Chapter 379 Congratulations, Your Highness! [11]

In the side room, Achu and Lan Qingchen sat facing each other.

Just like the original owner, A Chu chattered incessantly in front of Lan Qingchen.

Lan Qingchen simply listened, occasionally offering a word or two in response.

That's how he was—listening to the original owner of the body and extracting useful information from it.

Or perhaps, he subtly guides the conversation with his words.

Ah Chu wasn't the original owner of this body; what she told Lan Qingchen were all trivial matters.

Lan Qingchen tried to guide her several times, but she wouldn't respond.

Lan Qingchen: "I've heard that the princess and Lord Lu have a very deep relationship."

Achu pouted and said, "My feelings for him are very deep? How could that be!"

"If it weren't for my mother insisting that I marry him, I wouldn't even look at him!"

In the private room separated from this one by only one wall, there were two people, one sitting and one standing.

The person standing looked conflicted, cautiously glancing down at the person sitting.

The person sitting down held a teacup in their hand, sipping tea slowly, their face completely expressionless.

Half of his face was incomparably handsome, while the other half was marred by a persistent scar, like a flaw in perfect white jade.

Unbeknownst to anyone, these two rooms were originally one, with the wall between them made of thin wooden planks that provided no sound insulation.

The flamboyant female voice continued: "However, Lu Zhixing did serve me quite well, and he was quite sensible."

“When I said I wanted to see you, he made arrangements immediately.”

"Qingchen, don't worry, Lu Zhixing will not be an obstacle between us."

Although I cannot give you a formal title, my heart belongs to you!

Ah Chu's comments about being a "scumbag woman" almost made her burst out laughing.

Fortunately, she was a dedicated actress and held back.

The two men who heard her words twitched at the corners of their mouths.

Lu Zhixing found it funny.

After all, on their wedding night, the princess had said that if he couldn't serve her well, there were plenty of other people who would want to serve her.

It's likely that sooner or later, this princess will bring back a male concubine.

So when Lu Zhixing heard what A Chu said, he wasn't angry at all; he actually found it funny.

I wonder if that Third Prince Ye Tu will be angry?

Lan Qingchen was very angry!

He considered himself extraordinary, and his ambition extended beyond Yetu Kingdom to the entire world.

What does "Achu" mean in this context?

Can't I give him a formal status?

Should she make him her gigolo?

Lan Qingchen felt a surge of disgust, but on the surface, she still had to feign being moved.

“I understand the princess’s heart, but… I also have my own principles to uphold.”

"In this life, I fear I am destined to be without a princess. I only hope that in the next life, I will not be a hostage, and will be able to..."

Lan Qingchen spoke vaguely, saying something that seemed plausible but was actually misleading.

Before Achu could ask any further questions, he took his leave.

Lan Qingchen left in a hurry.

Before leaving, he gave Achu a wooden doll.

The wooden doll is very crude; it's barely recognizable as a woman.

"I carved this in my spare time. I originally thought it was too ugly to give to the princess."

"It's just that after today's parting, the chances of meeting again will probably be few and far between."

"I hope the princess will not find this gift offensive and will accept it."

Achu looked at the scratch on Lan Qingchen's fingertip; it was so shallow that it would probably be healed overnight.

Only the original owner was easily fooled, believing in the story that it was truly carved by Lan Qingchen himself, and was deeply moved.

In fact, it was carved by the eunuch who served Lan Qingchen.

Following the original owner's example, Achu accepted the wooden doll with a face full of emotion.

"Is what you carved me?"

Lan Qingchen nodded, seemingly a little shy and unable to meet A Chu's gaze.

Achu smiled and said, "Thank you, I... like it very much."

Lan Qingchen: "I'm glad the princess is happy! I... take my leave."

After saying this, he bowed to Achu with his hands clasped in greeting, then turned and left.

Achu watched Lan Qingchen's departing figure with a look of reluctance on her face.

She didn't stay in the teahouse for long and soon returned to the Duke's mansion.

That night, Lu Zhixing came to Achu's place as usual.

"Princess, were you happy to see the Third Prince Yetu today?"

Lu Zhixing asked her, feigning curiosity.

Achu had just finished bathing and was leaning against the couch while a palace maid dried her hair.

She squinted lazily and replied, "I'm happy. It's been quite a while since I've seen Qingchen, so of course I'm happy."

After saying that, Achu opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Lu Zhixing, who was sitting in a chair not far away.

"You have done very well, I am very satisfied."

"Tell me, what reward do you want?"

Lu Zhixing's gaze fell on A Chu's face, his index finger rubbing the jade thumb ring on his thumb.

He asked, "May I receive any reward I desire?"

Achu raised her chin: "As long as it's something I can produce."

Lu Zhixing curled his lips and smiled.

"Then I will make a note of it and ask the princess for it when I think of what I need, shall I?"

Achu closed her eyes again: "I agree."

Lu Zhixing then casually asked, "I heard that the Third Prince Ye Tu also gave the princess a gift. Why hasn't the princess displayed it? Is it because it's too precious to show?"

Achu frowned, her expression conflicted.

"It is a wooden doll carved by Qingchen herself, so I am naturally delighted."

"But that wooden doll... the more I look at it, the uglier it gets."

Lu Zhixing knew that the princess had become familiar with him after spending half a month together, which was why she was willing to tell him these things.

Upon hearing A-Chu's reply, Lu Zhixing almost burst out laughing.

Princess, who loves all beautiful things, can't help but find fault with even ugly gifts from her sweetheart!

For some reason, Lu Zhixing's mood, which had been irritable all day, instantly improved.

It's like a refreshing breeze suddenly arriving on a hot summer day, calming you down completely.

When it was time to sleep, Lu Zhixing hugged Achu.

He leaned close to her ear and said, "Princess, I have figured out what reward you would like."

Achu asked curiously, "What reward?"

Lu Zhixing: "Let's go to the outer room..."

Achu wouldn't dare say that Lu Zhixing was the easiest target she had ever tried to win over, but she dared to say that he was the most lewd target she had ever encountered!

Of course, she was happy to enjoy it.

After all, there weren't many forms of entertainment in ancient times, and she didn't want to go out in the summer.

However, there were too many colors used, which led to a fatal accident!

Ah Chu has recently lost her appetite and hasn't been feeling well during the day.

At first, she thought it was because the weather was getting hotter and because she was spending her nights with Lu Zhixing, which kept her days and nights upside down.

But when the palace maid Xueyan saw her like this, she thought of something and invited the imperial physician to take Achu's pulse.

As a result of taking his pulse, the imperial physician knelt down in front of A-Chu.

"Congratulations, Your Highness! You are pregnant!"

Achu was stunned.

She and Lu Zhixing did not use contraception; she anticipated that she would get pregnant sooner or later.

But she didn't expect it to be so early!

Upon hearing the imperial physician's words, the palace maids all knelt down, their faces beaming with joy as they congratulated Achu.

Before Achu could react, people immediately rushed off, some going to the palace and others to the Dali Temple.