Chapter 680: Return
Editor: Atlas Studios
Qi San was pacing around anxiously in front of the door when a guard sprinted up the mountain. He hurriedly went up to ask, “How is it?”
The guard took a deep breath and said, “Young Master Zijin personally brought the troops here. They’ve already gone up the mountain and will arrive in half an hour.”
Qi San punched excitedly and exclaimed happily, “That’s great!”
The martial monks of the White Cloud Temple were just stationed not far away. He had been afraid that those people would lose control and rush over.
Since Qi San couldn’t leave, he turned around and instructed a guard, “Quickly inform Her Highness of this news.”
When Mu Yangling received the news, the corners of her lips curled up slightly, and she felt much more at ease. She turned her head and instructed Spring, “Tell the servants to pack up. Order the guards outside the second door to remain on high alert. Watch Liao Wu, Jie Kong, and the others closely.”
Mu Yangling then went to check on Miss Wang, who was sleeping next door. Qiaohui was originally leaning against the bed and sleeping. When she heard footsteps, her body tensed up and she jumped up to look back warily. When she saw Mu Yangling, her expression softened slightly, but her gaze remained fixated upon her.
Mu Yangling didn’t seem to notice her vigilance. She went forward and touched Miss Wang’s forehead, then nodded and said, “The fever has subsided.”
“Thank you for the medicine, Your Highness.”
Mu Yangling waved her hand and said with a smile, “Since I promised to treat her, I’ll naturally fulfill my promise. But though her fever has subsided, her injuries are very serious. The doctor said that his ability is limited, and there’s not enough medicine on the mountain. There are many things that aren’t available here.”
Qiaohui gritted her teeth and could not help but ask, “Then Your Highness, what do you mean?”
“I have an imperial physician in my residence with outstanding medical skills. Moreover, there are more medicinal herbs in the General’s Residence. I’ve already gotten someone to prepare a palanquin. The carriage is too bumpy, and with your mistress’s injuries, it’s not suitable for her to ride in it. Fortunately, I got someone to make a bed in the palanquin so that it would be more comfortable for her. Later, go and see if there’s anything else you need to add. Your mistress’s body is weak, so you have to take care of her by her side.”
Qiaohui heaved a sigh of relief. It was fine as long as she could follow her mistress.
“Your Highness, the little prince is awake and looking for you.” Rain quickly walked over.
Mu Yangling nodded slightly at Qiaohui and hurried over to see her son. Little Bear was sitting on the bed, pouting and about to cry. When he saw his mother reach out to hug him, tears fell from his eyes, looking extremely aggrieved.
Mu Yangling quickly went forward and hugged him, before wiping his tears and asking gently, “Why are you crying? Isn’t Mother here?”
Little Bear obediently leaned against her chest and sobbed twice. His small hand grabbed her sleeve tightly as he looked at her aggrievedly.
Mu Yangling tapped his nose and personally helped him put on his clothes. She coaxed him, “Little Bear, be good. Let’s go home after putting on our clothes, okay?”
Upon hearing that he was going home, Little Bear cheered up a bit. He stretched out his hand for his mother to help him put on his clothes, then climbed out of bed and squatted on the ground to put on his shoes.
When Fan Zijin rushed in, he saw Little Bear putting on shoes with red eyes. And so many servant girls in the room were just standing by and watching. Face ashen with anger, he said angrily, “How did you serve the little prince? Can’t you see that the little prince is putting on shoes?”
Spring and the others were startled. They looked at Mu Yangling and stood there with their hands behind their backs, not knowing if they should go forward to help or not.
Ever since the little prince was two years old, he had requested to wear clothes and shoes by himself. Only occasionally when he was lazy would he ask the Princess Consort or the servant girls for help. The Princess Consort had also told the servants to let the little prince do such things by himself in the future as much as possible.
Also shocked, Little Bear sat on the ground and looked at Fan Zijin in a daze.
The round-headed child’s eyes were slightly red, as though he had been bullied and suffered grievances. Fan Zijin’s heart ached. He had always doted on Little Bear, and now that Little Madam Xia was pregnant, his fatherly love could not help but overflow. Seeing Little Bear look at him, he immediately softened his expression and went forward to pick him up. “Little Bear, who bullied you? Tell Uncle, Uncle will help you beat him up.”
