She should have turned and left, but some force compelled her to stay.
Gu Pan'er, who was supposed to be dead, now propped herself up with effort, sat up, blinked her eyes, and looked around the surroundings in confusion.
Immediately after, she used a pillar to steady herself and stood up.
"Gu Pan'er, aren't you..."
Xue Ji strode forward, mustering her courage, and stood five paces behind Gu Pan'er.
Gu Pan'er's body swayed. Hearing Xue Ji's voice, she tried to turn her head to look at her.
But because she was extremely weak, Gu Pan'er's body went limp before she could even turn around.
"Careful." Almost instinctively, Xue Ji reacted swiftly, stepping forward and reaching out, catching her body.
Her body had become warm, and the touch seemed to carry a familiar scent from her memories.
It was like...
Leaning in Xue Ji's arms, Gu Pan'er raised her head and glanced at her, her eyes sparkling.
She seemed to want to say something, but ultimately said nothing, as she lacked the strength.
When Xue Ji met her gaze, she was instantly reminded of many past memories: Gu Qingyuan kissing her, flying kites, drinking together.
Xue Ji's eyes widened as she looked at Gu Pan'er in her arms, filled with both surprise and joy. The arms holding her tightened involuntarily.
"Yuan'er..."
"Young master, could you please inform your Shangguan Gongzi that the Princess Consort has arrived?"
Ye Qingcheng stood outside the gates of Shangguan Hong's residence, smiling broadly at the gatekeeper.
The servant, likely new, sized up Ye Qingcheng from head to toe and sneered, "You want to see our Shangguan Gongzi? Dream on!"
Ye Qingcheng lowered her head and looked at herself.
Indeed, she was covered in dirt, lacking any noble bearing. The fabric of her clothes was fine, but stained with mud, it was impossible to discern its original appearance.
She sighed.
Try assassinating Xiao Wangye in the dead of night and then being chased by assassins. Who could guarantee their clothes wouldn't get so dirty?
"Besides, the Princess Consort is the Regent King's beloved. She would surely be well protected and kept within the inner courts. You claim to be the Princess Consort? Don't be ridiculous. Is the Princess Consort as shabby as you are?" the servant continued to mock her.
Ye Qingcheng was the first to disagree. Her current state was merely travel-worn.
Besides, hadn't she just escaped after failing to kill Xiao Wangye?
What was so strange about that? It was only this new servant's lack of discernment, a true bumpkin, who couldn't even recognize Ye Qingcheng's face.
Just as Ye Qingcheng was about to retort and point out the servant's error, the mansion gate slowly opened. Shangguan Hong, holding a folding fan, stood at the entrance, his smiling eyes fixed on Ye Qingcheng.
Ye Qingcheng didn't rush to speak. The two simply looked at each other.
"Shangguan Gongzi, this woman is audacious and presumptuous, daring to impersonate the Princess Consort and attempt to sneak into the mansion to see you. She truly deserves a beating!" Seeing Shangguan Hong emerge, the servant scurried over to claim credit.
"She indeed deserves a beating," Shangguan Hong said expressionlessly, looking at the servant.
"Heh heh, should this humble one also receive some reward?" The servant scratched his head sheepishly.
Shangguan Hong sneered, "Reward? Of course, you won't be shortchanged."
With that, he turned away without looking at the servant's expression and called out, "Guards! Drag this newcomer out and give him twenty lashes!"
The servant froze. After being grabbed by two burly men, he struggled fiercely. "Spare me! Gongzi, what did I do wrong?"
"What did you do wrong? What do you think you did wrong?" Shangguan Hong said, walking up to Ye Qingcheng and taking her hand. "This one is the Princess Consort. Who gave you the audacity to stop her?"
"This, this... Gongzi, spare me! Spare me! This servant didn't know, didn't know!" the servant pleaded desperately.
"Take him away and flog him!" Shangguan Hong's words were irrefutable.
The two strong men acknowledged his command and dragged the servant away. The servant's cries gradually faded into the distance.
Shangguan Hong then turned to Ye Qingcheng and smiled slightly, "Let's go, Princess Consort. Come in for some tea to calm your nerves."
Ye Qingcheng frowned, feeling that both Shangguan Hong and the residence were somewhat strange.
Sitting together in the courtyard, Ye Qingcheng took a few sips of tea. Remembering something important, she put down her cup, looked at Shangguan Hong, hesitated several times, and finally lowered her eyes, "Shangguan Gongzi, I have nowhere else to go. I wonder if I could stay here for a while?"
"Naturally. Princess Consort, you can stay here as long as you wish. I would be most welcoming," Shangguan Hong replied with a smile.
"Then thank you, Gongzi," Ye Qingcheng said, relieved.
"Then from now on, Princess Consort will reside in the west wing of the mansion. I will arrange for maids to attend to you. The servant who stopped you at the gate today will certainly not appear again. If you need anything, please tell me directly. If the maids or servants are negligent, please inform me as well," Shangguan Hong said.
Ye Qingcheng nodded, "Thank you, Gongzi."
"You are welcome." Shangguan Hong turned, "Someone, escort the Princess Consort to the west wing to rest."
Following a new servant to the room Shangguan Hong had arranged, Ye Qingcheng still felt that something was not quite right.
But at least she had a place to rest, so things weren't too dire.
"What, still haven't found her?"
In his study, Xiao Wangye, seated at his desk, lifted his gaze from the pages of a book and asked coldly.
His gaze was somber, and his extremely handsome face was clouded with an unpleasant expression.
The guard kneeling before Xiao Wangye cautiously observed his expression, then quickly lowered his head. "We found her, but..."
Hearing that she had been found, Xiao Wangye felt a slight relief, but he was still uneasy about the guard's hesitant attitude. "But what? Speak quickly, don't be troublesome."
"It's just that the Princess Consort is now at the residence of Shangguan Hong, a strategist for the Crown Prince," the guard said, lowering his head deeply.
"Shangguan Hong," Xiao Wangye repeated the name.
"Yes, two days ago, the Princess Consort left the royal mansion. On the way, she seemed to have been chased by assassins. However, the guards you sent to protect the Princess Consort were mostly dealt with by those assassins. The only survivor, Xiao Liu, only returned to the mansion this morning. Therefore, this matter has only come to light now," the guard explained.
He knew that the Regent King before him had always been at odds with the so-called Crown Prince's strategist, especially concerning the Princess Consort.
Occasionally, he had also heard that the Princess Consort had some contact with Shangguan Hong, but most of it was forbidden and criticized by the Regent King. On a few occasions, the Regent King had even grounded the Princess Consort for it.