Yuwen Hao didn't come back, but Tangyang came back.
Tangyang was wearing tattered clothes and looked disheveled when he came in, "Consort Yuan, I've settled all your benefactors in another courtyard, but one of them insisted on following me, so I had no choice but to bring it back."
Yuan Qingling curiously looked out to see who insisted on following him.
Then she saw Xu Yi leading a black dog with a short tail and erect ears in. It was the dog that had enabled Yuan Qingling to escape. Now it was squatting on the ground with its short ears pricked up, mouth open, tongue sticking out and looking at her.
Its whole body was very dirty, injured, and its fur was stained with blood. Whip marks covered its whole body, each whip had cut into its flesh, some places the skin and fur were gone, exposing the bloody flesh, looking creepy.
But now as it squatted on the ground, its past ferocity and fierceness were gone. Its eyes were very round as it stared at Yuan Qingling.
Yuan Qingling quickly walked over, only its head was intact, she reached out and stroked it, "Good boy."
"Woof Woof Woof!" The black dog barked at her, wagging its tail, seeming to have tears in its eyes.
Tangyang walked over, Yuan Qingling turned around and said, "Prepare medicinal powder and hot water."
The dog was very obedient, allowing Yuan Qingling to disinfect and dress its wounds without making a sound as she washed its fur and treated its injuries.
Tangyang and Xu Yi had wanted to help, but Yuan Qingling chased them out.
After cleaning up, Yuan Qingling stroked its head, "From now on, you'll follow me. There's one called Fu Bao in the palace, I'll call you Duo Bao, okay?"
"Woof woof woof!" Duo Bao barked three times, as if agreeing.
Earlier when they met, Duo Bao had said she had harmed it badly, and all the dogs had been beaten badly.
Yuan Qingling could understand Duo Bao's words and felt very distressed about what had happened to the dogs.
She went out and told Tangyang to treat those dogs well. Tangyang said, "Of course, since they are all the consort's benefactors, I will definitely treat them well."
"Duo Bao will follow me from now on. I'll trouble Xu Yi to build a dog house for it, just outside the yard, make it spacious."
"Should I find a female dog for it?" Xu Yi asked blankly, why was the consort so close with this dog?
"No need." Yuan Qingling glanced at him, then looked at Tangyang, "General Tang, what happened to you? Go wash up and change your clothes."
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Consort Yuan." The two then left.
Duo Bao obediently lay at Yuan Qingling's feet. Dogs are spiritual creatures, it knew it had found a good master, so although covered in injuries, it still held its head high.
Yuwen Hao would only be back tomorrow. Lv Ya informed Yuan Qingling when he returned to the manor. Yuan Qingling had tossed and turned the whole night without sleep. Hearing he was back, she hurriedly rushed out.
Seeing her with her clothes not properly worn, Yuwen Hao's face darkened, "Why did you just run out like this?"
Only then did Yuan Qingling see that Yuwen Hao hadn't returned alone. There was also Mu Ru Eunuch and two others she didn't recognize who looked like cooks.
She quickly lowered her eyelashes looking distressed, "My lord wasn't here last night, I was afraid."
Matching the image of a victim.
Mu Ru Eunuch felt very sympathetic, "The consort has just returned from calamity, it's normal for her to be afraid. My lord, don't rebuke her."
"Thank you, Mu Ru Eunuch." Yuan Qingling said with tears in her eyes.
Mu Ru smilingly said, "Hearing of the consort's injury, His Majesty specially ordered two imperial chefs to come and personally cook for the consort to aid her recovery. Consort Yuan, just tell them what you want to eat."
"Please convey my thanks to Father Emperor!" Yuan Qingling said, feeling honored.
"We're here on orders to see Consort Yuan. How are your injuries, Consort Yuan?"
A summoned imperial doctor quickly came out, "Eunuch Mu, the consort's injuries were actually very serious, with head injuries and excessive bleeding. She shouldn't be getting out of bed, but the fright has made it hard for her to sleep. Hearing of the lord's return, she rushed out. Consort Yuan, do you feel dizzy from the rush?"
"Dizzy, very dizzy!" Yuan Qingling quickly leaned on Yuwen Hao, "Didn't feel it earlier, but very dizzy now that I've stopped."
"Someone come help the Consort back to her room." Yuwen Hao ordered.
Lv Ya quickly came over to support the frail looking Yuan Qingling back slowly.
Mu Ru Eunuch shook his head sympathetically, "Poor thing, just a few days without seeing the consort, she's thinner by a whole circle."
Yuwen Hao sneered coldly in his heart, poor thing? Didn't feel that at all, only hateful and detestable.
After sending off Mu Ru Eunuch, Yuwen Hao directly went to Feng Yi Pavilion.
As soon as he entered, a big black dog rushed out, blocking his path and ferociously barking at him. The shadow of his fear of dogs came over him again, and his calves went soft.
Yuan Qingling leaned against the door and said, "Duo Bao, stop being fierce, you know him, your dad."
"You're its dad." Yuwen Hao said angrily, "Who brought it here? Send it away immediately."
Yuan Qingling said, "Duo Bao, go play."
Duo Bao obediently left, wagging its tail.
"Duo Bao? It even has a name?" Yuwen Hao said angrily.
"Why quibble with a dog?" Yuan Qingling said.
"No dogs allowed in the manor, it's either it or me." Yuwen Hao walked over and glared at her warningly.
Yuan Qingling followed him in and changed the topic, "How did it go?"
Yuwen Hao sat down, his handsome face cold, "Father interrogated him overnight. He denied knowing you were the consort at first. Father was going to summon you, but finally Premier Chu personally interrogated him and he admitted it."
"He admitted it? What will happen to him then?" Yuan Qingling asked.
"Already imprisoned. As for what will happen, I can't intervene, but Father is furious this time. Given his past arrogance, I'm afraid he won't easily let him off."
Yuan Qingling was puzzled, "Why did Premier Chu want him to admit it?"
Once admitted, there would be no chance to argue otherwise.
"From Father wanting to summon you, he must have believed me. Premier Chu could guess your testimony, he would have to admit it sooner or later. Better admit early and plead for leniency. If Father saw your pitiful injured state, he would recall how you were beaten and harmed by Marquis Huiding. He likely would have killed Marquis Huiding on the spot. After all, you are the emperor's daughter-in-law, this time Marquis Huiding was slapping Father's face."
Yuan Qingling said, "Killing him would be letting him off easy."
Yuwen Hao looked at her, "Although Father ordered this case be kept secret, the Chu family can't keep their mouths shut tight. Have you thought about what you'll face in the future?"
"I haven't thought about it." Yuan Qingling said nonchalantly.
"Don't pretend to be so unrestrained. No one doesn't care." Yuwen Hao's eyes were sharp.
"Whether I care or not, life still goes on. I escaped death from the marquis manor, got back a life. Being able to live again is a great blessing to me. Why would I care about some idle gossip?"
Yuwen Hao had to admit, "You really have changed a lot."
Yuan Qingling smiled, "Change isn't good?"
Changed for the better, not as detestable as before.
"Changed for the worse." Yuwen frowned.
"Say one thing but mean another!" Yuan Qingling saw through him in a glance and laughed.
Yuwen Hao kept a straight face, walked out sternly like a strict old man.
