Chapter 85 Stop Pretending to Be a Green Tea

With a sullen face, Li Bao'er, accompanied by Linglong, Miao Qing, and Miao Yi, ignored Xiao Yizhi's almost fiery yet helpless gaze behind her and went straight to the guest room in the west wing where Qingluan was staying.

The door opened, and there lay Qingluan, still weak, on the bed, her eyes closed, her breathing faint, seemingly unconscious—a pitiful sight. Beside her stood a somewhat flustered maidservant.

Li Bao'er glanced at them, her inward sneer growing even stronger. They're putting on quite a show.

She waved her hand, signaling the maid and the physician who had come with her to wait in the outer room. The room was now empty except for her, Linglong, Miao Qing, Miao Yi, and the unconscious Qingluan on the bed.

Li Bao'er walked to the bedside, stood quietly for a moment, and glanced at Qingluan's face, which was somewhat similar to hers but more affected.

This was the first time Miao Yi and Miao Qing had seen Qing Luan, and they couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "This woman actually looks somewhat like the Princess!"

Linglong couldn't help but roll her eyes: "It's a pity she's not even a fraction as good as my master!"

The two immediately chimed in, "Of course!" It was obvious that the woman was faking fainting on purpose, and only that idiot Xiao Yizhi would actually believe it. So the three of them said this on purpose, just so she would hear it.

An eerie silence filled the air.

Finally, Li Bao'er lost her last bit of patience and slowly said, "There are no men here to watch your performance, and there's no need to waste each other's time."

"Miss Qingluan, stop pretending."

The person on the bed trembled violently, and her breathing seemed to falter for a moment, but she stubbornly kept her eyes tightly closed, and even let out a very faint groan.

Li Bao'er's lips curled into a very faint, mocking smile. She didn't urge him, but continued, "You've endured the long journey from the border to the capital, yet you fainted the moment you heard you couldn't enter the Prince's mansion? Your illness is so precise and timely."

She leaned forward slightly, her voice lower yet carrying an even stronger sense of pressure, each word striking Qingluan's ears: "My patience is limited. Will you wake up on your own and speak politely, or do you want me to help you wake up?"

The threatening meaning behind those words is self-evident.

Miao Qing and Miao Yi, who were standing behind Li Bao'er, immediately stepped forward, staring at the person on the bed with hostile eyes, as if to say, "If you keep pretending, we'll take action."

Having her feigned unconsciousness so bluntly exposed, and even facing direct threats, Qingluan could no longer continue the charade.

The rumors that Li Bao'er was weak-willed and sickly were false. Her threatening demeanor was quite intimidating, making Li Bao'er feel uneasy.

Qingluan's long eyelashes trembled repeatedly, and finally, with great reluctance, she slowly opened her eyes. Where was the trace of the confusion of someone just waking from a coma in those eyes?

She struggled to sit up, her voice dry and weak: "Your...Your Highness, I...I was really dizzy just now."

"Are you not dizzy now?" Li Bao'er straightened up, interrupting her weak explanation, her tone indifferent, "Now that you're awake, rest well. The physician is outside; just tell the maid if you need anything."

Too lazy to waste any more words on these people, she gave the most basic instructions and turned to leave.

"Your Highness!" Qingluan suddenly called out to her, her eyes filled with tears, looking like she had suffered a great injustice. "This humble woman...this humble woman and the prince are really just old friends of many years, and I have absolutely no improper thoughts. Please, Your Highness, do not misunderstand the prince, and do not take your anger out on this humble woman. I will leave the palace as soon as I feel better, and I will definitely not cause the prince any trouble."

Her words, seemingly an explanation, were actually more of an implication that Li Bao'er was jealous and intolerant.

Li Bao'er stopped in her tracks, turned around and glanced at her. Her gaze was so cold that Qingluan instinctively shrank back.

"The affairs between me and the Prince are none of your concern, an old acquaintance." Li Bao'er's voice was devoid of emotion, yet carried an absolute distance and the authority of a superior. "You only need to remember my words: behave yourself, and leave the manor once you recover. Otherwise…"

"I wouldn't mind helping you."

It wasn't until she left the west wing and returned to her main courtyard that Li Bao'er's chest heaved violently with anger.

How frustrating! It's so incredibly frustrating!

The person in question has come knocking on her door, and she has to appease them on behalf of her husband?! What kind of situation is this?!

Inside the guest room, Qingluan, lying on the bed, slowly put away her weak expression after Li Bao'er left, a hint of resentment and bitterness flashing in her eyes.

This Princess Jing doesn't seem to be just an unloved figurehead as Mr. Xiao said? And... she actually saw through my act at a glance? It seems I need to change my strategy.

*

Bao'er had been feeling frustrated for a long time, trying to find a way to relieve her anger. Suddenly, she remembered a place: the Prince's private bathhouse! She had used the water there when she first entered the manor and fainted. The circumstances were special then, so it was understandable, but now…

A thought popped into my head.

She turned around abruptly and instructed Linglong, "Prepare clothes and go to the prince's private bath."

Linglong was startled: "Your Highness? That... the Prince never allows anyone to go there..."

"I wouldn't allow it before, but now I'm the princess, and I get to decide!" Li Bao'er said firmly, and then she walked directly towards Mu Cenlin's courtyard.

Linglong, Miao Qing, and Miao Yi exchanged glances, not daring to disobey, and could only hurry to follow.

Stepping into the heavily guarded and unusually quiet bath courtyard, Li Bao'er ignored the guards' surprised looks and walked straight in.

The steaming heat filled the air above the white marble bathtub, creating a serene and elegant environment, as solitary as its owner.

Looking at the pool, Li Bao'er said to Linglong, who had followed her in, "Go, scatter all the flower petals you brought in! Also, turn the water temperature up a bit, the hotter the better!"

Linglong's eyes widened: "Your Highness, haven't you always disliked strong fragrances? And haven't you never bathed in excessively hot water..."

"I know!" Li Bao'er snorted. "I have my own plans, don't worry!"

Linglong dared not say anything more and had no choice but to do as she was told. Instantly, a rich floral fragrance filled the air, almost suffocating, and the water temperature rose steadily, steaming up waves of heat.

Li Bao'er took off her clothes and stepped into the scalding hot pool water, which was covered with thick petals, letting the almost scorching heat and the overwhelming fragrance envelop her.

This extreme environment caused her some physical discomfort, but it also gave her a sense of pleasure.

Bao'er asked 001, "If he feels uncomfortable through empathy, will he be furious?"

001: [Host...you're killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of your own! And according to calculations, the Prince's tolerance threshold might be higher than yours.]

Li Bao'er didn't care about any of that. She held her breath and submerged herself underwater.

Meanwhile, Mu Cenlin, who was handling official business in his study, almost instantly experienced an extremely uncomfortable feeling.

The scorching heat from the excessively hot water, the overwhelming floral fragrance, and a feeling of... suffocation?

His hand holding the pen suddenly paused, and a drop of ink fell onto the rice paper, spreading into a smudge.

His brows furrowed as he felt the intense discomfort, and almost immediately a certain possibility came to mind.

That woman...where is she causing trouble again?!