Yao Mengtao had no idea what was happening; she only felt surrounded by an impenetrable darkness. She tried to scream for help, but the carriage jolted too violently. She was already exhausted just trying to keep herself from injury, and even if she had managed to cry out, her voice would have been too weak to carry beyond the carriage walls. Amidst the persistent unease, she finally felt the carriage come to a halt. Just as she was about to call for help, she was tossed onto the ground.
Yao Mengtao felt an ominous foreboding. A moment later, the sack covering her head was untied. As the light flooded back into her vision, she saw Zhou Qiming. He was sitting in a chair, looking gentle as he toyed with the thumb ring on his finger. There was no sign of rage or frustration on his face, and Yao Mengtao’s anxious heart gradually began to settle. She reasoned that Zhou Qiming could not possibly know about her attempt to borrow military power from the Duke Yu Estate; he must simply be angry because she had left the palace without authorization.
Yao Mengtao immediately flashed a strained smile at him and asked with difficulty, "Crown Prince... Brother, did you miss me?" She continued, "If you missed me, you could have just summoned me back. There was no need for... for this."
Chapter 100