Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Lies
Chu Xian was discussing with Sui Qing and Ye Tianshi how to remove stretch marks on her pregnant belly.
These days, her abdomen has been itching slightly. Sui Qing deduced that by the eighth month at the latest, her belly would be covered with hideous stretch marks.
The soothing ointment prepared by Sui Qing is not very effective, so I asked Ye Tianshi to consult with me today.
The ointment given by Ye Tianshi was effective immediately. The itching sensation was instantly relieved a lot. Chu Xian looked at herself in the mirror with joy.
"Greetings to Master." Xianrong's voice reminded her from outside the door.
Chu Xian instantly tensed her body and slowly stood up with the help of Sui Qing.
After taking two steps, the Fourth Prince had already walked up to him, panting: "Fujin..."
Yinzhen subconsciously wanted to ask her how she was feeling, but when the words reached his lips, he shifted his gaze to her bulging belly and feigned indifference, "How is the young prince?"
Chu Xian's smile froze slightly, and she felt a chill down her spine. At that moment, she suddenly thought of the horrible word "surrogacy".
The Fourth Prince's care for the little prince in her belly was beyond imagination, even inexplicable.
What is he planning?
Chu Xian instinctively reached out to cover her stomach. "Don't worry, Master. The young prince is fine. I'm just worried about the red lines on my belly, so I asked Doctor Ye to come and consult with me."
"Ye Tianshi, even if you use the best prescription, Fu Jin, don't worry, even if red lines appear, it won't be a big deal."
"Yes." Chu Xian sneered in her heart. Of course he didn't care.
After all, the ugly scar was on her body and could never be erased in her lifetime.
"Fujin, get ready. I'll take you to the Lion Garden tomorrow to give birth."
"Master, we have everything ready for the birth at home. Why do you suddenly want to go to the Lion Garden? I'm worried that the bumpy road might injure the little prince."
"Fujin, it's okay. If the carriage goes slower, we can reach the Lion Garden in an hour and a half." Sui Qing suddenly reminded.
"Fujin, it's really not a big deal. The Lion Garden is quiet and elegant, and it's the best place to have a safe pregnancy." Ye Tianshi added.
"Fujin, Imperial Physician Ye can accompany you to the Lion Garden. What else are you worried about? Feel free to tell me." Yinzhen asked knowingly.
Chu Xian was speechless and squinted at Sui Qing. This girl was confused today and didn't know how to act according to the situation.
What would Chi Zheng do if she went to the Lion Park?
Chu Xian's smile grew stiffer, and she nodded helplessly, "It's up to me, Master."
"Everyone, go away." Yinzhen dismissed the servants.
Seeing her embarrassed face, Yinzhen felt distressed. After hesitating for a long time, he decided to take the risk and tell her the truth.
He knew very well that if she knew, she would wish him to go to hell forever, and would even add insult to injury.
Now that only the two of them were left, Yinzhen stood with his hands behind his back, sighing, "Fujin, this trip to Lion Garden is a burden to me. I've run into trouble at court and need to leave the capital to avoid it. It's a matter of life and death."
Chu Xian suppressed her ecstasy: "Master, what happened?"
No, she wanted to laugh out loud with joy, but Chu Xian bit her lips hard and forced herself to squeeze out two crocodile tears.
"Fujin, there is no need to discuss this matter any further. If you don't leave the capital with me, I will not be at ease."
"Okay, I'll obey you. Master, do you know what this is all about? If you can use my family, please tell me."
Having said that, Chu Xian was praying in her heart, please don't come over, please don't come over and implicate me.
"Thank you, you can't help me." Yinzhen suppressed the bitterness. As a close partner, he could clearly sense the joy in her tone at this moment.
Chu Xian quickly shut up and retreated to the door obediently, fearing that he would really rely on her.
"Fujin, take good care of yourself and the young prince. I need to go to the study to deal with memorials."
"Goodbye, sir." Chu Xian watched the Fourth Prince leave and immediately called Sui Qing to her side.
"Sui Qing, go investigate what has happened in the court recently, especially anything related to the Fourth Prince, and focus on the Ministry of Revenue where the Fourth Prince was on duty."
