The physician removed the arrow from the old monk.
“The envoy was fortunate—the arrow missed his heart and lungs,” the physician said. “He just needs the bleeding stopped.”
Behind the screen, Han Wanyi’s labored breathing reached their ears. After a moment of silence, Lu Huating said, “If there’s no danger to his life, I can hold this bandage in place. Please have the physician attend to Han Wanyi.”
Han Wanyi said, “This palace can still endure. Someone attempted to assassinate the envoy—please finish bandaging him properly, physician. Don’t be careless.”
Lu Huating raised his eyelashes, remaining silent, a trace of suspicion appearing in his eyes.
What pregnant woman would disregard the fetus in her womb at such a critical moment? The last time Qun Qing performed acupuncture to save someone, it was already suspicious. Perhaps Qun Qing had known all along that something was wrong with Han Wanyi.
Barging in today—she was using him again.
“Examine Han Wanyi’s pulse now,” Lu Huating said. “If something goes wrong, this subject cannot bear the responsibility.”
“Isn’t Lord Lu overstepping his bounds?” Han Wanyi couldn’t help but look toward Qun Qing. Cold sweat appeared on her pale face. She had just taken the medicine that could simulate the pulse signs of a woman having a miscarriage, but the drug’s effects hadn’t taken hold yet. If Lu Huating caught her in this lie, the situation would spiral out of control.
Then Qun Qing walked over and blocked the physician. “Physician Wu, you don’t specialize in gynecology. What if you cause problems with treatment?”
As she finished speaking, she met Lu Huating’s gaze.
His expression was blank, his dark eyes fixed steadily on her. His demeanor made Qun Qing certain—he had already seen through her scheme. After a long moment, Lu Huating said, “Miss Qing always walks by the river—aren’t you afraid of getting your shoes wet?”
“My shoes aren’t wet,” Qun Qing said. “It’s the Chief Clerk’s own clothes that are wet.”
Lu Huating followed her gaze downward. He had waded into the water earlier to rescue someone, and his robe had left a circle of water stains on the floor. Water droplets also hung from the hair at his temples.
“Does the young lady have a handkerchief on her? Help me dry off,” Lu Huating said. The indifferent look in his eyes seemed like a challenge to Qun Qing.
Qun Qing actually took out a plain handkerchief from her sleeve and folded it.
If he wanted to engage in verbal sparring, she could delay time as well.
She knew Lu Huating detested being touched by others and certainly wouldn’t let her make contact. Sure enough, as her handkerchief approached his temple, he tilted his head slightly, avoiding her cloth.
He glanced at the blood-stained arrow in the basin. “I don’t even know if you shot this arrow. Young lady, you’re putting on an act, trying to use me. You think too highly of my benevolence.”
Qun Qing looked at Physician Wu standing nearby. He stood with lowered head, lips trembling. She pressed the handkerchief directly against Lu Huating’s temple. “What is the Chief Clerk saying? Who would assassinate a guest envoy? I would never do something disrespectful to the divine Buddha.”
Lu Huating gazed at her focused eyes and suddenly froze. Qun Qing had intended to wipe vigorously, to properly humiliate Lu Huating. But reality didn’t match her imagination. Due to nervousness, Qun Qing’s pressure was very light. Even so, through the thin handkerchief, her fingertips could still feel that warmth.
After just two brief touches, she hastily withdrew her hand, and the handkerchief fell onto Lu Huating’s collar.
At that moment, a withered hand grabbed Lu Huating’s wrist!
The old monk had opened his eyes, muttering something. The surrounding physicians couldn’t understand Sanskrit and looked confused, but Dewu’s expression changed drastically as he stared at Lu Huating in astonishment.
The old monk struggled to sit up, gripping the sandalwood prayer beads on Lu Huating’s hand until they creaked, his cloudy eyes filled with fear and anger. He said, “It’s you! The young man who killed Master Zengjia back then—it was you!”
Qun Qing looked toward Lu Huating. He let the old monk pull at him without expression, but his eyes were stained completely black, as if instantly shrouded by some memory. His entire being emanated a menacing aura she had never seen before. He raised his eyes, and this fire of murderous intent even burned toward Qun Qing. Her shocked expression had already told him—she understood Sanskrit.
Cold sweat broke out on Qun Qing. In her youth, as Yang Fu’s study companion, she had also learned Sanskrit, but she never expected to stumble upon such a secret.
Master Zengjia had given the prayer beads and even a coffin. She had thought he was Lu Huating’s good teacher and friend, never imagining he had already died at Lu Huating’s hands.
The old monk grasped Lu Huating’s wrist, but his hand suddenly loosened as he fell unconscious—Qun Qing had knocked him out with a chop of her hand.
She calmly said to the astonished physician and Dewu, “The guest envoy is injured and feverish, experiencing hallucinations and delirium. Such agitation is probably harmful to his recovery. Let him rest, and please have Physician Wu administer needles.”
Dewu pressed his lips together, seeming to believe her.
