Not only will they come to inspect, but they will also take the documents back to the Empress for her review.

Shen Wan pulled out the handkerchief, and looking at the dazzling white handkerchief, her eyes hurt.

Shen Wan looked at Xie Jingyan, "What should we do?"

Xie Jingyan had a look on his face that said, "You're asking me? Who should I ask?"

Shen Wan steeled herself, raised her finger and bit down hard, the pain making her gasp as blood beaded on her fingertip. She wiped the blood on a handkerchief and then tucked it under Xie Jingyan's waist.

The movements were fluid and seamless, executed in one go.

Shen Wan fiddled with her fingers, feeling uncomfortable under the gaze on her. She turned her head and saw Xie Jingyan looking at her with complicated eyes.

Shen Wan said awkwardly, "If I don't fake it, I won't get past the Empress..."

Xie Jingyan smiled and said, "That's not enough."

Is that not enough?

Shen Wan said, "That's about enough..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xie Jingyan reached out and pulled Shen Wan over. Before Shen Wan could react, he kissed her snow-white neck.

This spot happened to be a sensitive spot for Shen Wan. He kissed her hard, and Shen Wan felt a tingling sensation run through her body from skin to tendons to bones, and her mind went blank for a moment.

It wasn't until she felt a slight stinging pain in her neck that Shen Wan remembered to push Xie Jingyan away. Her face flushed, she covered her neck and glared at him, "You...you're shameless!"

Xie Jingyan wiped his lips with his fingertip, his smile alluring, "This way, no one will doubt that we didn't consummate our marriage last night."

There's no doubt anymore, but—

Shen Wan was furious. "How can I go out and face people like this?!"

They will be going to the palace to serve tea to the Emperor and Empress in a little while.

Xie Jingyan looked at Shen Wan, "I'm lending you the position of principal wife, you can't let people doubt my competence, can you? And what about your elder brother..."

Xie Jingyan stopped there, and Shen Wan's anger was stuck on her face, unable to rise or fall. She asked, "What does this have to do with my older brother?"

Xie Jingyan said, "Before the arranged marriage, your elder brother came to see me specifically."

Shen Wan knew that her older brother was worried that he would be unable to have sex after his leg was broken, and said he would come to ask him about it. But her brother didn't say anything afterward, so she thought he hadn't come to see her. Unexpectedly, he actually did come.

She didn't know how her older brother had even asked that question. Shen Wan's face flushed again, but she couldn't suppress her curiosity. "You... how did you get rid of my older brother?"

Xie Jingyan didn't speak until Shen Wan looked up at him, then he said, "I told you it wouldn't interfere with him being an uncle, and your older brother left satisfied."

His voice was mellow like wine, so rich it tickled the ears; his eyes were like stars, making one dare not look at him for long. A sense of escape arose in her heart, and Shen Wan quickly got out of bed and called Yinshuang and Haitang in.

The two maids had been waiting outside the door, and only dared to push the door open and enter the room when they heard Shen Wan call them.

With Yinshuang's help, Shen Wan put on her dress, then washed up and sat down at the dressing table, letting Yinshuang help her put her hair up in a bun.

Yinshuang was very skillful and soon tied her hair up. Shen Wan kept looking at the bronze mirror, but her attention was not on herself, but on the man reflected in the mirror. Ever since Shen Wan sat down in front of the dressing table, she noticed that Xie Jingyan was looking at her, and his gaze never left her.

Why was she being stared at like that? Shen Wan felt uncomfortable and turned around to ask, "Aren't you getting up?"

Xie Jingyan and Shen Wan's eyes met. "If you don't help me, I can't get up."

Shen Wan looked at Haitang, "Go help him up."

Haitang looked at Xie Jingyan and saw his brows furrow. She quickly shook her head; she dared not.

Shen Wan looked at Yin Shuang again, and Yin Shuang shook her head. The Prince of Ling had specifically asked the young lady to help him, so they dared not disobey.

