Chapter Twenty-Five

: The Crown Prince remained silent, his face cold. Even with his handsome features, the chilling aura surrounding him, coupled with his natural status, still instilled a sense of unease.

The princesses, who had initially intended to present their best selves to the Crown Prince, glanced at their maids as the eunuch called for him to appear, careful not to appear inappropriate.

The moment the Crown Prince appeared, all the princesses with competitive ambitions looked towards him with tender affection, afraid he wouldn't notice them.

Of course, some were prepared to take a different approach. Since so many princesses wanted the Crown Prince's attention, they might as well appear aloof, arousing his desire to conquer—wouldn't that be better?

After all, it couldn't be too bad.

Yinreng heard their thoughts clearly. Because he heard them, and coupled with the Crown Princess's earlier comments about him, his face darkened slightly.

What did they take him for?

Did they really think he was a lecherous devil?

Sitting beside the Crown Princess in the main seat, her face radiating dignified composure, the Crown Princess, with her elegant and beautiful appearance, didn't seem to be facing much competition. She

breathed a slight sigh of relief, and then, one by one, according to the order in which they entered Yuqing Palace, they served tea to the Crown Princess.

The Crown Princess didn't make things difficult for them, nor did she deliberately serve scalding hot tea. Instead, she bestowed upon each of them a piece of jewelry, instructing them to come and pay their respects on the first and fifteenth of each month.

A lecture?

No, she knew that her status naturally created competition with these princesses, much like her mother and the concubines in the inner courtyard.

Bored?

There were so many princes, and they would all marry wives one after another.

She wasn't sure which princess was sweet on the outside but bitter on the inside. If someone appeared kind and gentle on the surface but stabbed someone in the back, that was a woman who had grown up immersed in the power struggles of the inner court.

Of course, Jia Luo didn't necessarily think so badly of people, but many female protagonists in TV dramas were harmed because of wishful thinking, assuming that the other party was only a middle school student and couldn't possibly have any ill intentions.

Nonsense.

While others were tumbling through the whirlpool of the inner palace, she was still playing in the mud.

Jia Luo was very self-aware; a naive and innocent girl like her would definitely not survive the first episode of the palace intrigue. That's why she specially invited the tutor bestowed by the Emperor to her side.

The tutor, Granny Jin, had also served her mother before, so her skills in palace intrigue were definitely top-notch. With two powerful figures backing her up, besides Xiao Qing and Xu Ya, there were two other maids personally selected by her mother.

One of them even knew a little medicine, thinking that when she became pregnant, the imperial physician couldn't be stationed at Yuqing Palace all the time, so a female physician would be essential.

Anyway, she was just a mama's girl; with such a capable mother, why not use her? Did she have to stubbornly crash and burn before she'd change her mind?

The Crown Princess showed no interest in the other princesses, which surprised the Crown Prince. Was the Crown Princess really indifferent to everything? That shouldn't be the case; wasn't she even a little jealous?

After all the princesses had finished serving tea and offering their gifts, they were dismissed.

[Thankfully, Mother said none of the princesses in Yuqing Palace got close to the Crown Prince; they're all clean and perfect gods. Hehehe, mine, mine, so virtuous and self-disciplined, I like them more and more.]

God? What does that mean?

A god-like figure?

His previously somber eyes brightened with a smile and self-satisfaction. In the Crown Princess's eyes, he was like a god. Hmm, not bad…virtuous and self-disciplined? He just didn't like those women; his little schemes were obvious. He

wasn't as pure as the Crown Princess.

[Tired. After a busy day, he can't even take a nap. What's the Crown Prince doing sitting here? Isn't he tired? Oh, I heard the princes have to get up before dawn to study and don't finish until sunset. They work so hard, which proves their boundless energy. But last night, it didn't seem to last very long…] He

sighed, then started speeding away into the distance.

She was unaffected, but the Crown Prince nearly choked on his tea.

