Nong Nu Jiao

Hearing the little guy's innocent words, Cen Lingyi couldn't help but smile.

The little guy seems to be connected to her heart; whatever she dislikes, he dislikes too, without her having to teach him.

Yan Chenghui caught a fleeting smile on her face, and looking at the two similar faces, one big and one small, his expression darkened.

The child Huai Jiao asked her to bring is becoming more and more like her.

"Stinky? Is Your Highness talking about me?" Sun Peihuan realized what was happening, raised her sleeve and sniffed it. Both ashamed and annoyed, she stopped clinging to Yan Chenghui, sat up straight, and pointed at Cen Lingyi, saying, "Your Highness, it must be Cen Lingyi who taught Your Highness to curse me! Your Highness, punish her immediately!"

She smells so good, and this damned little brat dares to say she stinks!

Originally, she was very happy that His Highness came to keep her company today.

Unexpectedly, His Highness actually sent Cen Lingyi along.

What right does a slut who got pregnant by another man have to watch her and His Highness eat here? And she even ordered her bastard to insult her!

Why does Your Highness still let her take care of the young prince? Aren't you afraid she'll corrupt the young prince?

"Your Highness has misunderstood." Cen Lingyi hugged Yan Huaijiao tightly and said softly, "His Highness was referring to His Highness, not Your Highness. You don't need to say such things."

I've seen people pick up money or things, but I've never seen anyone pick up insults.

Sun Peihuan is truly unique.

Yan Chenghui looked at her coldly: "Is it enough to just say 'I'?"

Cen Lingyi turned her head away, pursed her lips, and took half a step back.

Was Huai Jiao wrong? Sun Peihuan had a strong fragrance on him, and she didn't like the smell on him.

Besides, he's such a grown man, why would he hold a grudge against his own son?

"Your Highness, is she giving you the cold shoulder? How dare a mere servant like her?"

Sun Peihuan stood by, gloating and sowing discord.

"Come here, serve the food."

Yan Chenghui looked at Cen Lingyi and gave her instructions.

He could naturally see Cen Lingyi's disdain.

Adding to his anger was the fact that she had secretly bought abortion pills.

This made him even angrier.

Cen Lingyi held Yan Huaijiao in one arm and picked up her chopsticks with the other, bending down to serve him food.

"Eat."

Yan Huaijiao looked at the dishes and reached out her little hand to grab them.

Cen Lingyi held his little hand and coaxed him gently, "Your Highness, don't eat."

Her children should not eat anything from Sun Peihuan.

Yan Huaijiao looked at her, swallowed hard, and obediently hugged her neck, nestling her little face in her arms. Sure enough, she didn't want to eat anymore.

They listen to her incredibly well.

"Soup."

Looking at the little guy's obedient and well-behaved appearance, Yan Chenghui felt even more choked up for some reason.

Cen Lingyi ladled out the soup, picked up the bowl, and brought it to him, being careful not to touch his fingertips.

He now carries the scent of Sun Peihuan everywhere.

She didn't want to touch it at all.

Yan Chenghui looked at her long, lowered eyelashes, her disdain hidden beneath her obsequiousness, and slammed the soup bowl down on the table, making her face turn pale with anger.

"Your Highness," Sun Peihuan suddenly had an idea, "Since Your Highness finds the smell in this room unpleasant, why don't we light some incense to freshen it up?"

"Alright."

Yan Chenghui snapped out of his daze and nodded slightly.

Sun Peihuan immediately stood up, lit three incense sticks, and returned. She stopped in front of Cen Lingyi, looked her up and down, and said with a smile, "Oh dear, I don't have a suitable incense holder on hand. I see you have a steady hand, why don't you kneel here and hold the incense burner?"

She suggested using incense to humiliate Cen Lingyi.

Otherwise, would she have been scolded by Yan Huaijiao at Cen Lingyi's behest for nothing?

Cen Lingyi glanced at her sideways.

