Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Qi Xiuwei Is in Trouble

Shen Ningning was surprised, an urgent expression on her small face. "Your Highness, how did you know I have a red mole?"

Consort Rong said, "Two months after my sister gave birth to her youngest daughter, she had Chancellor Xie paint a mother-daughter portrait. I’ve seen it."

"When the portrait was first finished, Chancellor Xie brought it into the palace to show off his precious daughter to all the ministers, and even to the Emperor."

"However," Consort Rong pressed the bridge of her nose, looking somewhat troubled. "My memory of it isn’t perfect. I worry I might be misremembering the red mole on the hand in the portrait."

"But there is one person who is sure to know, for she examined it more closely than anyone."

Shen Ningning looked anxious, her eyes brimming with hope. "Who is it? I’ll go find her!"

"Consort Li," Consort Rong said, a hint of regret in her voice. "She is currently confined within the palace, so I’m afraid you won’t be able to see her. The order came from the Emperor himself, so there’s nothing I can do."

Disappointment immediately clouded Shen Ningning’s small, round face.

She sat back down in a daze, wringing her little hands, her eyes filled with a sense of helplessness.

Consort Rong’s gentle voice drifted over. "Don’t be too upset. Perhaps I remembered incorrectly. It’s just a doubt that has been weighing on my heart, and I finally voiced it today."

"Commandery Princess, how I wish for you to be that little girl of the Xie family, the child my sister held so dear. If you can just confirm the red mole in the painting, you’ll know for certain whether you are the Xie family’s daughter."

Shen Ningning had seen the very portrait Consort Rong mentioned in Chancellor Xie’s study.

At some point, the little one’s eyes had turned red. "I understand, Your Highness. Let me... think of a way."

Consort Rong pretended not to hear and looked out the window. "It’s getting late. I’ll have someone escort you back. I’m afraid it’s about to start snowing heavily again."

Shen Ningning absent-mindedly murmured her thanks and left with the Chief Palace Maid.

The moment she stepped into the sedan chair and the curtain fell, the feigned anxiety on the little one’s face vanished without a trace.

An icy chill emanated from her eyes. Shen Ningning lowered her small face, rubbing her arms as a shiver ran through her at some unknown thought.

’Consort Li...’

She mused.

Just as she returned to the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed, parted ways with the Palace Attendant from Consort Rong, and crossed the long bridge, Shen Ningning heard the elder aunt’s anxious cry, "Quick, get the Imperial Physician! Hurry!"

It was followed by a little palace maid’s tearful cry, "This is terrible! Miss Qi isn’t breathing!"

The young ladies were thrown into a panic, letting out a series of terrified shrieks.

’Something’s happened to Qi Xiuwei?’

Shen Ningning snapped back to her senses. She reached into the Immortal Realm and pulled out a flask of Spiritual Spring Water infused with ginseng, then scurried toward the commotion.

Everyone was gathered in the main hall. A soft cloth was spread on the floor where Qi Xiuwei lay, soaked to the bone. Her face was deathly pale, and she showed no signs of life.

The room was filled with braziers, but her body was still terribly cold!

The elder aunt was rubbing her hands furiously while barking orders, "Quick, bring the rubbing alcohol! Flower, Moon, you two take off Miss Qi’s shoes and socks! Rub her feet and legs with the alcohol!"

The two little palace maids answered fearfully, "Yes!"

Shen Ningning quickly pushed her way through the crowd.

"Elder Aunt, I brought some ginseng water! Prop Wei’er up, and I’ll give it to her!"

Upon hearing the word "ginseng," the elder aunt quickly helped prop Qi Xiuwei up.

With the help of a palace maid, Shen Ningning carefully trickled the water between Qi Xiuwei’s lips.

A moment later, the Imperial Physician arrived.

Seeing the scene, the Imperial Physician exclaimed, "What are you all waiting for? Get her into a room and change her into some dry clothes."

The Imperial Physician then ordered a female doctor to prepare a life-saving medicinal soup.

Just then, a cry came from the doorway. Supported by a little palace maid, Xie Yuanjiu stumbled in, sobbing wretchedly.

"Is Miss Qi going to be alright? If she dies, I won’t be able to escape the blame."

The others all spoke at once to comfort her.

Ye Shangyi shot a cold glare at Shen Ningning. "How could this be your fault? If someone hadn’t kept a deer here at the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed, Miss Qi wouldn’t have lost her footing and fallen into the water while looking for it."

Hearing this, Shen Ningning whirled to face Ye Shangyi, her small face hardening. "What did you say?"

