Ling Yin spoke calmly from the side, "Ever since the princess left the Cheng Prince’s residence, my lady has been deeply concerned about her health. Even Lady Qin had to use rare medicines from the Lord Governor’s private stores, and some from the palace, just to barely maintain the princess's well-being. Earlier, the princess overheard some distressing news, which caused her emotions to spiral out of control, leading to her fainting."
"Physician Sun, is the princess in critical condition?"
Physician Sun, who had initially suspected the princess of feigning unconsciousness, suddenly felt a chill at the implied weight of Ling Yin's words, especially the mention of “the Lord Governor’s private medicine stores.” Jolted, he withdrew his hand and, with a solemn expression, said, "The princess fainted from emotional distress."
Ling Yin asked with concern, "When will she wake?"
Physician Sun hesitated, glancing at the princess, who lay with her eyes tightly shut. After a moment of deliberation, he said, "The princess is physically weak, and with a pregnancy to maintain, Lady Qin's prior treatments should not be interfered with by additional prescriptions, as it may harm the fetus. Furthermore, if she fainted due to emotional agitation, sleep is actually beneficial for her recovery."
"In her current condition, she might wake as soon as after a cup of tea’s time, or at most…" Physician Sun initially wanted to say "a couple of hours," but when he saw Ling Yin's sharp gaze, he swallowed his words and amended, "at most a day or two."
Ling Yin asked again, "Can she be moved?"
Physician Sun felt a headache coming on. He couldn’t figure out if they intended to move her or not. Recalling how this maid had just stood her ground against the prince with such authority, and how the princess had yet to suggest leaving, he guessed they intended to remain "unconscious" in the Cheng Prince's residence.
Tentatively, he replied, "The princess is weak and should not be moved unnecessarily."
"So, she has to stay here for now?" Ling Yin frowned as if reluctantly accepting this.
Physician Sun immediately wanted to retract his earlier statement and say it might be fine to move her after all, but Ling Yin preempted him with a sigh, "Very well, we’ll stay another two days."
"The princess requires absolute rest. Please inform the prince of her condition to avoid further disturbances," Ling Yin added, her tone softening slightly. "As long as the princess is unharmed, my lady and the Lord Governor will owe you a great debt of gratitude."
Physician Sun paused at the mention of a "debt of gratitude" and quickly responded, "You’re too kind."
He rose and continued, "The Dowager Consort is gravely ill, and tonight is a critical time for her. I must return to attend to her. If anything changes with the princess, please send for me immediately, and I will come at once."
"Thank you for your efforts, Physician Sun."
The Cheng Prince stood in the corridor outside the courtyard. The dim light of dusk obscured his expression.
When Physician Sun emerged from the room, the prince was the first to spot him and rushed forward, asking anxiously, "Physician Sun, how is the princess?"
Physician Sun looked at the worried Cheng Prince and replied tactfully, "The princess is very weak, and the fetus is not as stable as it should be. I found her pulse to be frail, her blood and energy lacking, and her emotions clearly unsettled. The shock from earlier today caused her to faint."
"Shock?" The prince’s voice dropped.
Physician Sun nodded. "Her pulse suggests as much. However, the princess has been under Lady Qin’s care and treatment, so I cannot prescribe additional medicine for fear of adverse interactions. Please don’t worry too much, Your Highness. A bit of rest should help her recover naturally."
"The princess is frail and pregnant; she must rest quietly and avoid loud noises or strong emotional outbursts, as those would harm her health."
The Cheng Prince’s expression darkened. Was this a subtle way of telling him not to disturb Rong Yue?
Having delivered his message, Physician Sun prepared to leave, but after a few steps, the prince called out, "Physician Sun."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
The Cheng Prince’s tone softened. "Will the child survive?"
Physician Sun hesitated, puzzled by the sudden question, as the prince lowered his eyes and explained, "The princess and I have been married for nearly twenty years, and though we have a son, Yin, we’ve always hoped for another child. We sought doctors and remedies for years but to no avail. I never expected her to conceive now, of all times."
With a bitter smile, he continued, "Given the Song family’s prior schemes, I wronged her deeply, and she has never forgiven me. She won’t even let me approach her. I worried she might not want this child, yet she sought Lady Qin to safeguard the pregnancy.
