0p0 Chapter 408 The Princess's Maid (12)
Chapter 408 The Princess's Maid (12)
"Then will you kill him?"
Qi Ning didn't answer but asked a question instead.
Yue Zeyuan was not a soft-hearted person. If the man was really just an ordinary guard who had committed such a crime, he would have ordered him to be executed long ago.
However, the men who went to arrest them returned and reported that the man's skills were extraordinary and he was not like the ordinary guard that Yu Tao had described.
Facing Qi Ning, Yue Zeyuan only said, "That person's identity is questionable. We need to interrogate him carefully and then take action after we have clarified his identity."
Oh, Qi Ning understands now. It seems Shen Yixiao is destined to be tortured.
By the time this matter was resolved, it was already quite late.
Yue Zeyuan did not leave, and instead stayed at Yaohua Palace.
However, he didn't do anything like he did yesterday, as if he was simply staying here for one night.
Hearing the steady breathing beside her, Qi Ning quietly opened her eyes.
She stared at Yue Zeyuan's sharply defined profile, pondering the matter between Yun Jing and Shen Yixiao.
"What are you looking at?"
Yue Zeyuan suddenly spoke, startling Qi Ning so much that her eyelashes trembled.
Upon closer inspection, she realized that Yue Zeyuan had also opened his eyes at some point, and he had caught her red-handed.
"nothing."
Qi Ning vehemently denied it.
"Don't want to sleep?"
Yue Zeyuan's words seemed to carry a different meaning.
Qi Ning shook her head repeatedly: "Who said I don't want to sleep? I'll sleep right away."
As she spoke, she prepared to close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.
But Yue Zeyuan said, "Come here."
"I do not want."
Qi Ning hugged the blanket tighter and shrank back. Yue Zeyuan looked like he had ill intentions, and her waist was still aching slightly.
Although the two were lying on the same bed, they were far apart.
Yue Zeyuan looked at Qi Ning, who seemed afraid he would do something, and knew what she was worried about.
His voice carried a hint of danger: "If you don't come over soon, I'm really going to do something."
Qi Ning hesitated for a moment before loosening the blanket and slowly moving closer to him.
As soon as she got close, Yue Zeyuan pulled her into his arms.
Her body was soft and had a faint fragrance; it was very comfortable to hold her.
Yue Zeyuan held her in his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head.
Qi Ning was held tightly by him, and for some reason felt that Yue Zeyuan was using her as a pillow.
She had no choice but to put Yun Jing and Shen Yixiao's matter aside for the time being, and fell asleep in his arms.
The next day.
After Yue Zeyuan left, Yulan came to Qi Ning's side to report.
"Your Majesty, Yu Tao has been given twenty lashes and is now lying in bed, crying and demanding to see you."
"is it?"
Qi Ning picked up a flower in full bloom from the vase, and slowly trimmed the branches and leaves with scissors in the other hand.
"That's right, she means that she's injured and can't move, so she wants you to go see her."
Yulan was helping Qi Ning choose flower branches, and thinking of Yu Tao's arrogant appearance, she couldn't help but purse her lips.
“Your Majesty, in my opinion, what master would take the initiative to visit a servant? Yu Tao was punished with caning because she was at fault. The fact that she was spared her life is already thanks to Your Majesty's intercession. Even if she has something to ask for, she should be the one to come and see you.”
Qi Ning lowered her eyes and smiled.
Although Yulan was also arranged by Yue Zeyuan to monitor her, she still sincerely treated her as her master and considered her needs in every way. In this respect, Yulan and the original owner are somewhat similar.
“You’re right. Yu Tao really doesn’t understand the proper hierarchy. Yu Lan, you should teach her properly.”
"Yes, ma'am."
Yulan was worried that her mistress would favor Yutao because Yutao was brought from Chu, but now that Qi Ning said this, she felt relieved.
"Alright then." Qi Ning paused in her pruning of the flowers. "Go back and tell Yu Tao that if there's anything important, she can come see me again once she's recovered and can get out of bed."
