Chapter 71 Escape? He will never allow it.

"Big...Big Brother..." Xiao Jingxuan cried, still trying to make a last-ditch effort.

"Aren't you going yet?" Xiao Jingheng raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming even colder.

"Go! I'm going right now!" Xiao Jingxuan snapped out of his daze, no longer caring about being a pageboy or not, and slunk out of the room with his tail between his legs.

Xiao Lingxi also took the opportunity to slip away.

"Um, big brother, I suddenly remembered I have something to do, so I'll be going now."

The room fell silent instantly, the air suddenly still.

Xiao Jingheng sat down on the stool by the bed, his gaze falling on Su Xiaoyu's still pale face.

He instinctively reached out to touch her forehead, but his fingertips stopped abruptly as he raised them, and he clenched his fist and placed it on his knee.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked, his voice slightly lower than usual.

Su Xiaoyu nodded, looking somewhat reserved and forlorn.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am much better now."

Xiao Jingheng noticed that her emotions were off, and it didn't seem to be because of pain.

"What's wrong?"

Su Xiaoyu lowered her eyelids, her voice soft and filled with guilt: "Outside... I've heard all the rumors outside."

Her nose stung with tears. "It's all because of me that the young master was impeached by the Third Prince's men, his reputation was damaged, and he even displeased the madam... I'm so useless, I always cause trouble for the young master."

【It's all my fault for being useless! If I hadn't been kidnapped, the young master wouldn't have mobilized troops without permission, and people wouldn't have said I "lost my temper for a woman's sake"; if I had been more sensible and left Moyunzhai sooner, the madam wouldn't have been angry, and the young master wouldn't have been caught in the middle... I'm just a burden, only causing trouble for the young master.】

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingheng felt a slight pang of pain in his heart, as if something had gently pierced it.

He softened his tone, with a comfort he himself didn't even realize:

"Don't belittle yourself. Those rumors have nothing to do with you. Even if this hadn't happened, he would have found another excuse."

He looked at Su Xiaoyu and repeated his previous tone: "I told you, I saved your life. If you really want to repay me, live well, take good care of yourself, and stop being unhappy."

Su Xiaoyu looked at him, her eyes widening slightly.

[Is the Crown Prince... trying to comfort me?]

Thinking of something, Su Xiaoyu took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind: "Young Master, it's alright. Once I'm healed, I will request to be transferred to serve in Madam's courtyard. I will never let your reputation be affected."

[Keeping my distance from you is better for you, for me, and for everyone...]

Xiao Jingheng's eyes narrowed, and he sensed the evasiveness in her words.

If I really go to my mother's room, it will be difficult to see her again, let alone talk to her like this.

A strange sense of unease rose in Xiao Jingheng's heart.

"Don't overthink it." He interrupted Su Xiaoyu. "The most important thing right now is to heal your injuries. The end of the year is approaching, and there are many things to do in the manor. Your father will also be returning to the capital with your father soon. We can talk about everything after the New Year."

Seeing that she was still listless and lacked energy, Xiao Jingheng changed the subject, trying to divert her attention.

"A new pastry chef has joined the kitchen. His lotus root starch cakes and osmanthus cakes are pretty good. When you feel better, I'll have someone send them over for you to try."

Sure enough, when food was mentioned, Su Xiaoyu's eyes regained some of their sparkle, and she finally stopped wallowing in self-pity.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Seeing her like this, Xiao Jingheng knew that he couldn't rush things, so he gave her a few more instructions and then got up and left.

After leaving the room, he looked back at the closed door, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Escape? He would never allow it.

However, this requires careful consideration.

——

Meanwhile, Xiao Lingxi had just returned to the courtyard when the gatekeeper came to report that Lin Wan'er had arrived and brought a highly skilled doctor to treat Xiao Lingxi and Su Xiaoyu's injuries.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingxi immediately frowned.

In the past, she would have been deeply moved by Lin Wan'er's 'thoughtfulness' and would have happily welcomed her in immediately.

But now that she knows Lin Wan'er's true colors, she only feels that Lin Wan'er is hypocritical and glaring.

She initially didn't want to see him, but then she thought that she should at least make things clear in person, so she instructed him:

"Please invite Miss Lin into the flower hall for tea. I will be there shortly."

Instead of going directly to her brocade pavilion as last time, we were invited into the flower hall.

Soon, the two met in the flower hall. Lin Wan'er was still as gentle and charming as ever. When she saw Xiao Lingxi coming over, her face showed just the right amount of worry.

