Chapter 23

◎"If what's in your belly is..."◎

He remembered that the symptoms of pregnancy included nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

Given his behavior today, although we can't be absolutely certain he's pregnant, it would be better to have Dr. Ji take a look so we can feel more at ease.

If she is indeed pregnant, he will be able to leave the Jiang family within a year at most.

Jiang He was a little confused. Could Xue Lingyu be pregnant?

Is he pregnant with her child?

Those few days were indeed a bit crazy, and Xue Lingyu had been drinking tonics. After the wedding night, when she mentioned the contraceptive soup, she forgot about it completely.

Therefore, it is not strange that Xue Lingyu is pregnant.

Jiang He was also very eager to confirm this matter, and immediately instructed Yuan Ge: "Yuan Ge, go and call Doctor Ji to the mansion."

"Yes, Miss." Yuange was about to leave, but suddenly turned back, secretly glancing at Xue Lingyu's expression, and asked hesitantly, "Miss, the wife selection banquet is about to begin. Do you still want to attend? Or will you stay in the manor to accompany Young Master Xue..."

The Fifth Prince is holding this banquet to choose a wife, and we should at least see what he's up to. Besides, she's on the list, and if we don't go, it will give others something to say and provide evidence for them to accuse the Jiang family of being arrogant because of his favor.

Xue Lingyu's pregnancy could be a big deal or a small deal. Jiang He glanced at him; his expression was really not good, and he didn't show any joy at the possibility of pregnancy. He just stood there quietly, without saying a word, and his eyes didn't show any expectation that she would stay and keep him company.

"I'll be right back. If Dr. Ji confirms it, send someone to notify me immediately." Jiang He meant she absolutely had to go.

Xue Lingyu remained outwardly calm, but a sour feeling welled up inside her.

It seems that Jiang He is determined to marry the Fifth Prince. This is understandable, as the Fifth Prince is a member of the royal family and marrying him would bring honor to the family.

However, he and the child in her womb were left with no idea what to do.

The Fifth Prince would certainly not tolerate his child...

When Jiang He went, she brought five guards and a coachman who was skilled in martial arts. These were only added after Yuan Ge nagged her. In order to go and return quickly, Jiang He originally planned to ride alone.

Because Jiang Shifu in the palace was pregnant, the emperor did not attend the wife selection banquet. Instead, he sent an older member of the royal family to preside over it, while she herself stayed in Jiang Shifu's palace.

Jiang He received unprecedented treatment upon entering the palace this time. The palace servants were overly attentive to her because of her brother, and some of the palace attendants even secretly flirted with her, completely disregarding the fact that this was the Fifth Prince's wife selection banquet.

The young ladies who came to the wife selection banquet took their seats in turn, allowing the Fifth Prince to assess their character.

The Fifth Prince couldn't help but grit his teeth when he saw Jiang He, thinking of the words the Emperor had given him that day.

The emperor pitied her husband, Jiang, but refused to let him choose the person he preferred.

"Your marriage to the Jiang family as a prince will surely make you a laughing stock. Moreover, if Jiang He remains a merchant for life without an official position, you will not receive any hereditary titles. Besides, Jiang He has already taken a concubine. How can a prince share a wife with another person? If you really want to marry into the Jiang family, you should first give up your princely status. Then I will no longer care about you."

The fifth prince nearly crushed the wine cup.

No matter how hard he tried, it was to no avail; Jiang He didn't seem willing to marry him.

Jiang He was in a hurry to go back, and after enduring until the banquet was halfway through, she got up to say goodbye.

The Fifth Prince stared at her departing figure, feeling an indescribable resentment. What was it about him that he couldn't compare to Xue Lingyu? In terms of background and appearance, he was one of the best in the capital.

Just as he was about to break down, the servant whispered in his ear, "Your Highness, this is the news coming from the Jiang residence..."

"Xue Lingyu might be pregnant?" the Fifth Prince asked in surprise. He hadn't expected Jiang He to allow Xue Lingyu to become pregnant. It seemed that she really doted on this concubine.

