The next day, Jiang Ning rose early and went to the courtyard to practice with her whip.
She swung it with ease, finding it more and more effective, and couldn’t bear to put it down.
At that moment, a waiter from Qingxin Teahouse delivered a tea box.
Chunlan carried the tea box over; it was made of rosewood, looking very precious.
“Miss, Qingxin Teahouse has sent tea leaves.”
“Qingxin Teahouse?” Jiang Ning paused, set her whip aside, dabbed the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, and finally walked over.
Qingxin Teahouse sending something must surely mean the Fourth Prince has sent a message.
She walked over and opened the tea box. Inside were eight mandarin‑pu’er teas. She glanced once, lifted the top layer, and sure enough, beneath it was hollow—holding a letter.
The letter stated that the medicinal herbs were already prepared.
After reading, Jiang Ning held the letter to the candle and burned it completely.
“Chunlan, go tell Yu Er to prepare the carriage.”
“Yes.” Chunlan answered with a single word.
Jiang Ning boarded the carriage to Qingxin Teahouse, intending to move all the medicinal herbs to Grandpa Xue’s place. The herbs could not be taken to the Marquis’s residence; at Grandpa Xue’s, she could freely work on them without restraint.
Jiang Ning thought for a moment, lifted the curtain, and said, “Circle the streets twice first, then go to Qingxin Teahouse.”
Yu Er cast a doubtful glance, not knowing why the young lady wanted to make such an unnecessary move, but he said nothing more and gave his reply.
They only needed to follow whatever the young lady ordered.
Jiang Ning feared someone might be watching, so it was better to act cautiously.
Qingxin Teahouse had just sent a tea box to the Marquis’s residence, and now she herself was going to Qingxin Teahouse. If anyone were watching, they would surely guess the connection.
Yu Er drove the carriage around the outskirts, ensuring no one could keep close watch on it.
Jiang Ning thought to herself, it should be about time—she could now head to Qingxin Teahouse.
She was just about to lift a corner of the curtain to give instructions.
A carriage passed in front and suddenly stopped.
“Stop! Stop! The Crown Princess is bleeding… so much blood…” A frightened woman’s voice came from inside the carriage.
The carriage hurriedly stopped, not daring to move. If anything happened to the person inside, the servants’ lives would never be enough to pay for it.
“What should we do? Quickly, fetch a physician… the Crown Princess can’t hold on!” The maid inside was nearly crying, her voice full of urgency.
“But where is there a medical clinic nearby?”
The servants were flustered and utterly at a loss; none of them had ever imagined such a sudden mishap.
Jiang Ning was very close and heard the panicked voices—it seemed someone had met with an accident.
She stepped down from the carriage.
Yu Er hurried to stop her, saying, “Miss! Those people are either rich or noble—clearly from the palace. We cannot afford to provoke them…”
Yu Er knew Miss Jiang had medical skills. If she cured the patient, all would be well; but if something went wrong and she failed, it would bring great trouble, for palace nobles were unreasonable.
Jiang Ning furrowed her brows.
Indeed, they would surely send someone to the medical hall for a doctor; even without her help, someone would treat the patient.
Jiang Ning was just about to turn and sit back in the carriage.
From the front carriage, a maid rushed down in panic, her hands covered in blood, her skirt stained with spots of it. “Quick! Fetch a physician! The Crown Princess is in trouble!”
Jiang Ning saw the blood, and her pupils contracted.
At this moment, she could not care about anything else and quickly walked over.
“Let me examine her—I’m a physician.”
“You…”
The maid was startled, then frowned. The woman before her looked nothing like a physician, but rather like a delicate young lady. Could she really be a physician?
A muffled groan came from inside the carriage; the person within was enduring great pain.
“It’s no good… if this continues, the Crown Princess will miscarry…” the maid inside the carriage cried.
The maid’s face was pale.
Jiang Ning frowned, then with qinggong skill she leapt onto the carriage and swiftly lifted the curtain.
A wave of blood scent rushed toward her.
Inside the carriage, the maid was taken aback. “You… who are you!”
Jiang Ning’s gaze fell on the woman seated in the middle. Her face was deathly pale, drenched in cold sweat, and her lips were ghost‑white, drained of all color.
She clutched her belly tightly, her skirt stained with fresh blood, a shocking sight.
Jiang Ning seized her wrist and took her pulse.
At the same time she said, “I am a physician.”
“Physician…?” The maid couldn’t believe it. Was this woman who suddenly barged into the carriage really a physician?
Jiang Ning furrowed her brows, her expression grave. The woman’s condition was poor—signs of an unstable pregnancy, with indications of miscarriage. But it wasn’t too late; the child could still be saved.
She immediately shouted outside, “Bring me the medicine chest from my carriage!”
Everyone was stunned, motionless.
Jiang Ning barked coldly, “Why aren’t you moving? Do you want her to die?”
Only then did the maid outside come to her senses and hurried to fetch the medicine box from the carriage.
Yu Er slapped his forehead and sighed. Miss is stirring up trouble again… No matter how good they are, she just has to meddle in their business. Sigh.
Jiang Ning opened the medicine chest, took out a pill, and had the woman take it.
Then she took out a ginseng slice and had the woman hold it in her mouth.
The onlookers were dumbfounded, unable to stop her—Jiang Ning moved far too quickly.
A life was at stake—every breath counted. If she was even a step too late, the fetus would be lost. Naturally, Jiang Ning was anxious and had no time to explain what the pill did.
She opened the silver needle pouch and began administering acupuncture to the woman.
After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the woman’s face gradually regained some color, and her breathing steadied.
“Crown Princess!” the maid cried out in haste.
The woman weakly opened her eyes and said, “My stomach doesn’t hurt anymore…”
“My child! My child…” The woman clutched Jiang Ning’s hand tightly, her face tense with fear. She was terrified the baby was gone—for her, the child in her womb mattered more than her own life.
Jiang Ning patted the woman’s hand and said, “The child is safe.”
Only then did the woman feel at ease. Tears slid down her cheeks—she had thought the child was lost. Thankfully, thankfully, it was all right.
“Thank you… thank you for saving me…”
Jiang Ning nodded, carefully putting away each silver needle. “Your body is still very weak, and the pregnancy remains unstable. You need proper care—go to a nearby clinic first.”
As she spoke, her gaze lowered.
So the person she saved was the Crown Princess.
The woman before her—was the Crown Princess.
What a twist of fate—though the Crown Prince and Jiang Mengyue were her enemies, she had saved the Crown Princess’s life.
Jiang Ning packed up the medicine box and was about to leave.
The Crown Princess asked weakly, “Miss, may I ask where you live? Once I’ve recovered, I’ll come thank you in person.”
“I only saved you in passing—no need to thank me.”
“How can that be…” The Crown Princess tried to grab Jiang Ning, but her body was too weak to move.
The maid hurriedly supported the Crown Princess. “Your Highness, you must take care of your health… You really mustn’t sneak out again. What if something happened? Sigh… why did you go to a place like Huaya Courtyard?”
Huaya Courtyard?
Jiang Ning’s ear twitched.
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