[Hmm? Why is the Crown Prince looking at me again? Is my makeup ruined? No way! With so many princesses around, wouldn't I look even worse? No, makeup left on for too long damages my skin. I need to go back and remove it quickly, and also take care of my skin.]

"Your Highness, I'm sleepy and want to rest. Would you like to come?" Jia Luo spoke softly to the Crown Prince, though her dignified and imposing makeup accentuated her sharp features.

The Crown Prince knew what the Crown Princess was up to. Women, after all, want to present their best selves to the men they love, yet also want to exude a sense of superiority over their rivals…

Yes, the latter part was spoken by the Crown Princess.

He didn't understand at first, but the affected manner with which the princesses served tea later made him realize.

See? This little woman is just being jealous.

"No, I still have some matters to attend to, I'll return to the front courtyard first." The Crown Prince appeared righteous and had important matters to attend to, but in reality, he hadn't finished copying the books his father had ordered him to copy.

Who could be as miserable as him, having to copy books on the very first day after his wedding?!

But there was no way around it; he'd heard his eldest son was almost finished, and he couldn't afford to lose to him.

After Jia Luo removed her makeup, the so-called skincare products were all palace secrets that the Fucha family had seized during the Qing Dynasty's conquest of China. They were moisturizing, hydrating, and non-irritating, with some whitening effects.

Although she was still young, the effects of skincare weren't immediately apparent, but they would become noticeable in her thirties or forties. While others developed wrinkles, she could still look like a woman in her twenties.

Exhausted from a long day, Jialuo was dozing off when she heard Xiaoqing calling her. She was quite unhappy and mumbled, "Xiaoqing, I'll sleep a little longer."

"Princess... it's already dark. It's time for dinner. And the Crown Prince is coming too." Xiaoqing knew the princess was tired, but she couldn't keep the Crown Prince waiting. What if he got angry and tired of her?

In the inner courtyard, especially the Crown Prince's, if she was truly neglected, even the Princess could easily be bullied by someone taking advantage of the Crown Prince's power.

It's dark?

No wonder she was a little hungry. She was both sleepy and hungry. She should eat first, lest she get a stomachache. "Yes, coming."

She yawned delicately, washed up, and had just called for dinner when the Crown Prince appeared from outside.

The delicate beauty was even more captivating in the candlelight, and His Highness's heart softened, feeling a sweet, newlywed bliss.

However, a small mishap occurred while they were sleeping that night.

Jialuo wasn't initially dissatisfied, but because they were both virgins last night, it had caused her some pain, and she still felt that tearing pain. It

hurt at the slightest touch, which angered Jialuo so much that she shoved the Crown Prince on the spot. Caught off guard, the Crown Prince was pushed off the platform.

"It hurts, I don't want it anymore!" Jia Luo was so aggrieved she wanted to hit someone, but she held back her tears as she glared at Yinreng. Her teary eyes made the Crown Prince's anger slowly dissipate before he could even vent it.

"Why does it still hurt? Should we call the imperial physician?" The Crown Prince knew she had said she had aches and pains earlier, and he thought it was normal, since he had no experience with this. But now that she said it still hurt, it definitely wasn't normal.

It didn't hurt yesterday, it must be him…

His ears turned slightly red, and he felt a little guilty.

"Call the imperial physician? What should we say after we call him? What are you going to tell him?" Jia Luo's eyes were red with grievance. She didn't want to cry, but it really hurt, and the pain was worrying. Could she have hurt herself?

Waaah…

Seeing Jia Luo's anxious, tear-filled eyes, her worried and frightened expression, the Crown Prince was speechless for a moment, unsure how to answer her question.

Calling the imperial physician… that was the right thing to do, but the key question was, how should he say it?

"Alright, alright, stop crying. It's all my fault. Tomorrow, I'll go find the imperial physician and get some ointment to apply, okay?" The Crown Prince looked down at his Crown Princess, whose delicate and aggrieved appearance was pitiful, her watery eyes softening hearts. He

held Jia Luo and coaxed her softly. Those guarding outside didn't know what had happened, only that after a while, the Crown Prince had someone bring a basin of warm water for the Crown Princess to wash her face.