A lowly concubine actually managed to get pregnant before her husband even entered the household; Jiang He clearly didn't care about her reputation.

"If a prince cannot share a wife with another man, then if Xue Lingyu disappears, won't Jiang He's harem be empty?" The Fifth Prince spoke these words lightly, befitting royalty, with cold-bloodedness in his bones.

"Your Highness wishes to?"

"I won't take action myself for now. It would be more interesting to let Jiang He deal with Xue Lingyu personally," the Fifth Prince said with a bright smile.

The young ladies sitting below were indeed outstanding, but the Fifth Prince did not take them seriously.

He had been secretly competing with Xue Lingyu in the past, but he was repeatedly suppressed by Xue Lingyu. All the noble ladies in the capital admired Xue Lingyu's charm, while he, the prince, became a mere foil.

Now that Xue Lingyu has fallen on hard times, his day of triumph has arrived.

To avoid being plotted against, Jiang He didn't touch a drop of alcohol at the banquet. When she got into the carriage at the manor to go home, she couldn't help but ask the driver, "Has the manor sent anyone to deliver a message?"

Logically speaking, since Doctor Ji has already entered the manor, and with her father in charge, there shouldn't be any trouble. If Xue Lingyu is indeed pregnant, she should receive proper care.

But no one has come to inform her yet, and she feels uneasy.

It was as if something was about to happen.

Just as Jiang He was about to take a nap, the carriage suddenly stopped. In the blink of an eye, swords flashed and shadows danced. When she pulled back the curtain, she saw that three of the five guards had already fallen.

The opponents came on strong, and it was clear that they were all skilled in martial arts.

His eyes were filled with blatant murderous intent towards her.

The leader pointed his sword at her and said coldly, "Jiang He, you are of lowly birth, yet you took advantage of Prime Minister Xue's misfortune to forcibly take her legitimate son, disgracing the Xue family. Today we will kill you and rescue the eldest son from the mansion."

This methodical approach makes him seem like someone seeking revenge.

Jiang He picked up the sword that the guard had dropped on the ground, and rubbed it against the bright white blade. Despite the lurking killing intent, she felt no tension whatsoever.

Are these people actually coming under Xue Lingyi's name?

She gripped the bloodstained hilt of her sword and smiled at the group.

After entering the mansion, Doctor Ji went to the small courtyard to take pulses, but she frowned and examined the pulses for a long time without finding a definite answer.

Having received instructions from Jiang's father to report the results, Yang Le couldn't help but urge, "Doctor Ji, what are the results?"

Xue Lingyu was extremely anxious, but she appeared calm on the surface.

He also asked, "Dr. Ji, am I pregnant?"

Doctor Ji withdrew his hand but shook his head.

"What did Young Master Xue eat this morning?"

Xue Lingyu was taken aback; he couldn't quite recall it.

Yang Le replied, "Young Master had a bowl of congee with preserved egg and lean pork this morning."

Doctor Ji explained in detail, "Preserved eggs have a fishy smell. If you eat too many at once, you won't be able to eat anything else. That's why you're nauseous and vomiting, young master. I'll prescribe a medicine that will help with digestion, and you won't have this problem anymore."

Xue Lingyu withdrew her hand, a hint of disappointment on her face. "Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Ji."

Doctor Ji replied, "Young Master Xue, you are too kind. You are in good health, and you will surely receive good news in time."

"Since it's just a stomachache, there's no need to tell her... no need to tell her."

Xue Lingyu realized that she had never properly addressed Jiang He before, just before she was about to speak.

Yang Le knew who the "she" Xue Lingyu was referring to was. After seeing Doctor Ji out of the mansion, she went to the main courtyard to report to Father Jiang, which disappointed Father Jiang.

She wasn't pregnant, and said she'd tell Jiang He when she returned, so there was no need to send someone on this special trip.

Xue Lingyu was also struggling with how to tell Jiang He that she was not pregnant, but just had an upset stomach. After thinking about it carefully, she realized that it was actually a good thing. The child would be a burden if it were born. If the Fifth Prince were to enter the family, perhaps she could be merciful and let him leave early.

