TLDPCRM 36: Unexpected Incident (Patreon)

Chapter 36: Unexpected Incident



"Your Highness, something terrible has happened outside!"

Lu Yun rushed in, looking flustered. Concubine Ying appeared calm and composed, coughing a few times before asking with a blank face, "What has happened that you're making such a fuss?"

"The princess is missing."

"What?!"

Gu Yunru, who was standing nearby, frowned upon hearing this.

"I heard that she was abducted, but no one saw what the perpetrator looked like. The palace is heavily guarded, and no one is allowed to leave."

"How could this happen? Wasn't the princess supposed to be honored today?" Empress Ying was equally surprised upon hearing this news.

Another palace maid walked in at this time, bowed to Concubine Ying, and then looked at Gu Yunru's face.

"I suppose you must be Miss Gu. His Highness Zhao is waiting for you outside."

"I understand."

Gu Yunru waved her hand to dismiss the maid, not expecting that this guy would still be waiting for her outside.

Concubine Ying was not quite sure about Gu Yunru's relationship with Prince Zhao and looked at her curiously.

"Your Highness, I apologize for any inconvenience caused tonight."

"It's no problem. His Highness Zhao rarely comes to the palace, and I didn't expect him to come today."

Gu Yunru noticed a rare expression of relief on Concubine Ying face, and for the first time since she entered, she looked stunning. Does she like Rong Zhen? The thought startled Gu Yunru, and she quickly pushed it out of her mind.

"Yes, Your Highness, it's better not to leave the rootless flower in the room. Even the most fragrant scent needs ventilation. I suggest opening more windows to let the air circulate. During your illness, you should not stay in the room all the time. It's best to go out for a walk."

"Thank you, Miss Gu."

Concubine Ying looked at Gu Yunru gratefully, and her expression was different from before, containing a hint of complexity. Gu Yunru thought she might have overthought it and looked down again at Concubine Ying autumn-like eyes, avoiding any further misunderstandings.

"After you, Your Highness," said the maid as she motioned towards the door.

"Thank you," replied Gu Yunru as she walked out, but not before catching a glimpse of a palace maid entering the room. The maid acknowledged Gu Yunru's presence and then looked at her face.

Gu Yunru bid farewell and left the room with the other palace maid, who couldn't help but ask, "What is your relationship with PrinceZhao?"

"We're not yet married," replied Gu Yunru simply.

"I see," said the maid, nodding her head as she walked beside her. She had a similar expression as the previous palace maid, making Gu Yunru more confident in her assumption.

As they walked, Gu Yunru dismissed the maid and continued on her own until she was met by Rong Zhen

"Why did it take you so long to come out?" asked Rong Zhen, worried that Gu Yunru might have caused trouble.

"I...I was chatting with the palace maid, who was quite kind and gentle. Her voice was quite pleasant to listen to," replied Gu Yunru, avoiding Rong Zhen's gaze for the first time since she had known him.

"I see," said Rong Zhen, sensing the change in her demeanor, which was different from the previous times when she had helped him with his psychological problems. She seemed more hesitant this time.

  "Um, it's intelligence, judging whether someone's brain is good or not. I used to think you were a single-minded person, but I didn't expect you to help me solve my troubles one day."

  Inside, Gu Yunru laughed, finally not having to look at the face of the Concubine Shu's resentment.

  "I just acted on my own accord because I saw you embarrassed," said Rong Zhen, and then turned his face cold again.

  The two of them arrived at the Yangxin Palace. The banquet had ended, but to prevent assassins from escaping, the emperor ordered that both inside and outside the imperial city be strictly guarded. The guests who came to attend the banquet were also arranged to live in high-class suites.

  "See the emperor, long live the emperor, long live, long live!"

  Gu Yunru came before the emperor, bowed respectfully, and just glanced at him casually at the banquet. She didn't expect to find that the emperor looked very refined when she got closer.

  "No need for ceremony. So, you are Gu Yunru. Why didn't I see your father today?"

  Gu Yunru didn't know her father would also come, and she looked around for a while but didn't see him.

  "I came to the palace with the prince, so I'm not quite sure..." Gu Yunru shrank her neck, not knowing what to say. However, chatting with the emperor felt much better than talking to this capricious guy.

  "Nevermind, Your Majesty. I'll take Miss Gu to the palace to rest first."

Upon hearing the command, Rong Zhen intended to take her out of the Yongxin Palace, but he found that she seemed to be still unsatisfied.

"Don't want to leave?" Rong Zhen quietly approached her from behind, startling her. She nervously swallowed and said, "It's nothing. I'm just curious. Has the emperor seen any trace of the assassin?"

Gu Su Ruo noticed that there was no sign of a fight in the palace, and the princess had not appeared from the beginning to now. No one had seen the princess during the banquet either.

"None," said the emperor. "However, a letter was found in the princess's room, saying that she would be taken away. I have dispatched people to guard strictly, and not even a fly can fly out."

Gu Yunru nodded and asked, "May I go to the princess's boudoir to take a look? Maybe I can find some clues."

As soon as she finished speaking, Rong Zhen strongly objected, "What are you, a girl, doing here? Let the military department handle this."

Gu Yunru frowned in displeasure. Why was this man so stubborn? She only wanted to help investigate the princess's clues, but he was making a big fuss and acting condescendingly.

"Brother, it's okay. You can take Miss Gu to take a look. Maybe she can really find something," said the emperor.

The emperor was open-minded and gentle, unlike this guy who seemed to be from a different mother.

"So she concluded that these two must know each other."

"What's going on with the princess missing?" Gu Yunru remembered this matter and asked quickly.

It seemed that it took a while for Rong Zhen to react, and his eyes flickered. "How would I know? I've been waiting here for you all the time."

"It's strange. The palace is heavily guarded. Who has the guts to kidnap the princess?" Gu Yunru couldn't understand it. She thought of the scenes she had seen in TV dramas before. Was it a martial arts master or an organization outside the palace? But why did they kidnap the princess?

"Let's go to the Yongxin Palace first. By the way, I've already sent someone to the Qianxi Palace to get your loquat paste back," Rong Zhen said. He knew that Gu Yunru was not willing to go to the Qianxi Palace, so he took the initiative to send someone to retrieve the loquat paste.

"That's really great. I didn't expect your emotional intelligence to be so high!" Gu Yunru was so excited that she blurted out a new term, leaving Rong Zhen staring in surprise.

"What's emotional intelligence?"