And then...

and then she fell asleep...

This left the people below slightly stunned. They didn't think this was the Crown Prince's pity for the Crown Princess, but rather that the Crown Princess was not liked by the Crown Prince.

This...

Granny Jin and Granny Zhao exchanged a glance, and finally said nothing, going back to sleep.

The next day.

After the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had washed, changed, and eaten breakfast, and after the Crown Prince left the main courtyard, Granny Jin came to find Jia Luo, inquiring about what had happened the night before and offering advice on how to keep the Crown Prince around.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, the Princess Consort has prepared some clothes for you. They're in the trunk inside. This old servant had someone bring them out for you. Take a look, they're quite nice."

Granny Jin was particularly concerned about the princess, worried that she might be unhappy, that she might fall out of favor, or that she might not be doing well. Women in feudal society weren't as open-minded as Jia Luo; they only knew the phrase "husband is everything."

Therefore, everyone around her was worried about the princess's life in Yuqing Palace. Even if she wasn't favored, maintaining a respectful relationship was better than being disliked by the prince.

"Hmm? Good." Jia Luo, unaware of her surroundings' concerns, brightened at the mention of pretty clothes, seemingly forgetting everything from last night.

Then, she saw Xiao Qing pull out clothes resembling lingerie, causing Jia Luo's eyes to widen in disbelief.

Hiss…

This, this, isn't this… ancient? I heard that people in ancient times were very conservative?

What, what are these???

While Jialuo was still reeling from the clothes her mother had prepared for her, the Crown Prince had already gone to the Imperial Hospital.

At this time, there weren't many physicians at the hospital; some were examining the empresses, others were on leave. Seeing the Crown Prince arrive in person, they quickly stepped forward to inquire, "Your Highness, why did you come in person? You could have just summoned me."

Looking at the physician before him, the Crown Prince paused for two seconds, glancing at the others out of the corner of his eye. "I have something to tell you."

Clearly, the Crown Prince wanted a private place, a place where no one could hear him.

"Yes, yes, Your Highness, this way please." The physician, a man of high emotional intelligence, immediately led the Crown Prince to his seat; he was alone in the room.

"Your Highness?" After sitting down, seeing the Crown Prince remain silent, the physician assumed he had some unspeakable secret. It didn't matter; he could simply extend his hand, and he would know immediately.

Under the physician's upright and attentive gaze, the Crown Prince remembered the purpose of his visit, his ears turning slightly red, somewhat embarrassed to speak.

Seeing the Crown Prince stammering and hesitant to speak, the imperial physician knew this was a sensitive topic. "Your Highness, rest assured, my mouth is well-kept." With the Crown Prince remaining silent

, the physician could only wait it out. He dared not leave the Crown Prince behind, so the two sat there awkwardly, staring at each other, bored and speechless.

"Imperial Physician," Yinreng said, "you know yesterday was my wedding day. What if I had accidentally injured the Crown Princess?" He knew that sitting there silently wasn't a solution.

To conceal his shyness, he sat upright, his demeanor calm and composed, trying to project an aura of "as long as I'm not embarrassed, it's others who are embarrassed."

However, it was clear that the still-young Crown Prince couldn't be so shameless.

The imperial physician, noticing the Crown Prince's slightly reddened ears, understood what he meant by his euphemism. However, fearing he might have misunderstood, he tentatively asked, "Your Highness, do you need a mortar for a minor injury, or something else?"

Yinreng's serious expression, tinged with feigned composure, remained silent for two seconds. Then, worried the physician might have misunderstood and given him the mortar, he added, "Perhaps it's my first time, and I lack experience." The physician understood

. "Your Highness, please wait a moment."

The physician was still somewhat puzzled. How could this be… cough cough, could it be that recently… just in the last couple of days, he had heard a rumor that the Crown Prince was abusing the Crown Princess, and he had thought it was false?

