Chapter 49

Yinghong pursed her lips and whispered, “It’s an abortion drug.”

After speaking, she looked proudly at her own princess, as if to say that she had guessed it long ago.

“This Second Princess is bold too, actually getting married while pregnant. Now that it can’t happen, she has to get rid of the fetus, or she’d become even more of a laughingstock.”

Yinghong sighed again as she spoke. “It’s just pitiful for that child, who won’t even get a chance to be reborn.”

Tao Chuyi overheard this. “Child? Where is the child?”

“There’s no child. Let’s head back.”

Nangong Yunshang steered the topic elsewhere, all to keep this fool from spouting nonsense.

But it was too late. Not only did Tao Chuyi refuse to leave, she wouldn’t let Nangong Yunshang go either. Instead, the Prince Consort pressed right up against her belly to listen.

“Sister has a baby? I want a baby too!”

Nangong Yunshang’s face turned bright red as she sighed helplessly. If she had a baby, that would be a ghost story come to life.

“There’s no baby. Isn’t having you enough? Come on, let’s go.”

“Oh.”

Once she learned there was no baby, Tao Chuyi didn’t seem disappointed at all. She was Sister’s baby, after all—she didn’t want any other baby competing for Sister’s attention.

The imperial examinations cheating scandal had stirred up public outrage across the city. To calm the people’s hearts, everyone connected to the case was suspended from duty and confined to their homes. This included everyone in the Ministry of Rites, as well as the Third Prince who oversaw it.

Qiuyue’s testimony had whipped up this sudden storm out of nowhere. Dali Temple Guards conducted searches without rest, day and night, and not a single restaurant—large or small—escaped their scrutiny.

Two days later, Zhao Linglong sent word, inviting the Third Princess to a private meeting at a teahouse.

Nangong Yunshang couldn’t fend off Tao Chuyi’s relentless pestering, so she had no choice but to bring her along. They switched to an inconspicuous carriage and set off for the teahouse as discreetly as possible.

The teahouse General Zhao had chosen was tucked away in a quiet corner, unremarkable and ideal for a secret rendezvous.

“Your Highness, please.”

Zhao Linglong poured tea with meticulous care.

Nangong Yunshang inclined her head. “Thank you.”

“What about me?”

Tao Chuyi propped her elbows on the table, her big eyes locked onto Zhao Linglong.

General Zhao let out a chuckle and hurriedly poured a cup for her as well.

“It’s this official’s failing in hospitality. I assumed the Prince Consort didn’t care for tea.”

She truly didn’t like tea—she preferred milk tea. But if Sister had some, then she wanted some too.

Nangong Yunshang was clearly indulging her. “She can’t stand anything bitter or bland. She’s mad for sweets—loves giving herself toothaches.”

Zhao Linglong glanced between the two of them for a moment before lowering her head with a faint smile. “The way the Princess treats the Prince Consort is worlds apart from before.”

Anyone could see it: Nangong Yunshang’s gaze had softened, stripped of its former disdain.

Zhao Linglong set her teacup down gently. “Your Highness foresaw it perfectly. Qiuyue did indeed have a secret. When I tracked her down, Cao Zihuan’s men were still keeping watch over her. I rescued her and, following Your Highness’s orders, took her straight to the Second Princess Mansion.”

Nangong Yunshang listened to General Zhao’s words while feeding Tao Chuyi bites.

“You’ve gone to great trouble, General Zhao. Only by dragging it out into the open at the wedding banquet would it become common knowledge—something no one could ignore.”

“If the Noble Consort could see how measured Your Highness’s thinking has become these days, her spirit in the heavens would surely rejoice.”

At General Zhao’s words, Nangong Yunshang’s smile abruptly faded.

General Zhao realized her mistake a beat too late. “This minister spoke out of turn.”

She had received grace from the Noble Consort and longed to repay it in some small way. She hadn’t expected her benefactress to pass away, so she had turned her efforts toward the daughter instead. The Third Princess had endured calamity after calamity since childhood, bereft of the sovereign’s favor. Back then, when Zhao Linglong was still just a captain, she had exhausted every resource at her disposal to aid Nangong Yunshang. That had been many years ago now.

