Qi Heng narrowed his eyes. His icy gaze landed on the girl beside Zhao Yuyao.
Yan’er shivered as a chill ran down her spine, realizing her slip of the tongue. Her lips turned pale, and she discreetly moved behind Zhao Yuyao. While Qi Heng had a cold demeanor, according to the plot, he doted on the female lead. Since she belonged to the female lead, perhaps he wouldn’t harm her… right?
Terrified, Yan’er dared not even think about Qi Heng’s handsome appearance now. She couldn’t help but wonder about the consequences of being discovered. She had heard that in ancient times, heretics were often burned alive. She hoped she wouldn’t meet such a fate.
Of course, Qi Heng had no intention of doing anything to her at this moment. After all, she couldn’t escape from the palace, and he wasn’t one to act rashly. He shifted his gaze to the girl who had been keeping her head down and said, “Raise your head.”
His voice was devoid of emotion, leaving Zhao Yuyao feeling anxious. The Grand Steward quickly intervened, saying, “Your Highness, this is His Majesty, our Prince, and your father.”
The man in black was remarkably handsome, showing no signs of aging on his face. His noble bearing was far from what she had imagined her father to be. His appearance could easily convince anyone that he was a prince, if not an emperor, in his own right.
“Your Highness.” The Grand Steward saw her lost in thought and was afraid that she might anger the Prince, fearing that she might lose favor with him. He was sent by the Empress Dowager and naturally inclined towards the true bloodline of the King.
“I am your father.” Qi Heng noticed that she remained silent for a long time and furrowed his brow. Had he unintentionally frightened her, despite his efforts to restrain his aura?
“They told you to tone it down a bit. You scared our daughter.” Prince Chen grumbled.
“Father.” Encouraged by several pairs of eyes, Zhao Yuyao mustered the courage to address him.
“Good girl.” Qi Heng raised his hand and gently patted Zhao Yuyao’s hair. He portrayed the image of a gentle and loving elder, but his damaged soul made it difficult for him to display emotional fluctuations. To outsiders, his expression remained as cold as ever.
Qi Heng took out a jade pendant hanging on a red string and placed it around Zhao Yuyao’s neck.
“This is your identity pendant. I know you’ve suffered outside. Now that you’ve ascended to the jade disc, you are the only County Princess of Prince Chen’s Mansion. No one will dare to bully you from now on.”
Zhao Yuyao reached up to touch the jade pendant. She lowered her head to look at it, and on the front of the pendant, three small characters were engraved—Qi Yuyao.
In her heart, a sense of gratitude and joy welled up.
Luckily, her father was not like her biological mother; her father was looking forward to her return.
Qi Heng saw her playing with the jade pendant and then turned his gaze to the Grand Steward. “Is Tingxi Courtyard ready?”
The Grand Steward respectfully replied, “Yes, Your Highness, everything has been arranged properly.”
“Good.” Qi Heng nodded. “Yuyao, you’ve just returned. Rest for now, and I’ll take you to the palace to meet your grandmother tomorrow.”
“Grandmother?” Zhao Yuyao looked puzzled. Her biological father was the Prince, so wouldn’t her grandmother be the Empress Dowager?
As she thought about it, she immediately became nervous. After meeting the Prince’s consort, she had been feeling insecure. Now, she wondered if the Empress Dowager would dislike her just like the consort did, thinking she was uncouth1lacking good manners, refinement, or social grace.
She had heard rumors about the Prince Chen Mansion before. It was said that the girl who had taken her identity, Princess Huimin, had a reputation as a talented woman in the capital, known for her grace, beauty, and wit.
“No need to be nervous,” Qi Heng reassured her, gently patting her hair. “Your grandmother will like you. As for your mother’s side, don’t think too much about it. I will handle it.”
Prince Chen, witnessing her distress, couldn’t bear it any longer. He immediately chimed in, “My precious daughter must have been bullied by that woman, Qin Shi, just now. Look at how thin she is, she must have suffered a lot in the past.”
“Remember to ask the kitchen to simmer some black chicken soup for my daughter to nourish her body,” the soul of Prince Chen rambled on, and Qi Heng’s gaze fell on Zhao Yuyao’s arm. For the first time, he agreed with him; she did look a bit thin.
On the other hand, Zhao Jing, who had been in a coma for two days after regaining her original surname and identity, woke up in the medical clinic.
“Where am I?” Zhao Jing’s eyes were filled with confusion, her once clear and bright eyes now seemed innocent and lost.
A young child who was grinding medicine with a pestle nearby heard her voice, turned his head to look at her, and exclaimed in joy, “You’re awake! Master, the young lady has awakened.”
Without waiting for Zhao Jing to speak, he hopped off the stool and ran toward the front hall, shouting along the way.
Soon, an old man dressed as a physician in gray clothing, accompanied by a maidservant, entered the room.
The maidservant rushed to the bedside and burst into tears upon seeing Zhao Jing. “Miss, you’ve finally awakened. The Prince’s Consort has been so worried.”
Zhao Jing’s eyes remained bewildered as she asked, “Where am I, and where is my mother?”
“This is the Rejuvenation Hall. A few days ago, Miss, you fainted, and Prince Chen had you brought here,” Huan’er sobbed as she spoke. “The Prince’s Consort secretly sent me out to find out. It was so difficult for me to locate you.”