His face, etched with the marks of time, subtly shifted in emotion, but he ultimately didn't voice it directly. He simply brought the ointment and lubricant and handed them to the Crown Prince.

As Yinreng left, he felt the physician's gaze was strange, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

However, Yinreng had learned some new knowledge. He hid the medicine in his hand and returned to Yuqing Palace with nonchalant steps, pretending nothing had happened.

Before leaving, he repeatedly warned him not to reveal this matter, to keep it a secret, or else!!!

The imperial physician nodded repeatedly, assuring him that His Highness the Crown Prince that he would absolutely keep this secret to his grave. Only

then did Yinreng leave satisfied.

Kangxi, now in his prime, had little fear of the newly crown prince and was more fond of him. Knowing the prince had gone to the Imperial Hospital, he hurriedly ordered an investigation.

Knowing the prince had gone to the imperial physician, he immediately summoned him.

Having just assured the prince that he would keep this secret to his grave, the next second, facing the man who could truly send him to his coffin, he knelt down and immediately revealed the secret.

When Kangxi heard the imperial physician's report, his unwavering composure, as if even Mount Tai were collapsing before him, vanished instantly, his expression shifting slightly. His thoughts were clearly even more outlandish than the physician's.

He had never heard of a prince injuring a palace maid (in fact, even if he did, it wouldn't be reported to the Emperor).

Could it be that on their wedding night, he failed to protect her and injured the Crown Princess?

Although Kangxi felt that the refined and handsome Bao Cheng would never do such a thing, the failure of a certain thing could easily break a man.

The imperial physician, kneeling, was also somewhat uneasy. Could it be that he was implicated? Or was it unrelated to him?

In the end, the Emperor didn't ask anything further, but instead dismissed him and instructed him to keep the matter a secret.

The imperial physician: Oh, okay.

After the imperial physician left, Kangxi frowned deeply. The nanny had said that the chrysanthemum handkerchief (the handkerchief used for consummation) was fine; the consummation had indeed taken place.

This meant Bao Cheng was fine, so why was he so furious? Was it because the time was too short?

Having guessed this, Kangxi sighed again. How could this be? He

needed to have the imperial physician investigate thoroughly. Also, this matter couldn't be known to anyone; the Crown Prince's reputation couldn't be ruined.

At this moment, no one knew of Kangxi's distress.

Jia Luo was busy checking and processing the dowry, storing it in the storeroom, and arranging the staff in the main courtyard.

Over a hundred dowry items filled the storeroom to the brim. Looking at the enormous storeroom overflowing with dowry, Jia Luo's face broke into a satisfied and contented smile. This dowry alone would be enough for her to live on for a lifetime, wouldn't it? She

wanted to laugh out loud, hands on her hips, but she had to consider those around her, lest they think she'd gone mad!

Financial freedom! This was financial freedom.

Owning a small courtyard of her own within Beijing's first ring road—wasn't this the pinnacle of life?

Jia Luo, beaming with delight, began to surround the iron barrels surrounding the main courtyard. Having worked for the Fucha family for three years, she could now move to the Crown Princess's main courtyard in Yuqing Palace…

Granny Jin and Granny Zhao could help with this; one would be responsible for registering the dowry, and the other for arranging the servants' duty roster.

Yinreng took what he wanted and returned home satisfied.

However, recalling his behavior on his wedding night, which hadn't quite pleased the Crown Princess, reminded Yinreng of the grand wedding gifts his father had sent.

He needed to study it carefully, at least to avoid hurting the Crown Princess again.

While studying, he closed the door, forbidding anyone from entering,

lest he lose face as the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince closed the door, and Eunuch Xiao Shunzi stood guard at the entrance; His Highness had said that no one was allowed to disturb him.

"It must be a secluded creation..." Xiao Shunzi didn't understand; he'd never been to school, only knowing that His Highness was doing something extremely important.

