Chapter 231: The Accident to Ningsi
Chapter 231
After returning to the Prince's mansion, Yin Lan rushed to make ginger tea.
Gu Ying had just taken off her cloak and before she could organize the chaotic thoughts in her mind to write a letter to the Prince, she saw Yin Zhu walking towards her in haste.
"Mistress!" Yin Zhu called out loudly.
Gu Ying raised her eyebrows. Her face was tired and she asked, "Yin Zhu, what's the matter?"
Yin Zhu was dressed in plain clothes. Worried that the cold from her body would make the mistress uncomfortable, she stood outside the beaded curtain and said, "Mistress, your prediction was not wrong. Zhao Changxing did send some local ruffians to harass Miss Ning. This servant went to Prince Duan's mansion with the token the mistress gave. But Prince Duan was held up in the palace and could not leave. This servant has already asked the people in the Prince's mansion to send word to the palace."
Yin Zhu was usually soft-spoken, but today she said so much in one breath.
Gu Ying sensed something was wrong. Ignoring the twinge of pain in her stomach, she put on her cloak hanging on the rosewood hanger again and asked, "Where is Ah Shen now?"
Yin Zhu quickly replied, "This servant walks fast. By the time I arrived at Qingyun Temple, those local ruffians had already bullied and harassed Miss Ning. After seeing Miss Ning cry and return to her room, I secretly took her out and placed her in another small courtyard. Before I left, I saw Miss Ning had fainted and her complexion did not look right, so I asked Qing Yun to keep watch over her. However...."
She paused for a moment and her tone became heavier. "Zhao Changxing and those local ruffians are still at Qingyun Temple."
Gu Ying sneered coldly, "He deliberately set such a big trap to lure me in. Naturally, he wants to wait for me personally."
By doing this, Zhao Changxing must be trying to get rid of Ah Duo's trouble once and for all!
Prince Duan was still in the palace. She didn't know if he could come out now. After all, Jiang Yin was the biggest variable. He dared to arrange for Prince Shu to get close to Ning Si early on. There’s no telling what other outrageous things he might do.
She had to go and bring Ning Si back herself to feel completely at ease.
Gu Ying put on her cloak again. Her small face was cold as she said, "Let's go to Qingyun Temple now, Yin Zhu."
Yin Zhu asked: "There are still many people in the temple now. Should the mistress wait for a while?"
"No need," Gu Ying narrowed her eyes and the corners of her lips curled up coldly. "It is better that there are more people. It makes it easier for me to do things."
Tonight, she would completely get rid of Zhao Changxing, this scourge, for Ah Duo!
When Yin Lan came out with the ginger tea, she only saw her mistress' lonely back.
She sighed with one hand on her forehead. What was happening? The Prince had just left not long ago, why was the mistress busy like a spinning top?
These days, she saw that the mistress was always holding her belly, seemingly uncomfortable. She was worried and wanted to ask Aunt Yu the physician to take a look.
Who would have thought that before she could say a sentence, the mistress ran off again.
She looked at Aunt Yu standing next to her awkwardly and said with an embarrassed smile, "Aunt Yu, why don't you go back first?"
Aunt Yu didn't say anything. She seemed dissatisfied and her eyebrows furrowed slightly, her eyes dim.
Being looked at by such a pair of eyes, Yin Lan always felt uneasy for some reason.
She didn't know why, although Aunt Yu was an outsider, she had a strange sense of familiarity with the Prince’s mansion.
Yin Lan didn't dare to say too much to Aunt Yu. After all, she was a highly skilled doctor. Yin Lan spoke politely and said with a laugh, "I have bothered you today. When the mistress comes back, I will come to find you again and apologize."
Aunt Yu suddenly said, "She doesn't care about her own body like this. In the future, she will inevitably fall ill. Does the Prince know that this is her temper?"
Yin Lan smiled dryly, "I will remind the mistress."
Aunt Yu frowned without saying anything further, then turned and walked towards the back courtyard.
