mesbooks Chapter 13 Look how understanding she is!
Chapter 13 Look how understanding she is!
As night fell and the lanterns were lit, the entire palace was enveloped in tranquility. However, just before the palace gates were about to be locked, a figure hurriedly returned—it was Jinse.
Jinse ran all the way, not even having time to change her clothes, heading straight for the palace. She was worried about the Empress, fearing that the Empress would be extremely anxious waiting for her.
At this moment, Su Nuannuan was leaning against the headboard, holding a book and reading quietly by candlelight. Beside her, Yaoqin sat on the footstool by the bed, intently embroidering a delicate handkerchief. A soft, warm atmosphere filled the room.
Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps broke the silence. Su Nuannuan and Yaoqin looked up almost simultaneously, their gazes turning towards the doorway. Then, Jinse's slightly tired but still vibrant face appeared before them.
"Your Majesty, I'm back," Jinse said breathlessly, a few beads of sweat still clinging to her forehead.
Seeing this, Su Nuannuan quickly put down her book and asked with concern, "Jinse, what exactly happened to the General's injury?" Her tone revealed a hint of urgency and worry.
Jinse took a deep breath to calm herself before replying, "Your Majesty, the General has been poisoned and is in critical condition. The imperial physicians are urgently researching antidotes and hope to find one as soon as possible." As she spoke, Jinse carefully took out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Su Nuannuan.
"When the Madam and the Young Madam learned of this news, they were heartbroken and even fainted from crying. I couldn't really help much in the General's Mansion, so when Master saw this, he told me to go back to the palace first." Jinse recounted in detail what she had seen and heard in the General's Mansion.
Su Nuannuan took the letter from Jinse, gently unfolded it, and quickly scanned the words. At the same time, she was still listening carefully to Jinse's report. After a moment, Su Nuannuan frowned slightly, thinking to herself, "Just as I guessed, this was all planned by my elder brother and father, with the aim of getting my elder brother transferred back to the capital."
After reading the letter, Su Nuannuan gently handed it to Yaoqin, who was standing nearby. Yaoqin didn't dare to delay at all. She quickly took the letter, walked briskly to the table where the candles were placed, and held the letter close to the flame without hesitation.
Flames leaped up instantly, greedily devouring the paper. Soon, the entire letter was engulfed in flames. As time passed, the fire gradually subsided, eventually leaving only a pile of black ashes lying quietly on the table.
"Jinse, you must continue to visit the manor in my place tomorrow." Su Nuannuan turned slightly and instructed Jinse beside her.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jinse replied respectfully.
"Alright, turn off the lights! You don't need to keep watch tonight." Su Nuannuan gently placed the book in her hand on the low table beside the bed, then slowly lay down and pulled the quilt over herself.
"Your Highness, I will rest on the small couch over there. If Your Highness needs anything, please just call out." Yaoqin carefully tucked Su Nuannuan in and said softly.
Then, she turned to Jinse, a gentle smile on her face, "Sister Jinse, you should go back and rest early too! Tomorrow we still have to go back to the palace to visit the Empress!"
Jinse smiled and nodded, without much formality, and replied readily, "I'll leave the affairs of the palace to you these next two days."
In the still of the night, the entire palace was immersed in tranquility.
However, at that moment, Su Nuannuan faintly heard the sound of a child crying. The crying was gradually approaching her palace.
"Your Highness, the Fifth Prince is crying so hard for some reason, it's heartbreaking! I can't soothe him no matter what I do!" Su Yueniang stood outside the door, her voice trembling with tears, anxiously calling out.
Upon hearing the child's piercing cries, Yaoqin, who was inside the room, was instantly wide awake and almost instinctively sat up from the small couch.
Hearing Su Yueniang's familiar voice calling from outside, Yaoqin quickly turned to look in the direction of her mistress. She saw that her mistress had also been awakened by the crying and was about to get up.
Seeing this, Yaoqin dared not delay for a moment, quickly walked to the door and opened it.
At this moment, the Fifth Prince's cries grew louder and louder, like a raging storm, each cry higher than the last, as if to shake the entire palace. His little face turned bright red, tears flowed freely like a burst dam, and his voice became hoarse from crying for so long.
Upon seeing this, Yaoqin felt a pang of pain in her heart. Without hesitation, she reached out and gently took the Fifth Prince from Su Yueniang's arms, holding him tightly in her embrace. She murmured softly, "Fifth Prince, don't cry, don't cry. Are you feeling unwell? Don't cry anymore..." As she spoke, she gently patted the Fifth Prince's back, trying to soothe his frightened heart.
Just then, Jinse rushed out of her room and ran to the Fifth Prince.
She extended her fair and delicate hand and gently placed it on the Fifth Prince's forehead, feeling its warmth. Then, she carefully examined his mouth and hands, afraid of missing any subtle details. After these initial checks, Jinse, still not satisfied, took his pulse, intently sensing any changes in it.
After this series of complex and meticulous operations were completed, Jinse raised her head, gently shook her head at Su Nuannuan, and said slowly, "Your Majesty, there is nothing unusual about the Fifth Prince."
Standing to the side, Su Yueniang was already extremely anxious. She looked at the Fifth Prince, who was still crying, with a face full of pity, and explained to Su Nuannuan with great anxiety: "Your Majesty, you don't know, the Fifth Prince was sleeping peacefully, but for some reason, he suddenly started crying loudly without any warning."
At first, the servant thought the Fifth Prince was hungry, so she hurriedly fed him milk. However, strangely enough, the Fifth Prince, who usually had a good appetite, showed no interest in the milk this time, keeping his little mouth tightly shut and refusing to eat a single drop.
So I quickly checked his diaper, but it was clean, with no sign of urination. Having no other option, I carefully examined the Fifth Prince from head to toe again, but still couldn't find even the slightest injury. No matter how I tried to soothe him, the Fifth Prince just kept crying and fussing. I was truly at my wit's end, which is why I rushed here to beg Your Majesty for help!
At this moment, the little fifth prince was already lying peacefully in Su Nuannuan's arms. The little guy, who had been crying his heart out and wailing incessantly, gradually weakened his cries, turning them into intermittent sobs, and occasionally hiccuping, looking quite adorable.
"Moon Lady, there's no need to blame yourself too much. Tonight, I will personally take care of Cheng'er and sleep with him. You should all go back to your rooms and rest. I imagine the child must have had a nightmare," Su Nuannuan said softly, her words full of tenderness.
Hearing this, Yaoqin, who was standing to the side, looked puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, do babies as young as the Fifth Prince dream?"
Su Nuannuan nodded slightly, sighed softly, and replied, "Of course he will. Perhaps it's because Cheng'er is connected to his uncle and senses that his uncle is currently in trouble and suffering, which is why he is disturbed by nightmares and cries incessantly."
In truth, Su Nuannuan knew very well that the reason she gave this explanation was simply to give the Emperor and Empress's people a reason to explain to their masters.
Look how understanding she is! She's even come up with a reasonable explanation for them.