Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Prince Jing was quite annoyed with Xie Run for her lack of initiative, always thinking she was ungrateful.

But when he returned to the mansion and heard about her being poisoned, he broke into a cold sweat.

He felt deeply remorseful.

Ning poisoned Xie Run, probably thinking she had fallen out of favor, which emboldened her to act so recklessly!

This was her usual tactic.

Prince Jing realized that his momentary pique had nearly cost Xie Run and her child their lives, and he was filled with guilt.

Not only did he go to Linxuan Pavilion, but he also made a grand show of bestowing lavish gifts on Xie Run.

A chest of jewelry and accessories, eighteen bolts of Xiangyun silk, two bolts of Shu brocade, and countless gold and silver items.

This caused many in the rear courtyard to become jealous.

"Who knows which fool did this? They failed to harm her and instead brought Concubine Xie back into favor."

"Who says she’s lucky? She had already lost favor, and now this incident brings her back into the prince’s good graces."

"Lucky? If you’re so lucky, go get poisoned yourself, and maybe the prince will favor you too."

This affair stirred up quite a bit of gossip in the rear courtyard.

But Xie Run was unaware of it.

When Prince Jing arrived, she was resting on the couch.

Her long black hair hung loose, unadorned by any hairpins, accentuating the delicate allure of her brows and eyes—like a plum blossom blooming silently in a cold, moonlit night.

He had not seen her for several days, and when Prince Jing looked at her again, his heart felt a faint pang of tenderness, filled with compassion.

"Your Highness is here!" Dan Tao, sharp-eyed, saw Prince Jing first.

Xie Run roused from her drowsiness, lifted her eyes, and looked at Prince Jing in a half-asleep state, her voice soft and drowsy.

"Your Highness?"

Before she could fully make him out, Prince Jing had already seated himself beside her.

His strong, warm hand came to rest on her cheek. "How are you? Any discomfort?"

When Prince Jing spoke, his voice was deep and gentle, making her heart flutter.

Xie Run shook her head. "I’m fine. The imperial physician said the residual poison in my body is mild; I just need to rest and recover."

Prince Jing pulled her into his arms. "Don’t worry, I’ll see that justice is done for you."

Xie Run looked up, hesitated, and asked, "Your Highness knows who wanted to harm me?"

Prince Jing didn’t tell her directly. He simply said, "This place is no longer safe for you after what happened. Move into Chunshan Courtyard."

Xie Run nodded. "I’ll do as Your Highness says."

"I’ve already sent people to help you move."

Xie Run was startled, thinking, *Isn’t this too obvious?*

Before she could say anything, Prince Jing’s eyes narrowed. "What, you don’t want to?"

Xie Run swallowed her words. "I wish to ask Your Highness for a favor."

Prince Jing was at his most tender toward Xie Run at this moment, so he was very agreeable. "Tell me."

"I want to ask Your Highness to grant me a female physician skilled in medicine. After this ordeal, I am truly frightened."

Her voice was light and clear, tinged with a pitiful fear, softening Prince Jing’s heart completely.

"That’s a small matter. I’ll have Shi An select someone for you."

Xie Run joyfully threw herself into Prince Jing’s arms.

Before, she had always been reserved and restrained, rarely showing such direct emotion.

Prince Jing was pleased, but also worried that the experience had truly frightened her.

The plain and gentle feelings between them, touched by this shock, seemed to have grown imperceptibly closer.

As they whispered intimately, Prince Jing heard Xie Run’s soft, gentle voice, "Your Highness, these past days, I’ve missed you terribly."

Prince Jing curled his lips into a smile and pretended to be stern. "Then will you come up with any more bad ideas?"

"No!" Xie Run hugged his arm and immediately acted playfully coy.

With her tender words in his ear, Prince Jing felt as if his heart were soaked in warm water, cozy and content.

A man often falls for a woman starting with pity and tenderness.

—Xiachi Courtyard

After the imperial physician left, Xiachi Courtyard fell into a dead silence.

Maidservants moved noiselessly, afraid that a single sound would anger the already distressed Concubine Fang.

Suddenly, a series of violent, harsh retching sounds were heard.

After a long time, Qiu Xiang finally broke the silence. "Mistress, if you keep vomiting like this, your body won’t be able to take it!"

Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she advised with desperate urgency, "Mistress, make a decision quickly!"

Ever since Fang Yuaner vomited blood three days ago, her condition had worsened with each passing day.

She could eat nothing, and yet she kept vomiting, the bile now streaked with blood.

The imperial physician had gently suggested that the child might not survive.

The conflict between mother and child was so severe that only one could be saved.

Fang Yuaner flew into a rage, insisting on keeping the child at all costs.

By the third day, she was emaciated as if she had suffered a serious illness, all vitality drained from her face.

Qiu Xiang’s heart shuddered at the sight!

Fang Yuaner looked gaunt, but her eyes blazed with fierce determination. "No. There’s nothing wrong with my body. Someone must be trying to harm me!"

In the original book, Fang Yuaner's pregnancy was very stable, and she gave birth naturally to a boy after a full-term pregnancy.

He became the Second Prince after Prince Jing ascended the throne!

In the book, Fang Yuaner's pregnancy was smooth and steady—why has it become so difficult for her?

It's still the same body, so it must be that someone has harmed her.

Qiu Xiang looked helpless. "Master, we've searched the Xiachi Courtyard several times, but haven't found anything unusual."

Fang Yuaner's voice was hoarse from vomiting, but she said firmly, "That means we haven't found it! Keep searching!"

Qiu Xiang was speechless.

Qiu Xiang didn't know how her master could be so sure that someone was harming her.

Even though several imperial physicians had diagnosed her symptoms as morning sickness caused by maternal-fetal disharmony.

Yet her master simply refused to believe the physicians' diagnosis.

She sighed and was about to continue ordering a search when suddenly a young maid ran in. "Shu Fei, something terrible has happened!"

Qiu Xiang glanced at her and asked gently, "What happened?"

The young maid said, "Shu Fei Xie of Linxuan Pavilion has been poisoned."

Qiu Xiang and Fang Yuaner exchanged a glance.

Qiu Xiang asked, "I heard that Shu Fei Xie was just lethargic, a common symptom among pregnant women. How could she have been harmed?"

The Princess had the evidence in hand and, with Prince Jing's approval, ordered a special interrogation of everyone around Shu Fei Ning.

This news naturally couldn't be hidden from the others in the rear courtyard.

The young maid was articulate and explained the matter clearly in no time.

"Concubine Ning bribed Old Lady Ma of Linxuan Pavilion to dissolve poison powder in water and water the flowers with it every day."

"That poison is peculiar—it doesn't affect plant growth, but it emits a strange fragrance. Inhaling it causes lethargy."

"According to the imperial physician, if one inhales it for a long time, it may affect the mind, leading to madness, and even the unborn child will not escape disaster!"

The young maid who was speaking found it shocking and listened as if to an amusing story.

But Fang Yuaner and Qiu Xiang, who were listening, broke out in a cold sweat down their backs.

Even though a charcoal brazier was burning in the room, they felt as if they were standing in a snowy wilderness, with a chill that seeped into their very bones.

Qiu Xiang shivered. "Master..."

Fang Yuaner was dazed, but suddenly remembered an event from the book.

In the original book, Fang Yuaner's pregnancy with the Second Prince was completely stable.

The one with an unstable pregnancy was Shu Fei Yun!

It was the pregnancy that Shu Fei Yun had miscarried.