When Bi Huan rushed in, only Shen Yuning was left in the heated room.
She heaved a sigh of relief and complained somewhat, "Princess, this is a one - time thing. In the future, you must never use yourself as bait. What if something goes wrong? It would be terrible."
Shen Yuning reached out and patted her on the head. "What are you worried about? Everything has been arranged long ago. With General Liang and Junior General Xue around, are you still afraid that someone can hurt me?"
Bi Huan still grumbled discontentedly, "This servant thinks that since you've arranged such a major event, you should have told the prince."
Shen Yuning frowned and remained silent.
At this moment, Liu Tiao rushed in in a hurry. Gasping for breath, she said, "Princess, Princess, it's bad, it's bad. The prince he..."
Shen Yuning suddenly stood up and asked, "What happened to the prince?"
Liu Tiao pointed in the direction of the guest room. "Princess, the prince is in trouble. Please go and have a look quickly."
Shen Yuning immediately got up and was about to go out. But when she reached the door, she turned back. Her eyes were dark and unfathomable as she stared fixedly at Liu Tiao.
Liu Tiao was the queen's person. Shen Yuning didn't trust her.
However, during this period, no matter how she looked at it, she could only see a loyal maid. Moreover, this maid didn't shy away from the fact that she used to be the queen's person.
It seemed like she was trying to show her loyalty. Liu Tiao never took the initiative to get close to her and had even helped her several times.
But, could it be that this pawn was activated at this very moment?
What had happened to Xuan Zhi? Why didn't Liu Tiao go to the front to look for someone but came to find her instead? What could she do if she went?
Liu Tiao was out of breath. Seeing the princess stop, she anxiously shouted, "Princess, go quickly. The prince urged this servant to come and call you in a hurry. You don't know how shameless that princess from Wuyun is."
Tong Xianqiao?
Liu Tiao nodded. She stepped forward and stuffed an object into Shen Yuning's hand, then continued, "We don't know what method she used or what she gave the prince to eat. The prince can hardly bear it. Princess, go quickly."
Shen Yuning looked down. The object in her hand was the amulet she had once begged for Xuan Zhi.
This amulet hung around Xuan Zhi's neck every day. He wouldn't take it off unless when taking a bath.
It seemed that something had really happened to Xuan Zhi.
Shen Yuning didn't have time to think carefully. She quickly asked, "Where is it? Take me there quickly."
Liu Tiao didn't even have time to rest. Together with Bi Huan, they carefully supported Shen Yuning and headed towards the guest room.
As Shen Yuning walked, she couldn't help but let her mind wander.
The heated room she was in was located in the outer courtyard and wasn't very secluded. But the guest - room area was extremely quiet. Today, all the servants had gone to the main hall to serve, so for a moment, not a single servant could be seen.
However, for no reason, why would the prince go into the guest room? And why would Tong Xianqiao come to the guest room where the men in the outer courtyard lived?
As she was lost in thought, she heard Liu Tiao beside her let out a muffled groan and fall to the ground with her head tilted back.
Bi Huan was greatly startled. She quickly protected Shen Yuning behind her and nervously looked at the approaching person.
The person was dressed in black, and a large hood covered half of her face. But just by looking at the figure, Shen Yuning keenly recognized that it was the woman who had supported Xuan Zhi when he was drunk.
The flower - tending maid from the north courtyard.
Shen Yuning stared intently at her. As the woman laid Liu Tiao on the ground and raised her head, the wind blew the hood, revealing her entire face.
"Lady Qiao?"
Wasn't the flower - tending maid in front of her none other than Qiao Peilan?
At that moment, Shen Yuning's emotions were complex. She didn't care about Tong Xianqiao because she was certain that Xuan Zhi would never like someone like Tong Xianqiao.
As for Qiao Peilan, although she also thought that Xuan Zhi wouldn't take a fancy to Qiao Peilan, she clearly knew that Qiao Peilan liked Xuan Zhi, not because of his status or his appearance. Like herself, she truly liked Xuan Zhi as a person.
She had never asked Xuan Zhi about Qiao Peilan, and she even didn't want to think about this person. But now, Qiao Peilan was clearly standing in front of her. It was Xuan Zhi who had allowed her to live in the prince's mansion.
Shen Yuning felt a sense of blockage in her heart. A surge of jealousy welled up, even exceeding the danger that this woman in front of her might pose to her.
Qiao Peilan held a dagger in her hand. She tried to drag Liu Tiao but couldn't. Then she looked at Bi Huan and scolded, "Why don't you come and help? Do you want people to see her lying here?"
Bi Huan was stunned and didn't know what to do.
Qiao Peilan became even more impatient. She shouted at Shen Yuning, "Usually, I see that you're not a muddle - headed person. Why did you fall into someone else's scheme today? You can be suicidal if you want, but the child in your belly is innocent."
Almost instinctively, Shen Yuning stepped forward to help her.
However, Qiao Peilan pushed her away. "What are you doing here? Ask your maid to come and help."
Bi Huan finally came to her senses. She stepped forward and, together with Qiao Peilan, dragged the unconscious Liu Tiao to a nearby grove.
Before she could stand up, she saw the woman in front of her grab her princess's hand and drag her forward at a run.
Bi Huan shouted repeatedly, "Slow down, slow down..."
Qiao Peilan completely ignored her. She dragged Shen Yuning and ran very fast. When they reached the guest - room area, they smelled a strange fragrance.
Shen Yuning instinctively covered her nose. Qiao Peilan threw her a wet handkerchief. Without thinking, she quickly put the handkerchief over her mouth and nose.
