In the carriage, Hua Jing sat silently while leaning against the seat. Her beautiful face was marred with a frown. Thinking about what had happened made her uneasy.
"Your Highness, I did put the laxative in Princess Hui Guo's food. The dose was quite high. And I saw her eat the food. Why didn't it affect her? Or maybe Princess Hui Guo was prepared for it?" The maid murmured.
Hua Jing disagreed. "I don't think so. She clearly had diarrhea. I could tell from her complexion. But how did she recover so soon?" She added after a pause. "From my point of view, it was because of Prince Jing. He was obviously finding fault with me back there. Besides, Yun Shang said she doesn't know much about Prince Jing, but today Prince Jing kept her around all the time, which is very unusual. On the way out, I noticed that Prince Jing's room was next door to Brother Bai's. I suspect that Prince Jing heard the deal with Bai. But..."
Something gnawed at Hua Jing. She still couldn't figure out. Yun Shang said she ran into Prince Jing on her return from the toilet, which is why she went to give her regards. If that was true, Prince Jing would not have heard a thing.
"But what, Your Highness? If Prince Jing really knows, it would be terrible. He would tell His Majesty." The maid looked panic-stricken.
"Don't panic. I'm only guessing. If he did hear, he would have arrested Brother Bai. Go back to Yuman Tower later and ask the owner about Prince Jing's reservation. I want to know if he arrived before or after us. How long did he stay for?" Hua Jing still felt like she was missing something. She added, "And ask Brother Bai what happened today. How could he have the wrong girl kidnapped? You did tell him about Yun Shang's appearance and what she was wearing today, didn't you?"
The maid nodded. "I will find out, Your Highness."
"If, unfortunately, Prince Jing does know..." Hua Jing sighed and swallowed the rest of her words. If so, she would get into trouble. She would have to get rid of everyone involved no matter what it might take, in case of future risks. She would need grandfather's help then.
When the carriage stopped, Hua Jing said to the maid. "Stay. Let them take you back to Yuman Tower."
"Thank you, Your Highness." The maid said in gratitude.
Hua Jing pushed aside the curtain and stepped out. Seeing Yun Shang waiting outside, Hua Jing smiled. "Let's go in, sister."
Yun Shang nodded. However, she glanced at the carriage and asked. "Where's your maid, sister? I thought you were both in this carriage. Why hasn't she stepped out yet?"
Hua Jing smiled. "She's in there. Interrupted by the incident, we didn't pay for the meal. It's not easy for the owner to earn a decent living, so I asked my maid to return and give them some money."
Yun Shang smiled. "Sister, you are being too humble. I lived in Ning'guo Temple for years.
Although your Princess Palace might be less splendid than the Imperial Palace, it is certainly among the best in the Imperial City. At least, Prince Jing's mansion pales in comparison to yours." Having passed by pavilions and terraces, Hua Jing stopped at a courtyard. "This place is close to the back garden, where you can see plum trees and the lake. As the weather is getting colder, new plum buds are about to blossom. Wouldn't it be lovely to see them in full blossom? I thought you would agree with me, so I asked them to clean this room for you."
Just as Hua Jing was about to push open the door, she heard a displeased voice. "Why didn't Your Highness tell me we will host an important guest here? If I hadn't happened to hear servants talking about it, I would have no idea that Princess Hui Guo is visiting. If Princess Hui Guo blames me for an improper reception, it would be hard to defend myself."
This would be Lady Zhao. Yun Shang turned around and saw an old lady in a dark red dress. She was glaring at Hua Jing and Yun Shang.
Lady Zhao prostrated immediately. "I'm honored to meet Your Highness."
Yun Shang stepped forward and lifted her up. She looked overwhelmed. "Lady Zhao, please don't. You are the mother of the Emperor's Son-in-law, and you are our elder. I should pay my respects to you instead."
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