“Master Pan, the Third Highness was blocked by thugs downstairs, and Xia Zhe was fighting with several of them to help him escape. In the blink of an eye, the Third Highness fell from the carriage.”
Luo Ye and Pan Xian looked at each other, the situation changing so quickly it was hard to comprehend. They had just been discussing whether Luo Zhan was using the gambling scandal to withdraw from the throne struggle or plotting something, and now they heard he had fallen from a carriage and lost consciousness, seemingly seriously injured.
Pan Xian told the confidant, “Quickly go and find out the Third Highness’s condition.”
When the imperial physician felt the pulse, he found the Third Prince’s pulse extremely weak and powerless, alternating between slow and fast, appearing extremely chaotic. Moreover, with a severe head injury, this was already a weak point in traditional Chinese medicine. The patient was unconscious and unable to drink even water, let alone take any medicine.
When the imperial physician came out of the room, he told Shu Lan that he was helpless. Shu Lan immediately collapsed to the ground.
After the physician left, Yu Yi returned to Sheng Xue Yuan, removed the adhesive from her eyes, applied a slightly darker foundation, and changed into a maidservant’s attire before returning to Yi He Ju. Her explanation to Shu Lan was that the Second Prince Luo Ye would definitely come to visit, and since she had a falling out with the Second Prince, it was inconvenient to meet him directly. However, being worried about the Third Prince’s condition, she disguised herself as a maidservant to stay at Yi He Ju.
Shu Lan did not suspect anything. After learning that Luo Zhan could no longer be saved, she had lost her composure.
By evening, the news had spread that the Third Prince Luo Zhan had unexpectedly fallen from a carriage and was seriously injured. Luo Ye came to visit as expected.
When informed that the Third Prince had arrived, Shu Lan stood up to greet him. Yu Yi remained in the room and gave Meng Qing a sedative injection to make him sleep deeply. Just as she put away the subcutaneous syringe, Luo Ye strode in from outside.
Luo Ye paid no attention to the maidservants, only staring at the person on the bed. Leaning close, he saw Luo Zhan’s head wrapped in thin cotton cloth, which was still seeping with blood despite being thickly wrapped. Luo Zhan’s face was pale, his breath faint, and he remained unresponsive no matter how Luo Ye called to him.
Luo Ye had always been skeptical about Luo Zhan’s serious injury. Using his body to conceal his actions, he secretly pinched Luo Zhan’s armpit and waist, and seeing no reaction, he began to believe the injury was real.
Standing up, Luo Ye turned with a sorrowful expression and asked Shu Lan, whose eyes were red and swollen: “Sister-in-law, what did the imperial physician say about my third brother’s condition?”
“The imperial physician…” Shu Lan began, but tears already welled up in her eyes, and she couldn’t speak. A maidservant spoke on her behalf: “Responding to the Second Prince, the imperial physician only shook his head and sighed, advising the princess consort to prepare for funeral arrangements.”
Hearing this, Shu Lan burst into loud sobs.
Luo Ye offered a few soft words of comfort, stayed in the room for a while, and then took his leave.
More people came to the mansion to inquire about the condition or investigate, and even the Empress Dowager came from the palace to visit. The visits only ceased late into the night.
Exhausted by grief and receiving guests, Shu Lan collapsed onto the imperial concubine’s couch outside Luo Zhan’s bedroom. Her nursemaids urged her to rest, but she refused to leave. After lying down briefly, she struggled to get up and wanted to enter the inner room.
Yu Yi supported Shu Lan and whispered in her ear: “Regarding the Prince’s condition, this servant has a secret to tell you.”
At this moment, Shu Lan had no presence of mind and wearily told the nursemaids: “You all step out and wait outside.”
Yu Yi and Shu Lan entered the inner room, closed the door, leaving only the four of them and the unconscious Meng Qing. Yu Yi said: “This concerns the Prince’s life and death, so please do not cry out in shock.”
Due to fatigue, Shu Lan’s reactions had become dull. She stared blankly at Yu Yi, waiting for her to continue. Yu Yi continued in a low voice: “The Prince is actually not injured.”
Shu Lan asked: “Then the Prince’s injury…”
Yu Yi interrupted gently, “His injury is severe, and he needs to rest. We must keep this a secret for now, for his safety and ours.”
Shu Lan nodded, her heart heavy but understanding the gravity of their situation. She was determined to help maintain the ruse for the sake of Luo Zhan and Meng Qing’s future.
As the two women shared a knowing glance, the tension in the room began to ease, even if the underlying fear of their deception lingered.
“
Yu Yi said: “The Prince is not injured. He was pretending to be seriously injured, just to deceive the Second Prince.”
Shu Lan wept with joy, uncontrollably throwing herself onto Meng Qing, hugging him tightly. Unable to cry loudly, she whimpered: “When you were carried back by Xia Yun and Xia Xie, I was so scared. Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you were faking the injury? Making me worry for nothing. Your Highness, do you know how heartbroken I was…”
Seeing another woman throw herself into Meng Qing’s arms, Yu Yi felt uncomfortable. She turned her head away.
Seeing Yu Yi’s expression, Meng Qing smiled and said: “Alright, stop crying. I just woke up and my chest feels a bit stuffy.”
Shu Lan quickly sat up, embarrassedly wiping away her tears, and whispered softly: “This concubine is just too happy. Your Highness, are you alright?”
Meng Qing shook his head and said: “I’m fine, but I’m afraid others might not be.”
Shu Lan then realized that Yi Yao was also in the room. She turned her head and saw that Yi Yao had indeed turned her face away, seemingly too shy to look at them embracing.
Yu Yi, however, heard the double meaning in Meng Qing’s teasing words.
But at this moment, she couldn’t glare at him and could only remember this account to settle later.
Meng Qing continued: “Shu Lan, I didn’t mean to hide this from you. It’s just that my second brother is extremely suspicious. If you knew my injury was fake, you wouldn’t be so heartbroken, and it would be hard to deceive my second brother.”
Shu Lan nodded: “This concubine understands.”
“Shu Lan,” Meng Qing sat up from the bed and said seriously, “My second brother is about to ascend the throne. Once he becomes emperor, he will not easily let me go and will try every means to harm me. That’s why I want to fake my death, abandon my prince’s identity, leave the capital, and settle down somewhere under a different name. If you’re unwilling to leave with me, just treat me as truly dead. After the funeral, return to your parents’ home temporarily. If you meet someone suitable later, you can remarry…”
Shu Lan quickly shook her head: “This concubine is willing to follow Your Highness. As long as I’m with Your Highness, I’m willing to go anywhere.”
“Good! Then we’ll start preparing for my funeral,” Meng Qing smiled and nodded, looking at Yu Yi: “I’ll trouble Miss Yi to help with my disguise.”
Yu Yi nodded to Meng Qing and Shu Lan: “Since that’s the case, Your Highness and My Lady must follow my arrangements for the fake death, even for things that seem unrelated.”
“
Seeing Shu Lan still hesitating, Meng Qing immediately said: “Everything will be decided by Miss Yi.” Shu Lan, seeing Luo Zhan trust Yi Yao so much, also agreed. Getting Shu Lan to agree to follow Yu Yi’s arrangements would ensure Yu Yi could control everything in the Luo Zhan residence during Meng Qing’s fake death.
