Chapter 249

Chapter 249

The moment Fang Yuaner issued her invitation, Prince Jing went to Songya Courtyard.

This was way off!

Xie Run sat up straight, her smile dimming a bit as her eyes dropped while she mulled it over.

To be honest, Fang Yuaner no longer had much leverage to make Prince Jing bow to her will.

She'd already "invented" everything she could.

Unless she came up with something truly substantial—like gunpowder or engineering equipment.

But she wouldn't do that.

Everything Fang Yuaner had invented so far was just a copy of what she'd invented in the original script.

In the original script, she never invented gunpowder or heavy machinery... so this Fang Yuaner wouldn't have that skill either.

Xie Run's mind jumped to a second possibility—prophecy.

She turned to Dan Tao and said, "Get people to keep their ears to the ground. Report back the second anything comes up."

Suddenly, a weight landed on her leg.

Xie Run looked down and saw Tao Tao, bundled up like a ball, hugging her leg, cooing sweetly, "Mother!"

Xie Run's heart melted. She scooped him up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Be a good boy and walk two more laps."

Even though she was worried about Fang Yuaner, Xie Run didn't hurry back. She stayed with Tao Tao first.

After a while of kite flying, Tao Tao got tired.

Xie Run carried him for a bit as she walked.

Dan Tao chimed in with a chuckle, "Ma'am, the wind's still cold out here. Maybe we should put the little master's hat on to keep the chill off."

Xie Run halted and said to Dan Tao, "Here, help me get it on him."

"This little chubster's not light—my arms are killing me from carrying him."

The maids nearby giggled and offered to take Tao Tao off her hands.

Dan Tao stepped up and pulled the hood of Tao Tao's little cloak over his head.

Just as she was fastening the strings, Chun Juan beside her suddenly cried out, "Master, watch out!"

Everyone looked up and saw two black roof tiles tumbling down from above.

Dan Tao and Xiao Shu both instinctively lunged to shield Xie Run.

There was a clatter, a yelp of pain, and broken porcelain scattered across the ground.

Xie Run hit the ground. She checked Tao Tao first to make sure he was okay, then looked at the others.

Scanning around, she saw no blood—only Chun Juan and Yueya'er clutching themselves and yelping in pain.

Seeing no one had taken a hit to the head, Xie Run breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

She immediately ordered, "Get inside and see if anyone's in there!"

"And tell the maids and matrons around here to keep their eyes peeled!"

The sharp-eyed young maids had already dashed inside, scouring the place.

If she'd taken one more step forward while holding Tao Tao, those tiles could've hit her right in the head.

There's no way that was just a coincidence.

Xie Run didn't buy it for a second, and anger started to simmer inside her.

"Chun Juan, Yueya'er, where'd you get hit?"

"Don't move for now. Go get the house physician to check you out—don't want to make anything worse by moving around."

At Xie Run's words, the two of them froze in place.

Chun Juan clutched his back and said, "I just took a hit to the back, but it shouldn't be too bad..."

That's what he said, but with him wincing like that, it was clear he was hurt worse than he let on.

Dan Tao gave an awkward smile and said, "I didn't get hit, but I twisted my ankle scrambling."

Xie Run eyed the broken tiles on the ground, her mind racing through possibilities.

The young maids soon came running back, all shaking their heads.

"Ma'am, we searched all of Chunlin Courtyard and didn't find a soul."

Once the shock wore off, Xiao Shu quickly pulled herself together. "Ma'am, Chunlin Courtyard was just renovated a few days ago. If someone set a trap, they probably messed with it during the renovation."

Xie Run looked at the tiles and said, "If it wasn't the renovation crew, then someone was definitely up there just now."