Chapter 69 Delivering soup late at night, hoping to have a daughter or son soon.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yan bowed again: "Father-in-law."

From the moment the two entered the palace, the eldest prince began to scrutinize Yang Lingyi.

Seeing the two behaving intimately, with tears welling up in Yang Lingyi's eyes, he guessed that his young husband and wife had a good relationship, and his eyes were filled with relief.

"Good child, there's no need for such a grand gesture. Get up quickly."

The eldest prince was now like a father-in-law looking at his son-in-law. The more he looked at Yuan Yan, the more satisfied he became. He was kind and gentle, speaking softly to her, as if he were treating Yuan Yan as his own daughter.

"Yi'er, come to your maternal grandfather." The Empress Dowager smiled and looked Yang Lingyi up and down, beckoning him to come forward.

Yang Lingyi hurriedly stepped forward and came to the Empress Dowager's knees, where he took her hand and examined her closely.

"This child seems to have become even more beautiful in just a few days," the Empress Dowager said with a loving expression. "How is the Prince of Qin treating you?"

Yang Lingyi couldn't help but glance at Yuan Yan, her heart fluttering slightly. She lowered her eyes shyly, her cheeks burning.

"Your Highness treats me very well, Your Majesty."

"That's good. Yi'er and Yan'er are both good children. I'm relieved to see how well you two get along after your marriage."

As the Empress Dowager spoke, she gestured for Yuan Yan to step forward. Holding their hands, she exclaimed with delight, "Emperor, you have truly arranged a wonderful marriage this time!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Hao snapped out of his reverie and looked at Yuan Yan and Yang Lingyi standing together in perfect harmony. Though he didn't show it on his face, he felt a sense of comfort welling up inside him.

"Yan'er and Lingyi are a perfect match, a talented woman and a handsome man." She nodded slightly.

"With your looks and qualities, your child will surely be intelligent and clever."

“Yan’er still doesn’t have a daughter. Lingyi, you must work harder in the future to give Yan’er a daughter or a son as soon as possible,” Yuan Hao said.

They've only been married for two days, and suddenly they're talking about their children. Yuan Yan listened from the side, feeling somewhat helpless.

It seems the Queen Mother really wants to have a granddaughter, but this wish can't be fulfilled by her alone.

Upon hearing the words "work hard," Yang Lingyi's face flushed red. She glanced at Yuan Yan and immediately lowered her head, saying, "Yes, Mother Empress. Your subject will definitely... work hard."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager and the eldest prince were immediately delighted and laughed.

The marriage between Yuan Yan and Yang Lingyi was a perfect match, strengthening family ties. The Empress Dowager was overjoyed at the thought of soon holding their child.

The Empress Dowager had always been impartial and showed equal affection to all the princesses. However, Yuan Yan, through her relationship with Yang Lingyi, had suddenly become her favorite granddaughter.

“Yan’er, go see your father. He was most worried about you when he passed away. Now that you have a husband to take care of you, the Imperial Noble Minister can rest assured,” Yuan Hao said.

In royal temples, the memorial tablets of imperial nobles are enshrined in the center.

The ever-burning lamp illuminated the hall, and the smoke from the incense burner rose slowly and diffused hazily.

Palace servants led them forward, and Yuan Yan knelt down before the memorial tablet with Yang Lingyi.

This was her first time visiting the Imperial Noble Minister.

Father, although I am not the Yuan Yan you raised from childhood, now that I have inherited her identity, I will certainly not let you down. I will take that position and bring you glory.

Yuan Yan gazed at the memorial tablet and silently spoke in his heart.

"Father, please rest assured, I will do my best to take good care of my wife in the future." Yang Lingyi knelt beside Yuan Yan, addressed him as "Father" along with her, and solemnly swore an oath.

After Yuan Yan finished his worship and turned around, he saw Yang Lingyi kneeling upright with a solemn expression.

"My lady, your father will be happy to see that you are doing well now." Yang Lingyi was worried that Yuan Yan would be saddened, so she gently took her hand and comforted her softly.

"Yes, Father was kind and loving, and his spirit in heaven will bless us."

Yuan Yan felt a warmth in his heart and said, "Yi'er, let's go back."

Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Yuan Yan received a letter delivered by a servant.

Because of the unusual activities in the Ule Kingdom, she became alert, so Yuan Yan wrote a special letter to her two aunts in the Lin family to inquire about the situation on the frontier.

This is Lin Tai's reply to her.

In the letter, Lin Tai first congratulated Yuan Yan on her marriage and expressed his regret that the Lin family members were unable to attend her wedding because they were guarding the frontier.

Then he told Yuan Yan about the current situation in Liang Kingdom.

"Host, are you worried that war is about to break out on the border again?" the system asked upon seeing this.

“It’s not that I’m worried, but the actions of the Ule Kingdom are unusual. We should be prepared in advance in case something happens.”

Yuan Yan read it carefully while replying to the system.

Besides the Lin family, Yuan Yan also contacted Ma Meng, the military governor who had been sent out a few days ago, to inquire about the situation there.

...

As dusk fell, Lu Lingyue learned that Yuan Yan was handling official business in his study.

"Hengwu, bring out the soup I just made," Lu Lingyue said.

In order to ease tensions with Yuan Yan, he followed Hengwu's advice.

Under Hengwu's guidance, Lu Lingyue personally made a bowl of soup, intending to use it as a pretext to see Yuan Yan.

When she was young, she never lifted a finger. Apart from playing the zither, writing calligraphy, and painting, Lu Lingyue's hands were almost never used for anything else, let alone rough work like cooking.

Therefore, even with Hengwu's help, Lu Lingyue still accidentally burned herself, leaving a faint mark on her wrist, like a pink peach petal falling on her jade-like skin, which was very noticeable.