Ye Shangyi was taken aback by her sudden intensity.

She found herself stammering. "Wh-what is it? Did I say something wrong? If you don’t believe me, just ask the Palace Attendants here."

Shen Ningning turned to a little palace maid. "Tell me exactly what happened."

The little palace maid explained that Qi Xiuwei had returned to the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed a little while ago, only to find it empty.

The elder aunt had taken the other girls to familiarize them with the route to the East Fourth Palace and had not yet returned. Only Xie Yuanjiu was in the pavilion, pacing anxiously and seemingly looking for something.

When Qi Xiuwei asked, Xie Yuanjiu told her that the deer Shen Ningning had brought with her had just snapped its rope and run off.

As soon as she heard it was Shen Ningning’s deer, Qi Xiuwei immediately offered to help search for it.

Her search led her to the back garden of the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed, a seldom-visited area that bordered the water and had no railing.

The deer was standing right at the water’s edge, seemingly frozen in place.

As Qi Xiuwei tried to pull it back, she stepped onto some broken ice, slipped, and fell into the frigid water.

After hearing the story, Shen Ningning immediately questioned Xie Yuanjiu. "Sister Xie, I thought you were searching together? Did you call for a Palace Attendant the moment she fell in?"

Xie Yuanjiu hid her face and sobbed. "To find your deer more quickly, Miss Qi and I split up to search. I wasn’t with her."

"The pavilion grounds are so large. I had no idea she fell in the water, and I didn’t hear any cry for help."

One of the young ladies nearby said, her voice filled with lingering fear.

"If the imperial guard hadn’t been patrolling on the far side of the lake and spotted a person floating in the water... I’m afraid by the time we found Qi Xiuwei, she would have been..."

No one dared to say the word ’dead.’ The timid girls shrank back in fear.

The most timid among them even burst into tears, crying that they wanted to go home.

Shen Ningning’s dark, intelligent eyes darted about, her little face deep in thought.

Suddenly, she asked, "Where is the deer?"

"Captain Pei was the one who went in the water and pulled Miss Qi out. I just saw him leading the deer toward the side hall."

Since this area was full of young ladies, it was proper for a member of the imperial guard to keep his distance.

Hearing this, Shen Ningning immediately headed east, making a beeline for the pavilion’s side hall.

Ye Shangyi watched her leave and snorted in contempt.

"The Commandery Princess’s deer nearly cost someone their life this time!"

Xie Yuanjiu, her face pale, said gently, "We can’t really say that. The deer is just an animal, after all; it doesn’t know any better. It’s not the Commandery Princess’s fault."

The others sighed. "Even at a time like this, you’re still defending her."

But another girl spoke up. "I don’t think this is the Commandery Princess’s fault at all. Sika deer are naturally timid. I wonder if something scared it over there."

The group immediately erupted into chatter, everyone talking at once.

They all began to suspect that someone had orchestrated this intentionally.

At that moment, the little palace maid supporting Xie Yuanjiu suddenly exclaimed, "Miss Xie, you look terribly pale!"

Xie Yuanjiu gave a light cough. "I’m still not over my cold. I won’t keep everyone company. I’m going back to rest. Excuse me."

The little palace maid helped her away, her steps looking frail and unsteady.

Meanwhile, Shen Ningning had already entered the side hall.

A young man with a cool, detached air was wringing water from his outer robe. The sika deer, the supposed "culprit" of the whole affair, was curled up timidly beside him, dozing.

Hearing the sound, the deer scrambled to its feet in fright. But when it saw Shen Ningning, it relaxed and lay back down.

Pei Yin’s attention was drawn to the entrance. His cold gaze fell upon Shen Ningning, and he immediately clasped his hands in salute. "This subordinate, Pei Yin, greets the Commandery Princess."

Shen Ningning waved her little hand. "No need for formalities. I wanted to check on the deer."

Pei Yin nodded. "I was just about to leave. This deer could be considered ’evidence,’ so it shouldn’t be dealt with rashly. That is why I brought it here. Now that you’ve arrived, Commandery Princess, I will leave it in your care."

"Be warned, however. The deer seems to have been badly frightened. When I first approached it, it was so scared it wet itself several times and even tried to attack. The Commandery Princess should be careful."

Shen Ningning nodded. "Thank you, Captain Pei. You can leave now. I’ll calm it down."

Pei Yin picked up his sopping wet outer robe and turned to go.

As he passed Shen Ningning, he suddenly asked, "Commandery Princess, did you have this deer tied up with a rope? There’s a wound on its ankle. It looks like a rope burn."

Shen Ningning froze.

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