Lu Huating’s complicated gaze rested on Qun Qing’s face. She lowered her voice and whispered in his ear, “The crime on that secret edict of yours—it’s this, isn’t it?”
The Great Chen had always respected teachers. Killing one’s teacher was nearly equivalent to killing one’s father—both were grave transgressions against morality. Moreover, Master Zengjia was a highly respected monk from the Liuli Kingdom. Though Qun Qing didn’t know the circumstances, judging by the outcome alone, this level of moral deficiency would be enough to destroy Lu Huating’s official career if presented to the Emperor.
“The Emperor will arrive soon,” Qun Qing said, still mindful of their current predicament. “If the Chief Clerk withdraws now, I’ll pretend I heard nothing.”
Lu Huating’s cold gaze lingered on Qun Qing’s face. Slowly, he pried the old monk’s hand away and left the pavilion like a wandering spirit.
“Her Ladyship is bleeding!” Han Wanyi’s attendant palace maid cried out.
The medicine Han Wanyi had taken was taking effect. Though this drug helped fake a pregnancy, it brought women no less pain. Han Wanyi had pinched her maid’s hands until they turned red.
Qun Qing looked at the flustered Physician Wu. “Right now there are only the two of us. You are innocent, and Her Ladyship will never let you bear responsibility. Go attend to Her Ladyship.”
Physician Wu assessed the situation and naturally nodded repeatedly.
Emperor Chenming heard the news and immediately stopped hunting, striding over with Consort Lü and several attendants following behind.
Qun Qing said, “Your Majesty, Lady Wanyi is unwell. This servant’s acupuncture was ineffective, and the physician is currently treating her…”
Emperor Chenming glanced at her. This cold look made Qun Qing’s scalp tingle.
Before she could finish, his dragon robe swept past her face like a gale, scattering her hair bun as Emperor Chenming pushed through the door and swept aside the screen.
Inside the room, Han Wanyi reclined against the couch, her skirt hem pooled on the floor. Her expression was as haggard as a withered flower. A basin contained bloody water. The physician knelt on the ground, trembling.
Consort Lü glanced at Han Wanyi, then raised her hand and slapped Han Wanyi’s attendant maid. “Why didn’t those below properly care for Lady Wanyi?”
The Emperor’s fury was unavoidable. She wanted to shift the blame to the palace servants.
A young attendant said, “Only one physician could be found nearby. Earlier, the guest envoy was suddenly attacked and bleeding profusely. Her Ladyship, fearing it would affect state affairs, urgently had the physician stop the envoy’s bleeding first…”
Han Wanyi choked with tears. “Your Majesty, this consort is guilty. This consort failed to protect the child. Please, Your Majesty, don’t implicate the innocent.”
Emperor Chenming looked at the old monk lying nearby, closed his eyes, emotions surging in his chest, unable to speak a word.
The four imperial heirs each had their problems, which had led Emperor Chenming to place tremendous hope in this unborn fifth prince. Now that hope had turned to nothing. But in such circumstances, whom could he blame?
“Don’t cry. It’s not your fault—it’s my negligence,” he said. Looking at Han Wanyi’s tear-stained face, Emperor Chenming suppressed the anguish in his heart and gently wiped away her tears with his thumb. “You were overlooked.”
Among the new consorts, Han Wanyi was refined and dignified but somewhat cold in temperament, so she wasn’t as favored as Consort Lü. Now, seeing her so forbearing and considerate, guilt filled Emperor Chenming’s heart. “Someone come! Elevate Han Wanyi to Imperial Consort Han.”
Han Wanyi’s eyelashes trembled. Her hand loosened, and the plum blossom seal representing her youthful love fell completely into the water basin.
Consort Lü’s fingers clenched in her sleeves. She immediately received Emperor Chenming’s rebuke. “Why was there only one physician nearby? Why was the guest envoy unprotected? You’ve arranged this autumn hunt full of holes. Without the capability, you still scheme for the Empress position!”
Consort Lü, recently in high favor, felt as if doused with cold water. She bit her teeth hard and quickly adjusted her expression. “This is all this consort’s fault. This consort deserves death. Please, Your Majesty, preserve your health. The guest envoy was struck by an arrow—there must be a spy among us. This consort will definitely investigate.”
Emperor Chenming left the pavilion. Seeing Qun Qing still kneeling properly at the door without resentment, he sighed. “You’ve worked hard attending to the Crown Princess and still remembered Imperial Consort Han.”
Hearing his tone, Qun Qing knew the matter was settled and felt relieved. “Lady Wanyi is the Crown Princess’s mother. She is also this servant’s master. Caring for her is my duty. This servant helped Lady Wanyi preserve her pregnancy before. I pay attention to all patients I’ve treated.”
“Take one of my golden arrows and bestow it upon her,” Emperor Chenming said. “Go find Zhiyi. Don’t let her worry.”
