flattery
Shangguan Zeyu had Zhang Qin prepare a lot of tonics and supplements and send them to Lihua Residence. He also sent four secret guards to protect Jiang Yan. Of course, Jiang Yan was unaware of this, and neither were others.
Under Huang Ying's meticulous care, Jiang Yan regained her strength three days later and was able to get out of bed and move around freely.
Huang Ying wouldn't let her get out of bed, insisting that she stay in bed, saying that she was still recovering and her body was still weak. Getting out of bed too early would cause her to get damp, which would be bad for her health.
However, Jiang Yan still insisted on getting out of bed.
It's not a big deal that her limbs are atrophied from lying down, but the main problem is that her buttocks are sore from being pressed against the floor. If she doesn't get out of bed and move around a bit, she's afraid she'll lose all feeling in her buttocks.
Huang Ying still couldn't get used to her constantly using her buttocks and having excrement and urine in her mouth. Her face turned red, and she didn't say anything more.
That morning, as dawn broke, Jiang Yan nestled in the rocking chair she had placed in the courtyard and began to sway leisurely.
Pear Blossom Residence was not large to begin with. When Fuqu and the two servants were still there, it was already a bit crowded. Now that three old women and three cooks have arrived, you can imagine how cramped Pear Blossom Residence is.
However, Jiang Yan really enjoyed the lively atmosphere. There were always people talking in her ear, which made her feel that life was full of hope.
Huang Ying brought a bowl of ginseng soup from the kitchen to her.
"Master, it's time for some nourishing soup."
Huang Ying handed her the soup bowl. She took it, sniffed it slightly, and her brows furrowed.
"It's ginseng soup again, I'm about to throw up! Let's have some rice porridge, it's nourishing too." Jiang Yan looked at Huang Ying pitifully.
Huang Ying chuckled as if she were eating melon seeds, "My lady, you should just enjoy your ginseng soup! You have no idea how many tonics and supplements the prince has given you. Adding the ones you didn't finish before, I reckon you'll be eating them every day for a year or two."
"That's an exaggeration? Huang Ying, you've learned to be cheeky too." Jiang Yan thought Huang Ying was teasing her. After saying that, she suppressed her discomfort and took a sip of the slightly yellow ginseng soup.
"My lord, I'm not talking nonsense, it's true!! You can go and see for yourself in a bit, the right side room is full of them. They're piled up really high."
Jiang Yan's smile vanished.
"How can there be so many? What is he thinking?"
Huang Ying smiled radiantly, "My lady, the prince has you in his heart! He likes you and cares about you!"
But Jiang Yan couldn't laugh; instead, her face was heavy.
She absolutely did not want Shangguan Zeyu to like her or care about her!
She just wanted to use him, complete her mission, and then get out of this damn place as soon as possible!
Now that he's suddenly pulled this stunt, how is she supposed to extricate herself completely?
Seeing her sorrowful face, Huang Ying could no longer smile.
“My lady, I know what you are thinking. However, the prince has clearly taken you to the top. If you do not respond to him, he may think you are spoiled and arrogant, which would be detrimental to you.”
"But matters of the heart are not to be taken lightly! Anyone who deceives others' feelings will ultimately be devoured by them. I don't want to wallow in self-pity and regret later just to win his love!! Besides, didn't you tell me about what's been happening in the manor lately? Judging from these things, he's not necessarily someone deeply in love! He seems more like someone who'll do anything for his own ends!! If I give up my feelings, I might even lose my life in the future!!!"
Seeing her worried face, Huang Ying herself also fell into deep thought.
Everyone else in the courtyard was busy and organized, but Jiang Yan seemed completely detached, staring at a certain spot in front of her.
Finally, after much deliberation, she came to her final answer: talk the talk, don't walk the walk.
That is, she verbally expresses her love for Shangguan Zeyu, but her heart remains clear and lucid throughout.
She didn't tell Huang Ying about this decision, but instead carried it out on her own.
Shangguan Zeyu has been very busy lately. The troops that Prince Su has arbitrarily dispatched from the border are rapidly heading towards the capital. These days, he spends almost all his time in the palace and rarely returns to the Prince's residence, so Jiang Yan has no opportunity to show him any goodwill.
That day, as Jiang Yan was nestled in her rocking chair, staring blankly at the pear tree leaves that were so green they were almost black, Fuqu came running back excitedly from somewhere.
"The prince is back! The prince is back!!"
Jiang Yan's expression changed almost imperceptibly: "You're back, so why are you so excited?"
"Your Highness, the Prince has been in the palace for ten days, and he has finally returned today. How can we not be excited!"