As he asked, he wanted to help him put on his shoes.
But because the child’s feet were small and soft, Fan Zijin tried for a long time but failed to help him put the shoes on. In addition, the Little Bear was quite heavy and he was squatting. For a moment, his forehead was covered in sweat.
Knowing that Fan Zijin was not in good health, Mu Yangling quickly carried Little Bear over from his arms. She took the shoes from him and helped Little Bear put them on as she explained, “This child is self-reliant and independent. He doesn’t like people helping him put on shoes now.”
Fan Zijin straightened up and said unhappily, “There’s no need to do this even if he wants to be self-reliant. How old is he? Your requirements are too strict.”
Mu Yangling felt that it was better to go back and discuss how to educate their kid with Qi Haoran behind closed doors. Hence, she merely nodded perfunctorily. Fan Zijin knew that she had not heeded his words, so he turned around and asked solemnly, “What’s going on at Cleansing Water Nunnery? The guard who came back to report didn’t make himself clear. Have you caught the assassin?”
Mu Yangling wanted to hand Little Bear over to Spring to carry down, but Little Bear hugged his mother’s neck and refused to let go. Mu Yangling could only hug him as she told Fan Zijin what happened last night. She said, “I suspect that Miss Wang isn’t Wang Ping’s daughter.”
“She didn’t bring an identity document? There must be something to prove her identity, right?” Fan Zijin asked.
Mu Yangling was stunned. “If you didn’t mention it, I would have forgotten. I was only thinking that they were fleeing for their lives and couldn’t have brought these things. I’ll get someone to ask later. However, Miss Wang is unconscious now, so we’ll have to wait for her to wake up before asking about the truth.”
Fan Zijin nodded. “How do you plan to arrange for her?”
“Just keep her in the General’s Residence for now. As for the three sacrificial soldiers, I’ll leave them to you. Don’t kill them. Although they’re aggressive, their mistress is in our hands. They should know what to do.”
Fan Zijin frowned slightly. “Didn’t you say that Qiaohui knows martial arts?”
Mu Yangling said with a smile, “Don’t worry, I also have many martial maids and martial matrons in my residence. It’s difficult for her to fight so many people with her two fists. Besides, considering she has a severely injured mistress to protect, I’m sure she won’t be reckless.” Mu Yangling lowered her voice and added, “Besides, those three sacrificial soldiers seem to be under her command.”
Fan Zijin raised his eyebrows.
Qi San said that Abbess Jing Xin had gone straight into the room to persuade Qiaohui. Originally, the two sides were still confronting each other, but one order from Qiaohui and the sacrificial soldiers immediately gave up resisting and willingly let themselves be tied up. It could be seen that they obeyed Qiaohui’s orders.
The reinforcements brought by Fan Zijin surrounded White Cloud Temple and Cleansing Water Nunnery. He left half of his men to separate the monks and nuns in the temple and nunnery before bringing the remaining half to escort Mu Yangling and the others back to the city.
With Liao Wu and company taken away, there was no one in charge at White Cloud Temple and Cleansing Water Nunnery.
Seeing that the monks and nuns were being disorderly and chaotic, Fan Zijin assigned two of the more senior monks and nuns to manage White Cloud Temple and Cleansing Water Nunnery respectively. Only then did he bring people to protect Mu Yangling and the others as they descended the mountain.
Knowing that the palanquin they asked for would be used to carry Miss Wang, Liao Wu got someone to carry the largest sedan chair out since it would be more stable. Also, it was covered with a thick quilt. Qiaohui carried Miss Wang and gently placed her on it. Then, she sat at the side and hugged Miss Wang’s head, gently placing it on her knees, before indicating that the men could lift the palanquin.
As the mountain road was bumpy, it was indeed much more comfortable to sit in a palanquin than a carriage. In addition, there were four guards with strong martial arts skills carrying the palanquin. Thus, they moved and landed uniformly. Furthermore, due to the lightness of the palanquin and the fact that there was a thick quilt under it, Qiaohui could only feel a faint swaying. Only then did she feel relieved.
Chapter end
