Chapter 139
The moonlight was shrouded by dark clouds. Zhou Li heard a noise outside. She sat up and asked the palace maid on duty, "What happened?"
The palace maid had woken up early and her voice was filled with fear.
"Li Liangdi was carried back from the Crown Prince's courtyard, covered in blood!"
Zhou Li was stunned for a moment, then put on his clothes and whispered, "Let's go take a look."
As Liangdi, they did not have their own courtyard and usually lived together in groups of two or three. Others did not want to live with Li Didi, so they were assigned to live with Zhou Li.
"Master, are we really going?" The palace maid asked timidly before leaving.
Li Liangdi didn't know what had happened to the prince. If they rushed over like this, what if Li Liangdi offended the prince? Would they also be mistaken for accomplices?
Zhou Li glanced at the palace maid. She didn't say anything, but she looked at the palace maid and made her lower her head.
The people in Zhou Li's room were assigned here after entering the palace. If they were her people, they would never dare to say such things. The servants can only follow what the master wants to do, and it is not their turn to question.
Zhou Li said calmly, "If you don't want to, then just stay and watch the door. After all, Li Liang Di lives with me. If she has something to do, it would seem a bit cold and indifferent if I don't go."
The maid breathed a sigh of relief and said tactfully, "Then I will stay and guard the door for the master."
Zhou Li shook his head in his heart.
The people in the palace are the most opportunistic. Presumably, those who were sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to serve her did not have any special abilities, otherwise they would not have been able to detect the dissatisfaction in her words. But Zhou Li was unwilling to force them. Everyone has their own destiny. It's just that she will not reuse this person in the future.
It was a bit windy at night. Zhou Li wore a single layer of clothing with a thin shirt on the outside and went to Li Didi's room with a lantern. She did not see Li Didi being carried into the yard, but when she walked outside the room, she was frightened by the large pools of blood along the way.
Zhou Li stood at the door and looked inside. The room was brightly lit, and the servants were busy and chaotic, with no order. Even the person standing at the door was ignored. Zhou Li stood there for a long time and felt that this was not going well. She stood at the door and said in a deep voice: "What happened?"
The maidservant serving Li Didi saw Zhou Li and her eyes suddenly turned red. She ran over and sobbed, "The master was stabbed by the crown prince. Now the palace gates are locked. Without the crown prince's order, the imperial physician cannot be summoned. The master is still bleeding. What should we do? Zhou Liangdi!"
Injured!
Zhou Li was startled. She handed the lamp to the palace maid and stepped over the threshold with her skirt lifted: "Let me see, I can bandage it!"
When she was Gong Yi Fu, she fought on the battlefield for a long time and sometimes suffered minor injuries. Her identity could not be exposed. Although she had Lv Liu by her side, it was not very convenient. Over time, she learned some bandaging techniques from military doctors.
Zhou Li walked to the bedside and saw Li Didi lying on her back with a deathly pale face and a large pool of blood on her chest. Zhou Li was afraid that she was dead, so he did not care about avoiding suspicion and directly tore open Li Didi's clothes and saw the wound on her chest.
Zhou Li carefully identified the wound and found that it was not deep, but there was a lot of bleeding. No one paid attention to it along the way, and she didn't know how much blood had been lost. She hurried to stop the bleeding for Li Didi.
Li Didi's breathing became weak, and her eyes were staring at the head of the bed, as if she had suffered a great blow. Zhou Li looked at her and felt that it was not only her body that was injured, but her heart was also obviously hurt by the prince.
Zhou Li frowned and called Li Didi's maid.
"I've stopped the bleeding temporarily. Please ask someone to go to my room to get some hemostatic powder. Just bandaging it won't be enough. I still need to apply some medicine. Do you have any clean cloths?"
"Yes, yes, yes." The palace maid saw that Li Didi could still be saved, so she quickly did as Zhou Li said, and it was not until midnight that she finished cleaning up.
Zhou Li breathed a sigh of relief. Worried that Li Didi's condition might change in the middle of the night, he stayed with Li Didi to keep watch. The palace people slowly cleaned up the bloodstains at the door.
Zhou Li felt that the room was filled with the smell of blood, so she asked the palace servants to open the doors and windows to dissipate the smell. She sat on the doorstep and looked at the moon in the sky. The dark clouds had gone away at some point, revealing a crescent moon.
Gong Yinai was also not asleep. She held a book in her hands, but her eyes were staring blankly at the ground through the pages. The person sent quickly replied.
"Your Highness, Li Liangdi is safe and sound."
"She was saved by Zhou Liangdi, who lived in the same courtyard with her."
Gong Yinai put down the book, her brows gloomy. She paced around the room, then waved her sleeves and said, "I'm going to go take a look."
