Rong Wan was left speechless.
She had not been prepared for Lian Xin's sudden counter - attack. Frustrated and enraged, her heart raced, and she gasped for breath. "Brother Zhao..."
Yan Zhao thought she was still trying to deny everything. He turned around and said, "The power to manage the estate will be returned to the Crown Princess Consort from today. Now, pack your luggage immediately!"
But behind him, there came the sound of something heavy falling onto the bed.
Rong Wan had fainted.
After all, she had been raised in the mansion for five years. There was a hint of shock and concern in Yan Zhao's eyes.
Ning Yuwǎn stepped forward to feel Rong Wan's pulse. Frowning, she raised her head and said, "A San, call the mansion doctor!"
Rong Wan was not faking the faint.
Lian Xin said uneasily, "The young lady took two pills today."
Doctor Yan had specified when giving the prescription that it could be taken at most twice a month.
Because there was a medicinal herb in the prescription with a domineering medicinal property.
Taking a small amount could suppress the heart disease.
But if taken too much, it would have the opposite effect!
Lian Xin didn't know that in a daze, Rong Wan had taken the pills three times in total.
The mansion doctor arrived soon. After a careful examination of Rong Wan's body, he shook his head and said, "My lord, Miss Rong is weak - bodied and has taken the medicine too aggressively. She may need to recuperate for a while."
"Understood."
Yan Zhao frowned. Rong Wan's fainting was beyond his expectation. But when his gaze swept over Lian Xin's bruised arms, his determination was strengthened. "Lian Xin, pack Rong Wan's luggage."
At first hearing, one might think that Lian Xin would follow Rong Wan to Gusu Nunnery to serve her in the future.
Lian Xin bit her lips until they turned white. Then she heard Yan Zhao say again, "After today, you will serve in the main courtyard."
Yan Zhao curled his fingers into a fist. He had no intention of letting Rong Wan off!
Spreading rumors under his nose, if it weren't for Wen Sui's last words, Rong Wan wouldn't have enough lives for him to kill!
"Thank you, my lord!"
Lian Xin was overjoyed and shed tears. She had finally escaped from Rong Wan's clutches. Immediately, she carefully bowed to Ning Yuwǎn. "Thank you, Crown Princess Consort! This servant will surely behave herself from now on!"
Ning Yuwǎn responded indifferently. She already had Lian Ye and Lian Zi by her side. Having another Lian Xin wouldn't be a problem.
The incident in Huiyu Pavilion spread quickly. Apart from the servants secretly rejoicing, the most excited ones were surely Lady Jiang and Lady Wu, who had been long - oppressed by Rong Wan.
The two had predicted Rong Wan's next move, but they didn't expect her to lose power so quickly!
"The Crown Princess Consort has no intention of managing the side courtyard."
There was a glint in Lady Jiang's eyes. "Although we can't see the Crown Prince now, our lives are much more pleasant than when we were under Rong Wan's thumb!"
Lady Wu nodded in agreement. "If we behave ourselves, we can finally live in peace from now on!"
Lady Jiang nodded with a smile. "Haven't we always behaved ourselves in this Crown Prince's Mansion?"
The two exchanged a smile, but their words didn't match their hearts.
Behave themselves?
With each of them having a master behind their backs, they couldn't possibly be well - behaved.
Sure enough.
Not long after, an owl flew out quietly from the side courtyard, heading towards the palace in the distance.
At night.
A carriage left the Crown Prince's Mansion and headed out of the city.
Inside the carriage, Rong Wan closed her eyes tightly. Her face was pale. If it weren't for the rise and fall of her chest, one might think she was a corpse.
The mansion doctor had simply prepared a few medicines for Rong Wan to drink, which could temporarily nourish her body.
But in order to let Rong Wan remember the lesson well, Yan Zhao didn't arrange any attendants for her.
After all, with Lian Xin's example, Yan Zhao naturally wouldn't send any more maids into the tiger's mouth.
Rong Wan had entered the Crown Prince's Mansion alone back then, and now she was leaving the mansion alone.