“No matter.”

When Nangong Yunshang looked at Tao Chuyi again, she curved her lips upward once more.

“I’m doing wonderfully now. Mother Consort can truly rest easy.”

Tao Chuyi didn’t grasp the complexity woven into that smile. Sensing only that Sister seemed unhappy, she mimicked the way Sister comforted her, reaching out to pat her on the head.

“Sister, don’t be sad.”

Nangong Yunshang tugged her hand down and clasped it tight. “I’m not sad. Now eat up.”

At the sight, Zhao Linglong visibly relaxed.

“Seeing the Princess and Prince Consort so devoted puts this minister’s mind at ease. If we can unearth solid evidence this time, we’ll topple the entire Cao clan—and the Third Prince will lose all support from the people.”

Just then, chaos erupted in the main hall downstairs. Two groups of men took offense to each other and broke into a brawl. Little by little, the situation spiraled further out of control.

Zhao Linglong rose to her feet and instructed her guards. “You lot, escort the Princess back to the mansion at once.”

Tao Chuyi had just grabbed Nangong Yunshang’s hand to leave when a thunderous boom rang out. Everyone dropped to a crouch where they stood, and Tao Chuyi hugged Nangong Yunshang tight as they did the same.

“What’s happened?”

Zhao Linglong called out loudly.

A guard outside shouted back, “The kitchen caught fire—it just exploded!”

The incident could be minor or major, but it was almost certainly no accident.

The guards hustled the Princess and Prince Consort out first, while shoving the commoners toward the doors. Zhao Linglong stayed behind with her men to deal with the mess.

The coachman cracked his whip with a sharp “Giddyup!”

The carriage tore off down the street, but Tao Chuyi still clung to Nangong Yunshang, refusing to let go.

“It’s all right now, Chuyi. I’m fine.”

Nangong Yunshang patted her back, gesturing for her to release her grip.

Tao Chuyi held on anyway. That massive bang had left her ears ringing, nearly deafened.

Someone wanted to hurt Sister. She had to protect her!

The horse let out a shrill neigh as the carriage lurched into a sharp turn, swaying wildly from side to side. The two inside couldn’t keep their seats.

Moments later, the clash of steel on steel echoed around them. A fight had broken out.

“Princess and Prince Consort, hold tight—this servant has to push harder!”

The coachman lashed the horse fiercely, sending the carriage rocketing forward.

Tao Chuyi kept her arms locked around Nangong Yunshang as they tumbled about inside the carriage. She turned herself into a human cushion, taking every bump.

At last, they broke free of the danger. Nangong Yunshang raised her head. Imperial Guards from the Capital City were charging toward the skirmish—they were safe.

It seemed someone wanted her dead over that cheating scandal.

As the carriage slowed to a stop, Tao Chuyi rubbed at her arms and legs, grimacing in pain.

“What’s wrong?”

Nangong Yunshang pushed up her sleeve and discovered bruises blooming purple and blue across her arm. Heart aching at once, she chided her softly.

“Silly girl, I told you to let go.”

Tao Chuyi flinched away as she was touched, the pain too sharp.

“I won’t let Sister get hurt. It’s okay if it’s me instead. Father said a husband has to protect his wife.”

Nangong Yunshang wanted to massage the bruises but worried she’d cause more pain. All the way back, she held on without daring to touch.

They finally reached the Princess Mansion. She summoned servants to fetch ointment for contusions and hurriedly applied it to Tao Chuyi.

“Does it hurt?”

Tao Chuyi sat still and obedient, grinning like a fool. “Nope.”

But the instant Nangong Yunshang’s hands made contact, that grin twisted into a pitiful pout. Once the ointment was on, she burrowed aggrievedly into Nangong Yunshang’s embrace, seeking comfort like a kitten.

“I know you feel hard done by. Sister will get revenge for you.”

Nangong Yunshang patted her soothingly until the teary-eyed Prince Consort drifted off to sleep in her arms.

