The princess regretted it.

In a quiet place on the outskirts of the city stands a secluded garden, surrounded by green trees and lush flowers and plants, like a paradise on earth.

However, at this moment, muffled groans could be heard from the garden from time to time, as if someone was trying hard to suppress the pain.

In a wing of the garden, a woman lay quietly on a bed, her face and body tightly wrapped in gauze, revealing only a pair of eyes, which betrayed pain and perseverance. A female doctor carefully cleaned her wounds and changed the dressings. Although the doctor's movements were gentle and careful, she could still sense the woman's pain.

The woman gritted her teeth, a soft, crunching sound coming from between them, as if she were trying to crush all the pain between her teeth, preventing even a single groan. Her eyes were red from the intense pain of cleaning the wound. Her body trembled slightly, and despite her best efforts to endure, the pain was too much for her to control. Her hands clutched the bedsheets tightly, her fingers turning white from the strain.

The room was filled with a faint smell of medicine, mixed with a tense atmosphere. It was so quiet that only the doctor's occasional instructions and the woman's suppressed breathing could be heard. The woman pondered her fate. Who had harmed her to this point? She didn't know who had saved her, nor did she know where she was.

Those painful images kept resurfacing in her mind, and the resentment and anger within her heart burned like a raging fire. She vowed that once she recovered, she would make that person pay a heavy price. For now, she could only silently endure the pain of her wounds, hoping for a speedy recovery so she could embark on her own path of revenge.

In another dimly lit room, an old woman stood respectfully, reporting the recent progress of a woman to a tall, straight-set young man in red. The man wore a silver mask, revealing only a pair of deep, mysterious eyes.

The old woman bowed her head slightly and said humbly, "Sir, the girl has been relatively well these past few days. The doctor has been treating her carefully and changing her dressings every day. Although the girl is in unbearable pain, she is very strong and has never complained too much."

The young man listened quietly, his face expressionless. He nodded slightly, as if lost in thought. After a moment, he simply said, "Have the doctor treat me well. Report any problems promptly." Without hesitation, he turned and left. The red sleeves fluttered gently in the air, like a brilliant flame, disappearing at the doorway in an instant.

Inside the city, at the residence of Cheng Zhijing, Junior Official of the Dali Temple, Mrs. Xu, wife of Cheng Zhijing, sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, a look of worry on her face. She held a silk handkerchief in her hand, gently twisting it, her gaze fixed in the distance. She had been feeling strangely anxious for the past few days: so much time had passed, and she had no idea whether Xiao'er and the others had safely arrived home, nor had anyone sent back to report. She worried every day about not being able to eat well or sleep well.

At this time, an old maid came over with a plate of snacks and placed it on the stone table beside Xu. She said to Xu softly, "Madam, it's cold outside. You must be careful not to catch a cold. You'd better go back to the house early."

Xu waved her hand slightly and said, "I'm fine. I just want to sit here for a while. I'm worried about Xiao'er. She's been away for a while. Why haven't we received any news from her yet?"

The nanny said softly, "Madam, don't worry too much. The master has arranged for a number of people to accompany the young lady and escort her. Furthermore, the young lady and her companions are traveling along the official road, so they will definitely arrive safely. After returning to her hometown, she will probably need to buy new things and repair the house. I think she will send someone back to report the situation soon."

Xu sighed softly, her eyes filled with resentment. She said, "My Xiao'er has suffered this calamity for no reason. It was just a careless mistake, and yet Princess Jin'an punished her so harshly. I'm just worried! If those rumors are true, do you think she'll secretly murder her?"

The nanny quickly lowered her voice and said, "Madam, be careful with your words. She's the princess of the Heavenly Family, we can't afford to offend her. If someone with ulterior motives hears about it, it will probably bring disaster to the Cheng Mansion again. These past two days, there's been a lot of trouble because of this rumor. I heard that the Emperor is furious! We'd better be careful."

Mrs. Xu bit her lip, her eyes filled with resentment. "Did Xiao'er suffer this injustice in vain? If she wastes her prime years in her hometown, what will she do in the future? As a mother, I feel so sad."

The nanny gently held Xu's hand and said, "Madam, now that things have come to this, we can only hope that the young lady will be safe and sound in the future. The master's life in the court is not easy either, and we must not cause him any more trouble."

Xu was silent for a long time, and finally nodded helplessly: "Forget it, forget it, I just hope Xiaoer can escape this disaster safely and return soon." She looked into the distance again, her heart full of concern and worry.