Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Helan Mingyue was willing to help her, which came as a surprise and was greatly appreciated by Yu Qizhi.

However, Pei Jing was the Empress's own nephew. Would the Empress actually help her, an outsider?

Yu Qizhi felt this approach would be futile. She pursed her lips but, seeing Helan Mingyue's resolute expression, she held back her pessimistic words.

After calming down, Helan Mingyue also thought that this matter might need further discussion. But since she had promised Yu Qizhi, she carefully relayed the situation to Empress Meng upon returning to the palace.

The Empress told Helan Mingyue not to interfere in this matter anymore.

The next day, Empress Meng summoned Yu Qizhi to the palace.

A palace attendant led Yu Qizhi into the hall, where Empress Meng offered her a seat.

The Empress observed her and complimented how beautiful Yu Qizhi looked wearing those carnelian earrings, saying that indeed, fine jewelry must be paired with a person of beauty. She then mentioned Yu Qizhi's aunt who was recuperating at the medical clinic.

Her words subtly reminded Yu Qizhi that all these things happened after her marriage to Pei Jing.

The Empress warned Yu Qizhi to live well with Pei Jing and said that if what the Crown Princess said was true, she would personally restrain Pei Jing's behavior.

Soon after, the Empress's personal maid approached to request that the Empress rest.

The one-sided conversation between the Empress and Yu Qizhi thus ended. "Qingyan truly cherishes you," the Empress said to Yu Qizhi.

Yu Qizhi knelt to thank the Empress for her grace.

Exiting the Empress's chambers, the warm afternoon sun shone on her face, leaving Yu Qizhi feeling somewhat lost.

She did not want to return to Pei Jing's residence, yet she had no idea where else to go.

"Madam Yu, Concubine Li requests your presence."

Just as she was about to leave the inner palace, an elderly woman dressed as a palace maid suddenly stopped her.

Concubine Li... the mother of the Fourth Prince and Princess Xiangle. Yu Qizhi did not particularly want to see her.

She had never met Concubine Li before. Why would Concubine Li suddenly want to see her?

Yu Qizhi voiced her confusion aloud.

"Concubine Li understands your predicament. She says she might be able to help you, but you need to come see her first," Xi Niang patiently explained.

...

Inside the Sweet Spring Palace, Yu Qizhi did not find Concubine Li.

Instead, she encountered the same palace maid named Xi Niang and an elderly physician.

"Feign death...?"

Yu Qizhi repeated the escape method that Xi Niang had just mentioned.

She wondered whether she could trust the people before her.

"Madam Yu, the choice is yours," Xi Niang said:

"You can leave now. Just remember that you never came to the Sweet Spring Palace and never heard this method from me."

Yu Qizhi paused, feeling a bitter smile within her heart.

Whether or not she had come to Concubine Li's Sweet Spring Palace, Pei Jing would surely find out.

It seemed that ever since Yu Qizhi returned to the Yu residence with her aunt, she had lost all freedom to make choices.

The elderly physician mentioned that they would first use acupuncture to nourish her heart meridian without harming her body. Only then, after taking a pill, could she achieve the desired effect of appearing dead.

Yu Qizhi hesitated for a moment before extending her wrist to the physician.

Everyone in the hall understood; Yu Qizhi had made her decision.

The golden needle pierced her skin, drawing a large drop of blood. Yu Qizhi winced in pain.

The elderly physician discreetly caught the blood droplet in a bowl of water and chuckled. "I'm old and my eyesight is failing. Let my apprentice administer the acupuncture to Madam Yu."

The physician's apprentice stepped forward and apologized to Yu Qizhi.

Xi Niang took the bowl of water into Concubine Li's inner chamber.

Despite Xi Niang's objections, Concubine Li quickly removed her hairpin, pricked her fingertip, and, enduring the pain, dropped her blood into the bowl of water.

She held her breath for a few moments. Her blood merged with Yu Qizhi's.

Concubine Li was stunned for a moment, then pressed down her joy. "Quickly bring another bowl of water!"

Xi Niang showed hesitation but complied under Concubine Li's urging.

Concubine Li pricked her finger again and tested her blood against that of her personal maidservant and eunuch.

None of the blood droplets merged.

"She really is my treasure!" Concubine Li murmured, walking briskly out of the inner chamber.

Truly, it was heaven's blessing. Her treasure was alive and had returned to her side.

Once Yu Qizhi feigned death, there would be no more Yu Qizhi in the world. Her treasure would return to her side as Princess Yuan, enjoying the honor due to a princess.

Immersed in sudden shock and joy, Concubine Li did not notice the strange expression on Xi Niang's face beside her.

In the outer hall, the acupuncture session had concluded.

"Your Highness."

Seeing Concubine Li, Yu Qizhi hesitantly rose to her feet. Just as she was about to bow, she was already supported by Concubine Li.

The moment their skin touched, a warm current-like sensation arose.

