Since she was under house arrest and injured anyway, Wei Dongling simply stayed in bed and refused to get up. She even skipped the morning greeting to the Empress Dowager.
Plum Blossom watched helplessly as the Fifth Princess looked dejected and stubbornly refused to drink the decoction. She felt a twinge of regret in her heart. If she had known this, she shouldn't have told the princess about the Xiliang matter yesterday. It only made her sad.
Before long, a maid outside came to announce that Noble Lady Shu was here. Wei Dongling quickly put on her clothes and told the maid to let her in.
Seeing that Wei Dongling was about to get out of bed, Noble Lady Shu quickly waved her hand and said, "I heard that you're not feeling well, so I came to check on you. Lie down. I'll feel your pulse."
Hearing this, Wei Dongling obediently lay down. She glanced back at Plum Blossom and signaled her to take the others out. After the bedroom door was closed, Wei Dongling grabbed Noble Lady Shu's hand and whispered, "Do you blame me for what happened that day?"
Noble Lady Shu had been eager to save her and had not hesitated to be demoted in order to testify that the Tenth Prince had attacked her. But after Wei Dongling regained consciousness, she had been forced to deny it in front of everyone. Noble Lady Shu must have been sad.
Noble Lady Shu smiled faintly and said, "I was really confused at first, but later I understood your helplessness. I didn't take it to heart."
"Thank you!" Wei Dongling felt a sudden surge of emotion.
Noble Lady Shu whispered, "I heard about the marriage alliance with Xiliang. I was worried that you might be sad, so I came to keep you company for a while."
Wei Dongling felt sad and sighed helplessly. "Father seems to ignore my feelings. He's quite satisfied with the proposal from the Prince of Xiliang. I don't know what to do."
Noble Lady Shu gently let go of Wei Dongling's wrist and fell silent. She knew that Yu Zixi was deeply in love with Wei Dongling. If he knew that the Emperor wanted to marry the Fifth Princess to Xiliang, he would be heart - broken.
Wei Dongling leaned against the head of the bed with a tired look on her face. She was secretly thinking that if the Emperor really intended to marry her off, she had to find a way to escape.
Noble Lady Shu sighed and said, "Go and visit the Empress Dowager more often. Maybe you can ask her to put in a good word for you in front of the Emperor."
Wei Dongling nodded. Although she didn't know if it would be useful to ask the Empress Dowager, it was the only thing she could do for the time being.
Noble Lady Shu looked at Wei Dongling's complexion and said in a low voice, "There's nothing abnormal in your pulse, but what caused you to faint yesterday?"
Wei Dongling felt a bit numb on her scalp. "I don't know what's going on. Since I returned to the palace, I've had occasional palpitations. When I get anxious, I'll have an attack. I don't know why."
Noble Lady Shu whispered, "Half a year ago, the Emperor stayed in my place one night. He also had a palpitation attack in the middle of the night."
Wei Dongling felt dizzy. She stared in shock and asked, "Father has the same problem? Why haven't I heard anyone mention it?"
Noble Lady Shu replied, "After that, the Emperor forbade me to tell anyone. You mustn't say a word either. I'm a bit worried. Although the Emperor's pulse seems normal, if these attacks happen frequently, he may have been poisoned."
Wei Dongling's face turned ugly. If what Noble Lady Shu said was true, the Emperor must have known that he was poisoned and kept it a secret. In this huge palace, who dared to plot against the Emperor? And who had managed to poison her so quickly after she entered the palace?
Wei Dongling suddenly felt cold all over, as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
Noble Lady Shu said, "Your pulse is normal now, but you've had the same symptoms frequently. I don't know what to do. However, you can tell Mrs. Ruan beside you about this. Her Nine - Needle Resuscitation Technique might be able to draw out the poison."
Wei Dongling nodded and planned to talk to Ruan Niang about this when she had time.
After seeing off Noble Lady Shu, the chief physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau came. He said that he was here by the Emperor's order to check on her pulse. After feeling her pulse, he only said that her pulse was normal and then left without saying anything else.
After much hesitation, Wei Dongling went to the Cining Palace to see the Empress Dowager.
Unexpectedly, Murong Yunxi was also in the Cining Palace, chatting animatedly with the Empress Dowager. Wei Dongling had no choice but to sit aside and accompany them. She couldn't say a single word of what she wanted to say.
After having lunch in the Cining Palace at noon, Wei Dongling excused herself by saying that she had to go back to take medicine and then bowed and left.
Her mind was in a complete mess. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't figure anything out. So she went to the Ministry of Revenue to check the accounts.
She hadn't been sitting there long when the Emperor sent someone to summon her. Wei Dongling had to get up and go to the imperial garden.
Autumn was in full swing. The imperial garden was filled with falling leaves. Although the maids were constantly sweeping, the ground was still covered with a colorful carpet of leaves. A little eunuch led the way. From afar, Wei Dongling saw two figures sitting and playing chess. She felt quite unhappy.
When the Emperor saw Wei Dongling coming and bowing, he waved his hand and said with a smile, "Wanlin is here. Come and sit down!"
Eunuch Cao immediately told the little eunuchs to bring a chair for the Fifth Princess.
Li Mingyang, the tall and fair - skinned Prince of Xiliang beside the Emperor, stepped forward, bowed and said with a smile, "This prince pays respects to the Fifth Princess. I wonder if the Fifth Princess has been well?"
Humph, trying to get familiar right away?
Wei Dongling looked at Eunuch Cao indifferently and asked, "Who is this?"
Li Mingyang was taken aback. His face instantly darkened. He never expected that the Fifth Princess would pretend not to recognize him.
Eunuch Cao replied, "Your Highness, this is the famous Prince of Xiliang. He came here specifically for you this time."
Wei Dongling remained silent and nodded slightly as a response.
Li Mingyang stepped forward magnanimously and said gently with a smile, "It doesn't matter if the Fifth Princess is forgetful. Every time this prince sees you, it's like seeing something new. Since we parted in Hanzhong, the Fifth Princess has grown even more beautiful. This prince has really missed you day and night!"
Seeing the Prince of Xiliang staring at her so directly and saying such disgusting and cheesy words in front of the Emperor, Wei Dongling's face turned black with anger. She was so angry that her chest heaved up and down. If it weren't for the royal etiquette and upbringing, she would have shouted at him.
Putting on such a loving act in front of everyone. How shameless!
Seeing that Wei Dongling didn't answer for a long time, the Emperor didn't care whether her face looked good or not. He waved his hand to the two of them and said, "Prince Mingyang is new here. Wanlin, show him around and introduce the imperial garden to him!" Then, he left with Eunuch Cao under the pretext of having something to do.
Wei Dongling was extremely annoyed. She really wanted to step forward and explain to her father that she actually had nothing to do with this Prince of Xiliang! It was really not what he thought!
But the Emperor seemed to have seen through her thoughts. He didn't give her a chance to explain at all and hurried back to the Taiji Hall.
Wei Dongling watched his back getting farther and farther away. She had no choice but to look at Li Mingyang beside her and sighed. "Then this princess will do her duty and show Prince Mingyang around the imperial garden!"
"After you!" Li Mingyang made a very gentlemanly gesture and followed behind Wei Dongling.