Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 193 Delusion

Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Delusion

"Brother, the snake was supposed to bite me. Ayu shielded me." Fang Lingjun’s eyes were red and swollen. "It should be me lying there. I’m not going back to sleep; I want to wait until Ayu wakes up."

Fang Chuning knew they shared a deep bond and was grateful to Fengyu for saving Fang Lingjun, "Junjun..."

"Brother, don’t try to persuade me." Fang Lingjun said, "If the Second Young Master were unconscious, you’d stay by his side all night too. I want to wait until Ayu wakes up. I know you have many things to handle. Don’t worry about me; I’ll behave."

"Alright then, if anything happens, send someone to inform me. Don’t go hunting in the next two days." Fang Chuning instructed, "Stay here with Fengyu."

"Got it!" With Ayu’s life hanging in the balance, she also had no interest in hunting.

After reassuring her, Fang Chuning gave some instructions to the maid and left in haste; he had numerous matters to attend to and needed to go to the court, as Emperor Jianming had summoned him.

Fengyu lay in a deep sleep, and Zhang Lingzheng could not give Xie Xun any assurance; no matter how much Xie Xun asked, the answer was always to get through the night. Xie Xun refrained from pushing him further, instructing Nuanyang to stay and inform him if anything happened.

Su Yuejiao and Feng Shu stood watch by the bed. Inside Fengyu’s tent, a thick wool carpet was laid out. Fang Lingjun sat in the corner, wrapped in a thin blanket, anxious. After the fright of the day, she was mentally exhausted and kept dozing off. Feng Shu urged her to rest, but though her eyelids were drooping, she refused to leave.

Feng Shu could only go along with her. Late at night, Fengyu developed a fever and was given a bowl of medicine. After the fever subsided, she experienced nightmares, shivering in fear, and coughed up a mouthful of clotted blood, startling Su Yuejiao and Feng Shu.

Zhang Lingzheng increased the medication’s dosage; fortunately, Fengyu’s condition did not worsen, and the swelling from the venomous sting subsided slowly. Zhang Lingzheng examined the sting on Fang Lingjun, which remained swollen. The wounds of Lin Xiao, Zhang Boxin, and others continued to swell, except the area stung on Fengyu, which was deflating. Zhang Lingzheng marveled at this.

In any case, it was a good sign. Zhang Lingzheng thought that perhaps the two toxins clashed within her body, neutralizing each other. If so, Fengyu should improve.

As an Imperial Physician, he was naturally cautious and refrained from forming conclusions too quickly.

That night, many in the camp remained awake throughout.

Fengyu’s condition slightly improved, having made it through, prompting Zhang Lingzheng to marvel that Miss Feng San, despite appearing to have a fragile fate and weak constitution, truly had a great destiny, several times coming back from the brink of death.

Even King Yan must be frustrated, unable to take her soul despite several attempts.

The hunting officially began today. Fang Lingjun, barely awake, heard the sound of horns echoing across the camp. Uncomfortable, she curled up, and the maid covered her ears to block the noise.

The hunt had begun!

Feng Shu said, "Mother, you should go hunting with Father. I will keep watch over Ayu."

Su Yuejiao held Fengyu’s small hand, "I want to stay with Ayu until she wakes up."

This was the first day of the hunt, and Emperor Jianming was to participate. Before starting, Emperor Jianming dressed in military attire, led officials to worship the gods, and shot an arrow to hit the bull’s head hanging on a branch, marking the first arrow of the event. Having grown up in Ningzhou, Emperor Jianming was naturally fond of riding and archery. After the ceremonial shot, Emperor Jianming galloped into Xiyanshan, with the Crown Prince following closely. Marquis An Yuan and Marquis Zhenbei, along with Lin Cheng and Chen Mo, accompanied him as guards.

Dugu Jing also led Beiman Generals into Xiyanshan.

Xie Xun, Fang Chuning, and other military generals and noble scions spread out behind the group.

The hunt had begun!

