Chapter 46: In despair, Xie Heng reappears
Just as Zhang's hand was about to touch Yun Zhi's collar, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the alley entrance, accompanied by a cold shout: "Stop! How dare you commit murder in the palace in broad daylight!"
Everyone turned around at the sound - Xie Heng was carrying a medicine box, his moon-white robe was covered with dust, and he had obviously come in a hurry. His eyes were as sharp as torches, sweeping over the maids and servants who were blocking the way, and finally fell on Yun Zhi's pale and flushed face, and anger instantly ignited in his eyes.
"Imperial Physician Xie? Why are you here?" The princess's maid panicked and pretended to be calm, "This is an internal matter of the palace. Imperial Physician Xie shouldn't interfere, right?"
"Inner chamber affairs?" Xie Heng sneered, stepped forward quickly, pushed servant Zhang aside, and protected Yun Zhi behind him. "The princess condoned the servants to bully the master and set up a trap to frame him. You also call this an inner chamber affair? If this gets out, I'm afraid it will ruin the reputation of Prince Duan's Mansion. Even the emperor will be held accountable!"
Zhang, the servant, was pushed and staggered. He was furious and wanted to retort, but was intimidated by Xie Heng's cold gaze and dared not step forward. The head maid also lost her confidence - Xie Heng was the chief judge of the Imperial Hospital and a minister favored by the Emperor. If the incident really went to the Emperor, the princess would not be able to get away with it.
"Qingzhu, help your master over here." Xie Heng ignored the others and spoke to Qingzhu urgently. He had already noticed that something was wrong with Yunzhi. Her face was flushed, her eyes were unfocused, and she even had a faint scent of aphrodisiac about her. It was obvious that she had been ambushed.
Qingzhu quickly helped Yunzhi walk to Xie Heng's side. Yunzhi leaned against Xie Heng's back and smelled the familiar herbal fragrance on him. Her tense nerves finally relaxed, but her consciousness became even more blurred, and her body fell to the side uncontrollably.
Xie Heng quickly grasped her, his fingertips touching her burning skin, and his brow furrowed in pain. He pulled silver needles from his medicine cabinet and quickly inserted them into Yun Zhi's Ren Zhong and Nei Guan acupoints, his movements precise and smooth. After a moment, Yun Zhi's breathing gradually steadied, and the flush on her face faded. Although still weak, she no longer felt as hot and unbearable as before.
"Thank you, Doctor. You dare to ruin the princess's business. Aren't you afraid of her revenge?" The head maid shouted anxiously when she saw Yun Zhi being rescued.
"Revenge?" Xie Heng hugged Yun Zhi, his eyes as cold as ice. "If the princess really wants revenge, come on. But today, I must take Concubine Yun away." He looked at the servants who were surrounding him, "Who dares to stop me?"
The servants looked at each other in bewilderment, no one daring to step forward—Xie Heng's status was obvious; if he really took action, they couldn't afford the consequences. The head maid was trembling with anger, but she could only watch as Xie Heng carried Yun Zhi and Qing Zhu out of the alley, not daring to say a word to stop them.
After leaving the palace, Xie Heng carried Yun Zhi into the carriage that had been prepared in advance, and Qing Zhu followed suit. As the carriage slowly moved, Xie Heng sat beside Yun Zhi, gently wiping the cold sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, his eyes filled with heartache.
"Thank you, Doctor. Thank you..." Qingzhu said with a sob, "If you hadn't arrived in time, the girl would have been finished."
Xie Heng shook his head, his eyes falling on Yun Zhi's pale face, and said in a low voice: "I am late. I should have thought that after the prince left the capital, the princess would not let Yun Zhi go."
He had actually been secretly keeping an eye on the goings-on in the side courtyard. Ever since Yun Zhi had come to him to diagnose her pregnancy, he had been worried. He knew Xiao Jin was ruthless towards her, and the princess saw her as a thorn in her side, and she knew she would take action one day. This morning, he noticed unusual movements from the palace's secret guards and heard the maids discussing "sending tonic soup to the side courtyard." He guessed something was amiss and hurried over, fortunately catching up.
