Nong Nu Jiao

The clinic fell silent for a moment.

The old doctor looked at Cen Lingyi, then spoke to Yan Chenghui.

"Contraceptive soup is harmful to the body; it's best to avoid it if possible..."

He stroked his beard and hesitated before speaking.

His pulse was accurate; the young mistress was heartbroken and seemed deeply saddened. The young couple was indeed having a falling out.

Cen Lingyi was about to speak again.

"She was joking with the doctor, thank you."

Yan Chenghui put down the silver, walked to the bedside, and picked up Cen Lingyi.

"Yun Que, get the medicine ready. Could you please ask the waiter to help me decoct it?"

He carried her to the door, paused, and gave her instructions.

"Yes."

Yun Que accepted the prescription and carried out his instructions.

Yan Chenghui carried Cen Lingyi back to the carriage.

"Your Highness can simply place me on the stool to the side."

Cen Lingyi spoke wearily.

She didn't want to sleep next to him anymore.

Yan Chenghui pursed his lips into a straight line and put her down without saying a word.

He walked over, sat down in the main seat, straightened his back, and looked straight ahead.

The atmosphere was somewhat tense.

"Your Highness."

It was Cen Lingyi who broke the silence.

Yan Chenghui glanced at her sideways.

"What if I get pregnant?"

Cen Lingyi asked him tentatively, her already burning face becoming even hotter.

"If you're pregnant, then have the baby."

Yan Chenghui withdrew his gaze without hesitation.

Before this, she had asked him the same question, and he had given her the same answer.

Cen Lingyi remained silent for a long time. Of course, she remembered their conversation vividly.

"Let's have the doctor prescribe some contraceptive medicine."

Her cheeks were flushed an unnatural red, and she spoke weakly again.

Her mind was extremely foggy, and the only thing on her mind at that moment was this very moment.

She can no longer get pregnant.

She couldn't even protect Cen Chiyao, causing him to be stranded outside for so long.

If we have another child, wouldn't that be harming the child?

"You can have a child with Lu Huaiyou, but not with an orphan?"

Yan Chenghui turned his head and stared at her coldly, his eyes filled with anger.

Cen Lingyi was taken aback by his words, and her eyes reddened.

She turned her gaze away, a hint of stubbornness showing through her frailty.

"As Your Highness said, I am not worthy to bear Your Highness's child."

She doesn't deserve it.

He said those words.

He said it more than once.

No matter how lowly she was, she shouldn't have abandoned her self-respect to force herself on him and give birth to his child again.

"You do have some self-awareness."

Yan Chenghui glanced at her and sneered, his chest heaving.

She's got a knack for it; every word she says can infuriate him.

"Where...will Your Highness take me?"

Cen Lingyi was feeling very unwell and had little strength. She paused twice while uttering just a few words.

"Go back to Beijing."

Yan Chenghui uttered two words.

"I am no longer... His Highness's wet nurse... I've been gone for so long, he should have been weaned by now, he doesn't need me anymore..."

Cen Lingyi's voice was terribly hoarse, and she coughed twice.

"You're in charge of taking care of him."

Seeing her distressed expression, Yan Chenghui abruptly looked away.

"I'd rather take...my own child." Cen Lingyi looked at him, her eyes pleading, "Your Highness, please let me go, I have things to do..."

"What are you going to do?"

Yan Chenghui asked her.

"I……"

Cen Lingyi only said one word and then fell silent.

She dared not tell him that her parents and brothers might still be alive.

Rumors were circulating that her family members had died on the way to exile.

The second sister said that they had gone missing.

Disappearance is not death; perhaps they are still alive, waiting for her somewhere.

Yan Chenghui despised and hated her, and tried every means to humiliate her.

If they knew her family was still alive, they would definitely find ways to target them.

She could bear to suffer hardship and humiliation herself, but she couldn't let it affect her family.

"What?!" Yan Chenghui's lips curled into a mocking smile. "You can tell Song Mingchi, but not me?"

She must have told Song Mingchi everything for him to specially escort her to Longyou.

But she didn't mention a word to him, and refused to tell him anything.

His chest and back ached faintly as he stared at her, his eyes swirling with unspoken emotions.

Cen Lingyi closed her eyes, her long, curled eyelashes drooping wetly, and she stopped speaking.

"say."

Yan Chenghui leaned closer, placed his large hand on her face, and pinched her cheek.

"Cough cough..."

Cen Lingyi coughed twice, her whole body aching, and her face scrunched up.

"You...you might as well strangle me..."

She closed her eyes and tears streamed down her face, feeling both wronged and stubborn.

Being sick is so uncomfortable, my body aches so much, and he still bullies her.

Anxious.

Living like this is really meaningless.

"Wouldn't death be too easy for you? Don't even think about it!"

In a fit of anger, Yan Chenghui suddenly stood up and strode off the carriage.

Enraged, Cen Lingyi used the last of her strength to throw his cloak off her body and onto the ground.

She doesn't want to touch anything of his!

"Your Highness."

Yun Gong stood guard by the carriage and hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects when Yan Chenghui alighted.

Yan Chenghui exhaled a breath of stale air, glanced back at the direction of the carriage, and ordered, "Have Lingzhi come over."

"Yes."

Yun Gong readily agreed.

Lingzhi was filled with worry, constantly concerned about the girl along the way.

Finally, His Highness summoned her to serve him.

She practically ran there.

Cen Lingyi had her arm over her face, silently shedding tears. She didn't pay attention to the footsteps—she didn't have the strength to.

