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"Susu, Susu, wake up."

Susu lay as if she were asleep, without any response.

Xiao Jinyu lifted Susu and ran, fearing that any delay might be too late; he simply couldn’t afford to pay attention to another person still in the water.

Dabai was about to go ashore to catch up but looked back at Lady, who was struggling in the water, hesitated, and then went back.

Once reaching her, he bit her arm and dragged her to shore.

Seeing this scene, Huai Xiang was too scared to approach, deciding to wait until the tiger left before checking.

After getting ashore, Dabai didn’t put Lady down; instead, he held her arm in his mouth and ran to chase Xiao Jinyu.

At that moment, Lady, unconscious due to drowning, was unaware that she was being carried away by a tiger.

Huai Xiang watched as her own master was being carried by a tiger yet dared not intervene, only able to go and call for help.

As the tiger dragged her running, Lady’s head was bumped several times, the clothing on her back was worn through, and with it, a layer of skin, leaving flesh bloody and exposed, not to mention her other injuries.

Xiao Jinyu held Susu and ran while calling out, "Hurry and call the Imperial Doctor over."

Seeing this, the Guard didn’t hesitate and went to call the Imperial Doctor.

Xiao Jinyu, holding Susu, returned to Hehuan Hall and ran straight inside.

Chun Xi came out from the inner room and saw Xiao Jinyu carrying the drenched Susu and running wildly, which gave her an ominous premonition.

Abandoning what she was holding, she rushed forward, "Lord Jinyu, what happened to Susu?"

"Susu has drowned," Xiao Jinyu said without stopping as he walked towards the room.

Upon hearing this, Chun Xi’s legs went weak, and she sat down hard on the ground, the wooden basin falling from her hands as tears streamed down, filled with self-blame.

Susu, having been used to going out from a young age with Dabai by her side, made Chun Xi less worried over time.

Who would have thought that an accident would happen this time?

Chun Xi was panic-stricken when she saw Dabai dragging a person inside. Once inside, Dabai let go of the person and ran back out of the room.

After a moment of shock, wiping away tears, Chun Xi thought, "With the masters not home, she had to keep her composure."

She got up and called Little Rabbit to inform the Emperor and Empress that Susu had drowned.

After Little Rabbit left, she ordered the Palace Maid to boil hot water—how cold must it be having fallen into the water in such cold weather?

After giving instructions, she glanced at the person on the ground, and upon seeing a ghastly pale face, recognized it was Lady.

"How did Dabai end up bringing her here?"

Seeing the wet clothing, could it be that Susu’s drowning was related to her?

The more Chun Xi thought, the more frightened she became. But the most important thing at the moment was Susu.

By now, the Imperial Doctor had been carried in by two Guards. The entire palace knew how favored Susu was—by the Emperor, the Empress, Lord Jinyu... so anything concerning Susu had to be treated with utmost care.

The Imperial Doctor walked slowly, and with the urgency of the situation, the Guards had no choice but carry him.

Chun Xi pulled the Imperial Doctor and ran inside, "Imperial Doctor, please hurry, Susu has fainted."

The Imperial Doctor was dragged in by Chun Xi.

Upon entering, Xiao Jinyu pulled him to the bedside, "Quick, check on Susu. If anything happens to her, your life will be at risk."

The Imperial Doctor felt like he was falling apart. Frightened by the threat to his life, he immediately began to take her pulse.

The Emperor was in the Imperial Study Room, grading memorials, and with no one to help, he had to work overtime to finish them.

When Little Rabbit arrived, explained the situation, and was brought in by Eunuch Li.

Little Rabbit knelt down with a thud, "Your Majesty, the little county princess has had an accident."

At those words, the Emperor put down the memorial in his hand and asked in a cold voice, "What happened?"

Little Rabbit said hastily, "The little county princess has drowned."

The Emperor was stunned for a moment, his mind going blank. There had been countless drownings in the palace, among palace maids, eunuchs, and concubines, both accidental and intentional.

Yet, at that moment, it felt like everything had collapsed inside him, filling him with fear.

Seeing the Emperor’s silence, Eunuch Li tentatively called out, "Your Majesty?"

Snapping back to reality, the Emperor threw down the vermilion brush, stood up, and walked out.

Eunuch Li paused, then quickly followed.

The Emperor made a beeline to Hehuan Hall, not even glancing at the woman lying on the ground, and went straight into Susu’s boudoir.

Inside at that time,

The Imperial Doctor was still attending to Susu.

Chun Xi was wiping away tears while keeping a close eye on Susu.

Anxious, Xiao Jinyu paced back and forth in front of the bed. Seeing his father arrive, he approached and said, "Father."

The Emperor didn’t glance at Xiao Jinyu but moved directly to the bedside, seeing Susu lying there with closed eyes, her face deathly white without a trace of color, her hair still wet, and now dressed in dry clothing.

"Imperial Doctor, how is Susu now?"