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

On the table were jewelry and brocade sent by the old lady.

Luo Qingyan weighed the jewelry in her hand; it was worth at least 100 taels of silver. It would take her at least five years of odd jobs at the clinic to earn that much. She quickly put it away.

A full wallet makes life feel secure.

Her fingertips caressed the brocade, its softness reaching deep into her heart. She had worn coarse cloth clothes for over a decade; what would it feel like to wear such clothes made from this fabric?

Luo Qingyan beautifully imagined herself looking radiant, then took the fabric to the tailor in the mansion to have it made.

Upon returning to Linfeng Residence, Luo Qingyan smelled a medicinal aroma. Following the scent, she discovered that a medicine room had been specially set up in the courtyard for Pei Shiyuan to brew medicine.

"Yuan Qing?" Luo Qingyan peeked out and saw Yuan Qing, who was covered in dust and dirt.

Yuan Qing is Pei Shiyuan's personal bodyguard; he shouldn't be brewing medicine here.

Preparing medicine was usually the job of maids and nannies.

"Aunt Luo, please excuse my rudeness. The maid who was brewing the medicine before was disobedient and was dismissed by the young master, so he asked me to take her place." Yuan Qing wiped the ash off her face, but the more she wiped, the darker it became.

Luo Qingyan couldn't help but laugh: "I'll do it!"

Improper?

Could it be that he climbed into her bed?

The old lady was very strict in managing her subordinates; without her tacit approval, they probably wouldn't dare to do it.

Is Pei Shiyuan really so determined not to have children? That's quite rare.

There are plenty of eighty-year-old men who want to have a son.

Luo Qingyan walked further in. Dried plums, almonds?

This is a good thing; while decocting medicine, you can also make some delicious food.

I rolled up my sleeves and was about to get to work when I realized that the long skirt and wide sleeves were really inconvenient, so I decided to change my clothes first.

Because Pei Shiyuan was taking a nap, Luo Qingyan tiptoed into the room, glanced at the person on the bed, and noticed his long eyelashes were beautiful. Judging by the time, he would be waking up soon.

A sudden inspiration struck Luo Qingyan, and she curled her lips into a mocking smile. She then headed towards her side room, leaving the door ajar, listening to the sounds of Pei Shiyuan getting up.

She should change her clothes.

When preparing medicine or making desserts, one would naturally wear a cook's outfit.

"Luo Qingyan".

Pei Shiyuan called out, but no one answered, so he rolled his wheelchair toward the side room.

Luo Qingyan's thin and slender upper body was only wrapped in a red bodice. She held a short shirt in her hand and held it up from side to side, as if checking if it fit.

Seeing Pei Shiyuan's wheelchair through the mirror, she put down her short shirt, took off her long skirt, leaving only a pair of underwear, revealing her exquisite figure.

Pei Shiyuan looked up and saw a woman with exposed white shoulders, her allure hazy and enchanting through the gauze curtain.

"How dare you, Luo Qingyan, what are you doing in broad daylight?"

I'm glad I woke up. If I had waited a while, would I have climbed into his bed?

"Your Highness, let me change my clothes." Luo Qingyan hurriedly put on a short shirt and then a shorter skirt, standing respectfully in front of Pei Shiyuan like a little rabbit who had made a mistake.

"You were changing clothes, didn't you know to close the door?"

"I turned it off, but I probably didn't turn it off properly, and it turned back on." Luo Qingyan said softly with her head down, but she noticed that Pei Shiyuan's ears were red.

"If there's a next time, you can forget about staying in the Duke's mansion."

Pei Shiyuan rolled his wheelchair to the table, and Luo Qingyan hurriedly stepped forward to pour tea.

"Are you wearing clothes you were wearing when you were little? You're so small."

Luo Qingyan stood in front of him, and the radiant spring light was right in front of her.

"No, Your Highness, I was preparing to brew medicine and was thinking of changing into some clean and practical clothes."

Don't men all like to look at this? She specifically chose a tight-fitting outfit.

"Put your apron back on later, or you'll strangle yourself. Go change back into your clothes."

I've never seen anyone wear clothes so tightly; it's unbearable to look at.

