Chapter 173: A Strange Feeling
“Our young lady is looking after Captain Wei, and His Majesty is concerned about Captain Wei, so he sent me to report back.”
Yang Luo explained to Princess Pingcheng.
After a strange and absurd thought flashed through her mind, Princess Pingcheng also guessed this reason.
“How is Wei Jiao’s injury?” she asked.
At that time in the hunting ground, she had arrived late, and then she was called to recount the events, so she only knew that Wei Jiao had been wounded by a crossbow bolt while trying to control the startled horse, and afterward she had followed the Emperor and Empress back to the palace without personally going to see him.
“The arrowhead was successfully removed, but it needs careful nursing, or else that arm will be ruined.” Yang Luo said.
That was indeed a severe injury; no wonder Father Emperor was so concerned. No matter what, it would be such a pity for such a handsome young man to lose an arm.
“My palace has delicacies sent by Grandfather.” Princess Pingcheng said, instructing the palace maid, “You take A Sheng to fetch them, and have her bring them to Wei Jiao.”
Her palace maid acknowledged, lifting her chin slightly with some arrogance toward Yang Luo before turning and leaving.
But Yang Luo did not follow.
Princess Pingcheng was slightly stunned, looking at this maidservant…
“Oh, Your Highness, please go in quickly.” The Chief Eunuch urged, “His Majesty is waiting for you.”
With that, he directed the eunuchs again.
“Go see if there’s anything else to bring, and have Miss Asheng take it over together.”
The eunuchs responded in a chaotic jumble.
The Chief Eunuch urged again: “Princess, please enter quickly.”
Princess Pingcheng glanced at the palace maid, signaling her to fetch it herself, then no longer lingered and went inside.
“Father Emperor—how are you feeling today?”
She stepped into the hall, instinctively looking back before entering the door, and saw the Chief Eunuch leading the maidservant A Sheng toward the side hall.
“…Miss Asheng, please wait here… Try the sweet porridge and see if it suits your taste…”
Sweet porridge—that wasn’t specially prepared for her by Father Emperor?
Princess Pingcheng frowned slightly.
It felt strange.
“Pingcheng.” The Emperor’s voice came from ahead, “You’ve arrived.”
Princess Pingcheng withdrew her gaze, raised a smiling face, and strode inside: “Father Emperor, how are you feeling today? Better, right?”
……
…..
“Miss Yang’s maidservant entered the palace to see His Majesty?”
Although still under house arrest in Imperial Consort Li’s Palace, Imperial Consort Li immediately learned the news.
The palace maid nodded: “Yes, she said it was to report on Wei Jiao’s injury condition.”
At this point, she couldn’t help adding.
“But with imperial physicians and eunuchs there, His Majesty could ask them. What could he learn from a maidservant of Miss Yang from Duke Ding’an’s Mansion?”
“Although it’s said that Miss Yang is looking after Wei Jiao, that Miss Yang is ill herself, and with the distinction between men and women, she would just put on a show. What could she know about Wei Jiao’s injury condition?”
“This matter is strange.”
Imperial Consort Li leaned by the windowside doing calligraphy, her expression focused, but the smile at the corner of her mouth grew even stronger.
This matter wasn’t strange, because what the Emperor was inquiring about wasn’t Wei Jiao, but Miss Yang.
Thinking of this, Imperial Consort Li couldn’t help exhaling long and deeply.
Because of the house arrest, she hadn’t been able to come out for this festival, but she had spent it feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
Because all the news that came was good.
To avoid seeing Miss Yang, the Empress had His Majesty cancel the festival palace banquet and hold a hunting banquet at the temporary palace instead—what of it? Miss Yang still attended, and not only attended, but had seen the Emperor.
Although afterward it seemed the Emperor treated her no differently than before, without giving Miss Yang an extra glance, but…
It was different, different.
Miss Yang had been left at the temporary palace, not sent back to Duke Ding’an’s Mansion to be locked up.
The Emperor’s Chief Eunuch had gone to the temporary palace in the middle of the night to visit.
Miss Yang’s maidservant had even been invited into the imperial palace to see His Majesty.
Thinking of this, Imperial Consort Li couldn’t help setting down her brush and pacing a few steps, her expression agitated. She was certain the Emperor already knew that this Miss Yang was his daughter.
Imperial Consort Li took a deep breath and looked toward the direction of the Emperor’s sleeping quarters.
However, it seemed the Emperor still had no intention of announcing his daughter’s matter to everyone.
That was normal too.
Announcing it publicly would embarrass the Emperor, and he didn’t want to fall out with the Chai Clan over it.
