“Where did these hornets come from?”
Jiang Wanru cried out, waving her hands frantically to ward off the swarming hornets. “Get them away from me! Quickly, drive them away!”
“Ahhh!”
The hornets buzzed incessantly, diving straight toward Jiang Wanru and her young maid. Inside the stable, the horse, startled by the sudden commotion, let out a piercing neigh and began thrashing about, eventually knocking Jiang Wanru aside.
“Second Miss!” The little maid rushed forward in a panic to help her up.
Jiang Wanning looked around and exclaimed, “Is Second Sister here as well? Quickly, tell her to stay back. Where did all these hornets come from so suddenly?”
Haitang and Shaoyao struggled to suppress their laughter.
“Eldest Miss, the one who fell over there looks an awful lot like the Second Miss,” Shaoyao remarked.
“Nonsense!” Haitang scolded. “Shaoyao, have you lost your mind? The Second Miss is currently confined; how could she possibly be here? That little maid must have called out the wrong name.”
Jiang Wanning shouted, “Oh dear, you two, stop talking! We must find a way to drive these hornets away and rescue them!”
The three of them—mistress and servants—spoke loudly, yet they did not move a single step toward the stable.
Jiang Wanru was chased by the panicked horse, rolling around in the horse manure. Seeing this, the little maid knelt and cried out, “Eldest Miss, please call someone to control the horse! At this rate, the Second Miss will be trampled to death!”
Jiang Wanning paused for a moment. When she judged the timing to be right, she gasped, “What did you say? She is my second sister? Haitang, quickly, get that horse under control!”
“Yes, Miss.”
Haitang stepped forward unhurriedly, eventually calming the horse and leading it aside.
“Hurry and pull your mistress out of that manure!” Jiang Wanning ordered with urgency in her voice.
Enduring the pain of the hornet stings, the little maid helped Jiang Wanru out of the stable. Before they could take more than two steps, a bucket of water doused them both completely.
“I thought hornets were afraid of water? Why are there even more of them now?” Jiang Wanning paced in a ‘panic.’ “What should we do?”
“Miss, did the Second Miss use something on herself?” Shaoyao added to the ‘panic.’ “Why are the hornets only stinging her?”
Hearing this, Jiang Wanning asked quickly, “Second Sister, did you use something?”
“I… I don’t know!” Jiang Wanru flailed her arms in the air. “Sister, help me!”
“I will definitely find a way to save you!” Jiang Wanning said, pacing anxiously with a look of deep distress on her face, yet she made no move to actually assist.
“Eldest Miss, perhaps we should help the Second Miss back to her room first?” the maid urged desperately.
“No!” Jiang Wanning replied. “Auntie Liu is in Bihe Courtyard, and it is close to Father and Mother’s quarters. These hornets are so vicious; what if they follow her and sting them as well? Sister, did you use or eat something? Why are they targeting only you?”
“Eldest Miss, please just find a way to save her first. We can discuss that later!” The maid ignored her own stings, fearing that Auntie Liu would never forgive her if Jiang Wanru were seriously injured.
“You’re right,” Jiang Wanning said. “But I have no other ideas at the moment. I’ll help you drive the hornets away!”
Jiang Wanning stepped forward.
Smack! She delivered a hard slap to Jiang Wanru’s face.
Smack! Another one followed.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
A flurry of slaps landed on Jiang Wanru, each delivered with her full strength.
“Haitang, Shaoyao, what are you standing there for?” Jiang Wanning called out. “Help me! If anything happens to the Second Miss, I’ll have your hides!”
“Yes, Miss!”
Haitang and Shaoyao stepped forward eagerly, raining punches and kicks upon Jiang Wanru and her maid. They continued the ‘rescue’ for a full fifteen minutes before finally stopping.
Jiang Wanning shook her sleeves, allowing a bit of white powder to flutter out. Moments later, the hornets all flew away. By then, Jiang Wanru was curled on the ground, her face swollen like a pig’s head and reeking of manure and horse urine.
“Quickly, take the Second Miss back to Bihe Courtyard. Go and inform Father and Mother.”
“Yes, Miss.” Shaoyao moved quickly.
“Sister…” the weak voice of Jiang Wanru, who had been motionless on the ground, drifted up. “Don’t… don’t tell Father. It’s a trivial matter. I don’t want to disturb his rest.”
“How can you say that?” Jiang Wanning said ‘caringly.’ “How is this a trivial matter? You are so badly injured. Don’t speak anymore. Haitang, go and fetch a doctor—Doctor Sun from the east side of the city! He is the best.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Haitang moved as if her legs were weighed down by sandbags; her face was anxious, but her pace was incredibly slow.
“You, help your mistress back,” Jiang Wanning said, pointing to the little maid.
Bihe Courtyard
Several maids held their breath as they scrubbed the manure off Jiang Wanru and changed her into fresh clothes. Wanru wailed in pain throughout the process.
Auntie Liu paced by the bed, her hands clenched tightly, her face filled with distress. “Ru’er, are you alright?” She turned to the Marquis, Jiang Zheng. “Lord, please, send for a doctor quickly. What if Ru’er is disfigured?”
“Get up first. Wanning already said she sent someone for a doctor.”
“Lord, Doctor Sun is all the way on the east side of the city. By the time he arrives, who knows what state Ru’er will be in?” Auntie Liu knelt on the floor, appearing as fragile as a pool of spring water.
“But Doctor Sun is the best physician in the capital,” Jiang Wanning said. “As for the imperial physicians, the palace gates are already locked.” She then seemed to remember something. “Oh, I just remembered. There is a divine physician staying at the Prince of Langya’s manor. Father, should I go there and ask for his help?”
Jiang Zheng frowned slightly. “He was bestowed by the Emperor specifically to attend to the Prince’s health.” To summon him for such a small matter might invite the Emperor’s displeasure. Jiang Zheng, though a military man, understood the implications.
“Lord, though Doctor Sun is skilled, he is old and his shop is far. We don’t know when he will arrive,” Auntie Liu pleaded at Jiang Zheng’s feet. “Why don’t we listen to the Eldest Miss and try to get the physician from the Prince’s manor?”
“Yes, Father,” Jiang Wanning added anxiously. “Though I don’t know why Second Sister was dressed as a maid and sneaking out the back gate so late, this is also my fault for not recognizing her. I thought they were just two maids and wanted them to help me scrub the horses.”
If Jiang Wanning hadn’t mentioned it, Jiang Zheng might have overlooked the details. But her words reminded him: Jiang Wanru was supposed to be in solitary confinement, yet here she was, dressed as a maid, sneaking out the back door in the dead of night.
Auntie Liu’s expression shifted. Jiang Zheng asked coldly, “Ru’er, where were you going so late at night?”