Chapter 173

Chapter 173 A thin gash instantly appeared on Yuezhi's pale neck, bright red blood seeping out. Many were startled. Prince Jing glanced at her coolly. "Doctor Zhao, bandage her first. Use medicine to keep her alive." "Plotting against my offspring won't earn you such an easy death." Yuezhi was dragged away with her neck covered in blood. Concubine Lu caught the scent and couldn't help but retch. Her action seemed to trigger something, and even the Princess Consort and Consort Li began to feel nauseous. Nanny Li quickly brought tea to the Princess Consort. "Princess Consort, have a few sips of tea to settle your stomach." "This place has seen blood—perhaps we should move elsewhere?" Nanny Li had meant to say it was inauspicious, but she didn't dare be presumptuous before Prince Jing. Maids and matrons were already cleaning up the bloodstains. Prince Jing saw that the assembled women looked unwell and was generous about it. "All of you, return to your own courtyards." "Yes!" The others departed, leaving only Wan Linlang still kneeling quietly on the ground. Prince Jing hadn't convicted her, but he also hadn't said she was innocent. If she simply left like this, she would carry this black mark for the rest of her life! Prince Jing glanced sidelong at her. "Is there something you wish to say?" Wan Linlang's mouth tasted bitter. "Prince, regarding the tapioca powder, this servant knows nothing at all!" "These past days, I have devoted myself entirely to accompanying Concubine Lian—walking, sitting, lying down, always together. I had no time to scheme such a harmful plot." "Moreover, I have no children and no favor... Fifth Young Master's misfortune brings me no benefit whatsoever. Why would I do such a thing?" "I beg the Prince to thoroughly investigate Yuezhi—there must be another mastermind behind that girl!" "She implicated me, likely because the person behind her bears a grudge against me and wishes to frame me!" Who in the entire rear courtyard bore a grudge against Wan Linlang? Everyone immediately thought of Fang Yuan'er. Wan Linlang's words were no longer a veiled hint but a direct accusation. Prince Jing listened, his eyes showing little reaction. "I never said you were guilty." "Go back." Only upon hearing these words did Wan Linlang breathe a sigh of relief. She added, "Then may I take Suici with me?" Prince Jing lifted his eyelids. "Since I agreed to Consort Xie's words, I naturally won't go back on my promise." "Go back and properly arrange her marriage. When the time comes, I'll have someone send her a generous gift." Suici still stood there in a daze. The sudden joy struck her dizzy. She had little experience in the world and couldn't tell whether the joy concealed good fortune or misfortune. Wan Linlang glanced at this silly girl, tugged her along to bow to Prince Jing and the Princess Consort, then led her away. By the time Spring Mountain Courtyard had finally seen off all the guests, Xie Run sat wearily in her chair, hand propped on the table as she gently massaged her brow. Dantao stepped forward attentively. "Mistress, shall I remove your hair ornaments?" She knew Xie Run always found them burdensome. Xie Run was about to agree when she heard word that Prince Jing had arrived. She had no choice but to rise and bow. Prince Jing strode in, reaching out to lift her up. "There are no outsiders now—no need for such formalities." Xie Run smiled. "Then I shall respectfully obey." With that, she rose and sat down on her own. After interrogating those two matters today, it felt like she had fought two battles—body and mind utterly exhausted. Xie Run had no energy left to put on a smiling face for Prince Jing. Prince Jing sat down, took the tea a maid handed him, and drank a large gulp before speaking. "Suisui had quite the imposing bearing today—even I felt somewhat awed, as if I'd underestimated you all along." Xie Run's smile slowly faded, her tone growing heavier. "The Prince didn't underestimate me. The Prince merely underestimated a mother." Prince Jing paused. He couldn't help but recall the scene of Xie Run coldly demanding whether Side Consort Fang dared to swear an oath. That expression, though devoid of emotion, seemed ready to grind Fang Yuan'er to bone dust and tear her apart. At the time, Prince Jing had only felt that Xie Run was unfamiliar and cold, as if she had become a different person. Now that he thought of it—a mother beast protecting her young was exactly the same. This scene stirred up a distant memory in Prince Jing. Prince Jing had always found Noble Consort Rou affected, hypocritical, and cold—treating her children merely as tools for climbing higher. But in truth, Noble Consort Rou had also possessed maternal tenderness. Just not toward him. When Prince Su was thirteen, someone had caused him to fall into water. He struck his head on a stone and fell into a coma. At that time, Noble Consort Rou, in order to uncover the true culprit, had brawled with Consort Chen before the Emperor. Later, she threw herself on the ground, wailing and carrying on, crying heart-wrenchingly... In Prince Jing's memory, that was the only time he had seen Noble Consort Rou so utterly lose composure. Xie Run's gentle voice sounded by Prince Jing's ear. "If it were I who had been harmed today, I would entrust everything to the Prince and Princess Consort, waiting for you to slowly uncover the true culprit." "But it was Taotao who was harmed... He is so young, so fragile—the slightest gust of wind could snatch him from my side." As she spoke, tears fell from Xie Run's eyes. "The Prince has been busy these past days and hasn't seen Taotao crying day and night. But I hear it every day, and it feels like someone is carving out my heart." "He's in pain, but he can't speak, so he can only cry out loud. I wished I could trade places with him... After much coaxing and soothing, I finally managed to calm him down, but the next day he refused to eat or drink again, and at night he would cry and fuss as before, crying until his voice went hoarse and his face was streaked with tears before he finally fell asleep." At some point, Xie Run was already in tears. "Sometimes I don't dare to think—was he crying until he was exhausted and fell asleep, or did he pass out from the pain?" Though Prince Jing was cold by nature, he was still human, and he bore the responsibility and duty of a father. Hearing Xie Run recount the suffering Taotao had endured these past days, his heart ached as if pierced by needles, and he felt deeply uneasy. If he felt this way, how much worse must it be for Xie Run, who had been by Taotao's side the whole time? Prince Jing's expression softened considerably as he took Xie Run's hand. "Rest assured, I will not let you and our son suffer in vain." Xie Run clasped Prince Jing's hand in return, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with moisture, brimming with trust. "Prince, I believe you!" "Whatever decision you make, I will follow." Xie Run confessed, "I was indeed furious today." "The evidence is conclusive, yet Side Consort Fang refuses to admit her guilt and even wanted to leave without a care." "Even with you presiding over the hearing, Prince, Side Consort Fang remained arrogant and insolent, speaking glibly before me, even going so far as to accuse me of negligent care, claiming that was why our child was harmed!" "She plotted against my child, yet feels not a shred of shame—instead, she dares to blame me!" Xie Run sobbed as she accused, "Prince, how can there be such an unreasonable person under heaven?" And wasn't Fang Yuan'er daring to be so unreasonable precisely because she relied on Prince Jing's favor, believing that he would back her up?! Upon hearing this, Prince Jing felt heartache for Xie Run, but also a measure of guilt. He raised his hand to wipe away her tears. "You're right. Lady Fang has indeed gone too far!" Xie Run let out a cold laugh. "I only hope Side Consort Fang takes good care of the Third Young Master, or else I will sooner or later return those words to her!"