Moreover, the miserable lives of illegitimate children within the family are already common knowledge among the secrets passed down in those aristocratic families.

Even if he was unwilling, he had to accept that his child was also born out of wedlock. If the lord was kind, he could raise the child by his side and give him the title of legitimate child.

Xue Lingyu touched his flat stomach and couldn't help but laugh at himself for thinking too much. He wasn't even pregnant yet and he was already so sentimental. If he were really pregnant, what would happen?

He sat in the courtyard for a long time but did not see Jiang He. He thought that perhaps she had made an engagement with the Fifth Prince and was simply staying overnight in the palace.

Or perhaps, upon hearing that he wasn't pregnant, she was having so much fun at the banquet that she didn't even think about going home.

He turned off the light and lay in bed alone for a long time without falling asleep.

Jiang He returned covered in blood. Of the five guards she had taken with her, only one remained, and the coachman was also seriously injured. They had been robbed and murdered right under the emperor's nose, at the most bustling intersection of Jinghua Street.

Jiang He gave a strict order not to spread the word, but the death of four guards was no small matter. Moreover, those guards were among the most skilled in martial arts among the Jiang family's guards. Such casualties were enough to show that the other party was very powerful and wanted to kill Jiang He.

This matter alarmed Jiang's father and Jiang Shangyi, and the two of them rushed to Liushui Xiaozhu.

Doctor Ji was hurriedly invited into the mansion again.

Despite everyone's concern, Jiang Heyun said calmly, "Mother, Father, I'm fine."

How could someone who can tame a wild horse not be skilled in martial arts? Those bandits only had the advantage of sheer numbers; otherwise, so many of her guards wouldn't have died.

She only had a cut on her arm, which, in her opinion, was not as serious as the driver's leg wound.

The four dead guards have been properly taken care of, and their families will be secretly summoned tomorrow. The Jiang family will provide a considerable sum of money to support their families for the rest of their lives.

The injured coachman and the only surviving guard were also treated by doctors.

Jiang He arranged everything meticulously, but when it came to herself, she felt it was all unimportant.

Before Dr. Ji could even examine her wound, he saw that her forehead was covered in cold sweat. When he cut open her sleeve, he could see the raw, exposed wound, which was clearly not as easy as Jiang He had made it out to be.

Father Jiang was so heartbroken that he almost shed tears.

Jiang Shangyi asked in a deep voice, "Who exactly did this, and why did they attempt the assassination?"

Before Jiang He could speak, the coachman beside her knelt down with a thud. "Those thieves said... that they wanted to avenge the Xue family and rescue Young Master Xue from the Jiang residence. They attacked with the intention of killing Miss, and their methods were extremely cruel. If Miss hadn't been skilled in martial arts, she would probably have died at the hands of these thieves!"

The coachman's words were agitated, and his eyes were filled with fear. His wounds were bleeding from the kneeling, which made Jiang Shangyi's expression even more solemn.

"The thief is indeed ruthless, but this matter may not be as it seems on the surface. To risk killing me for such a reason is rather frivolous."

"Furthermore, Mother, if these people are capable, why don't they go and rescue Xue Lingyi? To put it another way, with such skills, they could freely enter and leave the Jiang residence. If they really wanted to rescue Xue Lingyu, they probably would have done so long ago."

Despite the pain, Jiang He calmly analyzed the situation.

When Dr. Ji applied the medicine, he was amazed by her patience. Even though he had seen so many injured people, he had never seen anyone as calm and composed as Jiang He.

Jiang He's words made sense, but seeing her daughter nearly lose her life, Jiang Shangyi couldn't calm down no matter what.

Jiang Shangyi decided, "There is indeed something strange about this. Someone, bring Xue Lingyu here."

“Mother…” Jiang He frowned. This matter might really have nothing to do with Xue Lingyu. It was so late, and he might be pregnant.

