"Someone come! Go and bring her here!"
Prince Ling ordered with a cold expression.
Song Shuyu revealed a grateful smile.
"Thank you, foster father."
"Alright, be a good girl and drink your medicine later."
"I still have matters to attend to. I will come back to see you later."
Prince Ling gently stroked Song Shuyu's head with a look of paternal affection.
He didn't notice the slap mark on Song Shuyu's face at all.
Prince Ling left, and Princess Consort Ling also took her people away.
The room suddenly fell quiet.
Song Shuyu felt incredibly thirsty.
"Servants!"
No one answered.
"Servants!"
Song Shuyu propped up her upper body and shouted toward the door.
Still no one!
For the first time, Song Shuyu felt a deep sense of desolation.
"Princess, your servant is here."
A maid appeared at the door.
Song Shuyu looked at her as if she had seen a savior.
"Quick, pour me some water!"
The maid struggled to drag her feet as she walked toward the tea table.
Song Shuyu grew very anxious watching the way she walked.
"Is there something wrong with your legs? Why are you walking so slowly!"
The maid bit her lip and tried her best to speed up.
Everyone in the courtyard had just been beaten.
If she hadn't wanted to take this opportunity to show off in front of Song Shuyu, she wouldn't have come either.
Song Shuyu finally got her water and drank it all in one breath.
The maid took the cup back. "Princess, should I pour you some more?"
"Yes."
Having drunk the water, Song Shuyu felt much better.
"What happened to your legs?"
The maid explained while pouring the water.
"Because no one noticed that you had fallen ill, all the maids serving you were punished with twenty strokes of the cane."
Song Shuyu shuddered.
"Twenty strokes?"
"Yes. I only do heavy chores in the courtyard, so the guards only gave me ten strokes."
"I heard you calling, Princess, so I forced myself to come over and check."
Only then did Song Shuyu notice that the maid's clothes below her waist were stained with blood.
"Princess, here is your water."
The maid handed the water to Song Shuyu.
At that moment, Song Shuyu smelled the strong scent of blood, making her feel slightly nauseous.
"Alright, I want to lie down for a while. You can go down and rest."
Song Shuyu waved her hand.
"Yes, thank you, Princess."
The maid bowed with a grateful expression and walked out.
Song Shuyu took small sips of water and placed the cup on the bedside table.
The doctor had only forcefully applied acupuncture earlier to wake her up.
In reality, Song Shuyu had not recovered from her illness.
Exhausted, Song Shuyu fell back onto the bed.
At this moment, she missed the days she spent by her parents' side more than anything.
Even though Prince Ling's mansion had endless delicacies to eat and boundless silks and satins to wear.
None of it compared to the freedom she had in the Song residence.
Song Shuyu passed out from the fever once again.
Old Madam Song was practically dragged into the mansion.
Moreover, she was escorted directly to Song Shuyu's room.
After Old Madam Song was pushed into the room, the people who brought her left to report back.
Old Madam Song looked around at the room's furnishings with an envious expression.
The people who had brought her said that the Princess missed her and invited her to the mansion.
Old Madam Song thought Song Shuyu had brought her to the mansion to enjoy a life of luxury.
Therefore, she didn't immediately go to check on Song Shuyu; instead, she began admiring the items in the room.
The curio shelves in the room displayed various precious jade artifacts and ornaments.
These were all rewards that Prince Ling had ordered to be given to Song Shuyu.
Song Shuyu had deliberately placed them in conspicuous spots just to show off how favored she was.
Old Madam Song was completely dazzled.
A full quarter of an hour passed before Old Madam Song finally remembered her granddaughter.
"Shuyu? Shuyu? Grandmother is here!"
"Why are the maids by your side so lacking in awareness?"
"They didn't even pour your grandmother a cup of water. You should punish them properly!"
As Old Madam Song spoke, she walked into the inner room.
Seeing Song Shuyu lying in bed, she immediately became displeased.
"Shuyu, what time is it? How are you still sleeping?"
"You child, since you asked your grandmother to come over, why aren't you up yet?"
Old Madam Song walked to the bedside and gave Song Shuyu a nudge.
"Shuyu, get up!"
Song Shuyu did not wake up.
Old Madam Song nudged her again.
"You really are spoiled by your grandmother. Hurry up and get out of bed."
Song Shuyu still did not move.
Only then did Old Madam Song realize something was wrong with Song Shuyu.
She leaned over and saw that Song Shuyu's face was flushed red with fever.
She placed a hand on Song Shuyu's forehead, only to pull it back in fright immediately.
The temperature of Song Shuyu's face was terrifyingly high.
"Shuyu! Shuyu, wake up!"
Song Shuyu was shaken back and forth, but she still did not wake up.
"Somebody come! Where is everyone? Where did you all die off to!"
Old Madam Song shouted toward the outside.
Not a single maid came in.
With no time to overthink, Old Madam Song pinched the philtrum above Song Shuyu's lip hard several times.
The unconscious Song Shuyu furrowed her brows.
Old Madam Song did not dare to let go and continued pinching.
"Shuyu, wake up quickly, it's your grandmother!"
Old Madam Song thought to herself that her son was still relying on this granddaughter to achieve a rapid rise in power and success.
Absolutely nothing could happen to her granddaughter!
Old Madam Song pulled a hairpin from her hair and used the sharp end to prick Song Shuyu's fingertips.
She pricked all ten fingers, squeezing out drops of blood.
Not daring to slacken her efforts, Old Madam Song went back to pinching Song Shuyu's philtrum.
"Ugh! It hurts!"
The pain caused Song Shuyu to open her eyes.
Seeing her granddaughter awake, Old Madam Song finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She slumped heavily onto the edge of the bed.
She was getting on in years, and after such a frantic ordeal, she was covered in sweat.
Seeing Old Madam Song, Song Shuyu could hardly believe her eyes.
"Grandmother?"
"Grandmother? Is it you?"
"Grandmother!"
Song Shuyu grabbed onto Old Madam Song and burst into tears.
Old Madam Song used her handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
"Where are the people serving you? How could no one notice that you were so sick you fell into a coma?"
"If the servants aren't capable, kick them out immediately and have the Prince arrange for more attentive ones, understand?"
"Mhm, mhm!"
Seeing her grandmother, Song Shuyu couldn't say anything else and could only nod in agreement.
"What is it? Have you been wronged in the estate?"
"Tell your grandmother, and I will go speak to the Prince!"
After all, this was the granddaughter she had doted on since childhood. Seeing Song Shuyu so weak and listless made Old Madam Song's heart ache.
"Grandmother! I miss Father and Mother, I want to go home!"
Seeing Old Madam Song, Song Shuyu's homesickness completely erupted.
Old Madam Song was taken aback.
"Why? Could it be that the Prince and the Princess Consort treat you poorly?"
Old Madam Song lowered her voice and asked softly.
Song Shuyu shook her head.
Prince Ling doted on her very much; he would satisfy any request she made.
Just earlier, because she had fallen ill, he was so angry that he even struck the Princess Consort.
Although Princess Consort Ling did not treat her exactly like her mother did, she still gave her whatever she wanted.
Even when she took a liking to the red coral in Princess Consort Ling's room, Princess Consort Ling gave it to her without a second word.
Premium bird's nest was also delivered to her room in an endless stream.
"Are you a fool, then? Turning your back on such luxury to return to a chicken coop and suffer!"
Old Madam Song had a look of utter exasperation on her face.
