Chapter 303 Attending the Funeral
The calming incense burned quietly, emitting wisps of smoke.
The warm yellow light shone on Shen Wantang's face, giving it a radiant and healthy glow. Her skin was fair with a rosy tint, smooth and flawless.
But on this face, there is an abrupt scar.
Gu Qianhan looked at her tenderly, his fingers only touching her wounds and not touching anything else.
He secretly coveted her, spied on her, and even broke into her boudoir in the middle of the night, but he refused to do anything else to molest her.
She lay on her side, her long, smooth hair spread like silk across the pillow. She had long eyelashes, a smooth and full forehead, a straight nose, and rosy lips, like freshly ripened cherries.
Gu Qianhan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He looked at Shen Wantang again and again, but still felt he hadn't seen enough.
The slender figure beside him spoke softly, "Young master, it's almost time. You should go back. I didn't use enough of the Dream-Sinking Powder on them; the effects are wearing off."
Gu Qianhan looked at Shen Wantang for a while, then got up and extinguished the calming incense.
The drug "Sleep-Inducing Powder" can induce a deep sleep, making one unaware of any loud noises around them. However, a side effect is that after the drug's effects wear off, the head feels heavy and swollen, and one loses energy.
Therefore, Gu Qianhan specifically asked Fuze to deliver a message that the Dream-Sinking Powder should only be used by the maids and not by Shen Wantang.
However, to prevent Shen Wantang from waking up, he had his men light some calming incense for her.
The calming incense will only make people sleep more soundly, not fall into a deep sleep. Similarly, it has almost no side effects. Shen Wantang occasionally uses this kind of incense.
Gu Qianhan glanced back at Shen Wantang, then walked out.
In the courtyard, the cold wind was like a knife.
Gu Qianhan seemed oblivious. He stood there straight and said to the figure behind him, "Protect her. I don't want to see her get hurt again."
The figure replied respectfully, "Yes, young master."
"If there is anyone or anything that you cannot handle, immediately send a message to Fukuzawa. Her safety is the top priority."
"yes."
"I've already gotten your brother out of jail. He's recuperating at home now. You can go back and visit him when you have some free time."
The figure immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "Thank you, young master! Your kindness is immense, and I will repay you tenfold!"
"No need to thank me, and you don't need to repay my kindness. As long as you can protect her, I will ensure your family's lifelong well-being."
"Yes! This servant will definitely protect the Crown Princess!"
Gu Qianhan didn't speak again, nor did he turn around. He strode out of Wutong Garden and disappeared into the dark night.
The next morning.
When Shen Wantang woke up, she saw Dujuan rubbing her head. She couldn't help but ask, "Dujuan, what's wrong? Do you have a headache? Did you catch a cold when you went out with me yesterday?"
Du Juan shook her head: "My head doesn't hurt, but I feel a little dizzy. It's probably not from catching a cold, it's probably just from not sleeping well last night!"
Shen Wantang was worried, so he took her hand and took her pulse.
After a moment, she was relieved: "It's nothing serious. Maybe the charcoal fire in the room was too strong and it felt a bit stuffy. You can go out for some fresh air."
Shen Wantang wasn't afraid of the heat, but she was somewhat afraid of the cold, so she always liked to keep the charcoal fire in the house burning brightly.
This was a problem she developed in the Shen family, because every winter her stepmother refused to give her charcoal, and she once developed frostbite on her hands and feet.
Du Juan didn't think much of it; she figured it was probably because of the charcoal fire.
She helped Shen Wantang change and wash up, and then went outside to breathe in the cold air.
After inhaling for a while, the dizziness and headache were relieved a lot.
Just as she was about to go inside, Qin Xin dashed in from outside. She couldn't help but ask, "Qin Xin, where have you been again?"
Qin Xin pulled her into the house and whispered, "I went to eavesdrop again!"
Du Juan perked up: "What did you hear?"
Qin Xin smiled mysteriously and pulled her into the inner room.
"The Crown Princess."
Qin Xin bowed to Shen Wantang, then lowered her voice and said, "Hua Yi's family sent someone to find her, saying that her mother has passed away and they want her to go back for the funeral!"
Shen Wantang was slightly taken aback: "Huayi's mother passed away? When did that happen?"
"They said it was gone this morning."
Qin Xin pouted: "You don't know, Hua Yixin is so ruthless. When the person came and said her mother had passed away, she didn't even show the slightest sadness. The person told her to go back immediately, but she actually refused! She said that her family had sold her into the Prince's Mansion, so she was now a member of the Prince's Mansion and had nothing to do with her family anymore."
Shen Wantang sighed softly: "Her resolute decision might be because she wasn't having a good time at home!"
Qin Xin said, "Debts are settled with death. She was her biological mother after all. The person has passed away, and she still won't go back. This shows that Hua Yi is a truly ruthless person. The Crown Princess must be careful of her in the future!"
Shen Wantang nodded: "Isn't it because you're keeping an eye on her? And Granny Chai, I've also had her give Huayi a nudge from time to time, hoping she'll be smart enough to know what she should and shouldn't do."
Just then, Granny Chai came in: "Your Highness, Huayi has arrived. She says she's here to ask for leave. Her mother has passed away, and she needs to go back for the funeral."
Qin Xin was stunned: "What?!"
Shen Wantang was also slightly surprised.
She naturally trusted Qin Xin's information completely; Qin Xin couldn't possibly lie. But Hua Yi suddenly had to go home for a funeral, which must have been due to some unforeseen event during Qin Xin's return.
She said to Granny Chai, "The painting is fake, approved. Also, according to the rules of the manor, prepare a funeral for her."
"yes."
In the past, Shen Wantang would have met with Huayi to check on her, but this time, she did not meet with Huayi.
Princess Ning gave her four head maids specializing in "music, chess, calligraphy, and painting." The other three were always Shen Wantang's own people, but Huayi was not. Huayi's initial role was to be Xiao Qingyuan's concubine.
Before Huayi went to serve Xiao Qingyuan, Shen Wantang treated her with some consideration, but after she went to serve Xiao Qingyuan, her stance completely changed.
Although this is only natural, Shen Wantang had already excluded Huayi from the list of people she was protecting.
Qin Xin was so troubled that her eyebrows were almost knitted together: "This isn't right. When I was eavesdropping, Hua Yi clearly refused to go home for the funeral. Why did she suddenly change her mind? This is too strange!"
Seeing her scratching her head, wanting to know the reason, Shen Wantang patted her: "If you want to know the reason, just go and ask, right?"
Qin Xin exclaimed "Ah!", hurriedly bowed to Shen Wantang, and then rushed out.
A short while later, she came running back excitedly: "Your Highness, I know why!"
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