Chapter 229: Chapter 229

"Oh..." Yao Yao was very unhappy about Jun Yang’s insistence on fetching bird eggs. However, she didn’t show a hint of displeasure on her face. She said with a smile, "If you want to go, then go, but be careful."

Jun Yang went to fetch the bird eggs.

She hadn’t even reached the tree yet, and suddenly tripped at the door, almost hitting her face.

Yao Yao was sitting inside the house when she heard her exclamation. She was startled and immediately cursed "fool" while rushing out to check the situation.

If anything happened to Jun Yang at her place, she wouldn’t be able to escape responsibility.

Therefore, she must protect Jun Yang well.

Over the days Jun Ning was in a coma, she kept having a recurring dream. The scene in the dream was on the day of the New Year’s Eve celebration.

She was born on New Year’s Eve; it’s not only a day for family reunions but also her birthday.

Father and Mother prepared many birthday gifts for her, and even invited numerous ministers to celebrate, light lanterns, and offer blessings.

The atmosphere was very lively!

Because she had been ill prior, she didn’t have much appetite, and her stomach felt empty. After recovering from her illness, she had fun and a good appetite at the banquet, eating a lot and drinking plenty of soups and broths.

As a result, she felt the need for relief numerous times.

Once, when she got up to relieve herself, Yao Yao and Jun Yang, who had just returned, told her that Jing Shu had sprained her ankle in the west wing and accidentally stepped on a pile of dog feces.

No one knew if Jing Shu cried from the sprained ankle pain or the stink of the dog feces, but she kept crying in the west wing, so much that it was irritating, making people want to stuff her mouth with stinky socks.

If Yao Yao and Jun Yang kindly asked her to save Jing Shu, she might not believe them, thinking they wanted to harm her.

But, when they spoke about Jing Shu, they were clearly disdainful and slightly disgusted, which made her believe them.

Worried about Jing Shu, she wanted to go with her Crown Prince brother and others to check.

But her Crown Prince brother and the Crown Princess Consort seemed to be discussing national affairs, leaving no time to care for Jing Shu.

Seeing this, she could only go and check by herself with some attendants.

However, as she walked, the night was very dark, and her mind was occupied with thoughts of Jing Shu, so she failed to notice a hand suddenly appearing beside her, pushing her unexpectedly into a small dark room.

Once inside, the door of the small dark room closed.

There wasn’t a single person inside the dark room. The windows and door were tightly shut.

When she realized something was wrong and wanted to leave, a swarm of rats appeared underfoot, larger than any rats she had ever seen before, as thick as an adult’s arm, and pitch-black.

They came toward her, making hissing sounds.

She was terrified, wanting to escape, but the door was locked from the outside; she couldn’t get out.

She shouted for help, but no one outside responded.

Logically, she suddenly disappeared shouting for help, and the attendants she had brought out should surely come to find her.

Unfortunately, not only did no one look for her, she seemed to hear a voice from outside identical to her own.

The servants followed that voice; no one discovered her being pushed into the dark room.

And the rats, looking starved for days, rushed toward her ravenously, tearing at her body with sharp teeth, showing no fear of her.

She was terrified even by a single rat, let alone a room full of them.

The closest rat jumped onto her body; at that moment, she fainted in fright, losing any ability to resist.

She, who was supposed to be dignified, was reduced to fish meat, at the mercy of rats.

The rats treated her as food, leaving her body covered in wounds.

She also saw two figures, one black and one white, bouncing towards her, wanting to take her away.

The dream ended there; she yelled, gasping for breath as she woke up.

Qiong Hua was by her side, wiping her sweat. She asked puzzledly, "Yi Yi, what nightmare did you have? Why did you sweat so much?" pointing to the undershirt she wore, "Look, your undershirt is soaked with sweat."

"Quick, someone, bring a new undershirt for the Princess," Qiong Hua worried the little girl might catch a cold due to sweating again.

Nanny Zhang personally fetched a dry undershirt, handing it to Qiong Hua.

Qiong Hua helpfully dressed Jun Ning in it, and brought a towel to dry Jun Ning’s hair.

"Mother," Jun Ning snuggled into Qiong Hua’s arms, muttering, "Rats, I dreamt of many rats again; they were all biting my body."

"Yi Yi, don’t be afraid; it’s just a dream," Qiong Hua comforted.

"No, it’s not a dream," Jun Ning said to herself.

Everything in the dream was too real; how could it be just a dream?

Just like the previous dream she had, which eventually became reality.

This was a warning, a divine premonition for her to avoid disaster.

She couldn’t ignore it; she had to pay attention.

Afterwards, no matter how much Qiong Hua comforted Jun Ning, telling her not to worry about a mere dream or fear the palace having rats, since the Emperor had ordered the expulsion of all palace rats, Jun Ning didn’t listen.

The rats in the dark room were specifically prepared for her.

And Yao Yao and Jun Yang deliberately directed her to Jing Shu with ulterior motives; they undoubtedly wanted her dead, intentionally luring her over.

Their intentions were malicious, wanting her dead, but she refused to fulfill their wishes.

She would surely handle it cautiously.

"Yi Yi, stop thinking about anything, focus on recuperating. Once you’re well, your birthday will arrive," Qiong Hua said, "Your father has specifically invited performers loved by children from the common folk for your birthday."

"But..." Qiong Hua teased, "your father has said you can only watch if you recover."

"Recover to watch?" Jun Ning’s mind flashed a realization, asking, "Does that mean not recovering means not watching?"

Qiong Hua nodded, "That’s how it is."

"Then I understand," Jun Ning replied.

To avoid being pushed into that accursed rat-filled dark room, Jun Ning planned to keep herself ill, and she wasn’t going to attend her birthday party.

Birthdays come yearly, but life is singular.

A precious birthday, but life is more invaluable.

After medication time arrived, Qiong Hua personally brought the herbal medicine for Jun Ning, "Yi Yi, the Imperial Physician said if you drink the medicine well, you’ll recover in five more days, and won’t miss your birthday."

Qiong Hua held the medicine to Jun Ning’s lips, "Come, Yi Yi, drink the medicine?"