Zheng Congyuan came out from the Traveling Palace and turned his head to look at Qi Zhu.
"Your Highness, it was indeed Noble Consort Wen who invited the Second Young Master Wen, and with him came four young ladies from the Wen Family. Wen Zan must have encountered the Commandery Princess while heading to Second Prince’s courtyard." Investigating the matter was quite simple, as the network of informants within the palace was extensive, and, moreover, Wen Zan did not hide his actions and even asked many palace maids and nannies. It seemed the Commandery Princess truly did not know this Wen Zan.
"Break one of his legs and send him back to the Wen Residence immediately," Zheng Congyuan said coldly. You like to wander, don’t you?
Qi Zhu withdrew upon the order.
Naturally, there was no need for Qi Zhu to do it himself. At midnight, just as Noble Consort Wen had fallen into a stable sleep from unrest, she was suddenly awakened by a noise.
"What’s the matter?" Nanny Jin hurried in.
"My lady, it’s said the Second Young Master Wen fell down from a rockery. In the middle of the night, there’s only one Imperial Physician," Nanny Jin knew how much the Noble Consort doted on this nephew and did not take the situation lightly.
"How could he have fallen? What were the people below doing?" Noble Consort Wen anxiously got up, and Nanny Jin quickly helped her dress. They had just left the main courtyard when they heard cries from Wen Zan, more wretched than if he had lost his own parents.
"My lady—" Eunuch Kang Ning hurriedly supported the Noble Consort, "Rest assured, my lady. The physician said that although it’s broken, with proper care, it will not affect walking."
"What do you mean it won’t affect walking? Look at the pain he’s in. Where’s the physician? Send someone immediately at full speed to fetch the physician."
"My lady, this is the Traveling Palace," Eunuch Kang Ning immediately reminded her. Calling for the Imperial Physician like this would surely alert everyone.
"My lady, perhaps we should send someone directly to the Duke’s Mansion for a physician, and we should quickly send the Young Master back. The conditions here aren’t suitable for recuperation like in the palace."
Upon hearing this, Noble Consort Wen nodded, "Hurry and prepare."
In a short time, the carriage was ready, and without disturbing the young ladies of the Wen Family, they dispatched trusted guards along with the Imperial Physician to escort them all the way to the Wen Residence, causing a commotion throughout the night.
...
Zheng Haoyuan cunningly slipped in during this chaos, bringing two guards given by his second brother, loyalists of the Wen Family.
These two loyalists were unknown even to Ho Sheng, specifically assigned by his second brother who would not appear unless summoned. Now, it seemed the best support he had was from his second brother, and these two indeed were capable, fulfilling any orders he gave.
"You have done exceptionally well this time. Once we return, I will definitely reward you handsomely," the two loyalists glanced at each other, their expressions largely unchanging.
"Your subordinates thank Fourth Prince."
"Where does my cousin live?" Zheng Haoyuan yawned, having traveled from the Imperial Palace. He could have arrived a day earlier, but Ho Sheng was too cunning, having deployed several groups of men, forcing them to hide continuously, delaying them by a day.
"Your Highness, perhaps we should find a courtyard to rest first and find a palace maid tomorrow to ask around," the guard cautiously proposed.
"No, I want to see my cousin tonight." As Zheng Haoyuan saw a palace maid carrying a lantern, an idea suddenly came to him, "Go, capture her and we’ll find out."
The palace maid, originally out for a night shift and about to change shifts, now had a face full of terror, too frightened to make a sound.
"Listen well, I just want to know which courtyard Princess Chao Ren resides in. Tell the truth, and I will spare your life," Hmm, these days are good days to visit my cousin. I’m in a good mood so I won’t kill anyone.
"It’s in, in... the far southwest corner... just across the Lotus Pond and the garden, please spare my life," the palace maid stuttered.
