Chapter 92: Precognitive Dream (Qin Lie)

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Despite being six months pregnant, Lingyi felt almost weightless in Qin Lie's arms, walking steadily and quickly all the way back to Hanmoxuan.

Hanmoxuan was named by Qin Lie's grandfather. It doesn't seem like the courtyard of a military family, but rather the residence of a young master from a scholarly family.

He gently placed her on the bed, his face dark. He wanted to just walk away, but now that she was his wife, he had to consider her feelings in public. He left a curt message saying he was going back to his study before turning to leave.

Watching his departing figure, Granny Zhao asked Pearl and Mingzhu, who had been by the princess's side all day, with a puzzled look, "Did the princess offend the general in any way just now?"

The princess had only arrived at the palace today, but she had come a few days earlier to settle in and hadn't seen the princess for several days. She had volunteered to come, not just to help with the arrangements, but also to gather information. Over the past few days, she had naturally sensed that the palace staff weren't exactly friendly towards the princess, and that the household was very strict and secretive, especially the servants in the Hanmo Pavilion, who were difficult to bribe. She'd heard that they'd previously dismissed one of the most favored maids, and now everyone was trembling with fear; she had a large sum of money in her hands but couldn't spend it.

Before, when she was in the princess's residence, she was single-mindedly thinking about entering the prince's residence. But once she entered, she felt apprehensive, fearing that she might not be as happy as she was in the princess's residence.

Just now, when she saw the general carrying the princess over from afar, Granny Zhao was overjoyed.

With the general's support, the princess could live a more peaceful and secure life in the royal palace.

Upon closer inspection, she saw that the general not only looked gloomy, but also left without lingering after putting the princess down, which made her uneasy again.

Pearl and Bright Pearl thought about it carefully, then looked at each other and shook their heads.

The general walked fast, and they could only barely keep up by jogging. Even if the two had a disagreement, they couldn't see or hear it from behind.

Having no other option, Granny Zhao had to ask the princess again.

At this moment, Lingyi had already stood up and was sitting at the table, looking dazed. It took Zhao Mama two questions for her to come to her senses. She wanted to answer no, but then thought that perhaps her very presence was unpleasant. After a moment of silence, Lingyi whispered a few words to Zhao Mama. After listening carefully, Zhao Mama gave her a deep look, sighed inwardly, and then summoned all the palace servants who had come to the Prince's residence to the side rooms.

Only Granny Zhao and four personal maids accompanied Qin Lie to the Prince's residence this time. The eunuchs, including Li De, remained at the Princess's residence because Qin Lie disliked them. As for the other servants, they were Qin Lie's people anyway, so their presence or absence was irrelevant to them.

Granny Zhao spoke earnestly and gave Mingzhu and the others a long lecture, emphasizing the need for them to be even more cautious in their words and actions within the Prince's residence. She stressed that they must not consider themselves superior simply because of their palace origins, and should not act arrogantly, otherwise, if they cause trouble in the future, no one will be able to protect them.

In fact, she didn't need to remind them; these people had already witnessed Qin Lie's methods and dared not have any other thoughts.

After giving her instructions, Granny Zhao reported back to Lingyi. Lingyi responded and then looked at the bed, saying in a low voice, "I don't like this pattern. Let's change it."

As a princess, she naturally had no shortage of such things. Mingzhu and Zhenzhu quickly changed into a new set. Lingyi only glanced at it and said, "The weather is getting colder. This emerald green color makes me feel cold. Let's change it again."

The two changed three more outfits, but Lingyi was still not satisfied. Pearl was still foolishly picking through the trunks, while Mingzhu gave Zhao Mama a meaningful look.

Seeing the princess's normal expression, Zhao Mama finally realized what was going on.

The seventeenth princess was known in the palace for her good temper. Now, several people had been serving her for two years and had never seen her so picky.

She wasn't dissatisfied with the bedding; she was clearly dissatisfied with the bed and the room!

After realizing what had happened, Granny Zhao fell silent.

The seventeenth princess, Princess Yongjia, is not even eighteen years old yet. In the past, most princesses of this age were still unmarried, but she has already married a widower and is pregnant.

Before, at the princess's residence, they only felt that the prince consort was young yet held a high position and great power, and was handsome and refined. Especially after arriving in Jizhou, they felt the Qin family's absolute power, which often made them forget that it was a princess marrying into the family. Instead, they hoped that the princess could win the prince consort's heart so that their lives would be better. It's a pity that they later learned that there was a blood feud between the two families. They could only sigh in their hearts and dared not show it on their faces. But no matter what, for better or for worse, it was ultimately just the princess and the general.

