Chapter 100 – A Way Out?
Chapter 100 A Way Out?
The maid had served Ming Xian’er for a long time. She was also a member of the opera group and regarded Ming Xian’er as her older sister. After Ming Xian’er was taken away by Ji Youran, she stayed near the woodshed till midnight but couldn’t find a way to help her. This morning, she hurriedly finished some of her work and went to meet Ming Xian’er secretly again.
She found a chance when the old maid guarding the woodshed was called away and hurriedly sneaked inside to talk to Ming Xian’er.
Ming Xian’er specifically asked about Qu Moying. After hearing that Fourth Lady Qu was staying in the Eastern Palance, she became overjoyed and asked the maid to seek help from Qu Moying.
It was just a simple thing, and Qu Moying immediately figured out Ji Youran’s intention after hearing the maid’s story.
Ji Youran would never degrade herself to envy a female performer like Ming Xian’er since she was the Crown Prince’s second wife. If she really did so, it would also displease the Crown Prince. However, she used the chance to manipulate the situation, making it look like Ming Xian’er showed disrespect for the Crown Princess out of jealousy and made a scene deliberately.
No matter as the Crown Princess’s cousin or the Crown Prince’s only wife in the Eastern Palace, Ji Youran had every right to punish Ming Xian’er. Ten strokes with a heavy stick could be counted as a light punishment, almost like a warning. So, even if Pei Luo’an asked about it later, Ming Xian’er still had to take it. Regarding why Ji Youran didn’t send food or a doctor to treat Ming Xian’er afterward, Ji Youran could just say everyone was too occupied by the funeral and didn’t remember such a small matter.
So, Ji Youran wouldn’t have anything to do with what happened to Ming Xian’er now.
Her next step, for sure, was to take Ming Xian’er’s life secretly.
Qu Moying curled up her lips quietly. Her watery eyes slowly opened and fell on the maid kneeling on the ground through the veil. She asked in a hoarse voice, “What do you want me to do?”
Hearing her words, the maid thought Qu Moying didn’t hear what she had said before and repeated in a thrill, “Tell His Royal Highness about what happened to Sister Ming. His Royal Highness will definitely save her.” Then she added, “His Royal Highness always likes Sister Ming’s performance. He will trust her.”
“How much he likes her?” Qu Moying asked back.
“Huh…?” The maid froze for a second and then blushed in embarrassment. Ming Xian’er told her that if Fourth Lady Qu asked about her relationship with the Crown Prince, she could give Fourth Lady Qu some clear evidence. “His Royal Highness treats Sister Ming very well. He even promised Sister Ming that he would give her an official title and let her marry into the Eastern Palace.”
Clearly, Ming Xian’er had a relationship with the Crown Prince, kept as a secret. But she became the Crown Prince’s woman long ago.
“Since when?” Qu Moying couldn’t feel anything in her heart.
“Since a long…long time ago,” the maid stuttered. She didn’t hear any answer from Qu Moying, so she hurriedly added, “It was His Royal Highness who allowed Sister Ming to move into the Eastern Palace. He intended to do so since a long time ago.”
That meant they hooked up a long time ago.
“Is Princess Ji aware of it?”
“Her Royal Highness always knows. Before Her Royal Highness moved into the Eastern Palace, she had a pretty good relationship with Sister Ming. When Her Royal Highness accompanied the Crown Princess here, she would come to visit Sister Ming from time to time, saying that she liked her performance. I can’t believe Her Royal Highness wants to take Sister Ming’s life right now.”
The maid started to weep again.
In short, Ji Youran had worked with Ming Xian’er since long ago, and they hid the truth away from Ji Hanyue. Qu Moying found it very ironic. No wonder she knew nothing before and ended up so miserably.
She thought Pei Luo’an loved her deeply. She had to mourn for her mother for three years, making their wedding delayed, but he didn’t say anything about it and even rejected the empress’s suggestion to make him marry a second wife or a concubine first. Ji Hanyue was so touched at that moment and gave him her full trust because of it. Now, it turned out that he hooked up with other women a long time ago. Moreover, it was not only one woman.
