The princess regretted it.

Chapter 344 Hidden Hole

Upon hearing this, the imperial physician hurriedly knelt and kowtowed, his forehead pressed to the ground. His voice was filled with fear and determination: "Your Majesty, I obey your command! I will spare no effort to live up to your majesty's trust and do my best to save Miss Mingyue."

The Emperor nodded slightly, approving the physician's response. He then turned to Concubine Cen and spoke in a more relaxed tone, "Don't worry too much. Now that I've intervened in this matter, I will handle it properly. Once Mingyue's injuries stabilize and she regains consciousness, the truth will surely come to light. In the meantime, rest assured and recuperate. Don't worry about these matters anymore."

Concubine Cen knew the emperor had made up his mind, and there was no way she could change it. But when she thought of Mingyue, who was so seriously injured, her life hanging in the balance, and without a familiar person to care for her, she was overwhelmed with reluctance and worry. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she could only hold back her sobs and tearfully replied, "Your Majesty, I will obey your instructions."

The Emperor said no more, turning to call in Commander Zuo and Fuquan, who were guarding the door. His expression was stern, his gaze piercing as he gave Commander Zuo an order: "Commander Zuo, arrange for a few reliable men to carry Mingyue away. Be extremely careful and don't let her get hurt in the slightest."

Commander Zuo hurriedly clasped his fists and accepted the order in a loud and powerful voice: "I obey your command!" After that, he turned around to make arrangements.

Then the Emperor said to Fuquan, "Fuquan, go and arrange for someone to clean the residence I designated earlier and prepare all the necessary medicinal herbs, meals, and daily necessities. Remember, everything must be done properly and without any mistakes."

Fuquan bowed his body and replied respectfully, "I understand. I'll do it right away." After that, he turned around and left in a hurry, his steps hurried, not daring to delay for even a moment.

While Concubine Cen was arranging everything as planned, the atmosphere within Jiaoyu Palace was oppressive and suffocating. Jiaoyu felt as if she were caught in a violent storm, completely overwhelmed by panic, helplessness, and unease.

She sat at her dressing table, staring blankly at the mirror, her hands subconsciously clutching the hem of her skirt, her knuckles turning white from the effort. Recalling the thrilling scene from hours ago, the sudden influx of the Royal Guards like a tide, her heart still pounded uncontrollably, as if it was about to burst through her chest.

What made her spine shiver even more was that they had spotted Mingyue hiding in the dark with such precision. When the imperial guards carried Mingyue away, she suddenly woke up, stood up, and was about to chase after them.

But when she hurried to the palace gate, she caught a glimpse of Consort Cen and the other concubines standing there. In that instant, her feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, and the blood in her body seemed to freeze. Her mind went blank, and she instinctively realized that things had completely gotten out of control.

Jiaoyu's lips trembled slightly and her face was as pale as paper. She suppressed her inner panic, slowly turned around, and walked back to her room with unsteady steps.

At this moment, she slumped in her chair, her heart filled with despair. She knew that her father must have known about this, but she was alone and helpless, not knowing who to turn to. The things she had once believed were indestructible now seemed so fragile.

The moment the Royal Guards suddenly surged in like a tide, Vanilla felt her brain go blank. She felt completely lost, as if she were caught in a raging storm, completely at a loss for words. Terrified, her eyes filled with panic and helplessness, she instinctively cast her gaze towards Princess Jiaoyu, as if she were her only hope.

However, what caught his eyes was Jiaoyu's equally panicked and bewildered expression, her eyes as empty as the abyss, without any direction.

Xiangcao's heart sank, and she felt increasingly desperate. Seeing Jiaoyu's state, she knew the situation was precarious. At this critical moment, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind: Perhaps only Concubine Zhang could find a way to help Princess Jiaoyu escape this dire predicament.

She gritted her teeth, suppressed her fear, took a deep breath, and quietly retreated. While everyone's attention was focused on the Imperial Guards and Mingyue, she seized the opportunity, turned around, and tiptoed towards the cold palace where Concubine Zhang was staying—Wuqiu Palace.

Along the way, Xiangcao was like a frightened bird, taking every step cautiously, constantly alert to the sounds around her. She crouched low, her steps light as a ghost, avoiding the passing maids and guards as much as possible. If she heard the slightest noise, she would quickly retreat into the shadows, waiting until everything calmed down before continuing on her way.

Finally, she arrived at the base of the Wuqiu Palace's wall. She glanced around, making sure no one was around. Then, she slowly crouched down, stretched out her trembling hands, and gently pulled away the weeds and greenery at the base of the wall. As the weeds were gradually pushed aside, a small, hidden opening gradually emerged.

The entrance to the cave was small, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. Normally, it was hidden by lush vegetation, so if one wasn't familiar with the area, one wouldn't notice it at all. This was what Qiu Wen had quietly told her after Concubine Zhang was banished to the cold palace. Xiangcao looked around once more, making sure no one was watching. Then, taking a deep breath, she slipped sideways into the cave.

Vanilla was completely unaware that her every move, every step, was being closely observed by a pair of eyes in the dark. In the eyes of the secret guards, she was like a chess piece moving blindly on a chessboard, her every move exposed and under control.

After Xiangcao bent down and struggled to crawl through the cave and stepped into Wuqiu Palace, the secret guard turned around quietly and ran towards Feiyu Palace at lightning speed.

When the secret guard arrived at Feiyu Palace, Jin'an had not yet gone to bed. After the secret guard returned, he entered the palace, knelt on one knee, and whispered to Princess Jin'an: "Princess, Xiangcao just went to Wuqiu Palace and has now entered through the hole in the wall."

Princess Jin'an sat at her desk, fiddling with a jade hairpin. Hearing this, she raised her eyes slightly, a sharp glint flashing in them. She pondered for a moment, a meaningful smile curling her lips as she spoke slowly, "Perfect! Let's have her go find Concubine Zhang. I'm also very curious about her next move. She's currently trapped in the cold palace. If she wants to make any move, she'll have to mobilize the Zhang family's hidden spies."

Jin An stood up and walked to the window. He looked out at the palace complex shrouded in darkness. His expression was stern as he continued, "Go down first and find Ye Yi. Have him arrange for someone to keep a close eye on Wuqiu Palace and Jiaoyu Palace. Don't miss any movement. If anything happens, report it immediately."

"Yes!" The secret guard received the order and disappeared into the night in a flash.

Jin An suddenly felt a strong premonition, as if a storm was quietly brewing in the darkness, and that something completely unexpected might happen next. This feeling was like an invisible hand gently plucking at her heartstrings, making her feel vaguely uneasy.