Chapter 167: The Tranquil Temporary Palace
Late at night in the temporary palace, the palace servants who had been busy sweeping and tidying up fell into a deep sleep, carrying their exhaustion.
The Emperor had left, the defenses of the temporary palace were not so tight, Zhang Sheng You and Tao Hua also sneaked in quietly, meeting with Yang Luo who was moving around everywhere using the convenience of her identity.
“People in the Capital City saw the grand sight of the Emperor, Empress, princes, and princess returning to the capital, and the Emperor also distributed some prey to the elderly men in the city.”
“However, the matter of the startled horse during the hunting at the temporary palace did not spread.”
Yang Luo was not surprised; the Emperor would definitely suppress such a matter.
“Those people were quite sharp and immediately knew the news.” Tao Hua said in a low voice, “They came to the butcher shop to ask if they should help spread it in the streets and alleys.”
At this point, she pursed her lips.
“With an attitude of looking down on people.”
Yang Luo pursed her lips and smiled: “Tell them that you don’t know the specifics either, because the Emperor is here and they dare not approach. If it’s convenient for them, they can come here to see me.”
Tao Hua understood and smiled: “Then we check what means they used and what people they are to enter the temporary palace…”
And thus obtain information about these people’s origins.
“They probably won’t take the bait.” Yang Luo said with a smile.
Although the imperial guards had relaxed, they could not stay long. After a brief conversation, they had to leave, but Tao Hua couldn’t help looking toward Miss Yang’s palace courtyard not far away.
Although she already knew Mo Zheng was fine, thinking that even Wei Jiao had suffered such a serious injury showed how dangerous it had been at the time.
“She’s not here, otherwise she would find an excuse to come out and see you.” Yang Luo knew their worries and explained in a low voice, “She’s at Wei Jiao’s place. Wei Jiao took an arrow for her, so it’s only right for her to visit.”
So Wei Jiao took an arrow for the Young Master?
Tao Hua couldn’t help murmuring: “He’s so good to the Young Master.”
The words sounded familiar once spoken; thinking back to when Wei Jiao had covered for the Young Master that night when he killed, she had said then that Wei Jiao was good to the Young Master.
But the Young Master said this was also good for Wei Jiao, turning the deaths of those villains into Wei Jiao’s merit.
So now, taking an arrow for the Young Master is also merit?
Hmm, possibly, after all, the Young Master’s current identity is Miss Yang, the Emperor’s daughter.
Risking one’s life to protect the princess is indeed merit.
……
……
“Don’t look at me with that kind of gaze.”
In the brightly lit palace room, the air was filled with the smell of medicine and blood, but there were no imperial physicians, nor those frightening arrow extraction tools.
Wei Jiao lay on the bed, looking at the woman sitting in the room with a face full of disgust.
“Too disgusting.”
Mo Zheng’s gaze was concerned: “Senior Brother, I’m just worried about your wound.”
With that, she picked up the medicine bowl on the desk.
“This is the tonic prescribed for me by the imperial physicians. You were seriously injured, so I specially made a bowl for you.”
Wei Jiao chuckled twice: “I dare not drink your medicine.”
Mo Zheng said oh: “That’s too bad then. If you won’t drink it, I’ll drink it.”
With that, she took the spoon and slowly drank the soup that had just cooled.
Although it was the temporary palace and although the Emperor had already left, the food, clothing, and daily necessities were still of royal standard; this soup was truly delicious.
Watching the young girl smile contentedly and leisurely on her face, Wei Jiao spat, this dog thing wasn’t prepared for him at all, just putting on a show, coming to eat and drink in front of him.
“Get out quickly. I warn you, if you dare come to my place again, I’ll chop off your leg.” he said.
The useless eunuchs and imperial physicians here were all blind, letting this dog thing come in freely, and he had been unconscious from arrow removal last night through a day and night, only now slightly awake, failing to stop her in time.
Mo Zheng took out a towel and gently wiped her mouth, looking at the young man lying on the bed covered with a quilt, exposing his bare shoulder.
“Wei Jiao.” she said with a smile, “Don’t say that now when you’re injured; even when uninjured, you couldn’t do it.”
Wei Jiao, heh, when smug and arrogant, she called him by full name. Wei Jiao didn’t get angry or get up, but also smiled: “So you’re saying you’re so capable that even without me, that arrow couldn’t have hurt you?”
Mo Zheng nodded: “I don’t tell lies; that arrow indeed couldn’t take my life.”
She doesn’t tell lies? Has half a true word ever come out of her mouth? Wei Jiao laughed in disbelief, then heard the gentle female voice come again.
“…But at the critical moment, you rushed ahead of me and took that arrow, Wei Jiao, this shows”
Shows what? That he was willing to die for her?