"He'er, why don't you listen to his explanation first? If someone really committed the crime in the name of the Xue family, he is naturally innocent. But if he colluded with the thieves, I will definitely not let him off easily!"

Xue Lingyu is currently in the Jiang residence and is Jiang He's bedmate. It's not impossible that he might reveal Jiang He's whereabouts to others.

Otherwise, how would the thief have known that Jiang He would be passing through Jinghua Street at that time?

Father Jiang also chimed in, "Yes, He'er, just listen to your mother."

Jiang He looked at Doctor Ji and saw that her expression was normal, so she felt reassured and quietly waited for Xue Lingyu's arrival.

Xue Lingyu hadn't slept, but the person who came was urging him so much that he quickly tidied up and came to Liushui Xiaozhu. As soon as he entered the room, he saw that Jiang's father and Jiang Shangyi were there.

He bowed respectfully, but he could still sense that Jiang Shangyi was looking at him with ill intent.

He cast a questioning glance at Jiang He, only to find that Doctor Ji was also there, and that Jiang He was injured.

Jiang Shangyi noticed his surprised expression and questioned him without hesitation.

"Do you know that He'er is going to the palace today to attend the wife selection banquet?"

Although she didn't know why she was asked this question, Xue Lingyu answered truthfully, "I know."

"Did you know that He'er left the banquet early?"

Xue Lingyu remembered that Jiang He had said she would be back soon, so she replied, "I know."

Jiang Shangyi and her father exchanged a glance, and Jiang Shangyi's tone was even more unfriendly this time.

"Do you know that He'er was robbed and nearly killed on the road? The thieves even threatened to avenge the Xue family?"

Xue Lingyu looked at Jiang He incredulously and shook her head, saying, "I...I don't know."

If Jiang Shangyi hadn't said those words, Xue Lingyu would have thought it was a joke that someone would actually try to assassinate Jiang He right under the walls of the capital.

Moreover, this thief was using the Xue family's name.

“After my mother fell into trouble, her old friends all refused to see her, and even the students she had promoted kept their distance. No one stood up for the Xue family at that time, so why would they suddenly appear now? This matter is very likely a misunderstanding.” Xue Lingyu added, “Besides, I joined the Jiang family voluntarily. I was not in any difficult situation, and there was no need for others to rescue me.”

His words were all true, but they were just empty words and obviously lacked credibility. Jiang Shangyi's suspicions about him did not completely disappear.

"The matter hasn't been investigated yet, so you shouldn't..."

Just as Jiang Shangyi was about to punish Xue Lingyu, Jiang He interrupted, "Mother, I want to rest for a while."

She had lost too much blood and her breathing was unsteady. Jiang Shangyi and her father could tell that she was deliberately trying to protect Xue Lingyu, so they had no choice but to give up.

Jiang He directly called out Xue Lingyu's name: "Xue Lingyu, you stay."

Xue Lingyu had no choice but to obey.

After the people in the house left, he looked at Jiang He's weak appearance and was about to say a few words of comfort when he heard Jiang He's cold voice.

"You kneel here."

Jiang He looked at him and pointed to the ground.

Xue Lingyu immediately became angry and said irritably, "Why should I kneel?"

Could it be that Jiang He really believes the assassination was related to him? Does she really not trust him at all?

He wanted to defend himself and try to explain, but Jiang He's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, chilling him to the bone.

"Because I am your mistress, and I have your slave contract in my hands."

"You are just a concubine. Even a master must obey his wife's every command, right?"

"Besides, who can prove you're really not involved in the assassination? Haven't you always wanted me dead?"

Jiang He's indulgence over this period of time has made Xue Lingyu somewhat forget her own identity.

He knelt down resignedly, but his heart was aching. Finally, he stubbornly explained, "Jiang He, I never wanted you to die."

Jiang He sneered, "Didn't you say that before?"

Xue Lingyu paused for a moment, then slowly tightened his fingers. Yes, he had said such hurtful things before.

He originally thought Jiang He had forgotten, but he didn't expect that she still remembered.

