As Gan Qiongying crawled back into bed and was about to fall asleep, she was suddenly struck by a chilling realization that something was wrong.
The reason she stayed in the palace today was to guard against the old witch causing trouble.
Gan Lin wanted her to stay in Fengxiang Palace, but Gan Qiongying refused not because she cared about being an empress, but because she had to stay by Gan Lin's side.
Gan Qiongying was actually prepared to lie in bed and rest, but she didn't intend to sleep at all. Who knew if that old witch, the Empress Dowager, would suddenly have a fit in the middle of the night?
However, ever since she ate the congee and side dishes that Gan Lin had brought her, Gan Qiongying became increasingly sleepy. After arriving at the side hall of the Bixi Palace, she lay down on the bed and couldn't help but fall asleep.
Awakened by thunder outside in the middle of the night, Gan Qiongying sat up, intending to get out of bed to check, but for some reason she was extremely sleepy, and her whole spirit seemed to be suppressed.
Even though I knew something seemed off outside, I still went back into bed and tried to sleep, my eyelids so heavy I couldn't even rub them open.
In a daze, Gan Qiongying suddenly remembered that when she forced Gan Lin to drink porridge that night, Gan Lin seemed to drink it with great difficulty and very slowly.
Although Gan Qiongying initially thought Gan Lin had a poor appetite, she suddenly remembered in her daze that Gan Lin's appetite was not poor at all; he had eaten quite a lot when the two of them had lunch together before.
Gan Lin didn't eat anything at all when she went to the palace banquet. It was so late, was it really that hard to drink a bowl of porridge?
Unless there's something wrong with the porridge!
Gan Qiongying scrambled out of bed, but sure enough, she couldn't find Gan Lin on the emperor's bed in the Bixi Palace!
Gan Qiongying grabbed a maid at random and asked, "Where did His Majesty go?"
But the maid just shook her head and didn't say anything. Gan Qiongying didn't ask a second time. She knew perfectly well that Gan Lin must have gone to the old witch's Yinian Palace.
Gan Qiongying rushed directly from the main hall of the Bixi Palace towards the outside. Fortunately, when she was summoned to the Yinian Palace by the old witch last time, although she was extremely panicked, she at least knew the general direction.
Moreover, the location of yesterday's banquet happened to pass by the Empress Dowager's palace, which further reinforced her memory, allowing Gan Qiongying to run without even bringing a maid.
I don't know when it started, but the rain started to get heavier and heavier, accompanied by rolling thunder, as if the whole world was crying helplessly.
Lightning flashed across the sky, and in the palace that was occasionally as bright as day, Gan Qiongying ran out wearing only her undergarments. In a short while, she was soaked through, and even her hair was wet and stuck to her face, just as disheveled as the day her mother, Guarjia, was beaten to death.
As soon as Gan Qiongying ran out, a maidservant immediately followed with an umbrella, holding it over her side. "The rain is too heavy, Princess, you should go back to your room and rest as soon as possible!"
The maids tried to dissuade her and even tried to pull Gan Qiongying away, but she shook them off fiercely. Clearly, these maids had been instructed beforehand.
Gan Qiongying was even a little angry at this moment. She was determined to stay in the palace and share weal and woe with her good brother. At least if they encountered any problems, they could discuss them and find better solutions.
As a result, that little rascal Gan Lin actually gave her porridge with something added on it, put her to sleep, and then ran away by himself!
Gan Qiongying decided that after finding him tonight, she would teach him a lesson and spank him until his backside was bruised and battered, for daring to scheme against her!
At this moment, Gan Qiongying wished she knew the magic of shrinking distances so she could reach the old witch's palace in the blink of an eye.
However, the palace road was too long, and the night in the palace was too dark and gloomy. Even if Gan Qiongying ran as fast as she could, she could not reach the old witch's Yinian Palace in a short time.
The night rain was cold, and large raindrops pounded down. Gan Qiongying gradually shook off all the maids around her. Running and jogging were forbidden in the palace, and people of less than a certain rank were not allowed to ride in sedan chairs.