Huang Ying looked at Jiang Yan, and their eyes met. Then, they both smiled knowingly.
Huang Ying quickly helped Jiang Yan to wash and dress up, and then Jiang Yan hurriedly led her towards Yunxiao Pavilion.
Shangguan Zeyu cares about her so much, it would be unreasonable for her not to reciprocate!
Most importantly, she didn't want Shangguan Zeyu to come to her Pear Blossom Residence again!
When Jiang Yan arrived at Yunxiao Pavilion, Shangguan Zeyu was taking a bath. Jiang Yan was about to tell Zhang Qin that she would come later, but unexpectedly, Shangguan Zeyu inside the room said something.
"Let her in."
Let "her" in?
Who does "she" refer to?
Oriole?
Or was it herself?
wrong!
Zhang Qin should be allowed to go in and serve him while he takes a bath!
Jiang Yan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she looked at Zhang Qin.
"Guard Zhang, I won't disturb you any longer. You should go in and serve the Prince." With that, she turned to leave.
Zhang Qin looked completely bewildered and confused. Only when he saw that Jiang Yan was really about to leave did he speak up to persuade her to stay.
“Your Highness, the Prince is inviting ‘you’ in, not asking me to go in.”
Jiang Yan's brain suddenly went blank, and then she could no longer feel anything around her.
"Master? Master, what's wrong?" Huang Ying noticed her staring blankly at something with a look of utter disbelief and asked softly.
Should we let her in?
How could he be so shameless as to let her in?
Didn't he know she was still a virgin?
No!
That's not the point!
The key question is, does he want to do *that* with her?
That's so shameless!
How disgusting!
Seeing that she was still immersed in her own world, sometimes indignant, sometimes disgusted, and sometimes shy and embarrassed, Huang Ying gently tugged at her sleeve with both hands and lowered her voice.
"My lord, what are you thinking about? The prince wants you to come in."
Jiang Yan then focused his gaze slightly on her, and then looked at Zhang Qin, who still looked completely bewildered, before smiling slightly.
"Yes, I will go in now."
Huang Ying's thoughts were exactly the same as hers. When she heard that she wanted to go in, her face panicked instantly. She quickly grabbed her left hand and shook her head slightly to signal her.
Jiang Yan gave her a reassuring look, pushed open the door, and went inside.
As soon as the door closed, Jiang Yan seemed to smell the fragrance of flowers wafting through the steam.
Is Shangguan Zeyu taking a flower bath? That's so flashy!
Jiang Yan silently despised him for a while, looked around, and walked towards the direction of the sound of flowing water.
The sound of running water was coming from behind his bed, but she remembered that there was a wall behind his bed, so how could there be running water?
Filled with confusion and bewilderment, Jiang Yan cautiously and curiously approached.
That's right!
The sound of flowing water was indeed coming from the wall behind his bed, and it was very clear.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Jiang Yan gently stroked the wall with his hand.
It doesn't feel hard to the touch; it doesn't feel like a wall.
Just as she was hesitating and puzzled, her right hand touched something protruding, and the wall beneath her began to move.
Faced with the wall that suddenly came to life, Jiang Yan screamed involuntarily and jumped back a meter.
...So it was a door?
The sound of water flowing inside the door became clearer, as if the water was right next to her ear.
With a heavy heart, Jiang Yan hesitated before stepping inside. After only a few steps, the view suddenly opened up before her.
An open-air bath?
Jiang Yan was still confused, thinking she had gone to the wrong place. She looked back and saw that Shangguan Zeyu's room was still in front of her, so she hadn't gone to the wrong place.
Could it be that Shangguan Zeyu always bathes here?
It's a nice place!
It's cool in the summer, but won't he freeze to death in the winter?
But what about the others?
Where is he?
Jiang Yan initially stood on the steps and looked around, but couldn't find Shangguan Zeyu. So she tentatively and cautiously walked towards the seemingly steaming stream.
The stream originates from a small hill.
This mountain looks like a real mountain, not one of those large rocks moved from elsewhere to make a fake one.
That's really strange!
Whose house has a mountain inside?
They must be powerful people to be able to pull off such bizarre methods!
The water flows down the mountain and gathers into a large pool at the foot of the mountain, just like a pond at the foot of a wild mountain.
On the eastern perimeter of the pool, there grows a maple tree as thick as an adult man's waist, which looks to be about ten years old.
The maple trees cast a large shadow beneath the pool, and Jiang Yan couldn't help but wonder if Shangguan Zeyu was hiding in that shadow, after all, the sun in the sky was quite strong!
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