Chapter 102

 

Of the four Hua Yang’s close maids, Chao Yue was the strongest and bravest, and was the easiest to calm down when encountering an accident.

Like when they were in Lingzhou, Chen Jingzong went out hunting for the first time and jumped over the wall before returning. Only Chao Yue heard the sound and thought it was a thief. After the shock, she immediately ran to the kitchen to pick up a kitchen knife.

Not to mention she was the only one among the four who knew how to swim.

After following the princess and falling into the ice, Chao Yue panicked for a while, then held her breath and tried to find the princess.

But it was too dark under the water. Chao Yue saw a shadow swimming over, and what she caught in her arms was just the princess’s heavy cloak after being soaked in water.

Then Chen Jingzong jumped down.

Seeing that the prince consort rescued the princess, Chao Yue quickly pulled her cloak out of the water and climbed onto the relatively solid ice next to her.

Seeing that she could save herself, Chen Jingzong immediately picked up Hua Yang and went ashore. He grabbed the robe he took off and wrapped Hua Yang tightly.

Chao Yun’s screams and calls for help alerted the two patrolling eunuchs.

Knowing that the person who fell into the water was Princess Hua Yang, a young eunuch immediately took off his robe and helped the shivering Chao Yue put it on.

Chao Yue couldn’t care less about herself. When she saw prince consort carrying the princess on his back and running towards Qifeng Palace, she asked Chao Yun to report to the emperor while she chased after the prince consort. It was so dark, and prince consort was unfamiliar with the palace, she was afraid that he would get lost.

Hua Yang, who was lying on Chen Jingzong’s back, was almost wrapped into a ball by him, with her hair completely covered and only her eyes exposed.

She was so cold that she only knew that Chen Jingzong was carrying her. He was running too fast, and jolting on top of his shoulders, everything in front of her eyes were shaking.

In the end, all Hua Yang could see was the swaying lanterns connected in a line.

All the way to the Qifeng Palace, the palace servant they met on the way were divided into three waves. One wave went to the imperial hospital to call the imperial doctor, another wave went to the water room to fetch hot water, and the other wave went to the kitchen to make ginger soup.

In the inner hall, Chen Jingzong did not allow anyone to come in but also did not close the door. He rushed to the bed and roughly pulled off Hua Yang’s wet clothes and stuffed the person into the bed. Because the emperor and the others would definitely arrive later, Chen Jingzong helped Hua Yang put on a middle coat as quickly as possible, and then he hugged her with the quilt, and kept rubbing her shoulders and back with his hands.

Hua Yang couldn’t stop shaking, and her tears fell uncontrollably. She tremblingly persuaded him: “You also go and get a quilt to wrap yourself up. I’m fine.”

She felt uncomfortable for herself, and also felt uncomfortable for Chao Yue and Chen Jingzong. If it hadn’t been for her, neither of them would have had to suffer this misfortune.

But they were all the people closest to her. Tonight, she put herself in danger, and they were the only ones she could trust and use.

Chen Jingzong lowered his head and saw her pale face covered with tears.

After three years of marriage, she only really cried on the night when she just arrived in Lingzhou and accepted him inexplicably. She was usually so proud that her neck could not be bend, how could she ever show weakness?

“If you really care about me, you won’t jump into ice holes in the middle of winter.” He rubbed the quilt fiercely. His hair and eyelashes, which were also wet by the lake water, were already covered with a layer of frost, but his eyes were burning with anger.

Hua Yang was too cold and thought he was just blaming herself for being “playful and reckless” and didn’t think much about it.

There was a noise outside, and the crown prince was the first to rush in. He was thirteen years old. Regardless of his age, he had practiced martial arts and exercised his body. He ran hard and left Emperor Jingshun and Empress Qi behind, who were all dressed in complicated clothes.

“Sister!”

The crown prince rushed to the bed anxiously panting.

Hua Yang, who was wrapped in a brocade quilt with only her face exposed, shed more tears when she saw her brother close at hand.

She had too many things on her mind, but even though she had two families, there was no one she could talk to. A slight mistake on either side may affect the overall situation later.

If there was no better way, why should she risk herself?

