Chapter 40

◎“Xue Lingyu.” [First update]◎

When Physician Yang came to Chaohui Palace to check on Ping An's health, Jiang Wanyi casually inquired about Xue Lingyu's condition.

Physician Yang repeated what he had told Jiang He: Xue Lingyu's health was indeed fine.

In this way, Jiang Wanyi can rest assured. If something were to happen to Xue Lingyu, Jiang He might do something foolish.

After examining Jiang Wanyi's pulse, Physician Yang respectfully and truthfully said, "The fetus in Your Highness's womb is very healthy. However, Your Highness has bluish-white spots under your eyes, which shows that you haven't been sleeping very well lately."

Jiang Wanyi couldn't help but sigh, tacitly agreeing with Physician Yang's statement.

His brow had been twitching these past few days, and he had a bad feeling about it, but nothing unpleasant had happened to him in the palace.

Pregnant men tend to overthink, so Physician Yang could only prescribe some sleep aids to help Jiang Wanyi sleep more soundly.

After taking the pulse, Physician Yang picked up his medicine box and was about to leave when Jiang Wanyi's trusted servant suddenly rushed in. He was about to say something, but seeing that Physician Yang was still there, he swallowed his words.

If Jiang Wanyi didn't trust Physician Yang, how could he have entrusted her with taking care of the fetus in his womb? Facing his anxious trusted servant, he calmly said, "Physician Yang is not an outsider. Speak your mind."

The trusted servant glanced at the aloof Imperial Physician Yang, stepped forward, and said, "Your Excellency, there's been some movement on the Fifth Prince's side. His personal attendant secretly left the palace with someone. I heard from the palace servants that the person was bloated and didn't seem to be the Fifth Prince."

Jiang Wanyi raised her long eyebrows. "Oh? Doesn't seem like the Fifth Prince."

Whether that person was the Fifth Prince or not, he could find out by sending someone to the palace to investigate. If it really was the Fifth Prince, that would be fine, as it was a serious crime for a prince to escape from the palace without permission. But if it was someone else, what intrigued Jiang Wanyi even more was the Fifth Prince's purpose in sending someone out of the palace.

After enduring so much silence, is the Fifth Prince finally going to make his move?

The trusted servant continued, "The person has already left the palace. I have sent someone to follow them. Any news will be sent back immediately."

Jiang Wanyi rubbed her palms together, her eyes deep, and said, "Didn't His Majesty reward me with some new tea? Send someone to deliver it to the Fifth Prince, and make sure he has a good taste of it."

The trusted servant acknowledged the order: "Yes."

Physician Yang listened from the side, his expression never changing. The struggles in the palace had never stopped. The Fifth Prince had offended the Jiang family and Jiang Wanyi. If he didn't have enough power, he would be at their mercy.

However, today was the day she had agreed upon with the eldest son, and the fact that the fifth prince was sending people out of the palace at this time made her inexplicably a little worried.

Jiang He was still lying in bed, hungover from yesterday, but Xue Lingyu got up early and instructed the kitchen to keep a hangover soup warm so that it could be brought to Jiang He after she woke up.

He chose a crimson dress and wore the red jade agate hairpin that Jiang He had given him. He dressed up carefully and even applied lip rouge.

Xue Lingyu was initially puzzled as to why Jiang He suddenly brought up lip rouge, but she understood after seeing the several boxes of lip rouge hidden in her sleeve.

Perhaps it was because I was socializing with the boss who sells lip balm, and I ended up bringing back a few boxes.

It was obvious that it was for him, and Xue Lingyu felt a warmth in her heart. But when she thought about leaving today, she forced herself to be ruthless and not let her emotions ruin everything.

He finally took out a box of lip rouge to use. The man in the mirror had skin as smooth as cream, long hair draped over his shoulders, eyebrows as black as lacquer, eyes as dark as ink, and dark eyelashes that trembled slightly. His delicate lips moved slightly, making people unable to help but feel affection for him.

He had been living in the Jiang family for quite some time now. Although he had suffered some mistreatment, Jiang He had never treated him poorly. The things he used were even better than when he was in the Xue family.

Suddenly, footsteps came from outside, followed by the sound of a kite singing.

"Young Master Xue, I am waiting for you outside. Is Miss still not awake?"