Qun Qing acknowledged, then hesitated. “Your Majesty, the Grand Astrologer calculated earlier that Princess Bao’an was inauspicious for Imperial Consort Han’s child. Today, this servant seemed to see Princess Bao’an together with Prince Yan…”
Emperor Chenming’s face, which had just calmed, showed turbulence again. “Summon that unfilial son to me!”
Qun Qing had already turned and left, a cold smile in her eyes, walking away from the anger.
The wind stirred the leaves, stirring Qun Qing’s skirt and shawl.
“Why didn’t the Chief Clerk stop her earlier?” Juan Su looked toward Lu Huating. He sat on his horse but said nothing, adjusting the crossbow in his hands.
“Your Highness, Imperial Consort Han’s matter is settled.” Qun Qing handed the golden arrow to Li Xuan.
Li Xuan was watching Zheng Zhiyi hunt. “Father Emperor didn’t make things difficult for you?”
“Miss Qing, look—I’ve caught a whole bag already!” Zheng Zhiyi called out to Qun Qing from a distance. Her riding attire gleamed in the sunlight. She rode that date-red horse with light, graceful turns and circles.
Normally, Zheng Zhiyi was merely pretty, but on horseback, her face flushed pink, her bearing radiant as the sun. Qun Qing watched her and smiled. Even Li Xuan’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to her.
Just then, the horse Zheng Zhiyi was riding twitched its limbs.
It stumbled. As it turned, Zheng Zhiyi pulled the reins and clamped her legs against its belly. However, this action that normally stopped a horse from bolting had no effect.
The bag of game scattered across the ground. The horse, with a slightly alarmed Zheng Zhiyi, galloped frantically toward the dense forest, refusing to stop no matter how she pulled the reins.
The hunting supervisor following Zheng Zhiyi broke into a sweat and hurried after her, but Zheng Zhiyi’s horse had already run far ahead. If she crashed into a tree, it could snap her neck!
“What are you standing there for? Go call for help!” Li Xuan’s face darkened. Zheng Fu ran out frantically to summon people.
“By the time the Jinwu Guards arrive, it’ll be too late,” Qun Qing said, watching the dense forest with an empty feeling in her heart.
“Then what do you suggest?” Li Xuan asked urgently.
Beside him, he only felt a gust of wind. In Li Xuan’s field of vision, Qun Qing vaulted onto a horse, seized an arrow quiver from a nearby consort, took an arrow, and stabbed it backward into the horse’s hindquarters. The horse, in pain, reared up and charged toward the forest.
Li Xuan’s face went pale.
At that moment, Yang Fu and Li Huan knelt together before Emperor Chenming.
Yang Fu’s hair was disheveled, a sinister smile at the corner of her lips. Having reached this point, she had naturally cast aside all shame. Last night, she hadn’t let Li Huan succeed. A man could only be controlled by keeping him hooked.
When Li Huan, disregarding Emperor Chenming’s fury, said he would take her as a secondary consort, Yang Fu was momentarily stunned. But this instant of emotion was quickly replaced by wild joy at achieving her goal.
At least she wouldn’t be confined to that small pavilion anymore.
In the future, she would grasp even more power. Whether as a spy or whatever identity—anything was better than being ignored.
She had also arranged a good show for today.
Yang Fu’s languid eyes gazed toward the distant hunting grounds. When she saw Qun Qing riding after Zheng Zhiyi into the forest, hatred flashed between her brows.
She had once said she would stay by her side forever. Now, she truly recognized that bandit’s daughter as her master.
Then let’s all die together.
Qun Qing’s horse ran so fast that her collar and shawl flew up like an arrow leaving the bowstring. She soon caught sight of Zheng Zhiyi, who was clinging to the horse’s neck, gritting her teeth to keep from falling off.
Qun Qing took an arrow and hurled it, pinning it to a tree trunk. The date-red horse reared in fright, avoiding a direct collision with the trunk and taking another path. Qun Qing took another arrow.
“Didn’t Miss Qing say she couldn’t ride horses?” Juan Su exclaimed in shock. “She’s like this… Chief Clerk!”
Lu Huating had already spurred his horse forward. What shocked Juan Su even more was that in the wind, he slowly drew his bow, calmly aiming at Qun Qing’s back.
Lu Huating’s eyes were pitch black. His peripheral vision glimpsed the sandalwood beads on his left wrist, but he showed no emotion. The old monk’s few words had stirred his hatred again, bringing him back to the suffocating desperation of those years, like drowning in deep water, unable to breathe.
He knew that having such a matter known by a political enemy would certainly threaten his life in the future.
This wasn’t the first time he had contemplated killing.
If this arrow were released, she would feel almost no pain and die instantly. The threat of this woman, her entanglement, all the accidents and obstacles she brought—everything would vanish like smoke. He was confident he could set everything back on the right track.
Lu Huating aimed at that slender silhouette. However, that shadow gradually shifted, veering away from his target.
Qun Qing’s horse had gone off course.
She seemed to suddenly lose her ability to control the horse. Like someone who couldn’t ride, her figure swayed precariously as the horse’s trajectory veered wildly off.