"You will kneel here tonight. Only when you have figured out who your Xue family still has, and who still remembers your suffering in the Jiang family, will you get up."

The cold night was bone-chilling. When Xue Lingyu looked up, she found that she couldn't see Jiang He's face clearly, and her heart was lost somewhere.

He thought Jiang He believed him, but she was so cold-hearted that she actually thought the assassination was related to him.

But he still longed to have children for her and to continue the family line.

Xue Lingyu was forced to kneel by Jiang He until she fainted the next day. Although Jiang Shangyi felt that this punishment was too lenient, she did not want to interfere further.

Jiang He had to stay home to recuperate due to her injuries, and publicly claimed that she had caught a cold. The assassination attempt was concealed and not thoroughly investigated.

Su Yawan couldn't possibly be unaware of what was happening under the imperial city. The clues left by the thieves were quite obvious, all pointing to the Xue family, as if they were deliberately stirring up trouble for the Xue family.

She went to the Jiang residence to visit Jiang He, also to discuss how to investigate the matter.

After Xue Lingyu fainted from kneeling, she was carried back to the small courtyard. Jiang He issued a stay-at-home order, forbidding Xue Lingyu from stepping out of the room without her permission.

Su Yawan came in secret. The commotion she caused last night wasn't huge, but it was definitely not small either. After receiving Jiang He's message, she immediately suppressed it, but there were always people looking for clues, thinking of exposing the matter and making a big fuss.

Upon seeing Jiang He, Su Yawan couldn't help but say a few words to her again.

"Hey Miss Jiang, show us what else you've got. Didn't you think you were invincible in martial arts? How come you've fallen down in such a sorry state?"

Sensing the hidden meaning in her words, Jiang He rolled up her sleeves and said calmly, "It's not that she's a peerless martial artist. If she had a different sword, things might not be like this now."

She still prefers to use old things; her fondness for the past has never changed.

Su Yawan plopped down on the stool, spread her hands, and asked Jiang He, "So what do you suggest we do now? Should we investigate thoroughly or just swallow our anger? If you can tolerate it, I'll treat it as a minor incident and report it."

Jiang He glanced at Su Yawan, "There's something wrong with the driver."

"so what?"

Jiang He smiled and said, "One thousand taels to buy the lives of those people from last night."

Suyawan found it utterly absurd: "Do you think it's like a cabbage...?"

Jiang He offered a fixed price: "Five thousand taels."

Su Yawan, her eyes lighting up at the sight of money, said, "Okay..."

As the Prefect of Jingzhao, finding those people in the capital was not difficult. However, he did not expect that Jiang He would not even want a confession and would directly take their lives.

"Do you really believe this matter is related to Xue Lingyu? What are your plans to do with him?"

Jiang He avoided the first question: "Place me under house arrest for now."

The reason she was able to escape last night was not only because she was skilled in martial arts, but also because the attacks of those people gradually slowed down and their killing intent diminished.

Their intentions were not to save their own lives, but rather to emphasize their connection with the Xue family.

Xue Lingyu is actually right. If the Xue family truly had such a loyal follower, why would Xue Lingyi have been repeatedly assassinated during her exile?

Jiang He wasn't really stupid.

If she had been less perceptive, she might have believed that this matter was related to Xue Lingyu.

"Not pregnant, just had an upset stomach?" Upon receiving the news, the Fifth Prince beamed with joy, "That's wonderful!"

He held the freshly prepared incense, then frowned in distress and said, "How come the concubine Jiang in the palace hasn't gotten sick from eating it? And to everyone's surprise, she's pregnant with a phoenix twin."

The servant said kindly, "Even if Jiang Shifu has a child, it will be born out of wedlock. You are His Majesty's younger brother. Jiang Shifu is a man from a merchant family, and he is destined to be less than the brotherly affection you have in His Majesty's heart."

The servant was afraid that the Fifth Prince might harbor thoughts of harming the child in Jiang's womb, since everyone in the palace was eagerly awaiting this child, and it was also His Majesty's hope.

