Yusheng was so anxious she was nearly in tears: “The young miss from the main household went with Princess Yunxiu to fold paper boats to release tonight. Our young miss thought to bring back a few branches of green plum to arrange in a vase at home. Who knew that after walking for a while, she twisted her ankle. Any movement causes pain. We didn’t dare force her to walk, afraid of making our young miss’s injury worse.”
In the middle of Huangjue Temple’s vast back mountain, red plums were planted, with plots on both sides fenced off for green plums. Clearly, Xiang Mingzi had gone toward that area. Song Chuyi recalled Old Madam Song’s instructions and immediately cut off Yusheng’s tearful account, asking her sternly: “When you came, who else was attending to the young miss?!”
For prestigious families, it was unthinkable to let a young lady be left alone. If something happened, even a thousand mouths wouldn’t be able to explain it clearly.
Yusheng was stunned by the sharp tone, only belatedly realizing the issue. She opened her mouth: “There’s still Yuqing by her side.”
Song Chuyi couldn’t breathe a sigh of relief. She quickly exited the plum grove and led Qing Ying and Ziyun in hurried steps toward the southern green plum forest. Yusheng led the way ahead, while still unable to help complaining: “It’s all the fault of that cat that suddenly ran out. If it hadn’t almost pounced on our young miss’s face and frightened her, the young miss wouldn’t have twisted her ankle. And it happened to be a downhill area where one could easily twist an ankle if not careful…”
Song Chuyi’s expression grew increasingly serious. Toward the end, she was almost running to reach the place Yusheng mentioned. She just happened to see a figure wearing a blue-green straight-cut robe flash out from the plum grove and walk toward Xiang Mingzi. Yet beside Xiang Mingzi sitting on the ground, there was no sign of Yuqing at all.
Her heart understood clearly. She raised her voice to call out “Cousin” and quickly ran down the slope while holding onto tree trunks. She finally arrived at Xiang Mingzi’s side at the same time as that figure in blue-green.
When Xiang Mingzi saw her, she was so aggrieved she nearly cried. Clutching Song Chuyi’s arm, she stood up, but the pain was so intense she couldn’t stand properly: “A cat pounced on me, and I happened to twist my ankle. It hurts terribly.”
Song Chuyi calmly shifted her gaze to the man behind Xiang Mingzi, who was clearly stiffened and appeared to be about the same age as Song Jue. Only then did she pat Xiang Mingzi’s hand: “It’s alright, it’s alright. I’ll have someone fetch a bamboo sedan chair. Don’t move carelessly for now, be careful not to worsen the injury.”
Zhou Weizhao followed close behind Song Chuyi down the slope. Seeing that person, he couldn’t help but first freeze in surprise, then looking at the isolated Xiang Mingzi, he thoughtfully called out: “Yansheng?”
Wei Yansheng had already lifted his robe and knelt down. Only after Zhou Weizhao told him to rise did he dare to stand, patting the snow off his knees somewhat awkwardly: “So Your Highness also came to the back mountain to admire plums. Actually, I was making a bet with Seventh Master Shen and the others. The loser had to come up and pick a cluster of green plums, which is why I came.”
The excuse sounded dignified enough. When Song Chuyi heard his surname was Wei, then thought of the uninvited Madam Wei, her heart already understood most of the situation. After Wei Yansheng fled in panic and disappeared from sight, only then did she turn to ask Xiang Mingzi: “Didn’t they say Yuqing was by your side? Where is she?”
Xiang Mingzi looked left and right, also frowning somewhat angrily: “She said she was afraid Yusheng would take the wrong path, so she went to find my maternal aunt and aunt-in-law…”
She looked in the direction Wei Yansheng had left, then looked back at the direction from which Wei Yansheng had come. Her brows couldn’t help but furrow even tighter. After a long while, she let out a cold laugh. It seemed Yuqing hadn’t gone to find any aunt-in-law for help, but had gone to find this Young Master Wei.
