Chapter 292 Lan Su Searches for Daiyu
Yuan Hongqu examined the boy's injuries and found that although they looked serious, none of them were in vital areas. It wouldn't be too late to treat him after they got out.
"You stay here quietly until I get to the palace, then you can come out. As for this person, just leave him here for now," Yuan Hongqu carefully instructed Daiyu.
Despite her young age, Daiyu is quite assertive and has her own ideas. If it weren't for Yuan Hongqu's words, Daiyu might have left long ago.
The space they share cannot be moved.
Daiyu entered the space from inside the palace, so when she came out, she must have been inside the palace.
Yuan Hongqu was admitted to the hospital from home, and she could only leave from home.
It wasn't that Daiyu could pull the two of them out of the same place.
Yuan Hongqu went out and got into the carriage. The driver, having received instructions, turned the horse around and headed towards the Lin family.
Now that Yuan Hongqu has a rank, she can no longer wear casual clothes when entering the palace as before. She must now wear the proper official robes and headdress of a third-rank official.
These are all kept at the Lin family's residence.
Yuan Hongqu went back to change her clothes and brought with her two old women from the palace, Jin Mama and Shi Mama, as well as the four maids who had accompanied Daiyu to the palace before, and several clever errand girls.
These people probably won't be of much help. Bringing these maids along is purely for show. Daiyu went directly from school to the palace today, with only three people besides the coachman, which made her seem rather unimpressive.
Yuan Hongqu led a large group of people towards the palace.
The palace gate was no different from usual. In the distance, the Lin family's carriage was parked in a corner, and the coachman was listening to other officials' coachmen chatting. However, Lan Su was nowhere to be seen.
Daiyu's coachman, Lao Lu, was an honest man who wouldn't utter a sound even if you hit him three times.
"Old Lu, where's Lan Su?"
Hearing the noise, Old Lu hurried out from the crowd. Seeing that Yuan Hongqu's men were all dressed in their official robes, Old Lu's heart skipped a beat before he spoke.
"Lord Yuan, Miss Lan Su is worried about the princess, so she asked me to watch this for her while she went to the palace." Old Lu was holding a sword, the very one Lan Su had taken that morning.
"Then you just watch carefully." Yuan Hongqu nodded, her feet moving without stopping.
Now that Lan Su has entered the palace, if she cannot find Daiyu inside, many people in the palace will likely suffer.
Lan Su has always disdained worldly rules and regulations, and her martial arts skills are extremely high. If used well, she is an excellent bodyguard; if used poorly, she is a ticking time bomb.
Yuan Hongqu is no longer worried about Daiyu being framed by someone. Instead, she is worried that since Daiyu is hiding in the space, and Lan Su can't find her in the palace, she might turn the place where Daiyu disappeared upside down.
The very thing Yuan Hongqu feared is happening.
Lan Su couldn't find Daiyu in the Dowager Consort's back garden. She interrogated the two old palace maids, but got no useful results. Instead, she learned why they had chased and beaten the boy.
Lan Su found it useless and simply picked up two palace maids and threw them directly into the Dowager Consort's hall.
When the Dowager Consort saw a fierce-looking young girl throw in, carrying a maid in each hand, and the two maids slid right in front of her, she could no longer remain calm and immediately collapsed into her chair.
The palace maid beside her shouted, "Catch the assassin! Catch the assassin!"
Before the sound could be heard, the Emperor and Empress walked in.
Two concubines followed behind the two, one of whom was the virtuous concubine Jia Yuanchun.
Lan Su glanced at the Emperor and Empress, then stepped forward, about to grab the Dowager Consort, when she heard the Empress stop her.
“Lan Su, the Dowager Consort has someone lured Daiyu here under the name of Consort Xiande. Consort Xiande has already told me about it. Daiyu’s whereabouts still depend on the Dowager Consort. Don’t kill her yet.”
The Empress was anxious and worried when she heard that Daiyu had disappeared from the palace. She was afraid that something might have happened to Daiyu and she would not be able to explain it to Mr. Yuan.
As soon as she saw Xueyan, she immediately sent someone to summon Consort Xiande. Fortunately, Consort Xiande had been with another concubine all day, so someone could testify on her behalf. Otherwise, she would never have been able to clear her name after the Dowager Empress had pinned this mess on her.
"Consort Li, what is your purpose in having Princess Jiangzhu tricked into coming here? Where is Princess Jiangzhu now?" The Emperor should be the most rational person present.
The Dowager Consort seemed frightened by Lan Su, her throat gurgling as if blocked by phlegm, unable to speak.
"Where is our girl!"
Lan Su slapped the Dowager Empress on the back. The slap was neither too hard nor too soft, and it dislodged the phlegm that was stuck in the Dowager Empress's throat.
She feared that every minute of delay would increase the danger to Daiyu, so she applied slightly more force.
The old lady felt better, but her back felt a burning pain, as if it were being scalded by fire.
"Your Majesty, even if I am not the best, I am still a concubine of the late Emperor. How can you allow a wild girl to enter my palace and humiliate and beat me like this?" The Dowager Consort forced herself to sit up and looked directly at the Emperor.
The emperor snorted coldly, completely disdaining to pay her any attention.
She was just one of the late emperor's concubines. The late emperor had many concubines, and only this one is still alive. So there's nothing special about her!
She's not the Empress Dowager, just a concubine. Are you suggesting we treat her like royalty?
"Your Majesty, this girl Lan Su is a disciple of Xiawu Mountain. That's not a place we can interfere with. Since you've hidden her mistress, don't blame her for being violent towards you. Where have you hidden Princess Jiangzhu?" The Empress clarified Lan Su's identity and pressed the Dowager for answers.
"How would I know where she is! I just thought that girl was pretty, with the same charm I had in my youth, and I wanted to call her over to keep me company. As for where she is, ask these people if they've seen Princess Jiangzhu. You've come before we've even invited her!" The Dowager Empress was telling the truth, but not entirely.
Lan Su's forehead broke out in a sweat.
The old concubine said she hadn't seen the girl yet, which must be true.
Zijuan said she had just stepped out of the moon gate and then ran back; the girl had only been out of her sight for a moment. If someone had managed to abduct the girl in that short time, it would have been impossible unless that person's skills surpassed her own.
However, this possibility is almost nonexistent.
Lan Su frowned. Where could that girl have gone in such a short time?
"You would have such thoughts? Back then, when you were in charge of managing the harem for the late Empress Dowager, you persecuted every pretty palace maid and concubine. You would refrain from harming a beautiful young girl!" the Emperor rebuked sharply.
A hint of guilt flashed across the Dowager Empress's face.
Her purpose in inviting Daiyu was certainly not pure.
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