Chapter 351: Scheming

Princess Changle saw the palace maid looked a little flustered and hurriedly asked in a low voice, “What’s the matter? Why are you in such a panic?”

The palace maid quickly composed herself and whispered, “Please forgive me, Princess. I can’t find Madam!”

Princess Changle’s expression changed upon hearing this. “How could you lose her? Weren’t you attending to Second Aunt?”

The palace maid explained, “Just now, I escorted Madam to your room to rest. Then I encountered another palace maid who asked me for a small favor. Madam told me to go and said she could return to the room to rest by herself. I told Madam which room was yours, but after I finished my errand and went back to look for her, she wasn’t there. I searched the entire Imperial Garden but couldn’t find her. I thought she had returned! I have failed in my duty and didn’t attend to Madam well. Please forgive me, Princess.”

Upon hearing this, Princess Changle said, “Second Aunt is unfamiliar with the palace; she must be lost. It’s not a big deal. However, to avoid her accidentally entering the men’s guest quarters and causing offense, we should still look for her. Go and inform my father and the Heir Apparent to search. Tell them that Second Aunt might be drunk and ask them to look in the west courtyard.”

As today’s palace banquet was quite long, the palace had prepared separate resting rooms for princes, heirs apparent, and other imperial relatives, for their convenience in changing clothes, using the toilet, and so on. Other officials, except for first-rank ministers, shared rooms in groups for rest.

“Yes!” The palace maid immediately responded and left.

Princess Changle looked towards Xingqing.

At this moment, Ren Zishan said to Xingqing, “Sister Xingqing, I need to use the restroom. Will you accompany me?”

Xingqing also felt a bit urgent. This palace banquet seemed endless. The emperor had just left, and everyone was taking the opportunity to go out for some fresh air. She nodded, “Alright.”

Princess Changle saw her and Ren Zishan stand up and leave their seats, her heart filled with joy. *The heavens are helping me!*

Princess Changle also stood up, approached Xingqing, and whispered, “Sister, Second Aunt is missing. Will you help me find her? Second Aunt is not familiar with the palace. I’m afraid she might get lost and accidentally enter the men’s quarters, causing offense!”

Xingqing frowned upon hearing this. “I’m not familiar with the palace either. Didn’t you have the palace maid look for her?”

“I’ve already sent the palace maid to look for her. I’ve called all the servants attending me to search! But as daughters, we should also personally search, right? I know the way around the palace. Let’s go and find Second Aunt together. She had some osmanthus wine earlier, and I’m afraid she might be drunk.”

Xingqing frowned and glanced at Princess Changle. *Is this person, who appears pure on the surface but is full of schemes inside, up to something again?*

With vigilance in her heart, Xingqing said, “I’ll go find my brother-in-law and ask him to arrange for more people to search.”

Princess Changle hurriedly said, “Today is Cousin Crown Prince’s wedding day. Why bother him with such a trivial matter? We might find her after searching around. If we can’t find her, then we can ask Cousin Crown Prince for help! Besides, Cousin Crown Prince should be returning to his bridal chamber now. It’s not appropriate to disturb him.”

The matter of Shen Ruolan and her brother couldn’t be known to too many people; it would damage her and her brother’s reputation.

She only needed Wen Ruiqing to know, and then divorce Shen Ruolan!

As for Wen Ruiqing? He had no further use. She could have him exiled to some remote and impoverished place as a county magistrate, never to be seen again!

Upon hearing this, Ren Zishan said, “Xingqing, I’ll go to the restroom first. I’ll join you in searching later. I’ll have someone inform my brother and ask him to search the men’s quarters.”

She was really in a hurry; otherwise, she wouldn’t need to attend to her urgent needs first and could directly accompany Xingqing in searching for someone.

Xingqing didn’t want to cause trouble for Xingnong on her wedding day, so she nodded and whispered a few words to Ren Zishan.

Ren Zishan nodded after listening.

Seeing their behavior, Princess Changle secretly fumed. *I wonder what Shen Xingqing said to Ren Zishan? She’s clearly guarding against me.*

But Princess Changle didn’t care.

“Sister, let’s go!”

Xingqing lifted her foot and walked.

“Sister, let’s search each room in the women’s quarters first! Second Aunt might be drunk and asleep.” Princess Changle wanted to link arms with Xingqing, but Xingqing quickened her pace and dodged her.

Princess Changle gritted her teeth and quickly caught up.

They arrived at the first room, which was Princess Changle’s.

✿✿✿

Princess Changle said, “This is my room. Second Aunt usually shares a room with me, but I came back to look earlier, and she wasn’t inside.”

Xingqing, upon hearing this, ignored her, stepped forward, and knocked on the door. There was no response from inside.

Princess Changle then pushed the door open for her to see.

Indeed, there was no one in sight, but there was a folding screen blocking the view. Xingqing cautiously refrained from entering and called out, “Is anyone there?”

She could no longer bring herself to call her “Mother.”

Seeing this, Princess Changle walked in, “Second Aunt, Second Aunt”

Only then did Xingqing follow her inside. There was indeed no one behind the screen, nor in the inner room.

They looked around before leaving.

After leaving the room, Xingqing noticed that there wasn’t a single palace maid or eunuch in sight, which she found unusual.

Princess Changle said, “Second Aunt isn’t in my room. Shall we go to your room and have a look? Could Second Aunt have gone to find your sis—”

Xingqing didn’t wait for her to finish and walked towards the next room.

Princess Changle was so angry she almost stomped her foot. She hurriedly followed.

Xingqing’s room was the sixth one in the middle. She hadn’t been inside before. Just as she was about to push the door open, she suddenly turned back to look at Princess Changle.

She happened to catch a sinister smile on Princess Changle’s lips.

Princess Changle didn’t expect Xingqing to turn back suddenly. Her expression froze for a moment, and then she immediately resumed her anxious look. “Sister, quickly open the door and see if Second Aunt is inside!”

Xingqing stepped aside, “Go in and see for yourself!”

Princess Changle’s expression changed, and she dropped the pretense. With a vicious look, she forcefully shoved Xingqing into the room.

Xingqing was pushed, and the door instantly burst open from the impact.

The room was dark, and Xingqing couldn’t see anything clearly. She only vaguely saw a dark figure walk out. The figure was quite tall, definitely not Shen Ruolan’s figure, or rather, not a figure a woman could have.

Fortunately, Xingqing was already on guard. With lightning-fast reflexes, she grabbed the door frame with one hand, while her other hand swiftly caught Princess Changle’s arm. With a powerful pull, she dragged her into the room, gave her a hard push, and then, with the same energy she had used when chasing after the crazed Shen Ruoxi, she took to her heels and ran.

Her speed was like her feet were equipped with wind-fire wheels!

She heard Princess Changle scream behind her, but Xingqing didn’t have time to care. She was worried that the person in the room might have martial arts skills and would chase after her!

During the autumn harvest, Ren Zilin had once carried her through the mountains with his lightness skill, so she knew that people with martial arts could run very fast!

It was not something her two legs could compare to!

Moreover, Xingqing didn’t think that Princess Changle would be in any danger in the trap she had set herself.

Xingqing only thought that the person in the room would come out to catch her, so she just kept running forward desperately!