Xiao Yun was furious with this so-called Aunt Yang. Although he was a prince, he rarely lost his temper and was usually easygoing.
Today, the mere thought that Wang Qingyao might have had a piece of flesh gouged out if he had arrived a moment later sent his anger soaring, a mix of rage and lingering fear.
His face contorted with ferocity as he ground Aunt Yang's fingers. For a moment, the only sound in the reception hall was Aunt Yang's screams of agony.
Having vented his fury, Xiao Yun waved his hand, signaling for his men to tie Aunt Yang up.
Aunt Yang's right hand was red and swollen from being stepped on, tears and snot streaming down her face.
She had frequented the homes of the wealthy and powerful for years and naturally knew that Xiao Yun was Wang Qingyao's fiancé, here to support her. However, while gouging flesh for sacrifice was cruel, it wasn't illegal, especially since Wang Qingyao herself had agreed to it. How could Prince Ding'an blame her?
Aunt Yang endured the pain in her hand and looked at Xiao Yun, her expression unyielding. "Your Highness, forgive me, but I don't know what great sin I've committed to deserve such humiliation. In the capital, do you disregard all law?"
Xiao Yun laughed in anger. "You dare to speak of law to me? Guards, take this wicked nun to the yamen. Tell them Prince Ding'an sent her and that the prefect should investigate her background thoroughly!"
With Prince Ding'an's decree, even if Aunt Yang had done nothing significant, the yamen could easily fabricate charges against her. Moreover, her hands were not entirely clean. The inner chambers of noble households were rife with secrets, and over the years, she had accumulated considerable wealth by doing many wicked deeds.
Aunt Yang's face turned pale. "Your Highness, you cannot bully me with your power! Oh, is there no law? Guards, help me..."
Aunt Yang began to wail and make a scene like a shrew.
Xiao Yun, impatient with her nonsense, frowned. A quick-witted subordinate found a piece of rag from somewhere and stuffed it into her mouth.
Aunt Yang glared, making muffled cries of protest, and was soon dragged away.
Only then did Wang Qingyao gracefully speak, "What has gotten into Your Highness, resorting to beating and killing? Aunt Yang was invited by our First Madam; she is not a bad person."
Madam Bai, whose face had been a mask of shifting emotions from the sudden turn of events, inwardly cursed Wang Qingyao for her cunning when her name was mentioned.
Wang Qingyao had remained silent until Aunt Yang was apprehended, a clear indication of her deliberate intent.
"Your Highness," Madam Bai feigned a look of alarm and fear, asking what she already knew, "What offense did Aunt Yang commit?"
As the mistress of the Wang household, she hadn't yet completely lost face. Xiao Yun suppressed his look of disgust and said dismissively, "Yes, she is a charlatan who deceives people. You have all been fooled by her."
Madam Bai gasped, then anxiously said, "The Old Madam's illness relies entirely on her. What will we do now?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Yuan Bao led in a Taoist priest with a goatee, panting heavily. It was the Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu.
"Your Highness."
Xiao Yun looked at Madam Bai and, closing his eyes, offered a perfunctory endorsement. "Let the Imperial Preceptor examine the Old Madam. His skills are renowned throughout the Great Sheng Dynasty. With him here, you can all rest assured."
Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu, accustomed to the comforts of the palace, had been dragged by Yuan Bao on horseback and then run this distance. He was already so out of breath he felt he might keel over.
He was still leaning on Yuan Bao's arm, not having recovered.
Upon hearing Xiao Yun's words, he attempted to compose a humble smile of indifference, but his labored breathing distorted his expression.
Regardless of whether Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu truly possessed skill, the honor and prestige he represented were enough for Madam Bai to express her gratitude.
"Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, Imperial Preceptor."
Madam Bai gritted her teeth. While instructing someone to escort Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu to another room to rest, she also ordered servants to clean the reception hall.
Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun moved to the shade of a tree outside. Xiao Yun asked, "Are you alright?"
Wang Qingyao shook her head.
