Chapter 102: Only Fast, Never Slow

Before the words had even faded, Qiao Qingyun cast a glance at Yuan Zaichun, her eyes filled with a desolate chill.

"I simply wish to linger in the Imperial Palace for the rest of my life, letting my uncle provide for me."

Qiao Qingyun feigned a childish temper, a sight that brought great joy to the Emperor. He nodded repeatedly, "Very well, very well. Uncle shall provide for you. In such a vast empire, there is no one your uncle cannot afford to support, let alone my dear Yun'er."

"Then does Uncle still feel such urgency to marry Qingyun off?"

The woman looked at the Emperor with a grievance-stricken expression, causing him to pause in surprise before he quickly laughed, "No more urgency. Just stay in the palace and keep your uncle company."

"Very well."

Once the Emperor had departed, Qiao Qingyun reclined on the chaise longue. She looked at the two people who were still lingering and refusing to leave, finding herself momentarily at a loss for words.

"Someone, come here."

"I am here, my lady."

"Go to the Taihe Medical Hall and bring Zhong Shi, Hong Ying, and Qing Luo to the palace."

"As you command."

As the maid hurried out to follow the order, Yuan Zaichun frowned, observing the pampered and delicate treatment Qiao Qingyun was receiving.

He opened his mouth to ask, but Qiao Qingyun cut him off, "You are quite confused by all this, aren't you? Let me tell you, Crown Prince cousin, I am the daughter of your aunt—in other words, Princess Qingjun—who has finally been found by my Imperial Uncle."

"Furthermore, I wish to remind you of one thing: tell the Empress that in the future, if she wishes to kill, she should hide her blade more discreetly. Death is but a moment's work; had she delivered a fatal follow-up strike, I might not be here today."

"It is a pity that the Brocade Guards were a step faster and brought me back. There is a saying that a gentleman takes revenge even after ten years, but I am a woman; my revenge will only be swift, never slow."

Hearing this, Yuan Zaichun’s eyes widened, and he stared at Qiao Qingyun in disbelief.

She had disappeared suddenly yesterday, and it turned out she had been assassinated.

Yet, looking at the thick bandages on her shoulder, she did not seem to be lying in the slightest.

"Do not doubt me; I am not deceiving you. If you do not believe it, you may go ask the Empress—ask her if those five men in black failed to return yesterday."

With that, Qiao Qingyun flicked her sleeves and retreated into her room. A maid immediately stepped out.

"Your Highness, please."

Yuan Zaichun was ushered out of the room in a daze, Bu Shenglian following behind him, though her heart was already burning with bitter resentment. Why was Qiao Qingyun always so lucky?

"You there, come here. Did the Princess truly suffer a miscarriage?"

Yuan Zaichun truly had a knack for touching on sensitive subjects. The servant was stunned by the question and initially wanted to refuse, but under the intensity of Yuan Zaichun’s gaze, she was forced to speak.

"Yes. When the Princess returned yesterday, she was covered in blood. It was later determined that she had been struck violently in the abdomen. Although she fought with all her might to resist, the child was ultimately lost."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Zaichun felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

Yesterday... such a terrifying event had occurred!

Qiao Qingyun lay on the bed and, before long, fell into a deep sleep. To her, there was nothing more blissful than slumber.

She did not know how long she had slept, but when she awoke, it was already noon the following day. As she opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of Zhong Shi, his eyes bloodshot.

"Goodness!"

Qiao Qingyun sat up with a start, tugging at her wounds and gasping in pain, which caused Zhong Shi great alarm. "My Lady!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. What has happened to you? Did you not sleep all night? Look at those dark circles."

Observing Zhong Shi’s complexion, Qiao Qingyun felt a pang of guilt. He must have spent two days without sleep searching for her.

Qing Luo and Hong Ying also approached, both dressed in the attire of palace servants, which looked much more fitting.

"My Lady, you scared Qing Luo to death."

As she spoke, Qing Luo rushed forward and hugged Qiao Qingyun, her tears flowing uncontrollably. Hong Ying shook her head helplessly, "Women are always so prone to crying."

"Hmph! I don't know who it was yesterday that was crying and laughing with joy upon hearing that the Lady was still alive!"

Indeed, it was Hong Ying. Though she was not good at expressing herself, her emotions were profound. The sight of them bickering brought a smile to Qiao Qingyun’s face.

"Alright, having you all here makes me feel much better."

"My Lady... we heard that the child..."

"Go, go, go! The Lady hasn't even recovered yet; why must you bring up such painful things?" Hong Ying shoved Qing Luo aside in annoyance.

Upon learning of the miscarriage, Zhong Shi’s first reaction had been one of heartbreak. Thinking of Qiao Qingyun’s delicate frame and the uncertainty of her recovery, he felt an immense weight of sorrow. But following that was a flicker of joy—as long as the child was gone, it meant he still had a chance.

"Stop bickering, you two. I am famished; hurry and get me something to eat!"

Qiao Qingyun urged them on, and Zhong Shi quickly reached out to help her up. They soon arrived at the dining area.

However, as soon as she sat down, she saw a table full of dishes.

"My Lady, my brother knew you were injured and refused to let us intervene. Look, he prepared a table of all your favorite foods. Eat up."

Looking at the spread before her, Qiao Qingyun felt a warmth in her eyes. She turned to Zhong Shi and said, "Thank you."

"No need for thanks. Serving you is my honor, my lady."

Zhong Shi’s face flushed from his cheeks to the tips of his ears, as if painted by the evening glow.

After a whirlwind of eating, only remnants of the meal remained. Qing Luo and Hong Ying swallowed hard, "My Lady... does the palace not feed you?"

"Of course not! I just slept from yesterday until today; I was simply starving!"

Watching the servants clear the table and help her change her clothes, the group headed straight for the Imperial Garden.

The scenery was picturesque, though Qiao Qingyun had never had the time to linger there before. Now, it seemed she would be staying for some time.

"My Lady, should we continue to manage the medical hall and the Baihua Pavilion outside?" Zhong Shi asked, ever concerned with her plans, knowing she would never allow herself to be confined for long.

"Certainly. However, I suspect I won't be able to leave for a short while, so for now, we must wait quietly."

As she spoke, her voice softened, making Zhong Shi’s ears tingle.

"Sister-in-law!"

At that moment, a familiar voice drifted over. Qiao Qingyun froze, and upon turning, she saw Yuan Rou running toward her.

Yuan Rou looked much thinner, a frail appearance that pained Qiao Qingyun to see.

"Yuan Rou?"

Naturally, they could address each other by their kinship. Yuan Rou hurried over, only to notice the difference in Qiao Qingyun’s attire. She looked her up and down.

"Sister-in-law, what is this you are wearing?"