"Furthermore, any connection between the Fourth Prince and Yuqing Palace must also be investigated."
In history, Crown Prince Yin was enthroned and deposed twice. Why was the Fourth Prince not implicated when he was on good terms with Yuqing Palace?
There must be some unknown hidden story.
"Also, after we find out what happened, let our people..." Chu Xian's eyes flashed with ferocity: "Add fuel to the fire for the Fourth Prince and send him off on his final journey."
After hearing this, Sui Qing broke out in a cold sweat, his whole body went limp, and he fell to the ground.
"Fujin, absolutely not. The Fourth Prince always cares for you deeply. When he was in danger, he wanted to take you with him. He was afraid that you would be left alone in the mansion and be frightened."
"Fujin, is it possible... that the Fourth Prince actually has deep feelings for you and is using Shu'er as a pretext to get close to you?"
"Sui Qing! Are you crazy?!"
Sui Qing was talking nonsense, and Chu Xian was shocked and angry.
"What the hell are you talking about? If you weren't my personal servant, I would have suspected you were switched."
"Fujin, why have you never seen Shu'er? And..." Sui Qing stopped abruptly and forced herself to swallow the words that Lin Shu should also call Shu'er.
"Get out!" Chu Xian was so angry that she threw the teacup to the ground.
"It was I who was stupid and reckless. Madam, please calm down." Sui Qing left the house trembling.
That night, Chu Xian tossed and turned, recalling over and over again every detail of her life from the time she first met Chi Zheng to the present.
The more I think about it, the more horrified I become.
There were some things that she was increasingly reluctant to think about.
For example, why did she feel strangely familiar when she was close to the Fourth Prince?
As the Fourth Prince spent more time with her, she could always find the shadow of Chi Zheng in him.
At this moment, Chu Xian suddenly felt a twitching and dull pain in the soles of her feet. She sat on the edge of the bed, holding her stomach in pain.
"Xianrong!"
With a bang, a familiar tall and straight figure rushed in from the dark night.
"Xian'er, which leg is cramping?"
Chi Zheng knelt in front of her and carefully rubbed her calves.
"They're all smoked." Chu Xian sniffed and bit her lips in pain.
Suddenly, she smelled a faint scent of ink.
Because ink often contains cold substances such as musk and camphor, Chi Zheng even moved all the ink blocks in his study away.
Chu Xian suppressed her fear, sniffed for a moment, and suddenly felt as if struck by lightning. It was the ink that the Fourth Prince usually used.
"Does it still hurt, Xian'er?"
The man spoke softly, tilting his head back and kissing her lips.
“No…it doesn’t hurt…”
"Xian'er, Xianrong told me that you have red lines on your belly. I don't care about that. As long as you and the baby are safe and healthy, that's all I care about."
"If you think it doesn't look good, I'll have someone tattoo the same red lines on your belly. I'll be your husband."
"Chi Zheng..." Chu Xian sobbed and hugged him tightly: "Have you ever hidden something from me? I will only ask this once in my life."
He was silent for a long time before he said hoarsely, "No."
"Rest early."
He carried her to the bed with great tenderness. She had heartburn and cramps intermittently, but he patiently took care of her without getting tired of it.
I don’t know how much time passed, Chu Xian pretended to be asleep, and heard footsteps gradually fading away behind her.
Chu Xian sat up and pricked up her ears to eavesdrop on the noise outside the door.
Only then did she realize that the main courtyard of the royal family was so lively in the middle of the night.
The Fourth Prince was listening to Xianrong report all the trivial matters from the time she got up to the time she went to bed today, including that she only ate half an egg for breakfast, refused to take medicine, ate half a bowl of porridge and half an apple, and did not like to eat vegetables.
The man lowered his voice and instructed Xianrong to coax her to eat more.
As the fifth watch approached, a light came on in the direction of the small kitchen in the main courtyard of the concubine.
Chu Xian put her ear to the door and heard the very light sound of chopping meat in the small kitchen. Through the crack in the door, the figure of the man bending over was reflected on the small kitchen window.
In an instant, the sound of chopping vegetables disappeared, and the man whispered a reminder to use a low fire.
