Chapter 32 – Pretending to Be Sick

Ning Zhaorou’s illness had already cleared up after just a few days, but she continued to feign being unwell. Inside the room, the sound of coughing could still occasionally be heard.

Madam Wu sent someone again to ask whether she was well enough to receive guests. With a hoarse voice and a soft cough, Ning Zhaorou dismissed the messenger.

“They’ve left, miss,” Shuangwu said softly as she poured her a cup of warm tea.

Ning Zhaorou leaned forward to peek outside. Her coughing gradually faded until it stopped completely.

There were still more than fifteen days until the Empress Dowager’s longevity banquet. As long as she could make it through this stretch, she wouldn’t have to live in constant fear.

Though that’s what she told herself, her mind couldn’t help dwelling on An Yunwei, who was also set to enter the palace. She even sent Shuangwu out to inquire about it. But nothing definitive came back—everyone’s words were vague. No one seemed to know for sure whether the young lady of the Minister’s household would actually enter the palace.

Just as Yin Mingyu had said, after their last meeting, she would no longer be summoned to the Princess Royal’s residence. Which meant that for this entire month, she wouldn’t see him again until the Empress Dowager’s banquet.

But—there are always exceptions.

Somehow, the Princess Royal caught wind of her “illness” and sent a court physician to her manor for a check-up.

Ning Zhaorou wasn’t sick in the first place, and she didn’t know whether the physician had truly come from the Princess Royal or was secretly sent by the Emperor. Her hand, extended for the pulse reading, moved a little hesitantly.

The physician furrowed his brows, as if he wanted to say something. But with others around, he only gave some perfunctory suggestions for rest and advised her to continue taking the prescribed medicine, saying she should recover after a few more doses.

After leaving the Marquis Anning’s residence, the physician returned to the Princess Royal’s estate and reported Ning Zhaorou’s condition.

The Princess Royal found it odd—if she wasn’t sick, what was she pretending for?

Could it be… that she was avoiding someone?

She didn’t want to get involved in this kind of business. There were only two weeks left—what was there to wait for?

The Princess Royal picked up a brush, wrote a letter, and had it sent into the palace.

That Ning family girl was someone her royal brother wanted. Whose person it was, that person could deal with it themselves. That girl’s place in his heart—how important it was—only he knew. In the letter, she merely repeated what the physician had said. If her royal brother cared, he’d take care of it. Whether he sent someone to investigate or simply ignored it would depend on how capable that girl turned out to be.

—

In Qianzheng Hall, after the Emperor finished reviewing a stack of memorials, Zhou Lu carefully stepped forward and presented the letter. “Your Majesty, this was delivered from Her Highness the Princess Royal.”

Yin Mingyu glanced at it and reached out to take it, opening it to read.

He had already planted people by Ning Zhaorou’s side and was naturally aware that she had “fallen ill.” But this illness had dragged on for some time now. He wondered if the Anning Marquis’ household physician was truly that incompetent, unable to treat a simple cold—was that why the Princess Royal had quietly sent a court physician to take a look?

What a joke.

The girl wasn’t even sick and still insisted on pretending.

After reading the letter, he tossed it into the fire. The flames consumed it completely, leaving nothing but ash.

“Has anything happened lately at the Anning Marquis’ residence?” Yin Mingyu asked.

Though Ning Zhaorou sometimes dared to act boldly, she only ever did so when pushed to the edge. Most of the time, she was obedient and composed. Now that she was resorting to feigning illness, something must have happened—something she couldn’t resolve herself.

His people had only been stationed in her courtyard and knew little of the wider happenings in the Anning Marquis’ residence. On the surface, everything appeared calm, but clearly, further investigation was needed.

Zhou Lu racked his brains but couldn’t think of anything. Faced with the Emperor’s inquiry, he quickly bowed and said, “I will look into it immediately.”

“Leave.”