"But I fear…if this child cannot be saved, the bond between us as husband and wife…"
The prince trailed off, his tone filled with sorrow, his unshaven face adding to his disheveled, melancholic appearance.
Physician Sun responded gently, "Your Highness, please don’t overthink. Everyone knows of the deep affection between you and the princess. This pregnancy, while fragile, can still be nurtured with care. With caution, the child can be preserved. There is no need for undue worry."
The prince sighed in relief. "That’s good to hear."
After exchanging a few more words, Physician Sun finally left. But as he stepped out of the courtyard, his previously calm demeanor evaporated. The warmth on his face disappeared entirely.
Turning back to glance at the prince standing in the courtyard, Physician Sun couldn’t help but feel a chill in his hands, which clutched his medicine box tightly.
Had it not been for the princess feigning unconsciousness earlier, or the earlier warning signs from Ling Yin, he might not have questioned the prince’s seemingly heartfelt words. He would have assumed the prince was genuinely concerned for the princess and their child—a narrative of sincere devotion.
But now, those same words sent a shiver down his spine.
What did the prince mean by "married for twenty years, with only one son"? What did he mean by "the princess keeps her distance but is particularly attentive to the child"?
On the surface, the statements seemed harmless, but under a different lens, they carried chilling implications—hinting at doubt over the child’s paternity.
Physician Sun gripped his medicine box tightly, a strong urge to leave this ominous residence overwhelming him.
The Cheng Prince's residence, it seemed, was about to face a major storm.
Inside the room, Ling Yin remained by the princess's side.
Nanny Jiang, clearly anxious, hovered for a long while, checking the princess repeatedly. Unable to suppress her worry, she finally said, "Miss Ling Yin, the princess has not woken. Should we summon Lady Qin?"
"Lady Qin is still in the palace," Ling Yin replied. "The Empress Dowager cannot be left unattended."
"But the princess—" Nanny Jiang reached out to touch the princess's forehead, her concern evident.
Ling Yin watched Nanny Jiang carefully—her expressions, gestures, and tone. When Nanny Jiang took the princess’s cold hands and rubbed them gently, the care in her actions seemed genuine. Ling Yin’s gaze darkened slightly.
"Physician Sun already said that the princess fainted due to shock. She will wake on her own."
Nanny Jiang murmured, "You shouldn’t have told her all of that…"
"And why shouldn’t she know? The prince schemed to win her affections, deceived her for years, and pretended to love her deeply. Every bit of it was vile. All of his lies are wounds to her. The princess deserves to know the truth." Ling Yin’s tone was icy. "Or do you think keeping her in the dark is in her best interest?"
"That’s not what I meant…"
"I understand. As the princess’s closest confidante, you would never allow anyone to harm her."
Ling Yin’s faint words hit Nanny Jiang like a heavy blow, leaving her momentarily speechless.
"Of course not," Nanny Jiang muttered, suddenly uneasy under Ling Yin’s penetrating gaze. Avoiding her eyes, she lowered her head.
"The princess hasn’t eaten much today. She may wake in the night. I’ll have food prepared just in case."
Ling Yin didn’t stop her. "Very well."
Once Nanny Jiang left and the door shut, the flickering light in the room cast shifting shadows. The princess, who had been controlling her breathing, suddenly opened her reddened eyes.
"She…" The princess sat up, her eyes brimming with tears. "She and Xie Tianyu…"
"They’ve likely been in collusion for some time. At the very least, she has been hiding things from you," Ling Yin said quietly.
The princess’s lips trembled.
Ling Yin held her arm gently. Seeing the princess’s grief and anger, she said, "The Lord Governor and my lady instructed me to provoke suspicion. The prince now knows reconciliation with you is impossible. Knowing you’ve uncovered the past, he may act out of desperation."
"If this becomes too much for you, I can arrange for you to go to Mr. Gu’s residence for safety. After all, you are still unconscious; we can have people guard the door."
"No need!" The princess gritted her teeth. She had been deceived for so many years, lied to for so long.
Now, she wanted to see just how shameless Xie Tianyu could be!
===========
T/N: I don’t think she is ready for what's about to happen
===============
You can read ahead to chapterr 234 (100+ extra chapters) here
Sigh, both the Rong sisters, despite their illustrious bloodline, are so naive and dare I say stupid
ReplyDelete