Chapter 428 What exactly happened to the princess?
"Your Highness, I've been down to the bottom of this cliff before, and I fell from here..." Mo Qing didn't finish his sentence.
"Your Highness, it would be too dangerous for you to go down there like this, let me take some men to investigate."
Pei Yanchuan stared at the bottom of the cliff, his voice cold and clear, "Where are Mo Ran and the others?"
"Mo Ran and Hai Tang have been drugged. They are not seriously injured, but they are both weak and unable to move right now. I will have someone remove the stone in a moment."
Mo Qing continued, "Mo Ran briefly explained what happened. It seems that A-San drugged them, but A-San didn't seem to want to kill them and was very anxious about the Princess."
"It was Mo Ran who started to suspect Ah San and prevented Ah San from leaving Ah San that caused them to be drugged."
"It seems that Ah San and Yan Chenyu are not together."
“Not necessarily,” Pei Yanchuan said. “You go and rescue Mo Ran and Haitang first. I will go down to find the Princess Consort.”
"Send a message back to Momo, instructing her to mobilize all her undercover agents to investigate Ah San's whereabouts and identity, especially Nan Li's."
“Yes!” Mo Qing said.
"Your Highness, I will accompany you down. Mo Ran and Hai Tang are fine now; they can just wait for our men to arrive."
“I’ve been there before, so I’m familiar with the area and can get there quickly. Also, if you need help, Your Highness, it’s inconvenient for you to go alone.”
For the first time, Mo Qing did not offer any other opinions regarding Pei Yanchuan's order.
He knew the princess's position in the prince's heart; if something happened to her, he feared the prince wouldn't be the only one to survive...
Pei Yanchuan glanced at Mo Qing, but said nothing, which was taken as agreement.
The two rode their horses along the steep mountain path to the bottom of the cliff.
They searched the entire bottom of the mountain several times, and even had the gyrfalcon search it again, but they found nothing.
"Your Highness, it's getting late. We've searched several times already. Let's go back first," Mo Qing advised. "Continuing to search like this won't yield any results."
"Since no body was found, it's not a bad thing. Maybe the princess was rescued. That's good news."
Pei Yanchuan hadn't felt this panicked in all the years since the massacre of the entire Duke of Ying's family.
At this moment, Mo Qing's words reassured him that it was indeed a good thing that no body had been found; perhaps it had been rescued.
"Send men to continue the search here," Pei Yanchuan instructed as he left.
"Yes," Mo Qing replied.
......
Inside the Eastern Mausoleum Palace.
Empress Song Zhuyi waited and waited for news from Jiang Wanning, while Peony followed her around.
"Your Highness, why don't we go for a walk? Maybe we'll run into the Princess Consort."
Peony also missed Jiang Wan Ning very much; she hadn't seen Jiang Wan Ning for a long time.
"Your Highness is about to give birth, so it would be best if you didn't go out," a maidservant cautiously advised.
Peony thought about it and agreed. "I was just being anxious. Your Highness, please sit here and wait."
The Empress stood by the door, stroking her belly, staring intently in the direction of the palace gate, afraid of missing any news.
"According to the time, they should have arrived long ago, why haven't they arrived yet?"
Empress Song Zhuyi was worried, but Shaoyao comforted her, "It must have been a delay on the way. The princess is lucky and nothing will happen to her."
"Besides, you have Mo Ran and Hai Tang by your side, Your Majesty, please rest assured."
Empress Song Zhuyi nodded.
The nanny helped the Empress into the house, and Peony turned around and followed, but kept looking back every few steps.
Just as he turned away dejectedly, preparing to go to the side to prepare tea for Empress Song Zhuyi,
Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of a familiar figure.
Peony excitedly shouted, "Begonia!"
"Haitang, you're back?"
Empress Song Zhuyi looked up excitedly upon hearing the sound, her face full of surprise as she leaned against a low table to stand up. The old nanny beside her quickly helped her up.
The Empress practically ran to Haitang.
"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress."
As Haitang was about to curtsy, Empress Song Zhuyi reached out and stopped her, saying, "No need for such formalities."
The Empress looked around to make sure Haitang was alone, then asked anxiously, "Where's Ningning?"
"Did your princess have something she wanted you to tell me beforehand?"
Peony chimed in, "Was the prince holding the princess's hand tenderly?"
Seeing that Haitang looked hesitant, Shaoyao asked with some concern, "Haitang, what's wrong?"
Haitang snapped out of her daze and said, "It's nothing. The Princess Consort sent me. She has some important matters to attend to and specifically asked me to come and inform Her Majesty the Empress."
Empress Song Zhuyi nodded, "As long as they return safely, I can rest assured."
"Your Majesty, my princess also said that Your Majesty's health has been improved and is now very good. If she is too late to give birth, the imperial physician will be there, so Your Majesty need not worry."
“Of course, she will come if she can make it,” Haitang continued.
Empress Song Zhuyi vaguely sensed that something was amiss; this didn't seem like Jiang Wan Ning's usual style. Nevertheless, she nodded in response, "Alright, I understand."
"I came here today specifically to deliver a message to you by the Princess. I have other matters to attend to, so I will be leaving now."
As Haitang spoke, she lowered her head, slowly retreated to the door, and turned to leave.
Peony looked at the Empress, who gestured with her eyes and said softly, "Go."
Peony bowed gratefully, then turned and chased after him, calling out, "Begonia."
Peony pulled the person behind the palace gate. "Begonia, has something happened?"
“You’re acting very strangely today. The things you’re saying are not like what Your Majesty would normally say. I can tell, so Your Majesty the Empress can certainly tell as well.”
"Tell me what happened!"
Haitang's eyes were red-rimmed, and she bit her lip tightly to keep quiet. Finally, she replied in a muffled voice, "It's nothing."
"I was just missing you so much that I did that."
"You're lying!" Peony's voice rose slightly. "If you don't tell me, I'll go ask the Princess right now."
"I will go and bid farewell to Her Majesty the Empress and return to the Prince's residence immediately."
As Peony spoke, she lifted her foot and walked into Changchun Palace, but Begonia grabbed her arm and said, "Peony, don't."
"Don't tell the Empress yet."
Peony felt a sudden unease and turned to stare at Begonia, asking, "I won't tell you, so tell me, what exactly happened?"
Seeing that Begonia was hesitant, Peony said anxiously, "What are you hiding from me? Tell me quickly, what happened?"
"Is it the Princess?" Peony asked tentatively. "Has something happened to the Princess?"
Haitang slowly raised her head, tears welling up in her almond-shaped eyes. "Peony, it's all my fault. I failed to protect the princess."
"Tell me quickly, what happened to the princess?" Peony felt her heart pounding.
"Your Highness...Your Highness...Your Highness has fallen off a cliff."
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