Chapter 138 Close Friend
Zhou thought to herself that she had made everyone worry.
Ningning definitely didn't want me to see her red, swollen eyes from crying.
Despite her inner turmoil, Shen Ruzhi managed a smile.
“We are all crying tears of joy,” Shen Ruzhi said. “Auntie, you have survived a great calamity and are sure to have good fortune in the future.”
Zhou was amused by this remark.
Shen Ruzhi was still worried about Jiang Wanning, so she made an excuse, saying, "Auntie, you should rest first."
"I went to the free clinic to help Ningning."
Zhou nodded.
As soon as Shen Ruzhi reached the door, she heard a servant outside shout loudly, "Madam, the Grand Princess has arrived."
Shen Ruzhi was startled. She knew without even thinking why the Grand Princess had come.
Seeing that Zhou was struggling to get up, Shen Ruzhi quickly walked to the bedside, pressed her down, and lay her back down on the bed.
"Aunt, the Grand Princess's visit this time is definitely not for anything good. You just drank the antidote, so you should rest first."
“I’ll go and talk to her for you.” Shen Ruzhi turned to Shaoyao and said, “Keep an eye on your aunt.”
Peony nodded.
Shen Ruzhi turned and left, closing the door behind her.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Grand Princess!" Shen Ruzhi stood at the door and bowed.
The Grand Princess's eyes showed disdain. "No need for formalities."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Shen Ruzhi stood up, but didn't move an inch.
"How dare you be so disrespectful!" shouted a maidservant beside the Grand Princess.
"Get out of the way now."
"Your Highness, please forgive me." Shen Ruzhi slightly curtsied. "My aunt has just fallen asleep. I was ordered by the Princess of Langya to take good care of her."
"She has just taken medicine and should not get up. I hope Your Highness will understand."
"I heard that Arong is not feeling well, and I am also concerned about her age and pregnancy, so I came to see her."
"What? Are you still going to try to stop me?"
"Your subject dares not," Shen Ruzhi bowed and said, "It was only because the Princess Consort instructed me that, and besides, my aunt is currently in poor health and cannot be seen by anyone."
"That's it..."
"Smack!"
Before Shen Ruzhi could finish speaking, she was slapped hard by the Grand Princess's maid. "How dare you!"
"You, the daughter of a third-rank official, dare to repeatedly obstruct our prince from visiting the Marquis's wife."
"Did you do something to Lady Hou?"
"Everyone in the capital knows that our prince and his wife were once close friends, and now that he is ill, they are visiting each other."
"How dare you, an outsider, obstruct me like this? What are you trying to achieve?"
*Slap! Slap!* Shen Ruzhi slapped the maid twice.
"I already told you that I was ordered by the Princess of Langya to take care of your aunt."
“Your Highness and the Lady of the Marquis are close friends, as are the Princess Consort and I,” Shen Ruzhi retorted without backing down. “I think Your Highness shares the same thoughts as me.”
"Naturally, we hope that Lady Hou can recover well and not be disturbed while she is ill."
"His Highness hasn't even said anything yet, and you, a mere maid, not only speak rudely in His Highness's name, but also lay a hand on him."
"Are you trying to stir up trouble between the three families—the Prince's Mansion, the Marquis's Mansion, and the Shen Family—and the Grand Princess?"
Shen Ruzhi shouted sternly, which frightened the maid so much that she shrank back and looked at the Grand Princess.
The Grand Princess sneered and slowly clapped her hands, "I never expected that Shen Zhao would pick up such a good daughter as you."
"You're so eloquent that even my people are speechless."
"Your Highness, I dare not," Shen Ruzhi said, bowing her head. "Please, Your Highness, move to the front hall. When the Marquis returns, he will certainly treat Your Highness well."
"I have already sent someone to convey a message to the Marquis."
"Hmph, you keep saying you have the Princess's orders, but I'd like to ask you that."
The Grand Princess asked, "Where is the Princess Consort of Langya now?"
"Of course I'm busy." Shen Ruzhi's eyes looked a little unnatural, and her hands were clenched tightly together.
The Grand Princess laughed and said, "Then I heard that the Princess Consort of Langya, in her search for the antidote, fell off a cliff and died."
Shen Ruzhi felt a pang of pain in her heart, but she forced herself to suppress her discomfort and said, "I don't understand what the Grand Princess is saying."
"The princess is currently at the free clinic."
"I just came from the free clinic." The Grand Princess looked at Chen Ruzhi with a smirk. "What are you hiding?"
"You don't want Arong to know that her daughter is dead. Do you think that's for her own good?"
"You can hide it for a while, but can you hide it forever?"
"Your Highness, please be careful with your words," Shen Ruzhi interrupted. "Ningning is fine; she's a lucky person, and heaven will protect her."
“I happened to be nearby. She was indeed thrown down, and her body was a bloody mess.” The Grand Princess said, pulling out a piece of torn cloth.
It was the clothes Jiang Wan Ning was wearing today, and Shen Ru Zhi recognized them at a glance.
“These were torn off the corpse by my men.”
"I am kind-hearted and have already ordered my men to go back and bury the person."
"There are no people in the Langya royal family, and no ancestral graves, so even if they were brought back, they could not be buried there."
“A married daughter naturally cannot be buried in her maternal family’s ancestral grave.”
"I helped her out of consideration for our long-standing sisterhood."
"I'll stop by and see her again since I'm on my way."
Shen Ruzhi bit her lip hard, her hands clenched tightly, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
Before Haitang returned, she didn't believe that Jiang Wanning was dead.
But these clothes do indeed belong to Jiang Wan Ning.
“Why don’t you just say your people succeeded, Grand Princess?” Shen Ruzhi couldn’t help but retort.
In such a short time, the Grand Princess learned about this matter. Who else could have been the assassin if not her?
"Miss Shen, you need evidence to support your claims," the Grand Princess said calmly. "Do you really think that Shen Zhao alone can protect you?"
"I want to speak with Arong, you'd better step aside."
Today, she will bring this mother and daughter together in the underworld.
She knew Zhou Shi too well; she was narrow-minded and prone to overthinking. If she knew that Jiang Wan Ning was already dead...
They will be filled with grief and indignation, and then I won't even have to lift a finger.
Shen Ruzhi spread her arms to block the doorway, shouting, "No way!"
The Grand Princess glanced sideways and gestured to the maid behind her.
Two maids immediately stepped forward and pulled the person away.
One of them had just raised his hand to push the door open.
With a creak, the door opened from the inside.
Peony helped Zhou Shi out.
The Grand Princess was taken aback at first, then sneered, "This girl said you were badly injured."
"I knew it, Arong, you have the greatest life."
“Auntie,” Shen Ruzhi shook off the maid who was holding her back, “why did you come out?”
Zhou gently patted Chen Ruzhi's hand that was resting on her arm. "It's nothing."
"You may all leave," said Madam Zhou. "I have some private matters to discuss with Her Highness the Grand Princess."
"aunt."
"lady."
Peony and Shen Ruzhi spoke with some concern.
Zhou heard everything the Grand Princess said from inside the room.
To Peony's surprise, Zhou remained remarkably calm.
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