Incense burner, also called incense seat, is a base specifically designed to hold incense burners.

Sun Peihuan wanted her to be a tool for people to use.

"Your Highness, what do you say?"

Seeing that Cen Lingyi remained silent, Sun Peihuan turned to Yan Chenghui and swayed her hips, her voice both sweet and coquettish.

She also sensed that Yan Chenghui was very dissatisfied with Cen Lingyi tonight, so she decided to strike while the iron was hot and, if she couldn't kill Cen Lingyi, she would at least torment her.

Yan Chenghui remained silent, his gaze fixed on Cen Lingyi.

Yun Que also looked at Cen Lingyi with a look of reluctance.

In fact, he knew that His Highness had never been able to be truly cruel to Miss Cen.

At this point, if Miss Cen were to yield and kneel down to apologize to His Highness, His Highness would not allow her to become a servant girl.

The problem is that Miss Cen is too stubborn; she probably won't give in easily.

"Please have Lingzhi carry the young prince out, Your Highness."

Cen Lingyi remained silent for a moment, then lowered her head and spoke softly.

He didn't speak.

Silence implies acceptance of Sun Peihuan's suggestion.

Perhaps he also wanted to humiliate her, and Sun Peihuan's suggestion was exactly what he wanted.

She did whatever he wanted.

There was only one reason she didn't want her child to witness this scene.

"it is good."

Yan Chenghui's gaze turned deep, and he let out a cold laugh.

She would rather be a humble servant than submit.

He has backbone.

Then so be it!

"Kneel down."

With a triumphant smile on her face, Sun Peihuan handed the heavy gilded incense burner to Cen Lingyi.

This is the heaviest incense burner she chose in Yunxiang Courtyard. It might not burn Cen Lingyi to death, but it will exhaust her!

Cen Lingyi gripped the incense burner with her fingertips, knelt on the blue bricks, and used her arms to lift the incense burner.

The three incense sticks have been lit, and wisps of smoke are rising and swirling.

Sun Peihuan chuckled, satisfied, and walked back to sit down next to Yan Chenghui.

Cen Lingyi stared blankly ahead as wisps of fragrant mist wafted down, somewhat pungent.

Hot incense ash would occasionally fall, hitting the back of my hands and wrists, causing waves of sharp, burning pain.

She neither dodged nor flinched, but remained kneeling motionless.

Looking at her stubborn appearance, Yan Chenghui's chest heaved several times, almost breaking the chopsticks in his hand.

It was her own choice, it was her own decision!

"Your Highness, let me pour you some of this."

Sun Peihuan reached out to take the milk tea from the small stove.

When her fingertips touched the nipple, she hissed and gasped, quickly withdrawing her hand.

Yan Chenghui was drawn to her movements and turned to look at her.

"Ouch, it's hot, Your Highness, please blow on it for me."

Sun Peihuan stretched out her hand in front of him, looking at him pitifully.

Yan Chenghui paused for a moment, then gently blew on her hand.

Sun Peihuan was overjoyed. She glanced at Cen Lingyi and said with a smile, "Your Highness, would you mind applying some medicine for me?"

Actually, she wasn't injured at all, and she didn't need any medicine.

She wanted to show Cen Lingyi just how good His Highness was to her.

"Um."

Yan Chenghui responded.

The fragrant mist was hazy and intoxicating, making Cen Lingyi's eyes sting.

He took meticulous care of Sun Peihuan in front of her, blowing on her wounds and applying medicine.

She should have knelt further away; then she wouldn't have been able to see so clearly.

Her hands burned like fire, and her arms ached so much they felt like they were about to give out, but she was able to grit her teeth and endure the torment.

What she truly couldn't bear was the surge of heartache and sorrow within her.

She bit her lower lip hard, forcing back the tears.

Tears are useless.

She should think carefully about how to return this "gift" to Sun Peihuan in double measure.

Yun Que watched from the side, feeling a pang of pity, yet daring not to plead for her.

