The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 46 My master sent me to deliver a message.

Inside the princess's mansion.

The blood-stained strips of cloth, soaked with blood, were brought out one basin at a time by the maids.

Si Ning stood outside the bedchamber, his face cold and his thin lips pressed tightly together.

One after another, imperial physicians were summoned from inside and outside the palace. When they left, they carried their medicine chests and all looked helpless and fearful.

Si Ning stepped forward and stopped one of the imperial physicians.

"Imperial Physician, how is His Highness's condition?"

The imperial physician wiped the sweat from his brow and carefully spoke, "Your Highness... has lost too much blood. We have already given her some medicine."

"But if His Highness doesn't wake up tonight... I'm afraid even gods and ghosts can't help it!"

Si Ning frowned deeply, her face pale.

He glanced in the direction of the sleeping quarters, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Give the order that the Princess's residence will not receive any guests today."

"My subordinate understands."

Si Ning didn't linger any longer and walked towards Jiang Jinshuang's bedroom.

Qian Yao did not go in with them. He went alone to guard the outside of the princess's residence and also sent people to guard the four corners of the princess's residence to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation to enter.

The news of Princess Zhaoming's assassination attempt was not suppressed. Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the entire capital was abuzz with the news that Princess Zhaoming had been assassinated in the middle of the night and was in critical condition!

Of course, when these ordinary people heard the news about Princess Zhaoming, they simply felt a sense of great satisfaction!
"Good! This is karma coming back to haunt us!"

"That's right! Princess Zhaoming has been committing all sorts of evil deeds all day long. Now that she has returned to the capital, there must be righteous people who can no longer stand by and watch!"

"Hmph! People like that are better off dead! They're just a menace if they live!"

"Exactly! I want to see if she can make it through tonight!"

"Have you heard? It seems that at His Majesty's banquet a few days ago, Princess Zhaoming was trying to seduce the Grand Secretary!"

"Tsk! How shameless! The Grand Secretary and that young lady from the Xia family are deeply in love and about to get married, yet Princess Zhaoming is so shameless!"

"Who says it's not..."

"..."

When people talk about Princess Zhaoming, they never say anything nice.

……

When Crown Prince Jiang Biechen arrived at the Princess's residence in his carriage, he was stopped by Qian Yao outside the gate.

Qian Yao remained calm, cupped his hands slightly to the newcomer, and said in a composed tone, "Your Highness, please return. The Princess's residence is not receiving guests today."

Jiang Biechen frowned, his expression cold and stern: "My royal sister has been assassinated. Such a serious matter naturally requires my personal attention!"

Qian Yao clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Highness, please come another day. His Highness is still unconscious. Even if you go in, you won't be able to see him."

Jiang Biechen's eyelids twitched.

He looked at Qian Yao, his tone slightly somber: "Was Shuang'er really assassinated?"

"Your subordinate dares not deceive you."

Jiang Biechen touched the jade plaque on his thumb: "What did the imperial physician say?"

Qian Yao said, "Your Highness has lost too much blood and needs to be treated with all our might."

Jiang Biechen glanced past Qian Yao and looked inside the princess's residence.

The servants in the courtyard all wore tense and solemn expressions, moving back and forth in an orderly manner, creating a tense atmosphere.

Jiang Biechen took a few steps back.

"In that case, I will come again another day."

Jiang Biechen boarded the carriage.

The carriage slowly drove away from the princess's residence. Jiang Biechen lifted a corner of the curtain and said in a cold tone, "Investigate." "Yes."
-
Unlike the oppressive atmosphere at the Princess's residence, the Xia residence had its gates wide open today.

Xia Wenbin and Xia Yurong were already waiting at the door.

—Today, the Grand Secretary is coming to the Xia residence as a guest, so they must treat him well!
The appointed time was approaching, but Lord Pei was nowhere to be seen.

Xia Wenbin frowned, then turned to Xia Yurong and asked, "Have you made it clear to the Grand Secretary that he will be coming today?"