Yun Zhi slowly opened her eyes. Her consciousness was still a little hazy, but she could clearly see Xie Heng's concerned face. She opened her mouth and said in a hoarse voice, "Brother Xie... I..."
"Don't talk, get some rest first." Xie Heng interrupted her, his tone gentle but with unquestionable firmness, "The effect of the medicine is only temporarily suppressed, and you still need to recuperate. You can't go back to the palace. I will arrange for you to fake your death and get you out of the capital, away from all this trouble."
"Fake death? Leave the capital?" Yun Zhi was stunned. She looked at Xie Heng with complicated eyes - she had not found evidence that the Yun family was framed, and had not avenged her child, so how could she leave the capital?
As if seeing through her thoughts, Xie Heng sighed, "I know you want to investigate what happened back then and avenge the Yun family. But it's too dangerous for you to stay in the capital now. The princess won't let you go, and Xiao Jin may not protect you when he returns. You have to leave first and recuperate before you can make any plans."
He paused, looked into Yunzhi's eyes, and said word by word: "Yunzhi, believe me, I am taking you away not only to save you, but also to allow you to live and accomplish what you want to do."
Yun Zhi saw the determination and sincerity in Xie Heng's eyes, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. In this capital city rife with conspiracy and betrayal, Xie Heng was the only one who truly treated her well, willing to take risks for her. She thought of her father's secret letter, of "Uncle Liu" in the dilapidated temple in the western suburbs, of the unrequited blood feud, and finally nodded gently—she needed to live. Only by living would she have a chance to uncover the truth and seek justice for the Yun family and her child.
Seeing her agree, Xie Heng breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes softening. "Don't worry, I've already made arrangements. Tonight, I'll create the illusion that you've accidentally drowned, and then use the substitute body I've prepared to deal with the palace. Then, under cover of darkness, follow my men out of the capital and take refuge in one of my secret villas on the outskirts of the capital."
The carriage continued to move forward, the scenery outside the window receding, a stark reflection of Yun Zhi's recent experiences—from the destruction of her family to being forced into concubinehood, from the joy of pregnancy to the despair of losing her child, from being framed to escaping a desperate situation. She leaned against the wall of the carriage, watching Xie Heng busily preparing her medicinal herbs, and secretly made a resolution: once she recovered and uncovered the truth, she would make those who had hurt her and the Yun family pay the price they deserved.
At this moment, the carriage suddenly shook violently, followed by the driver's screams and the sound of weapons clashing!
Xie Heng's face changed, and he immediately protected Yun Zhi behind him, drew the dagger at his waist (which he had specially prepared in case of accidents), and said to Qingzhu: "Keep an eye on Yun Zhi, don't come out!" Then he lifted the curtain of the car and jumped out.
Yun Zhi and Qing Zhu leaned over the carriage window and looked out. They saw a group of masked men in black surrounding the carriage. Each of them held a long sword, their eyes fierce, and they were engaged in a fierce battle with the guards brought by Xie Heng. The guards were outnumbered and several had already fallen. Xie Heng was also entangled by two men in black, and his body was quickly covered with wounds.
"What should we do? Doctor Xie is injured!" Qingzhu was so scared that he was shaking all over.
Yun Zhi's heart was in her throat. She looked at the men in black and felt that their moves were somewhat familiar - like the methods of Xiao Jin's secret guards!
At this moment, a man in black broke through the guards and rushed to the front of the carriage. He ripped open the curtain and held a cold knife to Yun Zhi's neck. He looked at Yun Zhi and said in a hoarse voice, "Mrs. Yun, don't blame us. The prince has ordered that you be killed without mercy!"
"The prince has given an order?" Yun Zhi was shocked and looked at the man in black in disbelief. "You said... Xiao Jin ordered you to kill me?"
The man in black did not answer, but raised his knife to stab Yun Zhi!
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