"Jiang Ming, what's going on?" Zhao Yanluo blocked Meng Jiangming's path and asked.
Meng Jiangming looked at Zhao Yanluo and said, "It's nothing."
With that, he left.
Zhao Yanluo frowned slightly. Nothing? But he detected a familiar scent, a scent that felt like déjà vu. Da Feng Novel Network.
Jiang Xiuyi did not expect Meng Jiangming to turn back. She looked at Meng Jiangming's expression. Although it was as usual, it inexplicably sent a chill from the soles of her feet to her head. This feeling made her somewhat afraid and fearful.
"Xiuyi, where is that paper packet?" Meng Jiangming asked directly.
Jiang Xiuyi's gaze faltered, and she looked away in a flustered manner. "Cousin, what... what do you need the powder for?"
"Give it to me..." Meng Jiangming said coldly.
"Cousin, that's something a woman uses. It's... it's not suitable for you, cousin."
Meng Jiangming said impatiently, "Xiuyi, give it to me."
Jiang Xiuyi shook her head. "No, that..."
Before she could finish speaking, Meng Jiangming stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and was about to search her. "Cousin, you..."
"What are you two doing?" a cold shout echoed.
Meng Jiangming froze and turned to see Madame Jiang standing at the doorway.
"Mother..."
Madame Jiang looked at Meng Jiangming coldly and reprimanded, "What kind of behavior is this, pulling and tugging? Do you want everyone to see?"
Meng Jiangming was startled and quickly let go of Jiang Xiuyi. Seeing Madame Jiang, Jiang Xiuyi trembled inwardly. She feared seeing Madame Jiang the most, as she had disobeyed Madame Jiang and come here behind her back.
Madame Jiang walked forward, trembling with anger. Just moments ago, she had been praising her son to the Marchioness of Ji'an, saying that ever since the imperial decree of marriage, he had never caused her any more worry.
Indeed, after the imperial decree of marriage, under her and the Earl's supervision, Meng Jiangming had been well-behaved for a while. But she never expected to witness such a scene now.
"Jiang Ming, you have truly disappointed me," Madame Jiang said, word by word.
Seeing his mother's disappointed expression, Meng Jiangming felt a pang of guilt.
Madame Jiang, however, no longer looked at him and said coldly, "Guards, drag this little vixen out and beat her to death!"
She had long seen that this young servant was a woman disguised as a man. She hadn't bothered before, thinking her son might like to have a maid serve him, but she never imagined he would be fooling around here!
It was fortunate that Princess Xingyue did not know; if she did, she might be furious. To eliminate this destabilizing factor at its root, Madame Jiang had to act decisively.
Jiang Xiuyi was stunned. She quickly turned her head and, with a thud, knelt on the ground. "Aunt, it's Xiuyi."
Jiang Xiuyi? Madame Jiang's eyes widened as she looked at the person kneeling before her. Seeing the familiar face, she felt utterly unwell, her blood surging. Before she could speak, she tilted backward and fell to the ground.
"Mother!" Meng Jiangming cried out in alarm and rushed forward to help Madame Jiang up.
Madame Jiang's face was pale, and her eyes were closed.
Jiang Xiuyi was also bewildered. Why did her aunt faint upon seeing her?
"My aunt..."
Before she could finish, Meng Jiangming pushed her away with one hand, placed Madame Jiang on the bed, and shouted, "Find a imperial physician, find an imperial physician..."
The servants quickly left the tent to find an imperial physician.
There were imperial physicians at the hunting grounds, but they were all for the Emperor.
Therefore, anyone falling ill or getting injured at the hunting grounds had to seek permission from the Emperor.
The servants of the Ningguo Duke's mansion had not even approached the Emperor's tent before being stopped by the guards. The servant said, "Please pass on a message. I have important matters for my Earl."
"You must not be rude before His Majesty's imperial chariot," the guard said coldly.
As the servant was about to speak again, the sword drawn from the guard's waist made his legs go weak.
"What happened?" Xue Xingyue walked over. She found the maid somewhat familiar; she seemed to be the personal maid of the Duchess of Ningguo.
Upon seeing her, the maid looked as if she had found a savior and hurried forward. Feng Wu, standing nearby, stopped the maid and intervened, "It's alright, let her speak."
Feng Wu stepped aside, and the maid knelt on the ground. "Princess, please save my lady!"
Xue Xingyue was startled and asked, "What happened to my lady?"
The maid said, "My lady has fainted."
"Did you find an imperial physician?" Xue Xingyue asked.
The maid replied, "I did, but the imperial physician said he needs the Emperor's written decree."
Xue Xingyue turned back and walked forward. The guards on both sides quickly bowed. "Your subordinate greets the Princess."
"Is Imperial Brother inside?"
The guard replied, "Yes, Princess."
"Go and inform him that this Princess wishes to see Imperial Brother." Xue Xingyue said.
The guard heard this and replied, "Reporting to the Princess, His Majesty has ordered that no one is allowed to enter."
Xue Xingyue smiled coldly at this. "No one? Including this Princess?"
The guard bowed and said, "Princess, please forgive me, but I cannot abandon my post."
"What is your name?" Xue Xingyue asked.
The guard was startled and replied, "Your subordinate's name is Feng Jing."
"Perhaps Feng Jing is better translated as 'scenery'?"
Feng Jing was taken aback.
Xue Xingyue did not continue speaking. Instead, she turned back to the maid and said, "I will accompany you to see the imperial physician."
The maid was overjoyed. "Many thanks, Your Highness the Princess."
"Do you know why the Princess has changed your name?" Feng Wu asked Feng Jing coldly.
Feng Jing shook his head. "Your subordinate does not understand."
Feng Wu sneered, "No wonder you haven't been promoted in ten years as an imperial guard."
Feng Jing's gaze shifted slightly, and he bowed. "Please guide this subordinate, Master Feng Wu."
"I think the name Your Highness gave you is quite fitting, because you truly ruin the scenery." With that, Feng Wu left.
Feng Jing was stunned. Ruin the scenery?
With the arrival of Princess Xingyue, the imperial physician dared not delay. Carrying his medicine box, he followed the Ningguo Duke's mansion servant to the tent.
Xue Xingyue also entered the tent. Meng Jiangming was waiting anxiously. Seeing the imperial physician, he quickly stepped forward, grabbed the imperial physician's hand, and said, "Imperial physician, please quickly examine my mother."
The imperial physician said, "My Lord, rest assured, this old subject will examine Madam immediately."
Meng Jiangming breathed a sigh of relief, yielded the bed to the imperial physician, and stepped out.
Just as he was thinking about why the maid had taken so long, he looked up and saw Princess Xingyue. He was startled and quickly stepped forward to bow. "Your subject greets the Princess."
"No need for formalities. How did Madam faint?" Xue Xingyue asked with concern.
Meng Jiangming could not reveal the matter of Jiang Xiuyi and could only say, "Mother might have been too tired these past few days and felt unwell. Princess, please do not worry."
Xue Xingyue nodded. "It is good that Madam is well. Since everything is fine, this Princess will take her leave. If anything happens, My Lord may notify this Princess promptly."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jiangming felt a warmth in his heart and bowed. "Many thanks to the Princess."
Xue Xingyue turned to leave. Just as she was about to depart, she felt a gaze filled with jealousy and hatred. She looked back and saw a face retreating in panic.