Chapter 78: The Divine Water Is Fake

“Shh, keep your voice down. There are still many people sleeping in this wing,” Tang Ying chided Qin-shi as she entered, then turned to look at Tang Mi, who was sitting on the bed. “Big Sister, are you hurt?”

“My ankle is twisted,” Tang Mi replied with a forced smile. “Why are you up so early, Second Sister?”

Tang Ying’s eyes flickered, and she answered with concern, “You went alone to fetch water from such a height, how could I sleep soundly knowing that?”

As she spoke, Tang Ying walked over and looked at Tang Mi’s swollen ankle with a furrowed brow. “It looks like your injury isn’t light. So, did you manage to get the divine water?”

Before Tang Mi could answer, Qin-shi immediately jumped in to complain, “She didn’t even climb up. We waited down there all night for nothing.”

Tang Ying’s brows furrowed tightly. She hadn’t expected that Tang Mi never even went up to the celestial pool. That meant Prince Yu hadn’t seen her at all?

“Qin-shi!” Old Madam Tang’s voice rang out sharply, warning her for her harsh tone.

Tang Ying came back to her senses and quickly gave Qin-shi a reproachful glance. “Big Sister didn’t deliberately avoid fetching the divine water. Aunt, you shouldn’t say such things.”

Qin-shi huffed discontentedly, “If I had known she couldn’t get the divine water, we wouldn’t have waited all night!”

Hearing Qin-shi’s unreasonable words, Old Madam Tang was completely enraged. “Who told you to wait? You don’t need to linger around here either. Get out! If you want to leave the Tang family too, feel free!”

Seeing the old madam truly angry, Qin-shi immediately shut her mouth.

Tang Ying quickly stepped forward to soothe her, “Grandmother, please calm down. Aunt didn’t mean it that way. She’s just worried about Father.”

Qin-shi hurried to agree, “Yes, I’m only concerned that it might affect his ritual. Who knew Mi girl would… twist her ankle?”

This Tang Mi was truly useless. She couldn’t even climb a staircase properly. If she had known this would happen, they would have just taken a shortcut, drugged her and shoved her into Prince Yu’s room. She would’ve had no choice but to comply.

Old Madam Tang frowned deeply. She hadn’t expected Tang Mi to fail in retrieving the divine water. Without it, who knew if they could still proceed with the ritual.

Seeing her grandmother’s worried expression, Tang Mi sighed silently, then said, “Grandmother, don’t worry. I got the divine water.”

She then removed the water skin from her waist and handed it to the old madam.

Old Madam Tang took it, disbelief in her eyes. “This is truly the divine water?”

Tang Mi smiled, “Of course. This is undoubtedly water from the Celestial Pool.”

She had originally planned to fetch any water and pretend it was divine, but unexpectedly, someone helped her get the real thing.

Qin-shi and Tang Ying were both stunned and confused.

“But didn’t you say you didn’t get the divine water just now?” Qin-shi questioned suspiciously.

Tang Mi raised an eyebrow with her usual fake smile, “Did I? When did I say that? I only said I twisted my ankle. The rest of the assumptions were made by you, Second Aunt.”

“You…” Qin-shi was furious and snapped, “If your ankle is twisted, how did you manage to get the divine water?”

Tang Mi coldly lifted her lips, “I twisted my ankle after retrieving the divine water, on the way down. Second Aunt, did you think I twisted it while climbing up? If that were the case, I probably wouldn’t have made it up at all, or would’ve come down much earlier.”

Qin-shi was momentarily stunned. So she injured herself while coming down? That means she probably did encounter Prince Yu. Then why did Prince Yu let her come down so easily?

Wasn’t the whole scheme designed to ruin Tang Mi’s reputation? If he let her go, what was the point?

Qin-shi wasn’t the only one confused, Tang Ying also couldn’t make sense of it.

What on earth happened last night? Why didn’t things unfold as they had planned?

Old Madam Tang wasn’t concerned with their confusion. Upon confirming that Tang Mi had indeed brought back the divine water, she was overjoyed. She immediately opened the water skin and looked inside, smiling brightly. “Now that we have the divine water, Master Jingkong can perform the ritual for your father.”

She then held Tang Mi’s hand lovingly. “Mi’er, you’ve really gone through so much this time.”

Tang Mi smiled, “It was for Father. It’s not a hardship.”

Old Madam Tang nodded in satisfaction. Mi’er was always so sensible.

Qin-shi, still unwilling to give up, glanced at the water skin in the old madam’s hand. “Is this really the divine water? It must be from the Celestial Pool beneath the temple. You didn’t just scoop some water from a random stream, did you?”

Tang Mi shot her a blank look. “Does Second Aunt think I’d make a joke out of Father’s ritual? Besides, I don’t even know where else there’s a stream on that mountain. Second Aunt seems to have quite the imagination.”

Old Madam Tang was immediately displeased and glared at Qin-shi. “What nonsense are you speaking again? If Mi’er says it’s the divine water, then it is.”

She was certain Mi’er would never lie about something so serious.

Qin-shi pursed her lips. “If she really got the divine water from the Celestial Pool, then how come she didn’t,”

“Aunt!” Before she could finish, Tang Ying cut her off sharply.

Qin-shi realized something at last and bit her lip in frustration.

She had almost revealed Prince Yu’s part in the plot.

Tang Ying gave an apologetic glance to the old madam and Tang Mi. “The ritual will be held at noon. Since Big Sister is injured, she should rest. Aunt and I won’t disturb you anymore.”

Old Madam Tang gave Qin-shi a look of disgust. “Take her out, now.”

Tang Ying bowed to the old madam and left, dragging Qin-shi with her.

As Nanny Gui arrived with the physician, she encountered the departing Qin-shi and Tang Ying. “Second Madam, Second Miss.”

The two ignored her and headed straight for their room.

Once inside, Tang Ying glared at Qin-shi angrily. “What were you trying to say just now? You nearly ruined everything!”

Qin-shi, knowing she was at fault, muttered, “I only got twisted up in Tang Mi’s nonsense. She said she got the water, but nothing happened last night. Don’t you find that odd?”

Tang Ying’s eyes flickered. “I’ll look into it. You stay out of it.”

She grabbed her cloak and was about to leave, then paused and warned Qin-shi, “Fourth Sister is still sleeping. Don’t disturb her.”

Hearing that, Qin-shi thought of Tang Rong. “Still asleep? I’ll go check on her.”

That girl’s health seemed to be getting worse. She hadn’t improved after days of rest, and refused to see a doctor.

She started walking toward Tang Rong’s room, but Tang Ying’s expression darkened and she pulled her back. “I said don’t go see her!”

“But…” Qin-shi was startled and frowned. “Did something happen to Rong’er?”

“If you want her to stay in the Tang household, then stay away from her!” Tang Ying gave her one last warning and left.

Qin-shi stood frozen, and recalling Tang Ying’s words, didn’t dare take another step toward Tang Rong’s room.