The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

Chapter 233 Autumn Hunting Crisis (7)

The rain intensified, and chaos reigned at the hunting grounds.

Hunting grounds, camp.

Emperor Jing listened to Lai Li's aggrieved complaint with a gloomy expression.

"The princess and I were chasing prey when, somehow, there was a big pit, and I unfortunately fell in. Luckily, Sister Anle was alright. Then Sister Anle said she was going to look for someone, and that's all I know..."

Lai Li's eyes were glistening with tears, and she spoke incoherently, as if she had been pushed down by Jing Anle.

"Now that Sister Anle has disappeared, it is all my fault. It was I who suggested going to the small hunting grounds for hunting and recreation. If it weren't for me, this wouldn't have happened. Please punish me, Your Majesty..." After saying this, Lai Li burst into tears.

Lai Li's injuries were laid bare before him, and she looked utterly frustrated. Emperor Jing, unable to discern her anger or displeasure, flicked his sleeve and ordered, "Take the princess away to rest, and send two imperial physicians to treat her."

At this moment, the imperial physician came over and said, "Miss Zhao is awake!"

Emperor Jing rushed over, but separated by a curtain, he wasn't concerned about Zhao Yayi; rather, he was eager to know Jing Anle's whereabouts.

"Your Majesty, please don't worry. The First Prince and General Qin have already led the guards to search for him. I believe we'll have news of him soon." The speaker was an imperial bodyguard of Emperor Jing. At this moment, only he dared to offer words of comfort.

Emperor Jing's expression remained calm.

"Your Majesty..." Zhao Yayi's voice was weak as she tried to stand up and bow to Emperor Jing.

Emperor Jing's voice was grave. "No need for formalities. What exactly happened?"

Zhao Yayi had a knife wound on her left arm and a terrible headache, but she couldn't care less. She forced herself to lean against the soft pillow and recounted the whole story.

"I lured away the assassins to buy time for the princess, but I was outnumbered. If General Qin hadn't come, I probably wouldn't have been able to hold them off." Mentioning Qin Xiuyuan, Zhao Yayi's mind flashed back to him, and she coughed involuntarily.

Qin Xiuyuan was originally taking a shortcut back to inform Emperor Jing about Yelü Yuanxiu's assassination attempt, but he unexpectedly encountered Zhao Yayi being chased by assassins.

An emperor is an emperor after all; he doesn't show his emotions. After instructing the imperial physician to take care of Zhao Yayi, Emperor Jing returned to his own tent.

The rain was pouring down outside, and the wind was howling.

Inside the tent, Xue Han, the military commander of the guard, was waiting for a reply. He was in charge of ensuring the safety of this autumn hunt.

"I have failed in my duty of supervision and am truly derelict in my responsibilities. I beg Your Majesty to punish me," Xue Han said, his voice filled with self-reproach.

Emperor Jing noticed that his hair was soaked through and raindrops were still dripping from the hem of his armor.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Jing rebuked, "You deserve to be punished!"

The emperor unleashed his fury, thundering in his fury, and Xue Han lowered his head even further.

"I will spare you this time, considering your past merits. The most urgent matter is to find Anle. If anything happens to her, I will hold you responsible!"

Xue Han kowtowed in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life. I will certainly send more men to search for the princess." After saying this, he turned and left, secretly praying that he could find the princess as soon as possible.

The rain was still falling, and there was no sign of it stopping.

Emperor Jing gazed at the rain outside the window. In the solitude of the room, his face was filled with sorrow as he murmured, "Ayin, in heaven, you must protect our daughter and keep her safe."

As an emperor, he naturally knew that Jing Anle's disappearance was orchestrated by someone behind the scenes. He clenched his fist and made a decision in his heart.

……

Jingrou's camp.

Since Jing Anle's disappearance, the entire hunting grounds have been filled with fear, everyone afraid of being implicated. The princes and noble ladies were supposed to return home as planned, but now they are all left in the hunting grounds' tents due to the torrential rain and questioning.

Jing Rou, however, was enjoying her hot tea with great pleasure, unaware of Pan'er's indifferent expression behind her.

"Pan'er, add more tea."

Upon hearing Jing Rou's instructions, Can'er immediately changed her expression, her face beaming with a smile, "Yes, Princess."

While refilling her teacup, Pan'er casually asked, "Princess, you seem to be in a very good mood today. Is there something to celebrate?"

Everyone knew that Jing Anle had disappeared today, and the entire hunting ground was on high alert, with everyone feeling insecure. On the contrary, Jing Rou was quite carefree, completely different from the others.

"It's good news," Jing Rou said cheerfully, putting down her teacup.

"And it's a tremendously good thing."

Pan'er's face was also beaming with smiles, and she looked very much looking forward to it.

"Hahahaha." Jing Rou suddenly burst into laughter, her voice turning cold again, "A detestable person will never come back!"

“What does the princess mean…” Pan’er’s expression froze, as if she had thought of something, and her expression changed for a moment.

Jing Rou assumed she was scared and didn't suspect anything, saying, "That's right, Jing Anle, she will never come back."

Suddenly, another clap of thunder roared in the sky, and Jing Rou's smile turned terrifying. "She should have died long ago."

Pan'er was startled, but she still patiently asked, "Princess, this servant does not understand what you mean."

"I have been planning for a long time, and finally I have an opportunity. My father's men are quite capable and do things cleanly."

"It's a pity that only that bitch Jing Anle died, while that idiot Yelü Yuanxiu got away!"

Seeing Jing Rou's triumphant smile, Pan'er felt a chill run down her spine. "Prince Yelü?"

Perhaps realizing she had spoken out of turn, Pan'er quickly lowered her head. "It was my fault for being so talkative. Congratulations to the Princess on achieving her wish. But... I wonder where Princess Anle is buried?"

Jing Rou glanced lightly at Pan'er, her eyes full of scrutiny and suspicion.

Seeing this, Pan'er quickly said, "I have heard that people who die unjustly will seek revenge out of resentment. In my hometown, there is a way to do this: simply scatter talismans at the place where the unjustly deceased died and recite a spell, and you will be able to rest easy."

These words struck a chord with Jing Rou. She had been having nightmares for days after she had caused the death of her maid, Pan'er. Jing Rou glanced outside to make sure no one was there before asking, "Are you telling the truth?"

"This servant dares not deceive the princess."

Jing Rou smiled and beckoned to Can'er, "Come here."

Can'er obediently went over and listened intently. As Jing Rou spoke, Can'er's eyes widened in horror. This woman was so vicious.

Jingrou didn't say anything more, but stared at Pan'er, "Now that you know everything, do you know what to do?"

Looking into Jingrou's venomous eyes, Can'er could only feign allegiance. So she quickly knelt down and said, "Princess, I am utterly loyal to you. Please trust me, and I will do my utmost."

Jingrou stared at Pan'er for a long time before slowly saying, "Get up. If you know something, keep your mouth shut. If you're not supposed to know something, don't ask!"

"Yes!"