Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Did You Forget?

Meng Yang truly panicked: “Heir Apparent! Save me, save our child! Please, save our child!”

Qi Shu Xian bent down and swept Meng Yang into his arms: “Don’t be afraid. I’ll have someone fetch a Physician!” His gaze flicked past her to Sheng Zhi Wan, who stood nearby clutching her palm, her expression cold. Qi Shu Xian’s steps stalled for a heartbeat, his brows sharp with frost, but he still said nothing as he carried Meng Yang away in long strides.

Sheng Zhi Wan watched his back and gave a bleak smile.

Ting Lan’s eyes filled with tears: “Princess, why didn’t you let this servant finish? Meng Yang fell on her own! How could the Heir Apparent hit you?”

Sheng Zhi Wan finally looked away: “Do you think Qi Shu Xian would believe it?”

Qi Shu Xian would not believe it. Qi Shu Xian would only decide Sheng Zhi Wan was even more vicious, and that would make Meng Yang, who pleaded for Sheng Zhi Wan, look even softer and kinder.

In her previous life, Sheng Zhi Wan had suffered this kind of loss before.

It happened in the third year after Meng Yang entered the manor. By then, Meng Yang had already made a name for herself among the capital’s noble ladies with dazzling poems. The old Prince Huai Consort had even taken Meng Yang as an adopted daughter, and Meng Yang’s business had begun to rise, winning the favor of household after household.

As for Sheng Zhi Wan, Qi Shu Xian had long since begun treating Sheng Zhi Wan coldly because of certain matters.

It was during that time that Meng Yang was found to be pregnant again.

With the past as a warning, Qi Shu Xian feared Meng Yang would fall to Sheng Zhi Wan’s hands again. Qi Shu Xian personally chose several maids who knew martial arts and had them guard Meng Yang day and night.

Even so, the two women still ran into each other at a banquet.

Back then, Sheng Zhi Wan still loved Qi Shu Xian and did not want to upset him, so Sheng Zhi Wan took the initiative to step aside and give Meng Yang the way.

Who would have thought the very path Sheng Zhi Wan yielded would have a few tiny beads hidden underfoot?

Meng Yang, naturally, “accidentally” slipped and fell again, as neatly as if it had been arranged.

In a fury, the old Prince Huai Consort used an Imperial Gold Plaque to force Qi Shu Xian to whip Sheng Zhi Wan in public.

Sheng Zhi Wan had explained herself. Sheng Zhi Wan had even found evidence proving the beads had nothing to do with her, and that they had been dropped by someone from Meng Yang’s own courtyard by accident.

But what use was it?

The humiliation from that day still burned in her memory, and the whip licking across skin and tearing away flesh still felt painfully clear. As long as Meng Yang shed a few tears and pretended to plead for Sheng Zhi Wan, everyone decided Sheng Zhi Wan was even more unforgivable, an evil jealous wife.

The more Sheng Zhi Wan tried to prove herself, the more Meng Yang looked kind and pitiful.

So why should Sheng Zhi Wan prove anything?

If Meng Yang wanted Sheng Zhi Wan to carry an evil name, then Sheng Zhi Wan would make it real.

Sheng Zhi Wan covered her bleeding palm and stared coldly at the moss-covered bluestone before her. At first, she had only tried to guard against danger, just in case. She had not expected she would truly have something to guard against.

[Meng Yang, Meng Yang. If you want to blame someone, blame the sky for sending rain, blame the earth for growing moss, and blame yourself for insisting on courting death.]

Sheng Zhi Wan pulled the sharp thorn out of her palm and returned to Ping Lan Residence without a change in expression.

The peace in Wei Yang Courtyard was completely shattered.

Qi Shu Xian had wanted to summon an Imperial Physician for Meng Yang, but Madam Cui’s earlier actions had angered Imperial Physician Li, and Imperial Physician Li refused to come. Qi Shu Xian could only send people scrambling to fetch a regular Physician instead.

By the time the Physician arrived, the blood beneath Meng Yang had already soaked through the quilt.

Meng Yang lay half-conscious, filled with regret that she had gone to find Sheng Zhi Wan today. Fortunately, Qi Shu Xian stayed by her side the whole time, and Meng Yang reached out to grip him tightly.

Qi Shu Xian asked, “How is it?”

After taking Meng Yang’s pulse, the Physician let go: “The heart and kidneys are weak, and the stagnation inside is heavy. These are signs of miscarriage…”

Qi Shu Xian’s tightly drawn brows grew colder: “Do you have a way?”

The Physician hesitated: “There is, but we must use several rare medicinal materials. The others can be managed, but Heavenly Pearl Fruit is truly hard to find. If it can be found within half a quarter-hour, the child might still be saved. If we are late… even Imperial Physician Song will be powerless.”

Meng Yang cried out, “Heir Apparent!” Meng Yang had studied Western medicine and did not know what Heavenly Pearl Fruit was, but the name alone sounded priceless.

Qi Shu Xian paused. A moment later, Qi Shu Xian strode out with eyes like ice.

[Qi Shu Xian would never let the child come to harm.]

*

Sheng Zhi Wan was writing a letter with her uninjured left hand when the study door was suddenly kicked open from outside.

Qi Shu Xian entered in a dark storm of a mood. The cold air he dragged in made Sheng Zhi Wan shiver even though Sheng Zhi Wan wore thick white fur.

Sheng Zhi Wan stepped forward to block the view of what she had been writing: “What are you here for?”

Qi Shu Xian did not notice Sheng Zhi Wan’s small movement at all. Qi Shu Xian’s eyes only landed on Sheng Zhi Wan’s wrapped palm for an instant before sliding away: “I remember you have Heavenly Pearl Fruit, don’t you?”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s steps stopped.

Qi Shu Xian did not wait for an answer: “You pushed Meng Yang and made her bleed. She almost miscarried. The Physician says only Heavenly Pearl Fruit can save the child. Sheng Zhi Wan, hurry and take it out!”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes turned cold: “Who said I pushed her? Miss Meng said it herself. She said she fell. On what grounds does the Heir Apparent say I pushed her?”

Qi Shu Xian snapped, “I saw it with my own eyes. Could it be false?” Qi Shu Xian pressed again, voice tight with urgency: “Where is Heavenly Pearl Fruit?”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes reddened all at once: “Has the Heir Apparent forgotten why I had Heavenly Pearl Fruit in the first place?”