NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30: Raised for Fifteen Years
Chapter 30: Raised for Fifteen Years
Prince Ming directly brought Qiao Nian into the palace.
When Qiao Nian woke up, she was in Noble Consort De’s palace.
Seeing the lavish decorations all around the room, Qiao Nian remembered that she had fainted before Prince Ming had even put her in the carriage. Her heart sank, and she instinctively struggled to sit up.
Coincidentally, Noble Consort De was just entering the room. Seeing Qiao Nian awake, she hurriedly approached, “Quickly, lie back down. Your wounds haven’t healed yet, you shouldn’t move around.”
However, Qiao Nian had already sat up and naturally had no reason to lie back down. She was about to get out of bed to pay her respects to Noble Consort De but was stopped again. “Child, you’re so badly injured, why bother with such formalities?”
As Noble Consort De spoke, she beckoned to a palace maid who was holding medicine.
The palace maid brought the medicine over. Noble Consort De took it and personally scooped up a spoonful, blew on it gently, and brought it to Qiao Nian’s lips. “This is medicine from the Imperial Hospital. It’s good for external injuries. Come, drink it while it’s warm.”
Qiao Nian was startled, “This commoner can do it herself.” She was about to reach out to take it, but Noble Consort De avoided her hand.
“You’re still injured, how can you do it yourself? Be good, open your mouth.”
Noble Consort De’s voice was very gentle, her tone like a warm spring, as if it could melt Qiao Nian’s heart.
Qiao Nian didn’t refuse again and obediently opened her mouth.
The bitter medicine entered her mouth, and as she swallowed, scenes of Madam Lin feeding her medicine when she was sick as a child flooded her mind.
It was just like this, spoonful by spoonful, gently blown on before being put in her mouth, afraid of burning her…
But those memories were so distant, making her nose tingle with emotion. Qiao Nian’s eyes reddened slightly.
Noble Consort De noticed immediately and hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong? Is it the wound hurting, or is the medicine too bitter?”
Mentioning her wounds, Noble Consort De’s heart ached.
That Lin boy’s actions were far too vicious!
Qiao Nian shook her head slightly, not speaking.
The medicine wasn’t bitter, and the wounds didn’t hurt as much as her heart.
She had just unexpectedly recalled memories from long, long ago.
Back then, she still had family, and her family was good to her, doting on her, loving her.
But later, she was left surrounded by strangers wearing the faces of her family, bullying her, wronging her…
She thought of the wounds on her back, which probably even the matron at the laundry bureau couldn’t have inflicted with all her might.
Yet in front of so many people, Lin Ye could beat her so mercilessly.
Hah!
He still dared to claim he was her brother?
Her real brother would never beat her like this!
The corners of her mouth curved into a faint smile, but it was more bitter than the medicine in Noble Consort De’s hand. “I haven’t yet thanked Prince Ming for saving me today.”
However, at the mention of Prince Ming, Noble Consort De’s expression changed slightly.
Before Qiao Nian could ask further, Noble Consort De’s chief palace maid, Aunt Qing’er, suddenly rushed in, “Your Highness, it’s terrible! The Emperor wants to cane the Prince!”
Hearing this, Qiao Nian’s heart jolted in shock.
But Noble Consort De snorted coldly, “Let him be caned. Who told him to be so reckless, beating the Young Marquis to such a state?”
Qiao Nian immediately understood that Prince Ming was being punished by the Emperor because of her.
She recalled that Lin Ye was still being beaten when Prince Ming carried her away, so his injuries must be severe.
Perhaps seeing Qiao Nian’s silence, Noble Consort De added, “Even if it was to avenge Nian Nian, he shouldn’t have been so ruthless!”
Even if Qiao Nian were foolish, she should understand Noble Consort De’s meaning by now. She immediately said, “Since this matter arose because of me, I should be the one to explain to the Emperor.” With that, she got out of bed.