"Girl, what's wrong?"

Lingzhi boarded the carriage, and seeing her haggard appearance, tears welled up in her eyes.

"I'm fine, I think I just caught a cold."

Cen Lingyi quietly wiped away her tears and spoke in a hoarse voice.

When Lingzhi saw the Crown Prince's cloak lying on the ground, she knew that the two must have had another argument.

She secretly wiped away her tears and bent down to pick up the cloak.

"Why don't you cover yourself up, young lady?"

Lingzhi shook the cloak and was about to cover her with it.

"I won't cover his things."

Cen Lingyi raised her hand and waved it away weakly.

"Then let's cover you with a small blanket."

Lingzhi didn't dare to say anything more, and went to the cabinet under the seat to find a small thin blanket, which she carefully covered her with.

She sat down to the side, not daring to say a word.

His Highness took the girl away for so long, and when she returned, she was only wrapped in His Highness's cloak, without any other clothes.

Even if she's slow to realize it, she can figure out what happened.

That mountainous area had no shelter whatsoever.

A girl with a strong personality will naturally fall ill if she holds onto her anger.

Cen Lingyi frowned even more. She could smell Yan Chenghui's scent on the thin blanket.

His things all bear his scent.

She didn't want to touch it.

However, she was ill and couldn't be willful or harm her health.

She didn't have the energy to struggle anymore.

"It's so hot." Lingzhi touched her forehead and sighed inwardly, "I'll go get some warm water and wipe her body down to cool her down."

Yun Que has already arranged for someone to prepare the medicine, hoping that the young lady will recover quickly after taking it.

Cen Lingyi no longer had the strength to respond to her.

She was already ill and weak, and her quarrel with Yan Chenghui had almost completely drained her energy.

Lingzhi returned, wrung out a handkerchief and placed it on her forehead, then wiped her arms with warm water; she only vaguely knew all of this.

"Girl, the medicine is ready. Here, drink it and get a good night's sleep."

Lingzhi helped her up and looked at Yan Chenghui across from her.

Yan Chenghui held the medicine bowl and fed it to Cen Lingyi's lips.

Cen Lingyi was so uncomfortable that she could barely open her eyes, but she drank all the medicine in one sip without stopping at all.

She was in so much pain and just hoped that the medicine would relieve her suffering.

It's so bitter.

Her face scrunched up, and she almost vomited.

Someone pried open her mouth and stuffed a piece of candy into it.

It's sweet and has a milky aroma.

She smacked her lips, and her brow relaxed slightly.

Yan Chenghui waved to Lingzhi.

Lingzhi bowed and stepped off the carriage.

The herbal decoction had a calming effect, and Cen Lingyi quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Yan Chenghui carefully covered her with a small blanket, helped her lean against his lap, and looked down at her.

She is at her most well-behaved when she is asleep, with peaceful eyes and a soft, sweet demeanor.

Not stubborn, nor obsequious, and certainly not one to say hurtful things.

He just looked unwell, extremely haggard.

He was somewhat annoyed; he had gone too far.

He placed his thumb on her delicate, petal-like lips, gently caressing them, and then lowered his head to kiss the corner of her lips.

Looking up at her again, I still felt it wasn't enough.

He simply wrapped her tightly in a small blanket and pulled her slender body into his arms.

Her body was soft and gentle, carrying a faint medicinal fragrance and a sweet scent. She rested quietly against his chest, her breathing a little rapid.

He touched her forehead; the medicine seemed to have calmed her fever a bit.

He tightened his arms around her, the warmth and weight of the person in his embrace making him truly feel her presence.

This time, he found her.

*

Cen Lingyi was in a daze, half-asleep, her consciousness floating up and down. The carriage swayed and the gentle bumps occasionally echoed in her ears.

The surrounding light and shadow shifted and changed, and she could hear the soft clatter of wheels rolling on the road, mixed with a faint scent of medicine and his unique, refreshing fragrance, all swirling around her, impossible to break free from or escape.

In her dazed state, she had a very long dream.

Endless escapes, oppressive confrontations, and the overwhelming humiliation and suffocation in the valley—all the bitterness and grievances he inflicted upon her…

Everything seems to have no end.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but the surroundings quieted down and everything became peaceful. She drifted off to sleep and didn't want to wake up.

The midday sun shone through the latticework window, illuminating the room.

After finishing the morning court session, Yan Chenghui pushed open the door to his bedroom.

The smell of medicine wafted towards us.

"Your Highness."

Lingzhi curtsied, and in the cradle beside her, little Yan Huaijiao slept.

"She's still not awake?"

Yan Chenghui frowned and looked towards the bed.

"Yes."

Lingzhi was also deeply worried.

It has been almost ten days since she returned to the East Palace. The young lady has been awake for very few hours. Most of the time she is taking medicine and has hardly eaten any food.

Sometimes, while talking to her, I would uncontrollably fall into a deep sleep.

Several groups of imperial physicians came, all saying that the young lady's body was fine, but her mind and spirit were damaged.

"You may leave."

Yan Chenghui walked over and raised the bed curtains.

Lingzhi silently withdrew.

Yan Chenghui sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at the person curled up on the bed.

Her cheeks gradually lost their fullness, she slept restlessly, her brows were slightly furrowed, and her long eyelashes drooped quietly, lying listlessly under her eyes, as fragile as a glass doll that could shatter at the slightest touch.

Yan Chenghui placed his large hand on her forehead, gently stroking it, and then grasped her face: "Cen Lingyi, wake up."