"Wanchu, you're still as beautiful as ever. You look exactly the same as in my memory," he said.
His eyes were as black as polished jade, shining like satin under the light.
Tears welled up in Song Wanchu's eyes. She hugged Liang Yuzhou tightly.
A miracle had happened. The night had passed, and dawn had finally arrived.
Liang Yuzhou stared at her with a burning passion in his eyes, as if he hadn't seen her in ages. He cupped her face with his hands and traced her features with his eyes.
"I had a dream. I was trapped in the darkness, but then a hand reached out to me and led me forward. As I walked, I saw a bright light, and there you were, smiling in the light," he said.
He planted a hot, wet kiss on her lips. "Wanchu, it was you who led me out of the darkness."
Song Wanchu was too emotional to speak. She choked back her sobs, knowing that words were unnecessary at this moment.
Half an hour later, Taoist Qiu arrived with the morning dew on his shoes.
He examined Liang Yuzhou's eyes and the back of his head carefully.
"This is a miracle. It's truly a miracle," he murmured.
As a skilled doctor, he knew he should be rational. When it came to life and death, talking about miracles was a waste of time.
But Liang Yuzhou's eyes had inexplicably recovered overnight, even after being injured for the second time.
Could it really be the power of faith?
Everyone was overjoyed to see that Liang Yuzhou's eyes had healed.
"How's the old marquis?" Liang Yuzhou asked casually after breakfast.
"The poison has been neutralized, but the poison has damaged his internal organs. He's still very weak and needs to rest in bed for three months," someone replied.
"The princess must have known that I donated my heart's blood. Her grand plan has failed, so she'll speed up her plan to make Liang Yuchuan the heir apparent," Liang Yuzhou said.
"The Spring Festival Banquet," Song Wanchu continued. "The princess will definitely make a big move at the banquet."
Liang Yuzhou sneered. "This Spring Festival Banquet will probably be a hundred times more lively than usual."
Taoist Qiu nodded. "I'll go and ask the Crown Prince if he's chosen the person to present the jade. This person is crucial to the success of our plan."
...
As soon as dawn broke, Cheng Simian was still getting dressed when Steward Chen rushed into the courtyard in a hurry.
Nanny Chen scolded him. "You're a grown man. How can you just barge into the young lady's courtyard without being summoned? Have you no sense of propriety?"
Steward Chen was Nanny Chen's son, and she was very strict with him.
She was very concerned about the young lady's reputation.
Steward Chen wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I have something urgent to report to the young lady!"
"Don't be in such a hurry. Take your time and tell me what's going on," Cheng Simian said calmly as she walked out of the house and stood under the eaves.
She was dressed simply today, and her steps were light. She looked like a fairy floating on a cloud.
Steward Chen lowered his voice. "This morning, two disguised female officials came to the west gate. They showed their badges and said that the Crown Prince had secretly summoned the young lady to the Eastern Palace for questioning."
Cheng Simian frowned slightly.
Questioning?
The Crown Prince had never used such a word with her before.
Was he going to interrogate her?
Hadn't she made herself clear enough in Yun Shen Alley yesterday?
Or had something happened to someone after she left?
Although she was confused, she wasn't panicked.
"Shuyi, tell the servant to prepare the carriage," she said.
"The Crown Prince said that the young lady doesn't need to prepare a carriage. The two female officials will take you there," Steward Chen quickly added.
The Crown Prince was very cautious. He didn't want anyone to see the Cheng family's carriage going in and out of the Eastern Palace.
If someone noticed, it would damage both the Crown Prince's and the young lady's reputations.
Steward Chen couldn't understand why the Crown Prince, who regarded the Marquis of Wude's Mansion as his enemy, would have any connection with the young lady.
Could it be...
No, the Crown Prince wasn't a lecherous man.
Steward Chen was puzzled.
Cheng Simian put on her outer robe and quietly left through the west gate.
Bai Zhi and Luo Cen were waiting there. As soon as she came out, she was led into an unmarked carriage.
The carriage entered the Eastern Palace through a small, unassuming gate.