The palace maids followed the prince. Gong Yinai was calm and composed, striding forward with big steps, his snow-white sleeves fluttering in the night.
Zhou Li was a little tired. She leaned her head against the door frame and closed her eyes. The evening breeze gently caressed her face. Zhou Li was soundly asleep. The moonlight shone on her. She seemed to be covered in moonlight, and her skin was translucent and white.
Gong Yinai, who had just arrived at the courtyard, slowed down her pace. She frowned at the woman sitting on the threshold. A palace attendant beside her understood her meaning and said, "That's Concubine Zhou Liang."
Duoyu saved someone, but he hasn’t left yet?
Gong Yinai just thought that this person was meddling in other people's business. Her original intention was to kill Li Didi. If she wanted her to live, she would not have left her alone.
Gong Yinai walked in front of Zhou Li, blocking the moonlight. Zhou Li woke up instantly. She felt the darkness in front of her and looked up. A pair of big watery eyes looked at Gong Yinai. Gong Yinai, who was originally very angry, was stunned. The person in front of her had a pair of eyes that looked very much like Liu Yingzi.
She was silent for a moment and then said, "What's your name?"
Zhou Li also recognized that the person in front of her was Gong Yinai. She quickly stood up and wanted to salute, but her legs were numb from sitting and she accidentally fell forward.
Gong Yinai wanted to dodge, but he held back and held Zhou Li's shoulders to catch him. After Zhou Li stood firm, he quickly let go.
She said gravely, "Did you learn your manners from a dog?"
Zhou Li's pupils widened instantly, then narrowed again, and he bowed his head politely.
"Prince."
Gong Yinai felt that he had just been glared at, but when he looked at the person in front of him again, he saw that he was still well-behaved.
"What's your name?" Gong Yinai said in a bad tone.
"Zhou Li."
"How are the people in the room?" Gong Yinai continued to ask.
"Li Liangdi has lost too much blood and is at risk of falling into a coma."
"what are you doing here?"
Zhou Li answered obediently, "I'm keeping vigil for Li Liangdi, worried that she might feel unwell at night."
"You are so kind." Gong Yinai sneered.
Zhou Li officially replied, "We both entered the palace through the selection process, and we are both the prince's people. It is only natural for an elder sister to help a younger sister."
"Redundant." Gong Yinai said and went straight into the house.
Zhou Li was stunned for a moment. She didn't know that Gong Yinai could be so sarcastic and mean. She had never seen this side of her when she was Liu Yingzi. Although she was prickly, she was still immature. Now, he was almost ready to confront her with wind, frost, snow, rain, swords and knives.
Zhou Li was really worried about Li Didi. What did she do to make Gongsun Nai so unhappy and murderous?
Gongsun Nai went in, and Zhou Li was blocked outside the door by the people he brought. She stood there quietly, like a painting, covered in moonlight and full of holy light. The moon actually became her embellishment, making her far more vivid than in the sunlight.
Gong Yinai found that Li Didi was unconscious. She looked at her silently, grinding her teeth in her mouth.
She finished her official duties today and returned to the palace to rest. As soon as she lay down on the bed, a woman came out from under the quilt and touched her private parts.
Li Didi smiled charmingly, "Your Highness, I will serve you."
When she put her hand down and didn't touch anything, her expression instantly turned terrified.
Gong Yinai kicked her away, immediately pulled out the knife on her bedside and stabbed Li Didi. At that moment, she really wanted to kill this woman!
As if sensing danger, the woman lying on the bed coughed uneasily. Gong Yinai lifted her quilt and saw that Li Didi's wound was well bandaged. She snorted coldly, thinking to herself that this woman should not die.
Just as she was about to turn around, her eyes suddenly stared hesitantly at Li Didi's chest for a long time.
Gong Yinai frowned.
How could this bandaging technique be from the military? Military doctors' techniques are generally different from those of ordinary doctors. Military medicine is a profession passed down from generation to generation, but Zhou Liangdi is a lady from a wealthy family. How did she learn this technique?
Gong Yinai became suspicious and walked out, but Zhou Li was still standing in the yard.
Gong Yinai stood at the door and looked into the yard. The woman seemed to be bored and looked up at the moon. The moonlight was desolate, making the woman look cold and lonely.
She deliberately increased the speed of her steps. Zhou Li looked over and saw Gong Yinai smiling habitually. This was her habit when she was Liu Yingzi, a habit of welcoming and seeing off guests every day.
Gong Yinai's face was indifferent. He walked over and asked, "Who did you learn your medical skills from?"
Zhou Li lied calmly: "When I was at home, I liked to read some miscellaneous books, and I learned it from them."
