ASTRP -Chapter 158 The Prince Arrives to Save the Situation

“Who is it?”

Feng Jingge replied, “Me, Feng Jingge.”

There was a brief silence on the other side of the door. Then the courtyard gate opened.

A maid stood behind it.

Seeing her, the maid froze for a moment, then immediately showed an expression of delighted surprise.

“This servant greets the Eldest Miss.”

Feng Jingge glanced over the maid’s face.

She was about to ask where Feng Mingyue was when—

A faint breeze suddenly blew past, carrying a very light medicinal scent.

It was subtle, but Feng Jingge’s sharp sense of smell still caught it immediately.

She paused slightly, then blurted out, “Feng Mingyue is sick?”

The maid looked shocked.

“How did Eldest Miss know Second Miss is ill?”

“I smelled it.”

Without waiting further, Feng Jingge walked inside.

The maid quickly closed the courtyard door and hurried after her.

Feng Jingge entered the inner room and saw Feng Mingyue sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Her face was as pale as paper, completely bloodless.

The usual lively sparkle in her eyes was gone, replaced by dull emptiness.

A maid sat by the bedside, feeding her medicine.

Hearing footsteps, both turned toward the door.

When Feng Mingyue saw it was Feng Jingge, a faint light returned to her otherwise dull eyes.

The maid quickly stood up and bowed.

“This servant greets Eldest Miss.”

“Mm.”

Feng Jingge responded lightly and walked over.

Just as she was about to ask what happened, Feng Mingyue spoke first.

“Are you alright?”

Feng Jingge smiled faintly and shook her head. “I’m fine. But you… don’t look fine at all.”

She sat by the bed and gently placed her fingers on Feng Mingyue’s wrist to take her pulse.

Feng Mingyue looked surprised. “Eldest Sister… since when did you learn medicine?”

Feng Jingge casually made something up. “I learned a bit from the estate physician in the Prince’s residence. Just the basics—let me take a look.”

She lied effortlessly, without the slightest hesitation.

Feng Mingyue believed her immediately and nodded.

Feng Jingge withdrew her hand and said calmly, “You fell into water two days ago. A doctor prescribed medicine, and you improved at first.”

“But last night, your condition suddenly worsened—headache, nasal congestion.”

“Especially the pain at both sides of your temples, like they’re about to explode.”

Feng Mingyue stared at her blankly, stunned.

Because everything Feng Jingge said matched her condition perfectly.

Feng Jingge already knew the answer from her expression, but still asked, “Am I right?”

“Not a single detail is wrong,” Feng Mingyue nodded stiffly.

Feng Jingge smiled slightly. “I even know what you ate yesterday that worsened your condition.”

Feng Mingyue quickly asked, “What?”

“You drank chicken soup last night. People with a cold should avoid greasy food.”

Hearing this, Feng Mingyue turned her gaze to the maid.

The maid immediately dropped to her knees in panic. “Miss! This servant didn’t know you couldn’t drink chicken soup—”

“Alright, calm down.”

Feng Jingge interrupted her and looked at Feng Mingyue. “Chicken soup isn’t forbidden, but it has to be prepared properly.”

Skim off the oil layer, and cook the chicken until tender.

The maid almost cried. “Eldest Miss, if you remove the oil, how is that still chicken soup? It’s basically water!”

“The nutrition is all in that oil!”

Feng Jingge frowned slightly.

This was exactly why people said you shouldn’t eat greasy food when you have a cold—but no one listened.

When doctors repeated it too many times, they simply stopped explaining and just said “don’t eat it.”

Feng Mingyue said sharply, “Are you the doctor or is Eldest Sister the doctor?”

The maid immediately admitted her mistake. “This servant was wrong…”

Feng Jingge said calmly, “It’s fine, get up.”

“Until you recover from the cold, keep your diet light and avoid oily food.”

“This is only a mild case. It could get worse.”

“In severe cases, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea.”

Feng Mingyue’s expression changed immediately.

“Did you hear what Eldest Sister said?” she asked the maid.

The maid, frightened by the words “vomiting and diarrhea,” nodded quickly and didn’t dare argue again.

“I understand.”

“Alright, both of you leave. I need to speak with Eldest Sister.”

Feng Mingyue was sharp enough to understand.

Feng Jingge didn’t come just to visit—she clearly had something to say.

With the maid present, it wasn’t convenient.

After both maids left and closed the door, Feng Jingge listened to their footsteps fade away outside.

Then she looked at Feng Mingyue and got straight to the point:

“What exactly is going on in the Feng family? Why does everything feel… different?”

At the same time, a royal carriage rushed toward the palace at full speed.

At the palace gate, it switched to a palanquin.

The eunuchs carrying it moved like the wind, heading straight for the Empress Dowager’s residence—Cining Palace.

Normally, it would take half an hour to walk from the gate to Cining Palace.

Today, it was forced down to the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.

When the Prince arrived, the scene inside was already tense.

Xiao Jinghan stepped into Cining Palace and saw Xu Shu pinned face-down on a long bench, while Xiao Yu was using his body to shield him.

Two eunuchs stood nearby holding punishment boards.

Jin Anhao was also restrained at the side.

The Empress Dowager’s face was dark with anger, while Eunuch Chen stood nearby, hesitant and anxious.

“His Highness the Regent has arrived!”

The announcement rang out like a pause button.

Everyone froze.

The Empress Dowager slowly turned her head, her gaze sharp as ice.

As Xiao Jinghan walked in, the chill in her eyes deepened.

He came at the perfect time.

Eunuch Chen felt a surge of relief—finally, salvation had arrived.

But when he saw Xiao Jinghan’s appearance, he froze.

Was that really the Prince?

In just a few days, he looked like a completely different person—gaunt, hollow-eyed, as if he had suffered greatly.

“My heavens… what happened to His Highness?” Eunuch Chen thought in shock.

Seeing him, Jin Anhao immediately grew bolder.

He kicked the eunuch holding him hard.

The eunuch cried out in pain and loosened his grip.

Jin Anhao quickly slipped behind Xiao Jinghan for protection.

Just as he was about to explain everything—

Xu Shu reacted faster.

He shouted at the top of his lungs:

“Your Highness, save me!!! The Empress Dowager says she’s going to beat me to death!!!”