Nong Nu Jiao

Wang Deming stood guard under the corridor outside the Zichen Hall, arms crossed, leaning against a pillar and dozing off.

Having stood on the job for years, he had long since mastered the skill of dozing off while standing.

Suddenly, a commotion arose at the entrance.

"I'm looking for that Eunuch Wang..."

Cen Lingyi pointed at Wang Deming.

The imperial guards on either side blocked her with their spears, preventing her from stepping into the courtyard.

"Miss Cen?"

Wang Deming opened his eyes and saw that it was this person. He quickly walked over and scolded the two guards.

"Still not letting them through?"

Upon seeing him, the two guards immediately lowered their spears.

"Eunuch Wang."

Cen Lingyi bowed to him.

"You're too kind, young lady. How did you find your way here? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Wang Deming smiled apologetically and spoke to her with a humble expression.

He is the most astute.

Although she is the daughter of a disgraced official, she is now the Crown Prince's darling, the person the Imperial Concubine protects most, and the mother of the Crown Prince's only child. She is extremely precious and cannot be offended.

"Today, the Imperial Concubine took me to Ninghe Palace. You gave me many things and had them carried to the East Palace. You also spoke to me at length." Cen Lingyi thought for a moment and said, "I feel that Her Highness seems a little off. Could you please trouble you, Eunuch, to speak to His Majesty?"

She didn't know how to tell Wang Deming the specifics.

You can't say that the Imperial Concubine was giving her last words, can you?

But something was wrong with the Imperial Concubine. She was really worried and couldn't just do nothing.

"That's easy, easy," Wang Deming readily agreed. "However, young lady, don't worry too much. Her Majesty is always like this, doing whatever she pleases."

"I know." Cen Lingyi nodded. "However, Your Highness has been behaving rather strangely today, so I came here specifically to inform you."

She emphasized this in the hope that Wang Deming would take it seriously.

"I'll go tell her right away," Wang Deming said with a low voice and a smile. "Actually, His Majesty can't do anything about the Empress either."

Cen Lingyi smiled knowingly.

"Then I'll head back to the East Palace first."

"May you rest in peace, young lady."

Wang Deming watched her leave before turning back to the entrance of Zichen Palace.

"Who is it?"

Emperor Shengwu's voice came from inside the hall.

Wang Deming was startled and went in to bow: "Your Majesty, it is Miss Cen."

"What is she doing here?"

Disappointment flashed across Emperor Shengwu's face.

He thought it was Xiao Yulou who had come. Compared to being quiet, he preferred her to be a little more lively.

"Miss Cen is here to discuss matters concerning the Imperial Concubine."

After all, Wang Deming had served him for many years, so he could probably guess what was on his mind.

Knowing that he was worried that the Imperial Concubine hadn't come looking for him, he immediately spoke up.

"Oh?"

Emperor Shengwu stopped writing and looked up at him.

"Miss Cen said that the Imperial Concubine brought her to Ninghe Palace today and bestowed many gifts upon her, which were then carried to the East Palace," Wang Deming said truthfully. "The Imperial Concubine also spoke with Miss Cen at length. Miss Cen said that she felt the Imperial Concubine was acting somewhat strangely today and wanted to speak with His Majesty about it. She asked me to pass on the message."

"She's always been a troublemaker."

Emperor Shengwu snorted lightly, not taking it to heart, and lowered his eyes to continue reviewing the memorials.

Wang Deming laughed and said, "That's just how the Imperial Concubine is. Her temper flares up quickly, but it also subsides just as fast. She'll be fine once she turns over."

Emperor Shengwu chuckled, thinking of Xiao Yulou's stubborn appearance, and deeply agreed.

Isn't that exactly what she is? She throws tantrums at him every other day.

He knew this before he married her, and he had planned to be tolerant of her before he married her.

*

When Cen Lingyi returned to Mingde Hall, Yan Chenghui had already woken up and was leaning against the headboard.

Yun Que stirred the medicine with a spoon until it cooled down to a temperature that wasn't too hot.

Cen Lingyi entered the inner hall.

"The girl is back."

Yun Que stood up.

Yan Chenghui's gaze fell on Cen Lingyi.

"I'll do it."

Cen Lingyi responded and stepped forward to take the medicine from Yun Que's hand.

"Your subordinate takes his leave."

Yun Que tactfully withdrew.

Cen Lingyi lowered her eyes, stirred the medicine gently for a while, and touched the bowl with the back of her hand.

"It's not hot anymore, here you go."

Cen Lingyi scooped up some medicine and fed it to his lips.

After Yan Chenghui took the medicine, she opened the food box.

"strangeness."

She took all the dishes out of the food box, but didn't see any soup.

"I told the imperial physician that I was always eating soft food, my mouth felt bland, and I felt weak. The imperial physician said that I could eat regular food now."

Yan Chenghui explained to her.

"I see." Cen Lingyi placed the small table by the bed, took out food and put it on it one by one, and then brought over rice to feed him: "Then tomorrow, I will have them make some nourishing dishes for you to eat."

His most important task now is to quickly replenish his energy and blood.

"Jiaojiao".

Yan Chenghui called her again.

"Um."

Cen Lingyi was used to it and raised her hand to feed him.

"Have you considered that I'm now capable of doing it myself?"

Yan Chenghui looked at her with a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Cen Lingyi paused in her movements, then placed the spoon in the bowl and handed it to him.

"Then you eat it yourself."

Her face turned a little red.

Yes, his complexion is much better than before, and he's in much better spirits. He can eat by himself.

Why is she still feeding him?

Yan Chenghui stretched out his injured right hand, revealing the scar on his palm that extended all the way to the base of his thumb.

Cen Lingyi steeled her heart and placed the bowl on it.

