Di Lanmo looked over expectantly.
A young eunuch rushed in, out of breath. First, he bowed to the two of them, then said to Di Lanmo, "Princess, the prince sent this servant to tell you that he wants you to go to the Chonghua Palace to find him!"
"Chonghua Palace?" Di Lanmo looked at the Empress Dowager with a puzzled look on her face.
The Empress Dowager explained, "The Chonghua Palace was the place where the Prince of Qin lived in the palace when he was young."
This shouldn't be right. Weren't they supposed to go back to the mansion directly after it was over?
Why did he suddenly say that she had to go to the Chonghua Palace?
If there was something to say, he should have come to find her and talk to her on the way back to the mansion, instead of in this deep palace full of unknowns and informants!
Thinking of the poison on Chu Zhiyan's body, Di Lanmo's heart suddenly tightened. She stood up and rushed out in a hurry. In her eagerness, she even forgot to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager.
"Lead the way!"
The young eunuch was stunned for a second, curtsied, then quickly turned around and followed Di Lanmo.
The sound of Di Lanmo's footsteps gradually faded away.
The Empress Dowager scolded in a low voice, "This stinky girl! I've been telling her about etiquette for so long, but it seems like she's just turning a deaf ear to it!"
The nanny echoed, "This Princess of Qin is really a bit lacking in etiquette. Your Majesty, do you still want this old servant to continue teaching the princess etiquette?"
The Empress Dowager glared at the nanny and said, "Who asked you to teach her? I think she's just fine like this!"
The Empress Dowager sighed, "Only a woman as valiant as her can get along well with Ayan. I hope they can both be well and accompany each other! This child, Ayan..."
Although the words were not finished, there was a hint of apology and an indescribable meaning in the Empress Dowager's lingering voice.
The nanny lowered her head. She knew that the Empress Dowager didn't need her to echo at this moment.
It took half the distance across the imperial city to get from the Cihe Palace to the Chonghua Palace.
Half an hour later.
When they arrived at the gate of the Chonghua Palace, Di Lanmo took out a one - tael silver coin from her purse and said, "Thank you, little eunuch. You can stop here. I'll go in by myself."
Di Lanmo let out a sigh of relief, then raised her hand and pushed open the heavy door. Looking around, the place was overgrown with weeds and completely desolate.
Di Lanmo was puzzled. As the younger brother of the emperor, the son of the Empress Dowager, and the God of War of the Great Chu, why was the palace where he lived since childhood in such a state?
Judging from the Empress Dowager's words and deeds today, it didn't seem that she had a rift with Chu Zhiyan!
If it wasn't the Empress Dowager...
Forget it!
This wasn't the time to think about these things. Di Lanmo shook her head to suppress her thoughts, walked through the waist - high weeds, and headed straight for the main hall.
"Creak—" Since the door hadn't been moved for a long time, it made a sharp and ear - piercing sound.
"Cough, cough..." Di Lanmo raised her hand to wave away the falling dust. The room was completely silent, and there were no footprints on the dusty floor.
Then she thought that Chu Zhiyan was highly skilled in martial arts. If he didn't want to be discovered, he had plenty of ways. She took a deep breath and still went in to search around.
"Isn't he here?"
Di Lanmo turned and walked towards the east wing.
Half a quarter of an hour later, Di Lanmo walked out.
Di Lanmo suddenly felt a sense of uneasiness: Could he be hiding in the west wing where the servants lived?
If he was really hiding in the west wing, the situation must be very critical.
Sure enough, as soon as she got close to the door, she heard a faint breathing sound.
Di Lanmo's heart tightened. She pushed the door, but it didn't move.
It had been bolted from the inside!
Forget it!
Di Lanmo took a step back and kicked the door with her foot!
"Bang—" The door fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
"Chu Zhiyan!"
On a wooden board in the room, Chu Zhiyan was lying there with a pale face. This was the second time Di Lanmo had seen him so weak.
No!
Compared to this time, the first time they met in the hot spring was nothing at all!
