Accidentally Married the Princess [Time Travel] - Chapter 23

The pavilion grew increasingly dim. Gong Yu remained lying flat, faintly hearing the partridges that had flown into the trees cooing a few times before falling silent.

Gong Yu gazed at Dai Ru Yan, who sat quietly nearby, cleared her throat, and asked, “When did Ah-Yan arrive?”

Receiving no response from Dai Ru Yan, Gong Yu pressed further, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Dai Ru Yan finally took a deep breath and said, “I heard the injury this time is near the left shoulder bone and tendons. It must have hurt terribly, Little Jiu, didn’t it?”

Gong Yu was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and replied, “Actually, it doesn’t hurt much. It was just a sharp pain at first, but now with the herbal medicine applied, it feels much better.”

Regarding the injury, Gong Yu had ordered Qin Hua to strictly forbid any leaks about the abduction and injury, yet Dai Ru Yan still knew every detail. It must have been the deaf-mute maid who reported it.

A maid approached with a lantern, lit the lamps in the pavilion, and then quietly withdrew.

Outside the pavilion, it was so dark one couldn’t see their own hand. Gong Yu paused mid-sentence and said, “The woman who abducted me is the daughter of Qing Liu, the main culprit in that embezzlement case from years ago—Qing Shui’er. Does Ah-Yan have any recollection of that?”

Her eyes fixed intently on the changes in Dai Ru Yan’s expression, Gong Yu thought that if only Dai Ru Yan would honestly say it had nothing to do with her, she would not dwell on it further.

Yet, Dai Ru Yan’s expression showed no change at all; she didn’t even furrow her brows as she responded, “Back then, I only had someone re-examine the account books of the Imperial Household Department and discovered suspicions of falsified records. After that, I merely informed my elder brother about it. I know nothing beyond that.”

“Why is Little Jiu asking about such an old matter?”

Faced with Dai Ru Yan’s straightforward reply, Gong Yu felt as though she were the one with ill intentions. She quickly averted her gaze guiltily and murmured:

“No reason… It’s just that Qing Shui’er claimed I caused her family’s deaths, so I wanted to ask.”

Dai Ru Yan leaned closer, gently cupping Gong Yu’s face with her palm, full of trust, and said, “That case was settled long ago. Little Jiu, you are the victim here. There’s no need to worry about such matters. You should focus on resting and recovering.”

“Mm.” Gong Yu could clearly feel her cheeks burning fiercely but dared not move, afraid of aggravating the injury on her left shoulder.

Yet, Dai Ru Yan still didn’t release her hand, gazing intently at Gong Yu from up close, as if sighing softly, “You’ve lost a lot of weight lately.”

Huh?

Gong Yu felt a wave of relief, having thought Dai Ru Yan might lean in for a kiss. Her mind was truly wandering into absurd thoughts.

“It’s probably because I’ve been too busy lately. I’ll eat more during this recovery period and will surely gain the weight back soon.”

A maid outside the pavilion called softly, “Your Highness, it’s time for your medicine.”

Only then did Dai Ru Yan release Gong Yu’s face, straightening her clothes and sitting properly to the side.

The atmosphere felt strangely awkward.

“Come in,” Gong Yu called out.

The maid entered, set the medicinal broth aside, and withdrew. Gong Yu frowned at the dark brown liquid, feeling nauseated.

Dai Ru Yan reached for the medicine bowl and said, “If the medicine cools, it will taste even more bitter.”

Gong Yu tried to sit up slightly, but Dai Ru Yan stopped her, “Stay lying down to avoid straining your wound. I’ll feed you.”

The medicine was intensely bitter, but in front of Dai Ru Yan, Gong Yu had no choice but to endure it. Thus, she was seen gulping down the broth with a deeply furrowed brow.

Finally reaching the bottom of the bowl, Gong Yu breathed a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but say, “This medicine is really bitter.”

Dai Ru Yan held a handkerchief and wiped the corner of Gong Yu’s mouth, then handed her a piece of candy and placed it in her mouth, smiling as she said, “Then why did you act so tough just now while drinking it?”