Yan Chenghui's arm went limp, and he looked at her with a wronged expression: "I think I'm still a little short of strength."

Cen Lingyi pursed her lips, glared at him, withdrew her hand, and picked up the spoon.

Just say you want her to feed you.

Yan Chenghui smiled, pursing his lips.

"Fine, then we won't eat it."

Cen Lingyi's eyelids were a little red, and she tried to pull her hand back.

Yan Chenghui grasped her wrist, lowered his head to eat the food in his spoon, and then looked up at her.

His palm was warm, and it was a little rough against the skin of her wrist. The pressure made her feel at ease.

There was a genuine feeling that he had finally come back to life and was slowly getting better.

The inner chamber fell silent, with only each other's breathing and heartbeats remaining.

Cen Lingyi dropped the spoon from her hand.

Yan Chenghui lowered his eyes to look.

"Let go."

Cen Lingyi snapped out of her daze and pulled her arm back.

Yan Chenghui released his grip, picked up the spoon, and handed it to her.

Cen Lingyi took it and fed him spoonful by spoonful.

Under his gaze, I don't know why, I blushed.

Don't look at me.

She was embarrassed and annoyed, and raised her hand to push his face.

"it is good."

Yan Chenghui obediently turned his head away.

He didn't turn around when Cen Lingyi fed him again.

"You eat it."

Cen Lingyi couldn't help but speak up.

"Didn't you tell me to transfer there?"

Yan Chenghui turned his face and smiled at her.

"You eat it yourself."

Cen Lingyi shoved the bowl into his hand and turned her back.

Where did he learn such tricks? His eyes are like hooks; he never used to be like that.

"Jiaojiao will hold the bowl for me, and I'll eat by myself."

Behind him, Yan Qingci spoke.

Cen Lingyi turned to look at him.

"It's inconvenient for me to be lying on my side."

Yan Chenghui explained.

Cen Lingyi couldn't bring herself to do it, so she picked up the bowl and fed him again, saying, "Then you're not allowed to look at me like that anymore."

"it is good."

Yan Chenghui nodded with a smile.

Once the inner palace was quiet, Cen Lingyi fed him spoonful by spoonful, but her thoughts unconsciously drifted back to Xiao Yulou.

"Is Jiaojiao troubled?"

Yan Chenghui turned his head to look at her.

When she came back, he could tell that she had something on her mind.

I was just teasing her on purpose.

Cen Lingyi snapped out of her daze, her hand movements halting, and frowned as she said, "It's the Imperial Concubine."

"What's wrong with Mother?"

Yan Chenghui inquired.

"She gave me a lot." Cen Lingyi sighed. "She said a lot to me, mostly words of advice. I felt she was acting very strangely today, so I went to Zichen Palace and spoke to Wang Deming."

"What did your mother say to you?"

Yan Chenghui sat up, his brow furrowing as the movement aggravated his injuries.

"Don't move too much."

Cen Lingyi supported his shoulder and repeated to him everything Xiao Yulou had told her.

Of course, she omitted the part about whether they would get married.

"Jiaojiao, help me up."

Yan Chenghui couldn't sit still after hearing half of it, and he tried to get out of bed.

"Why can't you come down?"

Cen Lingyi quickly helped him up.

"Mother..."

Yan Chenghui looked grave and stumbled as he got out of bed.

"You still have arrows in your body, you can't get down. Can I send Yun Que instead?"

Cen Lingyi supported him.

"No, I'll go myself." Yan Chenghui frowned. "Have them prepare the horses."

"How can you ride a horse like that?"

Cen Lingyi refused.

"Jiaojiao, Mother is going to abandon me again..."

Yan Chenghui's chest heaved, his eyes filled with heartache.

Cen Lingyi was speechless. After a moment, she quickly walked out of the inner palace and called out, "Yun Que, prepare the horses."

Yan Chenghui walked out of Mingde Hall.

He rested for a while and his gait was still relatively steady, but he had become extremely thin.

Yun Que led the horse over, his face full of worry: "Your Highness..."

"fine."

Yan Chenghui took the reins and turned to look at Cen Lingyi.

"Jiaojiao, come with me."

Cen Lingyi didn't say anything and walked towards him.

She felt that he was incredibly vulnerable at that moment, and seeing him like that made her heart ache.

When he was young, the Imperial Concubine did not love him and left him to fend for himself in and out of the Cold Palace.

He never forgot her, but he never held it against the Imperial Concubine.

He actually had an attachment to his mother, the Imperial Concubine, but the Imperial Concubine was not close to him.

If the Imperial Concubine truly intended to take her own life today, her final words would have been spoken to her, not to her son, Yan Chenghui.

How painful this must have been for Yan Chenghui!

She didn't know how to comfort him.

Yan Chenghui mounted his horse and reached out to pull her along.

Fearing that it would aggravate his wound, Cen Lingyi waved her hand, signaling Yun Que to come forward and help her.

She mounted the horse and sat in front of him.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulled on the reins, and gave a soft shout: "Giddy up!"

"Slow down."

Cen Lingyi held his hand and gave him some instructions.

"it is good."

Yan Chenghui felt the coolness and slight sweat in her palms, and pulled her closer.

At this hour, the palace gates were about to be locked. When the two arrived at the palace gates, the imperial guards were changing shifts.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince?"

The commander of the Imperial Guards was somewhat surprised. Wasn't it said that His Highness the Crown Prince was seriously injured and recuperating in the Eastern Palace?

"I have an emergency, open the door."

Yan Chenghui did not dismount.

The commander of the Imperial Guards hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand to signal his men: "Open the door for His Highness."

His Highness the Crown Prince is upright and will always take responsibility for his own affairs, without implicating innocent people like them.

Therefore, he dared to grant His Highness the Crown Prince permission at this time, without His Majesty's consent.