Refusing to stop loving a person that didn't love you back was like a moth that was flying into fire. Even as it its wings were crumbling, it still struggled to fly closer to the center of the fire. How regretful and pitiful.
When Ji Man regained her consciousness, she felt as if Nie Sangyu's body had recently been burned by fire. Not only did she feel uncomfortable, it felt as if her body was burning up.
After a struggle to open her eyes, she saw Ning Errong's happy face looking at her.
"Sangyu, are you awake?"
The room seemed very dim. Errong was the only other person in the room.
Seeing Nie Sangyu opening and closing her mouth, Errong hurriedly brought over a cup of water and poured it down her throat without any gentleness.
Errong was also a person that had never taken care of someone else before. And so, she wasn't aware that she had moderate her strength. Ji Man ended up coughing for a long time to clear her throat. With her eyes half-opened and her head somewhat foggy, she asked, "Who saved me?"
Ning Errong looked at her with a solemn expression. "My older brother saved you. Sangyu, what happened last night? Why did you fall into the river? If it wasn't for my older brother, you would have definitely lost your life!"
Ji Man did her best to recollect last night's memories. She had gone outside for fresh air because she was having trouble falling asleep. Then, she had seen the crown prince on the other side. After that, she had been forced to jump into the river by those two shadowy figures.
The crown prince? Her body tensed. Ji Man suddenly remembered the lingering peaceful lute music played by the crown prince. Even though she had shouted, no one had woken up on either of the two boats. Last night had felt like a nightmare. Fortunately, she woke up and was still alive.
Who wanted to harm her? Ji Man couldn't figure it out. If it was the crown prince, wasn't he afraid that by allowing her to live, she would tell Marquis Moyu what he had done and cause hostility between them?
Someone lightly knocked on the door and she heard Jinse's voice from outside, "Madam, you weren't in your room. The marquis is looking for you."
Ji Man returned to her senses. Her entire body still felt weak and her forehead was slightly feverish. Her complexion probably looked deathly pale. She looked at Ning Errong. Ning Errong gave her a reassuring look, then she turned around and opened the door.
"Sangyu got sick. She came over here to sleep last night and ended up catching a cold." Ning Errong expressionlessly looked at Jinse, who was still standing outside. "Why is my cousin looking for her so early in the morning? Isn't it enough that you're serving him?"
Jinse felt somewhat embarrassed. She glanced inside the room, then left after bowing.
In a bad mood, Errong rolled her eyes, closed the doors, and returned to the bedside. As she stretched her hand out to pick up the bowl of medicine, she said, "It's strange. Everyone was deeply asleep last night. I called Baizi several times, but I couldn't wake her up, so my older brother personally prepared this medicine. Here, you should drink this. It'll help with your cold."
---
There were no traces left in the rooms. Everyone didn't wake up until noon, but no one felt there was anything strange about last night.
---
Shortly after, Marqus Moyu came to Ning Errong's room. Seeing Nie Sangyu's sickly face, he lightly said, "You should properly rest."
Ji Man looked at his eyes and asked, "My lord, did you hear anything strange last night?"
Ning Yuxuan quietly looked at her. His eyes were as deep as the river. "I didn't. I slept very well."
Ji Man nodded. Seeing Marquis Moyu turning around and leaving, she finally figured things out.
The most likely probability was that the crown prince had wanted to silently get rid of her and hadn't thought of the possibility that he might fail. However, even if she guessed that the crown prince was behind this, she didn't have any evidence that would prove he was guilty. She was a member of Nie Clan and Marquis Moyu didn't wholeheartedly believe her. And so, there was no use in telling Ning Yuxan what happened last night.
It seemed that it would be quite difficult if she wanted to continue living. Ji Man let out a wry laugh. After drinking the bowl of medicine, she peacefully lied down and went to sleep
---
Other than Nie Qingyun, Ning Mingjie didn't tell anyone else about the matter of Nie Sangyu falling into the water.
There was no one on this boat that would have a reason to dislike Nie Sangyu. Her magnanimous and proper conduct during this entire journey had completely shattered people's previous impression of her. In addition, she hadn't complained about anything. When there was hard work to do, she was willing to do it. And so, everyone's impression of her had significantly improved.
However, Ning Mingjie felt there was only two people that truly wished her well: Errong and Nie Qingyun.
As for Ning Yuxuan, he felt it was already surprising that his cousin hadn't gotten rid of her.
When Nie Qingyun found out about this matter, he was silent for a while. His following action was to go look for Marquis Moyu.
Ning Mingjie hastily stopped by saying, "Talking to him won't be helpful."
With a faint smile as he held up a broken piece of jade, he said, "Someone had secretly burned sleeping incense in everyone's room last night. But, someone had also placed the antidote in my room and Nie Sangyu's room. I truly admire that person's careful efforts, but I don't know who that person was. Although that person had casually used jade to strike my door, this one had only found this one piece."
For a person to throw jade at a door, the person was probably in a rush and also wasn't concerned about money. Nie Qingyun took the jade from Ning Mingjie's hand. It was an ordinary piece of jade. And, since it was shattered, he couldn't tell the original decorative design. Everyone on this boat was from rich families and would be able to afford breaking a piece of jade.
Nie Qingyun frowned while thinking. "Could it have been Yuxuan?"
Ning Mingjie paused. As he stroked the jade, he said, "It probably wasn't him. If it was him, why would he act so superfluously?"
