Chapter 211
Gu Kun was pushed in by his attendant, speaking of presumptuousness, but his words were feigning a plea for Madam Han, "Your Highness, why bother with an ignorant woman?"
Nangong Mo let out a cold laugh, "Bother? How would I bother with a dead person!"
Instantly, Madam Han's face turned ashen, and she was so frightened she lost her voice, emitting a pungent, foul odor from beneath her skirt.
Bai Qi, disgusted, released her and drew his sword, pointing it at her head.
"No, no..."
Gu Ziran crawled over on her knees, crying and begging for mercy for her mother, Madam Han.
Nangong Mo remained unmoved.
Gu Kun waited by the side.
It was clear that Nangong Mo was angered, and appeasing his wrath with the death of a mere woman would be an excellent way to make him leave sooner.
Furthermore, this would prove to the Crown Prince that he had not surrendered to Ninth Imperial Uncle Nangong Mo.
"Wangfei! Wangfei! What is wrong with you?"
Caixia's startled cry drew everyone's attention.
Gu Qianying stumbled forward, pushing Caixia away. Her body swayed precariously, and she mumbled, "Dead, they are dead? They are all dead? How could this be! How is this possible? No! You must all be lying to me, yes, lying to me."
At this moment, Gu Qianying seemed lost in her own world, as if trapped in a maze from which she could not escape.
Everyone looked at her in fear.
"Girl, don't be like this, girl!" Nangong Mo called out to her.
Gu Qianying turned her head stiffly towards Nangong Mo, her words sounding like those of an emotionless wooden doll, "Dead? They are all dead, good, very good!"
"Girl? You..."
Nangong Mo, who had never feared anyone or anything, now looked at the near-collapsed Gu Qianying with nothing but heartache.
"Girl, don't be like this. No matter what, you still have me. I will always be by your side."
Bai Qi pushed Nangong Mo forward, and Nangong Mo reached out to grasp Gu Qianying's hand.
"Pfft!"
A mouthful of blood sprayed onto Nangong Mo's face.
Everyone was shocked.
"Wangfei!" Caixia cried out in fright.
"Qianying!"
Nangong Mo let out a low roar. The teetering figure slumped into his arms, finally losing consciousness.
"Send for the imperial physician, quickly send for the imperial physician, quickly! Hurry!"
Nangong Mo's voice trembled slightly. His usual composure was replaced by a panic he had never experienced before.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Bai Qi's figure flashed, and he hurried out.
Caixia, however, suddenly walked over, blocked him, and knelt before Nangong Mo, crying and pleading, "Your Highness, this servant implores you, please send for Ji Wuyi, Physician Ji, quickly. This servant trusts no other doctors."
Nangong Mo did not hesitate at this request and directly said, "Bai Qi, hurry and bring Ji Wuyi from the mansion. Make sure it's fast!"
Ji Wuyi was the one who treated his wife, and he was from his own mansion. He trusted this person.
A moment later,
Bai Qi, holding Ji Wuyi by the collar of his back, rushed back in.
Ji Wuyi, with a medicine box on his shoulder, had several jade bottles containing pills fall out while riding on the same horse with Bai Qi. Fortunately, the items he needed at the moment, a set of silver needles and some precious and special medicinal materials, were not lost.
"Your Highness, there are too many people here. Please move to the outer hall. Everyone else should do the same. This humble subject needs some time to administer acupuncture to the Wangfei."
"No need. I will stay here. All others, get out!"
As soon as he spoke, everyone present left with supernatural speed.
Seeing that Nangong Mo had no intention of leaving, Ji Wuyi became troubled.
He lowered his head, fell silent for a moment, and finally forced himself to say, "Your Highness, your presence here is inconvenient. Please move to the outer hall."
He looked at him with cold eyes, paused, and then said, "Alright. If anything happens, notify me. I will guard outside the hall."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Bai Qi pushed Nangong Mo to turn around.
Nangong Mo's icy voice entered Ji Wuyi's ears again, "If anything happens to her, you will bring your head to see me!"
Ji Wuyi's body trembled, his back grew cold, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Yes, Your Highness."
A moment later.
A group of people stood guard outside, in the courtyard.
