Chapter 31, Chapter 43
As dusk fell, dark clouds pressed down, a fierce wind rose, rattling the windows and accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Mu Ying quickly went forward and closed the window. Inside, the red candles flickered, lengthening her shadow.
"Cough cough—"
Suddenly, there was a noise from the gauze curtain behind her. Mu Ying quickly turned around. "Princess, are you awake?"
Shen Panyan felt a wave of dizziness, her voice became unsteady, and her vision became extremely blurry.
Mu Ying carefully helped her to her feet. "Would the princess like some water?"
After a long while, Shen Panyan finally came to her senses, her voice hoarse, "Mmm."
Mu Ying poured her a glass of warm water.
As the warm water went down her throat, Shen Panyan felt that her throat was no longer uncomfortable.
She looked at the familiar bedchamber, the dim lights, and her memories from before she fell into a coma gradually returned.
"How many days have I been asleep?"
"Your Highness, you have been asleep for seven days."
Her condition was extremely dangerous, even alarming His Majesty in the capital. The head of the Imperial Medical Academy set off overnight, and with the addition of a large amount of medicine sent from the capital, the princess was able to pull through.
"Thank you for your hard work during this time." Shen Panyan smiled weakly at her.
"Your Highness, you are too kind. This is what I should do."
Recalling the scene before she fell into a coma, Shen Panyan felt a tightness in her chest, but she also knew that Lin Xiao was doing it for her own good.
She's been awake for a while now, so why hasn't Lin Xiao appeared yet?
Thinking of this, Shen Panyan asked, "Where is Lin Xiao?"
"Does the princess mean Guard Linxiao?" Mu Ying shook her head. "Ever since he brought you back that day, and then he went back to the capital to fetch a doctor for you, I haven't seen him again."
Shen Panyan was stunned. "What?!"
Lin Xiao is gone?
She hurriedly grabbed Mu Ying's arm, "Where is the head of the Imperial Medical Academy? Tell him to come see me."
He was invited by Lin Xiao when he returned to the capital, so he must know where Lin Xiao is.
Because she spoke too quickly, she suddenly couldn't stop coughing, which startled Mu Ying, who quickly poured her a glass of warm water.
"Princess, don't worry. Guard Linxiao is very skilled; he'll be fine."
"The Imperial Physician returned to Beijing after your condition stabilized and is not currently residing at the villa."
Just then, the door opened, and an unfamiliar palace maid walked in and curtsied.
"Princess, Sister Muying, Physician Lin has arrived."
Mu Ying was overjoyed. "Quickly, let Physician Lin in."
The young palace maid bowed and withdrew. Shen Panyan looked at Mu Ying and asked, "Who is she?"
Mu Ying lowered her voice, "Princess, His Majesty found out about your disappearance and was furious. I don't know the specific reason, but I do know that all the other palace maids in the West Garden were given twenty strokes of the cane. These are the new palace maids, there are twenty in total. Once you recover, you can meet them one by one."
Upon hearing that other palace maids had been flogged, Shen Panyan's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively gripped the bedding with both hands.
How did Father Emperor know about what happened here?
Could it be that Lin Xiao said it?
Shen Panyan bit her lip. All the palace maids under her had been punished by her father, and Lin Xiao would definitely be punished as well.
So that's why he can't come back?
However, the royal villa is far from the capital, and no matter how anxious she is, there is nothing she can do.
Physician Lin entered carrying his medicine chest, bowed, and said, "Your humble servant greets Princess Mingyue."
Shen Panyan nodded absentmindedly.
Physician Lin took out a pulse pillow. "Please extend your hand, Princess."
Physician Lin cannot afford to be careless in his treatment of Shen Panyan.
Who said Princess Mingyue was not favored?
The sight of blood flowing like a river a few days ago was terrifying. He was even fined half a year's salary. He almost lost his head.
——
The Dark Guard Camp.
Shadow entered the room carrying the medicine, and a strong smell of blood hit him.
Hearing a noise at the door, Lin Xiao looked up at him, his voice indifferent, "The punishment is over, when can I leave?"
Shadow laughed in anger at his words, "Leave? Where do you think you're going?"
"An Jiu, I sent you to protect the princess, and what did you do? You let her fall into the bandits' den. If it weren't for His Majesty's mercy in sparing your life, would you still want to leave now?"
Lin Xiao lowered his eyes, his long fingers tightening. "This is my fault, but my mission is not yet complete..."
Shadow interrupted him, "You don't need to worry about the princess. I've already sent other guards."
Lin Xiao suddenly raised his head, ignoring his injuries, and strode forward, grabbing his collar. His eyes were sharp. "This mission is mine. Why did you send someone else?"
He could barely contain himself, "Who went?"
Shadow, though grabbed by the collar, wasn't annoyed. "You failed to protect the princess, isn't it normal to send another guard?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao loosened his collar, lowered his head, and remained silent.
Shadow tossed him the medicine, saying, "Take good care of yourself and don't die."
Lin Xiao took the medicine and remained silent.
Shadow was pleased to see that he was obedient.
In the past, this troublemaker would never let it go without giving him a good scolding, but I never expected him to be so obedient today.
"Take good care of your injury. Once you're healed, there are other tasks for you."
Shadow turned and left the moment he stepped out of the room.
"Who went?" Lin Xiao's voice was sharp.
shadow:......
He was right to be happy too soon.
Shadow turned around. "This is His Majesty's order, Dark Nine. Do you intend to disobey?"
Lin Xiao tightened his grip. "But this is my mission."
Shadow was puzzled. "Didn't you absolutely refuse to go back before? Why are you so determined to go back now?"
