"My lady, what’s wrong with you? Don’t scare this servant!"
Upon her shout, Honored Lady Lan immediately shrank back and started refusing the Imperial Physician’s diagnosis.
"No! Don’t!"
Then, Lianlian once again knelt to plead, asking not to provoke her mistress.
Xiao Xizi watched with cold eyes a magnificent performance unfold. Was he a fool to not see through it? This Lianlian was truly malicious! Even with the Imperial Physician present, she refused to let him check the pulse. With Honored Lady Lan in such a state, Lianlian couldn’t be uninvolved. Xiao Xizi let out a cold laugh.
"Lianlian, if you really care about your mistress, step aside!"
"Let the Imperial Physician take her pulse!"
Meanwhile, Honored Lady Lan struggled as if on a cliff’s edge. Moving forward meant death, and retreating was no different. It seemed impossible for her to survive either way.
"Save... save me..."
"No... don’t!"
Xiao Xizi was getting impatient.
"Do you want to live or not?!"
With her hair dishevelled, Honored Lady Lan lifted her head and looked at Xiao Xizi.
"You... you go away!"
"I don’t want to see, I don’t want the Imperial Physician!"
Xiao Xizi sneered inwardly. Fine! Our master’s kindness is wasted, just as if we fed a dog!
The words were harsh, but he could no longer care about being polite. After speaking, he led the Imperial Physician away.
Lianlian knelt on the ground, drenched in cold sweat. If the Imperial Physician had come in for the diagnosis and discovered the truth, everything would have been over! Fortunately! Fortunately!
Lianlian struggled to her feet from the ground. She took out Calming Incense from a small box, lit one, and then left.
Honored Lady Lan lay on the ground, inhaling the familiar aroma of Calming Incense. Her body did feel much more relaxed. No headache, no chest pain. There was also an inexplicable excitement within her body, as if floating on soft clouds—comfortable, truly comfortable! And so, she fell asleep on the ground.
「The Back Courtyard」
Molli was tied up and bound next to the well.
Lianlian went to her. She didn’t even bother to pretend anymore and warned Molli fiercely, "If you dare utter a word, I’ll throw you into this well! No one will ever find you!"
Upon hearing this, Molli’s face turned white. She too feared death! Initially, to survive in desperation and not wanting to die, she had entered the palace. But now, being asked to give her life for her mistress, she was unwilling! Everyone has the instinct to survive, and she was no exception.
"I... I won’t speak!"
Molli lowered her head, filled with endless guilt. The lady had been good to her, but mistress, this servant truly doesn’t want to die!
Lianlian was triumphant. "Good that you understand!" Saying so, she untied Molli.
"You take care of the lady. I’m stepping out for a bit!" After speaking, Lianlian left.
Before leaving, she also took a lock and locked both the front and back doors, fearing that they might go out to report. Honored Lady Lan was staying in the Zhaohua Pavilion, where Xia Ruqing used to live. Further north was the Cold Palace, with rare visitors. So there was no need to worry about anyone discovering them! Otherwise, who would dare to lock the doors in broad daylight!
After leaving, Lianlian made her way towards the Lijing Pavilion. The Lijing Pavilion, isn’t that where Lady Xi lived?
Xiao Xizi and Zi Su exchanged a look.
"Let’s go! Follow her!"
After speaking, the two of them trailed behind her from a distance. Only when they saw Lianlian entering the back door of the Lijing Pavilion did they turn back.
Zi Su’s gaze turned icy. "Betrayers! To torment their mistress like this!"
Xiao Xizi laughed coldly. "Let’s go back and check on Honored Lady Lan!" No matter what, having seen her, they couldn’t stand by and watch her die!
Having said that, the two of them turned back.
Xiao Xizi was familiar with the Zhaohua Pavilion. The lock on the back door wasn’t very good; a stone smashed against it would open it. The two successfully got inside.
Upon entering through the back, the messy backyard had a well, an open space, and some ropes.
"Was someone tied up here?"
Zi Su snorted coldly. "No wonder I haven’t seen Honored Lady Lan’s Senior Palace Maid Molli. She must have been tied up here!"
Xiao Xizi said, "No time to waste, quickly call the Imperial Physician to take her pulse!"
Zi Su nodded hurriedly and dashed off again to summon the Imperial Physician. They hadn’t expected this to happen, so the Imperial Physician had already left. Yet before he had gone far, he was called back.
Inside the inner chamber, Honored Lady Lan had already returned to normal. Molli was attending to her, her eyes red as if she had been crying.
"My lady, it’s all because of this servant’s incompetence!"
Honored Lady Lan weakly shook her head. "It’s not your fault! I’m the one who let the wolf into the house!" She vaguely remembered that this Lianlian was brought to her by Lady Xi. It turned out, all her innocence was an act. It turned out, she had had this planned from the very beginning! It turned out, all of this was a lie! It was all due to her own poor judgment of character!