Seeing her mother crying, Jiang Li hurried over and used his sleeve to wipe away her tears.
Being extraordinarily obedient and sensible, he softly said,
“Don’t cry, Mother. Li’er doesn’t hurt.”
“Good child… You’ve already been bullied to this extent, yet you’re still trying to comfort your mother. Your mother is useless—I can’t even protect my own child. Wuu…”
The mother and son clung to each other, their combined weight pressing entirely onto Mingyu.
And Mingyu could clearly feel that Zhu Xinyan was deliberately putting strength into it.
Crushed beneath them, Mingyu nearly rolled her eyes back and instantly regretted ever coming to Qingfu Pavilion.
Earlier that morning, she had carefully dressed herself up, hoping to make Gu Zhanzhen notice her.
But after waiting outside the study for most of the day, she learned from a servant that the prince had gone to Qingfu Pavilion instead.
Afraid Zhu Xinyan would accuse her first, she hurried over afterward, only to overhear them inside talking about lotus flowers.
Mingyu lost her nerve and didn’t dare enter.
Then she saw Jiang Li wandering nearby. Already filled with resentment toward Zhu Xinyan, she naturally stepped forward to stop the child and vented her anger by fiercely pinching his arm.
When Jiang Li cried out, she immediately covered his mouth with her hand.
Now, hearing Zhu Xinyan’s accusations, Mingyu hurriedly defended herself.
“My lord, it isn’t like that! This servant didn’t do such a thing! Concubine Zhu is slandering me!”
But as Gu Zhanzhen watched Zhu Xinyan crying so pitifully and the child sobbing breathlessly in her arms, every other sound around him seemed to fade away.
Because through them, he suddenly thought of himself as a child—how he had once been framed and beaten by his father’s favored concubine.
Yet his own mother, in order to keep his father’s affection and secure her position as the lawful wife, had not protected him at all. She had simply turned a blind eye.
Even now, remembering that scene still pierced his heart.
If he had possessed a mother like Zhu Xinyan, perhaps he would not have become so cold and emotionless… perhaps he would have known how to love someone.
His gaze once again settled on Jiang Li’s face, and he remembered the child born to Fu’er—the baby who had survived for only a single day.
Past memories overlapped with the scene before him. Surrounded by complicated emotions, he forcefully pulled himself out of those thoughts.
Turning to the servants nearby, he ordered,
“Call the estate physician first. Then send a card into the palace and summon an imperial doctor.”
Hearing this, Mingyu’s heart pounded wildly.
Back when Third Young Master—the son of Concubine Wei—had suffered a high fever, the prince had never even invited an imperial physician.
And now, she had merely pinched this little brat a few times without even breaking the skin, yet he was already urgently summoning one.
This favor was far too excessive!
Still, she clung desperately to a shred of hope. Pushing away the mother and son, she knelt on the ground and frantically kowtowed.
“My lord, this servant was only playing with Young Master Jiang! I accidentally used too much force. I truly didn’t mean it!”
Zhu Xinyan immediately interrupted in a hoarse voice:
“If this is what happens when it’s unintentional, then what if it were deliberate? Miss Mingyu would probably twist my Li’er’s arm clean off!”
“Exactly!” Qiao’er chimed in from the side.
Seeing Mingyu open her mouth to continue defending herself, Zhu Xinyan swiftly wiped away her tears and adopted an expression so pitiful it stirred sympathy in anyone who saw her.
Then, sniffling softly, she said:
“I know you admire my lord, which is why you dressed yourself up so extravagantly in hopes of attracting his attention. But I’ve never obstructed you in any way.
“So why must you strut around like a peacock showing off its feathers everywhere? This place isn’t a zoo.”
Listening to Zhu Xinyan’s strange and chaotic accusations, Mingyu didn’t even know how to respond. She could only keep kowtowing desperately toward Gu Zhanzhen.
“This servant cannot defend herself against so many accusations. Please judge wisely, my lord!”
At that moment, Jiang Li delivered the perfect finishing blow.
Blinking his watery eyes, he sniffled hard and stretched his chubby little arm toward Gu Zhanzhen.
Holding back tears, he pitifully whispered,
“Your Highness… Li’er really hurts.”