At this time, Su Peisheng was holding a pile of memorials that had been sent from somewhere, and two young eunuchs followed behind him. The mountain of memorials bent their waists.
"Master, His Majesty is in court today. I just got the news."
"Well, Geng Yi, Sui Qing, watch the pot, and it will be ready in a quarter of an hour."
Yinzhen left the small kitchen with unsteady steps, changed his clothes and went to court.
After changing into his court robes, Yinzhen was exhausted. He turned around and stretched out his hand to Su Peisheng: "Su Peisheng, give me the elixir."
"Master, I can't eat anymore. I'm scared. Wuwuwu... If anything happens to you, what will happen to the wife and the young master?"
Su Peisheng retreated to the wall whimpering miserably.
Under the threat of the Fourth Prince's gaze, Su Peisheng tremblingly took out a piece of thin-necked red porcelain from his sleeve and poured out a vermilion pill.
At this moment, the door slammed open and Su Peisheng was shocked.
Yinzhen raised his hand and rubbed his cheek, trying to bring some color to his pale face.
Nanny Chun rushed from the corridor to Fu Jin.
"Fujin, it's not even daybreak yet. Please rest for a while. I'll wake you up when the time comes."
"Fourth Prince!" Chu Xian took two steps at a time and walked up to the man.
"You just got the elixir last year..." Chu Xian choked up. At that moment, she thought of the ancestral elixir that Chi Zheng gave her.
I see...
Chu Xian suppressed her bitterness and spoke slowly, "You were punished by Emperor Kangxi last year because of the elixir. If you don't repent, I will go to the emperor to file a complaint."
The man turned around slowly, his face was pale and thin, his eyes were dark and blue, and his eyes were full of fatigue and bloodshot.
Chu Xian's breath was choked, and she lowered her eyes in panic.
"Okay, I won't eat it." Yinzhen's eyes fell on her bare feet, and he threw the hat and feather to Su Peisheng.
I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she only heard about the elixir.
Taking off his court beads, he bent down and held Fu Jin horizontally in his arms. He raised his lips to her ear and whispered softly, "Fu Jin, in front of outsiders, you should know how to cooperate."
Chu Xian almost subconsciously hugged his neck tightly, and the moment she realized that she was hugging him, she felt awkward and at a loss.
"Fujin, are you feeling unwell?"
"No, I just had a nightmare and I haven't recovered yet." Chu Xian closed her eyes.
"Well, if you feel unwell, you can ask the imperial physician to check your pulse." The man's tone was still cold. He gently placed her on the bed and turned to leave.
Chu Xian sat dejectedly on the edge of the bed until she heard Sui Qing's footsteps outside the door, and then she quickly lay down on her side.
"Fujin, it's time for you to get up and eat. The kitchen has made your favorite beef buns."
"Yeah." Chu Xian pretended to yawn and stood up lazily.
After absent-mindedly washing up, he was helped to the dining table by Xianrong.
"Fujin, today we have beef and radish stuffed buns, and jade meatball soup."
A bowl of steaming vegetable, meatball and tofu soup suddenly appeared in front of me.
At least five kinds of vegetables were carefully chopped and kneaded into balls. Chu Xian's nose felt sore and she took a bite with tears in her eyes. The balls had the delicate granular texture of shrimp skin, which is a good source of calcium.
But she hated dried shrimp the most. She didn't know how long the man had been busy chopping the dried shrimp into such fine pieces. He seemed to be afraid that she would taste it, so he tried to cover it up by mixing in her favorite water chestnuts.
The water chestnut pieces should be sweet and crisp, but now they are bitter and sour.
The harvest of water chestnuts is from September to December every year. This year, the water chestnuts from the farm where she came as a dowry have not been delivered yet, and I don’t know where he got the fresh water chestnuts from.
He must have been so bold as to steal the imperial water chestnuts from Emperor Kangxi's Fengze Garden.
At this time, Xianrong brought another plate of colorful flower petal cakes: "Fujin, you don't like tonic soups and medicines. I asked the cooks to make medicinal food with those herbs. Please try these cakes."
"This is the Eight Treasures Cake. The black one is the sesame cake. That one is the appetizing Taihe cake. The golden one is the Poria cocos almond cake, which can calm the mind, moisten the lungs and reduce dryness. And this one is the blood swallow's nest cake."
