Chapter 93 A Glimmer of Hope: Go find the doctor in the convoy and get a prescription...
Chu Yueyuan turned the teacup in her hand, her dark eyes reflecting the tea leaves floating in the cup, and sighed softly: "In that case, I should repay the 'great favor' that the princess has to repay."
As soon as she finished speaking, she flicked her wrist and splashed all the cold tea in the cup onto the woman's extremely kind face.
She raised her chin, her eyes filled with undisguised disdain: "Get out. I've just finished eating and don't want to vomit again."
"Princess, you..."
Xia Lian, kneeling to one side, screamed and hurriedly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe the tea off Xie Nianzhi's face. At the same time, she turned her head and glared fiercely at Chu Yueyuan:
"You bitch, I'll slap your face until it's bruised and battered!"
Spilling that cup of tea had exhausted Chu Yueyuan's strength. She leaned lazily against the soft pillows, her tone light yet laced with deep sarcasm:
"If you've ruined my face, how will your master claim credit with the Great Khan?"
Xia Lian trembled with rage, pointing at the woman's nose and cursing, "You slut who's already lost her virginity... and you still think you're the Empress Dowager of Great Qi? In the future, you'll nothing more than a lowly plaything for anyone's amusement..."
Chu Yueyuan raised an eyebrow and revealed a seductive smile: "I am honored by Miss Xia's praise. I will certainly remember it. When I receive the Emperor's favor in the future, I will definitely ask the Great Khan to offer a pure and virtuous woman like you as a sacrificial offering to the heavens."
"You...you..."
Xia Lian's face turned deathly pale with fright. She had heard that the Canglang people would burn virgin women alive as offerings to the gods during their sacrificial rites.
Xie Nianzhi showed no displeasure, and said calmly, "Xia Lian, you mustn't be rude. His Highness needs to rest, let's go."
The car was finally quiet again.
Chu Yueyuan closed her eyes wearily, wishing that everything before her was just a ridiculous dream.
But every time she opened her eyes, she was still trapped in the swaying carriage, and all she could see was a desolate wilderness, deserted and uninhabited.
She thought that Xie Nianzhi was right about one thing: In this world, the only one who can save you is yourself.
For the next few days, the carriage traveled day and night on the bumpy, desolate road.
During the day, Erhe would occasionally come over and chat with Chu Yueyuan about life on the grasslands, promising that after arriving at the Canglang tribe, he would take her to ride horses in the Gobi Desert, roast a whole lamb under the campfire at night, and dance the Hu Xuan dance.
Even if she cannot become his Khatun, as long as she is obedient, after she gives birth to their child, he will entrust her with the management of the people and livestock of thirty-six tribes and grant her more power than the Empress of the Great Qi.
Every day, Xia Lian would slam her lunchbox heavily onto the table with a cold face.
Chu Yueyuan didn't care about the other party's attitude at all. The dishes gradually changed, from delicate pastries to dry flatbreads, and stewed crab meat lion's head meatballs to roasted lamb leg meat. From these changes in food, she guessed that the caravan was getting closer and closer to the border of Daqi.
The caravan traveled on abandoned official roads that were not marked on the map of Daqi. If Erhe wanted to leave Daqi without leaving a trace, he would naturally not pass through border cities.
Chu Yueyuan's only way out right now is to escape to the nearest city.
During this time, she needed to conserve her energy, so even if Xia Lian deliberately knocked over the dishes, Chu Yueyuan would eat all the food that fell on the table.
"Your Highness has been enjoying a good appetite these past few days, often chatting and laughing with the Great Khan. You've so quickly forgotten your old lover in the capital. Tsk, she is indeed a widow who has lost her husband; her ability to change her mind is more adept than that of ordinary people."
Xia Lian sneered as she put away the bowls and chopsticks, not forgetting to make a few sarcastic remarks before leaving.
