Madam He rushed over, gave a fierce glare at the two people still struggling with each other, then hurried into the room in a flurry. Inside, it was in a complete mess. The princess insisted on leaving, while two women from the He family were trying to console her, saying that it was not advisable to move an injured and sick person.
"Your Highness... little sister-in-law, it's all my fault. I didn't make proper arrangements. There are too many people here today. It was my oversight. The doctor has been sent for. Please, little sister-in-law, give your sister-in-law some face. Today is Chan'er's coming - of - age ceremony."
After all, this was her own natal family. The princess endured and thought that since Ning'er was unwell and it was indeed not suitable to move her, she reluctantly nodded. But she still couldn't help saying, "Sister - in - law has been in charge of the household for years. How come you can't handle such a small matter properly? If you're not up to it, you might as well hand over the affairs to someone else."
Madam He's face darkened slightly, but she still managed to muster a smile and nodded.
Lady Wei wiped the sweat off Lu Wanning's forehead. Although she felt sorry for her, she was actually relieved in her heart. Since her younger sister - in - law was injured, their royal mansion would be in the right. At least, she wouldn't have to humble herself to apologize for her younger sister - in - law's misdeeds as before.
Lu Wanning seemed to be in great pain in her sleep. She moved her hand and softly moaned, "It hurts..."
Lady Wei quickly told the maidservant to bring water and gently held Lu Wanning's hand. "Ning'er? Are you feeling better?"
Lu Wanning slowly woke up. Looking at Lady Wei in front of her, it took her a while to react, and her mind gradually cleared.
"It hurts so much..."
Seeing that she wanted to get up, Lady Wei quickly held her down and persuaded her, "Ning'er, don't move. You're injured. The doctor will be here soon. Drink some water first."
After Lu Wanning drank the water, the events that had just happened finally flashed through her mind.
In the original story, the original owner was also injured. But because Shi Aohan had fallen into the water, the Duke's Mansion was in a complete uproar. Moreover, since all the doctors had gone to take care of Shi Aohan, the princess didn't have the original owner examined until they got back to the mansion. By then, it was already too late, and the original owner had a scar on her forehead.
Lu Wanning didn't want to follow the same old path. She asked, "Where's mother?"
Lady Wei explained, "Mother and aunt have gone out to inquire about what happened. Don't be scared, Ning'er. Mother will surely seek justice for you and won't let you be injured for nothing."
Just then, the doctor came. After examining Lu Wanning, he bandaged her wound and said it was just a minor injury.
Lady Wei frowned and asked, "Such a big wound. Is it really just a minor matter?"
The doctor nodded. "Yes, it's nothing serious."
Lady Wei asked again, "Will there be a scar? A girl's skin is of the utmost importance. There can't be a scar."
The doctor's eyes flickered. He prescribed some medicine and said, "Take it on time and there'll be no problem."
Only then did Lady Wei feel relieved. She asked someone to see the doctor out, looked at Lu Wanning carefully, and comforted her, "There won't be a scar. It's okay. Don't be scared, Ning'er."
A smile played on Lu Wanning's lips. In the book, Lu Wanning was examined in the royal mansion. Logically, the doctors in the royal mansion shouldn't be bad. If it was really just a minor injury, how could there be a scar? The doctor just now also acted rather strangely.
Anyway, the Duke's Mansion was not as simple and kind - hearted as it seemed in the book. Only the naive original owner would think that since this was her maternal grandfather's family, they must all dote on her.
There was a commotion outside. Lu Wanning got out of bed and wanted to go out.
Lady Wei quickly stopped her. "Ning'er, mother is outside. No matter what happens, mother will protect you. This is your maternal grandfather's family. Don't worry."
That was exactly why she was worried.
Lu Wanning was stubborn, and Lady Wei couldn't stop her. When they got out of the door, they saw Shi Aohan kneeling on the ground, huddled into a ball, looking both aggrieved and pitiful. Fu Rongxuan was standing beside her, glaring angrily at the princess with a look of defiance in his eyes.
The princess shouted angrily, "Do you mean that my daughter pushed you into the water?"
Shi Aohan shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, Your Highness. It's my fault. I'm the one in the wrong. The princess didn't hurt me at all... Prince Fu, Chan'er, thank you for your kindness, but please stop talking!"
He Chan shouted, "What? She pushed you, and we can't even talk about it? If she didn't push you, why did she go to save you? It's clearly out of guilt!"
"Chan'er!"
"Mother."
When the princess turned around, she saw Lu Wanning with a bandage on her forehead. Due to excessive blood loss, her face was so pale that it was almost transparent. Wrapped in a silver - white fox fur, she looked extremely delicate and charming.
"Ning'er, why did you come out? Why aren't you resting?"
Lu Wanning smiled slightly. "If I hadn't come out, I wouldn't have known how others were slandering me."
He Chan was taken aback. "What slander? What I said is the truth."
Lu Wanning held the princess's hand to calm her down, then raised her eyebrows and looked at He Chan. "If you insist that what you said is the truth, let me ask you. Were you on the arch bridge at that time?"
He Chan retorted, "I don't need to be on the arch bridge. I can figure it out just by thinking."
"So just by thinking, you can figure out the truth. Miss He is really amazing. You're even more amazing than the master in Yunyin Temple."
Lu Wanning sneered, then turned to the princess. "Mother, why did you make Miss Shi kneel?"
The princess shook her head in surprise. "When I came, she was already kneeling here."
Shi Aohan quickly explained, "It was my fault that you got injured. I feel so guilty that I knelt here to ask for your forgiveness."
Fu Rongxuan was stunned. Wasn't it Lu Wanning's overbearing order that made Shi Aohan kneel? But at this moment, he didn't have time to think about these details.
Lu Wanning continued, "You really should kneel. I'm the noble Princess Zhaoyang, but you're so shameless that you don't respect me. Kneeling for just two sticks of incense is not enough. Keep kneeling."
Shi Aohan looked up at Lu Wanning in disbelief, on the verge of fainting.
Fu Rongxuan couldn't hold back anymore and shouted, "Lu Wanning, what are you talking about?"
Lu Wanning looked at him leisurely and continued, "Don't you know what I'm talking about, Prince Fu? Don't you want to know why Shi Aohan went to the arch bridge, what she said to me, and why she deliberately slipped and almost fell into the water?"
She emphasized the word "deliberately", making it clear what had happened on the arch bridge.
Madam He said, "Ning'er, your cousin Shi didn't do it on purpose. How can you slander her like this?"
Lu Wanning curled her lips. "This is really ridiculous. Without even knowing the whole story, all of you are putting the blame on me and saying that I'm slandering her. You're really my kind aunt and cousin."
Madam He felt a pang of unease. Lu Wanning was an impulsive and hot - tempered girl, but usually she was quite close to her and polite to the elders. Why was she acting like this today?
The princess was always protective of her daughter. She said unhappily, "Yes. As soon as you came, sister - in - law, you and Shi Aohan kept going back and forth, insisting that this was my daughter's fault. People who don't know might think my daughter had done something extremely heinous."