Seeing the servant trembling, the Fifth Prince put down the incense and laughed, "What are you afraid of? I have no intention of harming the child in his belly. If I marry into the Jiang family in the future, perhaps this child can help the Jiang family become a marquis."

He drew out his words, “A merchant becoming a marquis—this is a rare occurrence, one that happens only once every hundred years.”

The servant was trembling all over and quickly said the most important thing: "Your Highness, I heard that Miss Jiang caught a cold last night and is now bedridden. However, that Young Master Xue failed to take good care of her and was punished by being forced to kneel until he fainted."

I heard that Jiang He dotes on that concubine the most, yet she punished her so severely this time. I feel there's something fishy going on that outsiders don't know about.

The Fifth Prince had no reaction to this, as if it were something he had expected.

After fainting, Xue Lingyu remained in bed, and even as evening approached, he had not eaten or drunk anything.

"Young master, young master, please wake up."

Yang Le was worried that his body couldn't take it, so she tried to wake him up, but she found that he not only didn't respond, but his face had also turned red. When she touched his face, it was so hot that it burned her palm.

She must have a fever.

Yang Le's first reaction was to find a doctor, but there were guards at the entrance of the small courtyard who said that people inside were not allowed to enter or leave. Even when he said he wanted to find a doctor, they did nothing.

Yang Le could only fetch some cold water and apply a wet towel to help Xue Lingyu cool down.

Xue Lingyu had a high fever and was even starting to talk nonsense. Yang Le leaned closer to listen and discovered that he was calling out a person's name.

Upon closer inspection, it does resemble the young lady's name.

Yang Le couldn't help but sigh. If Young Master Xue had been willing to marry Miss three years ago, he would probably be the happiest and most fulfilled man in the capital now.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and he and the young lady were destined never to go back to the way things were.

Xue Lingyu couldn't quite remember how she had humiliated Jiang He three years ago; only some vague memories remained.

It was a banquet at a prestigious mansion, and noble ladies and gentlemen from the capital were all invited. He also received an invitation.

Given Jiang He's status at the time, she was not qualified to attend such a banquet, but somehow she managed to get an invitation.

Everyone in the city knew that Jiang He's sweetheart was Xue Lingyu, the eldest son of the Prime Minister.

However, the Xue family was destined to rise in social status and would never agree to their eldest son marrying into a merchant family.

So, following his family's instructions, he publicly rejected Jiang He and said those hurtful things, but he didn't actually do anything to harm her.

However, for some reason, Jiang He went to Wudu City and her whole appearance changed drastically.

This was the second time Jiang He had been injured since returning to the capital. Yuan Ge felt both heartache and pity for her.

"Miss, you really need to be careful. You already had an old injury on your hand, and now you have a new one. What will you do if you can't use an abacus in the future?"

Jiang He has an extremely ugly scar on the web of her hand; if it were any deeper, her entire hand would be ruined.

This injury is from that banquet three years ago.

She looked at the tiger's mouth and said dismissively, "Can't we still use an abacus now?"

Just as Yuange was about to start nagging again, Jiang He spoke up first: "Yuange, go and send someone to the manor in the eastern suburbs to call Ji Xue back."

Yuange was very excited: "Miss, you have finally called Ji Xue back."

With Xue Ji here, Miss will never have to worry about being assassinated again.

Jiang He gave a wry smile.

The original plan was that if Xue Lingyu was really pregnant, he would call Ji Xue back in advance to protect her until the child was safely born.

But unexpectedly, it is now Xue who needs to protect herself.

Jiang Wanyi was unaware of Jiang He's assassination attempt, and hadn't heard a word about it. All he cared about was Jiang He's marriage.

The next day, when the emperor came to visit him, he asked, "Your Majesty, I wonder which family the Fifth Prince has chosen as his daughter, and has the wedding date been set?"

Emperor Wei put his arm around his shoulder, tapped the tip of his nose, and said with a helpless smile, "You, well, you're not your little sister anyway."

Jiang Wanyi lay in Wei Di's arms and said, "If you don't choose my sister, then you won't choose anyone else either."

