Real Empress from a Noble Family

Chapter 196 Turmoil!

What Qiu Yelan didn’t know was that at this moment, Qiu Jinglan was also nervous with worry in Green Villa!

Regardless of the wound that had just split open again during the earthquake, he used his blood-stained hand to hand an inconspicuous but close-fitting porcelain bottle to Qiu Feng, “Go and find my sister and bring her back! If she is injured, feed this to her! Hurry up!”

Qiu Feng’s head and body were covered with dust and his wrist was wrapped by a handkerchief because he got injured when he saved a servant. He took the porcelain bottle without saying anything, turned around, and then left, disappearing from the sight of the people of Green Villa after a few steps!

Ling Zui was surprised, who was getting a breathing space aside, “Didn’t you say that you’ve lied to him for several years, so he must want something from you since he came to you this time? Why doesn’t he take the opportunity to set some conditions? Are people in Jianghu so stupid?”

Ling Zui was here at this moment for some reason. When he was wandering around in Mount Dizi two days ago, he saw an eye-catching lady galloping alone on a horse, so he chased up to molest her. While at last, he got a bruised nose and a swollen face as the beautiful girl hit him, and she said that she would hit him whenever she saw him. The bruise had not gone away to this day, and he was afraid that someone would ask him about it on the banquet, so he found an excuse to refuse it.

While the other people in the Mansion of Princess Royal Maode all went to the Summer Palace, he felt bored, so he came for Jinglan. It was really a good thing that he was with him. When the earthquake happened before, Qiu Feng was not with Qiu Jinglan, but he was talking to Qiu Jinglan at that time. When he found something was wrong, he quickly carried Qiu Jinglan out of the house!

Although the house where Qiu Jinglan was hadn’t collapsed, the furnishings in the house had fallen down, and it could be devastating if those fell on him.

“He is not an ordinary person in Jianghu.” Qiu Jinglan looked at Qiu Feng’s departure direction with a complicated look and said lightly, “He is a knight-errant.”

Ling Zui looked disapproving, “Will you be merciful just because he is a knight-errant? I bet that since he missed this opportunity to force you to make a promise, after Yelan is rescued, you will bargain with him when he wants to make a requirement!”

“You are right!” Qiu Jinglan said calmly, “Because I am not a knight-errant!”

Seeing that Ling Zui was at a loss, he explained, “Qiu Feng wanted to kill me before, but I was feeding my sister with medicine at that moment, and it was raining outside. He would rather wait for me out in the yard instead of rushing into the house or slashing the window to force me out. The reason was just that the person he wanted to kill was me, and my sister was in poor health at the time and she could not be exposed to wind. How could such a person make terms with me when I beg him to rescue someone? Even if I hadn’t begged him, he would never sit back and watch as long as he sees her!”

His eyes wandered over a servant who was sweeping the land. The servant was almost killed by the fallen rockery just now. At the crucial moment, Qiu Feng jumped out to rescue him, and his wrist was injured by the rock.

Ling Zui said thoughtfully, “He is a good person. No wonder he has been deceived by you for a few years. He knew that you cherished Yelan so much, but he didn’t take her hostage to threaten you. How stupid!”

Qiu Jinglan smiled lightly, “He is different from us.”

“But I have a question.” Ling Zui suddenly said with a solemn expression, “He is good at martial arts, he is kind, he can be trusted, and you gave him a life-saving elixir. Ordinarily, he is the best bet to save Yelan, but are you sure he will only save your sister in the whole way?”

Qiu Jinglan paused, and his face suddenly changed, “You are right. I really lost my mind! I remember his credibility, but forget his temperament! You guys go out and find Your Grace!”

Dongran, who was taking care of Ruan Ciyi who was stunned during the earthquake, came over in surprise and asked, “Young master, didn’t Master Qiu leave for there? Our villa is so close to the Summer Palace, so it’s enough for him to go alone. If we send too many people to the Summer Palace, it will bring us big trouble after it is known by others. Only Master Qiu is not one of us, and he is so good at martial arts.”

“You have forgotten Qiu Feng’s temperament either?” Qiu Jinglan interrupted in a cold voice, “You think that I ask him to save my sister, so he will only save my sister? Since he has left, ignoring those with flesh wounds, believe it or not, he would definitely stop and help those who are seriously injured or trapped. Maybe he will feed the elixir to someone that is dying as long as he sees that!”

Speaking of this, he lashed out angrily no matter how shrewd he was. “Just say that I cared about the safety of the Empress Dowager, His Majesty, the Empress, other nobles and my teacher, so as soon as the earth movement stopped, I took the liberty to send people there to help.”

“But what if the Empress Dowager sends someone to assassinate you again after they leave?” Dongran said anxiously.

“Life and death are fateful. The earthquake happened so suddenly, so I am afraid that the Empress Dowager is busy with her own work now!” Qiu Jinglan said sternly, “If something happened to my sister, how could I explain to my parents after I die!”

Dongran dared not answer.

Ling Zui stood up suddenly, “Send some people there. The palace must be busy saving people now, so it’s useless to send too many people there. I will take them in and say that I worry about the elders so I borrow some people from you! After all, my parents are also in the palace!”

At this time, the palace was in turmoil.

The emperor had a cowardly character and had never handled affairs. It was conceivable that he would not be able to maintain the dignity of the imperial throne after the earthquake happened.

The dignified emperor was in full view, holding his head and retracting under the throne. His dreary cries almost suppressed the screams of the womenfolk!

On the contrary, although Empress Jiang was also pale with fright out of the trembling hall, she still did not forget to command everyone to avoid the falling objects while helping each other to withdraw towards the square outside the hall!