Xia Yurong bit her lip slightly, her eyes filled with shyness, and nodded slightly: "Yes, at the palace banquet a few days ago, Brother Pei promised that he would come today."

Xia Wenbin became happy again, rubbed his hands excitedly, and continued to wait.

I do not know how long it has been.

Just as the sun reached its zenith, a servant from Wenshan Pavilion arrived late and bowed slightly upon seeing the two people at the entrance of the Xia residence.

"Lord Xia, Miss Xia, my master asked me to pass on a message to Miss Xia."

Xia Wenbin felt a pang of displeasure.

—It's one thing that Pei Du didn't keep the appointment, but he even sent a servant to send him away.
But when he heard the servant say that he was looking for "Miss Xia", Xia Wenbin became happy again.

It seems that this Grand Secretary still has Yu Rong in his heart!
Xia Yurong was also quite surprised. She was stunned for a moment, then took a few steps forward and bit her lip slightly: "Brother Pei... is it because he has official business that he can't come?"

The servant shook his head: "Miss Xia, you misunderstand. The master originally intended to send me here today to deliver a message."

Xia Yurong was stunned for a moment, and didn't react for a moment.

What do you mean by "this was how it was originally prepared"?

So, Pei Du never intended to come to the Xia residence from the beginning?
As her thoughts raced, Xia Yurong suddenly remembered what Pei Du had said to her at the end of the palace banquet.

"In that case, I have something to tell Miss Xia in five days."

—From beginning to end, he never said he would come to the Xia residence.

Xia Yurong's eyelids twitched, and a bad premonition suddenly rose in her heart.

The servant bowed to Xia Yurong, his voice calm: "My master said that since it is Her Highness the Princess's wish, it would be more formal for him to send someone to inform her personally."

After a pause, the man continued, "Miss Xia, Her Highness the Princess asked my master to tell you to stay away from her in the future. Her Highness is very busy and doesn't have much energy to devote to you."

Xia Wenbin's smile froze.

He stared wide-eyed at the servant who had come to deliver the message, his eyes filled with shock!
Xia Yurong's upright posture also froze on the spot, unable to move.

The servant, oblivious to anything amiss, continued, "This is His Highness's will. My master also has a few words to say to Lord Xia."

Xia Wenbin stood there, stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

The servant turned to Xia Wenbin and said indifferently, "Lord Xia, my master said that a subject should observe etiquette and distinguish between superiors and inferiors. Her Highness the Princess is a member of the royal family. If you do not learn to respect her, don't blame him, a junior, for teaching you."

After saying this, the servant cupped his hands in greeting again, said nothing, and turned to leave.

Xia Wenbin stood there blankly, staring in the direction the servant had left, his eyes filled with cold light.

He frowned and questioned Xia Yurong, "What exactly is going on? Didn't you say that the Grand Secretary would be coming to the mansion today?!"

"Father, please calm down," Xia Yurong said, lowering her head and turning her eyes around. She bit her lip slightly. "It's probably because Her Highness the Princess had an accident today, and the Grand Secretary was unable to attend the appointment due to his status."

"It's one thing for him not to show up, but what did he mean by those words he said?!"

Xia Wenbin wasn't stupid. He looked down at Xia Yurong and said, "Rong'er, ever since you came to the Xia residence, you've always said that you and the Grand Secretary are of one mind. But why do I see now that Pei Du's mind is on that Princess Zhaoming?!"

“Father, you misunderstand. Princess Zhaoming’s return to the capital was sudden; no one could have predicted it,” Xia Yurong said softly, taking a deep breath. “Moreover, the Si family of Jiangnan is now openly supporting Princess Zhaoming, so even Brother Pei will be somewhat wary of them.”

"What he did today... was probably all for the Princess's residence to see. Father, please don't be angry."

Xia Wenbin's face turned ugly. Hearing Xia Yurong say this, he glared at her again and turned away to return to his residence.

Xia Yurong lowered her head, twisting her handkerchief, her expression unreadable.
-
That night, outside the princess's residence.

"Lord Jingmo, please leave! The princess is not receiving guests today!" Qian Yao's voice was cold.

(End of this chapter)