RWNEFE -Chapter 485 General, I’m Qiao Niang!

Shen Yuantang’s anger hadn’t subsided. He shouted, “Who gave you permission to speak? Maids, slap her!”

The maid beside Shen Yuantang immediately struck Bai Qingling across the face.

“This slap is to teach you your place. In this residence, I am the master and you are a servant. You should be grateful the Prince still has a shred of affection for you; otherwise, I would’ve already had the enforcers sell you off.”

Bai Qingling clenched her fists so tightly her teeth almost broke.

Shen Yuantang… just wait. Even if I can’t act now, I will…

“Just seeing your face annoys me. Open your mouth—twenty slaps.”

“Yes!”

Listening to the sound of the hard slaps and seeing Bai Qingling’s restrained anger, Shen Yuantang felt greatly satisfied.

That very afternoon, Shen Yuantang’s child developed a high fever.

Just as Shen Yuantang was preparing to leave, a servant hurriedly came to report.

“Your Highness, the young master was playing when he suddenly vomited, and then developed a high fever.”

Shen Yuantang’s face turned pale with fear.

“Quick, call the residence doctor!”

The servant panicked: “We did, but the doctor isn’t in the residence. He said he went to gather medicinal herbs.”

“Then send someone outside to fetch physicians. Take the Prince’s residence seal, and even summon imperial doctors if needed! Bring as many as possible—better safe than sorry.”

Shen Yuantang rushed to the child’s room, seeing him lying in bed, flushed all over with fever. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

“Borrow some doctors from other residences.”

The servant reminded her: “Borrowing elsewhere is easy, but convincing doctors is difficult. If… they might fear blame. It would be better to borrow them from the Prince Regent’s residence.”

Shen Yuantang’s eyes lit up. With Shen Lanxi’s influence, the Prince Regent’s residence surely kept imperial physicians on hand.

“Quick, tell them to bring all the doctors from the Prince Regent’s residence!”

“Princess, it’s chaos over there!”

Bai Qingling sneered. As she smiled, the corner of her mouth brushed against her wound.

“It’s just a few minor illnesses, no one’s life is at risk—she’s already lucky.”

“You truly are merciful, Princess!”

Bai Qingling’s eyes turned icy. “If the Prince weren’t about to leave for the Southwest, I’d like to spill some blood just to show that fool a lesson!”

Unfortunately, her every move was likely being watched, so she couldn’t act recklessly.

Wei Dongzhu, as usual, was returning to his quarters after finishing his duties.

Night had fallen completely. If it weren’t for the curfew, he could have returned even later.

“General…”

The voice, both unfamiliar and familiar, made Wei Dongzhu freeze.

It couldn’t be her—thousands of miles from the capital, she couldn’t possibly be here.

“General, I’m Qiao Niang.”

The name shattered any lingering illusions. Wei Dongzhu turned around expressionless, a rare sense of panic rising in his chest.

Qiao Niang stepped from the shadows, holding a child. She cautiously took a few steps forward. Seeing it was truly Wei Dongzhu, she immediately burst into tears.

“General, I never expected to survive long enough to see you…”

Wei Dongzhu’s last shred of hope vanished.

“Why are you here?”

Qiao Niang wiped her tears haphazardly and pushed the child forward.

“Yan’er, call your father.”

The child, pushed forward, timidly looked up at Wei Dongzhu, then quickly ran back to his mother.

“Mother…”

Qiao Niang hugged the child tightly, her heart aching. “General, Yan’er was terrified the whole way here.”

Wei Dongzhu took a deep breath, looked around to ensure no one was nearby, and said, “We’ll talk later, once we’re home.”

Seeing him leave after speaking, Qiao Niang gritted her teeth, hugged the child, and hurried after him.

Back at the residence:

“You’re saying you were brought to the capital by others?” Wei Dongzhu asked sharply.

Qiao Niang lowered her head in fear, trembling. “I don’t know those people. They covered the eyes of the child and me the entire way. I tried to peek—they all wore masks. It was terrifying.”

Thinking of their faces, Qiao Niang shivered uncontrollably.

Yan’er, the child, began quietly crying in fear.

Seeing the mother and child huddled together, Wei Dongzhu restrained his anger despite himself.

“Since they left you at my residence gate, they must know about us. For now, you and your child stay quietly inside. Don’t go out. When the right moment comes, I’ll have someone escort you back to the Northwest.”

Qiao Niang quietly replied, “Okay.”

Wei Dongzhu returned to his room in a dark mood. The people who brought them surely had some purpose if they didn’t kill them.

He didn’t want to dwell on it, but he had to admit: their sole aim was likely to disrupt his relationship with Shen Lanxi.

Only his old Wei family soldiers and his cousins knew of Qiao Niang’s existence.

There were many in the capital who wanted to separate him from Shen Lanxi, with Zhou Ruyuan being the most immediate threat.

Why didn’t he just bring Qiao Niang and her child directly to Shen Lanxi?

Wei Dongzhu’s head ached from thinking. After carefully settling Qiao Niang and the child, he rushed to the palace.

Luckily, he had left his old troops in the palace to protect Shen Lanxi, preventing more people from learning about Qiao Niang.

Shen Lanxi arrived at court earlier than usual that day.

“You’re early today. Could it be because the palace kitchen prepared extra breakfast?”

Wei Dongzhu’s eyes flickered. She was joking with him—she still didn’t know about Qiao Niang and her child.

“I went to bed early last night, so I thought I might get breakfast here,” Wei Dongzhu teased.

Shen Lanxi turned and instructed, “Set an extra pair of bowls and chopsticks.”

Seeing her demeanor, Wei Dongzhu quietly exhaled in relief.

“By this time tomorrow, Zhou Ruyuan will likely have already left the capital.”

Shen Lanxi: “Keep an eye on him.”

Wei Dongzhu: “I’ll escort him a hundred li away in secret.”

Shen Lanxi: “Once you return, prepare to depart for Shu. I’ll have Xiao Fang support you. One visible, one hidden—you must secure Shu with minimal casualties.”

Wei Dongzhu nodded and asked, “What about Qianzhou? Who goes?”

Shen Lanxi: “Who do you think?”

Wei Dongzhu thought seriously: “Zhao Zheng and Qian Feng. Let them take the Eagle and Leopard troops for training.”

Shen Lanxi nodded: “Good.”

They finalized the plans for Shu and Qianzhou while eating.

Afterward, Shen Lanxi attended court while Wei Dongzhu was on duty.

Shen Yuantang’s child had a persistent high fever. Even the imperial physicians were helpless.

Zhou Ruyuan hadn’t expected it to be so severe. Anxious and frustrated, he thought of the Medicine King’s Valley.

“I’m going to the palace. You take care of the child.”

He planned to find his mother. He had previously seen her meet with people from Medicine King’s Valley.

Shen Yuantang had already considered someone.

“Prince, Medicine King’s Valley is too far. By the time they arrive, our child may not survive. It’s better to call the Imperial Grand Physician instead.”

If the Grand Physician could treat the Emperor, surely he could reduce her son’s high fever.

Zhou Ruyuan frowned immediately. “The Grand Physician is attending to His Majesty without leaving his side. If I summon him, what if something happens to His Majesty? Who would bear the responsibility?”