Chapter 1014: Chapter 852, Coma
The Nanyu Enclosure, as an Imperial hunting ground, is in an excellent geographical location with a diverse array of wildlife and vast terrain, making it highly suitable for large-scale hunting activities.
September is a ti when the weather is cool and crisp, and most of the ladies that followed were in the mood for an autumn outing, chatting and laughing along the way.
After traveling for most of the day, it was near evening when the entourage finally reached their destination and began setting up the encampnt.
Daohua was quite pleased with the tent they set up; just as she and Wang Manman and the others were getting things in order, Xiao Yeyang strode in.
“How co you’re back so soon? Is everything okay with Imperial Uncle?”
After drinking a cup of tea, Xiao Yeyang looked at Daohua and said, “During our ti in the enclosure, no matter where you go, you must take i Lan and i Ju with you.”
Seeing his serious expression, Daohua nodded earnestly, “Don’t worry about , I’ll take good care of myself.”
Xiao Yeyang pulled Daohua down to sit, “Duke Cheng’en is here too, and this ti, he’s in charge of the troops for the hunting expedition. Among them, two forces are led by mbers of the Jiang Family’s faction.”
Daohua imdiately understood the underlying aning in Xiao Yeyang’s words, her eyes wide with shock, “Is the Jiang Family so bold?”
Xiao Yeyang sneered, “I told you, this is a hunting ground; accidents are inevitable.” He continued, instructing her once again, “I might be quite busy during this ti, so try not to go to isolated places.”
Daohua nodded quickly.
After resting for the night, the next morning, the Emperor himself mounted his horse, leading the officials deep into the enclosure to hunt.
This ti, the Emperor brought several Imperial Consorts. Because of Xiao Yeyang’s warning, even though Daohua found it very boring to sit amongst the ladies, she did not wander off and stayed with the group of won the whole ti.
Close to noon, the Emperor returned first with a group of people, each man’s horse laden with a good amount of ga.
It wasn’t long before the rest of the people also returned one after another.
Seeing everyone’s bountiful ga, the Emperor was very pleased, “Today is the Double Ninth Festival, and although we aren’t at ho, we can’t neglect the occasion. Let’s prepare the ga and roast it all; let’s have a good celebration.”
Once the Emperor spoke, everyone imdiately got busy.
The first day of the autumn hunt passed peacefully, and everyone was very happy.
The hunting continued on the second day, and the Emperor added a competitive elent: the top three with the most ga would receive personal rewards from him.
With this, all the n who had co along were excited, the young and strong lads brimming with confidence in their mounted archery, eager to show off their skills in front of the Emperor.
As the n went out to hunt, the won sat in front of the tents chatting about dostic matters.
Just as Daohua was thinking of finding Princess Huijia, she saw the consorts of the third and second Princes coming her way.
“Sister-in-law, the second sister-in-law and I want to ride and have so fun. Co with us.”
The third Prince’s consort walked over, enthusiastically linking arms with Daohua.
Daohua smiled at the third Prince’s consort and had to use so effort to pull her arm free, “I’m sorry, second Prince’s consort, third Prince’s consort, I’m not feeling well these days and cannot ride a horse, please find soone else to accompany you.”
The third Prince’s consort imdiately asked with a laugh, “Sister-in-law, you look quite flushed and healthy, hardly like soone who’s unwell. Are you just reluctant to join and the second sister-in-law?”
Daohua’s smile remained unchanged, “Third Prince’s consort, since you pretend not to understand subtlety, I have to be blunt. I really don’t want to ride with you.”
The third Prince’s consort’s face stiffened, looking at Daohua in astonishnt.
Daohua continued to smile and said, “Whether soone is sincere or not is usually quite discernible; avoiding a clear statent is for the sake of preserving dignity on both sides. But if you insist on bringing it out into the open, it becos awkward.”
After saying that, she nodded to the equally stunned second Prince’s consort, then headed towards Princess Huijia.
Since Kang Naixin had already been betrothed, she did not co this ti, leaving only two daughters-in-law with Princess Huijia.
Daohua smiled and greeted Princess Huijia, then nodded and exchanged hellos with her two daughters-in-law.
Princess Huijia glanced at the second and third Prince’s consorts, “What did they want from you?”
Daohua replied with a smile, “They invited to go horseback riding, but I declined.”
Princess Huijia nodded, “That’s right. After all, this is an enclosure; there are even tigers and bears. Without Yeyang accompanying you, it’s best not to wander off.”
Daohua said, “Princess, you’re right; that’s what I was thinking.” With a smile, she looked at the other won around and added, “Naixin isn’t here; Shi Rong also didn’t co because of that.”
Princess Huijia laughed, “You may not know, Shi Rong has also been betrothed; Madam Wu is keeping her close to work on her bridal garnts.”
Daohua’s face showed surprise, “Who is she engaged to?”
Princess Huijia smiled, “Soone you know, the legitimate eldest grandson of the old Duke of Yong.”