Chu Xian remained silent, picked up a piece of sesame cake, and tasted it absentmindedly.
She hated eating sesame seeds the most, but sesame seeds were very effective in supplementing calcium. She usually cooked sesame paste in the kitchen, and she would pinch her nose and drink a bowl of it.
"Eh..." Chu Xian was surprised and brought the sesame cake close to her face. She didn't know how he made it, but the sesame cake didn't have the annoying sesame taste, and her mouth was full of the fresh and fragrant lotus aroma.
Xianrong, who was serving breakfast to Fu Jin, held her breath nervously.
The concubine had a larger breakfast today than usual, even eating her least favorite sesame and vegetable shrimp balls.
Even the medicinal pastries were sold out.
"Anything else? Sesame cake." Chu Xian held out the plate to Xian Rong.
"Yes, there's enough pastries for you to eat for the whole day in the small kitchen." Xianrong ran to get the pastries.
"Let the pastry chef come over and receive the reward in person. He did a good job." Chu Xian smiled.
Xianrong stumbled: "Huh."
After a cup of tea, Xianrong and Nanny Chun brought in a simple and honest old woman.
She knew that the old woman was the kitchen maid who came with her from her mother's family as a dowry. She was in charge of white cakes. She was best at making Manchu pastries such as Sazi and Sachima.
"Madam Chen, it's been a while since we last met, and you're known for your cooking skills. I never knew you could make Jiangnan pastries."
"You are so kind, Madam. Madam, you are pregnant and have a poor appetite. I, your servant, will naturally share your worries."
"Go, go find Madam Zheng and collect your fifty taels of silver reward. Tomorrow I want to eat steamed buns stuffed with pickled cabbage and beef. You all go down, I'll rest for a while."
Chu Xian raised her hand and dismissed the servants.
"Fujin, it's time for you to go for a walk in the garden. If you move more, you will have less pain during childbirth."
Nanny Chun was busy giving advice.
"Madam, Miss Wan Ning is here to visit." Xianrong came over with a smile in her eyes.
"Xian'er!" Wan Ning's voice came from the corridor.
"Go get some more bowls and chopsticks."
Chu Xian stood up, holding her stomach. Wan Ning rushed to her side and pushed her back.
"Wow! Your belly is so big. Isn't your due date in March next year? Why is it so big?" Wan Ning sat down next to her carefully.
"Xian'er, I heard from Yinsi that the Fourth Prince is very worried about you and your son, and he took leave to accompany you."
Chu Xian clenched the silver spoon tightly and looked at Wan Ning's expression calmly.
"Wan Ning, why do you always try to match me up with the Fourth Prince? He and I each have our own hearts, I've already told you that."
"Xian'er, this Emerald White Jade Soup is good." Wan Ning looked around and changed the subject.
Seeing Wan Ning's reaction, Chu Xian's heart sank.
It turns out that even her closest friends knew that the Fourth Prince was Chi Zheng.
Everyone knew that the man was Chi Zheng, except her.
"Xian'er, these vegetable meatballs are good. They also contain your favorite chopped water chestnuts. Eat more."
Wan Ning was obviously invited by the Fourth Prince, who specifically advised her to eat more vegetables and dried shrimps.
Chu Xian suppressed her disappointment and said in a hoarse voice, "I've eaten. I just ate six pieces of cake."
"Hey, that's great. You deserve credit for being a good cook." Wan Ning carefully shifted the topic to the Fourth Prince.
"Hmph, it's okay." Chu Xian snorted.
"Xian'er, the Fourth Prince treats you very well. Do you really not consider him? Or do you think there is something lacking in him? Tell me."
shortcoming?
Chu Xian frowned in confusion. Chi Zheng was flawless, but as for the Fourth Prince...she only felt wariness and disgust towards him.
These two people have nothing to do with each other. If they were the same person, it would be an eternal hell for her.
She was shocked to recall that Wan Ning had once inexplicably asked, what should she do if the person she loves and hates the most in this life is the same person?
