A Concubine's Competitive Life in the Prince's Household-Chapter 96

The courtyard was brightly lit.

Zhao Yang’s personal maid, Yun'er, went to the princess’s bedchamber as usual that night to attend to her. But the moment she opened the door, she found the bed empty—the princess, who should have been resting, had vanished. Yun'er panicked, her mind in chaos. If the princess was missing, she had no idea what to do.

Shen Wei threw on her robe and rose.

Cai Ping opened the door, and a gust of cold wind mixed with rain rushed in, making Shen Wei shiver.

What a heavy downpour, what a frigid night.

The courtyard was in utter disarray, the servants at a loss. Shen Wei cleared her throat and issued calm, sharp orders: "Yun'er, don’t panic. Tell me how many servants and guards are in the courtyard."

Yun'er answered hurriedly, "Six guards, two cooks, six maids, plus a gardener and a gatekeeper."

Shen Wei nodded, swiftly formulating a plan in her mind. "Rouse everyone. The guards and maids are to search for the princess by the lake. The gardener and gatekeeper will stay behind to guard the courtyard. As for the two cooks, have them prepare ginger soup and sobering broth through the night."

At this hour, the gates of Yanjing were already closed. "Once the city gates open tomorrow morning, Yun'er, you must immediately go to the palace for reinforcements."

In the shortest time possible, Shen Wei had arranged every necessary measure. Luoyue Lake lay outside the city, and with the gates shut at night, no one could enter or leave.

The ginger soup was for the guards and maids braving the storm to search for the princess. The sobering broth was for Mo the Divine Physician, who was likely still drunk. If the princess returned, his expertise would be needed to examine her.

After a pause, Shen Wei warned them all, "The princess is a jewel of the imperial family, the most beloved daughter of the Emperor and Empress. If anything happens to her, every last one of you will pay with your lives."

The servants paled and scattered to carry out her orders, desperate to find Princess Zhao Yang.

"Milady, you’re with child—please return inside and wait for news," Cai Ping urged, worried for Shen Wei’s health as she helped her back to her chambers.

Shen Wei sat in her room, listening to the muffled footsteps outside.

She suspected Zhao Yang had sneaked out on her own. Recalling the princess’s behavior earlier that day, Shen Wei guessed she had gone to meet Yan Yunting in secret.

A quiet sigh escaped her. Such a noble princess, yet so blind to her own heart—infatuated, reckless, acting on impulse.

No medicine could cure her lovesick foolishness.

Only a storm of suffering could wash away her naivety and force her to see the world’s cruelty.

Shen Wei barely slept that night. By dawn, the drizzle outside persisted. When she rose, Cai Ping reported that the heavy rain had caused Luoyue Lake’s waters to rise. The guards had searched through the storm, two nearly drowning in the treacherous waters.

After hours of searching, they found a tattered red lantern by the eastern pavilion of the lake.

The guards feared Zhao Yang might have fallen into the water.

The downpour made the search nearly impossible. When the rain finally eased after midnight, some guards risked their lives diving in to look for her "body," while others combed the lakeshore.

"Milady, if something happened to Princess Zhao Yang, we’d be implicated too," Cai Ping murmured, lowering her head.

Shen Wei sipped a cup of calming tea. "Keep looking. We must find her, alive or dead."

If the princess died, Shen Wei might escape with her life, but every servant and guard who attended Zhao Yang would surely be executed.

Just then, Yun'er’s voice rang out in shocked delight outside: "The princess is back! Hurry, someone!"

Shen Wei set down her teacup with a sharp clink and strode to the courtyard gates. The sky was still dim, the faint morning light streaked with fine rain. At the gates stood Zhao Yang, drenched and expressionless.

She looked utterly ruined.

Her gilded red gown was torn to shreds, the hem caked in mud.

Her cheeks were swollen, marked with vivid palm prints, the edges of the strikes tinged blue—proof of a brutal beating. Her tattered clothes revealed deeper wounds, some still oozing blood.

Her hair, drenched and tangled, hung loose over her shoulders. In her hand, she clutched a golden hairpin, its tip bent and smeared with blood.

Her face was hollow, like a blood-red spider lily clawing its way from hell.

"Princess!" Yun'er burst into tears.

Zhao Yang showed no reaction, as if carved from wood. Shen Wei rushed forward, grasping her icy hand. "Princess, come inside and change at once."

Zhao Yang’s dazed eyes flickered to Shen Wei. Her lips parted. "How ridiculous I was..."

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Then she collapsed into Shen Wei’s arms.

Shen Wei caught the fainting princess and pressed a hand to her forehead—burning with fever.

"Cai Ping, bring the ginger soup from the kitchen for the guards and maids who searched outside. Yun'er, fetch Mo the Divine Physician immediately."

The entire courtyard had been in chaos the night before, yet the drunken physician had slept through it all.

Shen Wei had the maids carry the unconscious princess inside.

Zhao Yang’s soaked clothes were stripped off and replaced with dry robes. As Shen Wei watched, her brow furrowed.

The princess’s face bore multiple slashes, her lip split. The back of her pale hands was scratched raw. Her dress had been torn apart, as if by brute force.

What had happened to her?

"Milady Shen, Mo the Divine Physician is here," Yun'er announced, her eyes red as she half-dragged the man inside.

The physician groaned, nursing a splitting headache. Rubbing his temples, he muttered, "The princess was missing? Why didn’t anyone wake me last night—"

His robe hung loose, his hair disheveled.

Shen Wei frowned at his state. "Yun'er, fetch the sobering broth from the kitchen for the physician. And remember—what happened to the princess stays within these walls. Her reputation must be protected."

Yun'er nodded tearfully, understanding the gravity, and hurried to the kitchen.

After downing the broth, Mo the Divine Physician regained some clarity.

Shen Wei dismissed the other servants, leaving only the unconscious Zhao Yang, herself, Yun'er, and the physician in the room.

Still bleary-eyed, the physician jabbed himself with an acupuncture needle to sharpen his focus. Yawning, he took Zhao Yang’s wrist to check her pulse.

His fingers stilled. His drowsy gaze sharpened instantly. Narrowing his eyes, he ordered, "Remove her robes. I need to examine her back."