Yulan quickly agreed and then told Yun Jing what Qi Ning meant.
Yun Jing lay in the servants' quarters, enduring the pain as she waited and waited, but Qi Ning didn't come. Instead, Yu Lan lectured her.
"Yutao, Her Majesty said that no matter what the urgent matter is, you should wait until you have recovered before speaking to Her Majesty."
"She's not coming to see me?" Yun Jing looked up and asked incredulously.
"No manners!" Yulan scolded.
"Who do you think you are, a disloyal servant who ran away from her master? It's already a sign of Her Majesty's mercy that she hasn't executed you. How dare you disrespectfully order Her Majesty to see you? I think you want another beating..."
Hearing Yulan's reprimands, Yun Jing sneered inwardly, almost tearing the bedding to shreds.
It seems that Ning'er is indeed an ungrateful person; her honest demeanor in front of her before was all an act.
Now that she's impersonating her and becoming the Empress, she dares to put on airs and refuse to see her.
If it weren't for the fear of exposing her true identity, Yun Jing would have wanted to expose her immediately.
Yun Jing was still worried about Shen Yixiao's situation and didn't know how he was doing, so she had to swallow her anger.
Since Ning'er won't come to see her, then it's up to her to go see her.
In the afternoon, just as Qi Ning woke up from her nap, Yun Jing limped into her bedchamber to request an audience.
"Your Majesty, Yu Tao requests an audience," Yu Lan reported.
Qi Ning tilted her head slightly, somewhat surprised: "Wasn't she injured and unable to get out of bed? How come she's back so soon?"
Yulan combed Qi Ning's hair and replied, "I reckon her injuries aren't that serious; she was just putting on an act before."
Qi Ning looked at her face in the bronze mirror without saying a word. After Yu Lan finished tying her hair into a bun and put on a hairpin, she was helped by Yu Lan to sit down on the small couch.
She then said, "Let Yu Tao in. I'd like to have a private talk with her. You go and keep watch outside."
"Yes, ma'am."
A short while later, Yulan left, and Yun Jing limped in.
As soon as she entered, she saw Qi Ning sitting on a small couch. She was dressed in a gorgeous light blue palace gown, with gold and kingfisher feather hairpins in her hair. Tea and pastries prepared by Yulan and the others were placed beside her. She looked like she was living a life of luxury.
"Your Highness Consort Ning is so leisurely; it's my fault for disturbing you," Yun Jing said sarcastically, steadying herself against a nearby table.
Qi Ning picked up a grape and put it in her mouth before looking up at Yun Jing.
"Yu Tao is here. No need for formalities, please have a seat."
Yun Jing was so angry that her eyes turned red. First, she was angry because of the way Qi Ning addressed her, and second, she was injured and could not possibly perform the proper greeting, let alone sit down.
Do you think this princess is fit to sit now?
"Oh, I almost forgot." Qi Ning seemed to have just remembered. "You're injured and can't sit, so you'll have to stand."
"Oh, right." After a pause, Qi Ning kindly reminded her, "You should remember to change your self-reference. You're no longer Princess Pingning, but the palace maid Yu Tao. Be careful not to let it slip."
If Yun Jing hadn't been injured and struggling to walk, she would have loved to slap Qi Ning twice.
"Ning'er, you are truly remarkable. Who is it that doesn't understand hierarchy and dares to teach this princess how to speak?"
"You don't actually believe you're Princess Pingning, do you? A fake is still a fake, it's just that I... haven't exposed you yet!"
Even so, Yun Jing glanced outside as she spoke, afraid of being overheard, and subconsciously lowered her voice and changed her self-reference.
Qi Ning smiled slightly: "Why are you so angry? Is it because I didn't go to see you? I didn't go to see you because I didn't want Yue Zeyuan to become suspicious. After all, what master goes to see a servant?"
Yun Jing glared at her.
"Ha, you think you're right? Then explain why you impersonated me."
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