“Lingxi, I heard that you were frightened last time, and I have been worried about you ever since. I have been unable to eat or sleep. Today, I have specially brought the famous Doctor Crane from the capital to give you a proper diagnosis and treatment so that I can put my mind at ease.”

As she spoke, she gestured for the elderly man behind her, with white hair and a youthful face, who had a somewhat otherworldly air about him, to come forward.

Xiao Lingxi dodged aside, her tone neither warm nor cold: "Thank you for your concern, Sister Lin. However, I was just a little frightened and am already fine. The family physician has already examined me, so there's no need to trouble this divine doctor."

Lin Wan'er sensed her coldness and rejection, and was annoyed. But her smile remained unchanged.

"Little sister, are you... blaming your older sister for not dissuading you in time? Sigh!"

She sighed, "Sister too, I can't bear to see you sad!"

Seeing this, Qingdai, the maid behind Lin Wan'er, couldn't help but step forward to defend her mistress.

"Second Miss Xiao, you don't know, when my young lady heard about your accident, she was so worried that she couldn't eat or sleep. She immediately went to inform Young Master Xiao. In the past two days, she even went to great lengths to persuade the reclusive Physician Crane to come up with a plan..."

These words, whether overt or covert, were a veiled criticism that Xiao Lingxi was ungrateful.

Xiao Lingxi sneered inwardly and was about to retort when the silent He Shenyi suddenly spoke up.

"This young lady has some liver qi stagnation. Does she often have many dreams and wake up easily at night? And does she experience more severe lower abdominal pain during her period?"

Xiao Lingxi was suddenly stunned, and an expression of disbelief appeared on her face!

His description of the symptoms was exactly as described.

Can you diagnose a patient without even taking their pulse, just by looking at them?

The physician in the manor had also mentioned his liver qi stagnation. However, the physician considered his lower abdominal pain to be normal and did not pay much attention to it.

Seeing this, a hint of smugness flashed in Lin Wan'er's eyes, and she quickly introduced in a gentle voice:

"Dr. Crane is a renowned physician, and it's usually difficult to invite him. Sister, you went to great lengths to bring him here. Please don't refuse, and let the divine physician examine you carefully."

Xiao Lingxi looked at Doctor He, then at Lin Wan'er who had a 'sincere' expression, and her eyes darted around as she immediately made up her mind.

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sister, but... these are just minor ailments that will heal with rest. However, Xiaoyu in the manor was seriously injured while saving me and has only just woken up. She is very weak. I wonder if I could ask Physician He to come and treat Xiaoyu first?"

She remembered that when Xiaoyu was unconscious, even the doctor her older brother had invited was helpless.

If this Divine Physician Crane is truly that powerful...

Could this be considered as fulfilling a wish of the elder brother?

Thinking this, Xiao Lingxi, without waiting for Lin Wan'er's reaction, immediately instructed Zisu beside her: "Zisu, take Doctor He to Xiaoyu's courtyard and be careful."

"yes."

Zisu quickly agreed and respectfully invited the Divine Physician He to come forward.

Lin Wan'er's eyes flickered slightly, and she readily agreed.

After the doctor left, Xiao Lingxi said to Lin Wan'er, "Sister Lin, you won't blame me, will you? It's just that Xiaoyu's injuries are more serious, and her life is in danger!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Wan'er showed no displeasure whatsoever. Instead, she affectionately took her hand, her smile gentle and warm.

“Little sister, what are you saying? You have a pure and kind heart, and you always remember your savior. This is a good thing, and I am very pleased with you.”

Fool! The Divine Physician Crane wasn't made for you. It's true that he's skilled in medicine and possesses supernatural abilities, but what he's even better at isn't saving people! It's making people 'seriously ill' without them even realizing it!

She went to great lengths to invite this eccentric, morally ambiguous "miracle doctor" because she knew that Xiao Lingxi would develop a rift with her after this incident, and that treating Su Xiaoyu directly would easily arouse suspicion.

Now, under the guise of treating Xiao Lingxi, it's perfectly logical to send her to Su Xiaoyu's side; this was all part of Lin Wan'er's scheme.

She wanted to see what right a maid who was 'severely injured and left with chronic illnesses' and 'infertile' had to stay by Xiao Jingheng's side.

How could Lady Liu, the wife of the Marquis of Yongning, tolerate such a sickly man?

For a moment, each with their own thoughts, they chatted casually in the flower hall while waiting for the diagnosis results.