Chapter 340 - Got Poisoned? (1/2)

“The eyesore finally left!!” Zhu Junyang’s attitude relaxed a lot and the expression on his face softened considerably.

Princess Consort Jing looked at her own son and lightly shook her head. It seemed like inviting her niece to stay at home was the worst move that she had ever made. Fortunately, she had seen through the situation early on, and it shouldn’t be too late to repair the situation. Princess Consort Jing bowed her head in deep thought, trying to think of a reason to send Jiang Zixian back.

On the side, Yu Xiaocao widened her eyes and stared at the young royal prince, as if she was in disbelief. Zhu Junyang glared back at her with a displeased expression and grumpily said, “What are you looking at? Even if you continue to stare, flowers still can’t bloom on my face!!”

Yu Xiaocao’s gaze stayed on his handsome face for a moment, and then she joked, “Flowers can’t blossom on your face, but… your face is originally more pleasing to the eyes than the most beautiful flower in this garden…”

“Cao’er!!” Lady Fang secretly glanced at Princess Consort Jing. Was it really alright to say such frivolous words in front of his mother? Though… Royal Prince Yang’s face was indeed pretty good-looking… She pretended to scold her, “What nonsense are you saying? How can a young maiden say such words?”

Princess Consort Jing stared at her son’s face for a moment, and then chuckled, “Chuxue, don’t scare the child! Xiaocao is just speaking truthfully. Among my three sons, Yang’er resembles me the most. But, since he’s a combination of the good points of me and my lord husband, if he was a girl, he would definitely look more beautiful than when I was young.”

With a helpless expression, Lady Fang said, “Cao’er isn’t that young anymore. Those who grow up faster are already graceful young maidens. How can she call a man handsome right in front of him? It’s just that she’s normally close with Royal Prince Yang. Had it been someone else, they would probably think that she’s crazy about men!”

Yu Xiaocao pouted and said with an aggrieved expression, “Godmother, Daughter can tease the young royal prince because we’re familiar with each other. If it was someone else, I wouldn’t be so impetuous… Sir Su Ran is very good-looking, but I would just secretly look at him a few more times and wouldn’t go up to him and say, ‘Sir, you’re really handsome.’ It would be weird if I don’t get beaten up!”

“Haha… If someone says that I’m very good-looking, it just means that she has good taste! Why would I be unreasonable and hit others?” A gentle voice sounded among the flowers. On the small path paved with bluestones, a tall figure slowly approached.

A modest gentleman was like a refined jade. Only the tenacity, gentleness, delicacy, and implicitness of jade could describe the endless charm that Su Ran slowly emitted, right? The pure and outstanding man leisurely walked out of the flowers and trees, as if he was those banished immortals flying in the paintings…

Seeing that Yu Xiaocao’s eyes were fixed on another man, Zhu Junyang felt as if there was a big piece of cotton stuffed in his heart, and that feeling irritated him. He quietly tugged at Yu Xiaocao’s hair that was hanging loosely behind her, which caused her to glare at him in anger. Zhu Junyang raised his eyebrows, ‘As long as her eyes aren’t focused on other men, I don’t mind suffering a little and getting glared at a few more times.’

As the head steward court eunuch, Su Ran was in charge of the training and assessment of the emperor’s personal imperial bodyguards and the imperial guards. Thus, Princess Consort Jing naturally didn’t dare to put on airs in front of him. After they exchanged some polite greetings, Princess Consort Jing sat down with a proper smile on her face and asked, “Is Chief Steward Su visiting for official business or…”

Su Ran withdrew the smile on his face, and with a slightly stern expression, he said in a low voice, “The reason that Su Ran came to the Prince Jing’s Estate without notice is to ask for help!!”

Princess Consort Jing was shocked. She swiftly stood up and asked, “For help? What does Chief Steward Su mean? Perhaps, in the palace…” Princess Consort Jing thought of all the dirty things that could have happened in the Imperial Palace. The current emperor was a brilliant ruler who was loved by the people and supported by all officials. Why would there be a need to ask for help?

Su Ran glanced at the grim expressions on Lady Fang and Royal Prince Yang, yet saw the muddled expression on the face of the little girl of the Yu Family. He quickly calmed them, “Your Highness, Princess Consort Jing, please don’t worry too much! It’s a matter of the Eastern Palace. The young imperial prince got poisoned, and the imperial physicians in the Imperial Palace don’t know what to do. I want to borrow Imperial Physician Zheng of Prince Jing’s Estate to go there and have a look…”

When Lady Fang heard that it was a secret matter in the palace, she quickly stood up and said, “Your Highness, I just remembered that there’s some matters that I need to deal with at home, so we shall take our leave…”

“Lady Fang, please stay.” Su Ran looked at Yu Xiaocao, who had also stood up with a foolish expression. He said in a low voice, “I heard that your daughter has studied medicine for several years, and she has a unique understanding of medicine…”

Lady Fang could no longer worry about offending Chief Steward Su, and replied in a fearful manner, “My daughter has only studied medicine under the village doctor for less than a year, and she usually just treated the villagers’ minor illnesses and injuries. The one in the palace has a precious status. With my daughter’s feeble medical skills, we don’t dare to be conceited and show our slight skills in front of the imperial physicians!!”

It had been eight years since the emperor ascended the imperial throne at the age of twenty. Normally, he was diligent in government affairs and wasn’t immersed in the affairs of the inner palace. At present, including the empress and imperial concubines, there were only six or seven people in the imperial harem. The emperor currently only had two young offspring, one prince and one princess. Thus, it was apparent how precious they were. Moreover, even the imperial physicians weren’t certain about the imperial prince’s condition. If Xiaocao got involved, wouldn’t that be the same as the God of Longevity hanging himself——wanting to die earlier?