Xue Lingyu glanced at Jiang He on the bed. To be honest, this was the first time he had seen Jiang He sleeping. She was so quiet, as if she had only closed her eyes.

She always woke up earlier than me.

He said to the outside, "I understand, your young lady... she hasn't woken up yet."

Xue Lingyu left the dressing table and walked to the bedside.

He stared intently at Jiang He, his fingers growing colder and colder. After a moment of inner struggle, he finally placed the Changxiangsi (a type of elixir) beside Jiang He's pillow.

Now he is not good enough for Jiang He. Once Jiang Wanyi gives birth to twins, the Jiang family will become in-laws, and their status will rise and they will enjoy boundless glory.

Xue Lingyu held Jiang He's hand for the last time. He couldn't hold back his tears and forced a smile. He choked up and said, "Consider these past days as compensation for what I owed you. Jiang He, let's never see each other again."

Still asleep, Jiang He did not respond. Xue Lingyu released her hand, turned around, and never looked back.

After standing in front of the door for a while, until there was no trace of her crying, Xue Lingyu finally opened the door.

Yuan Ge had been waiting, and when she saw him come out, she bowed to him and said, "Young Master Xue, the carriage is ready."

Xue Lingyu nodded and walked towards the courtyard gate.

“Oh, right.” Yuange looked at Xue Lingyu’s back, “Miss said yesterday that she told Young Master Xue not to save money for her, and that if you like something, you can buy it back, even a house.”

Xue Lingyu paused only briefly, as if she had heard him, or as if she hadn't taken it to heart.

After his trusted servant brought the tea to the Fifth Prince's palace, he saw the Fifth Prince admiring paintings. He calmly ordered someone to go back and send a message to Jiang Wanyi, while dealing with the Fifth Prince.

"I am acting on the orders of Attendant Jiang to deliver some of the tea that His Majesty has recently bestowed upon the Fifth Prince."

The Fifth Prince didn't even lift his eyelids, and said indifferently, "Thank you, Lady Jiang."

Despite being treated coldly, the trusted servant showed no anger and asked with a smile, "Is the lotus painting Your Highness is bestowing upon you the same one as last time?"

Having been secretly mocked again, the Fifth Prince glanced at his trusted servant and thought to himself that he really was one of Jiang Wanyi's people, sharp-tongued and deserving of death.

The Fifth Prince put away the painting. "It's not a lotus painting, but just a painting of Guanyin as a gift to a female deity. It happens to be auspicious for Lady Jiang right now, so why not go with the flow and give it to her?"

Jiang Wanyi would never accept the Fifth Prince's possessions. Her trusted servant immediately said, "Since it is His Highness's beloved item, my noble lady would not dare to take it away. His Highness can still use it after he marries."

The trusted servant said politely, "I must return to Chaohui Palace to serve Your Excellency, so I will take my leave now."

The Fifth Prince looked at the painting of Guanyin giving away a daughter, and his mood improved even more. He no longer wanted to get entangled with the people from Chaohui Palace.

Anyway, the plan will succeed today. I wonder if Xue Lingyu will collapse when she finds out that another man is pregnant with Jiang He's child?

The Fifth Prince was somewhat looking forward to seeing Xue Lingyu's reaction.

Yuange should stay to take care of Jiang He, so only Ji Xue will accompany Xue Lingyu. However, Ji Xue's martial arts skills are extremely high, surpassing ten guards. With him protecting Xue Lingyu, nothing unexpected will happen.

On the way out, Ji and Xue Lingyu rode in the same carriage, and Ji kept praising Xue Lingyu's good looks.

Although Xue Lingyu was mentally challenged, he still loved beauty, just like everyone else. Moreover, the hairpin in Xue Lingyu's hair today was particularly beautiful. He clapped his hands and was happy for a long time just looking at it. Xue Lingyu looked at him, but in her heart she was thinking about how to create a perfect fake death later.

Ji Xue approached Xue Lingyu, pouting and saying with distress, "Handsome brother, Miss told me a lot yesterday, but all I can remember today is that there are many beautiful hairpins and clothes in the water shop. I can't remember anything else."

Xue Lingyu patted his head and smiled, "Then let's go to the water shop. If Xue has any hairpins he likes, pick them out too, as a gift from me."

Ji Xue was not bad-looking; her skin was exceptionally fair even without makeup. If she dressed up a little, she would definitely be even more outstanding.

