Chapter 29 Princess, Let's Run!
Yunzhu returned to the palace; it was still early.
Today was supposed to be her birthday, but she and Ying Shi took a day off and did not go to distribute porridge to the people. When she left home, she never thought she would return so early.
She dismounted from the carriage in a daze, returned to her and Xiao Mingzhang's courtyard in a daze, and sat down in the chair she used to sit on most often.
"Princess……"
Ayan squatted down in front of her and held her hand tightly, which finally brought Yunzhu back to her senses, and she stared at her blankly.
In the instant she came to her senses, two clear tears suddenly slid down Yunzhu's face, like a clear stream, and landed on Ayan's hand.
Ayan was both heartbroken and indignant, and asked, "Princess, why couldn't we just rush in?"
They had overheard the conversation in the yamen study just now. Ayan couldn't believe that such a vicious person existed in the world!
They were supposed to be advisors to the Prince's court, claiming to be doing things for the benefit of the people, but instead they were secretly plotting such wicked things.
And what was Xiao Mingzhang saying? Ayan had long known he was unreliable, but she never expected him to not speak up for his princess at all, not even uttering a single rebuttal!
Let him think about it?! Let him think about it?! Someone wants him to kill his own wife, and he's actually starting to consider it?
Ayan couldn't accept it; she simply couldn't accept it.
If Yunzhu hadn't held her back, she would have stormed into the study and turned it upside down while they were at the government office!
“Ayan…”
Yunzhu didn't cry on the way back to the Prince's Mansion from the government office, but now that she was back in her closed room, she finally dared to cry out loud.
She belatedly realized what was happening, and fear and disappointment surged into her heart in an instant. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she buried her head in Ayan's shoulder, which quickly soaked her collar.
At this moment, Ayan had no mind to care about anything else. She gently patted Yunzhu's back and said, "Princess, let's run. The palace is not a place for us to stay. Princess, let's go..."
On the day Yunzhu first married into the Huan Prince's mansion, Ayan had already sensed that the Huan Prince's mansion was by no means a blessed land. Xiao Mingzhang seemed kinder than his parents, but in fact he was not a good person at all.
Sure enough, everything she had guessed was true.
"Ayan, do you think... those words were really said by Xiao Mingzhang?" But Yunzhu still couldn't believe it. Were those words in the study really said by Xiao Mingzhang?
Would he really say those things?
Would he really... consider killing her?
"Princess!"
Ah Yan was furious. She never expected that even at a time like this, her princess would ask such a question!
In that study of the government office, with that familiar voice and the title of "Prince," who else could it be but Xiao Mingzhang who was speaking?
"Princess, let's run!" Ayan squatted down in front of Yunzhu, pleading earnestly, "It's not worth being sad over such people. Let's run, run back to the Western Regions, run back to the grasslands. No matter how many tricks the Huan Prince's Mansion has, can they really capture people in the Western Regions? As long as we're willing to run, no one will be able to find us again!"
run?
Through her blurry, tear-filled eyes, Yunzhu quietly watched Ayan.
Yes, run.
The Prince Huan's mansion is plotting to kill her, and Xiao Mingzhang will not stand firm to protect her. Now it seems that running away is her best option.
But, but...
Yunzhu gradually broke down in tears again. Xiao Mingzhang, how could it be Xiao Mingzhang? How could it be Xiao Mingzhang?
She gripped Ayan's sleeve tightly, shaking her head desperately. She would rather hear anyone in Yunzhou City plotting to kill her than hear Xiao Mingzhang saying those words.
Because he is the only reason she stayed in Yunzhou City, and the only person she is now willing to trust and entrust with her entire fortune.
She was fond of Xiao Mingzhang, she liked Xiao Mingzhang, but she hadn't yet received the birthday flower crown from him...
Oh right, her birthday… Yunzhu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered that she had hosted a banquet at the restaurant today, inviting Cui Ranzhi, Yu Jingsi, and others to attend.
"What time is it now?" she asked Ayan.
They had set the time as noon. When Ayan heard Yunzhu's question, she suddenly realized and replied, "It seems it's almost 11 PM..."
"..."
It was late afternoon, meaning they had almost missed the birthday banquet that Yunzhu had prepared for them.
"I wonder if Miss Cui and Miss Yu have left yet..." Ayan said.
"Yunzhu?!" Before she could finish speaking, a clear and melodious female voice came from outside the door.
With two loud knocks on the door, Yunzhu immediately realized that it was Xiao Ming'an.
She hurriedly wiped away her tears and went to open the door herself.
"Yunzhu, what's wrong with you? We've been waiting for you for ages since noon today, why haven't you come yet?" Xiao Ming'an was now completely unceremonious with Yunzhu, asking directly as soon as he entered the door.
Yunzhu lowered her eyes slightly, not wanting Xiao Ming'an to see her crying.
But Xiao Ming'an had sharp eyes and saw it as soon as he turned his head.
"Yunzhu, are you crying?" she asked in surprise.
"It's nothing." Yunzhu turned her face away, still not wanting to meet her gaze. "I was just feeling down before I left home today, and then I received a letter from home."
Ayan secretly widened her eyes, seemingly discovering for the first time that her princess could lie so fluently, without even needing to prepare a draft.
"A letter?" Xiao Ming'an asked doubtfully.
"Yes." Yunzhu nodded, her eyes slightly red, and said, "It was a letter from my mother. She said that my maternal grandfather is ill and wants to see me. He keeps calling my name in his dreams."