Yinreng sat at his desk, his upright posture resembling that of someone engrossed in reading a monumental work. He opened the first page—normal.

The second page—nothing special.

The third page—he could only frown in thought. Was this part really necessary? Oh, he hadn't; he needed to correct that.

The fourth page—something strange.

The fifth page—shock.

The sixth page—how could this be done?!

He recalled the Crown Princess's appearance; she seemed quite gentle. Could she do it? He remembered; he'd try next time.

Yinreng was astonished, as if a door to a new world had opened for him, a door slowly unfolding before him, and he was about to enter and explore it. The

later parts became increasingly outrageous, so outrageous that Yinreng couldn't even imagine what it would be like, unable to materialize in reality, unable to fathom what could possibly unfold in Jia Luo's life.

Forget about the unimaginable things later; we can deal with them then.

Perhaps we can try the earlier ones…

Remembering last night, a slight blush rose to his fair and handsome face, a touch of shy pride. Alright, I'll try it tonight!!

Right, I haven't given the medicine to the Crown Princess yet.

He closed the picture book in his hands, then very carefully and solemnly placed it in a box, hiding it in a safe place on the large bookcase, making sure no one else could see it.

He thought, what if his father or other brothers came to his study, accidentally liked his books, flipped through them a few times, and then took the book out?

Just thinking about that made his heart pound. He took it back and locked it away in a treasured spot. He

absolutely couldn't let anyone know that he, the Crown Prince, was actually reading such things.

After tidying up, she picked up the bottles of ointment from the table. Just as she opened the door, Xiao Shunzi nervously approached, "Your Highness, it's getting late. Shouldn't we serve the meal?"

Xiao Shunzi had wanted to knock and ask the Crown Prince, but then she remembered he might be in seclusion pondering something important and was afraid of disturbing him.

Even if she disturbed him, she would still have to bring the meal in if he didn't come out soon. But before she could prepare, the Crown Prince appeared.

"No need. I'll go to the main courtyard to find the Crown Princess. We'll eat there," the Crown Prince ordered directly. As soon as he finished speaking, a eunuch hurried off to the main courtyard to deliver the message (running was forbidden in the palace).

At that moment, Jia Luo, who was eating, heard the eunuch's message. Hmm… could it be that the Crown Prince was late?

However, as the highest-ranking person in Yuqing Palace, Jia Luo silently put down her bowl. "Add a few more dishes."

She couldn't waste food.

"Your Highness, shouldn't we take this away?" Xiaoqing hesitated upon hearing Jialuo's arrangement. They couldn't possibly let His Highness eat leftovers, could they?

As she asked this, she glanced at the nanny beside her, wondering if she should join in persuading the Crown Princess.

"Your Highness, giving His Highness leftovers is disrespectful," the nanny quickly advised, seemingly understanding Jialuo's thoughts.

"Your Highness, shouldn't we take this away?" Worried that the Crown Prince would be angry, and for the Crown Princess's sake…

Jialuo listened to the nanny and Xiaoqing's words, looking up in surprise, then slightly annoyed. "Can't I eat what I like now? The Crown Prince comes, so we'll add more food! Isn't this enough?"

She had painstakingly ordered the food, with high standards, and the chef had prepared it with great care. They had just started eating; was she going to have to wait so long? Did they want her to starve? He

's just a stinky man!

Faced with the Crown Princess's angry retort, the nannies and maids fell silent. They were guilty; they couldn't meet the Crown Princess's demands and yet she was expected to humble herself before the Crown Prince. They felt wronged.

Xiao Qing quickly told Xiao Chenzi to add more food, and the others hurriedly cleared the table. Jia Luo set out the bowls and chopsticks. Luckily, it was summer; otherwise, the scalding hot food would have been cold by the time the Crown Prince arrived. How could anyone survive in winter?

The Crown Prince, whom everyone in the main courtyard had been eagerly awaiting, finally appeared. The unspoken thoughts of the crowd as he entered were enough for the Crown Prince to know what had happened.

Was he angry?