"Let’s go." Zheng Haoyuan was very pleased and proceeded forward. The two loyalists glanced at each other; one immediately followed Zheng Haoyuan, and the other, taking the palace maid a few steps ahead to a secluded spot, silently killed her with a knife and dumped her body in a cave by the rockery.
Zheng Haoyuan was completely unaware, excited and thrilled throughout the journey, not even feeling tired until he saw the courtyard mentioned by the palace maid and hurriedly went up to knock on the door.
The two loyalists glanced at each other again. Should they make a move?
But no message had come through, and there were two skilled masters here, with commendable Kung Fu. Making a move now, they would not escape the eyes of those two.
"Who’s there?" Nanny Yun, a light sleeper, heard the knocking outside the courtyard and called Xing Yu to open the door. Xing Yu, sleepy-eyed, just opened the door and saw a short, plump figure bowing inward.
"Xing Yu, I guessed it would be your misfortune to have to get up and open the door," Zheng Haoyuan jubilantly called out. Xing Yu rubbed her eyes and looked outside again.
Two more people? Guards? Guards of the Fourth Prince?
Xing Yu slammed the door shut with a "bang." The two loyalists, just lifting their feet, were suddenly taken aback and looked at each other—were they not being allowed in?
The two loyalists were about to knock when they heard two clear coughs coming from the shadows.
"Cough cough—"
The two men were taken aback, so they were also not allowed to knock? The loyalists stopped in their tracks, deciding not to stir the snakes in the grass and stood under the tree outside the courtyard.
"Fourth Prince, what brings you here?" Nanny Yun was surprised to see the visitor, still not fully dressed, wearing a robe and personally holding the lamp.
"Your Highness, you cannot enter, the Commandery Princess has already retired for the night," Nanny Yun was still a sensible person, especially since the people of the Crown Prince were right outside.
"Nanny Yun, I’m so tired," Zheng Haoyuan said, shaking the sleeve of Nanny Yun’s robe; it was already remarkable that he had managed to make it this far.
Only then did Nanny Yun notice that the Fourth Prince was filthy from head to toe, although still in his brocade robe, looking as though he hadn’t washed for days.
"Where is the Noble Consort? Is anyone with you?" It’d be best to have someone carry him back to sleep. There’s no sense in sleeping here.
"Nanny Yun, please no, I sneaked out, my mother doesn’t know," Zheng Haoyuan continued, then tried to find a couch to sleep on, but Nanny Yun hurried to stop him. How could the Fourth Prince sleep here, though this was only an outer courtyard.
"Your Highness, Your Highness—"
"Nanny Yun, just let me sleep, I haven’t slept well in two days," Zheng Haoyuan mumbled.
"Fourth Prince, if you don’t mind, may I prepare an outer room for you to rough it for one night?" It was so late, and Nanny Yun had no intention of waking Zheng Nianru, even if waking her might serve little purpose.
Nanny Yun decisively spread a new bed in the outer room and carefully allowed the Fourth Prince to sleep, uneasily assigning Xue Liu and Xing Yu to carefully watch over him, and then went back to sleep in the inner courtyard herself.
Early the next morning, Nanny Yun was prepared to send someone to report to Noble Consort Wen, but before the person could leave the courtyard, two eunuchs were already waiting outside the door.
"Nanny Yun, we are here by the command of the Second Prince to take the Fourth Prince," Eunuch Kang Ning said with a pleasant demeanor.
Upon hearing this, Nanny Yun eased a bit, nearly forgetting about the Second Prince. The Fourth Prince had sneaked out, and Noble Consort Wen finding out would surely result in a scolding. Moreover, she did not wish to deal with Noble Consort Wen’s people, so this was for the best, saving her a lot of trouble.
"He is here, but you may need to wait patiently for a moment, eunuchs," the Fourth Prince might be unwilling to leave without seeing the Commandery Princess.
"No worries." Eunuch Kang Ning responded gently, glancing at the two loyalists waiting outside.
The two loyalists raised their eyebrows, it was your order that was a step late; they couldn’t take action here.