Chapter 328 How could Ah Chu possibly be pregnant?

Pei Yuan chuckled, sat up from the bed, and directly removed the white cloth wrapped around his legs.

Jinbao was startled and quickly stepped forward to stop him.

"Your Highness, you mustn't!"

The white cloth was removed, and the blood on it almost completely soaked through it, a truly shocking sight.

"Don't be afraid, Grandpa Jinbao, this is chicken blood."

The imperial physician Zhou, who was in charge of bandaging Pei Yuan, walked in from outside and said in a low voice.

"Chicken blood?" Jinbao's voice rose two octaves in surprise, then he quickly covered his mouth.

He turned to look at Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan slowly wiped the blood off his leg with a handkerchief, revealing a finger-sized, horribly shaped wound.

With a slight effort, the wound fell off his leg.

It actually fell!

That's outrageous!

Jinbao was dumbfounded.

"Your Highness, your wound is fake? Didn't Sun Yan say he watched someone cut your leg?"

Pei Yuan tossed aside the blood-stained handkerchief, grabbed a pair of underpants from the side, and put them on, letting out a soft hum.

"That's one of our men. Do you really think he'd kill me?"

Jinbao's eyes darted around, and he instantly understood everything.

"So it turns out that Your Highness deliberately lured Prince Heng's men to assassinate you, and then infiltrated our people into the assassins' ranks."

Then, to deceive the public, they deliberately act as if they are seriously injured, right?

"Is the wound on Your Highness's chest fake too?"

Pei Yuan fastened his belt. "The wound on my chest is real. If Father Emperor comes to visit and wants to see the wound, wouldn't it be a giveaway if I didn't actually make a mark?"

However, her thighs weren't very slender, so they could use a fake wound to cover it up.

"So that's how it is." Jinbao nodded. "Doctor Zhou's fake wounds were so realistic that this servant was terrified and even cried."

And when Eunuch Cai arrived, he only glanced at him, and his face turned pale with fright.

Physician Zhou smiled slightly, "Eunuch Jinbao, you flatter me. I am skilled in external injuries, so creating a fake wound is not difficult for me."

"His Highness the Sixth Prince once saved my entire family's lives. Let alone faking an injury, even if I were to risk my life, I wouldn't utter a single stutter."

Pei Yuan patted Physician Zhou on the shoulder, "Thank you. From now on, you can stay in the manor and treat my injuries."

"Your humble servant obeys."

Sun Yan knocked on the door and came in. "Your Highness, the carriage is already waiting at the back gate. We can leave now."

Pei Yuan put on his cloak and walked outside.

Jin Bao happily followed after him.

Upon reaching the door, Pei Yuan suddenly turned around and instructed Jin Bao, "You stay in the mansion and help Physician Zhou cover things up to avoid being exposed."

"ah?"

Jinbao.......

Your Highness went to Yangzhou to find Lord Shen, but you didn't take me with you?

I feel so wronged!

He also missed Master Shen very much.

At this moment, Lord Shen is dressed in women's clothing, wearing a veil, and sitting at a tea stall at Guangling Ferry, enjoying some snacks.

She visited Guangling Ferry for two consecutive days and set her sights on this stall directly opposite the ferry.

The stall was clean and the snacks were delicious.

The subtle sweetness wasn't cloying, which suited her taste perfectly.

Before they knew it, they had finished a plate of snacks, and Han Feng and Hongxiu returned from the boat.

Han Feng said, "These past two days I have carefully inquired about all the passing ships at Guangling Ferry, and they said they have seen this person, Hu San."

Hu San was a salt seller. He carried a salt certificate and would ship a boatload of salt out every few days.

He always hires a merchant ship from a shipping company; I've inquired with the shipping company about it.

They said they didn't notice anything unusual while helping to move the salt.

Shen Chu seemed to be deep in thought.

"People who regularly transport goods at the ferry crossing are very sensitive to the weight and shape of the goods. If Hu San puts people into sacks and mixes them with salt bags, he will probably be discovered."

Unless Hu San secretly smuggled the sacks containing people up there himself.

Han Feng shook his head. "I asked carefully. Every time the goods were delivered, Hu San just stood by and directed the operation. He never actually lifted a finger to move the goods."

Shen Chu had reached a conclusion in his heart.

"Most of these girls are still in Yangzhou city and have not been transported out at all."

It seems that Hu San and Manager Zhao were not telling the truth. It seems we still have to find a way to get things done from the two of them.

It's getting late, let's go.

The three left the tea stall and prepared to depart.

Suddenly, a probing voice came from behind.

"A-Chu?"

It was Luo Heng's voice.

Didn't he leave Yangzhou for Jiangning yesterday?

Why did you come back today?

Shen Chu froze, not daring to turn around, and whispered to Han Feng, "Don't turn around, keep moving forward."

The three of them pretended to be nonchalant and walked quickly forward.

Luo Heng, who had just disembarked from the boat, looked up and saw three people walking past him.

Two women and one man.

Both women wore veils, obscuring their faces. Luo Heng glanced at them, intending to look away, but suddenly his gaze sharpened.

He recognized Han Feng.

So the woman next to her wearing a veil...

Luo Heng's gaze quickly locked onto the woman in the middle, whose back and figure resembled A Chu.

Looking further down, one could see the woman's protruding belly.

He frowned slightly. It shouldn't be Achu. How could Achu be pregnant?

"What's wrong, young master? Did you see someone you know?"

Wanqiu asked from behind.

Luo Heng shook his head and chuckled, "No, I thought I saw A-Chu just now."

Wanqiu followed his gaze and happened to see Chen Chu and the other two not far ahead.

That silhouette...

A thought flickered in her mind, and she swiftly flicked a pebble from her hand.

The pebble shot straight at the veil on Shen Chu's head.

Upon hearing the whooshing sound, Chen Chu instinctively turned her head to avoid the pebble.

The wind brought by the pebbles lifted the light veil on her hat.

She looked up and met Luo Heng's face.

"Ah Chu, is it really you? Your...stomach...?"

Luo Heng stared at Shen Chu's belly, his face turning ashen.

Shen Chu sighed inwardly. Since she had already been exposed, she might as well face it.

"Brother Luo, let's find another place to talk."

The two entered a teahouse next to the ferry and chose a private room.

As soon as he entered, Luo Heng's gaze was fixed on Shen Chu's belly, and he asked with a stern face:

"Whose child is it?"

Shen Chu pursed her lips. "Brother Luo, this is my private matter."

"Private matters?" Luo Heng's breath hitched, and his expression turned even more unpleasant.

"Chen Chu, you know my feelings for you, so why are you treating me like this?"

I devoted myself entirely to you, planned everything for you, and tried my best to protect you, but while you were enjoying my kindness, you were secretly sleeping with another man...

"Luo Heng!"

Shen Chu suddenly raised her hand and slapped him across the face.

*Smack*

With a crisp sound, Luo Heng's face turned to the side.

The air suddenly seemed to freeze.

Luo Heng gently touched the corner of his mouth, his angry expression gradually calming down.

Shen Chu pursed his lips and said in a deep voice, "We were sworn brothers before, and I truly consider you my elder brother."

But you insulted me without even knowing the facts, and this slap is my response.

"You've been kind to me, and I've tried my best to reciprocate with the same kindness. Don't make it sound like I'm deliberately deceiving you."

A hint of annoyance flashed in Luo Heng's eyes as he reached out and tugged at Shen Chu's sleeve.

"The child in your belly is Pei Yuan's, isn't it?"