The clingy concubine ran away, and the sickly prince lost control.

The next day, as dawn broke, Luo Qingyan, who was dozing off by Pei Shiyuan's bedside, was awakened by a knocking on the door.

"Brother Yuan, it's me."

A woman's urgent voice came from inside. Luo Qingyan opened the door with her bruised eyes. Pei Shiyuan had been in a daze all night. She had finally managed to feed him a bowl of medicine, but he kept sweating. She had wiped his body several times and changed his clothes several times throughout the night.

Luo Qingyan barely slept. It was almost dawn when Pei Shiyuan finally fell asleep peacefully, allowing her to take a short nap as well. She had just fallen into a deep sleep when she was woken up by a knocking on the door.

"So you're the new maid?" A woman in a white dress embroidered with pink butterflies asked, raising her chin. She didn't even look directly at Luo Qingyan, but instead peered into the room.

"I'm new here. May I ask who you are?" Luo Qingyan asked respectfully. Judging from her demeanor, the person in front of her was another pampered young lady.

"Snapped!"

"How dare you ask your master's name?"

The maidservant beside the woman immediately slapped Luo Qingyan.

Luo Qingyan wasn't annoyed. It was certain that the Duke's mansion was not simple. She simply stepped aside and made way. It seemed that this woman cared a lot about Pei Shiyuan. Let's see what's going on first.

"snort!"

The woman glared at Luo Qingyan, then stepped into the house and saw Pei Shiyuan. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she wiped away tears with a handkerchief.

"Brother Yuan, how are you?"

She had heard early in the morning that Pei Shiyuan not only failed to drive away the woman his aunt had forced into the house, but also suffered a severe case of vomiting blood due to sexual intercourse, and a doctor had come to help.

She's bound to Yuan-gege by marriage; she absolutely cannot let any other woman touch him.

He was even more furious when he thought about it, and turned around to raise his hand to slap Luo Qingyan himself.

"Cui Rou, what are you doing?"

Her raised hand froze in mid-air. Cui Rou turned and rushed to Cui Shiyuan's bedside: "Brother Yuan, you're awake. Was it this new maid who made you vomit blood last night? I'm here to teach her a lesson for you."

"She's not a maid, she's called Aunt Luo." Pei Shiyuan's eyes were filled with anger. He and Cui Rou had been betrothed since childhood by their mother. After he fell ill, his mother wanted them to get married as soon as possible to continue their lineage.

He could understand Cui Rou's refusal and was willing to break off the engagement, but Cui Rou refused to break off the engagement and continued to live in the Duke's mansion. Now she came here to cause trouble and be jealous.

"Brother Yuan, we are not married yet, how can you take a concubine? You are not the kind of person who is lustful and has a large number of concubines." When Cui Rou heard the words "Concubine Luo", her legs went weak and she almost fell.

She had liked Pei Shiyuan since she was a child, and her aunt arranged a marriage between them, which made her extremely happy.

Unfortunately, two years ago, her talented brother Yuan suddenly fell ill, and even the imperial physicians could not cure him. No matter how much she loved him, she could not marry him, thus ruining her life.

Now that medicine is ineffective, her aunt is searching everywhere for a woman to carry on the family line for her brother Yuan. Her heart aches so much; she can't bear to see this. Pei Shiyuan should be hers; she can't let go.

The woman from before was driven away by Brother Yuan, but why did this one stay last night? After hearing about it this morning, she couldn't even eat breakfast.

Pei Shiyuan ignored Cui Rou's questions and said only, "Aunt Luo, help me up."

Luo Qingyan quickly stepped forward to help her up. It turned out that the two had been engaged for a long time. Pei Shiyuan was using her to anger Cui Rou. That was perfect. She could be more affectionate and make Cui Rou furious. It would also be a good opportunity to repay the slap the maid had given her earlier.

After Pei Shiyuan sat up straight, she leaned too hard while helping him up and fell back into his arms.