Even the hardest-hearted person would not be able to withstand that.
Gu Zhanzhen reached out and gently patted Jiang Li’s soft little head.
In an unusually gentle voice, he quietly said,
“Don’t be afraid, child. The estate physician will arrive soon.”
Everyone nearby was startled by this display, while Mingyu felt cold all over.
This meant she was truly finished.
Sure enough, once Gu Zhanzhen straightened up, he cast her an icy glance without saying a single word, then merely waved a hand toward Fu’an.
Fu’an was Steward Qin’s disciple and had served beside Gu Zhanzhen since childhood. One glance from his master was enough for him to understand immediately.
He casually pointed at two older servant women.
“Ten strokes of the board. Lock her in the woodshed. Then find a trafficker and sell her off.”
Considering Mingyu had always served flawlessly until now, this was already the lightest punishment possible.
Her dreams shattered, Mingyu’s face turned deathly pale as she screamed in panic,
“My lord! This servant knows her mistake! My lord—”
Before she could finish, a rag was stuffed into her mouth and she was dragged away.
Qingfu Pavilion itself contained no spies from the various courtyards, but Mingyu had been dragged through nearly the entire estate.
After a little questioning—and since the older servants had no intention of hiding the matter—everyone soon learned what had happened.
The first person unable to sit still was Shen Wangshu from the main courtyard.
The child was not seriously injured, and he wasn’t even of the prince’s bloodline, yet the prince cared this much?
Something wasn’t right.
Nanny Kong, understanding what Shen Wangshu was thinking, tactfully reminded her:
“Has Your Highness forgotten? The child Jiang Fu’er gave birth to died while the prince personally held him in his arms.
“And since Zhu resembles Jiang, I fear the prince may have transferred those feelings onto her as well. Otherwise, he would never have summoned an imperial physician.”
“You’re right, Nanny. Since my lord is concerned, then as his lawful wife, I should also go take a look.”
Shen Wangshu deliberately changed into modest clothing before bringing a group of servants toward Qingfu Pavilion.
Just after turning near the western flower hall, they encountered Concubine Wei.
“And you are…?”
Concubine Wei awkwardly lowered herself in greeting.
“Your Highness, this concubine heard that the child brought by Lady Zhu was injured. And since the prince is there as well, I came to ask whether I ought to go over and pay a visit.”
Keeping her head lowered, she spoke so meekly that Shen Wangshu couldn’t see her expression.
She merely assumed Concubine Wei feared offending the prince and causing him to neglect her own two children, so she habitually relied upon Shen Wangshu’s guidance.
“Since you’re already out here, then come along together.”
Shen Wangshu led the way ahead while Concubine Wei lagged a few steps behind beside Nanny Kong, her hidden hands clenched tightly inside her sleeves.
Whether Jiang Li lived or died meant little to her.
The only reason she followed was because she wanted to see just how severe the child’s injuries were to warrant Gu Zhanzhen making such a fuss and summoning an imperial physician.
A trace of vicious darkness hid within her lowered eyes.
If the child were truly gravely injured, then dying would be best.
That way, my son would once again become the prince’s only child.
The estate physician arrived first. By the time Shen Wangshu and the others reached Qingfu Pavilion, he had already prescribed medicine for bruising and swelling.
Zhu Xinyan sat inside the bed curtains holding Jiang Li in her arms, while Gu Zhanzhen sat sideways on the edge of the bed, rare tenderness appearing on his normally cold face.
Seeing this scene, Shen Wangshu thought to herself:
Thankfully the child isn’t truly his. Otherwise, the position of heir would undoubtedly belong to this boy.
She first bowed to Gu Zhanzhen before asking the physician,
“How is the child?”
The physician replied,
“Reporting to Your Highness, Young Master Jiang only suffered superficial bruising. There is no serious harm. After taking several doses of medicine to improve circulation and reduce swelling, he will recover completely.”
The tension visibly eased from Shen Wangshu’s face.
Smiling lightly, she said,
“That is wonderful news. My heart has been hanging in suspense the entire way here.”
After speaking, she walked over to check on Jiang Li.
But Concubine Wei, who had been following behind the entire time, did not move a single step.
She merely stared fixedly at the scene before her.