Noble Consort De stood up as well, “Your wounds haven’t healed, you absolutely can’t…”
In fact, Qiao Nian had been moved by Noble Consort De for a moment earlier, but now, that feeling had completely vanished.
She smiled at Noble Consort De, “Don’t worry, Your Highness.” With that, she walked out.
Whether Noble Consort De was reassured about her wounds or about Prince Ming, that was for Noble Consort De to ponder.
Although Qiao Nian had spent most of her three years in the laundry bureau washing clothes, she had also often accompanied the matrons to deliver things to various palaces.
Therefore, she was very familiar with the palace routes.
Soon, she found her way to the outside of the Imperial Study.
After being announced, she followed a eunuch into the Imperial Study. There, she saw not only the Marquis Lin couple but also Xiao Heng.
Were they all here to complain?
Qiao Nian inwardly sneered, but her face showed nothing. She stepped forward, knelt, and bowed, “This commoner Qiao Nian pays respects to Your Majesty.”
Behind the desk, the figure in imperial yellow examined Qiao Nian. “You are Qiao Nian?”
The deep voice carried an inherent air of authority. Even though it wasn’t loud, echoing in the great hall, it still made one’s heart tremble.
Qiao Nian respectfully responded, “Yes, it is this commoner.”
“Hm.” A cold laugh, filled with intense mockery. “You really have some ability. Three years ago, you caused such unrest in the Marquis’s household and to We, and now you’ve come to harm Our son.”
Qiao Nian’s heart skipped a beat. From just this sentence, she could tell that the Emperor didn’t like her.
So today, no matter what she said to the Emperor, he probably wouldn’t believe her. Moreover, with the Marquis Lin couple and Xiao Heng present, it was three against one, and she was at a disadvantage no matter what.
Therefore, Qiao Nian kowtowed heavily, “Yes, everything is this commoner’s fault. It has nothing to do with Prince Ming. Please punish this commoner and spare Prince Ming!”
As her words fell, Qiao Nian could feel a sharp gaze seemingly piercing through her.
Xiao Heng never imagined that Qiao Nian would go to such lengths for Prince Ming. His eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion.
At this moment, a figure hurriedly approached from outside the Imperial Study. “This concubine pays respects to Your Majesty.”
It was Noble Consort De.
The Emperor excused Noble Consort De from formalities. After she rose, she looked at Qiao Nian with furrowed brows, “Child, you’ve just woken up from unconsciousness, how could you run so fast? This consort couldn’t even catch up with you.”
Qiao Nian kept her head lowered, not speaking.
But suddenly, Noble Consort De’s chief palace maid, Qing’er, exclaimed in shock, “Oh my! Miss Qiao’s back is bleeding!”
Hearing this, everyone was startled. Noble Consort De looked at Qiao Nian’s back and was so shocked she covered her mouth. “The wound must have reopened. Your Majesty, please send for an imperial physician to examine Miss Qiao!”
The Emperor, however, was confused. “Wasn’t it said that Lin Ye just disciplined her? Are the injuries this severe?”
It was still winter, and he saw that Qiao Nian wasn’t dressed lightly, yet blood had seeped through?
Noble Consort De replied, “This concubine also thought the injuries weren’t severe, but who knew… Ai! Although this girl isn’t the Marquis’s biological daughter, she was still raised in the Marquis’s household for fifteen years. It’s appropriate for the Young Marquis, as her elder brother, to discipline her, but to beat her like this in front of hundreds of people…”
Noble Consort De didn’t finish her sentence, but the Emperor understood.
It was because Lin Ye had been too harsh that Prince Ming couldn’t bear it and ordered Lin Ye to be beaten severely.
If so, this was Lin Ye reaping what he had sown.
The Emperor’s expression darkened slightly as he turned to look at Marquis Lin. “Lin, my loyal minister, one is your eldest son, and one is the daughter you’ve doted on for fifteen years. You tell me, what should be done?”