Was it that obvious that she was putting on a brave face?

Feeling embarrassed, Gong Yu buried her head in the quilt and whispered, “It’s already dark now, Ah Yan, aren’t you going back?”

“Hmm, I’ll head back to the mansion in a little while.”

Dai Ru Yan reached out and tidied Gong Yu’s disheveled hair, her cool fingertips gently slipping into the open collar of Gong Yu’s robe. Gong Yu looked at Dai Ru Yan like a startled rabbit.

The overly intimate gesture made it impossible for Gong Yu not to overthink it, and even her earlobes grew warm as she asked, “Ah Yan… what are you doing?”

“Applying medicine for you.”

Only then did Gong Yu notice the porcelain bottle in Dai Ru Yan’s hand, and for some reason, she felt a pang of disappointment. She murmured softly, “The medicine… I can apply it myself, right?”

“No.”

Dai Ru Yan looked at Gong Yu with a serious expression, her fingertips gently pulling open the collar of Gong Yu’s robe as she whispered, “Let me see how severe the injury really is.”

When the cool ointment touched the wound, Gong Yu’s body trembled involuntarily. A reaction she couldn’t control.

“Xiao Jiu, did… did I hurt you?” Dai Ru Yan paused, her brow furrowing as she asked.

“No, the wound was already quite painful.” Gong Yu turned her head slightly, feeling grateful that the oil lamp wasn’t too bright. Otherwise, if Dai Ru Yan saw her flushed face, she would surely worry again.

Although it was autumn, the night wasn’t particularly cool. However, with her collar pulled open by Dai Ru Yan, the exposed skin could still feel the warmth of her breath falling upon it.

Trembling uncontrollably, Gong Yu bit her tongue to stop herself from overthinking.

Dai Ru Yan applied the medicine very gently, meticulously spreading the ointment, and even leaned in close to get a better look at Gong Yu’s injury.

Gong Yu stole a glance at Dai Ru Yan, who was so focused, and her restless heart began to beat wildly again.

Usually, the waterside pavilion was quite lively—filled with the noisy chirping of cicadas, birds chattering incessantly as they nested in the branches, and even the occasional splash of a fish leaping out of the pond.

But tonight was unusually quiet; there weren’t even any mosquitoes or insects. Trying to cover up her thoughts, Gong Yu asked, “Does my wound look very frightening?”

Dai Ru Yan paused slightly while wrapping the bandage and replied, “It’s not too bad. Aside from the red and purple bruising around where the dagger pierced, most of the surrounding area is covered in bluish-purple bruises.”

“That does sound a bit scary,” Gong Yu said awkwardly.

“Xiao Jiu…”

“Hmm?”

Dai Ru Yan carefully pulled up Gong Yu’s clothes and asked hesitantly, “Can you still move your left hand?”

“Of course, it’s just too painful right now. In a few months, I promise I’ll be bouncing around again,” Gong Yu reassured her.

“That’s good,” Dai Ru Yan murmured softly.

Catching a glimpse of fireflies drifting into the pavilion, Gong Yu gazed at them and said, “Fireflies are so beautiful.”

In summer, the pond was full of fireflies, which was one of the reasons Gong Yu loved spending time in the waterside pavilion.

Dai Ru Yan turned to look and said, “If Xiao Jiu likes them, why don’t I have someone catch some and release them in this courtyard?”

“No need.”

“Why?” Dai Ru Yan looked at Gong Yu, somewhat puzzled.

Gong Yu smiled and said, “I only like the fireflies in my garden; I don’t care for the ones outside.”

Dai Ru Yan was slightly taken aback and replied with a light laugh, “Nonsense. How can you tell which fireflies are from your garden and which are from outside?”

“Of course, by my… intuition.”

“Ridiculous talk.”

The lanterns in the pavilion were dim, and their voices were soft. In contrast, the cicadas outside were rather intrusive. Perhaps because Gong Yu had taken her medicine, she gradually grew drowsy and unknowingly fell asleep.