After saying that, he suddenly thought of something bad and warned in a cold voice, "An Jiu, remember, you are just a bodyguard. Don't covet the princess, or you will be courting death."
"At that time, no one can save you."
Lin Xiao knelt down, head bowed, "An Jiu wouldn't dare."
"But this is Dark Nine's mission, and it shouldn't be handed over to anyone else."
Seeing that he was determined to pester him, Shadow was also quite troubled.
He's always been stubborn, and if we keep arguing, it'll only cause trouble.
He waved his hand, "I went at forty-three."
"Thank you for informing me, Chief." Lin Xiao stood up.
Shadow shook his head. "If Forty-Three is unwilling to switch with you, you can't force him."
"You must come back within a month at most."
Lin Xiao lowered his head and looked down. "Yes."
——
With the help of Physician Lin, Shen Panyan's health gradually improved, but she was still extremely weak.
Spring rain is as precious as oil. It has been drizzling for the past few days, with a slight chill in the air.
Mu Ying draped a cloak over her and brought a heater, wrapping her up completely to keep out the cold before letting her get out of bed.
Imperial Physician Lin was initially reluctant to let her get out of bed, but Shen Panyan was truly troubled. No one in this royal villa knew about Lin Xiao's whereabouts, so how could she possibly stay in bed?
But she couldn't return to the capital. Seeing that she looked depressed and her health was deteriorating, what could Physician Lin do? He could only let her go out for a walk to clear her head.
She sat in the waterside pavilion, dismissing the other maids and leaving only Mu Ying to follow her. As the drizzle fell and ripples spread across the lake, a man in black suddenly appeared on her, bowing his head and kneeling.
"Your subordinate An Sisan greets the princess."
Dark Forty-Three? !
Shen Panyan froze for a moment, almost unable to control her body, and suddenly stood up, "Lin Xiao..."
Before she could finish speaking, Shen Panyan remembered that Lin Xiao was the name she had given him; he didn't have that name with her father, the Emperor.
Her voice was hoarse, "Where is An Jiu? Why hasn't he come to see me?"
An Sishisan didn't expect that as soon as he appeared, the princess would ask An Jiu. He honestly replied, "An Jiu failed to protect the princess and has been punished. The leader has replaced him with another subordinate to protect the princess."
Torture?!
Shen Panyan's heart tightened. "What kind of torture did he suffer? How serious was it?"
An Sishisan: "Before I left, I heard from the leader that An Jiu received thirty lashes, which shouldn't be too serious."
Among these bodyguards, An Jiu was the one who was frequently punished. Although thirty lashes were a lot, An Jiu's internal strength was profound, so it wouldn't have a significant impact on him.
Thirty lashes?!
Shen Panyan swayed, and Mu Ying quickly supported her, "Princess!"
She asked anxiously, "Are you alright?"
After saying that, she looked at Forty-Three and said, "Quickly go and summon Physician Lin."
Forty-Three panicked too, "Yes."
Seeing that he was about to leave, Shen Panyan quickly called out, "Don't go!!"
Forty-three stopped abruptly.
Shen Panyan was helped to sit down, her voice weak, "Don't go, I'm fine, I'll be alright in a bit."
Now that she has learned of Lin Xiao's whereabouts, Shen Panyan naturally cannot let him go.
She looked at Forty-Three and said in a gentle voice, "Your name is Forty-Three, right? Get up."
43: "Thank you, Princess."
Shen Panyan pointed to the stone bench opposite her. "Sit down. I have something I want to ask you."
Forty-three hesitated, "This subordinate dares not."
Shen Panyan smiled at him and said, "It's alright, I don't have many rules here. Please sit down."
After saying that, she looked at Mu Ying and said, "You can go down now."
Mu Ying: "Princess, this servant..."
Shen Panyan shook her head. "You go down first."
Mu Ying had no choice but to bow and say, "Yes."
She left the waterside pavilion, but not too far.
Shen Panyan looked at Forty-Three, bit her lip, wanting to ask about Lin Xiao's matter. He had been given thirty lashes, how serious were his injuries? But she didn't know how to start the conversation, seeing Forty-Three's gaze fall on the pastries on the table.
Shen Panyan smiled and pushed the pastries toward him, "Take these and eat them."
When Forty-Three realized his thoughts had been seen through, he immediately blushed and said, "Thank you, Princess, but I don't need it."
"It's alright," Shen Panyan chuckled. "It's just a plate of pastries; I have plenty here."
After hesitating for a long time, Forty-Three finally couldn't resist the temptation of the pastries. "Then, then this subordinate thanks the princess."
Shen Panyan smiled and nodded at him.
When she saw Forty-Three casually remove his mask and place it on the table, she was slightly surprised.
The man, who was 43, had a handsome face and looked to be about 15 or 16 years old.
"Forty-three, you...you're just taking off your mask like that, won't that cause a problem?"
She remembered Lin Xiao saying that the guards would not remove their masks and reveal their true faces unless they were the master.
Forty-three replied, "No, it's not our real mask anyway."
I had heard that the princess had a good personality, and I never expected it to be true. I was very happy.
He doesn't actually like squatting on various roof beams.
"We also have disguises beneath our masks."
Besides, this is the princess's territory. Who would dare to come and see her true face?
Forty-three was completely fearless.
Shen Panyan remained silent, her fingertips twitching slightly.
So there's also disguise?
Therefore, she had never actually seen Lin Xiao's true face.
Watching Forty-Three happily eating pastries, Shen Panyan hesitated for a moment before finally asking the question.
"Forty-three, do you know anything about An Jiu?"
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Author's Note: [Crying] Is everyone letting the story accumulate? Even 6 daily updates can't save it, I guess I'll just stick with 3 daily updates. [Laughing and crying emoji] [Laughing and crying emoji]
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