"Oh? My concubine seems to have a strong learning ability? She can teach herself just by reading books. I wonder which book did you learn the technique of bandaging wounds from? I see that you bandage it very well, so I want to find it and take a look."
Zhou Li's heart skipped a beat. She faked a smile and said, "I've read too many books, so I don't remember it."
Gongyina snorted coldly.
This sounds like a lie.
The people entering the palace this time have mixed backgrounds, and I don’t know where Zhou Li belongs.
He understands medical skills, can examine patients, and has a conscience.
Although she is not good-looking, she is very likable.
Gong Yinai looked at Zhou Li deeply and said calmly, "Take good care of Li Liangdi."
Zhou Li lowered her head and replied, "I know."
"It's late at night, I should go home."
"Oh, right." Gong Yinai gave Zhou Li a hypocritical smile: "When Li Liangdi wakes up, remember to tell her what to say and what not to say. She must know clearly, otherwise... humph!"
Gong Yinai didn't finish, but Zhou Li could still hear the threat in his words. She lowered her eyes to look at her feet and replied again, "I will tell Li Liangdi."
Gong Yinai strode away, while Zhou Li stood there and looked at him from afar.
She felt that Gong Yinai had changed and became no different from other people in the palace, treating human life as worthless.
But those who have climbed up from the bottom should know the suffering of the bottom.
Perhaps this is the kind of transformation that an emperor should have.
Zhou Li comforted himself that if he was not cruel, his position would be unstable.
She went back into the room and saw Li Didi lying on the bed, seemingly possessed by a nightmare. Zhou Li touched her forehead and found she didn't have a fever. She patted Li Didi's shoulder and soothed her softly, "It's okay, it's okay, Didi, don't be afraid. Dreams are just fake."
Li Didi seemed to have truly sensed it and gradually calmed down. The palace maid next to her came forward and said, "Master Zhou, you should go to sleep too. I'll watch over you here."
Zhou Li nodded and returned to his room.
When she returned, the palace maid who was supposed to be left to guard the door had already fallen asleep, and there was not even a light on in the room for her. Zhou Li shook her head in her heart, thinking that this palace maid was probably not worthy of being used.
Early in the morning, Zhou Li woke up as soon as the night watchman's call sounded in the palace. She had slept for two hours that night and it was just dawn when she got up.
Zhou Li glanced at the sky and guessed that Gong Yinai should have already attended the morning court. She got dressed and went to see Li Didi.
Li Didi was still in a coma. According to the palace servants, she did not wake up at night. After seeing this, Zhou Li asked someone to tell the kitchen to prepare some light meals.
Li Didi didn't wake up until noon. Zhou Li was happy to see her wake up and said, "Does the wound still hurt? Fortunately you woke up late, otherwise I would have changed your dressing earlier and you would have been in pain again."
What was considered a bad thing by others turned out to be a good thing in her mouth.
Li Didi stared blankly at the bed curtain, still looking dazed, as if she had suffered a great blow.
Seeing that she was silent, Zhou Li said tentatively, "The prince came last night and asked me to take good care of you."
Li Didi's face suddenly changed. She looked at Zhou Li with a look of horror. It seemed that something was wrong when she heard the word "Crown Prince". She kept saying, "Wrong! Wrong!"
"What's wrong?" Zhou Li looked puzzled.
Li Didi's throat was wheezing but she couldn't utter a word, as if it was very difficult for her to say that word.
Zhou Li didn't force her when he saw this. He patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry. The prince told you to take good care of your injuries. It's okay, it's okay."
Li Didi began to sob, like a madman or a fool.
Zhou Li sighed. The child seemed to be frightened.
After taking care of her for a few days, Li Didi was already distracted.
The things that happened in the backyard had spread a long time ago. Some people said that Li Didi secretly climbed onto the prince's bed, but was stabbed by the prince as if she were an assassin, and was frightened silly; others said that Li Didi was unfaithful to her husband and somehow bribed the prince's people, which made the prince furious.
There were different opinions. One day, Zhou Li went to see Li Didi again, but found that her room was empty and all the items inside had been moved away.
Zhou Li was surprised. She stopped the palace maid who was about to close the door and asked, "Where is Li Liangdi?"
The maid bowed her head politely and said, "Li Liang Di's words and actions are outrageous and she is crazy. The prince had her sent away for fear that she might hurt someone."
Zhou Li let go in a daze.
Although Li Didi's words were inconsistent, she did not do anything crazy. Those words were spread by others. This good person was sent away like this. Why bother to go to the palace again?
After Li Liangdi was sent away, Zhou Li didn't know whether she was alive or dead.
Most likely dead.
When Zhou Li heard others say that she climbed into bed, he guessed some of the reasons why Gong Yinai was so nervous. After all, her biggest secret might have been exposed.
