The headache was fake, but to make the performance more convincing, Ye Jinghe cooperated by sniffing the fragrance emanating from the perfume.
"Jinghe, are you feeling better?" Ye Jingchen asked with concern.
Ye Jinghe nodded, pretending to be a little weak as he leaned against Ye Jingchen's chest.
Ye Jingchen patted his head reassuringly.
Where he couldn't see, Ye Jinghe gave Xie Chang'an a provocative smile.
See? He cares about him the most!
No one can take his brother away from him!
Faced with Ye Jinghe's provocation, Xie Chang'an's expression was somewhat blank.
Did he hear that right?
What did Ye Jingchen just call this brat?
Ye Jinghe?!
Is it the Ye Jinghe he knows?
The fifth prince, Ye Jinghe, who hated Ye Jingshu and Ye Jingchen the most in his previous life, and even personally killed them?!
Was he really just reborn? Or did he just travel to some strange parallel universe?
Xie Chang'an stared intently at Ye Jinghe's thin face, the more he looked, the more familiar he seemed, and the more certain he became that he was the madman from his memory.
The scent of the balm that Ye Jingchen took out of the sachet was somewhat familiar to him; it was the scent that Ye Jinghe used to suppress his madness in his previous life.
In his previous life, Ye Jinghe was very dependent on this thing, and he almost never left it with him. He would go crazy if he didn't have it with him.
If it weren't for Ye Jinghe's obvious weakness, he wouldn't have been able to beat Ye Jinghe so easily in his previous life.
Ye Jinghe saw Xie Chang'an's almost tangible gaze as proof of his successful provocation, and he smiled with a sense of smugness and pleasure.
Seeing his smug smile, Xie Chang'an felt complicated.
He suddenly had a wicked thought: what would that madman think if he saw this scene?
"What's wrong with His Highness the Fifth Prince?" the old lady asked with some concern.
Although they are not valued by the emperor, they are still princes after all. If something happens in their residence, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion cannot bear the consequences.
"It's alright, he's probably just tired. He'll be fine after a rest," Ye Jingchen said with a calm smile as he put away the perfume.
Just then, Physician Zhang and an elderly man with white hair and beard came out of a room in the courtyard.
"Your Highness!" Upon seeing the scene in the courtyard, Imperial Physician Zhang quickly walked to Ye Jingchen's side.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince." The old man stepped forward and cupped his hands in a casual manner towards Ye Jingchen.
"Your Highness, this is Mr. Li, the physician of the household, a close friend of my good-for-nothing son," the old lady introduced.
The "good-for-nothing son" the old lady was referring to was naturally the Duke of Zhenguo. The old lady said this because she was worried that Ye Jingchen would be angry because of the doctor's casual attitude.
Ye Jingchen certainly wouldn't be angry about being slighted.
In this era of absolute imperial power, those who could defy imperial authority were either mentally unstable, held a high social status, or possessed extraordinary skills.
Since this Mr. Li could become a close friend of the Duke of Zhenguo despite their age difference, he certainly couldn't be someone with a problem in his head. His expertise is self-evident, as can be seen from the upward curve of Physician Zhang's lips.
but--
Since the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has such highly skilled physicians, why did Xie Chang'an's condition worsen?
A question flashed through Ye Jingchen's mind, and he quickly thought of Ye Jinghe's poison.
Perhaps he could ask this Mr. Li to examine Ye Jinghe; what if he happens to be quite skilled in neurology?
"I've heard Physician Zhang mention Mr. Li before, saying that your medical skills are exceptional, even surpassing his. It's an honor to meet you!" Ye Jingchen said politely.
Mr. Li didn't say anything, he just nodded at him, his expressionless face giving off the air of a peerless master.
"I wonder if the young master's health has improved?" Ye Jingchen asked with a smile, not angry at all.
"Your Highness, Young Master Xie's high fever is mainly due to his weak constitution. Although it came on fiercely, he has survived the most difficult stage. With proper care, he will gradually recover," Physician Zhang replied.
"In that case, Young Master Xie, I am currently selecting a study companion. After you recover from your illness, would you be able to become my study companion?" Ye Jingchen asked directly.
Reading companion?
Xie Chang'an was puzzled; this was something that had never happened in his previous life.
In this life, all the changes stem from the crown prince before us.
Although Xie Chang'an had ruled out the possibility that Ye Jingchen was a reincarnation, he was increasingly certain that there was something wrong with this Ye Jingchen!
He was grateful that he was reborn before his family died on the battlefield. Since God had given him a second chance, he would do whatever it took to protect his family!
But his body is still too small, and there are limited things he can do. He can't influence the decisions of the emperor in the palace at all.
He needs a reliable ally.
Among the women in the household, the grandmother, mother, and two aunts were all simple-minded. Their lives revolved around the inner courtyard and they knew nothing about politics. Only the old matriarch was shrewd, wise, and far-sighted. Although she lived in the inner courtyard for a long time, she was well-versed in the situation of the court.
However, the old lady was advanced in years and had limited energy, so Xie Chang'an dared not trouble her.
So he used his illness as an excuse to ask the old lady to submit a memorial requesting that his father return to the capital.
From early spring to the depths of winter, his time is running out.
Not long after he was born, his father went to the northern frontier and rarely returned home. Whether in his past life or this life, he didn't know much about his father. He only knew from the women in the household that his father wasn't the kind of person who was blindly loyal to the imperial power. On the contrary, he was somewhat unconventional. Based on this alone, his father was the most suitable helper for him.
The old lady initially disagreed, believing that her great-grandson's wishes were far less important than peace on the border. It was only when his condition suddenly became 'serious' that she reluctantly relented and submitted a memorial.
However, after the memorial was submitted, there was no response for several days, which showed that the emperor did not want to agree. Xie Chang'an had almost given up hope on this matter, but unexpectedly, good news came today.
His Highness the Crown Prince paid a visit and brought this good news. It's not hard to guess that the Emperor's change of mind must be related to the Crown Prince.
Whether it was facilitating this matter or choosing him as a study companion, on the surface, it all seemed like the Crown Prince wanted to befriend him, but—was it really that simple?
Regardless of the Crown Prince's true intentions in extending this olive branch, he had to accept it.
Because this is his best chance to change his family's fate!
The emperor favored the crown prince, and becoming the crown prince's study companion meant that the prince could see the emperor frequently.
Based on his understanding of emperors from his previous life, he was confident that he could change the emperor's mind as long as he met him.
Even if it can't completely change things, it can buy more time for your family.
Moreover, being in the Eastern Palace, he could not only keep abreast of the court's developments, but also make friends with important officials, so that he wouldn't be completely unaware and caught off guard when danger came, as he had been in his previous life.
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