Chapter 21: Just When You Least Expect It

"Master, have you gone mad?" Madam Bai suddenly stood up, looking at him in disbelief.

"I thought I had taken good care of my brother’s daughter, but I unknowingly raised a killer who wants to murder her..." Sheng Yukun clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "I owe my brother too much..."

With that, he furiously kicked Sheng Jintang, who lay on the ground, and said, "That wretched girl—I will kill her!"

"Master, don’t be impulsive!" Madam Bai quickly stepped in front of him, grabbing his arm. "You’ve already beaten her; why must you take her life? Even if Jintang isn’t your biological niece, she has contributed to this family in her own way..."

It was only because Sheng Jintang’s plan was exposed today that Madam Bai discovered Sheng Yi’s leg had indeed been healed by Yun Qing. Though anger welled within her, she still tried her best to protect Jintang.

If Sheng Jintang died, she wouldn’t survive either.

And Yun Qing was that very person!

Sheng Yukun eyed Madam Bai, who was desperately trying to stop him, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Could it be that you knew the truth from the start and colluded with that wretched girl, conspiring together?"

Madam Bai was ashamed and hurriedly shook her head. "I’m innocent! I knew nothing."

"Then why do you still protect her?!" Sheng Yukun’s body trembled like a tiger as he shook off Madam Bai’s grip.

Just as he was about to strike, Madam Bai darted her gaze and suddenly grabbed his arm again. "Lord! Have you forgotten? In five days, the Empress Dowager will return to the palace."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Yukun paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

Indeed, he had completely forgotten.

Three years ago, the Empress Dowager summoned Sheng Jintang and was very fond of her. Afterwards, she left the palace to devote herself to prayer, promising to summon her again upon her return.

If he were to kill her now, it would be difficult to explain to the Empress Dowager...

He snorted coldly and, gritting his teeth, glared at the unconscious Sheng Jintang. "Then keep this wretched girl alive a few more days!"

---

At the Three Lifetimes Hall.

Yun Qing stepped inside and sat down on a wooden chair, lazily stretching.

Her eyes caught sight of the pastries on the table. She looked closely and found them eerily familiar.

Then, glancing around, beneath the dark blue curtain lay a pair of delicate embroidered shoes.

She snorted softly, folding her hands on the chair’s armrest. "Trying to poison me again."

"Who’s trying to poison you?!" a charming voice came from behind the curtain. Ye Qianning lifted the curtain and hurriedly approached, frowning with a pout. "I didn’t poison you! I made those pastries with good intentions. You didn’t eat them, and now you’re slandering me!"

Yun Qing exhaled softly, bypassed her, and went straight to rummage through the medicine cabinet. "Even if you didn’t poison me, making something this awful to eat—what else could it be but trying to harm me?"

Ye Qianning’s fair face flushed with embarrassment. She bit her lip and turned away, looking at Yun Qing’s back. "I don’t cook!"

Yun Qing sighed. "Alright, alright, I must have wronged you. The princess’s kindness is something Yun Qing is unworthy of."

"Hmph." Ye Qianning pouted in a sulk, lowering her head to throw a small tantrum to herself.

Could it really be that bad?

Unwilling to admit defeat, she took a bite of the pastry, immediately coughing, her brows knitting tightly, tears streaming down painfully.

Disgustingly awful! Absolutely terrible!

Yun Qing measured out some herbs, wrapped them up, and handed them to her. "Your voice is hoarse. Drink this when you get home."

Ye Qianning blinked in surprise, taking the herbs. Her beautiful apricot eyes suddenly brightened. "You care about me?"

Yun Qing raised her hand to wipe the crumbs from the corner of Ye Qianning’s mouth, treating her like a younger sister. "Please stop trying to harm me every now and then, alright? I’m too busy seeing patients every day. And having to throw away those horrible pastries is such a hassle."

"Not at all!" Ye Qianning affectionately linked her arm with Yun Qing’s and softly said, "Sister Yun Qing, it was my fault before. I want you to be my royal sister-in-law. How about it?"

Yun Qing’s body stiffened. She jerked her arm away sharply and raised her voice, "Who wants to marry him? Don’t talk nonsense!"

Ye Qianning frowned. "Good sister, the old witch is returning soon. She adores Sheng Jintang. I don’t want her to be my royal sister-in-law. I like you. If you don’t get along with the prince, that woman will snatch you away."

Yun Qing raised an eyebrow. "Old witch?"

Ye Qianning nodded. "The mother of the seventh prince. She’s really fierce!"

Yun Qing choked and coughed; this little girl was certainly bold.

Speaking of which, the Empress Dowager was returning soon. She calculated quietly, glanced sideways, and lightly curled her lips. "What’s there to fear? I have my own plans."

---

Nightfall, the Marquis of Northern Town’s residence.

Sheng Jintang opened her eyes, feeling a piercing pain in her legs. She cried out in pain, and her cheek throbbed as well.

She struggled to sit up and lifted the quilt, only to see her legs wrapped in gauze, utterly powerless.

Looking around, this was no longer the elegant, fragrant boudoir she was used to but a dilapidated wooden room reeking of mildew!

Madam Bai entered upon hearing her voice, sat beside her bed, and sighed softly.

"Aunt! What’s going on? Why am I here? I can’t move my legs! Please help me!"

Madam Bai sighed. "The doctor has examined you. Your legs are broken."

"What..." Sheng Jintang’s chest tightened suddenly. She clenched her fists in frustration. "No... that can’t be. There’s still hope for treatment, right?"

Madam Bai lowered her head and shook it. From within her sleeve, she drew out a brass mirror and handed it to her. "Look at your face."

Feeling a sharp pain in her left cheek, Sheng Jintang trembled as she took the mirror. Her disheveled hair and dirty face resembled a little beggar. Her face was covered with countless palm prints and dried tear stains, her lips cracked and broken.

Most importantly, a long, deep gash marked her left cheek—the splintered wooden stick that broke her legs had struck her face.

"Ah!" She screamed in terror, dropping the mirror, which shattered on the floor. "My face! My face is ruined! How can I marry the King of Ye looking like this?"

"Be patient with your treatment. The wounds on your face still have a chance to heal," Madam Bai comforted her. "If the Empress Dowager were not returning, you would have surely died today. You should consider yourself fortunate to be alive and try to rest."

"Empress Dowager?" Sheng Jintang was stunned for a moment. She trembled as she gently touched the wound on her face, tears falling from the pain. "If the Empress Dowager sees me like this, she will hate me."

The Empress Dowager was the biological mother of Ye Jincheng and the emperor. Sheng Jintang had long courted the Empress Dowager to marry Ye Jincheng.

Back then, before the Empress Dowager could introduce her to Ye Jincheng, she had gone to devote herself to prayer, and it had taken great effort for Sheng Jintang to meet Ye Jincheng.

Once together, the Empress Dowager would naturally support their marriage.

Yet, by sheer misfortune, the Empress Dowager happened to return at this very moment.