Chapter 17: The Initial Stirrings of Love

  The figure in the garden pavilion was about to move, but Zhou Song rushed in panting. "Qing Ming young master, let...let me find it...quickly go save people!"

  Qing Ming's heart sank: "Is it Zhou Song? What happened? But Long Xia he..."

  "No... it's not Your Highness! It's Her Majesty the Queen! Please, Prince Qingming... follow me to Moluo Pavilion."

  "Princess?" Qing Meng let out a breath, but then frowned in disgust, "What's wrong with Xia Tian?"

  "The princess... " Zhou Song thought for a moment and then recounted the whole story from start to finish. Although the prince didn't want others to know about the princess being beaten, Qing Meng Gongzi wasn't just anyone, so telling him should be fine.

  "Be quiet for a moment, Qingming slowly said: 'You know I never treat illnesses for women, go ask the imperial physician instead!'"

  Zhou Song nodded and rolled his eyes. He really didn't understand why this elegant young man was so disgusted with women. After responding with a "yes", he didn't say anything else, and quickly turned around to leave the pavilion and send someone to invite the imperial physician.

  "Summer......" A gray robe fluttered in the wind, his eyelids slowly lifted, and a sliver of moonlight shone on his face. His dull eyes were like a dry well, devoid of luster, only reflecting a faint white glow.

  The moon was in the middle of the sky, and it was the darkest time just before dawn. The entire Ling Wang Fu was quietly asleep, with only one courtyard still brightly lit.

  Mò lí gé

  Lying on the bed in summer, sleeping extremely lightly. A lake blue cheongsam had been changed into a white pajama, jet black long hair scattered on the pillow, long eyelashes casting a faintly trembling shadow on the pale face.

  Xiū Niáng and Fèng Lì stood guard at her bedside, inch by inch, although the imperial physician had diagnosed and left excellent medicine for her injuries, but Xiā Tiān remained in a coma all summer, never once waking up.

  Today's events are truly shocking, it has always been the slaves and lower-class people who get beaten, when have we ever seen a master being beaten, let alone the legitimate mistress of the Ling Wang Fu - Princess Ling. It is simply an unprecedented event in history!

  And this princess was indeed a tough cookie, Xiu Niang counted clearly on the side, and was beaten with twenty-three rods from start to finish. The princess didn't make a sound. If it wasn't for hearing her unconscious ** during dressing change, she would have thought that the princess really couldn't speak.

  "Ah-choo!" The sudden cough rang out loud in the still of the night.

  Xiū Niáng hastily turned around and respectfully gave a courtesy. Fèng Liǔ was holding a handkerchief to wipe away Xià Tiān's sweat, saw Yuán Lóng Qiáo and got startled that the handkerchief also fell to the ground.

  "You go down first." Yuan Longqiao's gaze fell on the person on the bed, and his hands behind his back subconsciously tightened their grip on a pale green porcelain bottle.

  "Yes." Xiumei pulled at Fengliu's stunned arm.

  Suddenly coming back to her senses, Feng Liu's face turned bright red as she desperately struggled free from Xiu Niang's restraints. "I won't go..." Xiu Niang covered her mouth with one hand and warned in a low voice by her ear: "Don't make another mistake, hurry up and follow me out."

  Feng Li was helpless and could only watch as Xia Tian was dragged away by Xiuniang.

  She sat on the edge of the bed, her slender figure swaying gently as she gazed at Xia Tian's sleeping face. Her delicate eyebrows were furrowed like a misty veil, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly. Tiny beads of sweat gathered on the tip of her nose, which was normally rosy but now pale, except for the faint red mark left by the wound on her lip.

  She didn't sleep well, and in her dreams, she seemed to be enduring great pain. Her slender body was curled up, losing its previous stubbornness and tension, looking pitiful and heart-wrenching.

  He let out a soft sigh, his hand slowly extending to gently caress her cheek. Soft and smooth, like the finest silk, only it was too hot. His eyebrows furrowed unintentionally, with a gentle and puzzled look in his eyes that even he himself had not noticed: "Why so stubborn?" He asked softly, but didn't know if he was asking her or just sighing.

  "Mom..." Xia Tian leaned her face close to his hand, murmuring a faint cry, a teardrop rolled down from her dense eyelashes, quickly flowing over the bridge of her nose, and landed on the pillow with a soft plop.

  Yuan Longqiao's hand involuntarily clenched, his heart also shrinking, with a complex expression he stared at her for a long time before slowly taking the porcelain bottle from her hand, lifting her nightgown and personally applying medicine to her wound.