Chapter 385: Disappointment
Seeing the wariness in Yu Luo’s eyes, Chi Jinchen curled his lips into a smile. “Do you truly want to know, Xiao Luo?”
His gentle voice and warm gaze made Yu Luo snap back to her senses.
Why did she need to understand Chi Jinchen? Knowing too much wouldn’t benefit her in any way. He had asked her similar questions before, and if she kept pressing, she would only be burdening herself with unnecessary trouble.
Three agonizing days finally passed.
During this time, she secretly visited Bai’s residence and left thirty thousand taels of gold in the main hall before quietly returning to her courtyard. She dared not wander elsewhere.
Early in the morning of the third day, she had already prepared herself to leave.
As soon as she stepped outside, she encountered Chi Jinchen. From the way he was dressed, it seemed he had been waiting for her.
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay put. But do you really think waiting at the palace gates will guarantee that you’ll see your mother?”
“I don’t care. If she’s in the Crown Prince’s carriage, I’ll intercept it mid-route. Who knows where he might take her otherwise?”
Seeing Yu Luo’s determination, Chi Jinchen took a deep breath in exasperation.
“It’s unlikely they’ll leave this early. The Crown Prince’s residence is in the Eastern Palace. If the palace gates close tonight and Madam Yu still hasn’t left, I will personally lead people to storm the Eastern Palace and find out what’s going on. Will that put your mind at ease?”
Hearing his promise, Yu Luo was momentarily stunned.
“Chi Jinchen, isn’t this too risky for you? You don’t need to go to such lengths for my mother.”
What a fool.
“I brought you here. Naturally, I must see things through.”
“But what if this implicates you?”
Considering Chi Jinchen’s ties to the Third Prince, Yu Luo didn’t want to drag him into trouble.
“After all this time, you still treat me like an outsider, Xiao Luo.”
Chi Jinchen had no obligation to go so far for her mother, yet he did. She had no reason to be stubborn about it.
Yu Luo knew full well that as long as her mother remained in the palace, uncertainties and risks lingered. There was even a possibility that she wouldn’t be released today.
As dusk approached, Chi Jinchen called for Yu Luo to board the waiting carriage. She was overwhelmed with anticipation, knowing she was moments away from reuniting with her mother.
The carriage stopped at a secluded spot outside the palace gates. Yu Luo anxiously fixed her gaze on the heavily guarded entrance, unable to hide her nervousness.
“Are you sure my mother will be released tonight?”
“My men have already relayed the news. The Emperor is recovering well, and your mother has requested to leave. The Empress Dowager agreed.”
Hearing this, Yu Luo finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Sure enough, after a short wait, just as the palace gates were about to close, a carriage slowly emerged from the imperial grounds.
Seeing it, Yu Luo was so excited that she immediately asked, “Is that the Crown Prince’s carriage?”
“You can’t tell from here. Don’t get too excited just yet. We’ll follow behind and see where it goes.”
Once the carriage left, Chi Jinchen’s driver quickly followed at a distance.
After about half an hour, the carriage stopped in front of an estate outside the outer city.
But to Yu Luo’s disappointment, even as people disembarked, her mother was nowhere to be seen.
“Chi Jinchen, what is going on? Did the Emperor or the Empress Dowager refuse to let her leave after all?”
“Wait here. I’ll have someone investigate.”
Yu Luo was utterly disappointed. She feared that her mother’s straightforward nature might have offended someone in the palace, placing her in grave danger.
As long as Ye Jiamei remained inside, Yu Luo could not rest easy.
A figure dressed in black swiftly landed in front of the carriage.
“Master, Madam Yu is not among them. However, I did spot Miss Yu’s uncle.”
“My uncle?!”
Just as she was fretting, Chi Jinchen’s guard unexpectedly mentioned someone she had nearly forgotten about. Yu Luo was caught off guard.
“It seems that Lord An Rong is still unwilling to give up and has secretly returned to the capital, hoping to seek the Crown Prince’s favor. That’s why he recommended your mother to treat the Emperor—to earn merit for himself. Now, Xiao Luo, do you understand?”
Listening to Chi Jinchen’s analysis, Yu Luo found it hard to believe that Yu Zhengqing would do such a thing!
She understood his desire to leave the frontier, but she couldn’t accept that he had essentially handed her mother over to the Crown Prince like a bargaining chip.
She had only followed along because she expected to retrieve her mother. If she had no way of finding her, how could she and her father continue waiting in torment?
“Yu Zhengqing is nothing but a hypocrite! Absolutely disgraceful!”
“Calm down, Xiao Luo. I’ll take you back to the courtyard and have my men check the palace again.”
“I don’t want to go back. I want to confront Yu Zhengqing right now.”
Yu Luo was burning with rage. There was no way she could simply return home at a time like this.
Just as she spoke, the black-clad guard reported again.
“Master, Miss Yu, I just overheard Yu Zhengqing arguing with a steward. He seems displeased that Madam Yu wasn’t released today and appears to be genuinely concerned about her safety.”
“Hah! That’s just like him—utterly infuriating!”
“Xiao Luo, this estate likely belongs to the Crown Prince. Given Yu Zhengqing’s status, he wouldn’t easily show himself in the capital. If you try to meet him now, he won’t come out. I suggest you let it go for now. Even if you question him, what’s done is done.”
Still seething, Yu Luo knew she had been too impulsive. Chi Jinchen’s calm reasoning gradually cooled her anger.
“You’re right. Even if I kill him now, my mother won’t return. I’ll deal with him later. For now, please have your men check the palace.”
Back at the courtyard, Yu Luo waited anxiously into the night.
Finally, news arrived.
It turned out that the Emperor had ordered Ye Jiamei to remain in the palace for a few more days until he was fully recovered. Only then would he allow her to leave.
It made sense. A man as noble and cautious as the Emperor wouldn’t let her go while his stitches were still intact.
But neither Yu Luo nor Chi Jinchen knew that the Emperor had just undergone a major surgery.
*
“I must admit, I had no idea such medical techniques existed. You have outshined the entire Imperial Medical Bureau. For saving my life, I am willing to make an exception. If you are willing, I shall grant you a position as a female imperial physician in the palace. What do you say?”
On the dragon bed, Han Yuan, the Emperor, was wide awake in the middle of the night.
Despite the late hour, he showed no signs of fatigue. Instead, he was contemplating the idea of keeping Ye Jiamei in the palace.