Shuyi was stopped outside.
Bai Zhi's voice was cold. "The Crown Prince will have a private conversation with Miss Cheng. No one else is allowed to be present."
Shuyi didn't dare to cause any trouble in the Eastern Palace, but she was very worried.
What kind of important matter was it that even she, the young lady's most trusted servant, wasn't allowed to go in?
The atmosphere in the main hall was solemn and oppressive. Although the Crown Prince hadn't appeared yet, Shuyi could clearly feel his anger.
Would the young lady be in danger if she went in alone?
Cheng Simian smiled calmly and patted Shuyi's hand. "Don't worry. The Crown Prince is an upright man. He would never use underhanded means to deal with anyone."
The door of the main hall closed behind her.
It was like a ferocious beast opening its huge mouth and swallowing her whole.
The sun hadn't fully risen yet, and the light in the main hall was dim.
The Crown Prince stood with his hands behind his back, his back to her, his eyes fixed on the "Picture of the Vast River and Mountains".
"Your servant pays respects to the Crown Prince," Cheng Simian said.
Hearing her voice, the Crown Prince didn't turn around.
A cold laugh reached Cheng Simian's ears.
It was like the cold wind in December, chilling her to the bone.
Why was the Crown Prince so angry?
"You actually dared to come," the Crown Prince said.
Even though Cheng Simian was very intelligent, she was completely confused at this moment.
"Your Highness summoned me secretly. I've come here despite all the difficulties," she replied.
Her honesty seemed to anger the Crown Prince even more.
He suddenly turned around and grabbed her chin, lifting her face up.
Cheng Simian winced in pain and frowned slightly.
The Crown Prince stared at her cold and beautiful face with hatred in his eyes.
He had been deceived by this face. Cheng Simian had deceived everyone, even Wanchu and Liang Yuzhou hadn't noticed her treachery. They had been deceived by her so - called honesty.
His fingers tightened on her chin, and Cheng Simian thought she could hear the sound of bones cracking.
"Your servant would like to know what crime I've committed. Please enlighten me, Your Highness!" she said, her back straight as a rod, refusing to bend.
"Your goal has been achieved," the Crown Prince said mockingly, his eyes filled with hostility. "You showed up with the Hangzhou white chrysanthemum that Liang Yuzhou needed the most. You used your so - called honesty to win Wanchu's trust."
He was heartbroken for his own poor judgment.
How could he have been deceived by this beautiful face and a decent painting?
He had been used by Cheng Simian like a gun. He had been exploited, yet he had still worried about her.
It wasn't until Zhou Sheng knocked on his door late at night and told him that there was a traitor among the secret guards in the Eastern Palace that he realized what had happened.
Liang Yuzhou and Wanchu had been exposed and had almost died at the hands of the princess's assassins.
"It's a pity that although your tip - off was timely, it wasn't enough to defeat Liang Yuzhou's far - reaching plans. He was lucky enough to survive, and the princess's wish has been foiled again," the Crown Prince said.
From the Crown Prince's words, Cheng Simian guessed what had happened last night.
"Your Highness, do you suspect that your servant is the informant?" she asked.
"If it wasn't you, then who else could it be? Only a few people knew that Wanchu and Liang Yuzhou were back in the capital, and you're the only outsider among them!" the Crown Prince said.
There couldn't be a traitor among the secret guards in the Eastern Palace.
These people had risked their lives for him for many years. They would never betray him.
"If your servant was really sent by the princess, then why would I give Song Wanchu the Hangzhou white chrysanthemum? When Liang Yuzhou's eyes hadn't recovered, wouldn't it have been easier to just let the princess's assassins kill him at the country estate outside the city?" Cheng Simian said.
The Crown Prince was slightly stunned.
"Wanchu trusts your servant, and Liang Yuzhou trusts your servant. Your servant even knows that Yaoguang is the princess of Gaochang. Your Highness, if you suspect your servant, does it mean that you don't trust Wanchu and Liang Yuzhou? Or is it because your servant has the surname Cheng, and you have a natural prejudice against your servant?"