But at this moment, no one could stop a woman who was rushing to save her "child". Princess Duanrong had romantic feelings for Gan Lin, but only Gan Qiongying, who possessed all of Princess Duanrong's memories and feelings, knew that those romantic feelings only occupied a very small part.
What connects them most is the bond of mutual dependence, a kinship that, even without direct blood ties, is closer than that of biological siblings.
Like lightning and a maid, Gan Qiongying could not keep up with her pace. In the torrential rain, she could not see the road at all, could not even open her eyes, and did not remember how many times she fell before she finally saw the still brilliant lights of Yinian Palace.
You fucking old hag!
He doesn't even sleep at night because he's causing trouble!
Gan Qiongying smeared her face roughly and stormed towards the old hag's bedchamber—
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Gan Lin, pale-faced, sat at the table.
Before him lay a bowl of brown herbal soup, which the Empress Dowager had personally prepared after the palace banquet; it was more than ten times stronger than usual.
In her rage, one of her fingernails split open. She slowly ran her fingers, which were wrapped in white cloth, along her temples.
"Why didn't Princess Duanrong come?" Kou Ning'an's voice was gentle and slow, but it was more torturous than her angry words, like being slowly cut with a knife.
“I brought her share today.” Kou Ning’an lowered her head, scratching the table with her other fingernails, and said slowly, “The herbal medicine is very good for her health, and she always drinks it.”
Gan Lin looked at Kou Ning'an across the steaming soup bowl without saying a word, her lips pressed tightly together.
Standing behind Kou Ning'an was Aunt Hu, who had almost been strangled to death by Gan Lin earlier. At this moment, with the Empress Dowager backing her up, she seemed fearless and even looked at Gan Lin with a fierce gaze.
However, she was only putting on a brave front, because a circle of purplish-blue handprints had appeared on her neck, looking extremely ferocious and terrifying, confirming that she had just stepped into the gates of hell and almost failed to climb back.
In Aunt Hu's eyes, Gan Lin is now nothing more than a demon from the gates of hell, disguised as a normal person.
Aunt Hu had just reminded the Empress Dowager not to get too close to Gan Lin, lest Gan Lin suddenly go mad.
Moreover, she is now keeping a close eye on Gan Lin. Two eunuchs who know a little martial arts have been placed behind Gan Lin so that they can take him down immediately if he makes any unusual move!
However, neither of the two people facing off at the table paid attention to Aunt Hu's tension. Kou Ning'an muttered to herself for a moment, then smiled and looked up at Gan Lin, asking him, "Why aren't you drinking yet? Hurry up and finish so we can go back and rest."
Gan Lin remained motionless, still staring at Kou Ning'an.
Kou Ning'an's smile was a little stiff, making her look more like a porcelain doll. The two of them stared at each other in silence for a long time.
Kou Ning'an finally sighed and said softly, "Since it's too late today, if Duanrong isn't coming, then so be it. It would be a waste of my good intentions."
Although Kou Ning'an was very anxious, she also knew the principle of "a cornered dog will jump over the wall".
Wasn't this dog in front of her today the one that bit one of her people?
Aunt Hu was an old woman who had been with her since childhood. She was almost bitten to death by this mad dog in front of her, and Kou Ning'an would definitely not let her off easily.
She was eager to get Gan Lin to drink it, to see just how this medicine, which was ten times stronger than usual, would make him writhe in agony on the ground.
However, this mere puppet dares to defy her and even hurt her people!
Kou Ning'an knew that Duan Rong was his Achilles' heel. As long as he held Duan Rong's Achilles' heel, Gan Lin would have to obey him until his death!
As soon as Kou Ning'an finished speaking, Gan Lin seemed to finally relax. His eyelashes trembled for a moment, and then he finally moved.
He leaned over and picked up the bowl of nourishing soup, which was still a little hot even after being cooled for a while because it was too thick.
Just as it was about to be brought to its lips.
Just then, a commotion arose in the courtyard.
Then, accompanied by a thunderclap, the door to the Yinian Hall was kicked open with a loud bang!
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