Qiao Peilan threw another one to Bi Huan. Then she let go of Shen Yuning's hand, covered her own nose and mouth with a wet handkerchief, and ran into the yard.
Seeing her in such a hurry, Shen Yuning's feet also unconsciously followed.
When they entered the main room, they saw Yin Zidu in disheveled clothes. He was exuding a murderous aura, and his hand was tightly gripping the neck of another person. The person was a young maid, about twelve or thirteen years old. At this moment, being choked by Yin Zidu like this, her face had turned purple - red, and it seemed that she was about to lose her breath.
On the ground, there was also a woman lying there with most of her body exposed. It was Tong Xianqiao. But at this moment, Tong Xianqiao was unconscious. No one knew whether she was dead or alive.
Qiao Peilan quickly stepped forward and shouted, "Yin Zidu, let go quickly. Yang'er is here to help you."
Yin Zidu was in a daze and showed no sign of letting go.
Qiao Peilan quickly pushed Shen Yuning again. "Hurry up. Don't let him hurt my maid."
This shout made Yin Zidu react a little. He looked up and saw Shen Yuning. A look of grievance appeared on his face as before. He loosened his hand and pouted as he called out, "Yuning..."
Seeing the veins on his body bulging, Shen Yuning quickly stepped forward to support him and asked with concern, "Xuan Zhi, Xuan Zhi, are you okay?"
Yin Zidu hugged her tightly and buried his head in her neck. He was as aggrieved as a child. "Yuning, why did you come so late?"
Shen Yuning was speechless for a while. She placed her hand on Xuan Zhi's back and patted him gently. She could even feel Xuan Zhi's trembling. Xuan Zhi was scared and also aggrieved.
At this moment, an endless sense of regret suddenly welled up in her. If she had listened to Nanny Shuang and Bi Huan and told Xuan Zhi early on about the queen's ill intentions, how could Xuan Zhi have been caught off guard?
She always used the excuse that Xuan Zhi was busy. In fact, it was just because she knew clearly in her heart that she was afraid. She was afraid that Xuan Zhi would trust the queen more and not believe her.
She was afraid that in Xuan Zhi's heart, she couldn't compare to the kind and gentle elder sister - in - law, the queen.
Qiao Peilan was very quick. She roughly tidied up the room, then took out a porcelain bottle and poured a pill into Yin Zidu's mouth.
Yin Zidu instinctively wanted to spit it out. Qiao Peilan quickly said, "Let him swallow it. The aphrodisiac incense was burning in the room. Although I extinguished it long ago, he has been in here for so long. It's not easy for him to hold on until now. You're pregnant now. You can't let him act recklessly."
Shen Yuning was in a hurry. She half - coaxed and half - forced Xuan Zhi to swallow the pill. Then she turned around and wanted to pour some water.
Qiao Peilan pressed her hand. "Do you think the tea is okay?"
At this moment, there was a commotion outside.
Shen Yuning was startled. She stared at Qiao Peilan with wide eyes and then looked at the delirious Xuan Zhi. Xuan Zhi was so tall that even Qiao Peilan and Bi Huan together couldn't move him away. Moreover, there was still Tong Xianqiao on the ground.
Without hesitation, Qiao Peilan dragged Tong Xianqiao on the ground and said to Bi Huan and Yang'er, "Hurry up. Let's go."
Bi Huan had none of her usual smartness at this moment.
Qiao Peilan shouted, "What? Do you still want to stay and be a concubine - in - waiting for your mistress?"
Bi Huan was jolted awake. She quickly reacted and rushed to help Qiao Peilan drag Tong Xianqiao away.
Maybe because he had taken the medicine, after a while, Yin Zidu seemed to come to his senses. He opened his eyes and saw Shen Yuning in front of him. Instinctively, he hugged her even tighter.
Yin Zidu rubbed his nose against Shen Yuning's and asked in a low voice, "What... happened?"
Shen Yuning simply explained, "It was Tong Xianqiao. She set a trap for you. Fortunately... fortunately..."
Yin Zidu's head was throbbing. When he heard the voices outside, he finally reacted a little. He pressed Shen Yuning's head into his arms, grabbed the cloak on the ground, and wrapped Shen Yuning up.
The door was opened.
The queen walked in first. Seeing the two people tightly wrapped on the couch, a look of joy flashed in her eyes. She asked loudly, "Zidu, are you okay? Is... is that Xianqiao?"
However, perhaps because she thought the plan had succeeded, the queen, who should have been trembling, couldn't even pretend to tremble. She was so eager to burst out laughing.
Just outside, Yin Zidu had said that he was like a lovebird, vowing to be with only one person for a lifetime. Now, he had slapped himself in the face.
Moreover, it was in front of so many court ladies and wives. From now on, no one knew where the Regent's face would be put.
Yin Zidu slowly raised his head and looked coldly at the queen. His eyes were filled with coldness as he called out, "Your Majesty the Queen."
He had always respected the queen and had always called her sister - in - law. Even in public, he would call her the Imperial Sister - in - law. This was the first time he had called her Your Majesty the Queen.
The queen's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly calmed down. This was bound to happen, wasn't it?
However, the person who emerged from the clothes in Yin Zidu's arms had slightly disheveled hair, but it was definitely not Tong Xianqiao.
The queen's eyes widened. What was going on? Shouldn't Shen Yuning have been killed by her former father? Even if that didn't work, there should have been a follow - up plan. Liu Tiao should have taken her to witness Yin Zidu's intimacy with Tong Xianqiao.
Why was Tong Xianqiao nowhere to be seen at this moment, and why was it Shen Yuning who was with Yin Zidu?