"You, how dare you, seduce the Crown Prince!" Cui Rou was anxious and lost her composure, her voice cracking.

"It was my fault for not standing properly, Your Highness, please punish me." Luo Qingyan straightened her body, lowered her head, and turned her profile, which had been slapped and bore five bright red finger marks, toward Pei Shiyuan so that he could see it clearly.

What happened to your face?

"It's nothing, I just didn't recognize Miss Luo, so the maid stood up for her." Luo Qingyan immediately covered her slapped face with her hand.

"Guards, slap him." Pei Shiyuan's voice was cold.

Cui Rou curled her lips slightly. "You dare to complain to the prince? I'll beat your mouth to a pulp later."

A maidservant bowed as she entered. After receiving a signal from Pei Shiyuan, she went straight to Cui Rou's side and slapped her maidservant across the face.

The maid was slapped to the ground.

Cui Rou quickly stepped in front of him, saying, "Brother Yuan, why did you hit my people?"

"She doesn't even recognize Aunt Luo, shouldn't she be beaten? Drag her out and give her ten more lashes." Pei Shiyuan's voice was cold. Cui Rou had always been spoiled. Out of consideration for their childhood friendship, he had told her to be lenient with others, including servants, but she just wouldn't listen.

Last night, he was in a deep sleep, but his mind was still relatively clear. He knew that as soon as he sweated, Luo Qingyan would wipe him down and change his clothes so that he would feel more comfortable. It was clear that she was a kind and diligent girl, and she wouldn't let him get slapped for nothing.

"Brother Yuan, you really hurt me." Cui Rou covered her face with her sleeve and ran out crying.

"Young Master, please don't help me get revenge in the future. It's normal that the maid didn't recognize me when I first arrived. One slap is nothing."

Luo Qingyan had to lower her profile, and every step she took in the Duke's mansion had to be taken carefully. Pei Shiyuan was helping her vent her anger, so she had to keep a low profile and not be seen as arrogant or spoiled.

At the same time, she smiled to herself. Pei Shiyuan wasn't bad; she should cling to this powerful figure even more.

From childhood to adulthood, no one ever stood up for her or spoke up for her. Her mother, Madam Sun, treated her coldly, cutting back on her food and clothing. Everyone in the household, including the servants, joined in speaking coldly to her, and her father did nothing about it.

With no other option, she found odd jobs at the clinic to earn a little money to improve her life. Even so, her mother would demand her wages back every few days, otherwise she wouldn't be allowed to go to the clinic.

"In other words, you know you're not wrong. Since you know you're not wrong, you shouldn't suffer this injustice. You want to serve me? I don't want someone as weak as you."

Pei Shiyuan glanced at Luo Qingyan, then opened his arms to wait for her to change.

"I understand." Luo Qingyan carefully helped Pei Shiyuan change his clothes, buttoning up each button.

She quickly washed and dressed herself before going to pay her respects to the old lady.

"Aunt Luo, let me help you." Yuan Qing, who had disappeared overnight, took the heavy wheelchair from Luo Qingyan's hands.

As soon as the three entered the old lady's Yi'an Residence, they heard sobbing.

Pei Shiyuan frowned slightly. Cui Rou was definitely complaining to her mother. Whenever things didn't go her way, she would run to her mother to complain.

"Aunt, you must stand up for me! The young master beat my maid half to death for that new maid." Cui Rou's eyes were red and filled with tears.

"Your maid started it first, so you can't blame anyone else." The old lady knew her niece's temper well. She was a pampered young lady who loved to throw tantrums. Usually, she wouldn't bother to punish a servant in the mansion.

But this time it's Luo Qingyan. The Crown Prince actually punished Cui Rou's maid for Luo Qingyan's sake, doesn't that mean...?

A hint of relief appeared in the old lady's solemn eyes.

"Madam, the young master has arrived with Consort Luo," announced Granny Zheng as she entered.

Concealing the satisfaction in her eyes, the old lady regained her dignified and solemn demeanor.