"What did you do to her?" Tang Zhuyun asked instinctively, her face full of disgust and wariness.
What a beast. She had only just become his prospective princess consort, and he was already driving her to her death.
I never would have guessed you were this kind of Prince of Jin!
Thinking with your dick!
Prince of Jin said nothing, but Tang Zhuyun had already imagined an infuriating drama of a tyrant forcing himself on a respectable woman.
"Come with me." Prince of Jin's bearing changed, and an icy aura radiated from him.
Tang Zhuyun was even more indignant. I clearly hit the nail on the head, and now he's furious with embarrassment!
And men and women shouldn't touch each other. Why is he grabbing at me?
If Meng Yulan weren't innocent and pitiable, I wouldn't help someone like him even for silver. Hmph!
Before leaving, Tang Zhuyun still told Xiu'er.
Because Meng Yulan's reputation was involved, she was vague, saying only that she was going out with Prince of Jin.
Xiu'er looked at her, then at Prince of Jin, nodding as vigorously as if she were pounding garlic. "Miss, go without worrying. There's no hurry to come back. I'll cover for you."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Seriously, even if this maid were thrown onto a rubbish heap, no one would pick her up.
Xiu'er, you're really something. You're the most xiu of all!
Tang Zhuyun was too angry to speak and anxious to save someone, so she hurried out with Prince of Jin.
"A carriage?" she asked, holding up a lantern and looking around.
"Only a horse," Prince of Jin said. "Saving someone is like fighting a fire. Sorry to put you through this."
Then Tang Zhuyun felt two iron pincers close around her waist. She was lifted off her feet and hoisted straight onto the horse's back.
Before she could even cry out, a broad, hard man was already pressed against her back.
"Hyah-"
Tang Zhuyun had never ridden a horse before. Terrified, she flattened herself against its back, clutched its mane with both hands, and cursed, "You bastard!"
Prince of Jin held the reins in one hand and gripped her waist tightly with the other. Yet she was so afraid of dying that she clung desperately to the horse, entirely unaware of how awkward this position was for the man behind her.
Prince of Jin felt his face grow hot and had no idea what to say.
After a while, Tang Zhuyun adjusted to it. The wind whistled past her ears, and she remained steady on the horse's back. Maybe it wasn't so bad?
Still, she didn't dare sit up. Her sense of security came from having so much of her body in close contact with the horse's back.
She strongly suspected that Prince of Jin had treated Meng Yulan the same way today and injured her.
Prince of Jin, that lunatic!
A wise woman didn't fight when the odds were against her. She would settle the score with him later, lest he get angry and let go, and her little life be forfeit.
Prince of Jin took her to some gate of Duke Meng's Residence, though she had no idea which one. In any case, when he lifted Tang Zhuyun off the horse, a man who looked like a steward and an older maidservant were standing at the entrance, holding lanterns and anxiously waiting for him.
Although the night was dark, Tang Zhuyun still noticed both their expressions change when they saw her.
It made sense. Something had happened to Meng Yulan in the middle of the night, yet Prince of Jin had brought another woman with him, riding together on one horse so "intimately." No matter how one looked at it, it seemed suggestive.
Prince of Jin, however, had no intention of explaining. "Lead the way," he said in a low voice.
"Yes, yes, yes."
Prince of Jin pulled Tang Zhuyun along by her sleeve.
After two steps, Tang Zhuyun discovered that the tops of her thighs were burning with pain.
Her first ride had injured her delicate skin after all.
But saving someone was like fighting a fire, and the person she was saving was the fairy-like Meng Yulan. Tang Zhuyun gritted her teeth and bore it, hurrying after them with a somewhat awkward gait.
She didn't notice Prince of Jin's eyes flicker, though he said nothing.
After who knew how many twists and turns, they arrived at a secluded courtyard. The delicate fragrance of flowers filled the air, and a row of lanterns beneath the eaves cast a dim, shifting light over the swing, ornamental rocks, and other furnishings in the courtyard.
But quite a few people were standing in the courtyard now: men and women, masters and servants...
When Prince of Jin entered, Duke Meng came forward with his family to pay their respects. Ashamed, he said, "This old man failed to discipline his family properly, allowing such a thing to happen. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness."
He looked to be in his fifties. His wife and concubines stood behind him, all bowing their heads and curtsying to Prince of Jin.
Prince of Jin said gravely, "Let's see how Miss Meng is first. Has a doctor been summoned?"
Duke Meng said, "This is a family disgrace. If word got out, I fear it might affect Your Highness's reputation as well, so we didn't dare summon a doctor. We are waiting for Your Highness to decide everything."
Tang Zhuyun was extraordinarily furious when she heard this.
Isn't Meng Yulan still your daughter? Even if a married daughter is like water thrown out, she hasn't married yet, has she?
If Meng Yulan really had some urgent illness, the daylilies would be cold by now.
And a family disgrace? What family disgrace?
Tang Zhuyun couldn't imagine what kind of family disgrace someone like Meng Yulan could create!
Prince of Jin said, "This is Tang Zhuyun. She knows medicine. Let her go in and examine her."
"Yes," Duke Meng said.
But Duke Meng's Wife, standing behind him, had already cried out in surprise. "Tang... Tang Zhuyun?"
Isn't she the one who's going to be His Highness's secondary consort? Why would she be with him in the middle of the night?
Duke Meng looked displeased. "Hold your tongue. Don't speak carelessly in front of His Highness."
Duke Meng was probably a man of authority even in ordinary times. As soon as he spoke, not a sparrow made a sound behind him.
Prince of Jin then said to Tang Zhuyun, "Go in and see her. It wouldn't be proper for me to enter."
Tang Zhuyun picked up her skirts and ran inside, her footsteps thudding.
In Meng Yulan's room, only one maid was kneeling by the bed, sobbing softly. Meng Yulan lay on the bed, her face pale as paper, a deep ligature mark below her neck. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed entirely lifeless.
Tang Zhuyun froze. Meng Yulan... hanged herself?
Not daring to delay, she stepped forward and said, "I'm a doctor. Let me examine Miss Meng."
Duke Meng's Wife followed her in and motioned for the maid to move aside.
Tang Zhuyun had barely placed her fingers on Meng Yulan's wrist when the latter opened her eyes and said wearily, mocking herself, "I'm fine. I won't die, but I've troubled you and made you come all this way in the middle of the night."
Tang Zhuyun breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down on the footstool. Looking at her lifeless face, she couldn't help saying, "Sister, what is it you can't get past? Don't you know that when people hang themselves, their tongues stick out so far? It's so ugly!"
Even a wretched life was better than a good death. She really couldn't understand people who killed themselves.
Two streams of clear tears flowed from Meng Yulan's eyes, running from their corners into her ink-black hair.
In her eyes, Tang Zhuyun saw deep despair.
Duke Meng's Wife said, "Yulan is fine. Sorry to trouble you, Miss Tang, but please report to His Highness that she's all right, and that we'll keep a close eye on her from now on. Please also put in a few good words for us with His Highness."
Her words were barbed. As a mother, she was probably very unhappy that her future son-in-law was "favoring" a concubine, even bringing the concubine into her home in the middle of the night.
Tang Zhuyun was just about to retort, You drove your daughter to this point. Aren't you responsible? And now it's "His Highness" this and "His Highness" that. What, is he your own son?
But Meng Yulan spoke first. "Mother, go back and rest. I have something I want to say to Zhuyun."
Duke Meng's Wife was very worried, but she couldn't persuade her daughter otherwise, so she had no choice but to leave with the maid.