The concubine, a former cannon fodder, becomes pregnant, and the childless prince spoils her rotten.

"You don't need to tell me these things."

Seeing that Cen Jingyi was not interested, she took out the ointment for bruises and sprains from her bosom and said softly, "This servant will apply the medicine for you."

Before Cen Jingyi could reply, she warmed the ointment in her palm, feeling a burning sensation as it mingled with her skin.

The medicine has a pungent smell, but it is not poisonous upon contact. "This medicine is really potent."

She murmured as she applied the ointment to her scarred shoulder, gently massaging it, the scent of crisp pine and ink mingling with the faint aroma of ink.

The frost should have been lifted long ago by now, and she dared not ask where the prince had gone.

My hand unconsciously traced the scar downwards; it wasn't clearly visible at night, but now it looked grotesque and terrifying.

It was clear that the battlefield was dangerous, and her thoughts were too chaotic, causing her hands to lose their rhythm.

A small, burning hand wriggled against Cen Jingyi's chest. He frowned slightly and said, "Get out."

Lin Zhizhi then came to her senses, somewhat flustered, and the romantic atmosphere was instantly shattered. She quickly put away the ointment and left.

When I went outside, I found that my legs were weak and I had to hold onto a pillar next to me to keep my balance.

Seeing that there were still servants walking around in the courtyard, he resumed his normal routine.

She wondered if her arrogance would dispel the prince's suspicions, and felt she had to be careful in his presence.

Not long after she left, someone inside whispered, "Liu Gu met with that person again. Judging from the content of their conversation, it might be detrimental to Lin Zhizhi."

After a moment, he added, "There's nothing wrong with this medicine, and it really did come from that alley. It seems that Miss Lin did indeed go there to get the medicine."

"And that Fang Bin, was fortunate enough to become classmates with the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, but the origin of that jade pendant is..."

Cen Jingyi nodded, having made up his mind, "If Lin Zhizhi contacts Fang Bin again, we can offer her some assistance."

The man didn't dare to reply. How could Fang Bin, that widower, and Miss Lin ever get together again?

Lin Zhizhi grew up in the manor, and the prince should know her character best. After receiving the order, he withdrew immediately.

Whether Fang Bin can get someone from the Prince's Mansion to visit him three times depends on whether he has the ability.

After being humiliated in the alley, Liu Gulan thought of seeking advice from the concubine.

With the thought of tattlement in mind, he told Feng Yao about Lin Zhizhi's despicable behavior.

This would make Lin Zhizhi's life in the mansion more difficult, and it would also be a way of avenging her.

Feng Yao found her words tedious. "Since she sent you to find the prince, she must have told you that she has already taken those handkerchiefs. There's no point in telling me this."

Liu Gulan then shut her mouth, gazing intently at the concubine. "In your opinion, what should be done?"

"You never wanted to be the prince's advisor, so why don't you have any ideas?" the concubine mocked. Seeing her embarrassed expression, she added, "Lin Zhizhi is about to break free from the princess's control. We don't need to do anything; she will deal with Lin Zhizhi herself."

"Otherwise, do you think that sickly woman is easy to deal with? I've been in the Prince's mansion for many years, but I've never been able to become a proper princess. She's put in a lot of effort for me."

Liu Gulan had no interest in their infighting within the mansion; she had only one goal.

"Since Lin Zhizhi has ruined our plans so many times, why don't we just..." She ran the back of her hand across her neck, intending to get rid of Lin Zhizhi directly.

Liu Gulan felt that since this concubine could find someone who looked so much like her in such a short time, she must also have a way to make Lin Zhizhi disappear without anyone noticing.

The concubine was astonished that this seemingly weak scholar could have such a vicious mind.

It suited her taste, but since she was currently under house arrest, even though the matter of the account book had been on her mind, she dared not be so eager for quick success.

Fearing another major setback, he whispered, "If you're not confident you can make the Prince despise Lin Zhizhi and her parents in one fell swoop, don't act rashly."

"Her parents were slaves, and you are the master. You can't just dismiss them like that, can you?" Liu Gulan felt that this concubine was useless, unable to even handle such a small matter.

Feng Yao's expression was strange, and she asked in an unfriendly tone, "Do you really think that way, or are you deliberately feigning ignorance in front of me? Do you really not know who Lin Feng is working for?"

Liu Gulan remained silent for a long while before finally speaking with a grim expression: "I have other things to do."

She had rushed off without saying goodbye, and she secretly resolved to learn more about the world's cultures. Trying to understand the people of this world with her own logic would only make her a laughingstock.

Only after she had walked a distance did Granny Li frown slightly. "This scholar is far too ignorant. How could he possibly get close to the Prince?"

"Well, her conduct is quite good, and with a little training, she can be a useful person. It's just that she's too young and easily becomes impatient. At her most impetuous, she suffered repeated setbacks at the hands of a mere maid, so it's understandable that she's anxious."

Feng Yao shifted her posture, reached out and grabbed Granny Li's arm, her expression somewhat nervous, and cautiously asked, "What did Father say?"

"Although the master helped in the search, he told the mistress to wait until the confinement period ended before considering the money and the dowry maids."

"My father's intervention is probably because he's unhappy with the prince confining me to my quarters and wants to teach him a lesson. He's also angry that I acted rashly back then and embarrassed him." Feng Yao looked worried; her relationship with her family hadn't improved over the years.

"Master was concerned for you, which is why he immediately granted your request for help upon receiving the news. You need not worry about this. Although no money was given, it is hoped that you will reflect on your actions for a few days and be more careful in the future, so as not to give us any more leverage."

"I understand." After saying that, the concubine picked up her needle and thread and continued to embroider the pattern in her hand, concentrating on the work.

Lin Zhizhi sent an invitation to the Fifth Prince's concubine, and they quickly arranged to meet on a lake trip three days later. This time, the concubine took the initiative to introduce Lin Zhizhi to some of her friends, which pleased her.

Perhaps because they hadn't been able to get any information out of Lin Zhizhi before, they asked a few of their more eloquent sisters for help.

Looking at the list written by the concubine, he saw that they were all well-informed people who loved gossip.

She switched shifts with Granny Li, and this time she wasn't given any trouble.

The mansion was much quieter without Lin Shangya. Lin Zhizhi was busy running around and found that apart from the medicinal food sent from the palace and the potted plants bestowed by the prince and his eunuch, there was nothing else that could harm her.

Recently, she diluted the medicinal diet. The concubine was under house arrest, and the princess was often unwell, which resulted in the prince summoning people to serve him in bed much less frequently.

When the imperial concubine sees the book of records, she will probably start grumbling about the prince again.

Just as the concubine had predicted, since the princess's residence was missing Cheng Huilan, the cleaning lady, two more maids were promoted to serve her closely.

Perhaps because the prince did not take the initiative to mention taking in new concubines, the rumors in the manor had just subsided, so no one was sent over.

These two young maids had not yet met Lin Zhizhi, but under the careful guidance of the princess, they already knew her name.