“Ah…” Even though Xiao Ming’an was immature, she was always exceptionally understanding towards her family.
With Yunzhu's status, marrying into Yunzhou almost certainly means she'll never be able to return to the Western Regions.
"When I received the letter, I couldn't help but feel sad. I'm so sorry, I forgot that I had an appointment with you at the restaurant..." Yunzhu's weak and listless voice made the explanation of this matter seem all the more real.
"It's nothing, it's nothing!" Xiao Ming'an hurriedly said, "I was just waiting for you at the restaurant with Yu Jingsi and the others for a long time. We thought something had happened to you, so we rushed back to find you. I see. So it's understandable that you forgot to invite us. Today is your birthday, so you can decide for yourself whether you still want to have dinner with us?"
In the three years since she met Xiao Ming'an, Yunzhu had never seen her so understanding.
She stared intently at this so-called younger sister. Ayan thought she would shake her head and refuse, but Yunzhu nodded instead.
“I made the appointment with you, so it wouldn’t be right to break my promise. Since you’re all still here, let’s have a meal together,” Yunzhu said.
Xiao Ming'an immediately took Yunzhu's arm affectionately: "Alright, let's set off together!"
—
It was several hours later when Yunzhu and Xiao Ming'an returned to the Prince's Mansion.
Although she missed the appointed time with her friends today, everyone seemed to understand how busy she had been as the Crown Prince's wife lately. When she arrived at the restaurant, everyone was still waiting for her in the private room.
The banquet had not yet been set out, and the dishes had not yet been served. Everyone was tacitly waiting for her to begin the meal.
Since it was a birthday gift, Yunzhu received many congratulatory gifts after the meal.
There were pearls freshly collected from the East Sea at the beginning of the new year, hairpins that were most popular in the capital, a complete set of kingfisher feather headdresses, and various kinds of silks and satins... After receiving these gifts, Yunzhu realized that she had forgotten to bring the calligraphy book that she had been longing to show off to everyone on her birthday.
That was a calligraphy book she had practiced diligently for over half a year, hoping to redeem herself at her birthday celebration and amaze everyone.
But nowadays, whether you bring it or not doesn't seem to matter much anymore.
Because Xiao Mingzhang wasn't there, because she overheard his words, the person she most wanted to show off to in person had vanished without a trace.
After Yunzhu got off the carriage, she parted ways with Xiao Ming'an at the door of her house.
Their courtyards were located in the southeast corner of the Prince's Mansion and the west side, respectively.
On the way back to the courtyard, Ayan couldn't help but ask, "Princess, why did you go out for a drink today?"
Perhaps influenced by Xiao Mingzhang, Ayan felt that there wasn't a single good person left in Yunzhou City. You can know a person's face but not their heart; even Cui Ranzhi and Yu Jingsi had many men working in the Prince's mansion, so it was hard to say what they truly thought of Yunzhu.
And then there's Xiao Ming'an, the county princess of the Huanwang Mansion. She must have longed for her father to become emperor and for herself to be an incomparably noble princess... As for Yunzhu, Ayan doesn't believe she had no such thoughts.
Yunzhu glanced at Ayan, silently took her hand, and told her to stay by her side.
The Huanwang Mansion was vast, but the only people who came from the Western Regions were the two of them, mistress and servant.
Their figures intertwined and entwined, as if their fates were firmly bound together.
"Ayan, if I am to leave, today may be the last time I see them," Yunzhu said in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Ayan suddenly realized that her princess had already decided to leave.
"Well..." She was half excited and half nervous. She wanted to tell Yunzhu more, but when she thought about the many guards surrounding them at all times, she had to give up for the time being.
Ayan stayed close to Yunzhu all day, not allowing anyone to approach her. Even when they returned to the courtyard, Feihong and Chuilü wanted to come up and serve her, but Ayan wouldn't let them get close.
She would carefully inspect everything she gave to Yunzhu before allowing Yunzhu to use it.
As night fell, the maidservants began serving Yunzhu dishes.
After they finished delivering the dishes, Ayan began to test each dish one by one with a silver needle.
Yunzhu watched her movements intently, but in her heart she was thinking that even if Xiao Mingzhang really wanted to kill her, he probably wouldn't do it tonight.
The decision was made this morning, so shouldn't we at least give him a day to say goodbye?
But these are all just her guesses. How much does she dare to say she understands Xiao Mingzhang now? In fact, she doesn't understand him at all.
Who knows if everything he did before was an act? Who knows if his true nature is that he'll stop at nothing to gain power?
"Princess, the inspection is complete, everything is fine." Finally, Ayan finished inspecting all the dishes, and Yunzhu could start eating with peace of mind.
But as Yunzhu picked up her chopsticks, Ayan muttered again, "It seems that the young master has stopped pretending now. Wasn't he known as the most powerful man in Yunzhou City? Today is Princess's birthday, and it's already night. He must know about our visit to the government office this morning, but he still hasn't come back to congratulate you..."
Yunzhu's already meager appetite was further reduced.
“Ayan…”
She wanted to tell Ayan to stop complaining for a while, but just as she opened her mouth, a figure in bamboo green suddenly appeared in front of the dark door.
The figure was tall and slender; even in the dim light of the night, one could see that he stood tall and elegant, with a graceful bearing.
Yunzhu looked closely, but only noticed the flower crown in the man's arms—
It was a colorful floral crown that collected many kinds of flowers and plants from inside and outside Yunzhou City. The greenery was full of vitality, and the fallen petals were like rosy clouds. He was holding it in his arms now, and it was extremely eye-catching.
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