As for the lady from before, although she knew that such a person existed, she had never had a real feeling about him.

Now that they've arrived at the Prince's Mansion, in the Prince Consort's courtyard and room, the presence of the late Madam is unavoidable, and cannot be ignored no matter how hard they try.

It's all Zhao Mama's fault for being so useless. She came to make arrangements a few days in advance, but even though she was the head maidservant by the princess's side, how could she dare to dispose of the old things in the prince consort's room at will? After she arrived, she only brought in a few trunks and boxes to organize the princess's clothes and miscellaneous items, but she didn't dare to touch the tables, chairs, and beds at all.

Since leaving the capital, the princess, at such a young age, has experienced so much, yet she has never complained or vented her anger on anyone. Granny Zhao asked herself honestly, even at her current age, let alone when she was younger, she couldn't have handled things as well as the princess.

This time, it must have been because she was so upset and unable to suppress her feelings that the princess felt so frustrated, yet she had no way to vent her emotions or even speak them aloud. All she could do was ask them to change a few sets of bedding.

Thinking this, and looking at the princess's still somewhat childish face, Zhao Mama's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She forced herself to suppress them and, still smiling, suggested, "In that case, Princess, why don't you rest for a while on that small couch over there? Although it's a bit narrow, it's made of the finest sandalwood. It was originally part of the princess's dowry and had been stored in the storeroom. This old servant saw that it fit perfectly under the window and that the color matched the window frame, so I had it specially moved from the princess's residence. Princess, please rest first, and come back after you've finished tidying up here."

Lingyi raised her eyes, her glassy eyes giving her a deep look. "Okay."

Pearl helped her to the couch by the window. She was indeed extremely tired and fell asleep quickly after lying down.

When she woke up, it was already dark. Seeing that she was awake, Pearl hurried over to serve her. "Princess, you've woken up just in time. The manor sent over dinner just now, and it's been kept warm with water. Granny Zhao just said that if we don't eat it soon, the taste will be off."

Lingyi paused, momentarily stunned. Back in the palace, the imperial kitchen prepared all the meals for each palace before sending them out. Some palaces were farther away, and by winter, the meals would arrive chilly, sometimes even with ice crystals. At such times, it depended on whether the emperor was favored or not. Favored palaces would not only receive their meals first but also have hot water kept warm under the food containers. From as far back as she could remember, Lingyi had always eaten cold food in winter. Aunt Liucui and the others had to boil water to reheat it, which made the winter charcoal supply even more limited. It wasn't until the Crown Prince began to treat her differently that she saw food containers with hot water underneath.

The meals served throughout the entire mansion were naturally not as delicious as those at the Princess's residence. However, Lingyi, being pregnant and having slept until this late, was already ravenously hungry. She took Pearl's hand and rose, heading towards the hall. Fortunately, the Dingbei Prince's residence wasn't as particular about etiquette as the imperial palace. Although there were many dishes, they were prepared with minimal ingredients and mild flavors to avoid mistakes. Although there were only four dishes on the table, they were all beautifully presented and delicious. Perhaps she was simply too hungry, but the sight of them whetted her appetite. Before sitting down, she asked Granny Zhao, "Has the General returned for his meal?"

Granny Zhao said, "The general just sent someone over to say that he has something to do today and there is no need to wait for him. He also said that if he does not return before dinner in the future, there is no need to wait for him."

She answered with a smile, thinking to herself that now that she was in the Prince's mansion, she had to inform him beforehand whether he was coming to dine or not. Unlike in the Princess's mansion, where the General could come and go as he pleased without saying a word.

Upon hearing this, Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to eat the dishes that Pearl had prepared for her.

Even though she was a little hungry, and there were no outsiders around, she didn't lose her composure. She continued to chew and swallow in small bites without making a sound.

But not long after they started eating, an uninvited person strode into the room.

The moment Lingyi saw him, it was as if she saw the dressing table and the pear wood bed. A feeling of disgust immediately arose in her heart, and her good appetite vanished in an instant.

Qin Lie also looked unhappy at this moment.

He stormed off earlier because he felt he cared too much about her.

He even went so far as to have his uncle intervene in military affairs to help her out of a predicament, but even if he had a way to deal with it, this should never have happened.

She easily crossed his bottom line, something even the former princess couldn't do.