Hua Yang was a pampered princess. She didn’t even want to walk on muddy dirt road when the flood came. She suffered such a big misfortune tonight, her body was cold and she felt aggrieved!

If her father emperor was not lustful, if her brother would not be confused in the future, she would still be the carefree and noble princess.

She trusted Chen Jingzong, but the crown prince, father emperor, and mother empress were family member who were connected to her by blood. When facing her family, it was easier for her grievances to be magnified.

When Emperor Jingshun and Empress Qi arrived later, they saw their daughter crying her eyes out.

With just one look, Emperor Jingshun’s heart was about to break. When had his daughter, whom he had loved since childhood, cried like this?

“What’s going on? How could you fall into the water?”

At a loss, Emperor Jingshun asked with red eyes.

Chen Jingzong gave up the position next to Hua Yang to Empress Qi, knelt down and apologized: “It’s this minister who failed to take good care of the princess. Asking Your Majesty to please punish.”

Chao Yun and Chao Yue had already knelt down on the side.

As soon as everyone’s eyes fell on Chen Jingzong, Hua Yang explained: “Father, it has nothing to do with Prince Consort. It was me who ran out to play on the ice on a whim, even Chao Yue couldn’t stop it. In order to protect me, she followed me, but we fell into the water together. Fortunately, I sent Chao Yun to call Prince Consort before, and he came in time to save me. If he came a step later, Daughter may never be able to see you again!”

Because of those complicated emotions, Hua Yang’s tears fell easily, without any need to pretend.

Empress Qi interrogated Chao Yun and Chao Yue again and confirmed that what her daughter said was true, and that she did not specifically try to exonerate the three of them. Empress Qi quickly said to Chen Jingzong: “Prince Consort, please go to the side hall to rest, don’t get sick. ”

The emperor and empress were both here, so Chen Jingzong had no chance to say anything to Hua Yang. He looked at her, bowed and left.

Emperor Jingshun felt sorry for his daughter, and was a little angry at Chao Yue who failed to dissuade his daughter. But seeing Chao Yue kneeling over there shivering in a little eunuch’s clothes, this maid who had been with his daughter for more than ten years, Emperor Jingshun also couldn’t bear to punish anything more, so Chao Yue also retreated.

Hua Yang leaned in her mother’s arms and felt even more complicated when she saw this scene.

Her father emperor, apart from being too lustful and pushing many things to the cabinet, was really a good emperor in other aspects.

The palace maid brought over ginger soup.

The large bowl was full to the brim, and Hua Yang drank it all under the watchful eyes of her father emperor, mother empress, and younger brother.

“Did you send it to Prince Consort over there?” Empress Qi asked.

“It has been sent.”

Hua Yang added: “Give Chao Yue a bowl as well.”

After drinking the ginger soup, she had to see the imperial doctor, and after seeing the imperial doctor, she also had to take a bath. After all of that was done, Hua Yang drank another bowl of medicine, and after receiving some care from her father emperor, and mother empress, she turned off the light and fell asleep.

.

The princess could stay in the palace, but the prince consort was not eligible.

Chen Jingzong changed into an imperial robe, put on a large cloak given by the emperor, and followed his father and mother out of the palace.

They couldn’t say much in the palace. After leaving the palace, Chen Tingjian asked his son to ride in the carriage with them.

“What happened? How is the Princess doing now?” asked Sun shi anxiously.

Chen Jingzong lowered his eyes and said: “Too playful, and fell into the ice. There are so many imperial doctors guarding her, so it should not be a serious issue.”

Chen Tingjian stared at his son: “The Princess is not a playful person.”

A sneer appeared on Chen Jingzong’s face, he looked at him and said, “If she hadn’t gone to the ice for fun, who would have dared to push her? Or do you suspect that I pushed her on purpose?”

When Sun shi heard this, she quickly glared at her husband: “The Princess fell into the water, the Old Four was also frightened. Stop thinking so wildly!”

Of course Chen Tingjian would not suspect that his son pushed the princess. He just felt that something was wrong, but he really couldn’t find any other reason that could cause the princess to fall into the water.

