Confrontation

  My body aches so much, it hurts to move, and I'm too lazy to even open my eyes. After waking up from a summer nap, my mind is still a bit dazed, thinking that I was lying in a big steamer, constantly shouting about the heat.

  Xiu Niang carried two bowls of white porridge and two plates of refreshing small dishes, pushing the door to come in. Hearing Xia Tian's vague murmurs, she hurriedly asked Miao Er, who was fanning beside her: "What's wrong with the princess?"

  The princess said it's hot. Meng'er, who was kneeling beside the bed, turned her head back, and a pair of big watery eyes on her small face were full of worry.

  "Don't fan anymore, the princess feels hot because of her high fever. Use a cool towel to wipe the princess's forehead." Xiūniáng put down the tray in her hand on the table and walked over to take a look at Summer. Suddenly, she didn't see Yuǎn Lóngqiāo in the room, so she asked again: "Has Your Highness gone back to rest?"

  "Your Highness has gone to the front hall, it seems someone from the General's mansion of Protecting the Country has arrived."

  Xiū Niáng's heart tightened, knowing that the sudden arrival of someone from the Hù Guó Jiàng Jūn Fǔ was not simple, otherwise the prince would not have gone to receive them personally.

  "Oh, right. The prince just instructed that the princess must eat something before taking her medicine when he left." Ming'er said while wetting a towel in the water basin.

  "Where's the medicine? Why hasn't Feng Lian returned yet?"

  "I don't know. She's been gone for a long time." Meng'er shook her head, turned around and walked to the bedside, gently wiping Xia Tian's forehead.

  She let out a gentle breath, and the coolness on her forehead restored some of her summer sanity. She slowly opened her eyes.

  "The princess is awake! She's awake!" Meng'er exclaimed with joy.

  The maid hurried back to the bedside and said softly: "Princess, get up and have some porridge."

  Summer nodded, and immediately a pair of gentle hands helped her up. Her whole body felt weak and leaned against Meng Er's body, she felt like a puddle of mud. Her stomach was empty, and there was no taste in her mouth at all.

  Xiū Niáng carefully fed a few spoonfuls of porridge to Xià Tiān, who drank a few mouthfuls. Suddenly, without warning, she let out a sigh: "The prince hasn't eaten anything either."

  She glanced at him and Summer didn't make a sound. Although she had no idea how she got back, she clearly remembered how she was locked in that dark shed.

  The door creaked open and Feng Lian's soulless body walked in with a tray of medicine.

  Xiu Niang's face sank: "How did you go for so long? Did you bring back the medicine?"

  "Yes! Ah! Miss, you've finally woken up!" Feng Liu rushed over in a few steps, her eyes instantly sparkling brightly.

  "Phoenix Orchid!" Xiūniáng's discontented voice was a soft rebuke once more.

  Feng Lian lowered her head, stealing a glance at her face. Turning around, she saw that Xia Tian was also looking at herself, and suddenly became excited, opening her mouth to speak, but the words reached her lips and were abruptly swallowed back, glancing at Xiu Niang beside her, ultimately saying nothing.

  After eating something in the summer, I felt much better.

  While Xiuniang got up to put away the bowls and plates, Fengli hurried over with the medicine bowl and whispered mysteriously: "Miss, the young master has arrived. He's here to take you back to the mansion."

  Big brother is here! Xia Tian's eyes suddenly felt hot, and she had an impulse to get up. She lifted her hand to push away the thin quilt covering her body.

  "Miss, you can't get up!"

  "Your Highness!"

  Feng Lian and Meng Er were frightened by her actions and exclaimed in unison, while Xiū Niáng also hurried back.

  Ignoring their obstruction, Xia Tian insisted on getting out of bed, but as soon as his foot touched the ground, he fell to the floor.

  Everyone was shocked and rushed to help her up.

  "Princess, why don't you take your medicine first before going out?" Glaring fiercely at Feng Liu, Xiū Niáng knew Xia Tian's stubbornness. Helpless, she could only find a cloak to put on her and simply tidy up her hair.

  Summer leaned on Feng Liu's body for a while, half-closing her eyes to resist the dizziness. She shook her head and didn't even bother to put on her shoes, she just wanted to go to the front hall with all her might. She was really afraid that if she relaxed this breath, she would never be able to stand up again.

  Zhou Song Shou stood outside the front hall of Mo Wang Ge, nervously gazing at the two tall and imposing figures standing opposite each other in the hall, one wearing blue and the other white.

  "Cough, cough!" Yuan Longqiao covered his mouth with one hand to hold back the cough, his face pale and weak, his voice slightly hoarse: "Xiaotian has caught a cold, I won't let you take her back to General's Manor now."

  His expression remained unchanged, but his heart was inexplicably tight. Xiaoyang stared into Yuan Longqiao's eyes and said unyieldingly, "I have come this time at the behest of my father to take Tian'er back to General Manor for a short stay. In a few days, it will be Tian'er's mother's death anniversary, and I believe Your Highness will not stop Tian'er from fulfilling her filial duties as a daughter."

  After a moment of contemplation: "I will accompany Xiao Tian back home and pay respects to his mother-in-law."

  "Your Highness has a good heart, but how can the Protector General's Mansion dare to be so presumptuous? Please, Your Highness, do not try to shirk or obstruct again."

  "I've already made it clear, cough, cough, Little Tian has caught a cold and needs to rest, how can she return to General's Manor with you at this moment?"

  Xia Yang's worries grew heavier, one was that Xia Tian really caught a cold, and the other was that Yuan Longqiao would hit her again and use it as an excuse. "Since that's the case, let me see Tian'er."

  "No need." Yuan Long refused without hesitation, "Although General Shao is Xiaotian's older brother, Xiaotian is resting now and it's not convenient for General Shao to see him."

  It was as if someone had stabbed him in the softest part of his belly, Xiaoyang's eyebrows twitched slightly, and his eyes burned with pain. "If Your Highness does not allow Xiaoyang to take Tian'er away today, then Xiaoyang will have no choice but to enter the palace to request an audience with the Emperor."

  "Cough! You dare threaten me?"

  The two of them were getting more and more awkward, with a strong smell of gunpowder in the air. Zhou Song was watching from outside, his heart racing with anxiety, almost unable to breathe evenly. He wanted to call for help, but since the prince hadn't given him any orders, he didn't dare take matters into his own hands. Just as he was getting anxious, he suddenly saw Xiuniang and Fengli supporting Xiatian as they walked over, "Your... Your Highness?" He involuntarily let out a loud shout, and was so startled that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

  The two men in the hall heard the sound and turned their heads at the same time, looked at each other for a moment, then rushed over together.