Realizing this, he was startled and keenly sensed the danger.

It shouldn't have been like this, but he'd been too deeply affected by his dreams lately. The hatred mixed with longing for her in his dreams was so real that these intense emotions tore at his heart day and night until he was seriously injured and fell into the river in Zhuozhou before finally waking up. Although it was just a dream, he had endured those six months day by day; how could he not be affected?

But now, the things in his dream will never happen again, and he should detach himself from them.

The first thing to eliminate is the special treatment she received from the dream.

So after going to the study, he didn't intend to return. In the past, when he was in the Prince's mansion, he spent more time in the study than in the back courtyard, which was quite normal. He had planned to read for a while and then go to sleep as usual, but his mind was unsettled while reading, and he tossed and turned after lying down. He remembered that it was her first day in the mansion, and if he abandoned her tonight, it would only make her look worse to those with ulterior motives.

He needed to save face for his wife, regardless of who she was.

Thinking this, he put his clothes back on and hurried back, but when he saw her, resentment welled up in his heart again and his brows furrowed.

Seeing that she had put down her chopsticks, but only a few bits of food remained on the table, he asked, "Why did you only eat so little?"

Although Lingyi answered, she didn't look at him, saying, "I'm full."

She stood up, her thin back ramrod straight, making her chin appear even more pointed in profile. Qin Lie couldn't help but recall her difficult childbirth in his dream; the baby wasn't big, but she couldn't deliver it, almost resulting in the death of both mother and child. Seeing her like this now, he understood. So frail, she would tire after walking just a few steps; what strength could she possibly have?

He frowned. "With a baby on the way, how can this be enough?"

Seeing that she was standing still, he sat down next to her and said, thinking he was being very considerate, "I'll keep you company and eat some more."

Little did she know that the last person Lingyi wanted to see at that moment was him. He sat there, staring at her intently, which she perceived as a silent threat. She dared not disobey him, so she had no choice but to sit down again. The delicious food she had just enjoyed now tasted like cardboard, and she ate it slowly and reluctantly.

The food had been simmering in hot water for a while, and it had already gotten cold while she was dawdling around.

She ate numbly until a bite of cold mutton entered her mouth, immediately triggering a wave of nausea. She leaned over the table and vomited with a "whoosh".

"Princess!" Granny Zhao and Baozhu rushed forward, but Qin Lie was even faster, picking her up horizontally and carrying her into the room, while instructing, "Please have a doctor come!"

Lingyi knew she was just tired of that one bite of food and was actually fine. She had come to the Prince's residence today intending to avoid attracting attention, but first Qin Lie punished a maidservant of the Princess, and then he summoned a doctor at night—it was all too conspicuous, making it seem as if she was deliberately causing trouble. She tried to stop him, but Qin Lie moved quickly and was already in the bedroom, about to put her on the bed. She couldn't care less about anything else, struggling and refusing, "I don't want to be here! Not here!"

Qin Lie really didn't understand. Before, she had tried every means to enter the Prince's Mansion and ask for a title. In her dream, she blamed him for treating her as a mistress and wanted to elope. Now that he had granted her wish, brought her into the Prince's Mansion and given her a title, what was she doing throwing a tantrum?

Just as he had predicted at first glance, this princess was delicate and troublesome, unfit to be a wife!

He was truly possessed by that strange dream, which is why he brought this trouble upon himself!

He had intended to scold her sternly, but seeing her red eyes, disheveled hair, and her pale face buried in her thick hair, filled with anxiety, he found her both cute and pitiful. He softened his voice and said, "I know that maid made you suffer today, but didn't I get rid of her? You are my wife now, where else can you go but here? Don't be afraid, no one will bully you again."

He tried to put her back on the bed, but Lingyi wouldn't listen and still refused.

Seeing Qin Lie's increasingly grim expression, Granny Zhao boldly suggested, "General, it's stifling in bed. Why don't you let the princess rest on the couch by the window for a while?"

The bed was empty, without even a bed curtain, so how could it be stuffy? But as soon as Granny Zhao spoke, Lingyi stopped struggling. Qin Lie glanced at her and then placed her on the couch. He watched as she obediently rinsed her mouth with warm water, then lay there listlessly on her side, clearly not in much spirit.

The doctor arrived quickly, took her pulse, and found that the princess was fine. She had just eaten something raw, cold, and greasy, and she would be fine after vomiting it up. She would recover after a few days of eating plain porridge and vegetarian food.