Glancing at the food on the table, he saw that it was all the Crown Princess's favorites. He walked over, and Jia Luo quickly rose and bowed to greet the Crown Prince.

"No need for formalities. Are you having your meal? I just returned from the Imperial Hospital and came over. This is the medicine I found for you." Yinreng placed several small porcelain bottles from his sleeve on the table and pushed them in front of Jia Luo.

Jialuo didn't react for a moment. Medicine? What medicine?

The next second, she realized what had happened, her face slightly flushed. How could she say such a thing in front of so many people? His Highness was truly unrestrained. The Crown Prince

recalled his words. He hadn't said anything wrong. Besides, the servants didn't know what he had brought. What was there to be embarrassed about?

"Perfect timing. I haven't eaten yet. Let's eat together." The Crown Prince knew that the meal had just begun, so he went to get more food and sat down opposite Jialuo.

The bowls and chopsticks were already filled. Jialuo was currently thinking about the dishes she had ordered, how delicious this one was, how fresh and juicy that one was.

Yinreng's appetite also increased. His gaze fell on the dishes, which did look quite good, and he began to eat without any formalities.

Others: The Crown Prince is quite good to the Crown Princess, not bad at all, and he wasn't angry...

Xiao Shunzi: The Crown Prince is so good to the Crown Princess! He even went to the Imperial Hospital to get medicine for her, and he's willing to eat her leftovers! Waaah, our Crown Prince has been wronged! When has he ever been so wronged

? Yinreng had become accustomed to Xiao Shunzi's dramatic behavior over the years. Besides, when had he ever been unkind to the Crown Princess?

Everyone in the main courtyard is blind.

Hmm, these dishes are quite good, very appetizing. Why haven't we seen the kitchen staff send them over before? Differential treatment, he should be punished!

In the various courtyards of the rear palace, the princesses recalled the Crown Prince's coldness towards them today. He seemed unmoved by their beauty, not even glancing at them.

No, that's not right. He did look at them, but without any reaction, as if he had no interest in women whatsoever. Why?

"Princess, the Crown Prince is newly married and may stay at the Crown Princess's residence for about ten days to half a month. However, it's impossible for him to stay at the main courtyard every day. There are still many days ahead."

Seeing the princess's worried and angry expression, fearing that her anger might be directed at her, she quickly spoke up to persuade her. Before, no one had a chance to get close to him, but now, the Crown Prince finally has a woman.

" It's impossible to only guard one.

" "Yes, you're right, I should really protect my beautiful face." Touching her cheek, she realized it was because of this pretty face that she had entered Yuqing Palace.

Once the Crown Prince's wedding was over, she would inevitably enter the inner palace, and she had to be the first.

If she couldn't get close to the Crown Prince, she would go to pay her respects to the Crown Princess and give gifts; she would eventually run into the Crown Prince.

However, she couldn't make the first move herself; she had to have someone scout ahead. What if the Crown Princess was a jealous person? She couldn't be the one to be the first to act.

"Xiao Cui, come here, there's something I'd like you to do..." She beckoned to her maid, smiling like a thorny rose.

At this moment, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, having finished their meal, were discussing the return gift list for the three-day wedding anniversary.

"Take all of these." Yinreng was very generous; he wasn't poor and was very magnanimous.

Jia Luo nodded; the Fucha family had already given her over 120 sets of dowry, this small gift list was nothing.

Upon hearing the Crown Princess's words, Yinreng glanced at her seemingly casually. Wasn't it because the Imperial Household Department had prepared betrothal gifts? To show his importance, his father had even stuffed quite a few things in. Yinreng

hadn't told Jialuo any of this.

"By the way, weren't you injured? Let me apply the medicine for you." Yinreng remembered the medicine he'd brought back from the Imperial Hospital; he couldn't let his efforts go to waste.

Others: The Crown Princess is injured? How come this servant (old servant) didn't know?

Jialuo, her face flushed with anger, glared at Yinreng in front of so many people. "No need, I can do it myself!"