As the person who has the most contact with Li Liangdi, Zhou Li doesn't know how Gong Yinai will deal with him.
That night, Zhou Li was suddenly summoned by the prince. Facing the envious gazes of the other sisters in the prince's harem, Zhou Li followed the palace maids to meet the prince.
When she arrived, Gong Yinai was dressed in her usual attire, lying on the couch, reading a book in her hand. When she heard the palace maid announce, "Daughter Zhou Liangdi has arrived—" she raised her eyes, speaking with dignity without anger: "Do you admit your guilt?"
Zhou Li lowered her neck, her eyes cast down, like a swan holding its neck, but with its shoulders straight. She whispered, "I wonder what crime I have committed to provoke the Crown Prince's wrath."
Gong Yinai slammed the table in anger: "You don't even know what crime you've committed! And yet you dare to question me!"
"I really don't know." Zhou Li replied blankly.
The room fell silent. Gong Yinai looked at Zhou Li, who had been looking down, and said, "Lift your head and look directly at me."
Zhou Li did as she was told. She looked at Gong Yinai with eyes as clear as water, without a trace of impurities.
"You're very brave," Gong Yinai said. She looked at Zhou Li expressionlessly and asked, "Do you know what crime Li Liangdi is guilty of?"
Zhou Li frowned slightly: "I don't know."
"Don't you know that the harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs?" Gong Yinai asked.
Zhou Li pursed her lips: "I know."
"Then did you hear anything from Li Liangdi?" Gong Yinai carefully observed Zhou Li's expression, not missing any possibility.
Zhou Li's frown deepened.
"I really didn't hear anything. Although I was the one who took care of Li Liang Di, she was crazy every day and her words and actions were all incoherent. I really didn't know anything."
Gong Yinai couldn't see anything. She didn't know whether Zhou Li performed too well or she really didn't know.
Gong Yinai suddenly felt murderous intent, but he was unable to deal with Zhou Li for the time being.
The power in the harem was complicated. She was reported to the emperor for every move she made against Li Didi. If she moved against Zhou Li again, the disappearance of two women in the backyard would be a small matter, but being impeached for the prince's cruelty would be a big deal.
Recently, apart from the memorial impeaching her temperament, nothing else has happened in the court. Gong Yinai believes that Zhou Li did not lie. If she really lied, and knew about her affairs from Li Didi, there must be something unusual in the court. It is estimated that the memorials impeaching her would be piled up into baskets. Now there is no movement, or she has big plans and deliberately waited for the news. Such a person cannot be left alone, and it is best to keep her by her side.
Gong Yinai said calmly: "If you didn't hear it, then nothing would have happened."
Zhou Li waited for the prince to tell her to leave, but she heard Gong Yinai say, "I see that you are very good at taking care of people. I just happen to be short of a servant, so you should stay by my side and serve me."
Zhou Li raised his head and looked at Gong Yinai in shock, thinking, is Gong Yinai worried or is he just going to throw the jar into chaos?
Gong Yinai frowned: "I asked you to serve me, what's that expression on your face?"
Zhou Li tried her best to control her expression and asked calmly, "Does the prince need me to help him sleep?"
Now it was Gong Yinai's turn to be shocked.
After a long while, she managed to calmly say, "I don't care about desires. From now on, you will take care of my daily life. Go and report to Hong Gu."
Zhou Li still looked calm: "I understand."
She saw that Gong Yinai was feigning calmness and deliberately added, "If the prince needs anything, I can also help him sleep."
"Go away! I don't need your service today!" Gong Yinai was completely angry and embarrassed.
Zhou Li saw that she was furious. After all, things were different now. Her life and death were in the hands of Gong Yinai. After she had angered him, she quickly retreated.
Gong Yinai took a long time to calm down. She gritted her teeth. It had been a long time since anyone had embarrassed her like this!
Gong Yinai's mood has been much calmer since Liu Yingzi left. She didn't expect that she would be provoked by a woman in her backyard today.
Gong Yinai thought of Liu Yingzi and his mood became depressed again.
She sent people to visit the courtyard where Liu Yingzi once lived. She still kept the courtyard, but no one had lived in it. Everything remained the same as it was when Liu Yingzi was alive.
Coming here, Gong Yinai seemed to have returned to the past.
She stood in front of the window, looking at the embroidery frame. The peony was only half formed, as if it was still waiting for someone to finish it.
Gong Yinai reached out and touched it, but finally closed his eyes unable to bear it.
It's all her fault.
Liu Yingzi, I really hate everything here now. It not only traps me, but also you. Are you satisfied with everything now?
In the end, no one responded to her words and the person is gone.
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