The Empress Dowager said, "If you don't even care about your own princess's illness, what will happen when Princess Cheng is really gone? Won't it be my decision about Yong'an's marriage?"

Inside the room, Chen Wan was embroidering, but her belly had grown rapidly recently, and her back ached badly if she sat for too long. She stood up after embroidering for only a short while.

After pacing around the room a few times, Xie Jingyan returned and, seeing her holding her back, asked, "What's wrong with your back?"

"My back aches," Shen Wan said.

Xie Jingyan said, "Shall we have Doctor Tao come and take a look at you?"

Shen Wan said, "It's no use looking at it; your back will only get more and more sore."

Fourth Madam and Second Madam Yun told her that when she was pregnant, her back would ache terribly in the later stages, especially when her belly got bigger, and she would have to hold her belly when she turned over. She had only just begun to experience this.

Shen Wan asked, "What does Father want with you in the palace?"

Xie Jingyan asked me about the flood in Wangzhou.

Shen Wan guessed it was about this matter. Just as she was about to speak, a maid entered and stood outside the beaded curtain, saying, "Your Highness, Prince Cheng has arrived and wishes to request Doctor Tao to treat Princess Cheng..."

Shen Wan frowned.

The one who wants to kill Princess Cheng is Prince Cheng himself, yet Prince Cheng actually came to ask Doctor Tao to treat Princess Cheng...

Why bother killing them even after they've been cured?

Is it to silence public opinion?

Shen Wan had absolutely no good feelings towards King Cheng.

She asked curiously, "Is it necessary for King Cheng to come in person to invite Doctor Tao?"

Xie Jingyan said, "Prince Cheng came along the way."

Even knowing that Prince Cheng was just passing by, Xie Jingyan, as a junior, still had to go and greet him when he came to visit.

Xie Jingyan went to the front courtyard, while King Cheng waited in the main hall.

Xie Jingyan pretended not to know and said, "Inviting Doctor Tao only requires sending one person, why did Uncle Cheng come in person?"

Prince Cheng looked at Xie Jingyan and said, "Was Prince Ling unaware of the flood in Wangzhou beforehand?"

Xie Jingyan said, "I just told my father about this. Uncle Cheng thinks that if I knew, wouldn't I have taken precautions beforehand?"

“That is true,” said King Cheng.

At this moment, Steward Zhou came in and said, "Your Highness, Doctor Tao has finished his work."

King Cheng then stood up, and Xie Jingyan saw him out of the palace.

As Prince Cheng rode away, Prince Yanping's heir and Tang Ze rode over. Seeing Xie Jingyan at the gate, Prince Yanping's heir laughed and asked, "Whose favor did we receive to have Prince Ling greet us at the gate?"

Xie Jingyan asked, "Are you here to freeload?"

Prince Yanping, “…”

He coughed lightly.

The Prince of Yanping said, "We're not here to freeload this time; we're here to visit Lu Cheng and have a meal on the way."

Is there a distinction between "legitimate" and "illegitimate" ways to freeload a meal?

Knowing that Xie Jingyan and the Prince of Yanping had a good relationship, Steward Zhou said, "I'll have Chef Li prepare a few more dishes."

Tang Ze said, "Have Chef Li cook a braised fish."

Manager Zhou, "..."

They've even ordered food.

They really don't stand on ceremony with their prince.

However, Manager Zhou was happy that they came often.

Previously, Xie Jingyan broke both legs and spent his days in a wheelchair. In addition, due to Consort Chen, apart from the Eighth Prince, the other princes could not visit the Ling Prince's residence even once a year. Only the Prince of Yanping and his family would often come to the residence to sit down, even though the prince kept them at arm's length.

Steward Zhou had seen all of this. Besides, the Prince had gone so far as to forge a pardon and block the imperial edict in order to save the Prince of Yanping's heir. So what was a simple meal for them? Moreover, these gentlemen were not people who lacked food.

The group dismounted and entered the mansion. Xie Jingyan said, "I don't have time to have dinner with you."

"So busy? You don't even have time to eat?" Tang Ze blurted out.

"I need to have dinner with the princess."

"..."

Tang Ze's lips twitched.

This gave Prince Ling another opportunity to show off his affection.

The Prince of Yanping laughed and said, "We didn't ask you to come with us. If you really did, it would neglect the Princess Consort, and we would feel embarrassed to come and freeload."

Xie Jingyan treated them as guests, escorted them to see Lu Cheng, and then returned to Moyuxuan.

Lu Cheng was deeply moved that the Prince of Yanping and Tang Ze had come to see him in the morning and then again at noon.

Having such good brothers makes this life worthwhile.

However, Lu Cheng was moved for only a short while before realizing that he had moved too soon.

He was seriously injured and his wounds had not yet healed. He needed to eat light food, so Doctor Tao specially instructed the kitchen to prepare some light dishes for him. However, Prince Yanping and his entourage were eating large amounts of meat and fish, and the whole house was filled with the aroma of meat.

Lu Chengxiang was so angry that he wanted to sever all ties with them.

What's even more outrageous is that when they left, they said, "While you're recuperating at the Ling Prince's residence, we'll come and have meals with you every day."

Lu Cheng was so angry that his wound almost burst open.

He's truly his good brother.

I was tempted to draw my sword.