The teahouse fire and the roadside ambush had both come from the same hand. Two assassins had been taken alive, but they lay half-dead in the dungeon, lips still sealed.

Temple Minister Tao had heard that Chuyi was hurt. He brought his personal fury to bear in the interrogations while ramping up the investigation on all fronts.

Tao Chuyi was being waited on hand and foot in the Princess Mansion, spending her days eating and playing to her heart’s content. Whenever she spotted the Princess, she demanded hugs.

She circled the toy chest once. “I want to eat buns.”

“Prince Consort, it’s the middle of the night—eating too much isn’t good for you.”

Liuzi tried to dissuade her kindly.

Tao Chuyi pressed her lips together, blinking up tears into her eyes.

Liuzi bowed in a panic. “This servant will go buy some right away, all right? Ancestor, please don’t cry—Her Highness won’t let me off the hook if you do. Just say the word: whose buns do you want? I’ll fetch them this instant.”

At those words, Tao Chuyi’s pout vanished, her eyes cleared, her mood flipping faster than the pages of a book.

“I want the ones from Flourishing Cloud Shop.”

“You got it!”

Liuzi bolted out the door, bustling with energy.

Tao Chuyi, thoroughly pleased, resumed rummaging in the toy chest for something fun.

But she’d already played with everything in there. No good.

Bored out of her mind, Tao Chuyi turned her attention elsewhere. The moment her hand stretched toward the bed curtains, Nangong Yunshang walked in.

“That won’t do, Chuyi.”

Tao Chuyi yanked her hand back in an instant. She whipped around with a guilty yet sweetly beaming smile. “Sister.”

Nangong Yunshang walked over and gave her ear a playful tug.

“No amount of sweetness lets you tear the house apart.”

“Oh.”

Tao Chuyi scanned the room and soon fixated on the vase atop the windowsill.

Nangong Yunshang’s voice rang out again. “That won’t do either. How are you more of a homewrecker than Fifteen?”

No to this, no to that. Tao Chuyi deflated, plopping down right there and going still.

Amused, Nangong Yunshang poked the back of her head. Down it went; unpoke it, and up it bounced. Nangong Yunshang toyed with her like that several times before realizing she was getting a bit bored herself.

Tao Chuyi, dreams dashed, turned around. Spotting Nangong Yunshang, hope reignited in a flash. She lunged forward, tackling her flat onto the couch.

“Get up!”

Nangong Yunshang neither wanted to strike her nor hold back, left laughing and exasperated.

“You can’t go dismantling me just because I won’t let you dismantle the house.”

Tao Chuyi’s eyes darted about, as if she’d discovered a thrilling new game. How best to dismantle Sister?

Her gaze fell on Nangong Yunshang’s sash. She ducked her head and chomped down.

Nangong Yunshang yelped in alarm. Just as her clothes teetered on the brink of ruin, salvation arrived at the door: Liuzi was back with the buns.

Nangong Yunshang exhaled in relief. She hastily straightened her garments before permitting him entry.

“Prince Consort, here are the meat buns from Flourishing Cloud Shop—still piping hot.”

Liuzi was panting from exhaustion. “This servant’s about to drop dead. I barely made it here before they closed up.”

Nangong Yunshang held up a single finger at her. “Just one. Any more and you’ll get indigestion again.”

One it was. Tao Chuyi agreed readily and picked up a meat bun, still steaming hot with wisps of vapor rising from it.

She blew on it for quite a while before she could take a bite. The first mouthful filled her mouth with a lingering, delicious fragrance. But when she bit into it a second time, her expression grew strange, then contorted in pain as her whole face scrunched up like one of the buns.

Nangong Yunshang looked puzzled. “What’s wrong? How’d eating a bun turn you into one yourself?”

It was just a teasing remark, but Tao Chuyi remained frozen in place, her expression still odd, neither chewing nor swallowing.

Nangong Yunshang’s voice filled with worry. “What’s the matter, Chuyi?”

No matter how she called out to her, Tao Chuyi held the same rigid pose, as if she had turned to stone.