Ji Youran and Ming Xian’er could work together before since they had the same enemy – Ji Hanyue. But after the Crown Princess was gone, Ji Youran would never allow Ming Xian’er to compete for Pei Luo’an’s love against her. Moreover, it sounded like Pei Luo’an wanted to marry Ming Xian’er officially, which Ji Youran would never let happen.
When Qu Moying saw Ming Xian’er before, she had guessed that Pei Luo’an was interested in Ming Xian’er and might even marry her. Otherwise, why would he allow a performer to live in the Eastern Palace and barely let her show up in public since then? He was obviously preparing for the future.
Qu Moying was just not sure how much Pei Luo’an was willing to do for Ming Xian’er.
“Even if I tell His Royal Highness about what happened to Ming Xian’er. Do you really think His Royal Highness will blame Princess Ji for Ming Xian’er? She was the one who disrespected the Crown Princess first. Even if she was beaten to death, His Royal Highness would never think it is Princess Ji’s fault,” Qu Moying directly destroyed the maid and Ming Xian’er’s dream.
“Then…then what should we do?” The maid was scared by her words. She thought everything could be solved after His Royal Highness knew about it.
“If Ming Xian’er still wants to keep her life, let her save herself!” said Qu Moying. She wouldn’t help Ming Xian’er, but she didn’t mind showing her a way out.
Ming Xian’er might not be a friend for Qu Moying. But helping the enemy’s enemy at the right time could give the enemy a fatal strike.
She had implied enough when she met Ming Xian’er for the first time.
“What should Sister Ming do?” flustered, the maid looked up at Qu Moying.
“You said the woodshed door is locked, but no one is guarding it currently, right?” asked Qu Moying.
“Yes. I heard the old maid who was guarding it before was called away to work in the kitchen. But the door is still locked,” the maid kept nodding.
“Can you just smash the lock? If Ming Xian’er doesn’t run away right now, only death will be waiting for her. Let her get herself out and beg His Royal Highness for help. Maybe his attitude will be softened after seeing her and spare her life.”
“Will Her Royal Highness really…take…take Sister Ming’s life?” The maid muttered to herself blankly. Beads of sweat started to show up on her forehead as the look on her face became more and more sullen. The more she thought about it, the scarier it felt. Since she worked for Ming Xian’er, if anything happened to her master, she would be involved as well.
“Of course, she will. If two men ride on a horse, one must ride behind. According to your words, Ming Xian’er even moved into this place earlier than Princess Ji. Also, His Royal Highness intends to marry her.” Qu Moying’s lips were curled into a faint smile as she said sarcastically, “If Ming Xian’er is a weak woman, she can only run away from this place and never show up in front of Princess Ji again. Otherwise, her life will be in danger.”
“No, no. Sister Ming can beg His Royal Highness for help. His Royal Highness will surely forgive her.” Out of scare, the maid kept waving her hands, feeling more and more flustered.
Running away? But to where? Could they really run away from the Eastern Palace? The best solution now was to beg His Royal Highness. She couldn’t do it as a maid. Fourth Lady Qu didn’t seem capable of doing it either. Only Sister Ming could do it.
“Many people came for the funeral today, and the whole Eastern Palace is crowded with people. If she really wants to run away, I doubt she will succeed. This is all I can tell you. Go back and help your Sister Ming! She doesn’t have a proper position in the Eastern Palace, so she can’t blame anyone else for this. Even a concubine would be in a better situation than her!”
Qu Moying closed her eyes again as her voice became fainter. The last words she said confused the maid even more, “The Crown Princess was such a poor woman! She didn’t even have a private maid to stay with her coffin today.”
Since Ji Youran framed her for the position of the Crown Princess, she would destroy her plan step by step, making her big dream end in vain.
Ming Xian’er could maintain the relationship with Pei Luo’an for such a long time, which meant she was not a fool. A person would dare to do anything if she was desperate.
Right now, it turned out to be the best chance!