"Xiao Wu said he wanted to stay by my side for a few more years, but given his temperament, the longer he stays, the fewer young ladies who are a good match for him in terms of appearance and family background will be willing to marry him."

"Looking at it this way, I am truly blessed to have you. I never want to look at any other man's son again in this lifetime."

Perhaps because she was pregnant, Jiang Wanyi appeared even more voluptuous, and Emperor Wei was even more enamored with her.

Jiang Wanyi took it as the Emperor Wei was just coaxing him. After all, he was still young and his appearance was still fresh. As he gradually aged, many new people would enter the palace, and then the Emperor Wei's heart would inevitably have a few more young people.

Seeing that Jiang Wanyi didn't believe her, the Emperor suddenly became anxious, "Wanyi, if you are carrying a princess, then I..."

Jiang Wanyi interrupted her, saying, "Your Majesty should have your meal. I'm also a little hungry."

"Alright, I'll just ask the imperial kitchen to make your favorite dishes."

Jiang Wanyi's smile was gentle, but Wei Di could sense his aloofness.

Her evening always ended in such a subtle way of rejecting her.

Wei Di suddenly didn't know what could make him happy.

When Xue returned after nearly a month away, the mansion had changed drastically.

He skipped and hopped over to Jiang He's side, about to speak to her, but was stopped several meters away by Yuan Ge.

Yuange admonished him, "Be careful, Miss is injured, don't be so reckless."

Ji Xue was confused and took several steps back, looking at Jiang He and saying, "Miss, Ji Xue has always been very well-behaved."

Jiang He said she was fine and waved to Ji Xue, saying, "It's alright, Ji Xue, come here."

Ji Xue immediately ran to Jiang He's side, revealing a long-lost smile, "Miss, Ji Xue missed you so much."

Jiang He patted his head and smiled, "I also really want to remember Xue."

Xue asked excitedly, "I heard that Miss married a handsome man. Where is he?"

He's childlike and doesn't know what's going on, so it's not surprising that he asked that question.

Concubines are always taken in, while only the principal husband is married. Jiang He didn't correct his wording, so Yuan Ge didn't mention it either, and truthfully explained to Ji Xue:

"Young Master Xue is confined to his own courtyard and cannot be visited at the moment."

Xue didn't care about anything else; she wanted whatever came to mind. "Miss, but I want to go and take a look."

Jiang He didn't respond to him, but she didn't stop him either.

As expected, Xue sneaked off, and Yuange couldn't do anything about it, since the young lady indulged him.

However, this trip caused quite a commotion, even alarming Jiang He.

When Jiang He arrived, she saw Yang Le kneeling at the courtyard gate, pleading, "Miss, the young master has been running a high fever, but the guards won't let me go to find a doctor. He's been burning up like this all day. Please, Miss, have mercy and ask a doctor to come and treat him!"

Just after Xue Gang finished looking at Xue Lingyu, he grabbed Jiang He's sleeve and cried, "Miss, the handsome brother looks terrible. He looks like he's about to die."

Xue continued to complain, "I said I wanted to call a doctor, but the guards wouldn't let me, and they even wanted to confine me inside as well."

As Jiang He went inside, she instructed, "Yuan Ge, go and invite Doctor Ji into the mansion."

Yuange set off immediately, not daring to delay for a moment.

Before pushing open the door, she glanced at the courtyard gate, a chilling glint in her eyes, and her voice sent shivers down one's spine:

"Thoroughly investigate the backyard and find out all those filthy things!"

Yang Le finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Jiang He was finally willing to visit Xue Lingyu.

But who knows the identity of the young master beside the young lady, who is so intimate with her?

A note from the author:

Recommend a sweet romance novel featuring an older woman and a younger man.

【My Eldest Sister is Soft and Fragrant】by Plum Nian Ni

Xie An, the eldest daughter of the Xie family, was the dream lover of countless men. She was able to defeat the enemy with a single word. However, this beauty insisted on marrying a poor scholar.

