Princess Anya had been born before term and had been frail since infancy. If anything happened to her after falling into the water, there was no telling how furious Father Emperor would be. Even with all the favor Princess Changping enjoyed, she would surely meet with disaster.
Princess Changping’s thoughts were thrown into chaos, and without thinking she screamed out loud, “Someone, hurry and save her!”
Before her words had even finished, a figure was seen swiftly climbing onto the railing and leaping into the water to rescue the princess.
It was Ling Jingshu!
Madam Jiang and Ling Jingyan had already been frightened out of their wits, and seeing what Ling Jingshu had done only threw them into further panic.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, why would A’Shu just jump in to save her like that? How good is her swimming?” In her panic, Ling Jingyan unconsciously clenched Madam Jiang’s hand tightly.
Among young ladies raised delicately in their family chambers, how many actually knew how to swim?
Even Madam Jiang, who was usually calm and composed, had lost her bearings, not even aware of what she herself was saying. “Since she dared to jump in and save her, she must have some confidence in her ability. Don’t worry!” Her voice was already trembling uncontrollably.
Unfortunately, Bai Yu had been left behind on the shore—otherwise, asking her now would surely reveal just how skilled Ling Jingshu was at swimming.
Ling Jingshu’s leap into the water to save the princess shocked not only Madam Jiang and Ling Jingyan, but everyone else present as well.
Su Ying hurriedly stood up to peer into the lake, and soon let out a breath of relief. “Everyone, don’t worry—Miss Ling knows how to swim.”
After jumping into the lake, Ling Jingshu showed no panic, quickly sinking down to rescue Princess Anya, who had sunk beneath the surface. It was clear she had some swimming skill.
Jiang Rongyue’s eyes reddened with both self-blame and distress. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t cried out just now, Princess Anya wouldn’t have been startled into falling into the water…”
Wasn’t it indeed Jiang Rongyue’s fault?
Ling Jingyan opened her mouth angrily, wanting to say something, but was quickly stopped by the quick-thinking Madam Jiang.
Still shaken, Princess Changping had no mood to comfort the sobbing Jiang Rongyue, and quickly turned to the palace maids on the boat. “Whichever of you can swim, jump into the lake at once and bring both Princess Anya and Miss Ling back onto the boat—I will reward you generously!”
As for the two attendants, even if they could swim, there was no way they could be allowed to jump in to rescue the princess at this moment.
If they had truly been castrated eunuchs, it would have been fine—they wouldn’t count as men. But as it happened, these two were eunuchs in name only, still men in truth. A young lady’s pure reputation mattered too greatly, and one of those in the water was her own younger half-sister, a princess of noble standing. No matter how urgent the situation, Princess Changping dared not let those two men jump off the boat to rescue them.
Fortunately, among the palace maids accompanying the boat, two were skilled swimmers, and they quickly jumped into the lake.
No one had any other thoughts left—everyone watched the movements in the lake with anxious eyes.
In her past life, after Ling Jingshu had married Lu Hong, the couple had been deeply affectionate and in harmony, and she had learned to swim from him. However, she only knew the basics—by no means could it be called proficiency or true skill.
As a woman, her conduct had been heavily restricted, and opportunities to practice swimming had been few and far between. Naturally, her swimming ability hadn’t amounted to much.
In the instant Princess Anya fell into the water, Ling Jingshu hadn’t had time to think it through at all before unhesitatingly leaping into the lake.
It had been a purely instinctive reaction—had she hesitated even a moment, Ling Jingshu probably wouldn’t have found the courage.
By the time she’d jumped into the lake, it was already too late for regret.
Her swimming wasn’t particularly good either—she could keep herself afloat, but saving someone else who had fallen into the water was no easy task.
Not daring to think further, Ling Jingshu gritted her teeth and sank beneath the surface.
The weather was warm, and the water temperature wasn’t too cold either, though keeping her eyes open underwater was still quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, the lake water was clear, and Princess Anya’s dress was quite eye-catching, so she spotted the princess quickly.
After falling into the lake, Princess Anya had choked on several mouthfuls of water, her body continuously sinking, her heart filled with shock and fear. When Ling Jingshu’s hand reached out and grabbed her arm, the princess instinctively clung tightly to her almost at once.
Ling Jingshu had no way to voice her distress and could only use all her strength to hold onto Princess Anya’s arm, struggling with all her might to swim toward the surface.
Unfortunately, Princess Anya clung to her too tightly. With one hand needed to hold the princess, only the other hand was left free to paddle—she simply couldn’t surface.
Princess Anya swallowed a great deal of water and soon lost consciousness. Once unconscious, her hands and feet lost their strength and no longer clung to her tightly, which actually lightened the burden somewhat.
Ling Jingshu, too, was nearly out of breath, relying purely on sheer willpower to hold on, using every last bit of strength to keep hold of Princess Anya.
Just at this critical moment, the two palace maids who had jumped into the lake reached them. One grabbed hold of Princess Anya, the other pulled Ling Jingshu, and they quickly surfaced.
As fresh air rushed into her lungs, Ling Jingshu finally let out a long breath of relief.
And then, she lost consciousness.
While unconscious, Ling Jingshu wasn’t entirely without awareness.
Many sounds drifted intermittently into her ears.
“Quickly lay them both flat, press hard on their stomachs, get the water out of their bellies…” This was Su Ying’s voice.
In her hazy state, someone pressed forcefully on her abdomen. No water came out, but her stomach was pressed and kneaded until it ached quite a bit.
“Back to shore—carry both Anya and Miss Ling into my courtyard.” Princess Changping’s voice carried a note of anxiety. “Someone, quickly send word to the palace, and fetch an imperial physician…”
Soon, she was carried hastily by many hands into the courtyard and laid down on a bed.
“Young Miss, what’s happened to you?” This was Bai Yu’s choked voice. “Young Miss, please don’t frighten me…”
Then came Ling Jingyan’s loud sobbing. “A’Shu, why won’t you wake up? You mustn’t let anything happen to you…”
It was so noisy! Even unconscious, she couldn’t get any peace.
Ling Jingshu thought hazily to herself, and soon sank completely into unconsciousness.
She didn’t know how much time had passed before awareness returned.
Someone had already wiped her body clean and changed her into fresh clothes. She lay amid soft blankets, her head clouded and dazed. She wanted to open her eyes but had no strength to do so.
Through the haze, Bai Yu’s voice sounded in her ear: “Young Miss, Imperial Physician Wei has come to check your pulse. This servant will help bring your arm out now.”
The blankets shifted slightly as Bai Yu carefully moved her arm to the edge of the bed.
Bai Yu said softly, “Thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician Wei.”
There seemed to be a faint trace of tenderness in Imperial Physician Wei’s voice. “Miss Ling fell into the water in order to save Princess Anya—I am deeply grateful in my heart. I will naturally do my utmost!”
Why had Imperial Physician Wei come?
Ling Jingshu was not yet fully awake, her reactions far slower than usual. She pondered blankly for a moment, but before she could make sense of it, long, strong, warm fingers gently rested upon her wrist.
The instant those fingers touched her wrist, she suddenly jolted with a shock!
This was a man’s hand!
This hand was touching her!
Unbearable memories from her past life surged through her mind in an instant!
She reflexively yanked her hand back, then retched and vomited.
It seemed she had swallowed quite a lot of water in the lake, for what she vomited now was all water, instantly soaking a patch of the bedding.