The night outside was pitch black. As Nanny Jiang carried a lantern along the corridor, her thoughts were in turmoil, replaying Ling Yin’s earlier words in her mind.
There was the story of the Yuchi family’s daughter who had supposedly eloped and hanged herself and the tragic fate of the woman from the Huo family who had been disfigured after falling from a horse.
The corridor was dimly lit, with lanterns hanging every few beams, but the far end was swallowed by darkness, an oppressive void that seemed capable of devouring one’s spirit.
Nanny Jiang suddenly recalled the night when Mr. Gu was expelled from the Rong family. He had been drenched in blood, driven out by the Grand Tutor into a downpour. Despite his desperate pleas and explanations, no one believed he had no ill intent toward the princess.
That same stormy night, the princess had gone into premature labor, and that child…
Boom!
A sudden clap of thunder jolted Nanny Jiang, eliciting a scream. The lantern in her hand fell to the ground with a thud.
A fierce wind howled through the courtyard, rustling the trees. In mere moments, rain poured down in torrents, and Nanny Jiang was transported back to that night of the princess’s labor.
Her face pale, trembling with fear, she hurriedly bent down to retrieve the lantern, intending to return to the main courtyard. But as she straightened, a sharp pain shot through her neck, and she collapsed to the ground.
Nanny Jiang awoke to the sound of thunder, disoriented. Sitting up slowly, she realized the room was dimly lit. A faint glow emanated from behind a screen nearby, casting shadows into the space and leaving her uncertain of her location.
Panic set in. Supporting herself on the ground, she attempted to stand, but a sudden flash of lightning illuminated the room. In its brief glow, she glimpsed a figure sitting not far away.
Startled, she cried out, “Who’s there?”
As she stumbled back to the floor, her face drained of color. “What do you want? What are you planning to do?!”
The shadowy figure spoke calmly. “Has it really been so long, Nanny Jiang, that you can’t even recognize me?”
“Your Highness?” Nanny Jiang froze at the voice. The figure reached for the lamp on the table, lighting it and revealing the face of the Cheng Prince.
Relief flooded her momentarily as she clutched her chest, still shaken. “So it’s Your Highness. I thought it was an intruder…”
Mid-sentence, memories of what had just happened—the blow to her neck, her sudden collapse—came rushing back. Her hand instinctively moved to the sore spot, and the realization that she had been attacked caused her anxiety to spike again. She glanced at the Cheng Prince, her unease growing.
“Perhaps I fainted from the thunder,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Luckily, Your Highness found me. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened?”
She bowed and added, “Thank you for your care, but the princess is still unwell, and I need to prepare some food for her. I shouldn’t linger here.”
She made a move to leave, but as she stepped toward the door, a figure blocked her path.
Looking up, her face turned ashen. “Your Highness?”
“What’s the hurry, Nanny Jiang?”
“It’s not that I’m in a rush, but the princess needs me—”
“Indeed, she does. Or is it that you simply wish to avoid me? Your eagerness to leave makes it seem as though I’m some sort of monster,” the Cheng Prince remarked coolly.
Forcing a smile, Nanny Jiang replied, “Your Highness must be joking. I’m merely concerned for the princess…”
“Doesn’t Rong Yue have Xiao Yan’s people looking after her?” the Cheng Prince interrupted, stepping closer. The flickering lamplight illuminated her trembling form. Tilting his head, he continued, “Rong Yue used to trust you deeply, yet before she fainted, she handed authority to Xiao Yan’s people instead of you. Tell me, Nanny Jiang, is she guarding against me—or against you?”
Panic flashed in Nanny Jiang’s eyes. “I don’t understand what Your Highness is implying…”
“Don’t you?” The Cheng Prince’s gaze sharpened. “Then tell me—why did Rong Yue faint tonight?”
“I… I don’t know…”
Her lips trembled as her palms grew clammy, but she dared not show fear. Keeping her head lowered, she muttered, “The princess is frail. Perhaps she was simply overtired from the day’s events…”
“Oh? And here I thought she had learned about something you did in the past.”
“Your Highness!” Nanny Jiang’s head snapped up, her voice shrill. “You swore to me that you would never mention that again!”
The Cheng Prince’s expression remained cold. “I have no desire to bring it up, Nanny Jiang. I wish only for harmony between me and Rong Yue. But others seem intent on sabotaging our relationship.”
He leaned closer, voice low. “I love Rong Yue deeply and don’t want her to be misled. So tell me, Nanny Jiang—what does she know? If you’re honest with me, I promise never to speak of that matter again, and I’ll keep your secret safe.”
Nanny Jiang’s mind raced. She had trusted the prince’s so-called “love” once before and had been deceived, dragged into his schemes that ultimately harmed Mr. Gu. He had once begged her forgiveness, vowing never to use her again, only to blackmail her on the night of the princess’s labor.
That night, when the princess was bleeding profusely and her life hung by a thread, Nanny Jiang had made one mistake after another, leading her down a path of no return.
She could no longer trust him, but neither could she risk opposing him.
Her voice quivered as she said, “I truly don’t know anything. The princess resents Your Highness for past deceptions, and that’s why she’s distant. But after more than ten years of marriage, how could she so easily sever the bond between you? Give her time, and she will forgive you…”
“Jiang Shi.” The Cheng Prince cut her off coldly. “We’ve been married for over a decade. Do you think I’m a fool?”
He turned his gaze toward the shadowy figure in the room.
“She’s yours. Get the truth out of her.”
“Your Highness!”
Panic overtook Nanny Jiang as she realized his intent. She tried to run, but before she could take two steps, the figure blocking her path grabbed her neck and forced her to the ground.
“Help—” she tried to scream, but the figure stuffed a gag into her mouth, silencing her.
“Mmmpf!”
Nanny Jiang struggled desperately, but the figure’s grip was unrelenting. Before she could process what was happening, her arm was wrenched behind her back with a sickening crack.
“Mmmpf! Mmmpf!”
Her muffled screams filled the room as tears streamed down her face. The figure pressed her into the ground with a foot while methodically bending her fingers back one by one until the sound of bones breaking echoed through the room.
The Cheng Prince watched her pitiful form, sweat dripping from her face, and spoke softly, “Just tell me, Nanny Jiang—what has Rong Yue returned for? Share the truth, and I’ll have them let you go. How about that?”====================
You can read ahead to chapterr 234 (100+ extra chapters) here
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