Daohua exclaid, “Xiao Yexuan?”
Princess Huijia confird with a nod, “Exactly, it’s him.” She had initially wanted her daughter to marry Xiao Yexuan, but her daughter fancied Wu Dingbo instead and even facilitated the match between Shi Rong and Xiao Yexuan.
The day passed without incident, except for a minor friction during the tally of the ga.
The next two days also went by without any incidents. However, on the sixth day of the autumn hunt, an accident occurred.
Soone was attacked by a tiger.
Encountering tigers in the hunting grounds was not unusual; aside from the family that suffered the tiger’s attack, no one else was particularly worried.
Upon learning of the tiger’s appearance, the Emperor was even more eager to go tiger hunting the next morning.
Princess Huijia told Daohua that during past autumn hunts, the Emperor had not only hunted tigers but also bears and leopards.
“The Emperor’s horsemanship and archery are extrely superior.”
Daohua listened absentmindedly to Princess Huijia as she recounted the Emperor’s heroic deeds from previous hunts, while her thoughts drifted afar.
In the morning when they left, she had noticed Xiao Yeyang’s grave expression, and her third brother also looked unrelaxed when he ca to find Xiao Yeyang.
Sothing might happen today!
As Daohua suspected, by noon, while everyone else had gradually returned, the group that had gone out hunting with the Emperor had not.
By the afternoon, with no sign of the Emperor’s return, people began to grow restless.
At that mont, Duke Cheng’en, who had been largely out of sight, appeared before everyone, taking an undeniable leadership role in directing people to search for the Emperor.
As evening approached, the Emperor returned.
Daohua was shocked to see Xiao Yeyang, drenched in blood, carrying the unconscious Emperor into the Dragon Tent, and she hurriedly followed, but was stopped by the Imperial Guards as she reached the entrance.
Seeing the Crown Prince and others also barred outside, Daohua had no choice but to forcefully suppress her urgency.
“What exactly happened? How did Father sustain an injury?”
The Crown Prince angrily demanded answers from an accompanying official.
The official’s face was pale as he trembled, “We first encountered a tiger, and after hunting it down with everyone, the Emperor had barely caught his breath when a pack of over thirty wolves surrounded us…”
The Crown Prince’s eyes widened, “More than thirty wolves? How can there be so many wolves gathered together in the hunting grounds?”
The official shook his head, “I truly do not know, Your Highness.”
The Third Prince inserted himself urgently into the conversation, “How badly is Father injured?”
The official’s face turned even paler, “While dodging the wolves’ attack, the Emperor accidentally fell to the ground, hitting his head against a rock, bleeding profusely from the back of his skull.”
The Crown Prince, extrely anxious, attempted to rush into the tent.
Yet the Imperial Guards still did not let them enter.
As the Crown Prince and the others angrily rebuked the guards, Xiao Yeyang ca out.
“Xiao Yeyang, how is Father now?”
Xiao Yeyang furrowed his brow as he looked at the Crown Prince and the others, “The Imperial Physician is treating the Emperor, Uncle. Crown Prince, what are you trying to achieve by leading a commotion here?”
The Crown Prince’s expression paused, “I am just worried about my father’s safety.”
Xiao Yeyang scanned the officials who were eagerly looking at the Dragon Tent, “The Emperor is fine; everyone please disperse, so as not to disturb the Emperor’s rest.”
Hearing this, the officials exchanged glances and took quite a while before reluctantly dispersing.
As soon as the officials left, the Crown Prince abruptly grabbed Xiao Yeyang, “Xiao Yeyang, tell the truth, how is Father really injured?”
Xiao Yeyang gauged the expressions of the Crown Prince and the others, his gaze pausing on the Third Prince, “The Emperor is fine, I have so injuries and need to go bandage them.”
With that, he turned towards Daohua.
Daohua quickly helped Xiao Yeyang back to their tent.
Once inside the tent, Daohua swiftly began to examine Xiao Yeyang’s wounds.
“Don’t worry, they are all superficial wounds.”
After checking all the wounds and finding none life-threatening, Daohua’s heart finally returned to her stomach, “You scared to death.”
Xiao Yeyang: “Though I am not seriously injured, you still need to appear gravely concerned in front of others.”
Daohua looked at Xiao Yeyang and nodded, “The Emperor…”
Xiao Yeyang gave an almost imperceptible nod, then said no more.
Seeing this, Daohua didn’t ask further and took out the dical kit to start treating Xiao Yeyang’s wounds.
At the Dragon Tent, the Imperial Physicians who had co along busied themselves until late at night, finally erging with heavy faces.
The Crown Prince and the others eagerly inquired about the Emperor’s condition.
The few Imperial Physicians all indicated the Emperor was out of danger, yet their eyes flickered as they said it.
Seeing this, the hearts of the Crown Prince and the others sank. Only the Third Prince silently breathed a huge sigh of relief.
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