Chapter 142 After Marrying the Crippled Prince, 22 Famous Doctors
After Yun Shuxue had a legitimate son, she couldn't wait to come to the Prince Cheng's mansion every day, for fear that Yun Chiyi would miss some detail in her life.
Feeling utterly annoyed by her presence, Yun Chiyi feigned illness and stayed in her room reading storybooks, not even wanting to step out the door.
They would still bump into each other occasionally. Seeing the child in her arms growing bigger every day, Yun Chiyi sighed once again that raising a child really takes a lifetime of effort.
On one occasion, Yun Shuxue packed a few sets of clothes, brought the child into the palace, and said with a long face that she wanted to stay there for a few days.
Yun Chiyi naturally refused and asked her if she had quarreled with Gao Qi.
Yun Shuxue couldn't explain it clearly, but she kept repeating that Gao Qi was having an affair again.
Given how deeply Gao Qi loved Shen Yao back then, it would be hard to believe there wasn't something fishy going on.
Yun Chiyi didn't want her to live right under her nose, so she unusually spoke to her a few more times, telling her to go back and keep an eye on Gao Qi, lest someone else take advantage of the situation if she wasn't watching him closely enough.
At night, Yun Chiyi and Lin Jinyuan lay on the bed, and he idly stroked the back of her hand with his fingers.
Yun Chiyi suddenly asked him, "Is Shen Yao really dead?"
Lin Jinyuan was taken aback: "Who is Madam referring to?"
He was a man of high status and had a bad memory. Yun Chiyi reminded him, "Gao Qi said he wanted to make her his second wife."
Lin Jinyuan understood: "He's not dead."
Yun Chiyi understood: "That makes sense."
Winning over Gao Qi will not be easy. He is "loyal and righteous" but also stubborn. Lin Jinyuan, on the other hand, has some clever ways of getting away with things. It's only a matter of time before Lin Jinyuan gets involved with him.
After Yun Chi understood the situation, she immediately decided to stop getting involved in other people's family affairs.
She closed her eyes, intending to sleep, but then opened them again: "Could you please stop letting the Gao couple wander around the mansion every day? Yun Shuxue's constant chatter is making my heart ache."
Lin Jinyuan held her hand: "There's nothing else, and Gao Qi won't be coming all the time."
Yun Chiyi gave a soft "hmm" sound.
Lin Jinyuan chuckled and asked her, "Madam rarely leaves the house, wouldn't it be better if Yun Shuxue came to keep you company and talk to you often?"
Yun Chiyi: "This is not good."
She said unhappily, "I'm mute, and you're not. Can't you talk to me?"
Lin Jinyuan smiled, his thin lips curving into a smile: "So, Madam wanted to have some private words with me."
Yun Chiyi readily agreed; she was incredibly sleepy.
Little did she expect that Lin Jinyuan would take it seriously. He would chat with her in the morning, read books with her in the afternoon, and at night, after drawing the bed curtains, he would tirelessly talk to her about ancient and modern times.
I thought he'd get over the novelty, but to my surprise, Yun Chiyi underestimated him once again. He kept talking until the twelfth lunar month, and he seemed to enjoy it immensely.
This winter was particularly cold, and Yun Chiyi provided winter clothes for everyone in the manor. The Prince Cheng's manor was usually frugal, but by the end of the year it was quite wealthy. With the extra money, they even bought several bags of rice and distributed porridge at the city gate to raise funds for good fortune.
Other noblewomen were also present, but no one from the Crown Prince's residence was seen.
Lin Jinyuan has been telling Yun Chiyi these past few days that the situation within the Crown Prince's residence is turbulent, and he can't even control his own faction. He's afraid the Crown Prince won't last until next year. Given the Crown Prince's habits, he might ask to abdicate.
The Fifth Prince was ambitious and had long been itching to take over this mess.
He is now open to talking about anything and has no taboos, which saves Yun Chiyi the trouble of asking around elsewhere.
When Yun Chiyi returned from the city gate, a servant reported that an elderly man had collapsed at the entrance of the Prince's mansion. Lin Jinyuan had the old man carried to a secluded room. After he woke up, he learned that the old man was a doctor who had been robbed on the way and had been forced to beg his way to the capital.
This is a turbulent time, and Lin Jinyuan's move must be anything but simple.
Sure enough, during lunch, Lin Jinyuan first removed the fish bones from her mouth and then fed the whole fish to Yun Chiyi.
Once she's full, she'll have the time and inclination to drink tea and enjoy other pastries.
He then said, "Next spring, how about I accompany my wife to fly kites, so she can get some exercise too?"
Yun Chiyi paused, holding her teacup.
The doctor who collapsed at the door was indeed part of his scheme.
Lin Jinyuan's smile was like a spring breeze, especially warm in the winter: "What's wrong? Isn't it good?"
She also knew that it was time to slowly step into the game.
Yun Chiyi took a sip of tea: "Okay."
Lin Jinyuan then added with great interest, "I can also ride horses with you, Madam."
Yun Chiyi subtly suggested, "When we get old, you can ride a horse and fly a kite if you want. In any case, the most important thing is to stay alive and have enough to eat."
Lin Jinyuan poured tea unhurriedly and said, "Is Madam worried about me?"
"Yes, you've asked me several times already," Yun Chiyi answered truthfully.
Lin Jinyuan's gaze lingered: "I will naturally keep my promise to you."
Yun Chiyi poured him a cup of tea: "Drink tea. Your Highness has become a chatterbox; once you start talking, you can't stop."
Lin Jinyuan smiled.