Ji Xue shook his head. He was used to being rough and unrefined, completely different from those delicate young masters. Moreover, he didn't like wearing hairpins, feeling that they restricted his movements and made him extremely uncomfortable.

Xue Lingyu patiently asked, "So, what does Xue Du like?"

Ji Xue's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed excitedly, "I love candy, and all kinds of delicious pastries!"

The pastries at Ruyi Restaurant were famous throughout the capital, and Xue Lingyu had tasted them before.

He smiled and agreed, "Then we'll go to Ruyi Restaurant to buy some later."

When the carriage arrived at the North Ward, Ji Xue jumped down from the carriage and then helped Xue Lingyu down.

The goods in the water store are all fresh products transported by water from places like Jiangnan, such as rouge and face powder. These are items that are not available in the capital. Although the Jiang family's northern store is now being overtaken by the He family's southern store, the water store is irreplaceable and its business is still booming.

Xue Lingyu made a token visit to a few shops. He took out the green waist tag that Jiang He had given him, and the shopkeepers all treated him with great respect, their gazes towards him showing a different kind of respect.

Xue Lingyu wasn't really there to buy jewelry or clothes. Just as he was about to browse one last shop, he unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance.

The last time Jiang He took him out to buy things, they went to a jewelry shop in Shuifang. He still clearly remembered that the shopkeeper mistakenly thought he was Jiang He's husband and called him Young Master.

The shopkeeper recognized Xue Lingyu immediately and hurried over to greet him.

"Greetings to the young master. Is the young master here to choose jewelry today?" The shopkeeper looked behind Xue Lingyu and, not seeing Jiang He, smiled and said, "So the young master came alone. Is the young mistress still resting in the manor? She drank a lot of wine yesterday."

Xue Lingyu's eyes were filled with doubt.

Fearing a misunderstanding, the shopkeeper quickly explained, "Young master, you may not know this, but yesterday the young master hosted a banquet for an official from the Ministry of Rites. He got completely drunk, and even then, he didn't forget to come here and pick out a few boxes of exquisite lip rouge."

The shopkeeper's smile widened. "Young Master really dotes on the young master."

Having been in business for so many years, she had a keen eye and naturally recognized the lip rouge on Xue Lingyu's lips.

The shopkeeper was getting old, but he still enjoyed watching young couples cook rice and oil together.

Xue Lingyu smiled guiltily: "Shopkeeper, you're joking."

The more the shopkeeper spoke, the more guilty he felt, and the more intense the pain became.

He could only hide all of this behind a calm face, pretending that nothing had happened.

The shopkeeper assumed that Xue Lingyu was young and shy, so he changed the subject, "If the young master finds something he likes, I will wrap it up and send it to your residence."

Xue Lingyu wasn't really interested, but she didn't want to waste the shopkeeper's kindness.

But a voice suddenly called out to him.

"Xue Lingyu".

Xue Lingyu turned around and saw the Fifth Prince smiling at her.

A note from the author:

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-01-23 22:50:27 and 2022-01-24 20:24:16!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Bingmozhiyan 10 bottles; jyxsxlyjh 2 bottles; 55061005, 57028157 1 bottle each;

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

◎Latest Comments:

【Here it comes! Here it comes! Here it comes!】

[The author's imagination is amazing! Grab a bottle of nutrient solution and let's keep brainstorming!]

[Please, author, let Jiang Wanyi and her father be safe and sound. Please, please, don't let that bad premonition be that the child is gone or anything.]

[This is the novel with the most consistent updates that I've been following recently. Keep it up, author!]

[Hahahaha, oh dear, the Fifth Prince might be in big trouble this time, hahahaha]

[Though separated by mountains and rivers, our friendship remains strong; could you give me an extra bottle? Sure!]

Is the ball-dribbling race about to begin? *swoosh swoosh*

After Yu Yu "died," the Fifth Prince panicked, exclaiming, "Why are you trying to stage an accident?!"

[Run! Hehehe! I should have stocked up earlier, sob sob, I really want him to run away!]

[Didn't the author say they'd add more chapters? I'm so excited!]

[Didn't the author say they'd add more chapters? I'm so excited!]

[Here I am! I'm the first to drink this nutrient solution. Let's fight for another 33,000 tomorrow!]

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