Beside her, Dai Ru Yan quietly watched the sleeping Gong Yu. Her fingertips gently brushed the furrow between Gong Yu’s brows but quickly withdrew upon hearing a soft murmur from her.

Late at night, when all was quiet, Dai Ru Yan emerged from the pavilion, where a deaf-mute maid was waiting outside.

“Take good care of her, and your family will remain safe,” Dai Ru Yan whispered.

The deaf-mute maid bowed her head in acknowledgment.

After leaving the estate, Dai Ru Yan boarded her sedan chair and gazed at her fingertips, as if she could still see the glaring bruises and vivid, ghastly wounds starkly exposed on that flawless, pale skin.

The tenderness in her eyes was instantly replaced by a thick, overwhelming murderous intent. The shift in her expression was so swift it was as if she had become a different person.

Over a month passed. One morning, a thin mist enveloped the estate, and the temperature dropped sharply. Gong Yu left the waterside pavilion and returned to her residence.

Although her left hand was still immobile, the pain had lessened considerably. As Gong Yu sipped hot porridge, several accountants reported the recent earnings from the shops.

After spot-checking a few ledgers, she dismissed the accountants. Just as Gong Yu was enjoying a bowl of rib soup, the elderly steward rushed in, his face pale and frantic.

Gong Yu offered him a bowl of soup to calm him, saying, “Steward, you’re not young anymore. There’s no need to rush like this, no matter the situation.”

The steward drank the soup to steady himself and said, “Your Highness, the female assassin from before has been found.”

“Good. I still have questions for her.”

“No, Your Highness, it’s best you don’t go now,” the steward said, reaching out to stop her.

“Why not?” Gong Yu asked, puzzled.

“That female assassin has been killed.”

“Killed?”

Aside from her own subordinates searching for the assassin, did she have other enemies?

The steward hesitated before saying, “I went to take a look. The method was truly brutal.”

“Brutal? How did she die?”

“Her limbs were broken while she was still alive, and her body was slashed countless times, leaving her drenched in blood. Rumor has it she was found in the ancestral hall of the Qing family’s old residence, and she was still breathing when they discovered her.” The steward paused before adding, “Your Highness, whoever did this must have held an immense grudge.”

Gong Yu could vividly imagine the gruesome scene. Glancing at the half-finished bowl of rib soup, she felt nauseous and quickly reached for tea to wash it down.

Who could harbor such hatred for Qing Shui’er? This method didn’t seem like the work of an ordinary martial artist—it felt more like a form of punishment and revenge.

In the afternoon, while playing chess with Qin Hua in the hall, Gong Yu recalled Qing Shui’er’s manner of death and asked, “Sir, have you examined Qing Shui’er’s corpse?”

Qin Hua paused, holding a chess piece, and replied, “Yes. The manner of death was exceedingly gruesome. I heard there was an arrow embedded halfway into the ground beside the body, bearing a unique pattern. The same pattern as the arrow you once brought to me.”

“Your meaning is that it’s the same person.”

“At the very least, they are from the same sect.” Qin Hua pondered and said, “In recent years, a new assassination sect has emerged in the martial world. Their weapon’s emblem is a character that resembles the word ‘death,’ as if written by a vengeful ghost demanding a life.”

The character for death—no wonder Gong Yu always felt the pattern looked familiar whenever she saw it.

Suddenly, she remembered that during the assassination attempt on the Fourth Prince at the tavern, she had also seen a weapon with that pattern.

This at least indicated one thing: the assassination of the Fourth Prince was genuinely intended to kill him, and this assassination sect had some connection to the power struggles within the royal family.

Just as Gong Yu was lost in thought, a servant called from outside the door, “Your Highness, Miss Dai is waiting in the waterside pavilion.”

Gong Yu snapped back to reality, but Qin Hua abruptly stood up and bowed, saying, “Your Highness, I have matters to attend to and must take my leave.”

This was not the first time Qin Hua had deliberately avoided Dai Ru Yan. At first, Gong Yu thought it was a coincidence, but as it happened repeatedly, she couldn’t help but suspect.

Qin Hua and Dai Ru Yan knew each other perhaps they had even had deeper interactions.