The Empress even dragged the emperor out of the Hall!

At the end, when the people in the Hall withdrew to the square, the earthquake hadn’t stopped. This day, all the officials were there. The young and strong officials recovered from the Empress’s stern reprimand, struggling to maintain order and calm people.

In this way, when the earthquake ended, ignoring the broken objects, there were not many casualties.

When everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they looked at the emperor, who was still shrinking in the arms of Fair Concubine, who was younger than several princesses, for comfort, and then Empress Jiang, who was smashed by a palace ornament on her shoulders, still was commanding the rescue of the aftermath. Everybody, including Xue Chang, sighed silently!

Such an emperor was much inferior to the Empress.

However, Empress Jiang, who became greater in the hearts of the ministers after this incident, was not happy at all at this moment!

There were two reasons. First, her three most beloved juniors, Princess Yongfu, Jiang Yashuang, and Jiang Qizheng, were all absent!

Although Marquess Qin and Madame Tao were only slightly injured, the three juniors who were missing made the Empress on tenterhooks.

Second, Prince of Qi and Prince of Yan were both here, and their behavior… Prince of Qi was just like the emperor, holding the hands of his confidant in a frightened face, and his eyes were dull and trembling, while Prince of Yan was just like the Empress. At this moment, not only had he calmed down, but he was comforting his brothers and sisters one by one.

Empress Jiang ignored her injuries and directed all the people. On the one hand, she wanted to clean up the mess, and on the other hand, she hoped to attract everyone’s attention to herself, so that Prince of Qi’s futility would not be discovered!

“Damn it! Weixiong is so useless! It has been so long. My throat is almost hoarse, but he hasn’t awakened yet!” Empress Jiang cursed the futile eldest son, “As long as he returns to normal, talking to someone casually like Weize, I can cover up for him then!”

Before she stopped worrying about Prince of Qi, a bodyguard ran over with a frightened face, saying, “When Chunfu Princess was overlooking the sea of flowers on the cliff behind the palace, the earthquake happened and then she fell into the imperial moat. She is missing!”

“What!” Madame Tao Junior, who was using her veil to wipe the dirt off Madame Tao, turned pale with fright. She said without paying attention to the rules, “Then why don’t you go look for her!”

Empress Jiang’s face also turned sullen, “Although the imperial moat is connected to mountains and streams, the places where you enter and leave the Summer Palace have been blocked, and sometimes there are fences in the middle… Have you searched these places?”

“Your Majesty, that’s the problem.” The bodyguard said with sweat streaming down his back, “Those fences, because of the earthquake, either broke or floated away… I’ve led people to look for her along the stream, but I haven’t found her in the Summer Palace. It is possible that the princess was carried away from the Summer Palace by the current!”

“Why don’t you go out and look for her? Right now!” The Empress was so angry!

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The bodyguard kowtowed and hurried away!

Madame Tao walked to the Empress at this time, held her slightly-trembling hand, and said slowly in a calm voice, “Your shoulder is hurt. You can let the ministers handle the affairs. Please go to the sturdy side hall and apply some unguent on it.” She continued in a low voice, “Chunfu and Yongfu are blessed children. Don’t worry, it’s not that easy for our children to be at risk… Calm down! Go and apply some unguent first, and then we can think about it further!”

Empress Jiang could be sad when something happened to Jiang Qizheng, but she could still withstand her grief. As for Princess Yongfu… Empress Jiang, who was harmed by the Empress Dowager Gu in her early years, would hardly have a second child. So, she regarded her daughter, Princess Yongfu, as more important than her own life!

A mother could always understand her daughter. Madame Tao could tell at a glance that the Empress associated Jiang Qizheng’s event with her own daughter. The Empress, who was calm and could dispatch people just now, had a messed heart at this moment.

If Madame Tao did not cover up for her, Empress Jiang would not be able to maintain the demeanor that the regent Empress should have!

However, the terrified Madame Tao Junior found that although Madame Tao comforted the Empress calmly, her own eyes were full of anxiety. Princess Yongfu was her granddaughter, and Jiang Qizheng and Jiang Yashuang were raised by her from the cradle. At this moment, they were equally fearful and anxious.

Xue Chang had the same anxious look and sight.

He was getting older and was pulled out by the people around him when leaving the Hall. He was shaken severely when he went outside out of the earthquake, so he even didn’t have the energy to stand up at this moment. The old man who fell on the ground couldn’t help praying: “Ying’er, please be safe. God bless you!”

At this time, in the small valley near Summer Palace, Jiang Yashuang and Qiu Yelan counted their servants. After finding that apart from a few people who had twisted their feet, there were no more casualties. They did not breathe a sigh of relief while screened out all those who were intact and strong, “Follow us to save people!”

“Remember what you promised me!” Jiang Yashuang held Qiu Yelan’s hand with guilt and worry and urged in a deep voice. Their relatives were not in the same place, so they could not go together at this moment. Jiang Yashuang could not leave his grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister and other relatives to follow Qiu Yelan to save Qiu Jinglan; and Qiu Yelan was not in a mood to care about the relatives of her husband before confirming that her brother was well.

So, they could only break up here.

“Take care of yourself!” Qiu Yelan took a deep breath and held his hand, “Take care of yourself, too!” Although there was no one that had trouble with their legs in the Jiang Family, Marquess Qin and Madame Tao were so old. Jiang Yashuang had so many relatives there, and some of them were unavoidable to be unlucky…

Compared to him, Qiu Yelan only needed to worry about Qiu Jinglan and Ruan Ciyi. Jiang Yashuang felt more pressure than her at this moment.