Xing Mei was severely injured. Before Ling Yao went to the secret chamber, she was barely clinging to life. If Ling Yao hadn't fed her blood in time, she would have died within moments.
Qu Linglong's hands trembled as she emerged from treating such a terrible injury for the first time in her life.
"Other parts can recover slowly, but... she will never be able to bear children again."
How old was Xing Mei?
Ling Yao didn't know. She looked about the same age as herself, a flower that withered before it could bloom.
The people of Xian Wang Sect were mostly orphans. Xing Mei probably had no family either.
When Ling Yao carried her back, she had already prepared herself mentally. All the way, Xing Mei had been bleeding. Surviving was a testament to her strong will.
Qu Linglong's brow was still furrowed with worry.
"Has Nan Xing been found yet?"
"No," Qu Linglong shook her head. "But today, the Prince received news that Jin Qingqing is in their hands and demands the Prince go alone. They also said Jin Qingqing is two months pregnant with the Prince's child."
Ling Yao scoffed. "These despicable people, their lies are so poorly timed, they practically invite trouble."
"If Jin Qingqing is truly pregnant, then it's anyone's guess whose it is."
The Prince had said that the ones who had been intimate with her before were all secret guards. The secret guards had taken medication, making it impossible for her to conceive. So, it was unknown who the father was.
Originally, she had felt a bit sorry for Jin Qingqing when the Prince arranged for her to sleep with others. Now, she didn't feel that way anymore.
Jin Qingqing wasn't someone who behaved herself. There was nothing to pity.
"The Prince feared Nan Xing might be in their hands, so he has already gone."
Qu Linglong frowned deeply. Despite the Prince saying he was well-prepared, she was still worried, for the child and for him.
"Nothing will happen. How about we ask the Great Shaman to divine it?"
The Great Shaman was sometimes quite accurate, except when divining for her.
Speaking of the Great Shaman, Qu Linglong's expression worsened.
"I went to find him. He said... he said she was underground... along with Su Mian..." Qu Linglong was close to tears.
The wet nurse had not escaped and was killed by the rebels. Su Mian and Nan Xing's whereabouts were unknown. The Prince had said they were assigned a secret guard, but that secret guard hadn't appeared even after the news of the Prince's return was released.
Where could they possibly be?
She hadn't slept all night. If they weren't found soon, she would collapse.
"The Great Shaman must have miscalculated. He's often inaccurate."
Qu Linglong nodded, suppressing her sorrow. "The Prince said the same thing."
In any case, as long as she didn't see them, she wouldn't believe anyone.
Ling Xi and Liu Donghuai were merely weakened from prolonged lack of food. After being given water, Ling Xi woke up quickly.
Liu Donghuai had lost more blood and woke up slower than Ling Xi, but he was not seriously injured.
According to Ling Xi, Liu Donghuai had struck the Dengwen Drum that day to gain an audience with the Emperor. After her plea, he had persuaded Song Beiting to report to the Emperor first before returning to accept punishment.
She took Liu Donghuai to the Taiyi Hall. Liu Donghuai reported the news of the Left Prime Minister's rebellion and presented Ruan Ji's blood-soaked letter.
The Emperor immediately sent people to investigate and summoned Song Beiting for questioning.
However, the Left Prime Minister arrived too quickly.
"Wen Tang Ge Ge protected the Emperor, his eyes red as he questioned him, asking why he was rebelling?"
"It turned out that, like Grand Tutor Lu, he was a spy for Qirong. Wen Tang Ge Ge was merely his pawn. Originally, he said the late Emperor was quite good. If he could remain second only to the Emperor in Da Jing forever, he wouldn't return to Qirong. But the late Emperor didn't fulfill his promise, and his pawn was useless. The divine maiden became someone else's, and was suppressed everywhere. Therefore, it wasn't that he was unrighteous, but that the royal family was unrighteous."
"He wanted to kill the Emperor. Wen Tang Ge Ge went mad. He inflicted eight hundred wounds on the enemy while suffering a thousand himself, fighting desperately without regard for his own life. He didn't feel pain even after taking several blows."
"When he killed the Left Prime Minister, he was already a bloody mess. The Left Prime Minister asked him if he was foolish. He replied that no one would be allowed to covet the land of Jing, and he couldn't let down his Imperial Sister's trust."
Ling Xi stared blankly, lost in thought. She didn't understand what Song Beiting was thinking at the time.
She only knew that he went mad when the Left Prime Minister revealed that he was a fake Great Yao Divine Lord.
Why?
Was it complete despair?
Had he never given up on her Imperial Sister?
Ling Yao blinked her eyes and looked up. "And then?"
"Then, after the Left Prime Minister died, his men fought like cornered beasts, desperately fleeing and killing without restraint. Liu Donghuai and I were chased and went into the forbidden area. Those people, for some reason, were able to open the secret chamber door. Fortunately, Imperial Sister came. No, that's not right, it was the palace maid disguised as Imperial Sister."
"We didn't know at first; we all thought it was you. All those people shifted their target to that palace maid. Liu Donghuai was clever. After a few attempts, he opened another secret chamber. We ran inside, and the stone door began to descend. That palace maid grabbed the rebels who wanted to follow, not letting go even when a blade landed on her back, until the stone door closed. We couldn't get out, and they couldn't get in."
"Later, Liu Donghuai said it wasn't you. Her voice and eyes were different. It truly wasn't. She knew martial arts but had no divine power. Later... I heard her screams outside. I don't know what happened. She didn't cry out even when the blade cut her. Did she die?"
"No."
Ling Yao suddenly stood up, turned her back, and said slowly, "Her name is Xing Mei."
There were not many palace servants who survived Feng Que Tower. The Emperor assigned some new ones to serve. That evening, Yu Liu and Yu Shan came through a secret passage carrying the child.
After Ling Yao had some intimate time with the child, she instructed the two to not return to the palace for the time being. Yu Liu and Yu Shan were confused but still left with the child.
Ling Yao herself wasn't sure why she did this, but she had a vague feeling that this palace made her uneasy.
Xiao Shan should be returning soon, right?
She really wanted to leave.
During this lull, Meng Jiu and Chi Yun also reported a piece of news: Qing He had lost contact.
She had taken over a dozen people from the Tang Sect to the border. She had sent news from Jinjiang City, and then there was no further word.
Ling Yao's heart grew increasingly uneasy. She felt that something was wrong. The situation was gradually stabilizing, so why was it so unsettling?
What was Qing He doing in Jinjiang?
Had she defected to the Tujue?
"You two go find her quickly. Be absolutely sure nothing happens to her."
"But Princess, you are..." Chi Yun looked around hesitantly.
There were many palace servants here, but the Princess seemed to dislike them, forbidding them from getting too close. How could she be without anyone by her side?
"Don't worry, if I need someone, I will summon one from outside. There's no time to lose, you must leave immediately. If you discover the reason for the incident, report it at once."
"Yes, your subordinate understands."
Meng Jiu and Chi Yun received the order and left the Imperial Palace.
Ling Yao covered her disheveled head and went to see Xing Mei.