Chapter 89: The Fallen Princess Bai Yueguang 20 “Ji Hanlin is inside…
"Your Highness, are you okay?"
Not long after the order was given, Zhuiyun rushed in quickly, followed closely by Zhuyue, both of them looking frightened.
"You said earlier that if you didn't return within an incense stick, you would have us look for you. But we searched everywhere near the banquet hall and couldn't find you. We thought something had happened and were extremely worried... Why did Your Highness return to Yaoguang Palace on your own?"
Wen Qianning raised her hand and pressed her forehead, signaling them to be quiet. When the two approached, she whispered, "Today's events... are a long story. I'm afraid someone has secretly set up a trap for this princess."
Upon hearing this, Zhuyue and Zhuiyun were both shocked and asked in unison, "Your Highness, what happened?"
Wen Qianning lowered her eyes, hiding her cold gaze, and slowly recounted what had just happened.
Upon hearing that Princess Zhaohua and Master Ji had both been poisoned by the aphrodisiac incense, their expressions suddenly changed. Zhuyue gasped, her face pale. "How could someone dare to use such a sinister method on Your Highness and Master Ji in the palace?"
I can’t imagine... what would people say if Her Royal Highness the Princess and Master Ji were unable to escape from that room after being infected.
Zhuiyun's eyes were red with anxiety. He stepped forward and carefully examined the princess, fearing that she had been in an accident. "Your Highness, are you...are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?"
"It's okay. Doctor Li has already prescribed some medicine for us." Wen Qianning shook his head slightly, then smiled at the two of them to reassure them that he was fine.
Seeing that the princess looked normal, but her tone still contained a hint of fatigue, Zhuiyun felt half relieved, but he still felt a little uneasy.
"That aphrodisiac incense...if inhaled in large quantities, its medicinal effects cannot be underestimated. Is Your Highness truly unharmed?"
What she was worried about was that Princess Zhaohua must have been frightened that night, but she forced herself to remain calm just to avoid worrying them.
"Don't worry, this princess is fine. It's just... Ji Hanlin's condition is more serious than mine, but he's fine now."
Hearing Wen Qianning say this, Zhuyue clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, saying angrily, "That maid who deliberately led His Highness away clearly had it planned!"
"That palace maid, I'll dig three feet underground to find her."
Wen Qianning remained silent and snorted coldly. Anyone who dared to attack her in Xuanping Palace must be prepared to pay the price.
Zhuiyun and Zhuyue both bowed in response.
Wen Qianning paused, then raised her eyes again, her gaze sharp as a blade. "But more importantly, we need to find the person behind that palace maid's actions. If she hadn't been instructed by someone, I don't think she would have dared to act so boldly..."
"Did you notice that during the banquet just now, whoever left the table with an excuse was thinking of going to that side hall so that they could 'coincidentally' run into me?"
Unable to think of anything for a moment, both of them frowned and thought hard, recalling carefully.
After a moment, Zhuiyun raised her head and spoke hesitantly, "I've thought about it for a moment, and it seems... no one left the table intentionally. Everyone was watching the play. However, Noble Concubine Zheng stood up during the play and said she wanted to invite the Emperor to join her. Although His Majesty had previously stated that he was busy and would not attend the banquet, Noble Concubine Zheng somehow insisted on inviting him again."
"Now that I think about it, she stood up and left the table not long after you, Your Highness, followed that palace maid."
Zhuyue was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized what was happening and nodded in agreement, "Yes, I remember that during the banquet, Concubine Zheng was the only one who left."
That’s it, it was definitely a trap set by Concubine Zheng.
Wen Qianning was not too surprised to hear that it was Concubine Zheng. In fact, she already had her own guesses and suspicions about the candidate in her mind.
It has to be said that Concubine Zheng was extremely clever and used the opportunity of hosting the banquet to set such a trap for her. If Ji Hanlin had not forced himself to break the window and escape, and if the two of them had not escaped in time, she and Ji Hanlin would have been trapped in the palace, and the effect of the drug would have become increasingly uncontrollable.
At that time, as long as Concubine Zheng and Emperor Xuanping "happened" to pass by and caught this scene...Emperor Xuanping would definitely be furious.
As for why Concubine Zheng wanted to attack her and Ji Hanlin?
The answer is obvious.
Concubine Zheng is the biological mother of the eldest prince. She has always been ambitious. She knows that whether she can maintain a high position in the harem depends entirely on whether the eldest prince can sit firmly on the throne of the Eastern Palace in the future.
But in the struggle between the harem and the court, Wen Qianning is the emperor's most beloved princess, and the emperor's favor in her hands is enough to influence the court situation.
Moreover, Wen Qianning and the eldest prince, Wen Yuanzhao, had always had a strained relationship. She had repeatedly denied the eldest prince face, causing him to suffer losses. He had long coveted power and only needed to find a flaw to exploit and suppress her.
How could Concubine Zheng allow Wen Qianning to threaten her son's power?
Therefore, today's calculation is definitely not just to destroy her reputation.
It wasn't that simple. If it were to happen, she and Ji Hanlin would be disgraced before Emperor Xuanping. His father, enraged, would surely distance himself from her, perhaps even severely punish her. Not only would she be hurt, but Ji Hanlin would also be imprisoned.
Perhaps she could still save her life thanks to her father's favor, but as a hostage, Ji Hanlin seduced the princess, and there was absolutely no way he would be released back to Dayan.