For some reason, although Concubine Li was the mother of the Fourth Prince, Yu Qizhi instinctively felt that this person would not harm her, and even... felt very warm.

"Your Highness, why... why are you helping me?" Yu Qizhi still harbored confusion and bewilderment over Concubine Li's actions.

Concubine Li was also looking at the person before her.

Yu Qizhi's face was extremely delicate, with clear eyes and lips slightly pursed as she tried to remain composed. Concubine Li felt that Yu Qizhi looked very much like someone from their family.

For twenty years, Bao'er appeared in her dreams as the same sweet and adorable little baby.

So this is what her Bao'er would look like grown up.

The joy of finding what was lost intertwined with feelings of guilt, Concubine Li gradually calmed down.

"I feel close to you and just wanted to help you," Concubine Li smiled faintly and said, "I always feel... if my little daughter grew up, she would be just like you."

Thinking about the potential resistance to restoring Yu Qizhi's identity, Concubine Li decided to keep it a secret from Yu Qizhi for now.

...

Xi Niang, following orders, escorted Yu Qizhi out of the Sweet Spring Palace and then immediately turned around and left the palace to inform the Fourth Prince.

At dusk, after meeting with Concubine Li, the Fourth Prince returned to his residence from the palace, seething with anger. To vent his frustration, he punished dozens of servants one after another, and cries of pain echoed outside the hall.

The favored concubine pouring wine for him trembled, accidentally spilling some of the wine outside the cup.

"What are you afraid of?" The Fourth Prince gripped the concubine's chin, squinting his eyes, exuding a dangerous aura that made those around him shudder involuntarily.

Suddenly, he slapped the concubine he usually doted on across the face and shouted:

"Get out of here too!"

The concubine covered her swollen cheek, trembling and sobbing as she ran out of the hall.

"Fourth Brother." Princess Xiangle walked briskly into the hall, passing by the crying concubine.

Xiangle was used to such scenes.

"Forth Brother, the leopard you gave me is really amazing; today it helped me hunt a deer and a fox," Xiangle chattered beside the Fourth Prince, "Tomorrow I'll send them to the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau to make cloaks and scarves for you and Concubine Li, okay?"

"Xiangle, you're thoughtful," the Fourth Prince's face was grim, even the mole at the corner of his eye seemed gloomy.

Xiangle was somewhat afraid of this Fourth Brother.

"Forth Brother... did you have an argument with Concubine Li?"

Despite her fear, Xiangle tried to persuade him, "When I went there earlier, Concubine Li was crying so sadly in the palace."

"Forth Brother, don't stay angry with Concubine Li anymore..."

"How do you find the young master of the Zhao family?" the Fourth Prince suddenly interrupted Xiangle.

Xiangle fell silent, her mouth pouting, expressing her dissatisfaction without words.

The Fourth Prince spoke coldly, "By the end of the year, you will marry Zhao Jiming, and you can no longer act recklessly."

The Zhao family was a rare family of integrity in the court, and due to the ancestral marriage agreement between the Zhao and Li families, the young master of the Zhao family did not hold a grudge against Xiangle for the incident she caused not long ago.

"Forth Brother! What do you see in Zhao Jiming?" Xiangle grumbled in discontent, "Of the six arts of a gentleman, which one can he excel in?"

Forth Brother could choose anyone else for her, but Zhao Jiming was nothing more than a pretty face; she saw nothing else worth admiring in him!

As the youngest and most pampered child of the Zhao family, Zhao Jiming was born with a congenital leg condition.

Although the Zhao family's influence allowed them to treat him with renowned doctors from all over since childhood, and he could walk normally without any visible limp, he was not particularly adept at activities like horseback riding or hunting.

Xiangle was quite dissatisfied and blurted out without thinking,

"I think he's not even as good as Pei Jing!"

With a loud crash, the Fourth Prince smashed the wine cup beside him, scattering porcelain shards everywhere.

Xiangle realized she might have said something wrong and quickly fled before her Fourth Brother could lash out at her.

Pei Jing...

Yu Qizhi! Yu Qizhi!

The Fourth Prince's eyes darkened as he stared at the shattered pieces on the ground.

Back when the Li family collaborated with the Emperor to eliminate the Su family, the Emperor's attitude wavered at the last moment. To force the Emperor's hand and solidify the accusation of rebellion against the Su family, the infant Princess Yuan had to "die" in the chaos of battle.

If Yu Qizhi truly is his sister, truly is Princess Yuan, then Yu Qizhi must die.

The Emperor had only recently softened towards him because of Princess Yuan's memorial day, and stopped mentioning sending him to his fiefdom.

Years of planning and painstaking effort could not be undone by the reappearance of Princess Yuan.

...

The Fourth Prince was seven years old that year.

The moment the Fourth Prince heeded his uncle's incitement and carried his younger sister, who was still sound asleep by their mother's bedside, out to hand her over to someone else, everything was already predetermined.

There was no turning back for him.