After Xie An married, the sweet words she once received turned into coldness and disgust. Her husband, for the sake of her sister, drove her to her death on a snowy night.

The whole city treated this joke as just idle gossip, unaware that a young man feared by everyone in the court had spent his entire life mourning her.

Reborn

Xie An personally tore up the marriage certificate to fulfill his sister's wish.

Outsiders are waiting to see her reputation ruined and her end up a lonely old age.

Xie An, however, did not take it seriously. As usual, she got up early to pay her respects and take care of things at home, displaying her virtue and dignity.

Only one day, when he got drunk at a family banquet and lost his composure, did he lean on someone and confide his loneliness and sadness.

The man holding Xie An looked down at her in his arms, her brows furrowed with tears glistening in her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

That day, everyone in the manor saw Xie Sanlang—a man who was always indifferent and cold-hearted—personally drape a coat over the eldest daughter.

He bent down and, in a bizarre act, licked away a drop of wine from the corner of her mouth that was stuck to his fingertip.

After sobering up,

Xie An scolded him in a flustered and anxious manner.

The boy lowered his head, tugged at her sleeve, and softly and innocently called out, "Sister."

But this left Xie An speechless.

In the nineteenth year of the Changping era, the long-lost crown prince was found. He swiftly executed treacherous officials, restored order to the court, and a chilling atmosphere descended upon the city.

Everyone fears the King of Hell in the Eastern Palace.

However, a palace servant unfortunately witnessed it one evening...

The King of Hell, while pinching the waist of the person in his arms, looked somewhat aggrieved, as if apologizing:

"Sister, I was wrong."

***The eyes that met his gaze during his most desperate moment were the salvation that gave him his entire life.***

Note: The seemingly innocent but actually cunning younger brother vs. the gentle and dignified older sister

A romance between an older woman and a younger man; the male lead is two years younger than the female lead.

The male lead is only gentle and charming in front of the female lead, and the female lead is also...

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-01-06 21:42:39 and 2022-01-07 18:07:52!

Thank you to the little angels who watered with nutrient solution: Flower (6 bottles); Misty Rain (2 bottles);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!

◎Latest Comments:

Is Xue brainless? If the female lead doesn't punish her, is she expecting her father to punish her even more severely? Or is she just too well-protected by her family? Even after her home was ransacked, how can she still be so arrogant?

Why did the female lead make the male lead kneel all night?

[What's wrong with the male lead? The female lead's father saved him and his father just to have a child—it was a trade-off. And this male lead still thinks the female lead is cold-hearted. If he were cold-hearted, he'd be working as a prostitute long ago. He still thinks he's devoted to having children for her? He just wants to leave... Huh? Is this reasonable? Isn't this what he should be doing?]

Why did they have to torture Xiao Xue? After reading the previous replies, I thought the female lead was being generous, doting, tolerant, and compassionate towards the handsome male lead... but instead, she made him kneel for a whole night as punishment.

That's one thing, you could explain it as the female lead wanting to punish him lightly before anyone else to avoid a harsher punishment, but why didn't she explain it? The male lead was heartbroken. If there's a misunderstanding, just clear it up!

I feel like the romance between the Emperor and Brother Jiang in this chapter isn't as sweet as it is in the other chapters.

This tweet and this article are clearly not for the same audience...

[From my God-like perspective, Xue is probably incredibly brainless (sorry! *covers face*)]

[We hope the two of you can quickly resolve your differences at the banquet, have a long and happy marriage, and have many children!]

[Damn! Keep torturing the male lead! Give it more!]

[This is so good! Please update soon, I'm so impatient!]

[So heartbreaking for Xiao Xue!]

【

[Hopefully, they can find out about the Fifth Prince soon. The fact that he knows everything means he has someone planted near the female lead. He's incredibly ambitious and doesn't seem to care much for the female lead's brother either.]

The Fifth Prince is really going head-to-head with 555. Poor Xue (although he also sowed the seeds of his own actions earlier)

[The misunderstanding will be cleared up sometime soon, but who knows when]

How did you get the tiger's mouth injury?

-over-