Since her rebirth, she had realized she brought along the Heavenly Medical Bone from her previous life.
Because of this Medical Bone, simply by approaching him without doing anything else, she could alleviate his headache.
He would surely become interested in her.
Sure enough, Prince Ning initially intended to run her through with his sword—any woman daring to climb into his bed deserved death!
He assumed the woman before him was of the same sort.
Yet in the next moment, he noticed his headache seemed to have eased considerably? It wasn’t as painful anymore.
He suffered from chronic headaches. Since his first severe episode in childhood, which was unbearably painful, he had learned to endure the agony silently whenever it struck.
Each episode could last anywhere from a few hours to a full day before subsiding.
This time, however, it had only been half an hour.
Prince Ning’s mind was in turmoil; he suspected the sudden relief was connected to the woman before him…
“Move farther away from me.”
Jiang Yao knew he was testing whether she could alleviate his headache. She rose and walked back to the window where she had been standing earlier.
Prince Ning, enduring the pain, said, “Come closer now.”
Jiang Yao approached him again.
Indeed, the headache eased significantly.
Prince Ning finally understood: as long as she was near, his headache would lessen.
He gazed at her with an inscrutable expression for a long while before slowly asking, “What did you mean earlier when you asked me to save you?”
Jiang Yao: “This Qie is Scholar Pei’s wife. Today, I came to Dingguo Duke Manor for a banquet…”
She recounted the day’s events to him slowly.
“But unexpectedly, when I reached that secluded courtyard, the Commandery Princess’s maid tried to force medicine down my throat…”
Noticing her hesitant tone and evasive eyes,
Prince Ning asked, “How did you manage to escape later?”
With her close to him, his head didn’t hurt as much.
Various thoughts flashed through Prince Ning’s mind.
Jiang Yao softly explained the rest to Prince Ning, “I… I forced the medicine back into her mouth instead… But I was truly terrified, worried that the Commandery Princess’s connections within Dingguo Duke Manor might have me captured. In my panic, I fled here and disturbed Your Highness. I beg you to save me. I fear those two will wake up and falsely accuse me. I implore Your Highness to stand up for this Qie.”
This was, of course, an excuse; she merely wanted to find him and alleviate his headache.
Prince Ning looked down at the delicate woman before him.
For some reason, if any other woman approached him with such vulnerability and dependence, he would only want to run them through with his sword.
But with her, he felt a sense of calm, and hearing her story even stirred a hidden anger within him.
“In that case, since she wants to catch us in the act, let’s go and see for ourselves.”
Jiang Yao stared at him in astonishment.
Logically, they had just met, and he disliked women approaching him—he shouldn’t have agreed so easily.
Yet he had agreed without hesitation and even intended to go and see.
In the Hundred Flowers Garden where Dingguo Duke Manor entertained guests,
The garden was in full bloom, a riot of colors and intoxicating fragrances.
Shen Yuanwu was chatting with several madams and young ladies when she noticed the time was about right.
It was time to lead the madams and young ladies to ‘catch the adulterers.’
But Hongxiu hadn’t returned yet; she was probably still keeping watch at the secluded courtyard.
Hongxiu was strong; Jiang Yao wouldn’t be able to resist her.
After a moment’s thought, Shen Yuanwu turned to Madam Liu, who was wearing a honey-colored gown with gold-embroidered floral patterns, and the other madams and young ladies.
“Madam Liu, Madam Wang, and Miss Chen, Miss Li, have you seen my elder sister? She said it was rather stuffy here and wanted to wait by the lakeside outside. It’s been nearly half an hour, and I still haven’t seen her. I’m truly quite worried.”
Madam Liu sneered, “The Commandery Princess is too kind. Pei Shaofuren truly has no sense of propriety at all—coming to the Duke Manor for a banquet yet running about everywhere. Only you would still consider her feelings. If she considered yours, she shouldn’t be wandering around recklessly.”
“Exactly. After all, she was raised in a merchant family—completely ignorant of etiquette.”
Shen Yuanwu frowned slightly. “Please don’t speak of my sister that way. She probably just got lost, being unfamiliar with the Duke Manor’s paths. I’m also afraid she might disturb Ning Wang Dianxia.”
Everyone knew the Dingguo Duke Manor was Ning Wang’s maternal family, and that Ning Wang had been residing there recently.
Given Ning Wang’s temperament, if he were truly disturbed by a female guest attending the banquet, he might very well blame all the women present.
The female guests were startled. “Commandery Princess, I think we should hurry to find Pei Shaofuren—that’s the real priority.”
Shen Yuanwu naturally thanked the ladies and young misses for their willingness to help search.
She then rose and headed out of the Hundred Flowers Garden, intending to look around.
In the adjacent courtyard where male guests were received, a servant hurried to Pei Muzheng’s side and whispered, “Sir, something has happened to the young madam in the women’s quarters. She’s been gone for nearly half an hour and hasn’t returned. The Commandery Princess is worried and has already taken people to search for her.”
Pei Muzheng frowned slightly. “What is she doing running around at a banquet? Never mind, I’ll go look for her too.”
Seeing him suddenly leave his seat, his colleagues nearby inquired.
Pei Muzheng nodded apologetically and explained that his wife had gone missing.
Upon hearing this, his colleagues said, “Finding the young madam is the priority now. Let us help search as well.”
Pei Muzheng repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
Thus, both the female and male guests formed two large groups that began searching the Dingguo Duke Manor.
With someone missing, Madam of the Duke of Dingguo, as the hostess, felt somewhat responsible and ordered her maids to join the search.
Shen Yuanwu and Pei Muzheng had planned today’s ‘adultery trap’ from the start. Knowing where the person was, they pretended to search briefly before quickly leading the crowd toward the secluded courtyard.
Madam of the Duke of Dingguo couldn’t help remarking, “She probably isn’t here. This is a deserted secluded courtyard—you can see how overgrown the path is. Pei Shaofuren likely wouldn’t come to such a remote place.”
Shen Yuanwu said, “Let’s still check around. I’m just worried my sister might have strayed here by mistake.”
As she spoke, the large crowd had already entered the secluded courtyard.
Madam of the Duke of Dingguo was about to say more when sudden moans came from inside the room.
The nature of the sounds was immediately obvious. Madam of the Duke of Dingguo’s face changed.
Was Zhuangyuan Lang’s wife insane? How dare she engage in such acts in her home!
And with Zhuangyuan Lang right here—who was Jiang Yao inside with?
Madam of the Duke of Dingguo was furious!
Everyone’s expressions shifted, all shocked that Pei Shaofuren would do such a thing.
The sounds were disgraceful to the ear.
Shen Yuanwu, pale-faced, murmured, “What is sister doing? How… how could she commit adultery with someone in the Duke Manor? How could she do this to brother-in-law?”
Pei Muzheng’s face was also deathly pale. “How dare she do such a thing! I will definitely demote my wife to Qie!”
Someone said, “Zhuangyuan Lang is too kind-hearted. Why even let her remain as Qie! In my opinion, she should be drowned in the pond!”
“Eh, what are you all doing here? Drown who in the pond?”