At that time, she just thought it was ridiculous. Now, thinking about it, Wan Ning had already known that the Fourth Prince was Chi Zheng, which was why she asked such an inappropriate question.
Chu Xian smiled bitterly. It turned out that the Shu'er that the Fourth Prince was talking about was Lin Shu, it was her.
She was so smart that she wanted to use Shu'er to turn the tables, but it turned out that she was a part of the game from the beginning to the end.
"Wan Ning, do you still have the transformation water?" Chu Xian stared at Wan Ning's evasive eyes, her heart sinking little by little.
"Ah? No more." Wan Ning almost broke the chopsticks.
"Oh, where did Master Ba get the Transformation Water? If Master Ba is not in a position to provide it, please tell me who to contact and I will purchase it myself."
Wan Ning struggled for a moment, then made up her mind: "To be honest, Yinsi said that the medicine came from the Fourth Prince, and the Fourth Prince got it from an itinerant doctor. I'm embarrassed to delve into it."
Wan Ning raised her eyes and saw Xian'er's lost expression, and thought to herself that something was wrong.
"All of you step back."
"Xian'er, when did you know?" Wan Ning hurriedly wiped the tears from Xian'er's face.
"Wan Ning, when did you know this?" Chu Xian asked tearfully.
"I...I...I just...I fell on the way to Yanqi Lake that day. That time..." Wan Ning stammered, not daring to look at Xian'er's lost eyes.
"Even you are lying to me, huh." Chu Xian pushed Wan Ning's hand away.
"Someone, send Miss Guo Luoluo back home."
When Wan Ning heard the name Guo Luoluo, she was shocked. In the past, when she quarreled with Xian'er, she would always call her by her surname when she was angry.
"Wan Ning, if you tell him what happened today, our friendship will end."
"Xian'er, I won't tell you, I won't tell you. Don't worry, don't be like this. I'm doing this for your own good. I'm scared. If Chi Zheng is gone, how will you live on?"
"You were so heartbroken for Chi Zheng that I even cried and prepared funeral gifts for you."
"I'm scared. I don't want anything to happen to you. I knew I couldn't hide it, so I wanted to confess. But you're pregnant, so I have no choice but to be dragged into this pirate ship. No, no, no, I have no choice but to be dragged into this pirate ship, wuwuwu..."
"As long as you are safe, I am willing to do anything, anything, Xian'er..."
"Wan Ning..." Chu Xian turned around with tears in her eyes and hugged Wan Ning, who was crying bitterly.
If Wan Ning gets into trouble, she will give up everything she has and be dragged into the trap by that person.
"I don't blame you, I just feel guilty. I'm sorry I got you into trouble. I'm sorry you must have been having trouble sleeping and eating these days."
"I'm fine. The one who's having trouble sleeping and eating is the Fourth Prince. He has to be both the Fourth Prince and Chi Zheng. I guess he's about to collapse."
"Yinsi said that the lights in his alchemy room in Lion Garden have been brightly lit for the past two months. He must be refining elixirs. Tell him to stop taking them."
"He was working at the Ministry of War last month and vomited blood."
"Don't mention him, I don't want to know." Chu Xian gritted her teeth.
The man treated her like a monkey and played with her. No one knew when he found out her identity, but he pretended not to expose her.
He had no respect for her at all, it was all fake.
What exactly does he want to do?
"Xian'er, no matter what you want to do next, I will cooperate with you." Wan Ning wiped the tear marks on Xian'er's face with heartache.
"I want a divorce." Chu Xian said firmly.
"Xian'er!" You are already pregnant, how can you divorce? The Fourth Prince will never allow you to take away the royal bloodline."
"Why do you want a divorce? You clearly love the Fourth Prince, don't you?"
"I like Chi Zheng! Not him!" Chu Xian broke down and cried.
"No! I don't even like Chi Zheng anymore. I don't want him anymore. I don't want him anymore!" He murmured dejectedly, "I don't want him anymore..."
Wan Ning was heartbroken and tried to persuade him earnestly, "Xian'er! The Fourth Prince is Chi Zheng! They are obviously the same person, what's the difference?"
"No! He is him! Chi Zheng is Chi Zheng! From this moment on, Chi Zheng is dead! I don't want anyone else!"
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