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

Luo Qingyan took a few steps back and looked through the window paper to count: three on the left and three on the right.

Six girls surrounded Pei Shiyuan. They usually seemed aloof, but in private they were no different from those spoiled brats!

They're not even as genuine as spoiled brats; those guys openly come to the pleasure boats.

Pei Shiyuan was also in disguise.

This is because they're afraid of being recognized; it's hypocritical.

Doing bad things while trying to appear virtuous and upright is a mistake.

Luo Qingyan pouted. She thought Pei Shiyuan was a rare good-looking husband, and she clung to him desperately. But it turned out he was no different from those other men.

No, she had to disguise herself as a maid and catch Pei Shiyuan red-handed. That way, he wouldn't dare refuse to consummate their marriage again. Having children would be her only hope for the future.

Pei Shiyuan is a fake; he's two-faced and unreliable.

Yuan Qing? He was also in disguise.

A bunch of raccoon dogs.

Luo Qingyan suddenly noticed Yuan Qing walking over with a bag, so she quickly dodged away and went to find a maid's clothes to change into first.

After Yuan Qing entered the house.

Pei Shiyuan waved his hand, and the six women stepped aside.

"Sir, I've bought everything." Yuan Qing opened the bag.

Pei Shiyuan nodded: "Yes, take them all back for inspection."

He recalled carefully that the only unusual thing that happened before he fell ill was being bumped into by a merchant from the Western Regions while walking on the street.

"I'm so sorry, young master, I'm so sorry."

The man clasped his hands together in a sincere manner. It was just a light touch, nothing serious, and he didn't pay much attention to it at the time.

"It's okay."

He waved his hand, and the man left.

The next day, he felt unwell, with chest tightness, and the discomfort worsened day by day until he suddenly fainted.

The physicians couldn't find the cause of the illness no matter what they tried.

Even taking medicine was useless; his health continued to deteriorate day by day. In the end, both the imperial physician and the palace physician concluded that he would not live more than three months.

We must find this merchant from the Western Regions.

Merchants from the Western Regions who traveled with the Sheng Dynasty often enjoyed visiting pleasure boats.

He had previously placed people on the pleasure boat, but they had not found any trace of the Western Region merchant from that day.

Today he came in disguise and inspected every ship, but there wasn't one that resembled that Western Region merchant.

Pei Shiyuan got up and was about to leave when he saw the figure in the window and immediately sat back down, beckoning the six women from the pleasure boat to his side.

"It's Lin You."

Lin You, son of Prime Minister Lin, is in the same faction as the Crown Prince.

Shortly after Pei Shiyuan fell ill, he concluded that someone was plotting against him and became wary of every faction in the court.

He felt like he was drowning, struggling in the water with his head being held down, but he didn't know who was holding him down.

"That wheelchair-bound good-for-nothing Pei Shiyuan has no right to enjoy these things." The sounds of Lin You and his companion laughing and talking came from outside the door.

Lin You was about the same age as him, but he was far inferior to him in both the military and civil service examinations, and often mocked him behind his back.

Pei Shiyuan was already used to it.

"Master, I'll go teach him a lesson." Yuan Qing was furious and wanted to make Lin You suffer a little in silence.

"No need. Let's wait until he's far away before we go."

Someone wants to destroy the Duke's mansion. We must not alert them before we have investigated the matter thoroughly.

The suffocating feeling of drowning constantly reminded him to stay rational.

Just as Lin You passed by, Luo Qingyan, dressed as a maid, came with tea.

"Sir, here is your tea."

They didn't ask for more tea, and before Pei Shiyuan could refuse, Luo Qingyan had already pushed the door open and entered.

Yuan Qing drew his sword in alarm, lest the maidservant dare to trespass without permission.

"Luo..." Yuan Qing swallowed her words.

Pei Shiyuan, his face grim, waved for the six women to leave.

"What are you doing here?"

Luo Qingyan is getting bolder and bolder. She even dares to come to pleasure boats and brothels, and she even wears the clothes of a pleasure boat maid.

People who expose their arms and shoulders don't know whether it's good or bad, and aren't they afraid of being taken advantage of by lecherous drunkards?

"Following you, huh! So this is what the young master is like in private." Luo Qingyan smiled.

Yuan Qing, observing the situation, immediately went out to avoid them.

The young master never comes to brothels. This is his first time here, and he was caught by Aunt Luo. Let him explain himself!

Huh? Luo Qingyan misunderstood.

Pei Shiyuan raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Yes, that's the kind of person I am."

He used this opportunity to stop Luo Qingyan from clinging to him and demanding an heir.

"Then, Your Highness, shall we consummate our marriage?" Luo Qingyan threw herself into Pei Shiyuan's arms, her lips close to his.

Pei Shiyuan was taken aback and blinked twice. He had been strolling on the pleasure boat and had even invited several women. Didn't Luo Qingyan mind?

"If you like, you can have it here."

Seeing Pei Shiyuan hesitate, Luo Qingyan thought that he must prefer this place, so it would be fine to stay here.

She didn't care.

It's fine to come here every time from now on.

As long as she conceives a child for the Duke's family as soon as possible.

"Luo Qingyan, are you crazy?" Pei Shiyuan shoved her away.

Luo Qingyan is desperate to have a child.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Luo Qingyan immediately grabbed Pei Shiyuan's arm again.

Pei Shiyuan was speechless for a moment, his face turned red, and he rubbed against him everywhere.

"Return to the residence."

"Alright, going back to the manor is fine too." Luo Qingyan raised her face and smiled obsequiously.

Pei Shiyuan pulled his arm back, straightened his collar, and asked, "Does he think I'm some kind of casual person?"

Suddenly, he understood. Luo Qingyan thought he was that kind of person, which was why she acted so recklessly.

She didn't care if he touched other women; Luo Qingyan just wanted to have a child.

This woman has a very clear goal. From the first night she met him until now, it hasn't changed: she wants children.

That's right, having children is something she can rely on; she's quite clever.

However, after spending so much time together, he had developed some feelings for her, while Luo Qingyan, who was so cold-hearted, didn't reciprocate his feelings at all. It was a shame that he kept reminding her not to have any unrealistic thoughts; she was just being delusional.

She clings to him only so she can have a baby.

Pei Shiyuan clenched his fist and left on his own.

This woman was even more clear-headed than he was.

Luo Qingyan quickly followed.

Back at Linfeng Residence.

"Your Highness, I'm going to take a bath."

Luo Qingyan looked delighted.

"Stop!" Pei Shiyuan snapped. "Finish reading the book I gave you."

Still pretending? Luo Qingyan pouted.

I believe I am quite attractive, no less so than the girls on the pleasure boats.

"Yes."

Luo Qingyan returned to her side room listlessly. Just as she opened a book, she heard a "thump" outside. She rushed out and saw Pei Shiyuan lying on the ground.

"Yuanqing, what happened?"

Luo Qingyan and Yuan Qing went together to get Pei Shiyuan to lie on the bed.

"Aunt Luo, we went to the pleasure boat to collect these spices, which may be related to the young master's illness. We were examining them just now when the young master suddenly fainted."

Yuan Qing replied.

"Liu Yue, call the physician." Luo Qingyan sniffed the spices on the table. Could Pei Shiyuan's illness be related to the spices?

Yuan Qing then recounted the incident where Pei Shiyuan was bumped into by a merchant from the Western Regions before he fell ill.

"Oh. The young master isn't going to find a girl." Luo Qingyan understood.

"Auntie, you've wronged Master. He's not that kind of person," Yuan Qing said hurriedly.

"In that case, it is highly likely that merchants from the Western Regions caused the prince to fall ill."