The daughter of the Marquis is too delicate, the abstinent prince pinches her waist and loves her

Chapter 186 Both are genuine
Mu Xiyang glanced at Mu Jiyue, then withdrew the anger from his eyes.

This girl doesn't know what happened sixteen years ago; she can't let her see any clues.

She let out a soft breath and said, "I'm just wondering why you didn't tell me sooner that the Starry Jade Pendant in Ye Jingnian's hand could cure the love curse on him?"

Mu Jiyue raised her beautiful lips and said, "Has the eldest princess forgotten? To activate the love potion, we still need the blood of the Mu family."

Mu Xiyang clenched her fist hidden under her sleeve. Her biggest fear was that the girl was a member of the Mu family!
Prince's Mansion.

"Your Highness." Yan Chuan paused for a moment when he saw Ye Jingnian as he walked to the front of the courtyard.

Ye Jingnian leaned back on the soft couch, his robe wide open to reveal his distinct collarbone. He tilted his head back and drank the strong, cold-stemmed liquor in his hand. The rich aroma of the liquor lingered in the air, and the liquid slid down his chin.

Yan Chuan has followed His Highness since childhood. He only drinks when Ye Jingnian is depressed. The last time he drank was after he sent Zhi Xing to the Xie family.

Recently, he's become even more ruthless, always keeping a pot of wine handy while reviewing memorials, and at banquets, there's a constant flow of wine. Now...

He seemed to know what was bothering him, and still let out a soft breath, saying, "Your Highness, although the Moon Jade Pendant has been destroyed, and the jade pendant in Miss Sheng's hand has been taken back by Princess Mingyao, the Sun Jade Pendant... must also be in Princess Mingyao's hands, but... Your Highness's Star Jade Pendant can also cure Your Highness's love curse."

"Your Highness, rather than being tormented by the love potion every day, you should remove it as soon as possible."

Ye Jingnian slowly shifted her vacant gaze toward him, her tone revealing her usual sinister ruthlessness: "How dare you! The Sun, Moon and Star Jade Pendant is a royal treasure of the Western Shu Kingdom, given to the princesses by the Western Shu Emperor. The real Star Jade Pendant belongs to Princess Qionghua. The one in my hand is a fake."

Yan Chuan looked at his still unwilling appearance, his self-numbing words as if they were drunk with strong liquor.

He said in a low voice, "If Your Highness had a fake, Princess Qinxue wouldn't have been in such a hurry to snatch it."

"The secret guards have already reported on the conversation between Princess Qinxue and Princess Qionghua today. Princess Qinxue is convinced that Princess Qionghua has the Starry Jade Pendant. Your Highness, don't you find it strange that she cared so much about the Empress's pendant back then?"

Ye Jingnian remained silent for a long while, his dark eyes vacant again, and said, "If you spout nonsense again, you will be whipped."

Yan Chuan took out several old, yellowed pieces of paper from his pocket and placed them neatly on the table. He said, "I took it upon myself to send someone to the Western Shu Kingdom to investigate. Princess Qionghua of the Western Shu Kingdom lost her Star Jade Pendant after she was born. Along with the jade pendant, the Third Princess's wet nurse also disappeared."

"The star-shaped jade pendant we saw at the flower-viewing banquet today was a re-made piece commissioned by the Emperor of Western Shu after the original one was lost. So... there have always been two star-shaped jade pendants, both genuine."

"I have also learned that Princess Qionghua's wet nurse died in front of the Taoist temple where the princess once practiced. Those who saw her body said that she had given birth not long ago."

"Get out."

Yan Chuan remained silent for a moment, then lowered his head and withdrew.

The intoxicating aroma of wine filled the air. Ye Jingnian glanced at the note on the table, picked it up, and looked at it for a long time.

He wasn't drunk, but why couldn't he make out the words on the note?

In the distance, Zhi Xing approached carrying a lantern. Startled by the pungent smell of alcohol around her, she coughed. Seeing Ye Jingnian staring at something with a cold expression, she cautiously stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness... what are you looking at so late?"

With a "ripping" sound, as she asked softly, Ye Jingnian tore the paper in his hand, the pieces overlapping between his fingertips into tiny fragments.

Seeing his sorrow, Zhi Xing frowned with a hint of pity and said, "Your Highness, if you have any worries, you can tell A-Zhi." "Come here." Ye Jingnian's tightly clenched pages were so fragile from their age that some had crumbled. His voice was deep and clear, as if he were deep in thought, without looking up at her.

Zhi Xing slowly walked up to him, and he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to sit down beside him.

His fingertips were slightly hot from drinking, and he left a burning sensation on her cheek.

He leaned closer, wanting to touch her lips, but she was choked by the strong smell of alcohol and subconsciously stepped back a little.

Ye Jingnian's eyes darkened. He suddenly grabbed her wrist, roughly pinned her to the soft couch, stretched out his long arm, picked up the half-finished bottle of Cold Pool Fragrance from the table, and poured it little by little onto her thin shirt.

"Your Highness..." Zhi Xing looked at his burning gaze, and she didn't know if it was because he was too close to her or because the aroma of the wine was too intoxicating. Under the damp gauze, her skin, which was as white as porcelain, began to burn and turn red.

With a "crash," Ye Jingnian smashed the wine pot on the ground, grabbed the back of her head, and kissed her fiercely.

He casually tossed the shredded paper in his hand, and it fluttered in the air like a swarm of butterflies, dreamlike yet shattered.

The next day, warm sunlight streamed through the windowpanes, dispelling the chill inside the house.

Zhi Xing rubbed her aching waist as she got up, her slightly closed eyes revealing a faint sense of fatigue.

Ye Jingnian, who had been drinking, almost lost control again. Perhaps it was the heart-wrenching sound of crying that echoed in his ears that brought him back to his senses and allowed her to fall asleep.

Before long, the familiar medicine was once again placed in front of her.

Whenever the maid brought it over, Ye Jingnian would always appear in front of her, watching her swallow it bite by bite.

The feeling of being watched like this made her feel a tightness in her chest. She endured the bloody taste in the medicine and finished the last sip. Only then did Ye Jingnian seem willing to take his eyes off the medicine bowl.

Zhi Xing lowered her eyes, her fingertips tracing the still-warm porcelain bowl, and said, "Your Highness, do you distrust A-Zhi so much?"

Ye Jingnian took the empty bowl from her hand and put it back on the maid's tray.

After the maid left, he pulled her into his arms, closed his eyes, lowered his head, and smelled the fragrance in her hair, his breath sounding like a sigh.

Did the jade pendant relieve his pain, or did she relieve his pain?
As Ye Jingnian opened his eyes, his gaze darkened: "Azhi, you never used to question my decisions."

Zhi Xing lowered her head, bit her lip, and said, "Your Highness, I want to go out for a walk."

Ye Jingnian pinched her waist with a slightly fierce force, almost making her cry: "You are weak and easily catch a cold when you go out. Just stay at home and rest."

“Since A-Zhi entered the manor, she has not yet paid her respects to the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager…” Zhi Xing frowned stubbornly as she spoke.

“No need.” He raised his hand and stroked her hair as if grooming a pet’s fur, and said, “I have consulted with the Empress Dowager and she is not in good health and should not leave the palace. The Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager will not blame you.”

Zhi Xing swallowed hard, rested her head on his chest, and softly replied, "Yes."