Ji Youran moved into the Eastern Palace under the excuse of caring for Ji Hanyue, who was severely ill before. Now, Qu Moying wondered how Ji Youran would maintain her grace and elegance after the Crown Prince knew she designed a scheme to set Ming Xian’er up because of jealousy. Would she stay as calm as before? Would she say she didn’t care about her position as the Crown Prince’s second wife, and all she did was for taking care of Ji Hanyue…?
Since Qu Moying stayed in the Eastern Palace now, she would take her time to break Ji Youran’s pretentious mask, slowly but surely!
Qu Moying noticed the two private maids who should stay with Ji Hanyue’s coffin never showed up in the altar room. Ming Xian’er was not a stupid woman. Hearing her hint, she should know this is the opening for her to start her performance…
Also, Qu Moying had to use this chance to contact the Ji Family…
After finishing her words, Qu Moying waved her hand at the maid. Yu Dong pulled the girl on the ground up and said, “Go back first. Fourth Lady just used the medicine and needs some rest.”
A strong smell of herbs was still in the room.
After the maid was pulled outside by Yu Dong, she stared at the air blankly for a few seconds and suddenly started to run away. Fourth Lady Qu was right. The Eastern Palace was crowded with people right now, so no one would notice Sister Ming escaped from the woodshed. As for running away or begging the Crown Prince for help, she would let Sister Ming decide for herself.
There was still no one around the woodshed. The maid picked up a brick from the ground and smashed it at the iron lock on the door. Growing up in the opera group, she worked a lot and built some strength. After a few seconds, she successfully broke the lock and rushed inside. Seeing Ming Xian’er, leaning on some woods and looking messy, the maid walked up and started to wail immediately.
“Sister Ming.”
“Did you talk to her?” Ming Xian’er struggled to sit up. Her body had been wounded after the ten stokes. It sounded like a light punishment, but she was just a weak woman and didn’t receive treatment in time. Right now, she couldn’t even move too much.
“Sister Ming, it was Princess Ji. She envies you and wants to take your life. She said you disrespected the Crown Princess… If you tell His Royal Highness…he will choose to stand at Princess Ji’s side… Fourth Lady Qu… to run away…because there are many people here for the funeral… No one will notice you. But if Princess Ji catches you…you…will be dead.”
The maid told her what Qu Moying said before while weeping.
“Ji Youran wants to kill me?” Ming Xian’er froze for a second and asked hurriedly, “Does His Royal Highness know?”
“Even if the Crown Prince…knows, he won’t blame it on Princess Ji… He will only think it is your fault. I heard that you can be killed if you disrespect the Crown Princess… Sister Ming, just run away, or they will kill you sooner or later… You are not even the Crown Prince’s concubine… Princess Ji can do whatever she wants to you, and the Crown Prince will still think she is being a good wife…”
The maid helped Ming Xian’er up while still wailing, “Fourth Lady Qu said the Crown Princess was a poor woman who didn’t even have private maids to stay with her coffin. Why does this have something to do with you, Sister Ming? I don’t understand what she wants to say!”
On her way here, the maid kept thinking about Fourth Lady Qu’s words and finally understood her implication. Princess Ji was actually jealous of Sister Ming. Still, she pretended to have a good relationship with her and picked the perfect chance to set Sister Ming up. Moreover, the Crown Prince didn’t have a reason to protect Sister Ming. He would even think Princess Ji gave Ming Xian’er a fair punishment.
Even a maid could figure it out, let alone Ming Xian’er. She was particularly shocked hearing the maid’s last few words. Suddenly, she recalled some guesses she had in mind before and things she witnessed.
She was still a young girl but experienced in reading people because of her years traveling outside. She immediately understood Ji Youran’s scheme. She was still suspecting those maids in the Eastern Palace who had slept with the Crown Prince before, and it turned out the person behind was Ji Youran.
Even though Ji Youran was the Crown Prince’s second wife, Ming Xian’er didn’t want to give up like this. She wouldn’t run away, neither could she. Right now, she could only do as Fourth Lady Qu hinted.
This was her only way out!
“Take me to see the Crown Prince,” Ming Xian’er gnashed her teeth.
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