“You’re talking nonsense!” The bewilderment on Zhao Jing’s face dissipated, replaced by anger. She shouted in a stern voice, “My father, the Prince, dotes on me. There’s no way he would have me thrown into a place like this! Who sent you here, trying to sow discord between me and my father? What’s your purpose in kidnapping me and bringing me here?”
The maidservant was dumbfounded. “Miss, what are you saying? I’m Huan’er. Don’t you recognize me?”
Zhao Jing remained vigilant. “I don’t know you. Are you trying to kidnap me to threaten my father?”
“I won’t let you succeed!” Zhao Jing finished speaking and quickly threw aside the covers, ignoring her disheveled hair. She rushed out of the room. Huan’er hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly got up and chased after her.
“Miss, Miss!”
…
“Amnesia?” Qi Heng received the report from his subordinates. Zheng Yi and Zheng Er, the two men kneeling below, held a thin sheet of paper. If Zhao Jing could see it, she would realize that the paper contained a record of her every action since waking up at the clinic.
Qi Heng placed the paper on the table and glanced at the two men. “Just lost her memory of the past two years? Do you really think such a coincidence is possible in this world?”
“The doctor at the Rejuvenation Hall said that when a person experiences extreme trauma, the brain may block painful memories as a self-protective mechanism,” Zheng Er and Zheng Yi, exchanged glances and then turned to Qi Heng, probing, “Your Highness, do you think she’s acting? Doesn’t that put the Prince’s Consort in danger…”
They knew that when the Prince’s Consort heard about Miss Zhao’s amnesia, she sent people to bring her back without hesitation, and now she’s being housed in the Prince’s Consort’s Purple Bamboo Courtyard.
“She’s definitely acting,” the soul of Prince Chen angrily chimed in. “That fool, Qin Shi, brought her back. You should quickly get rid of Zhao Jing; she’s definitely plotting against Yuyao.”
“No rush,” Qi Heng calmly replied. “Zhao Jing was raised and loved by the Consort. She wouldn’t harm the Consort.”
If she did harm the Consort, it would give Qin Shi a clear understanding of what kind of person she had been doting on.
Zheng Er said, “Your Highness makes a valid point.”
Qi Heng absentmindedly tapped the armrest with his fingers. “Zheng Yi, continue to monitor her. As for you, Zheng Er, I have another task for you.”
Zheng Er bowed, “Please give your orders, Your Highness.”
“Find an opportunity to bring the maid who is by Yuyao’s side to the dungeon.”
Zheng Er wore a stern expression and respectfully lowered his head, saying, “Yes.”
However, Zheng Yi seemed puzzled. “I’ve investigated Yan’er, and there don’t seem to be any issues with her background. Why would Your Highness…”
He paused for a moment and continued, “Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but it’s just that the relationship between the County Princess and Yan’er is very close. If the County Princess realizes she’s missing, she might become extremely worried. If something were to happen to Yan’er, it could potentially damage the relationship between the County Princess and Your Highness.”
“No harm will come to her,” Qi Heng calmly responded. “I just have a minor matter to discuss with her; I won’t do anything to her.”
Zheng Yi was momentarily stunned. “You’re taking her to the dungeon just to ask a few questions?”
He paused and continued, “The dungeon is dark and damp. I’m afraid Yan’er won’t be able to handle it. Perhaps…”
He hesitated to mention the conditions of the dungeon, a place where few who entered ever came out alive. Even those who survived were usually deeply traumatized.
This unusual attitude caught Qi Heng’s attention, and he gave Zheng Yi a faint glance before asking, “Are you opposing me for Yan’er’s sake?”
Qi Heng’s voice was light, and Zheng Yi felt as though that indifferent gaze had seen through all his unspoken thoughts. He broke into a cold sweat and immediately bowed, saying, “I know my mistake, please punish me, Your Highness.”
The soul of Prince Chen, on the other hand, couldn’t understand what was happening. He squatted down beside Zheng Yi, disregarding his usual dignified image. He had never seen his loyal subordinate look so frightened before as if he had just been caught red-handed in a crime.
Qi Heng looked at these two as if they were a pair of fools and sighed deeply.
In the Purple Bamboo Courtyard, under Qin Shi’s orders, Zhao Jing changed into clean clothes. Her disheveled hair, which had become even messier from her escape, was now neatly combed by a maidservant.
Huan’er was still kneeling outside, and as Zhao Jing passed by her, she snorted loudly.
In the inner room, Qin Shi cleared her throat, prompting Zhao Jing to hurry inside. She gave Huan’er an angry glare before proceeding to the inner chamber.
“Mother, it’s that little wretch from outside who tried to deceive me,” Zhao Jing said as she sat by Qin Shi’s bedside. She reached out to soothe her mother and continued, “She conspired with outsiders to take your daughter out of the palace. She even tried to deceive me with sweet words, and she claimed that I’m not your biological child. If I hadn’t risked my life to escape and met the people you sent, your daughter might never have been reunited with you.”
Qin Shi had remained silent since hearing about the memory loss from Huan’er. Now, she looked at Zhao Jing seriously. Zhao Jing’s eyes were as clear as a sunny day, without a trace of darkness, as if she had truly forgotten everything that had happened during this period.
“Mother, please say something!” Zhao Jing urged when Qin Shi stayed silent. She shook her mother’s arm impatiently.
