With Chang Ying's help, Qing Zhu's wound was treated in time and stopped worsening. After being bandaged, it would only take some time to heal.
When Feng Yunshu learned from Helan Yanting that she had indeed misunderstood Chang Ying and that Qing Zhu was now out of danger, she felt a bit apologetic.
"So he's not Zhu Shan?"
Helan Yanting shook his head. "I just asked him. He's indeed not an ordinary person, but he's not Zhu Shan."
"Then why did he follow Your Highness?" Feng Yunshu couldn't help but feel curious.
Helan Yanting paused for a moment and then said, "He only mentioned that there was some karmic connection between Your Highness and him in a past life. Your Highness saved his life, so he came here to repay the favor."
"Save his life?"
Helan Yanting nodded. Anyway, he had indeed saved Chang Ying's life, so it wasn't a lie to say so.
Feng Yunshu thought for a while and then slowly nodded. "I see. It turns out I got the wrong person after all..."
Meanwhile, in the National Teacher's Mansion of the Dan Kingdom.
When Kong Ze received the message from Xiao Ling, he was looking at Princess Wufang, Dongfang Mengling, sitting opposite him, looking helpless and at a loss.
"Princess Wufang, it's getting late. I really need to rest. Moreover, it's improper for an unmarried man and an unmarried woman to be in the same room. If it gets out, it may damage Your Highness's reputation."
Dongfang Mengling had been sitting in the main hall since she came to the National Teacher's Mansion and refused to leave no matter what Kong Ze said. Her expression looked a bit dejected.
She looked up at Kong Ze with a complicated expression,欲言又止.
"Princess Wufang, if you have something to say, just say it. After you've said it, you can let me rest."
"Kong Ze, this princess..." After hesitating for a long time, Dongfang Mengling took a deep breath and finally said, "This princess came here today actually to ask you a question."
"Your Highness can just say it."
"Father has suddenly fallen seriously ill recently and has been lying in bed unable to get up. Everyone in the palace says that Father is overworked, but I suspect that someone is secretly behind it."
Kong Ze's expression paused slightly. "Princess Wufang, this matter can't be speculated casually. If there's no evidence and others hear it, it may backfire."
"No, I'm not speculating casually! Father has always been in good health and he's not old. Why did he suddenly fall ill? The strangest thing is that since Father fell ill, Concubine Mu has been guarding Father's side every day. When I went to visit Father because I was worried about his health, who would have thought that Concubine Mu wouldn't allow this princess to go in. What's the reason for this?!"
When it came to this matter, Dongfang Mengling got a bit excited. "I've long suspected that this Concubine Mu is up to something. Now that Father is seriously ill and she won't allow others to visit Father, so I suspect that there must be another reason for Father's serious illness!"
"Concubine Mu..." When it came to this person, Kong Ze's expression became even more solemn.
Speaking of this Concubine Mu, he was really a bit curious. The reason was that every time he was summoned by the emperor to enter the palace, he accidentally bumped into Concubine Mu a few times. The way she looked at him was extremely complicated, and the few words she said were also very sarcastic.
"I didn't expect that the National Teacher is really blessed with great fortune. I've long heard that the National Teacher has been seriously ill and may not have long to live, but I didn't expect that you would recover so quickly. You look in good spirits."
Another time, Concubine Mu sized him up meaningfully and then said, "This palace thinks that the National Teacher seems to have changed a person since he recovered from his illness. He used to look worried all the time and always avoided Princess Wufang. Now he's quite frank when facing Princess Wufang..."
"Could it be that the National Teacher has really changed?"
When Kong Ze heard Concubine Mu say this, his heart skipped a beat. He intuitively felt that Concubine Mu was by no means an ordinary person. Her words had a hidden meaning and were more like a threat.
After this incident, Kong Ze specially sent someone to investigate all the background information of this Concubine Mu. Speaking of which, Concubine Mu's rise to power was also a rare exception.
She was not born into a noble family but was an ordinary peasant girl. The only thing that was not ordinary about her was that she had a beautiful and peerless face.
After her parents died of illness, she had been living a hard life. One year, when Dongfang Chuan was on a private visit, he passed by the place where she lived. Coincidentally, he saw Concubine Mu being bullied. Immediately, he came to her rescue. A beauty's tears are the most pitiful. Concubine Mu didn't know what means she used, but she was able to make the emperor take her back to the palace when he left.
Since then, Concubine Mu's existence has become a special case in the harem. From an ordinary peasant girl with no background, she gradually rose to the position of imperial concubine. Moreover, over the years, her appearance has not only not declined but has become even more beautiful. Therefore, even though there were often new people in the harem later, they never managed to shake Concubine Mu's position.
After learning about Concubine Mu's background, Kong Ze became even more confused. Because from this information, there was nothing special about Concubine Mu. If there was anything most special about her, it was that her mind and means must be extremely clever. Otherwise, no one would have been able to shake her position.
But why was she so concerned about a national teacher?
The previous doubts had not been solved yet. Now, hearing what Dongfang Mengling said, Kong Ze couldn't help but frown and think deeply.
"Besides this matter, has Your Highness noticed any other strange things about Concubine Mu?"
Dongfang Mengling frowned and thought for a while, then shook her head. "I actually don't have much interaction with her on weekdays, so I know very little about her. I only know that she's the woman who has always been favored by Father. Moreover, every time there's a banquet in the palace, she can always sit in the seat closest to Father."
After saying that, Dongfang Mengling's face became even more worried. "Kong Ze, my mother died not long after giving birth to me. After that, I've always been raised by the queen. But I know that the queen is not kind to me. If it weren't for Father's concern for me over the years, my life in the palace would never have been so easy..."
Speaking of this, Dongfang Mengling couldn't help but feel her nose sour and her voice a bit choked.
Kong Ze originally didn't have much affection for this Princess Wufang who kept pestering him. He just thought that she was like a dog-skin plaster that couldn't be shaken off. But now, seeing her with red eyes and looking so aggrieved, he suddenly felt pity in his heart.
This was the first time since he came to this different world that he saw this willful and arrogant princess show such an expression. It was really unexpected.
"Princess Wufang -" Just as Kong Ze was about to say something to comfort her, Dongfang Mengling suddenly looked up and grabbed his wrist tightly. Her eyes were full of hope. "Kong Ze, now that Father is seriously ill, everyone is saying that Father doesn't have much time left... If he really leaves, the only person I can rely on is you!"
Kong Ze's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
After reacting, he tried to pull back his arm, but she grabbed it even tighter and refused to let go.
Just then, Kong Ze received the flying message from Xiao Ling.
"Third Senior Brother, Master and I met a person in the military camp who is very likely to be the reincarnation of Zhu Shan. The situation is urgent. Come quickly! Master and I together may not be his match!"
Only Kong Ze could hear this message, so Dongfang Mengling beside him didn't know about it.
Hearing this message, Kong Ze's heart skipped a beat. Zhu Shan had actually appeared...
He couldn't sit still any longer. He looked up at Dongfang Mengling. "Princess Wufang, His Majesty will surely recover soon. You don't need to worry too much. I have some urgent matters to deal with now. I'll continue to talk to Your Highness about this matter another day. How about that?"