After helping Shen Wan comb her hair, Yin Shuang stepped back. Shen Wan got up dejectedly and went to help Xie Jingyan get out of bed. She knew Xie Jingyan was doing it on purpose because with her there, Chen Feng could no longer come into the room to serve her. The things Chen Feng used to do were now hers to do.

We still need to live separately.

Shen Wan helped Xie Jingyan off the bed and was about to help him sit in the wheelchair when footsteps came from outside the beaded curtain.

Zheng, the nanny who served the Empress, entered and curtsied, saying, "This servant greets Prince Ling and Princess Ling."

As she stood up, she caught a glimpse of the red mark on Shen Wan's neck that even powder couldn't conceal, and Zheng Mama smiled without saying a word.

Shen Wan helped Xie Jingyan into the wheelchair. Zheng Mama walked towards the bed, lifted the quilt, and saw a bright red stain on the snow-white handkerchief that was particularly eye-catching. Zheng Mama put the handkerchief away, bowed, and said, "Wishing Prince Ling and Princess Ling a son soon."

"Thank you for your hard work, Granny."

Shen Wan gave Yin Shuang a look, and Yin Shuang understood. She handed over a purse, which Zheng Mama took, said a few auspicious words, and then dismissed her.

As soon as Granny Zheng left, Xie Jingyan looked at Shen Wan and asked, "Where's my purse?"

Before Shen Wan could give any instructions, Haitang had already discerningly retrieved the double-sided embroidered purse that Shen Wan had made. Shen Wan took it and then handed it to Xie Jingyan.

Xie Jingyan didn't take it. "Wait for me to come back, then help me tie it up and push me out first."

Shen Wan quickly complied.

Shen Wan pushed Xie Jingyan to the door, and Chen Feng pushed him away.

Watching Xie Jingyan walk away, Shen Wan felt increasingly guilty for causing him so much trouble. She wondered if her older cousin had helped her find Doctor Tao and those two medicinal herbs...

We need to heal his leg as soon as possible, otherwise it will be too inconvenient for him.

Xie Jingyan went to wash up and change his clothes. When he returned, he had changed out of his bright red wedding robes, but he still wore the lotus jade pendant around his waist.

Seeing Shen Wan looking at the jade pendant, Xie Jingyan said, "The carving of this jade pendant is quite good, I like it very much."

How could anyone not love wearing something on such a joyous occasion?

There's no need to explain to her.

She knows it perfectly well.

Shen Wan was still holding the purse in her hand. Xie Jingyan said, "Put it on for me."

Shen Wan frowned slightly and said, "Since you're already wearing the jade pendant, you don't need to wear the purse anymore..."

He wore the jade pendant given to him by his sweetheart, and also the purse she gave him, without worrying that his sweetheart would be jealous or that others would think he wanted to enjoy the bliss of having two women.

Shen Wan guessed that the jade pendant was a reminder to himself, and that the purse she gave him was obviously to make everyone think that they were newlyweds with a good relationship, but Shen Wan felt that it was unnecessary.

Xie Jingyan looked at Shen Wan strangely, "The purse and jade pendant don't matter."

Shen Wan, "..."

She was thinking of him, but he didn't appreciate it at all.

Since he felt it wouldn't be a problem, what else could she say?

Indeed, they all trusted her enough to lend them the position of principal wife. Their bond was stronger than gold, so how could they possibly feel disgusted by a small purse? She had underestimated their affection.

Shen Wan walked towards Xie Jingyan with the purse in her hand. Shen Wan thought tying a purse was not difficult, but it was inconvenient for Xie Jingyan to tie it while he was in a wheelchair. In order to tie the purse, she could only get closer and closer.

After finally tying the purse up, the two were so close that their breaths were mingling. Yinshuang and Haitang were worried that Shenwan would bump into Xie Jingyan's chin.

As if what she feared most had come to pass. After fastening her purse, Shen Wan had completely forgotten how close she was to Xie Jingyan. She stood up and bumped into Xie Jingyan's chin.

Xie Jingyan gasped in pain, while the two maids, Yinshuang and Haitang, covered their faces. Shen Wan quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."