Maybe she herself had never thought of this.
She was able to enter the Crown Prince's Mansion because of her scheming, and she was forced to leave today because of the same scheming!
Success and failure both stemmed from the same cause!
The moon was bright, and the night was cold.
A San drove the carriage towards the outside of the city. When passing by a wild grass forest, his face became solemn.
He had been here before. This was the time when night birds and crickets would usually chirp!
But now it was eerily quiet.
His hawk - like eyes shifted, and his right hand quietly touched the sword at his waist!
Suddenly, the direction of the wind in the void changed!
Several black - clothed men instantly emerged from the darkness. The cold light of their sword blades reflected their expressionless eyes. Their target was A San and the carriage behind him.
A San was forced to jump out of the carriage and roll on the ground. A sword was stabbing at his chest. He quickly got up and drew his sword to block it.
A long sword was also stabbing at him from behind. He tapped his toes and flipped upwards.
But the black - clothed men seemed to have seen through his moves and sent two more men to attack him from above and below.
A San let out a heavy breath and simply rushed towards the one on the right. He kicked the other three men away with his legs!
But a long sword pierced through the flesh of his chest, and blood flowed freely from the wound.
"Hiss!"
He gritted his teeth and chopped off the long sword with his own sword, then kicked the black - clothed man in front of him away.
He had planned to take advantage of the moment when the men were retreating to get on the carriage and take Rong Wan away.
Unexpectedly, one of the black - clothed men took the opportunity to drive the carriage away while he was engaged in the fight.
The other black - clothed men seemed to know they were no match for A San. They threw smoke bombs at the same time to blind A San's eyes.
"Playing dirty tricks!"
When A San's vision cleared again, the black - clothed men and the carriage had disappeared.
He followed the traces of the carriage and found a cliff. The carriage had been shattered at the bottom of the cliff, and the horse was whimpering with blood all over its body.
Only Rong Wan and the black - clothed men were missing!
A San covered his chest and took out something from his bosom. It was a small sachet that Lian Ye had made for him and his brothers some time ago. It had blocked part of the long sword just now and saved his life.
He stuffed the loose sachet back into his bosom and gritted his teeth. "You scoundrels! Don't let me find you!"
It was just getting dawn.
A San finally returned to the mansion. Although the injury was not fatal, it made his steps slow, and he could hardly use his light - body technique.
"My lord, Miss Rong has been kidnapped!"
A San knelt on the ground. "The other side sent four men. This subordinate was incompetent in the fight and let them succeed!"
"Do you know who they are?"
A San hesitated. He only had a brief fight at night. He tried hard to recall. "It seems to be the style of those in the palace!"
Yan Zhao narrowed his eyes and thought deeply. "I see."
He hadn't expected Rong Wan to be kidnapped either, so he didn't blame A San.
Suddenly, he smiled. It seemed that his notorious reputation on weekdays had made some people in the mansion eager to take action.
"Go back and rest."
A San's face suddenly turned pale, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "A Da and A Er are out on errands, and A Si is far away in Jiangxi. There is no one by your side, my lord. This subordinate will never rest!"
He had said all the nice words and flattered enough, but Yan Zhao knew his character well.
His gaze fell on A San. Yan Zhao smiled faintly. "Just say it straight!"
"Seeing a doctor costs money. I'm asking for a subsidy!"
A San remained calm. "My lord is kind - hearted and always considerate of his subordinates!"
There was a mansion doctor in the Crown Prince's Mansion. When would it be his turn to spend money?
If it weren't for the fact that he and his brothers had grown up with Yan Zhao since childhood, Yan Zhao would have liked to tear A San's mouth apart at this moment.
There was a knowing look in Yan Zhao's eyes. A San was still thinking about the new sword he couldn't afford last time and was planning to take advantage of his injury.
His face darkened as he said, "Since you don't want to rest, go and receive the punishment for your incompetence at work!"
A San wisely retreated. "This subordinate will go and rest right away!"