Wei Jiao looked at her coldly.
Mo Zheng looked at him and continued: “It shows that you, Wei Jiao, are faster than me, more capable than me.”
Her expression was serious, her gaze admiring.
Wei Jiao couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
Because of the loud laughter, it tugged at the wound, and blood seeped out.
He seemed completely unaware, still laughing: “Good that you know.”
In fact, he was also thinking why he had taken an arrow.
Of course, definitely, absolutely not to protect this dog thing!
Where did this dog thing need his protection!
He just, um, just felt that this dog thing couldn’t die.
If dead, there would be no fun to watch.
See, this dog thing is so interesting alive, going mad can scare people to death, deceiving people can make them laugh to death.
Mo Zheng’s gaze looked at the blood seeping from Wei Jiao’s shoulder.
“However.” she said slowly, standing up and walking to the bedside, “If Senior Brother is left with a disability after being injured, then he can’t compare with me.”
Wei Jiao saw her pair of dark eyes staring at his shoulder; it wasn’t that disgusting concern or worry, but excitement, like a small beast excited at the sight of blood, wanting to pounce and bite…
“Don’t worry.” He curved his lips into a smile, “I don’t mind being injured myself, but I won’t injure vital parts, so as not to affect my ability to hurt others.”
Mo Zheng was about to say something when her gaze suddenly sharpened.
In the silent night came faint birdsong.
More than one.
Wei Jiao also instantly sat up, about to say something, but Mo Zheng turned and walked outward.
“Senior Brother, don’t move—” she shouted sharply, “Come quickly, come quickly, Captain Wei’s wound is bleeding—”
The eunuchs and imperial physicians who had been driven away by Wei Jiao and were standing outside the palace courtyard heard and rushed in hurriedly.
The quiet room became noisy. Wei Jiao was pressed down to lie by the imperial physicians. Amid the crisscrossing figures, he saw that woman disappear at the doorway—
He didn’t call out to stop her again, raised his brow, and looked toward the thick night outside.
He originally thought the matter would end just like that, but unexpectedly, the person who left came back.
Well then, going mad was not in vain.
……
……
Except for the commotion at Wei Jiao’s side, the other palace rooms were all quiet.
As a team of people entered the temporary palace, some were startled, but then greater disturbance was stopped, and the temporary palace became even quieter than before.
In the palace room, the young lady and the maidservant had both fallen into deep sleep.
The tightly closed door was gently pushed open. The person who opened it stepped aside, but the tall figure standing at the door wearing a cloak covering head and face did not step in, seeming to hesitate, but moments later lifted a foot and entered.
The bed curtain was lifted, the night light dimly illuminating the blurry face of the young girl on the bed.
This is good too; compared to daytime, he dared to look more, looking at this face similar to the familiar one in memory, but different…
The figure’s nose tingled sourly, when suddenly the young girl lying with eyes closed on the bed opened her eyes.
Their eyes met.
The hand of the person at the bedside trembled, and the bed curtain fell.
“Don’t shout—” he hurriedly said in a low voice.
But there was no scream from the woman in his ears; the young girl on the bed nimbly flipped over and got down, then knelt on the ground.
“Your subject kowtows to His Majesty.” she said.
Her voice was clear, her posture steady.
She showed no fear or shock toward the person who suddenly appeared at her bedside in the middle of the night.
Had she expected it?
The Emperor reached out to lift the hood, looking at the young girl kneeling on the ground, his face somber: “Did you know I was coming?”
Rustling sounds came from behind. The Emperor turned his head and saw that it was the maidservant also getting up and sitting.
She didn’t kneel, but sat at the bedside. Because the night light was a bit far, her face was even dimmer, unclear if she was scared stunned.
The Emperor withdrew his gaze, looking again at the young girl kneeling at the bedside.
“What do you know?” he asked in a deep voice, “Duke Ding’an, or did your mother tell you something?”
The young girl at the bedside kept her head lowered without speaking, when the maidservant’s voice came from behind.
“Your Majesty, what were you looking at just now?”
The Emperor turned his head; what was this maidservant saying? Dream talk?
As he turned his head, the young girl kneeling at the bedside suddenly stood up.
The Emperor was stunned again, watching this young girl with head lowered walk to the maidservant’s side and stand behind the maidservant.
The maidservant took out a towel and gently wiped her own face, saying: “Were you looking at what Miss Yang looks like?”
What? The Emperor’s heart shook greatly, thoughts in chaos. He looked at this maidservant; as she wiped, another face seemed to emerge on hers.
The maidservant looked at him: “See, do I look like my mother?”
The night light seemed to brighten instantly. The Emperor looked at this face, tears instantly blurring his vision.
A Tong!
A Tong!