That was true. If Ning Yuxuan knew that someone wanted to harm Sangyu, he could just directly save her. Why would he leave it someone else? Nie Qingyun shook his head and sighed. Sangyu had suffered so badly and couldn't let the marquis settle this injustice for her. She must be feeling so badly right now. He should hurry and go see her.
Errong watched over Sangyu while she slept. Today, they would disembark in Qin Province during lunchtime. Marquis Moyu hadn't sent anyone to call Sangyu over and had only ordered Gancao and Dengxin to deliver food.
Gancao rubbed her head as she placed the dishes down on the table. She quietly mumbled, "Did I have a nightmare last night? I had a huge bump on my head when I woke up."
Because Nie Sangyu was sick, Dengxin originally had an anxious expression. But, hearing these words, she couldn't resist turning around and laughing. "You were definitely sleepwalking. Otherwise, how could you have ended up in our master's bed?"
Gancao hurriedly waved her hands. Looking at the nearby Ning Errong, she whispered, "Young Miss, please don't tell my master about this. This servant was deeply asleep last night and shouldn't have sleepwalked, ah. But, when this servant woke up today, this servant was in my master's bed and my master had gone to your room."
Ning Errong tilted her head and doubtfully looked at Gancao. However, since Sangyu trusted these two people, she only said, "It's fine. Perhaps, it really was just sleepwalking.
Gancao relaxed. Although her master was generous and probably wouldn't get mad at her, it would be bad if someone else found out. After all, it was very improper for a servant girl to sleep in her master's bed.
---
The emperor had lunch with his relatives and important officials at a building that was facing the water.
The crown prince was sitting at the same table as Marquis Moyu. Seeing that the spot next to Ning Yuxuan was empty, he asked with a smile, "Is Sangyu busy with something?"
"En. She went to Errong's room last night because she couldn't fall asleep and ended up catching a cold," Ning Yuxuan said with a serious expression. "Since she can't leave the boat to eat lunch, I already sent servant girls to bring her food."
"Catch a cold?" The crown prince slightly raised his eyebrow. "Is it serious?"
"I'm not sure. Her complexion didn't look good when I check on her this morning, but she still seems spirited." Marquis Moyu turned his head to look at Ning Mingjie. "Mingjie, your face doesn't look too good either. What were you doing last night? You were so noisy that I ended up waking up."
Ning Mingjie and Nie Qingyun's were inwardly startled. Marquis Moyu had also been awake last night? With him asking this question, what should Ning Mingjie say? That he got a slight cold because he had jumped into the river to save someone?
After a pause, before Ning Mingjie could speak, the crown prince also turned to look at Ning Mingjie and said, "Sir Ning, were you doing something last night?"
"It was nothing." Ning Mingjie lowered his eyes. Without his mask, his face looked utterly innocent. "I was just walking around because I couldn't fall asleep. Yuxuan, was I too loud?"
"It wasn't that bad." Ning Yuxuan lightly smiled.
The table was suddenly silent. These men were all occupied by different thoughts and intentions.
Zhao Zhe was surprised to realize that he wasn't that angry. Instead, he felt conflicted. Since Nie Sangyu was still alive, he would have to attack her again.
Based on this recent conversation, Ning Mingjie was definitely the person that saved Nie Sangyu. The crown prince observed him again. Without his mask, Ning Mingjie looked valiant and handsome. He was completely suitable to the elegant magnificence that scholars were seeking to emulate. In addition, he was very talented and his conduct was within the acceptable bounds of etiquette. He had also done meritorious service by protecting the third prince. Zhao Zhe reckoned that he would be able to rise up in ranking after they returned to the capital.
Unfortunately, Ning Mingjie had found that he wanted to harm Nie Sangyu. And so, he had lost his chance to pull Ning Mingjie to his side. His only option now was to cup his hands and give him to the third prince.
The crown prince sighed, then he cast a glance at Marquis Moyu. This person didn't seem the slightest bit concerned about Nie Sangyu. He didn't even ask her if she had fallen into water or just happened to have caught a cold. He was truly heartless.
And yet, he liked that Ning Yuxuan was heartless towards Nie Sangyu.
After quietly smiling, Zhao Zhe lowered his head and went back to eating.
--
After lunch, the third prince and Noble Consort Nie wanted to go visit Sangyu. Nie Qingyun would naturally go with them.
However, seeing that several other people were also going there, Ning Yuxuan said, "That room isn't big. Since all of you are going, then I won't be coming along to join in the fuss. There are a few fun spots in Qin Province. I'll take Jinse with me to walk around for sightseeing."
Noble Consort Nie's gaze was filled with sorrow and grievance, but Marquis Moyu pretended to not see. He pulled Jinse along with him as he walked away.
---
Ji Man had been serenely sleeping when someone shook her awake.
Ning Errong hurriedly said, "Several people have come here to see you. Sangyu, wake up."
A patient needed to rest. This group of visitors was only disturbing her peaceful rest. Ji Man painfully sat up, placed a soft pillow behind her her back, and had Errong bring some congee to warm up her throat. At the very least, she didn't want to sound like a person that was about to die when she spoke.
Because a cold was a contagious sickness, Noble Consort Nie was sitting far away even though she had come here to see Nie Sangyu. With a bed curtain separating then, she asked, "You were perfectly fine yesterday. How did you get sick?"
Ji Man dryly smiled. "Aunty, don't worry. It's just a slight cold. I'll be fine after resting."
The third prince sighed. "Older brother is truly unreasonable to give Yuxuan a woman at this time. Men are all greedy for new things. Right now, Yuxuan took that person with him as he went out. He's not showing any concern towards you."