The befuddled Imperial Physician was sent away just like that.
As soon as Qing Huan saw him out, she immediately shut the door and hurried to the bedside.
"Princess Consort, I... I got... the Jade Seal, but... I was... discovered."
Hua Manman threw back the covers and sat up. "Prince Wu Zhang found you? Where is he now?"
Qing Huan answered honestly, "I... knocked him... unconscious."
With that, she lowered her head, looking very anxious.
’She had botched it. She had brought huge trouble upon the Princess Consort.’
Hua Manman, however, showed no intention of blaming her, speaking calmly.
"Since we’ve been discovered, we can’t stay here any longer. Let’s go."
’Her original plan had been to leave the palace as soon as she stole the Jade Seal, anyway. This just moved her timeline up.’
Qing Huan helped the Princess Consort to her feet, and the two of them hurried out.
They went to the study and, with practiced ease, activated the mechanism.
The bookshelf slowly parted, revealing a dark, deep secret passage.
「Meanwhile.」
Liang Yong had already found the unconscious Prince Wu Zhang.
He hurriedly helped Prince Wu Zhang onto the bed and sent for the Imperial Physician.
The Imperial Physician administered two acupuncture needles to Li Ying.
Li Ying’s head finally cleared, but the back of his neck still throbbed with pain.
The Imperial Physician applied medicine to the wound on his neck and advised him to remain still and rest for a while.
But Li Ying was in no mood to recuperate.
Enduring the pain, he got to his feet and gave an order as he dressed.
"Issue my command! Qing Huan has stolen the Jade Seal. Apprehend her at once!"
Receiving the order, the Yulin Guards immediately began a sweeping search.
Ignoring everyone’s attempts to stop him, Li Ying went to the adjacent bedroom himself.
He pushed open the door, only to find the bed completely empty.
Hua Manman was gone.
The moment Li Ying saw Qing Huan stealing the Jade Seal, he had already guessed she was acting on Hua Manman’s orders.
’They would surely leave immediately after getting the Jade Seal.’
He had braced himself for it.
And yet, seeing the empty room with his own eyes, Li Ying still felt as if a piece of his heart had been carved out.
Anguish, anger, hurt, disappointment.
These emotions flooded him, and his eyes gradually turned bloodshot.
’He should have known all along.’
’Someone like him, who had carried the weight of vengeance since birth, could never receive genuine affection.’
’No one would ever truly stay by his side.’
’Not in the past, not now, and not ever.’
Liang Yong asked cautiously.
"Princess Consort Zhao can’t have gotten far. Should we send men after her?"
Li Ying glared at the empty bed, forcing the words out through clenched teeth.
"Find them! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground to do it!"
...
「Inside the secret passage.」
Qing Huan supported Hua Manman as they hurried forward.
The secret passage had no forks, so they didn’t have to worry about getting lost.
As long as they followed the passage straight ahead, they would find the exit.
Soon, they came to a small door.
They pushed open the door and stepped out into a flower garden.
The garden was empty at this hour.
Qing Huan helped Hua Manman across the garden to a water cart parked in a corner.
Just as the two were about to climb into the water cart to hide, they saw a squad of Yulin Guards running toward them in the distance.
Startled, they quickly abandoned the water cart and ducked into a nearby storage room.
The Yulin Guards began their search.
They searched the garden inside and out, not even sparing the water cart parked in the corner.
Hiding inside the storage room, Hua Manman and Qing Huan watched the scene unfold through a crack in the door, a wave of fear washing over them.
’If they had hidden in the water cart, they would have been discovered for sure.’
But their relief was short-lived, as they saw the Yulin Guards heading for the storage room.
It looked like they planned to search the storage room as well.
Hua Manman and Qing Huan frantically looked for a place to hide.
But the storage room was tiny; there was nowhere suitable to hide.
Hua Manman was frantic.
’Are we going to be found?’
Qing Huan had already prepared for the worst. She took a step forward, shielding the Princess Consort behind her.
’If the Yulin Guards charged in, she would give her life to hold them back and buy the Princess Consort a chance to escape.’
Just then, voices sounded from outside.
It sounded like someone was approaching.
Hua Manman moved to the door again, peeking outside through the crack.
She saw Mu Qing speaking to the Yulin Guards, her face a mask of anxiety.
"I think I just saw some people run over that way. One of them was a heavily pregnant woman who looked a lot like Princess Consort Zhao. They couldn’t be the ones you’re looking for, could they?"
A Yulin Guard asked urgently, "Which way did they run?"
Mu Qing pointed toward Xuande Gate.
"They ran that way. They’re probably trying to leave the palace through Xuande Gate."
The Yulin Guards immediately changed direction and sprinted toward Xuande Gate.
They had to stop Princess Consort Zhao before she could leave the palace!
Only when everyone was gone did Hua Manman dare to push the door open and lead Qing Huan out.
Mu Qing said, "I heard Prince Wu Zhang’s Jade Seal was stolen, and he has people searching everywhere for you. I was worried something would happen to you, so I hurried over. I didn’t expect to walk right into this, so I came up with a way to send them away on the spot."
Hua Manman thanked her.
"Thank goodness you arrived in time. Otherwise, Qing Huan and I would have been doomed."
Mu Qing glanced at the water cart in the corner and said with resignation.
"The Yulin Guards are searching everywhere now, so the palace gates must be sealed. It’s impossible to sneak out of the palace at a time like this. Let’s go back and hide in the secret passage for now and figure out what to do next."
Hua Manman nodded in agreement.
The three of them returned to the secret passage, where the candle on the incense table was still burning quietly.
As was her custom, Mu Qing offered incense to the woman in the portrait.
After walking so much, Hua Manman’s legs had begun to tremble.
Qing Huan helped her sit down on a meditation cushion to rest.
Mu Qing looked at Hua Manman, her gaze falling on her swollen belly. She couldn’t help but ask.
"How are you feeling now, Your Highness? Are you in any discomfort?"
Hua Manman slowly let out a breath, trying her best to relax. "I’m fine."
Mu Qing asked, "What are your plans now, Your Highness?"
Hua Manman replied, "Given the circumstances, we certainly can’t leave the palace. Our only option is to stay in this secret passage for a while."
Mu Qing sighed. "I suppose that’s our only choice for now."
Hua Manman had Qing Huan take out the Jade Seal.
"Before Wu Wang has time to react, we need to get the Jade Seal to Princess Consort Zhen as quickly as possible. But Qing Huan and I are too conspicuous now. We’ll be caught the moment we show our faces. That’s why I have to entrust this to you."
She solemnly placed the Jade Seal in Mu Qing’s hands, her eyes filled with entreaty.
Mu Qing gripped the heavy Jade Seal, feeling quite surprised.
’She never expected Princess Consort Zhao to entrust her with something so important.’
’It seemed the Princess Consort truly trusted her.’
Mu Qing was deeply moved.
She promised, "I will not let you down."