Sun shi was very worried. It was such a cold day and the princess was such a delicate person…

It was just that her husband and son’s faces were so ugly, Sun shi didn’t want to say it out loud and make the father and son more anxious.

Early the next morning, Chen Tingjian, Chen Bozong, and Chen Jingzong were going to the morning court. Sun shi, along with Yu Xiu and Luo Yuyan, also came to the palace to ask to see the princess.

Every year at the end of the year or the beginning of the year, the court would hold a court meeting. No matter how worried Emperor Jingshun about his daughter, he had to come to court.

It stands to reason that at the first court meeting of the new year, the emperor and the ministers should be in high spirits as a good omen.

But every minister today could clearly see that Emperor Jingshun looked haggard and absent-minded.

As soon as the morning court was over, Chen Tingjian and Chen Jingzong rushed to Emperor Jingshun to inquire about the princess’s condition.

Emperor Jingshun sighed.

On the side, Eunuch Ma said sadly: “The princess caught the wind cold, and she has nightmare in the middle of the night. When the Princess was suffering, His Majesty didn’t sleep well all night as well.”

Chen Tingjian immediately knelt down and blamed his family for not protecting the princess.

Chen Jingzong also knelt down.

If Hua Yang was out of the palace, Emperor Jingshun would of course be angry with the Chen family, but his daughter falling into the water in the palace, which was purely an accident caused by a moment of playfulness. How could Emperor Jingshun lose his temper with the Chen family? He was not a foolish monarch.

“Get up, Cabinet Elder should go take care of your official duties, and Prince Consort will go with Zhen to visit the Princess.”

In this way, Emperor Jingshun brought Chen Jingzong to Qifeng Palace.

Chen Jingzong saw Chao Lu, Chao Lan, Wu Run from the Princess Mansion, and several kind-faced little eunuchs who had arrived early in the morning.

These were all the old people around Hua Yang. As for Sun shi‘s mother-in-law and daughters-in-law, they have left after just visiting.

Empress Qi and the crown prince were also there.

Hua Yang was lying on the bed, her cheeks were flushed with the common blush caused by illness, her nose was stuffy, and there was shadowy blue under her eyes.

Chen Jingzong stood behind Emperor Jingshun. When he saw Hua Yang like this, he pursed his lips and looked at her with concern, but he seemed to not know how to speak because the emperor and the crown prince were there.

Empress Qi was considerate of her son-in-law and said to Emperor Jingshun: “We can come to see Hua Yang at any time. Now let’s let Prince Consort talk to her.”

Emperor Jingshun nodded, but as if he had forgotten about it, he sat on the edge of the bed and delayed for a cup of tea before finally following Empress Qi and her son.

Hua Yang sent Wu Run, who was guarding one side of the screen, a meaningful glance.

Wu Run also took Chao Lu and the others to retreat.

Chen Jingzong sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch Hua Yang’s forehead.

He was full of vigour, and his palms were very warm in the winter, but now he was burned by Hua Yang’s forehead.

He retracted his hand and looked at her for a long time before asking, “Did you have nightmares at night?”

Hua Yang: “Well, I dreamed that I fell into the water and no one came to save me.”

In fact, she lied. The nightmare was all an act, as she deliberately wanted to upset her father emperor. He loved her so much, and if she didn’t recover from her illness, he would be in no mood for the palace draft.

At this point, Hua Yang didn’t feel any guilt for deceiving her father. Who made him so lustful that he died because of that!

Hua Yang was just felt guilty for the other people who really care about her, such as her mother empress, brother, Chen Jingzong, parents-in-law, etc.

The nightmare was fake, but the cold was real. Not only was her nose blocked, but her voice was also hoarse.

No matter how angry Chen Jingzong was, he would not settle the score with her at this time.

“Can you tell His Majesty to let me stay in the palace?” Chen Jingzong touched her red face and asked.

Hua Yang smiled: “It’s simple. You become a eunuch and you can stay in the palace as long as you want.”

Chen Jingzong:…

The author has something to say:

Emperor Jingshun: Prince Consort is so affectionate. Zhen will help you!

Old Four: No, I will retreat immediately.

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