A quarter of an hour later.
The Emperor and others were watching a horse race, completely engrossed, when an anxious voice cried out, "This is bad! The Fifth Princess's horse has bolted! Someone, quickly, help!"
You Rong's heart leaped. He turned and saw Lin Qinghe dangling precariously on horseback, the animal running wild, smashing through the wooden fence and heading into the depths of the forest.
The Emperor's face turned ashen. "Someone! Go and save Qinghe, quickly..."
At the Emperor's command, the ongoing horse race was forgotten. More than ten soldiers immediately mounted their horses and galloped in the direction Lin Qinghe had gone.
You Rong was at the forefront.
He stared intently at Lin Qinghe, who was clinging to the runaway horse ahead, and squeezed his horse's flanks, trying to urge it faster to catch up.
But no matter how fast he rode, Lin Qinghe's horse ran like a mad beast, always keeping him at a distance.
On horseback, Lin Qinghe clutched the reins tightly. To onlookers, she appeared to be in grave danger, hanging precariously to the side. No one knew it was deliberate; she was waiting for an opportune moment to dismount.
With her superb equestrian skills honed in the real world, she was confident she could dismount safely.
However, to feign serious injury, she still needed to sustain a minor one. Otherwise, coughing up blood and fainting out of the blue would be too suspicious.
The horse bolted madly, its speed so great that Lin Qinghe could barely keep her eyes open. She didn't look back, knowing the soldiers behind couldn't possibly catch up immediately. Her sole focus was on how to best execute her jump.
Little did she know, not far behind her, You Rong was close on her heels.
The horse galloped into the dense forest. Not far ahead, a steep dirt slope loomed.
Lin Qinghe's eyes gleamed.
This was the perfect opportunity to dismount!
You Rong's face contorted with alarm. He shouted, "Your Highness! Jump off the horse quickly!"
If she didn't jump, the horse would tumble down the slope, and the consequences of it landing on her or her being trampled by its hooves were unimaginable!
Startled by You Rong's voice, Lin Qinghe glanced back and was surprised to see him galloping after her.
She inwardly cursed her miscalculation.
She had accounted for everything, but she hadn't expected You Rong to chase after her on horseback!
But it was too late to turn back. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and take the gamble. She seized the moment, released the reins, and leaped forward.
You Rong, timing it perfectly, leaped from his horse and lunged, catching Lin Qinghe. Together, they rolled down the dirt slope.
Clutched tightly by You Rong, Lin Qinghe felt a wave of dizziness. Afterward, she realized her arms and legs had collided with stones and branches. Amidst the chaos, she heard You Rong's muffled groan of pain.
Lin Qinghe's heart pounded with anxiety.
She prayed You Rong hadn't been seriously injured!
They crashed heavily into a large rock, finally stopping their descent. The medicinal pill made by Zihuan had taken effect, and Lin Qinghe felt a searing pain in her chest, so intense she could barely breathe.
You Rong, after a moment of disorientation, put aside his own back pain and immediately helped Lin Qinghe sit up. Looking at her deathly pale face, he anxiously asked, "Your Highness, are you alright? Are you injured? Where are you hurt?"
Lin Qinghe's consciousness began to fade, her eyelids so heavy she could barely keep them open. She managed to utter, "This Princess is fine... cough, cough..."
Before she could finish, Lin Qinghe coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood.
You Rong's pupils contracted, and terror flashed across his chiseled features. "Your Highness!"
Lin Qinghe wanted to say she was alright, but her strength had completely deserted her. Her vision went black, her body went limp, and she fainted into You Rong's arms.
You Rong's hands trembled slightly as he gently patted Lin Qinghe's cheek. "Your Highness, wake up... Your Highness! Please wake up..."
Lin Qinghe showed no reaction, her face alarmingly pale, her breathing so shallow it was barely perceptible.
You Rong gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand, and scooped up Lin Qinghe. Dragging his injured leg, he struggled to climb back up the slope. After a short while, he heard the sounds of horses from above and, panting, shouted, "Help! The Princess is injured! Quickly help us up!"
Soldiers descended the slope one after another, swiftly pulling Lin Qinghe and You Rong up.
You Rong, without even glancing at the bleeding wound on his left leg, mounted his horse with Lin Qinghe and galloped back.
"Giddy up! Giddy up!"
You Rong squeezed his horse's flanks, urging it to go even faster!
Faster!
He had to get the injured Lin Qinghe back to see the imperial physician quickly!
Upon returning to the racetrack, You Rong dismounted with Lin Qinghe in his arms. His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice hoarse as he cried out, "The Princess is injured! Quickly! The imperial physician... send for the imperial physician!"
The Emperor hurried over. Upon seeing the unconscious Lin Qinghe, his face changed dramatically, and he roared, "Imperial physician! Fetch the accompanying imperial physician immediately! Go and invite the imperial physician!"
Wang Wan stammered, "Yes... This servant will go and fetch the imperial physician, right away..."
The racetrack descended into chaos. The horse race was naturally abandoned. Qing Guifei glared resentfully at the unconscious Lin Qinghe.
"This wretched girl, always causing trouble at the most inconvenient times. It would be best if she just died like this!"
Lin Qinghe was carried into a room within the racetrack. Imperial Physician Zhang arrived in a flurry. Just as he was about to kneel and pay his respects, the Emperor roared, "What are you waiting for! Hurry and examine Qinghe for me, go now!"
Imperial Physician Zhang quickly replied, "...Yes, Your Majesty, this humble servant will examine the Princess immediately!"
Imperial Physician Zhang approached the bed and, after examining Lin Qinghe's eyes and taking her pulse, his expression grew grave.
The Emperor asked impatiently, "Imperial Physician Zhang, how is Qinghe? Is she badly hurt? Is it serious?"
Imperial Physician Zhang stammered, "Your Majesty, the Princess, she, she..."
The Emperor was beside himself with worry. "What happened to Qinghe? Speak up! Why are you hesitating!"
Imperial Physician Zhang fell to his knees with a thud, clasped his hands, and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, the Princess has injured her heart meridian and her internal organs are damaged. Her condition is critical, I fear... I fear..."
You Rong stared at the unconscious Lin Qinghe on the bed. Imperial Physician Zhang's words struck him like a thunderclap, his mind going completely blank.
For some reason, a pain began in his chest, slowly spreading to his limbs.
The Emperor swayed, nearly falling. Qing Guifei quickly supported him, asking with concern, "Your Majesty! Are you alright?"
The Emperor pushed away Qing Guifei's supporting hand, took a deep breath, and after a long pause, asked again, "You... what did you just say? Tell me again!"
Imperial Physician Zhang trembled slightly and repeated, "The Princess has injured her heart meridian, her internal organs are damaged. I fear, I fear... it is beyond my ability to save her!"
Imperial Physician Zhang lowered his head, afraid to look at the Emperor, lest his deception be discovered.
He had no choice. It was the Princess's command that her condition be reported as dire as possible, the more severe the better.