Chu Yueyuan ignored her sarcasm, rinsed her mouth with tea, and then leaned against the soft pillow to close her eyes and rest.
The north wind howled outside the car, and suddenly a very familiar voice drifted in on the wind:
"Judging from your pulse, your cold has improved. I will make some adjustments to the prescription. Remember to take the medicine on time and come back to see me for a follow-up consultation in three days."
Chu Yueyuan's fingertips trembled slightly. She suddenly opened her eyes, pushed open the car window, and looked outside.
Zhao Qiming, wearing a brocade and fur-trimmed cloak, was standing next to a carriage, handing several medicine packets to a coachman.
The driver nodded repeatedly in thanks:
"Physician Zhao truly lives up to his reputation as one of the top doctors in the Imperial Medical Academy. One dose of medicine and my illness is more than half cured. Alas... that Khan Canglang is pushing us so hard, making us coachmen travel day and night without rest. If a horse dies from exhaustion, we can replace it, but if a person falls ill in this desolate wilderness, they can only wait to be taken by the King of Hell... It's thanks to your company that we have a chance to survive. I really don't know how to repay you..."
Zhao Qiming smiled and said gently, "I am accompanying the wedding procession this time on imperial orders to take care of the procession. By the way, do you know why the Great Khan split the procession into two groups and rushed back to Canglang Kingdom in such a hurry?"
The coachman replied, "It's said that the Great Khan needs to return to the grasslands before the fifteenth of April to complete his wedding ceremony with Princess Nianyi. I never imagined the Canglang people also value auspicious days..."
Zhao Qiming frowned upon hearing this, but he did not delve into the matter further and turned to walk towards another patient waiting for treatment.
Chu Yueyuan's gaze eagerly followed his departing figure.
The next moment, Xia Lian slammed the car window shut, glaring at her fiercely as she said, "If Your Highness continues to disobey the rules and sticks your head out of the window, I will have it sealed shut."
Chu Yueyuan was completely oblivious to the other party's threat. Her heart was pounding with excitement, and in a flash, a plan suddenly popped into her mind.
Xia Lian snorted coldly, picked up the food box, and was about to leave.
Suddenly, she noticed the woman's face showing discomfort, and then she covered her red lips and bent over to dry heave a few times.
Xia Lian asked impatiently, "What's wrong with you?"
"It's nothing, maybe the food was a bit greasy today..." Chu Yueyuan frowned, covering her mouth with a handkerchief while gagging a few times.
Xia Lian glanced at the simple meal in the food box, and a sense of suspicion immediately arose in her heart. She then noticed that the woman's hand was tightly covering her flat stomach, and her eyes were shifty, as if she was trying her best to hide something...
Xia Lian's expression changed drastically, and she immediately ran out.
Before long, Xie Nianzhi arrived in a hurry.
Xia Lian stood to the side, recounting the strange things she had noticed recently: "I've noticed that this woman's appetite has not only increased, but she also always seems to prefer sour and astringent fruits. Just now, she even gagged in front of me for quite a while..."
"Princess, she stayed at the Prince's residence for three months. During that time, the Regent Prince frequently visited Qiyun Courtyard. Considering the dates, could it be that she is...?"
Xie Nianzhi's face gradually darkened. She stared coldly at the woman on the bed with a rosy complexion, and after a few moments of silence, asked in a low voice:
"Does Your Highness still remember... what day was your last period?"
Chu Yueyuan had never seen Xie Nianzhi look so...gloomy.
This noblewoman, who kept even her closest relatives in the dark, always maintained an impeccable elegance in public. Even when her scheme succeeded, a knowing smile still graced her lips.
At this moment, Xie Nianzhi's face was pale and her lips drooped, like a finely carved jade Buddha. Suddenly, a small crack appeared on her kind and benevolent face, seeping out wisps of sinister black energy.
Chu Yueyuan took a sip of tea and said casually, "My menstrual cycle has always been unreliable, so I can't remember the date."