Xiao Yun remained troubled. On the way, he had been thinking that if Wang Qingyao had truly lost a piece of flesh, he would have chopped off that wicked nun's arm.
"Am I the kind of person who lets others butcher me?" Wang Qingyao said. "I had prepared a bag of gold leaves to bribe Aunt Yang!"
She seemed quite pleased, showing no sign of fear, which left the hero who had saved the damsel feeling a bit deflated. He had even brought a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
"What if she couldn't be bribed?" Xiao Yun countered. "Even with gold bars protecting you from the shadows, it would be useless. These are insidious tactics, forcing your consent, leaving you with no recourse."
Seeing his anxious expression, Wang Qingyao felt a surge of happiness. She smiled and said, "It's alright. Don't I have you? I knew you would come to my rescue."
As Wang Qingyao looked at him with that smile, speaking such trusting words, the anger in his heart vanished without a trace. He straightened his back and said with a touch of arrogance, "That's true. I would never let you get hurt."
Wang Qingyao smiled gently, and they gazed at each other.
Yinzhu, who was standing guard nearby, muttered softly, "He says nice things, but didn't he hurt your lips last time?"
Her voice was low, but both Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun heard it.
Wang Qingyao: "..."
*Grandma, can we please not bring that up again?*
Xiao Yun: "Cough, cough, cough..."
He suddenly remembered that he had let Wang Qingyao kiss him, but Wang Qingyao hadn't revealed the secret of her clairvoyance to him.
He couldn't quite tell if he had gained or lost in the end.
----
Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu had rested sufficiently and had a cup of tea and some snacks before leisurely going to see the Old Madam.
Madam Bai had already informed the Old Madam of the events in the reception hall.
"...She insisted Aunt Yang was a fraud and had her arrested. He's a prince, how dare we question him? Most likely, the second girl didn't want to save you and notified him... She did invite Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu to see you... He's resting in the side room... Saving a life is like fighting a fire, yet he seems in no hurry..."
Fire flared in the Old Madam's eyes. She had misjudged the second girl!
At this moment, the Old Madam suddenly recalled that the first time Wang Qingyao came to pay her respects at Rongtang Courtyard, the incident of Wang Qinglin's disfigurement had occurred. Later, she had excused Wang Qingyao from daily greetings, yet Wang Qingyao still came by every few days...
A chill ran down the Old Madam's spine. Could it be that because Wang Qingyao had visited her Rongtang Courtyard, she had contracted this insomnia?
A lone star of misfortune, an inauspicious person...
The Old Madam knew she shouldn't have let Wang Qingyao near Rongtang Courtyard. Now, she had even fallen ill because of it.
Wang Qingyao accompanied Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu into the Old Madam's room. Although the Old Madam was elderly, she was still a woman, and Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu was not exactly a proper physician. The Old Madam had the bed curtains drawn.
Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu looked around the room, and Wang Qingyao also scanned it with her clairvoyant eyes. She had already done so upon entering, and there had been nothing unusual. Now, looking again, she noticed something amiss.
On a small, plum-blossom-patterned lacquered table beside the bed sat a delicate incense burner carved with auspicious beasts. When Wang Qingyao had entered earlier, there had been half a furnace of ashes inside. Now, it was completely empty.
The Old Madam's illness had come on strangely. Wang Qingyao had not initially suspected Madam Bai, but after Madam Bai incited Aunt Yang to demand her flesh, she suspected Madam Bai of poisoning her.
Since several physicians had found no signs of poisoning, it meant the poison was harmless to the body, merely causing sleeplessness, much like modern people unable to sleep after drinking too much coffee. Madam Bai had placed the medicine in the incense burner, and the Old Madam, inhaling it day and night, naturally couldn't sleep.
After surveying the room, Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu said to the Old Madam from behind the curtain, "Old Madam, this is not an illness; it is poisoning."
*Oh ho,* Wang Qingyao thought, her heart stirring. *This Imperial Preceptor has some skill!*