"How can you do it yourself?" Yinreng instinctively retorted. As soon as he finished speaking, both of them froze for a moment. The next second, Yinreng waved away all the servants.

The others assumed it was the Crown Princess who was injured and needed the Crown Prince to apply medicine, and initially thought that such a task could be left to the maids.

But Granny Jin and the others quickly ushered the young people out. They were so oblivious! Didn't they see His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to talk and build rapport with the Crown Princess?

How could they have a son without that?

Honestly!

The two remaining people felt a slight embarrassment because of the conversation.

Seeing the Crown Princess's embarrassment, Yinreng finally felt a sense of victory. Standing arrogantly, he looked down at Jialuo and said, "Do it yourself. I want to see how you do it."

He was the Crown Prince, the heir apparent, and now he was condescending to apply medicine for her—and she wasn't happy about it?

Jialuo stared at him, her beautiful eyes welling up with tears, filled with astonishment. Her face seemed to say, "Do you know what nonsense you're spouting?" She was

also furious. How could she let others see something like that?!

Initially somewhat embarrassed, Yinreng was about to leave, leaving the space to Jialuo, but the word "others" made him stop in his tracks.

What did "others" mean?

Was he "others"? He was her husband. He

sat back in his chair, his expression calm and nonchalant, as if answering her question: Yes, that's right, I know, I'm sitting here watching. Holding

the medicine but unsure how to administer it, Jialuo couldn't bring herself to administer it in front of Yinreng. She pursed her lips, her face flushed with anger, speechless with rage. [Damn it, damn it, damn it

! When did the Crown Prince become so shameless? How could he be so shameless?! I, I...didn't I see enough the night before last??]

[Should I not administer the medicine? Just bear with it a little longer?] "

Anyway, it's nothing serious, boohoo..."

Listening to her frantic inner monologue, a sense of unease and distress

welled up within him. Her misty eyes brimmed with tears, making her delicate and moving, yet also adding a touch of pitiful vulnerability. "In front of the Crown Prince, with my clothes and trousers half-undone, and the wound still in that place, how could I possibly apply medicine in front of him? How could I? Am I crazy?" "

If I drive the Crown Prince away, will I be charged with disrespect? Boohoo, let me be charged then, otherwise I'll die on the spot, I won't live anymore!!!"

Under Jia Luo's 'guidance,' the Crown Prince envisioned this scene: a beautiful woman half-undressed, her fair fingers applying ointment to the wound...

He couldn't bear it any longer and looked away, worried that Jia Luo might be too shy to help, which would delay the treatment.

A few seconds later, he turned his head again and declared righteously, "If you don't wipe it, I... will wipe it for you." He

originally wanted to say that he would have someone wipe it for her, but then realized that not just anyone was qualified to do that... cough cough cough cough cough!!! Anyway, he didn't mind helping.

Jia Luo seemed to freeze, her slightly red cheeks turning even deeper. If you touched her face, you could feel a burning sensation.

Hiss...

Their conversation was so innocent, so why did she feel so hot? Did she have a fever?

Her gaze involuntarily fell on his fingers, long and slender fingers, the torn area must be able to...

"No, no need, I can do it myself." Jia Luo quickly waved her hand to refuse. She, she didn't think she was shameless enough to do that. Having

such thoughts was unacceptable!!

Damn.

She even chased the Crown Prince out, pushing him away with her delicate white hands, her bright red face still held up in front of Yinreng.

The door slammed shut again, and everyone else stared dumbfounded at the Crown

Prince being kicked out. What... what happened? The Crown Prince... the Crown Princess actually kicked him out?!

Eunuch Xiao Shunzi: Damn it! How could the Crown Princess be so cruel as to kick the Crown Prince out of his room? When has His Highness ever suffered such humiliation? No wonder he's furious!

The servants in the main courtyard: What did the Crown Prince do to offend the Crown Princess? They've never seen her so angry!