He had endured the death of one Yang Tong.
Once this daughter died too, could the Emperor still endure?
“Go have Brother come over.” Imperial Consort Li instructed the palace maid, “After the sixteenth, classes at the National Academy will resume, and Wuyang’s homework has fallen behind. Have him come teach her properly, so she doesn’t embarrass herself again at the National Academy.”
The palace maid acknowledged and withdrew.
……
…..
Carrying various rare tonics from the Emperor and delicacies from the princess, Yang Luo did not head straight back to the temporary palace. She first detoured to the alley to visit Liu Chan, telling her not to worry about Miss Yang, and then, passing the street market, went to a restaurant to select some dishes to take away.
When led to the waiting room, the old man smiled and stood: “It seems Miss Yang has achieved her wish this time.”
Yang Luo sat down and raised an eyebrow: “What does Mister know?”
Previously, these people had sought out Zhang Sheng You and others for news, and Yang Luo had told them to come to the temporary palace to see her, but of course they hadn’t shown up.
So where had they gotten their information?
“Seeing Miss Asheng so happy, I know everything.” The old man only smiled and said, “With your assistance, how could that Miss Yang’s startled horse incident be in vain.”
Nice words. Yang Luo smiled, then lightly sighed: “But it’s not fully achieved yet, after all, she is still Miss Yang.”
“Although still bearing Miss Yang’s name, in reality she already has the demeanor of a princess.” The old man smiled and said, then added, “Just look at Miss Asheng’s outing to know.”
Yang Luo could no longer hide her pride, her eyebrows dancing as she lowered her voice: “Our young master said that although the name is not rightful, the necessary bearing must be shown first.”
The old man raised his hand in flattery: “The young master is wise.” Then solemnly said, “If you need our assistance, please have the young master instruct us without fail.”
Yang Luo nodded arrogantly: “Of course, of course.”
……
……
When Yang Luo returned to the temporary palace, dusk had already fallen. Mo Zheng was sitting indoors eating dinner and hurriedly invited her to join upon seeing her.
Yang Luo was somewhat surprised: “Why didn’t you go accompany Wei Jiao?”
Ever since the Emperor’s order for Miss Yang to look after Wei Jiao, Mo Zheng had been eating three meals a day over there with him.
In fact, even before the Emperor said it, Mo Zheng had often been there with Wei Jiao.
Suddenly seeing her eating here felt a bit unaccustomed.
“Yesterday he wouldn’t let me look or ask, so I’d better not disturb him, lest I be disliked.” Mo Zheng said, raising an eyebrow at Yang Luo, “Miss Yang has a temper too.”
Yang Luo laughed and sat down: “From entering the imperial palace to exiting the city gate, there were probably five groups of people tailing me.”
Mo Zheng nodded: “There are two groups near the temporary palace here.”
“Are they from those people?” Yang Luo said, recounting her meeting with the old man, “I saw they seemed to really know something.”
Mo Zheng frowned slightly: “Guessing, probably. The people outside the temporary palace are all very cautious and haven’t approached.”
This was a royal palace, after all.
Yang Luo acknowledged, then asked: “Did anyone come to the temporary palace today?”
“Yes, early in the morning servants from Wei Jiao’s family came to visit him, and he scolded them and drove them away.” Mo Zheng said, then smiled again, “Duke Ding’an and the eldest young master also came, seemingly to reprimand me. I made them stand at the palace gate for half a day, and they left on their own.”
Yang Luo sneered. Ever since the incident, they had ignored everything, and now they came to reprimand—truly heartless. Suddenly her smile froze, and she stood up.
“A Sheng.” She looked at Mo Zheng and said softly, “The servants from Wei Jiao’s family must have seen my uncle and cousin standing at the palace gate, right?”
No matter what, Duke Ding’an and his son were relatives and elders, yet blocked outside the palace gate by Miss Yang—indeed…
“Although still bearing Miss Yang’s name, in reality she already has the demeanor of a princess.”
The old man’s voice echoed in her ears again.
Although the old man had later added that it was because she had been escorted by eunuchs on her outing.
But she still inexplicably felt something was off.
This was her intuition.
Mo Zheng’s expression tightened as she looked at Yang Luo: “You said before, how did I die in that life?”
The imperial court had sent Duke Yongwu to lead troops, but never succeeded. In the end, Longxi Great General Wei Cui acted, forcing the Yun Ling bandits into a gorge, and with heavy snow falling, most froze and starved to death, and they were completely eradicated.
Longxi Great General Wei Cui.