Xie Nianzhi's eye twitched slightly: "Your Highness, there is no need to hide it. There are doctors in the group. Whether you are pregnant or not, the doctors can find out by taking your pulse."
Seeing that the truth could no longer be concealed, Chu Yueyuan simply placed her hand on her lower abdomen and frankly said, "Otherwise, why do you think he was in such a hurry to arrange for me to fake my death and leave the palace..."
Xie Nianzhi was silent for a moment, then spoke in a low, hoarse voice: "Has Your Highness ever considered how the Great Khan would deal with the bastard child in your womb if he knew you were pregnant?"
Chu Yueyuan remained calm, showing no fear whatsoever at the other party's intimidation: "The Canglang people and the Daqi people have different views. In the Canglang tribe, offspring are the foundation of the tribe. Moreover, the Great Khan has shown me deep affection, so he will surely agree to let me keep the child in my womb, but..."
She looked up at Xie Nianzhi, a mocking smile playing on her lips:
"I've heard that besides marrying the princess, the Great Khan will also choose a noblewoman from the 'Butchagan' tribe as his concubine. After I give birth to this child, I will need to rest and recuperate. If that concubine gives birth to the Great Khan's child first, all of the princess's plans will likely fall through..."
Xie Nianzhi's dark eyes gleamed with a sinister light as she stared intently at the woman's lower abdomen: "It seems Your Highness still harbors a sliver of hope, wanting to use the child in your womb as a shield, awaiting the day he arrives..."
She suddenly laughed, her beautiful face now chillingly cold: "Your Highness is still too naive. Things have come to this; how could I let you ruin my plans..."
Her smile vanished, and she said in a cold voice, "Xia Lian, make your move!"
Xia Lian finally got her chance to retaliate. A look of excited satisfaction flashed across her face. She took out the hemp rope she had prepared beforehand and, together with another maid, restrained the struggling Chu Yueyuan. They tied her hands and feet and gagged her with coarse cloth.
Afterwards, Xia Lian noticed several scratches on her arm. Her face darkened, and she kicked the woman hard in the abdomen.
Chu Yueyuan's eyes welled up with tears from the pain.
Xie Nianzhi crouched down, her slender fingers, adorned with nail polish, crawling like five blood-red snakes in the darkness, gently covering the woman's flat abdomen. Her palm moved with an icy touch, and her voice was even colder:
"Go find the doctor in the caravan and get a dose of abortifacient medicine, then force her to drink it."
Xia Lian pulled down her sleeve to cover the bloodstains on her arm, and said with a forced smile, "This servant obeys."
———
"Abortifacient!"
A hint of surprise flashed across Zhao Qiming's eyes, and he raised his eyebrows high: "Why does the princess want this medicine?"
Xia Lian produced a prepared explanation, smiling as she explained, "One of the princess's maids has a history of improper conduct. Back in the Prince's residence, she frequently engaged in illicit relations with a servant, resulting in her becoming pregnant. Only recently, when her period was late, did she realize the truth..."
She lowered her voice: "The princess is kind and magnanimous, and does not wish to publicize this matter. She sent me to get an abortion medicine from Imperial Physician Zhao so that the bastard in that woman's womb can be aborted as soon as possible..."
Zhao Qiming shook his head: "Please tell the princess that the medicine for abortion is no small matter. The dosage must be varied from person to person, otherwise it will damage the foundation. Please allow me to take the pulse of that girl to determine her constitution and the month of pregnancy before I will prepare the medicine."
Xia Lian's smile froze. Her eyes darted around rapidly as she pulled a handful of loose silver from her purse and stuffed it into Zhao Qiming's hand: "Why go through all this trouble for a mere lowly maid? Imperial Physician Zhao, just bring the medicine..."
"No!"
Zhao Qiming refused firmly: "Our ancestors established a rule that we would never prescribe medicine without seeing the patient's family, and I dare not disobey their teachings."