The Crown Prince, hearing their whispers, remained as indifferent as spring snow. "Prepare water, I need to bathe."

Did he expect the Crown Princess to commit suicide if he didn't come out?

Inside, Jia Luo was applying medicine, occasionally clutching it in pain. She... she... she'd rather have someone help her, or... maybe she shouldn't apply it at all?

When the Crown Prince came out after bathing and changing, seeing that Jia Luo had finished, he asked with concern: "Have you finished applying the medicine?"

"Your Highness, it's getting late. We have to return to our parents' home tomorrow, so please retire early." Don't ask, don't ask!! If you ask again, I'll explode from the heat.

Yinreng: Okay, okay!

The next day, the two of them got up early, washed, changed, ate breakfast, and prepared to go out.

The Fucha family, too, had risen early to prepare, awaiting the arrival of His Highness the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. A large carriage laden with gifts for the return visit was parked at the Fucha family's gate.

Fucha Misihan, along with his wife and sons, waited at the gate. Upon seeing the Crown Prince alight from the carriage, he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects, "This servant greets Your Highness and Crown Princess."

"Father-in-law, no need for such formalities," the Crown Prince nodded. Misihan quickly waved his hands, acknowledging the impropriety, and led the two of them inside.

Fucha's wife was still worried about her daughter's life in Yuqing Palace. Seeing Masga chatting animatedly with the Crown Prince, she quickly pulled Jialuo back to her former room.

"Jialuo, are you settling in well in Yuqing Palace? Have those princesses bullied you?" This was her first concern. How could her innocent, lovely, and carefree daughter compare to those ruthless and scheming women?

If it weren't for the Emperor's bestowal of a marriage, she and Mi Sihan would have already chosen a man from a humble family, someone who could keep him in check and prevent him from bullying their daughter or taking concubines…

“Mother, not yet, I just don’t know what will happen in the future.” Speaking of this, Jia Luo shook her head. She had only met them once; who knew what those princesses were like?

Fucha Fujin was speechless at her daughter's answer. Really, was that what her mother was asking?

But then again, she had only come to pay her respects twice. You can know a person's face but not their heart. Fucha Fujin then bombarded Jia Luo with a bunch of tips on how to deal with the concubines in the inner quarters.

Unfortunately, Jia Luo only knew theory; she hadn't had the chance to put it into practice yet.

After saying all this, she began to worry about the Crown Prince, concerned about whether her daughter and the Crown Prince could get along harmoniously.

“How are things with the Crown Prince now? Have you felt alright these past few days since the wedding? Have you been able to use the clothes your mother prepared for you?” Fucha Fujin was most concerned about this; otherwise, what good would it do to fight with those princesses in the inner quarters?

As she spoke, her gaze seemed to drift towards Jialuo's belly, wondering if Jialuo was pregnant yet. She hoped Jialuo would give birth to a little prince soon. She'd

heard that the eldest prince, Yinti, was vying with the Crown Prince to produce the eldest grandson, and the First Consort was already over a month pregnant. Hearing

Fucha Fujin's question, Jialuo recalled the events of the past few nights, especially last night, which had been utterly despicable.

"Mother, I don't think it'll work." Neither her technique nor her perverse sense of humor was quite right; she needed to correct it.

For example, the fire-avoidance diagram her mother had given her—perhaps she could lend it to the Crown Prince for a look? No, no, what if the Crown Prince didn't want to look at it? Relying on

others was not as good as relying on herself. Jialuo thought about the picture books she'd been looking at. Perhaps she could handle things herself instead of the Crown Prince, making it gentler and more reliable?

Thinking this, Jialuo's eyes lit up, and she decided to try it with the Crown Prince once her injuries had healed a bit.

Consort Fucha was shocked. What? What's not right? As if she had heard some terrible news, she immediately lowered her voice, slightly panicked, her hands trembling with fear, and asked in a trembling voice, "Jia... Jialuo, you... you and the Crown Prince haven't consummated your marriage???"

(End of this chapter)