Cen Lingyi felt as if time had stood still, becoming incredibly long.

Finally, all three incense sticks burned out completely.

Sun Peihuan pretended not to see it and deliberately kept talking to Yan Chenghui.

"Your Highness, the incense has burned out."

Yun Que spoke up to remind him.

Sun Peihuan glared at him fiercely.

Who didn't see the incense burn out? Why is he so talkative?

What benefits did Cen Lingyi give Yun Que to make him so devoted?

"Go down."

Yan Chenghui glanced at Cen Lingyi and gave a casual instruction.

"This servant takes her leave."

Cen Lingyi slowly put down the incense burner in her hand. Her arm was so sore and numb that it didn't feel like her own, and the back of her hand was covered with red burn marks.

She struggled to control the trembling in her arms, bowed her head, and retreated.

Yan Chenghui watched her slender figure from behind.

Although they were only a few steps apart, it seemed as if an invisible chasm existed between them.

He instinctively tried to get up.

"Your Highness..."

Sun Peihuan grabbed him.

This also brought Yan Chenghui back to his senses.

He picked up the wine cup in front of him, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

*

Three days later, the sky turned gloomy.

"Otherwise, let's ask someone to buy some plasters to remove blood stasis and relieve pain."

Lingzhi stayed by the bedside, massaging Cen Lingyi's arms.

When the girl came back that night, her arms were swollen.

When she heard that Sun Peihuan had made the girl work as a sachet, tears welled up in her eyes.

Sun Peihuan was one thing, but she had always been targeting the girl in every possible way.

How could Your Highness be so heartless?

They say even a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of kindness, so how could Your Highness...

Ugh.

"No need, I'm much better these past two days..."

Cen Lingyi hissed softly, afraid of waking Yan Huaijiao who was sleeping peacefully on the other side of the bed, so she gritted her teeth and remained silent.

Looking at Yan Huaijiao's serene face, she couldn't help but think of Yan Chenghui.

After returning from Yunxiang Courtyard that day, she was busy preparing for Yan Huaijiao's first birthday banquet and didn't see him again.

He never came to see her.

"Look at the sky, it looks like it's going to rain. It's so cold," Lingzhi whispered. "Miss, do you think His Highness might...?"

Will he come looking for the girl?

Your Highness hates rainy days the most; they always get headaches when it rains. Staying by the young lady's side will make him feel much better.

This is something that even those who serve them personally know.

At this time of year, other places are using earthen heating systems, but they don't even have charcoal fires here.

Consort Sun deliberately instructed that no charcoal be provided to the side courtyard, not caring that the young prince might freeze.

"Won't."

Cen Lingyi abruptly interrupted her.

Perhaps it was because she bought abortion pills, or perhaps it was her disgust that made him see her determination.

He doesn't need another woman like her.

This is fine.

Her only concern was Huai Jiao; as long as Huai Jiao was by her side, that was enough.

Lingzhi glanced at her, then dared not say anything more.

"Xiao Liu, Xiao Liu?"

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from outside.

Cen Lingyi involuntarily withdrew her arm and sat up.

"Miss, doesn't that sound like Princess Taihe's voice?" Lingzhi stood up. "I'll go take a look."

"Let her in."

Cen Lingyi naturally recognized Yan Chengzhen's voice.

She covered Yan Huaijiao, who was sleeping peacefully on the inside of the bed, with a blanket, and then slipped off the bed.

Princess Taihe then hurried in.

"Zhenzhen."

Cen Lingyi went to greet him. She hadn't seen Yan Chengzhen in a long time, and there was a hint of joy in her eyes.

"Little Six, look, isn't this your father's handwriting?"

Princess Taihe grabbed her hand and handed her a letter.

"This is... a letter from home? Where did it come from?"

When Cen Lingyi saw the handwriting on the envelope, she was both surprised and delighted, and her fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

This is absolutely true; it's her father's handwriting, a letter he wrote to her!