At the camp, cavalry and the Forbidden Army remained to guard, aside from the injured and a few ladies, nearly everyone headed into the mountains for the hunt, leaving the camp quiet and still. Xie Zhang, having slept through the night, felt slightly better. The Marchioness prepared nourishing medicinal dishes for him and had him drink two large bowls first thing in the morning. After eating the medicinal food and taking medicine, she offered him snacks she had prepared.

Only when Xie Jue came to find him did the Marchioness stop feeding him these, "Ting Feng, aren’t you going hunting?"

Xie Jue replied, "Dugu Jing will meet me later; there’s no rush."

The Marchioness was puzzled. The Marquis had instructed her to stay in camp to care for Xie Zhang. Actually, even without the Marquis’s instructions, the Marchioness had no intention of leaving; with her eldest son injured this way, she had no heart for hunting.

"You haven’t slept all night?" The Marchioness ladled a large bowl of medicinal dish for him, "Delegate any military duties to your father; don’t wear yourself out."

She placed the dish before Xie Jue.

"I won’t eat it." Xie Jue despised medicinal dishes.

Xie Zhang looked at them with a smile. As his brother attempted to escape, the Marchioness pushed him back down, "If you’re ill, treat it; if not, use this for health. You look worse than Shouyu."

Xie Jue stared expressionlessly at the dark, unknown concoction but resolutely refused.

"Mother, I need to talk with Brother."

"Alright, you two talk." The Marchioness pointed at the dish, "Remember to eat it."

After the Marchioness led the maid away, Xie Jue picked up the medicinal dish to trouble his brother. Xie Zhang rubbed his brow, "Ting Feng, have some pity on big brother. Mother’s treating me like a pig; I really can’t drink it anymore."

Xie Jue remained unmoved, and given that Xie Zhang always indulged him, he conceded, "Leave it there; I’ll drink it later."

"Chuning and Zhixu searched the southern hunting ground overnight and found no traps." Xie Jue said, "However, in the forest, there were some abandoned hunting devices, dismantled after the poison dart trap was exposed. Zhixu inspected the poison dart mechanism; it seemed to have been set up a month ago."

"Truly ruthless." Xie Zhang frowned, "Is it the Crown Prince?"

"Yes!"

"If it was arranged a month ago, then Dugu Jing’s participation in the hunt was also part of his plan. The cavalry’s garrison at the hunting ground was also within his expectations. The entire hunting ground’s defenses were arranged by me; with so many traps in the southern area, if triggered, it would be littered with bones. The lives of the accompanying officials and noble scions are all invaluable. I would have to take responsibility for any accident, causing a rift between the families and the Marquis Mansion, making us a prime target. To quell the incident, I might even have to offer my life as atonement." Xie Zhang pondered, "I don’t understand; I have no enmity with him, nor am I the sole heir of the Marquis Mansion. If I die, there’s still you and Zhixu. Turning the Marquis Mansion against the royal family holds no benefit for him. What does he aim for?"

"He’s gone mad." Xie Jue calmly concluded.

"The Beiman truce, favorable circumstances, irrespective of internal conflicts within Yanyang, we should first unify against external threats. The ceasefire with Beiman and recuperation is the right path." Xie Zhang’s gaze turned cold. "He is the Crown Prince, known for his benevolent governance and love for the people. How could he not understand the situation? If the royal family wants to reclaim authority, they must unite with the Marquis Mansion to implement new policies. Even if the Marquis Mansion overshadows the throne, if he feels threatened and fears us, he should wait until the new policies are in place and the royal family holds power. Yet, he allies with foreign enemies and breaks with the Marquis Mansion; truly a foolish move."

If he weren’t mad, Xie Zhang couldn’t explain it.

Even if a fool occupied the position of Crown Prince, they would know the best course is to ally with the Marquis Mansion against the noble families, a moderate course is to watch them fight, taking no sides, and the worst course is to oppose the Marquis Mansion.

"He wants to eliminate the Marquis Mansion and seize military power." Xie Jue said flatly, once obtaining military power, he could counter the noble families with military might.