Having tidied everything up, Auntie Tang finished her breakfast and headed out to Prince Pu’s Mansion.
Prince Pu’s Mansion.
Auntie Tang, accompanied by her personal maid, walked straight in. She searched around the mansion but couldn’t find Prince Pu or Princess Consort Pu. Typically at this hour, the Princess Consort would either be enjoying the flowers in the garden or basking in the sun.
Yet today, there was no sign of her. Feeling puzzled, Auntie Tang asked the servants in the mansion, "Where have the Prince and Princess Consort gone?"
Upon hearing her question, the servants lowered their heads and began stuttering, "Well... um... that..."
It was evident they wanted to speak but didn’t dare, their eyes shifting constantly.
Auntie Tang grew anxious at once and pressed further, "Has sothing happened in the mansion?"
Several maids kept their heads down and remained silent.
"Oh, co on, you’re driving crazy here! At least say sothing! What happened to Father and Mother?"
"The Princess Consort and Prince are fine, but the Young Master...!"
"What’s happened to Jinghao?" Auntie Tang beca extrely worried as soon as she heard sothing had happened to her younger brother. Their parents only had one precious son, cherished as if made of gold and jade, doted on as the apple of their eye. If anything were to happen to him, it would be a devastating blow to them.
"Miss, you’d better go see for yourself. We servants really shouldn’t say anything," one maid mustered up the courage to reply.
"What exactly is going on? Why all the secrecy?"
With her maid trailing behind, Auntie Tang, full of doubt, headed toward Tang Jinghao’s courtyard.
As she approached, she noticed a large gathering of servants outside the courtyard gate—these were the servants close to Prince Pu and Princess Consort Pu.
Auntie Tang walked over and raised her voice, "What are you all doing here?"
The servants turned their heads and, upon seeing Auntie Tang, quickly bowed in greeting, "Miss, may fortunes prosper you."
"Hmm!"
Auntie Tang nodded instinctively. "Why are you all standing at the gate? Where are the Prince and Princess Consort?"
"Miss, the Prince and Princess Consort are inside."
"Did sothing happen to the Eldest Young Master?"
"M-Miss, you... you should go inside and see for yourself."
The servants stamred, clearly hesitant to reveal anything.
Seeing this, Auntie Tang didn’t waste any more words. She hurried inside, her heart pounding with urgency. Why were the servants acting so strange today? Could her brother have truly t with misfortune?
Just as she entered the courtyard, she heard the anguished wails of Princess Consort Pu, "Haohao! Who dared to beat you like this? That heartless wretch brought such misery upon our beloved son—Prince, you must avenge our son!"
Tang Jinghao was lying on the bed, his body entirely wrapped in cloth, resembling a mummy, with only his mouth exposed. He groaned in pain, "Ah... Ah..."
Princess Consort Pu sat by the bedside, looking as though she wanted to touch him but didn’t dare to. Her expression scread of her heartbreak and anguish.
Prince Pu sat on a stool nearby, his face stern and solemn.
Last night, Tang Jinghao had been carried back by several servants, severely injured, his clothes tattered and almost unconscious.
The sight had frightened the couple nearly to death.
Tang Jinghao was their only son—nothing could happen to him.
The entire Prince Pu’s Mansion was thrown into chaos as they swiftly called the doctor, bandaged his wounds, brewed dicinal decoctions, and scrambled to save him—it was utter mayhem.
After much effort, the doctor finally managed to pull Tang Jinghao back from the brink of death.
The doctor said before departing that they were fortunate to have acted quickly. Any delay, and his life would’ve been lost, leaving the couple drenched in cold sweat.
But who could be so cruel as to beat their son into such a state?
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