Xia Lian was dumbfounded. She hadn't expected that Imperial Physician Zhao would be so stubborn. Not daring to offend the only doctor available, she could only slink back to report.
Xie Nianzhi held the silver needle, the colorful thread moving nimbly between the tiger-head children's shoes. She listened to Xia Lian's reply without any expression. The needle tip steadily pierced the satin, and a moment later, a pair of tiger eyes became bright and piercing.
She said calmly, "Physician Zhao is right. That woman's body is of great use to me, and we must not harm her at all. Let Physician Zhao take her pulse and keep a close eye on her. If he discovers anything amiss..."
"There's no need to leave any survivors."
"This servant knows what is appropriate."
———
The capital was under lockdown for 25 days, and the price of radishes in the West Market had soared to almost the price of gold, causing public outrage and widespread complaints.
At the crack of dawn that day, the heavy vermilion city gates finally opened slowly. Merchants lined up outside the city in long queues hurriedly drove their mules and horses, laden with goods, into the city. Meanwhile, at the small gate on the other side, the people waiting to leave the city were crowded together in another long queue.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, some curious individuals huddled together and whispered among themselves:
"These days, the Prefect of the Capital has been sending out officials to knock on doors and conduct investigations. It's quite a large-scale operation. Could it be that they are purging traitors?"
"No, they're looking for a woman! I saw with my own eyes the officers holding a woman's garment and having their guards sniff it."
"It is said that a woman from a noble family was robbed, otherwise why would the city be sealed off for half a month? Even more than a hundred farms in the suburbs of the capital were turned upside down by the Imperial Guards."
"Have you found that person?"
"Who knows! Anyway, with the city gates open, the price of radishes should go down..."
As the crowd whispered among themselves, a chestnut horse galloped in from outside the city. The guard on horseback brandished a gold token, and the gatekeepers, seeing it, quickly let the horse through without asking any questions. The horse neighed as it rushed into the city gate, its hooves kicking up a cloud of yellow dust, and sped off towards the palace.
Inside the Imperial City, outside the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Several cabinet ministers filed out of the main hall, their faces extremely grim, some even deathly pale, as if they had just returned from the brink of death.
A minister gazed at the gloomy horizon and couldn't help but mutter softly, "Ah, I really miss the days when Her Majesty the Empress Dowager was still alive..."
Everyone remained silent, but in their hearts they wholeheartedly agreed.
A woman is as gentle as spring water, and a dragon can only reveal its spirit when it is in water. The two complement each other perfectly, but now the stream has dried up, and the dragon is trapped in the shallows. Without the nourishment of spring water for a long time, the violent aura surrounding it has become apparent.
Before each court assembly, the officials had to mentally prepare themselves before daring to step into the study to report on their duties.
As the group stepped onto the arched bridge, they happened to run into Prince Chun coming from the opposite direction.
Xie Yu gave a slight bow to his colleagues and then strode towards the Hall of Diligent Governance.
An elderly minister stroked his beard and sighed, "Prince Chun seems to have become quite restless lately..."
Another minister chimed in, "It's only natural that Prince Chun is heartbroken because his younger sister has been married off to the Canglang tribe and they may never see each other again in this life."
"It's understandable that the Prince would be reluctant to part with his sister... but what's strange is that ever since the Princess got married, the Regent's temperament seems to have changed..."
The man realized he had made a mistake halfway through his sentence and quickly swallowed the rest of the phrase, "getting worse and worse."
The officials then walked down the stone arch bridge. No one noticed that an official in a scarlet robe did not move an inch. He stood on the bridge, his expression complicated as he watched Prince Chun's hurried departure, his brows furrowed in deep thought.
"Your Highness, please wait!"
Xie Yu stopped in his tracks upon hearing the voice, turned around, and raised his eyebrows slightly: "I wonder what business Lord Shen has with me?"