A feeling of being schemed against rose irritably and angrily in her heart: “I really didn’t know—”
Zhou Weizhao glanced at them, then turned to instruct Qing Zhuo and Han Feng: “Quickly go to the front and find the guest monk, have them bring a bamboo sedan chair.”
In the meditation room, Madam Wei had already taken her leave. Madam Cui, Yu Shi, was discussing the upcoming sutra listening with the First Madam when she saw this commotion and immediately stood up. The First Madam was even more anxious—Xiang Mingzi was Old Madam Song’s precious treasure. She had brought the girl out in perfectly good condition, yet when returning, something had happened to her. When the time came, the old madam would first blame her.
After hearing the full account, First Madam Song was so angry she gritted her teeth: “No wonder she stuck to me like a ghost, forcing me to send you all out to play. What suddenly appearing cat—how could there be such a coincidence? She probably fell right into someone else’s trap!”
Wei Yansheng’s appearance had indeed been far too coincidental, so coincidental that one couldn’t help but grow suspicious.
Madam Cui hurriedly sent someone to the front to request medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis—Huangjue Temple had no shortage of such things. Any nearby household that sprained a limb, as long as no bones were injured, would come to the temple to request this.
Nanny Jin and Nanny Qiu had experience. They immediately stepped forward to examine Xiang Mingzi, only breathing a sigh of relief after confirming no bones were injured.
Madam Cui, Yu Shi, and First Madam Song were all busy with Xiang Mingzi’s injury. Song Chuyi then turned and went out to find Nanny Xu who had accompanied them: “Nanny, have someone investigate where Yuqing went. Once found, have someone bring her back.”
Qing Zhuo and Han Feng took the opportunity to report to Zhou Weizhao what Young Madam Fan and Han Zhi had said. At the end, Qing Zhuo looked at the vast expanse of white snow outside and asked Zhou Weizhao: “Since the wife of Marquis Jinxiang has already decided to use the method of mutual destruction to deal with that person on the other side… then Han Zhi…”
Zhou Weizhao also raised his eyebrows somewhat unexpectedly, not anticipating there would be such an old case involved. Speaking of which, that Fan Liangdi would actually do such a foolish thing—at this critical juncture, she still wanted to destroy her own defensive walls. He always felt Fan Liangdi must have gone mad. Otherwise, the Fan Liangdi from eight years ago would never have done such a thing.
When Song Chuyi returned, he had Qing Zhuo repeat what was heard at Chongyin Workshop. He asked Song Chuyi thoughtfully: “What do you say—if we were to add fuel to the fire from behind…”
Song Chuyi looked into his eyes and slowly shook her head: “Your Highness, the timing isn’t right.”
At least the timing wasn’t right yet. Not to mention whether Young Madam Fan could actually tear off Elder Madam Fan’s skin, even if she did tear off Elder Madam Fan’s facade, the Crown Prince might not fully believe it.
After all, Elder Madam Fan had been intimate with the Crown Prince for so many years. The Crown Prince could be said to have reached the point of obeying her every word. If they were slightly careless and Elder Madam Fan bit back, how disadvantageous that would be.
She paused, her eyes suddenly brightening: “Have someone watch Han Zhi. He’s probably even angrier now than when he first learned Fan Liangdi had moved against him. Since Young Madam Fan has already risked her life, he will certainly become even more furious…”
Zhou Weizhao understood her meaning. He lowered his eyes and remained quiet for a long while before asking her: “After that, we don’t interfere anymore?”
“For now, there’s no need to interfere.” Song Chuyi reached out to take a teacup and drank a sip of hot tea, her gaze burning as she stared at Zhou Weizhao: “Han Zhi has nowhere else to go. Since Young Madam Fan told him by all means not to go to the Northwest, if he wants revenge, what path can he take? As for Elder Madam Fan, recently she will certainly be tormented by Young Madam Fan until she’s exhausted and overwhelmed dealing with everything… You need not touch anything. Let the Crown Prince become suspicious of her himself—that is the wisest course.”