strength at all.
He frowned and moved his body, waking Jiang Fenghua.
When Jiang Fenghua saw that he was awake, her face lit up with joy. She was about to speak when she felt as if a knife was cutting into her throat. Her voice was hoarse as she said, "Your...Prince."
Xie Shang was stunned. Jiang Fenghua was also sick?
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