The sleeping quarters prepared for Ning Zhaorou were in Yaoyu Palace—the residence closest to Qianzheng Hall. It had already been tidied up. With such a big commotion, the entire palace was already buzzing with speculation: Could it be that the Emperor was preparing a place for the Minister of Personnel’s daughter?

But His Majesty hadn’t said anything. No decree had been issued, so everyone was left scratching their heads in suspense, guessing and waiting.

Zhou Lu was sent to investigate, and he returned with news before nightfall.

“Prince Jing?” Yin Mingyu’s gaze darkened as he stared at the flickering candlelight, his fingers gently tapping the armrest of his chair.

Zhou Lu forced a smile that looked worse than crying and reported everything he had found in one breath.

“There was a banquet at the Minister’s residence the other day. Second Miss Ning also attended. At some point, she encountered His Highness Prince Jing. It seems he had too much to drink and started spouting nonsense.”

“Later on, Princess Jing’s legitimate younger sister—who is also the wife of the Minister of Works, Lord Chen—visited the Anning Marquis residence twice.”

Prince Jing didn’t dare openly release the news that he wanted the legitimate daughter of the Anning Marquis to enter his household as a concubine, but he had sent someone to probe the marquis family’s attitude. Quite the roundabout method.

No wonder Second Miss Ning was trying so hard to avoid everyone.

The atmosphere around Yin Mingyu turned icy, his gaze turning stormy.

Zhou Lu, visibly nervous, added another piece of information: “That day, when Prince Jing started rambling, it was General Chu who intervened and led him away.”

“General Chu also saw Second Miss Ning that day.”

Yin Mingyu lifted his eyes slightly but didn’t say a single word. Still, Zhou Lu had served him long enough to understand that the Emperor was displeased. He immediately became even more cautious in his service.

That very night, while drinking at Zuixian Courtyard, Prince Jing accidentally tumbled down the steps and broke his right leg. He had to be carried back to his manor.

The following day, someone submitted a memorial impeaching Prince Jing for consorting with courtesans. The imperial edict was swiftly issued, cutting his stipend and placing him under house arrest. He was to reflect and cultivate his conduct and was forbidden from leaving his residence.

Prince Jing had always been dissolute, and everyone in the court knew of his habits. He wasn’t the only one with such behavior, but no one had ever dared escalate it to the Emperor before. Now that Prince Jing had been disciplined, the entire court was on edge. Many believed the Emperor was preparing for a larger purge, and panic swept through the capital.

Meanwhile, Ning Zhaorou remained unaware of everything going on outside her courtyard. But since no one had come to disturb her lately, she finally relaxed a little, her mood lightening as well.

A few days before the Empress Dowager’s longevity banquet, Madam Wu said she would take the young ladies of the household to Lian Guang Temple to pray for good marriage prospects.

Ning Zhaorou didn’t want to go. The closer it got to the banquet, the less she wanted to leave the house. All she wanted was to make it safely through that day. But Madam Wu, as always, insisted on having her way.

When she boarded the carriage, she saw Madam Wu pull aside the curtain, smiling in a way that didn’t reach her eyes.

She had always refused to ride in the same carriage as Madam Wu, preferring to take the one in the rear. But this time, Madam Wu held her back.

“A while ago, someone from the palace came to ask, both openly and discreetly, about you. As your stepmother, I naturally hope all of you can marry well. It’s just…” Her words trailed off, and she lowered her head in feigned regret. “Perhaps there are still some… concerns. I hope you won’t blame me.”

Ning Zhaorou lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable. Her voice was cold. “Madam worries too much.”

With that, she gave a slight bow and turned away, not wanting to hear another word.

Ning Wanqing watched with simmering anger. She yanked the curtain shut and muttered, “She hasn’t even married into the prince’s household and already acts so high and mighty. Just wait—after today, let’s see which family will still want her—”

“That’s enough. Stop talking,” Madam Wu cut her off sharply.

The carriage fell silent. Before long, the two carriages departed one after the other for Lian Guang Temple.