Qin Lie sat to the side, feeling somewhat embarrassed, after all, it was he who had told her to "eat more".

He ate cold food without hesitation during his military campaigns, never imagining that the princess would be so delicate as to refuse even a bite. However, this was not her fault; he never expected that the people in the palace would send her cold food, and he immediately ordered someone to question her about it.

Lingyi didn't want to make enemies with the servants of the Prince's mansion, and even more so to prevent them from being wrongly accused. She quickly explained that she had overslept and missed the mealtime, without mentioning that he was the one who made her lose her appetite. Finally, she said in a low voice, "I will never do that again. Even if I fall asleep, I will have someone wake me up when it's time to eat."

Qin Lie's grandfather came from a poor family and later joined the rebel army. Even after he achieved considerable success, he still disliked the spoiled and dissolute habits of the wealthy and powerful. As a result, he brought his military discipline home with him. There were even rules for meals. If you missed a meal, you would go hungry and would not be allowed to go out to find food.

Now, although the rules have loosened a bit and are not as strict as when Grandfather was alive, people can only occasionally order their favorite dishes and buy some food to eat without having to sneak around. Otherwise, everyone still follows the rules.

Qin Lie had been used to it since childhood and didn't think much of it, but the princess was pregnant and naturally didn't have enough three meals a day. Although they could prepare pastries and snacks, they were not as nourishing as regular meals.

Qin Lie immediately said, "Tomorrow I will have someone set up a small kitchen in our courtyard. Just tell them what you want to eat, and there's no need to worry about the time."

Lingyi remained indifferent, seemingly unconcerned, but Zhao Mama beamed with delight upon hearing this.

When Qin Lie carried the princess earlier, his clothes were stained with her vomit. Now that he saw she was alright, he had a chance to go to the inner room to bathe. After he left, Granny Zhao said happily, "In this palace, only the Princess Consort has her own small kitchen because she has been practicing Buddhism for the past few years and hasn't touched a drop of oil. Even the Old Madam only has her own set of dishes. The only other one is the Heir Apparent, who set up a small kitchen in the courtyard for the convenience of preparing medicine during his injuries. This old servant has long said that the General must value the princess very much, otherwise why would he do this?"

Lingyi listened silently, head bowed, but in truth, she felt deep regret.

I regret my inappropriate sentimentality.

She had already made up her mind to endure anything for the sake of her child, but as her pregnancy progressed, she seemed to be possessed. She would often inexplicably feel sorry for herself, her sadness and grief were magnified to an infinite degree, and her eyes were extremely shallow. Sometimes, if she couldn't eat something she wanted right away, she would feel that she had suffered a great injustice, become depressed, and even secretly wipe away tears.

Knowing I should win him over, yet unable to resist, is truly wrong.

Despite trying to convince herself of this, the thought of lying on that bed with him in a little while still made her feel incredibly embarrassed and uncomfortable.

Qin Lie quickly finished washing up and came out. All the servants in the room had left, but the princess was lying on the small couch, lost in thought, seemingly pondering something.

The baby is over seven months old, and Lingyi can only lie on her side with a long pillow under her to avoid feeling uncomfortable from the weight of her belly.

This delicate princess, still a child herself, was carrying his child with such difficulty. Thinking of this, Qin Lie's heart softened immediately. He went over and said, "It's too cramped here. I'll carry you back to bed to sleep."

"No need!" Realizing she had spoken too hastily, she paused and said slowly, "I slept too long this afternoon and I'm not sleepy now."

Qin Lie said, "Then go back to bed. It's under the window here, and it's windy. Be careful not to catch a cold."

He reached out to hug her, but she dodged backward as if she were a snake. Qin Lie's hand froze in mid-air, and he stood there stiffly. He looked up at her, his face instantly darkening, his heart filled with mockery.

He truly forgot the pain once the wound healed; he forgot the true nature behind her gentleness, and he even forgot that she dared to poison him.

He went to great lengths to get into the Prince's mansion, but once inside, he cried and said, "Don't come here!" This shows that he was a greedy person who couldn't get what he wanted.

No matter how good you are to someone like that, it's useless. She's probably already thinking about escaping. Her claim of not wanting to be a mistress is just an excuse.

She was determined to go to Zhuozhou and marry someone else!

Seeing his eyes turn cold, Lingyi was filled with regret. She reached out and put her hand on his arm, trying to lean closer in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation. However, he brushed her hand away and began to mock her.