The benefits that came from this naturally fell on Concubine Zheng and her son.
Wen Qianning lowered her eyes, and the coldness in her eyes became more intense.
"Oh, well calculated." She sneered in her heart.
Seeing his princess's fierce expression, seemingly still plotting something, Zhuiyun couldn't help but whisper, "Your Highness, you've been busy for too long today. You should take a break. As for the whereabouts of the palace maid and Concubine Zheng's movements, it won't be too late to make other plans tomorrow."
Although the anger in his heart had not yet dissipated, his body was indeed tired after dealing with the series of incidents, and his mind was even more tense. Wen Qianning took a deep breath, calmed himself, and finally nodded.
"You're right. Let's stop here for today."
As they chatted, candlelight burned softly in the bedroom. Zhuyue helped her tidy up her desk. Seeing the princess's rare expression of fatigue, she softly and lovingly consoled her, "Your Highness, please rest early. I'll make your bed right away."
The curtains were lowered, and the brocade drapery had been lowered by Wen Qianning herself earlier, covering the area tightly.
Zhuyue looked up and asked curiously, "Your Highness, why are the bed curtains drawn today?"
After saying that, he wanted to open the bed curtain for her.
Wen Qianning almost blurted out "Don't!" and reached out to stop Zhuyue, with a hint of obvious panic in her expression.
Zhuyue's movements were stopped and he looked at her in confusion.
Wen Qianning coughed lightly, her ears turning slightly red, and she stammered, "Don't...don't pull, Ji Hanlin is in there."
"?" Zhuiyun and Zhuyue were both stunned.
After a moment of silence, Zhuiyun's eyes widened and he couldn't help but raise his voice: "Your Highness! You, you actually let Master Ji sleep in your bed?!"
She was so anxious that she stamped her feet, her expression full of disbelief.
Zhuiyun is loyal to her master and is a very disciplined person. She knows in her heart that the princess and Master Ji are in love with each other, but she is an unmarried woman after all. If she lets a man sleep in her bed... what will happen if the news gets out?
"Although Your Highness and Young Master Ji are in love with each other, but... but he is a man after all. How can you let him sleep in Your Highness's bed!" Zhuiyun scolded anxiously, his face full of worry.
Wen Qianning felt embarrassed by Zhuiyun's words. Her cheeks flushed and she curled her lips, pretending to be nonchalant as she defended herself, "I was just in a hurry to get the antidote, so I didn't think too much about it... Besides, he fell asleep quickly after drinking the medicine. I can't possibly wake him up again, right?"
Zhuiyun was speechless for a moment. Zhuyue was also dumbfounded beside him, his eyes darting back and forth between the princess and the closed curtains. After a long pause, he finally found his voice: "Then... what should we do now? We can't really let Master Ji sleep on Your Highness's bed all night, can we?"
Wen Qianning felt guilty under their glares, so she simply plopped down on the couch and said with forced composure, "What else can we do? Let him stay in the main hall for one night, and I'll sleep in the side hall tonight."
Anyway, her Yaoguang Palace is very spacious. It has more than just one bedroom. Several side halls are also spacious and comfortable. It won’t be a big deal if she stays there for one night.
Zhuyue stared at her blankly for a long while before pursing his lips and whispering, "But...if others knew about this and spread rumors..."
"The only people who witnessed Ji Hanlin entering my chambers were the palace servants on duty tonight in Yaoguang Palace. Zhuiyun and Zhuyue, I need you to pass on the message that they are not allowed to tell anyone about this. If anyone from Yaoguang Palace dares to gossip about this and spreads it outside to stir up trouble... don't blame me for being ruthless."
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I will tell the palace maids not to let any sound leak out."
Zhuiyun and Zhuyue looked at each other and quickly bowed their heads in response.
"Remember, anyone who saw this princess or Mr. Ji near the banquet today must make a clear count and write down the number of routes. If anyone asks next time, you must answer accordingly."
Zhuyue nodded repeatedly, a mournful expression on her face, but she understood the princess's thorough considerations. Zhuiyun cautiously asked, "Your Highness, do we need to report this matter to the Emperor first?"
"Don't alarm the emperor for now. If this matter is really related to Concubine Zheng, it will be easier for others to take advantage of it if you report it in a hurry. It won't be too late to report it after you have figured out the whole story." Wen Qianning shook her head.
Zhuiyun took a deep breath and obeyed: "Yes, Your Highness. I will go and tell you right away."
After explaining all these things, Wen Qianning finally dragged his tired body to the side hall to sleep.
The fate of the pampered little princess who reluctantly gave up her bed with beautiful quilts and fragrant pillows and slept peacefully every day to Ji Hanlin was... The next day she got up with a pair of heavy dark circles under her eyes.
When Zhuyue saw this, she almost couldn't help laughing out loud. Zhuiyun's face was full of heartache, and he hurriedly asked her if she was scared and couldn't sleep well last night.
"I'm not scared, I just can't sleep." Wen Qianning rubbed his eyes and said helplessly.
She muttered, her tone full of grievance: "There's nothing I can do... This princess is a bit picky about her bed."
No matter how comfortable the soft couch in the side hall was, it was not the bed she had been used to sleeping on since she was a child. She tossed and turned at night. Although she was very tired, the more she wanted to sleep, the more she couldn't fall asleep.
The spoiled princess is always domineering and never gives in to others, but now for the first time she has experienced the feeling of selflessness.
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