Nangong Mo, pushed by Bai Qi, guarded in the outer hall. As for the Gu family, with Nangong Mo in the outer hall, none of them dared to leave and could only be scorched under the scorching sun.
In the bedroom,
Ji Wuyi looked around, then listened intently by the window before turning back and nodding to Caixia.
Caixia wiped away her tears, walked to the bedside, took out the pills wrapped in a handkerchief from her sleeve, opened them, pried open Gu Qianying's mouth, and stuffed the pills into it.
In less than half an incense stick's time,
Gu Qianying slowly opened her eyes.
Caixia helped her up and gently called out, "Wangfei, are you alright?"
Gu Qianying nodded to her, "Mm."
She got out of bed.
Caixia then took out a prepared bundle, opened it, and handed it to Gu Qianying, instructing,
"Wangfei, please be careful."
"Mm."
Inside the bundle was a set of night-blooming clothes.
Gu Qianying took it and looked up at Ji Wuyi, "Senior Brother, are you going to watch your junior sister change?"
Ji Wuyi's face instantly turned red, and he quickly turned his back.
"Junior Sister, Nangong Mo is naturally suspicious. You must return quickly."
There was no response.
Caixia covered her mouth and chuckled aside.
Ji Wuyi suddenly turned around, but Gu Qianying was nowhere to be seen. The window, through which a cool breeze was blowing, was open.
His face turned red again.
He withdrew his gaze and saw Caixia, who had changed her clothes and disguised herself as Gu Qianying, lying on the bed with her back turned, the curtains drawn.
Ji Wuyi took a deep breath, opened his medicine box, took out the silver needles, and pretended to be treating the person on the bed.
Meanwhile,
In the East Palace Main Hall,
Fine wine, delicacies, song, and dance filled the air.
Crown Prince Nangong Qi had one arm around a delicate beauty in his embrace and held a wine cup in the other. His cheeks were slightly flushed, and his greedy gaze was fixed on the dancing beauty, her alluring body reflected in his eyes like a miniature image.
The palace doors opened,
A man in red, accompanied by his subordinates, strode in.
"Guoshi, come, come, come! This Prince has joyous news to tell you."
Ouyang Qinglin sat to Nangong Qi's right, his sinister gaze falling on the beauty in Nangong Qi's arms.
"Has the Crown Prince taken in another new consort?"
Nangong Qi looked at Ouyang Qinglin and, understanding his meaning, chuckled, "Is it you? This woman is a pitiful girl whose parents are gone and who came to the capital to seek refuge. She was spotted by a eunuch from the palace who was handling affairs outside and was brought back to the palace as a laborer. Yet, this laborer has saved this Prince's life time and again. This Prince searched for her for many days and finally found her in the servant's quarters. She is so beautiful and has saved my life, so it is not unreasonable to take her into the palace as a beauty."
After his words,
Ouyang Qinglin's devilishly charming gaze remained on the woman. He looked at her for a long time and then said, "Lift your head."
The woman in Nangong Qi's arms timidly raised her head.
Beneath her delicate face were a pair of unforgettable beautiful eyes. She wore a thin rose-scented chest garment, a skirt of soft, embroidered gauze tied with a green belt, and a trailing white cicada-wing gauze cloak embroidered with plum blossoms. Her waist was like a slender willow, her shoulders as if carved, her smile charming, and her eyes bright and expressive.
"What is your name?"
"Replying... replying... to Guoshi, this lowly servant is named Meng Qier."
"Meng Qier?"
Ouyang Qinglin repeated the name.
His gaze never left the woman.
Nangong Qi, showing displeasure, pulled the woman in his arms back slightly and changed the subject, "Guoshi, I haven't told you yet, what joyous news do I have for you."
Before Ouyang Qinglin could respond, Nangong Qi continued, "Guoshi, Old General Gu and Gu Yefeng have both been burned to death. This Prince is truly overjoyed."
"Burned to death?"
Ouyang Qinglin looked at Nangong Qi, his brow furrowed, "When did this happen?"
A couple of days ago, he had rushed out of the capital to handle some important matters and had only returned today.
"It was just the day before yesterday, the prison caught fire..."
The prison caught fire?
Ouyang Qinglin's hand, holding the wine cup, suddenly tightened!