Only then did Yin Lan breathe a sigh of relief. But when she returned to the room, she saw a few drops of bright red blood stains where the mistress had stood earlier. Her heart jumped wildly again.
...
The inconspicuous black carriage travelled overnight at full speed before finally arriving at Qingyun Temple.
Another luxurious carriage followed slowly behind.
Gu Ying put on her hood and got off the black carriage first. She quietly entered the temple through the back door.
Tonight was the Lantern Festival. Dong Li had no curfew set up.
Many wealthy families who came to the temple to pray and burn incense would choose to stay in the temple to listen to the abbot’s Dharma lectures.
Therefore, many carriages were parked at the foot of the mountain. The temple was bustling with pilgrims and the incense was flourishing.
Following Yin Zhu’s instructions, Gu Ying walked towards the small courtyard where Ning Si was located.
The buildings in the temple were majestic and covered an extremely large area. There were countless exquisite courtyards dotted around, with lush trees and heavy snow in the yards.
The place where Yin Zhu hid Ning Si was relatively remote.
When Gu Ying arrived at the door of the small courtyard and was about to push it open, she saw another figure quickly following behind her.
Her heart tightened and she was about to pull out her dagger. Then she heard the person cough lightly a few times and whispered in a low voice, "Gu Ying, it's me."
In the dim light of the corridor, Gu Ying saw Prince Duan's handsome pale face.
He had come in a hurry. His dark eyes were tense, and there was anxiety and worry between his eyebrows.
Gu Ying said, "Why did Your Highness come so late?"
Li Hao covered the corner of his mouth. His eyebrows were filled with awe-inspiring coldness. He let out a cold laugh, suppressing his cough, "This king was held up by Princess Yue Yan for a while."
Gu Ying frowned. "Princess Yue Yan..."
Li Hao was clever. When he learned that Ning Si was in trouble, he realized that what Princess Yue Yan did today was deliberate.
His sister was actually working with Concubine Qi and Prince Shu. She deliberately obstructed him.
Ning Si was her future sister-in-law!
If it hadn't been for Gu Ying, he didn't dare to think about what would have happened to Ning Si tonight!
"This king will be wary of Yue Yan in the future." He softened his voice slightly, which shook imperceptibly, "The most important thing now is her safety. How is she?"
Gu Ying said, "My maid hid her in this courtyard."
"Good, good, let's go in and see." Prince Duan spoke eagerly and impatiently entered the yard, pushing open the door.
Gu Ying looked at him, then followed along into the room.
On the simple white gauze canopy bed, Ning Si's eyes were closed tightly, and her face was slightly red.
Qing Yun was guarding at the side. Seeing Prince Duan and Gu Ying arrive together, she finally eased her worries. She cried, “Your Highness, Madam, you are finally here... Our young miss has been unconscious. I reckon it was due to that cup of tea in the room... This servant is incompetent in taking care of the young miss.”
Prince Duan's eyes were full of distress. He stroked Ning Si's hot forehead gently with his big hand and said, "Ning Si, wake up."
Ning Si felt someone shaking her. Her red lips pursed slightly as she mumbled, "Mm...Merciful Buddha...your devout believer Ning Si...is willing...to not marry for life...and pray for a good marriage...for His Highness..."
"Your Highness...mmm...Have a precious son early...The prince’s consort shall give birth to...many fat sons for you."
"Your devout believer...is willing to accompany the lamps and Buddha for life...to pray for blessings for Your Highness."
The Prince's handsome face was filled with complex emotions as he listened to her sleep talking. Hearing her words, his tight face showed a look of amusement and distress.
Silly girl. If she doesn't marry, how can he have a good marriage?
If she doesn't give birth to children for him, where would he get his heirs?
"Foolish words," the corners of his lips curled indulgently as he said in a low voice, "It's better to just remain asleep when speaking nonsense."
Gu Ying sat on the edge of the bed and frowned as she examined Ning Si's complexion, "It looks like she was drugged unconscious. Your Highness, please take her away first. I’ll handle the rest."