Yuan Shaobo tiptoed to the unpapered window lattice and stole a glance into the quiet chamber. The Princess still lay sound asleep in the coffin.
By the rules of propriety, this was deeply disrespectful. But his worries now far outweighed etiquette. People who had endured imprisonment and torture often lost their sanity. More than that, he feared this daughter of the imperial house might be unable to bear the repeated setbacks and humiliations and take her own life. The Princess was Prince Shao's spiritual pillar, and the indispensable heir to his great undertaking. Whatever the cost, they had to escort her safely back.
Yu Ninghua also glanced inside, sighed softly, and beckoned to Yuan Shaobo. The two withdrew from beneath the eaves.
Yuan Shaobo sighed. "A pity His Highness forbids us from revealing the state of his health. Otherwise..."
"Even if we told her, the Princess might not listen. You haven't lived with her day in and day out, so you don't know her temper. She's far more obstinate than His Highness. Put kindly, her will is unshakable; put bluntly, she's a stubborn mule who won't stop until she gets what she wants.
"When she was little, she kept a lynx. She adored it and never left its side. Then, during a hunt, it was accidentally killed by a stray arrow. She clung to its body and refused to let go, still eating and sleeping beside it until it began to stink. In the end, His Highness waited until she was fast asleep one night, took it from her bed, and buried it. Only then was the matter settled."
Yuan Shaobo's brow furrowed. "His Highness mentioned that to me. Why don't we just..."
Lady Yu shook her head and sighed. "What I mean is, we aren't His Highness. We can't