Completely different from what she had imagined, Yun Chiyi would not live under the same roof with him in fear and trembling. She was clear-headed and carefree, not competitive or vying for anything, and occasionally willing to act alongside him. It was as if she had been sent by heaven to accompany him on his journey through the world.
The eve of the Lunar New Year was very lively, but Lin Jinyuan announced to the public that he was seriously ill and could not get out of bed.
Some of the newly arrived servants in the manor, who had not yet learned how to keep their mouths shut, whispered among themselves in secluded places, saying that Lin Jinyuan had listened to the old beggar's words and was taking the risk of trying to cure his leg.
That's strange. So many years have passed, and the prince has long since let go of this worry.
Some people can't understand why he would take this risk.
Some people pointed out the reason: the princess had been married into the royal family for many years but had never had a child, perhaps because the prince was impotent.
Men are all concerned about their reputation; in front of their ancestors, they'd rather put their lives aside.
As rumors spread in the backyard, Yun Chiyi was listening to Zhenzhen's animated accusations, her small face turning red with anger.
Yun Chiyi smiled; what those people said was obviously completely wrong.
Lin Jinyuan is good at everything, inside and out.
Lin Jinyuan played that weak and frail character for so long that everyone thought he was a sick cat, which was really funny.
The master and servant were brewing tea around the stove in the empty study when they suddenly heard a commotion outside, with people coming to the door.
When Zhenzhen went out to look, she saw Lin Shulang dressed in white mourning clothes, walking heavily towards her.
Yun Chiyi looked up at him and noticed that there were many lipstick stains on his clothes.
"Your Highness, what brings you here?" Zhenzhen quickly led him through the door.
Lin Shulang said, heartbroken, "My mother passed away last night."
Yun Chiyi frowned.
Lin Shulang still smelled strongly of alcohol. He wiped away his tears and said, "Aunt, I dreamt the other day that my mother got up and cooked wontons for me."
He gritted his teeth and said, "It's all his fault. He deserves to be in this situation. That lightning bolt should have killed him back then."
He was pale and could not stand, so he sat down while holding onto the table.
“He went to see another woman the day before yesterday. I really want to stab him to death.”
Lin Shulang rambled on incoherently, mostly cursing the Crown Prince to die a horrible death. His nose was red and swollen from crying. He stood there for a long while, stunned: "Where is my royal uncle? I heard he's ill."
Zhenzhen relayed the message: "He has been sick for three days and there is still no improvement. The prince said that if any guests come, they should not visit him to avoid catching the illness."
Lin Shulang reacted slowly: "How can this be allowed?"
He was somewhat dazed and confused, completely unaware that the Crown Prince's abdication was orchestrated by Lin Jinyuan. In the end, the grudges and feuds within their royal family were too complicated to resolve.
Yun Chiyi pulled Zhenzhen aside.
After a short while, Zhenzhen turned to Lin Shulang and said, "Your Highness hasn't eaten yet, has he? Let the cook at the manor make you a bowl of wontons. It's cold, so eating something hot will make you feel better."
Lin Shulang nodded blankly: "Add a few more shrimp for me, and roll the wonton wrappers a little thinner."
Zhenzhen went back to instruct the kitchen.
Yun Chiyi poured Lin Shulang a cup of hot tea and sat down next to him to read a book.
Lin Shulang drank it all in one gulp, the scalding hot water bringing tears to his eyes: "He seems to have been looking forward to my mother's death, not even caring about the funeral arrangements. Although the palace sent people over, there are still some things that he has to decide."
"Aunt, this is the first time I've experienced something like this, and I'm completely at a loss."
Yun Chiyi found a book that Lin Jinyuan usually read and gave it to him, which contained detailed records of funeral rites in the current dynasty.
Lin Shulang glanced at it and said, "Thank you, Aunt. I'll invite you for tea another day."
The snow fell heavier and heavier. He closed the window because he felt cold, and hugged himself, shivering.
Yun Chiyi added fuel to the fire, making the room warmer.
Lin Shulang ate the wontons and then went home.
On the day of the Crown Princess's funeral, Lin Shulang carried the memorial tablet and walked in front, crying loudly and secretly mocking the Crown Prince for being heartless and ungrateful in front of the people.
A month later, the crown prince abdicated and moved out of the capital.
Lin Shulang was still in the city. After several days of darkness, he gradually regained his senses.
As for Lin Jinyuan, it was still chilly in early spring. He changed his clothes and rode in a carriage to the palace to meet the emperor.
The father and son rarely saw each other, and when they did, it was at a palace banquet, where they would glance at each other from afar amidst a sea of heads.
Therefore, when Lin Jinyuan entered the palace, the emperor was stunned for a long time.
There was also an old, decrepit emperor who squinted at the person kneeling below the hall and suddenly recognized who it was.
Yes, he wrote a memorial saying he was coming. It was a long, rambling piece of writing, but the emperor only glanced at it and didn't read it much.
"Yuan'er, your leg has actually healed."
Lin Jinyuan knelt upright and bowed solemnly: "Thanks to Father Emperor, I recently met a famous doctor. I had no hope, but that night I dreamed of riding and hunting with Father Emperor when I was young, and I felt that there was a great turning point."
“A few days ago, I was able to walk, but my posture was awkward and I was afraid it would offend Father Emperor.”
The Emperor smiled, squinted, and stroked his long, white beard: "When you were learning to walk by holding my hand, you stumbled and fell right in front of me, sprawled out. You were so naughty back then, you wouldn't let me pick you up, and you sat on the ground crying for a long time."
Lin Jinyuan bowed again: "I don't remember the matter of the young child. I am unruly and have troubled Father."
He just didn't reveal that the person who fell at the emperor's feet, crying and unable to get up, was the former crown prince.
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