Di Lanmo placed her hand on his chest. His heartbeat was very weak!
She called out to him anxiously, "Chu Zhiyan! Wake up!"
Her delicate hand was held by a big warm hand. Chu Zhiyan opened his eyes and said, "I'm fine. I just got poisoned a little."
"..."
It was the first time Di Lanmo had seen someone talk so lightly about being poisoned, as if it was as simple as taking a sip of water.
Di Lanmo was both angry and amused. "Just got poisoned a little? If you're so capable, why don't you detoxify yourself? Why did you call me here in such a hurry?"
While saying this, she didn't stop her hand. Di Lanmo pinched Chu Zhiyan's hand to feel his pulse.
A sharp look flashed through her eyes. "Is it the same poison as before?" Then she shook her head. "No, there's one more ingredient. It reacted with the previous poison. Although the symptoms are similar, the toxicity is twice as strong as before!"
Di Lanmo was a bit curious. "Who on earth is it? They hate you so much! You're not such a careless person. How did you get poisoned?"
Chu Zhiyan moved his lips but didn't say a word. He just lowered his head and didn't look at her anymore, as if the matter of being poisoned had nothing to do with him.
Di Lanmo gritted her teeth. Fine, if he didn't want to say it! Anyway, she would find out sooner or later!
The situation was critical at this moment. She hadn't brought any medicine when she entered the palace. She could only find something good to refresh him first and then make plans after returning to the mansion!
But what could there be in this place...
Got it!
Di Lanmo casually pulled out the white jade hairpin she had taken when she set off earlier and held it in her hand. She pressed the bead buckle on her finger. With a click, a silver - white pill came out.
After running around continuously, her hair bun was already a bit messy and was only held in place by this hairpin.
Now that the hairpin was gone, her long black hair flowed down gracefully.
A refreshing feeling rushed into Chu Zhiyan's brain and quickly spread. He felt surprisingly good. He raised his eyes and looked at Di Lanmo. "What is this?"
Di Lanmo grinned. "A good thing."
It was a cooling candy. She had brought it to eat, and this was the only one.
The young woman in front of him still had the dust on her face from when she was looking for him earlier, which made her skin look even fairer.
A gentle breeze blew, and a disobedient strand of hair fluttered onto the woman's rosy lips.
Before Chu Zhiyan realized it, his long fingers were already on Di Lanmo's warm lips.
"What are you doing?" Di Lanmo stared at him with wide eyes.
For some reason, Chu Zhiyan suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. His earlobes gradually turned red.
"Cough, your hair was full of dust and stuck to your lips. Since I saw you were busy, I pulled it down for you."
Di Lanmo didn't think much about it and continued to lower her head to work. "Oh, then I should thank you."
Chu Zhiyan suddenly felt inexplicably irritated. He always felt that Di Lanmo's reaction didn't meet his expectations, but if he was asked to say what kind of reaction he wanted from her, he couldn't say it.
Suppressing the restlessness in his heart, Chu Zhiyan asked her, "Are you done?"
Di Lanmo felt his pulse, tore off a corner of her skirt to bandage his wound, and said, "Yes, almost! Can you walk?"
Chu Zhiyan suddenly wanted to tease her. "I don't have the strength. I can't walk."
"..."
"Fine! Should I help you or carry you on my back?"
"Carry me on your back!"
Di Lanmo took a deep breath and squatted down. "You're really something as a big man!"
Chu Zhiyan supported his waist and slowly got up, not noticing the smile on his lips.
"Wait!" Di Lanmo suddenly stood up, almost knocking Chu Zhiyan back onto the wooden board.
Di Lanmo didn't pay attention to him. Her pretty face was as cold as frost, and a killing intent rose from her body.
"What's wrong?" Chu Zhiyan was seriously injured and didn't notice anything wrong, but he knew that there must be a reason for her actions, so he asked her.
Di Lanmo's voice was cold, but it carried an undeniable killing intent. "Someone is coming. Their footsteps are so light that they can hardly be heard, and there's a strong killing intent! It's a master!"