“Master, you can leave the soup-making to me. Why do it yourself?”

Hengwu originally planned to cook the soup herself and then have Lu Lingyue deliver it.

In any case, this practice was common in the inner quarters. With so many servants bringing soup and snacks to the mistress, it was impossible for her to make them all herself. Most of the time, it was the servants who helped.

To his surprise, Lu Lingyue rejected him.

"No, since we are delivering soup to His Highness, we should do it with sincerity. Let me do it myself."

He took the ingredients from Hengwu, rolled up his sleeves, and carefully began to try it.

Once the soup was finally cooked, Lu Lingyue, along with Hengwu carrying the food box, headed towards the front courtyard.

In the study, after reading the letter, Yuan Yan began to write a reply.

"Your Highness."

A servant came in to announce the news, calling out softly.

"What is it?" Yuan Yan disliked being disturbed while she was doing her work, and the servants in the courtyard all knew this, so they usually didn't dare to come in and bother her.

"Your Highness, it is Attendant Lu who has come to serve soup," the servant said.

Lu Lingyue? What is he doing here?

Yuan Yan paused for a second, then frowned slightly as she realized what was happening. Judging from Lu Lingyue's attitude, she assumed they had already reached a consensus.

She let him live on his own in the mansion, as if Lu Lingyue no longer existed. Given how much they loathed each other, it was best for both of them to avoid contact unless absolutely necessary.

To avoid getting angry at Lu Lingyue's icy demeanor, which would only make her feel worse.

"What soup? I dare not drink the soup he sends. Send him back."

Yuan Yan sneered, and his words made the servants lower their heads involuntarily.

"Yes, I will tell my master immediately."

After the servant finished speaking, he turned back and said to Lu Lingyue outside the courtyard, "Master, His Highness does not want to drink soup. Please go back first."

Lu Lingyue knew that Yuan Yan didn't want to see her and wouldn't forgive her easily, so she had prepared herself mentally before coming.

But hearing Yuan Yan's direct refusal still made his heart sink, as if a dark cloud was pressing down on it.

The heavy feeling made Lu Lingyue slowly close her eyes.

"I understand." His voice was very soft, as if it might be blown away by the wind at any moment.

Lu Lingyue, with Hengwu in tow and the untouched soup bowl in hand, prepared to turn and leave.

“Lu Shifu, you’re here too.”

Just then, a voice came from inside.

Lu Lingyue looked up and realized that Shen Lianzhou had also arrived with his male attendants.

Shen Lianzhou saw Lu Lingyue from afar. His gaze swept over the food box in the hands of the servant behind Lu Lingyue, and he immediately understood.

It seems that even the most aloof and arrogant person can't sit still now that His Highness has married the Chief Minister.

The servants in the main courtyard also noticed what Shen Lianzhou's male attendant was carrying and couldn't help but groan in distress.

What day is it today? Why have both of your masters from the backyard come to deliver food and bump into each other?

“Shen Shuqing, His Highness is not seeing anyone.” Lu Lingyue stopped in her tracks, her voice cold.

"That's not necessarily true. Just because His Highness won't see you doesn't mean he won't see me."

Shen Lianzhou, however, paid no heed and, in front of Lu Lingyue, asked a servant to relay the message.

He thought he would be rejected as well, but to his surprise, the main gate opened a while later.

"Master, His Highness invites you in," the servant said respectfully to Shen Lianzhou.

"Master Lu, I'll go in first then." Shen Lianzhou smiled faintly and led the male servant into the room.

“Master, look at this…” Hengwu witnessed the whole process and couldn’t help but feel angry for her master.

"Don't say anything more here." Lu Lingyue's voice was low, her eyelashes trembling slightly, like a butterfly unable to land.

To say anything further would just be self-deception.

Lu Lingyue felt as if her heart was being squeezed by a large hand, bringing a dull pain that made it hard to breathe.

Looking at the door that was closed to him but open to Shen Lianzhou, he once again clearly felt his status in Yuan Yan's eyes.

"Let's go back."

...

At this moment, Yuan Yan put away the letter he had written, and Shen Lianzhou walked in.

"Lianzhou, you've come." Yuan Yan raised his head and looked at Chen Lianzhou.

"Your Highness has been working hard these days, so Lianzhou has prepared some nourishing soup for you to help recover."

Shen Lianzhou dismissed the male servants and opened the food box in her hand, taking out the soup bowl inside.

"[Nourish your body? Nourish what body?]" the system asked, puzzled.

[Weren't you on your wedding day off these past few days? You didn't attend court, so how can you be tired?] It hadn't quite grasped the situation yet.

Yuan Yan understood. She glanced at the ingredients in the soup bowl and couldn't help but smile.

"Does Lianzhou think I need nourishment?"

Black-boned chicken, goji berries, red dates, angelica root... this is a nourishing soup to replenish her blood and kidneys.

What is this implying? Does she need to take a break?

"In Lianzhou's eyes, am I really that weak and insignificant?" Yuan Yan asked him.

"How could that be? I was just worried about Your Highness and wanted to give you some nourishment." Shen Lianzhou refused to admit it, a faint smile on her face, as she carried the soup bowl to Yuan Yan's side.

As soon as he got closer, Yuan Yan immediately noticed the difference.

A faint scent of bamboo leaves wafted into my nostrils, seemingly emanating from Chen Lianzhou.

Upon closer inspection, it was clear that Shen Lianzhou had changed into a dark jade-colored outfit tonight, with a jade belt lightly tied around his waist. The wide sleeves and narrow waist accentuated his fair skin and slender figure.

Author's Note: Don't worry, with the system around, there won't be any problems with the daughter born to a close relative. I won't say anything else for now as it involves spoilers.