"Kidnapping!" Gu Qing looked at Gu Yishu, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Gu Yishu nodded seriously. "Yes, it's kidnapping. Sister said that if she's destined not to marry the man she loves in this life, she'd rather remain single!"
Gu Qing shook his head. "But she can't use the trick of pretending to be defiled!"
Gu Yishu smiled and patted Gu Qing on the shoulder. "Brother, when I first heard what sister said, I was as angry as you. But sister said that the kidnapping is fake, and so is the story of being defiled. So don't be too nervous!"
Gu Qing still thought this method wouldn't work. "No! Even if it's fake, what will people say if the rumors spread? How can she show her face in public in the future!"
"Brother, why are you so muddle - headed? People can say whatever they want. Sister doesn't care. Why are you so nervous?"
Gu Qing shook his head. "No, let me think about it!"
He got up and was about to leave when Gu Yishu grabbed his arm. "Brother, it's too late. The wedding date is approaching. We have to make preparations in advance."
Gu Qing broke free from his arm and walked out. Gu Yishu looked at his back and helplessly shook his head. He knew that his good elder brother had feelings for his sister, but he was just too blindly obedient. He would do whatever his father said.
This made him very angry.
He got up to change his clothes and only then noticed that he felt uncomfortable all over, but he couldn't tell what was wrong.
As for Gu Qing, who had walked out, he looked back at Gu Yishu and found that he had entered the inner chamber. Taking advantage of this moment, he quietly took the cup on the stone table.
...
In the Regent's Mansion, Mo Qinghuan packed her things and was about to visit her mother - in - law.
But Bai Ke suddenly told her that the prince had given orders before going out not to let her leave the mansion, for fear that she might be in danger outside.
She sighed helplessly and had to hand the things in her hand to Bai Ke.
"Then you go. Remember what I told you. Focus on investigating the place we went to last time."
Bai Ke took the package, nodded, and walked out.
When Dan'er saw Bai Ke leaving, she stepped in. "Princess, I'd like to ask for a day off today."
Mo Qinghuan was sorting out the medicine bottles on the table. Hearing Dan'er's words, she looked up at her. "Sure, go ahead."
Dan'er was glad that Mo Qinghuan didn't ask any questions and then retreated.
Dan'er left the mansion with Shuang'er, and there was no one left to serve Mo Qinghuan.
When Mu Yanming came back, he saw Mo Qinghuan sitting alone under the pavilion in the huge Yangyang Hall.
"Why are you sitting here alone?"
He walked up to her and gently massaged her shoulders with both hands.
She looked up at Mu Yanming, her eyes full of tenderness. "Dan'er asked for a day off."
Then she lowered her head again to study the embroidery technique. Mu Yanming took her hand. "Although Dan'er and Shuang'er are your personal maids and they are quite loyal, they don't know martial arts. It's okay for them to serve you in the mansion, but it's not safe for them to go out. So I'm planning to arrange two maids who know martial arts to come to the Yangyang Hall. What do you think?"
"You can arrange it."
Seeing her lukewarm response, Mu Yanming knew that she must be mad at him for not letting her go out.
He lowered his head and gently kissed Mo Qinghuan on the forehead. "I know you're angry that I didn't let you go out, but I did it for your safety. You know that there are many people who want to assassinate me."
She nodded and held his hand tightly. "Don't worry. I'm not blaming you. It's just that I feel bored staying in the mansion all day. If you arrange two martial - arts - knowing maids to stay with me, can I go out and have a stroll?"
Mu Yanming nodded and looked at Mo Qinghuan with tenderness in his eyes. "Okay. If you want to go out for a walk, I'll arrange two martial - arts - knowing maids to stay with you as soon as possible."
"By the way, how's the investigation of Mu Yefeng's case going? When will he be released?"
"It should be soon. I'll present the evidence at the morning court tomorrow. By then, the emperor should release him."
Just as they were talking, the gatekeeper suddenly rushed in in a panic. Mu Yanming looked at the gatekeeper with a gloomy face. "What's all the panic about?"
The gatekeeper bowed and adjusted his breathing before saying, "Your Highness, a messenger from the palace said that Prince Cheng fainted in prison and his condition is extremely critical. The emperor sent someone to invite the princess to the palace."
Mu Yanming angrily slapped the table. "Are the imperial physicians in the palace just good - for - nothings?! Whenever something happens, they just come to bother my princess. In that case, we might as well dismiss all the people in the Imperial Medical Academy!"
Mo Qinghuan held his hand and said softly, "Since it's Mu Yefeng, let's go and take a look."
Mu Yanming carefully helped her up and walked towards the gate. When he passed by the gatekeeper, he gave him a cold, sidelong glance.
The gatekeeper was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and trembled all over.
He nervously followed behind them.
After getting on the carriage, Mu Yanming was still angry. He looked at Mo Qinghuan and said, "This is the last time. If anyone comes to ask you to treat someone in the future, don't go."
Mo Qinghuan knew that since she was pregnant, Mu Yanming was worried about her, so she smiled and agreed.
When they arrived at the palace, Mu Yefeng had already been taken to the emperor's bedroom.
Mo Qinghuan saw the emperor pacing back and forth anxiously. Just as she was about to bow, Mu Yanming held her up.
Mu Yanming gave the emperor a cold look and asked in a deep voice, "Is there no one in the Imperial Medical Academy who can treat diseases? In that case, we might as well dismiss all the imperial physicians and let them go home to farm."
The emperor knew that Mu Yanming was angry, but since Mu Yefeng was unconscious, he didn't want to argue with him. He then turned to Mo Qinghuan and his tone softened a bit. "Go and take a look what's going on."
As Mo Qinghuan walked forward, she asked, "When did he faint? Do you know what he ate before fainting?"
Yin Cong stepped forward and said, "He fainted this morning. He only drank a bowl of thin congee before fainting."
Hearing this, the emperor's face immediately darkened. "Did the people in the prison only send in a bowl of thin congee?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." The emperor was so angry that he almost fainted.
Mo Qinghuan walked forward, sat on the edge of the bed, and examined Mu Yefeng's condition. The emperor stared intently at her hand as she felt his pulse and anxiously asked, "How is he? When will he wake up?"
Mo Qinghuan frowned and looked at the emperor. "Your Highness has been poisoned, and it's a very strong poison. He won't wake up so soon."
After hearing this, the emperor staggered back a few steps. Fortunately, the eunuch supported him so that he didn't fall.
"Poisoned?" He turned to the eunuch. "Send someone to investigate. Check that bowl of thin congee and see if anyone went to see Prince Cheng. We must catch the person who poisoned him. I'll cut him into a thousand pieces!"