Shen Zizhan bowed and said, "The Prince mentioned before that he would like to ask my mother to host a spring banquet and invite the Princess Consort and Miss Chu to attend. At the banquet, my mother would like to confirm in public that Miss Chu is the Princess Consort's cousin. Everything for the banquet is ready. My mother would like to know when the Princess Consort and Miss Chu are available?"
"This matter..."
A hint of unease flashed across Xie Yu's face, but he smiled and brushed it off, saying, "Zhu Niang has been working hard on Nianyi's wedding and has fallen ill recently. She will reply to Madam Shen once she recovers."
"If Lord Shen has nothing else, I will go to the Regent to report for duty."
"Your Highness!"
Shen Zizhan's amber eyes flickered slightly. He took half a step forward, turned his head, and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Has something happened to her?"
The capital city was under lockdown for days, and constables were searching everywhere with their guard dogs. In addition, the scheduled spring banquet was postponed again and again. All of this made Shen Zizhan suspicious. He searched through all the files in the Jingzhao Yin's office, but found no reports of missing female relatives from any officials.
All the clues pointed to the missing woman as Chu Yueyuan.
Xie Yu suddenly looked up at Shen Zizhan, and seeing the concern in the man's clear eyes, he felt slightly relieved and whispered:
"If you want her to return safely, don't make a fuss. The Regent... has already dispatched all the Privy Council's secret guards to search for her."
Despite mobilizing so many people, the woman seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace whatsoever!
Shen Zizhan's face turned pale, and a complex mix of emotions flashed in his eyes: anxiety, self-blame, and deep guilt.
His throat tightened, and his voice was hoarse: "I have another question for you, Your Highness. Please answer truthfully: Did she...disappear on the day of the Princess's wedding?"
Xie Yu looked surprised and blurted out, "How did you know?"
He paused, then said, "To be precise, she was abducted from the Prince's residence by the remnants of Prince Anxian's faction a few hours after Nianyi's marriage."
"No...you're all wrong..."
Shen Zizhan's gaze was firm, and he urged decisively, "Take me to see the Regent immediately. I know who kidnapped her!"
Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, in the Imperial Study
Although it was noon, the sky outside the window was overcast. Inside the study, the windows were tightly closed, making the light even dimmer.
The man was dressed in a dark purple robe with a sea and cloud pattern. His tall figure leaned against a rosewood armchair. If it weren't for the warm glow of the jade crown on his head, he would almost blend into the thick darkness.
In just over a month, his once sharp features became emaciated from sleepless nights, his jawline became increasingly angular, and his eyes were bloodshot, like a lonely lotus in the night mist, exuding solitude and desolation.
A map was spread out on the table, with several cities near the northern border heavily circled in vermilion.
The carved doors slid open to both sides, and Eunuch Wang led Xie Yu and Shen Zizhan into the study.
The man looked away from the map, his dark eyes falling on Shen Zizhan without causing the slightest ripple.
Shen Zizhan strode forward, his voice urgent: "Your Majesty, I know who abducted her!"
"I understand."
Pei Muwei raised his arm, his slender fingers lightly tapping the letter next to the map, and said in a deep voice: "When Lin Mu caught up with the wedding procession, he found that Erhe had already separated the people and horses. The procession carrying the dowry went north along the original route, while Erhe took Nianyi and his men and took another route."
Xie Yu picked up the letter, quickly scanned its contents, and a hint of surprise flashed across his face: "You believe that Erhe kidnapped Miss Chu and hid her in the wedding procession..."
"But...that doesn't make sense..."
He shook his head: "Weijin, do you remember what that maid said? She said that after returning to Yunqi Courtyard, she saw Miss Chu sleeping in her room, but by then, the wedding procession had already left the capital. Erhe couldn't very well secretly turn back, kidnap her, and leave a letter demanding the release of Prince Anxian's eldest son..."
