Li Yan sat in the courtyard, drinking ginseng tea while listening to the sounds of people coming and going in the neighboring courtyard.
"Your Highness—it's chilly outside, why don't you come inside and rest?"
As Dao Hong spoke, she glared sideways at the neighbor next door, wondering if he didn't know that His Highness was recuperating here. Not only did he keep coming and going, but the aroma of braised pork knuckle and roast goose kept wafting into this courtyard.
They had just finished lunch.
The aroma of osmanthus cake and chestnut pastry wafts over again, along with savory milk tea!
She must ruin so much stuff every day!
Don't you know there's a patient living next door?
"Cough cough cough..."
He coughed a few times and said, "Take this ginseng tea away."
It tastes awful.
at night.
Jiang Jiaojiao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She threw off the covers and sat up. "I think I should go apologize to him!"
"Ah Yuan, bring me my newly made ginseng pills!"
A-Yuan looked puzzled. "Miss—where are you going so late at night?"
"Go next door!"
Jiang Jiaojiao threw down a sentence and walked out.
Ah Yuan was terrified and quickly followed, crying out, "Miss—no—no!"
Miss, is this your old problem acting up again?
Are you going to climb into someone's bed again so late at night?
Jiang Jiaojiao knocked on the door of the neighboring courtyard. Dao Hong stared at her warily. "What do you want, Miss?"
Is Your Highness in?
Jiang Jiaojiao felt both flustered and itchy inside, "I've come to deliver medicine to Your Highness..."
"It's too late, Miss, please go back!"
Dao Hong blocked the door completely.
snort!
What kind of medicine are they sending? They're probably trying to get themselves in here!
This woman is indeed lusting after His Highness's good looks!
Jiang Jiaojiao: "..."
She really did come to deliver medicine and apologize; judging from the guards' attitude, they wouldn't let her in.
have no choice.
She had no choice but to give the ginseng nourishing pills to Dao Hong and slunk back to her own courtyard.
Dao Hong blocked Jiang Jiaojiao away and took the medicine to claim credit.
Then--
He was restrained, given ten strokes of the cane, and sent back to the prince's residence!
Dao Qing, who had just stepped out of the room, looked bewildered. How had Dao Hong angered His Highness again?
Hearing the angry slamming of the door coming from the next courtyard, Li Yan couldn't help but smile slightly.
Having grown accustomed to those cunning, treacherous, and scheming people, this cheerful and unrestrained spirit becomes all the more precious.
In this bustling and noisy capital, there are countless truly despicable people who crave power and pursue personal gain, as well as hypocrites who feign nobility and seek fame and fortune. Behind every marriage lies layers of calculation and scheming.
She is different.
She said she would take responsibility for him, and praised him as a handsome man, more beautiful than Pan An, saying she fell in love at first sight.
She jumped into the water without hesitation for her own sake, and even... gave herself air.
A blush crept onto Li Yan's face, and her cheeks felt slightly hot.
He felt his condition worsening, an uncontrollable craving. He longed to be closer to her, even closer.
He wanted her to know about his illness and his desires.
He was in love with her.
He wanted to live.
The next morning, the sun shone brightly, and the garden was full of life.
The swing soared high, like a butterfly about to take flight. He stood quietly beside the artificial hill, his gaze fixed on the joyful figure swinging on the swing.
Hearing that carefree laughter, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, and a hint of doting affection appeared in his eyes.
Dao Qing rubbed his eyes. His Highness was actually smiling!
A gentle breeze swept by, bringing a slight chill. Li Yan's throat suddenly felt itchy, and she couldn't help but cough.
A-Yuan and A-Xiang were startled and quickly grabbed the swing, bowing respectfully to Li Yan: "Greetings, Your Highness."
Jiang Jiaojiao also got off the swing, looking guilty: "Is Your Highness feeling better? Shouldn't we go home now?"
"Cough cough cough... cough cough..."
Her response was a violent cough.
Jiang Jiaojiao: "..."
So what... I accidentally dragged him into the water? I've been feeding him well, giving him good drinks and medicine, and he's still angry?
He gazed deeply into her eyes, a hint of panic unnoticed by anyone, and asked softly, "Yesterday's betrothal ceremony, were you... happy?"
"You said you would take responsibility for me, does that still stand?"
"I'm physically weak, cough cough cough... It's understandable that you don't want to take responsibility."
My heart was hanging high, as if being pulled by an invisible thread, and I laid it bare before her without reservation.
Jiang Jiaojiao was dazed.
It took him a while to come to his senses, "Count...count!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the chill that had enveloped Li Yan's heart melted away instantly, and his previously dull, dark eyes began to shine.
A gentle breeze blows by, and the beauty of spring in the entire garden is nothing compared to the person before me.
Jiang Jiaojiao was so infatuated with herself: You're a vixen!
His face flushed, and he looked at Jiang Jiaojiao with unwavering eyes, slowly uttering a sentence: "You are the first woman to say that she would take responsibility for me. Since you said it, you must do it."
She paused, her voice tinged with a hint of inexplicable grievance: "If you can't do it, I... I'll be sad, I'll be upset."
After he finished speaking, he felt so embarrassed that he dared not linger for another moment and turned to leave.
He feared he wouldn't be able to control his inner impulses, his desire to be close to her, to embrace her, and even more. This desire surged within him like a tide, leaving him feeling overwhelmed and insecure.
Does he deserve someone as wonderful as her?
Over the years, he dragged his ailing body around seeking medical treatment, witnessing all sorts of conspiracies, tricks, and the coldness of human relationships. He thought he had long since become invincible and didn't care anymore.
But unexpectedly... that heart, riddled with wounds, lost control simply because of the phrase "take responsibility for him".
He was, after all, just an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy.
His heart was pounding, as if it was about to jump out of his throat. Was this... the feeling of being smitten?
He dared not look back, for that would only make him more hopelessly entangled. He quickened his pace, as if fleeing something terrifying. Yet, no matter how fast he walked, her image remained haunting his mind.
He came full of joy, but fled in disarray.
Jiang Jiaojiao: "..."
Jiang Jiaojiao was bewildered, and a strange feeling suddenly arose in her, as if she had flirted with an innocent girl... and then acted irresponsibly.
Ahhhhhhh—
Jiang Jiaojiao shook her head vigorously!
Fairy! Fairy! It must be a trap set by her handsome man!
Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey—
I won't listen to this bastard's chanting!
But--
I've never seen such a beautiful turtle!
Just as Jiang Jiaojiao was covering her face and rolling around in the quilt, the Seventh Prince bid farewell to Jiang Qingyun and Madam Jin, leaving behind a courtyard full of betrothal gifts before departing.
There was also a list of betrothal gifts, including fields, shops, and estates, which made Jiang Qingyun's eyes widen. Even Jin Shi was astonished by the Seventh Prince's extravagant spending.
Did they empty their entire fortune?!
When Jiang Xue learned about the betrothal gift list, her face contorted in a terrifying grimace.
According to the storybook, the seventh prince didn't come to propose marriage this time; instead, the fifth prince came in his place. He happened to save the heroine from being pushed into the pool by the wicked eldest daughter and then asked to marry her as a concubine.
The betrothal gifts sent were far less than that.
I don't know where things went wrong.
Since Jiang Jiaojiao chose to marry the Seventh Prince instead of stubbornly refusing the marriage, things have no longer developed as the story goes.
Just like this time when I fell into the water.
If she hadn't deliberately planned it, how could she have lured the Fifth Prince to rescue her and marry her as a concubine?
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