Pei Shiyuan's almost commanding tone left Luo Qingyan with no choice but to obediently go back and change her clothes.

Let's switch it back! You've already seen it anyway.

Take a look at it more often, and you'll get used to it.

Let's see how long you can keep up your composure.

After changing her clothes, Luo Qingyan dashed off to the medicine room.

"Yuan Qing, Yuan Qing!" Pei Shiyuan raised his voice, and Yuan Qing ran in.

"Sir, you wanted to see me?"

"Push me out for some fresh air." He seemed to have something stuck to him, making him feel stuffy and hot.

"Alright, Master, Aunt Luo will brew the medicine for you. Don't worry, it won't be delayed," Yuan Qing said.

"Don't mention her," Pei Shiyuan said instinctively.

Mentioning her makes me even more uncomfortable. Her clothes are like paper; they'd tear if you touched them!

Yuan Qing was puzzled. Had Aunt Luo angered the master? No wonder she summoned him.

After pushing Pei Shiyuan around the mansion for a while, Yuan Qing remembered, "Master, you haven't had lunch. You must be hungry now. Let's get something to eat!"

Lately, my father's appetite has been getting worse and worse; sometimes he won't eat or drink a single drop of water during a whole meal.

After getting some fresh air, Pei Shiyuan felt much better, but he still didn't want to eat, even though his stomach was growling.

"Let's go back!"

The time for his medicine had come; he had to take it whether he wanted to or not. The medicine wasn't very effective, but he could prolong his life as long as possible, hoping to find out the cause of his illness before he died.

He had always been in good health, but a year after taking the imperial examination, he suddenly fell ill for no apparent reason, which he found strange.

Pei Shiyuan returned to Linfeng Residence, where the brewed medicine was already placed on the table, warm and just right to drink. He drank it all in one gulp, because it was so bitter that he could only gulp it down each time.

I almost threw up again.

Seeing this, Yuan Qing guessed that the master wouldn't be able to eat dinner either. Every time he drank the medicine, he would feel nauseous for a long time and would not be able to get up to eat until midnight. He only drank some porridge in the morning today.

If this continues, how can we possibly hold on?

"Yuan Qing, you can go now!" Pei Shiyuan needed to rest for a while after finishing his medicine.

Yuan Qing bowed and withdrew, his eyes stinging with tears.

He and the Crown Prince grew up together, and now that things are like this, if he could take the Crown Prince's place, he would gladly suffer in his place.

Yuan Qing went out and heard noises coming from the medicine room. The medicine had already been brewed. What was Aunt Luo still doing inside?

As soon as he pushed open the door, a plate was placed in front of him:

"Yuanqing, try what I made."

Luo Qingyan smiled and invited her.

"What is this?" Yuan Qing picked up a piece and examined it. It was round, dark purple with a hint of black, without any exquisite shape or bright color, and looked like charcoal.

"This is called plum almond cake." Luo Qingyan moved the plate closer, gesturing for Yuan Qing to eat.

"Can I eat this?" Yuan Qing took a small bite with some skepticism, chewed it carefully, and found it to be sweet and sour with an almond flavor. Hmm, delicious, although it didn't look very appealing.

"Aunt Luo, this is quite delicious, but it looks..." As soon as she finished speaking, Yuan Qing stuffed another piece into her mouth.

"What looks good isn't necessarily delicious. Good medicine tastes bitter, but it's good for you! Plum and almond cake also has the effects of quenching thirst and moisturizing the lungs," Luo Qingyan explained in detail.

"Aunt Luo, you can even make medicinal cuisine? That's amazing." Yuan Qing complimented, her hands never stopping as she ate one piece after another.

"I learned how to make it while working odd jobs at the clinic. I like to eat it, so I'll make it again next time," Luo Qingyan said, her eyes sparkling.

"What are you all chattering about?"

Pei Shiyuan's impatient voice came from inside the house.

Yuan Qing immediately shut his bulging mouth and fell silent.

"Give some to the young master to try," Luo Qingyan said softly.

Pei Shiyuan was furious and said, "Let Yuan Qing go! I won't stand in your way and ruin our good time tonight."