Pei Muwei's gaze darkened slightly, and he said in a stern voice, "That letter was a smokescreen, meant to make me mistakenly believe that it was the remnants of Prince Anxian's faction causing trouble. In reality, it was an inside job within the Prince's mansion, working together from the inside to take her away from everyone's sight..."
Concern leads to confusion; it was precisely because of her confusion that he fell into the trap of being blinded by a single leaf.
Unable to find any trace of Chu Yueyuan in the capital, he quickly changed his approach and interrogated those who had been in contact with Chu Yueyuan that day, astutely discovering something amiss.
After Jin Tong returned to Yunqi Courtyard, she only saw the woman's back as she lay on the bed and was not sure if that person was Chu Yueyuan.
Zhu Niang immediately summoned all the maids in the mansion who were similar in stature to Chu Yueyuan. After several thorough investigations, one maid finally succumbed to the pressure and revealed the truth.
Pei Muwei stared at Xie Yu, his gaze complex, and said in a low but clear voice:
"The traitor within the Prince's mansion is Nianyi."
Xie Yu stood there stunned, as if struck by lightning. After a long while, he finally snapped out of his shock and instinctively defended his sister: "There must be some misunderstanding. How could Nianyi be a mole? Impossible, absolutely not! I know her best..."
"People always change, and the Prince probably doesn't understand his own sister well enough..."
Shen Zizhan spoke in a heavy tone, his face revealing deep self-reproach and guilt. Without further hesitation, he decisively recounted how Xie Nianzhi had plotted to ruin Lin Youzhen's reputation.
"She used this matter to blackmail me, wanting me to harass His Highness at the hunting grounds, so as to create a rift between His Highness and the Regent..."
He looked up at the man behind the sandalwood desk, his brows furrowed in a cold light, and a lonely, bitter smile appeared on his lips:
“I am self-aware enough to know that His Highness’s heart already belongs to another, and therefore I resolutely rejected the Princess. She probably thought I was no longer of any use, so she went to the Great Khan and conspired with him to kidnap His Highness.”
Xie Yu's face turned pale. He found it hard to reconcile the image of his sister, who had endured humiliation for the sake of the family, with the ruthless person Shen Zizhan described.
Pei Muwei lowered his eyes to look at the map on the table. His dark pupils reflected the cities heavily circled in vermilion ink, as if a raging fire was burning in his eyes.
He made a mistake that put her in danger.
Judging by the timeline, Irkh should not be far from the border.
He can't afford to make the same mistake twice!
Pei Muwei turned his gaze to Shen Zizhan and said in a deep voice, "I must go to the Northern Border immediately. I entrust all matters of the court to you and Lin Sizhou to handle together."
Shen Zizhan bowed respectfully and said firmly, "This humble official will do his utmost!"
He paused slightly, a hint of worry appearing in his eyes: "However, there are five states bordering Canglang in the northern border of Great Qi, with twenty-six cities under their jurisdiction. How can the Regent determine which place the Great Khan will leave from?"
Pei Muwei's gaze returned to the map, his dark eyes shimmering with light and shadow, as if a thousand thoughts were silently surging within them.
Time was of the essence, and he couldn't possibly investigate every single state city thoroughly.
Although Jiaozhou is located at a strategic crossroads and its defenses are not weak, compared to the other four prefectures, it has neither a large garrison nor a capable general, making it the least noticeable place.
Previously, during the dispute over the alliance, Erhe generously ceded three cities in Jiaozhou.
Pei Muwei knew that Erhe was still resentful about the turmoil he had caused on the grasslands, and that he would definitely find a way to get revenge if given the chance.
What could be more humiliating than abducting the enemy's most cherished woman from a city you've surrendered?
Therefore, he judged that Erhe would leave Daqi from Jiaozhou.
The man's narrow eyes were filled with frost, and his well-defined fingers tapped lightly on the two characters "Jiaozhou" on the map, finally making up his mind.
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