Li Hua had already arrived at the princess's doorstep, but the guards of the princess's residence did not allow him to enter or inform anyone in the residence. Instead, they directly abducted him back to the princess's residence.
Inside the carriage, Sanjiu, sitting opposite Lihua, had a grave expression and gritted his teeth, saying, "Young Master, otherwise this humble servant will send someone to inform the Second Young Master..."
Li Ye slowly raised his head and glanced at San Jiu. His expression remained unchanged, but the coldness in his eyes silenced San Jiu.
Sanjiu's face turned purple with embarrassment, but he dared not say anything more. The identity of the eldest young master... could not be exposed.
But Sanjiu held back for a moment, but couldn't hold back any longer. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she said, "That vixen is going too far! Now that she's summoned the young master back, she'll definitely find a way to humiliate him! Young master, do you want me to..."
He raised his hand, forming a knife shape, and made a downward chopping motion. His eyes were fierce, showing none of the honest and simple nature of a merchant's servant. The ferocity in his eyes was comparable to that of a demon.
Li Hua simply reached into her collar, took out a paper packet, shook out the powdered medicine inside, then opened her mouth, tilted her head back, and poured it in without even drinking any water.
A bitter taste spread in his mouth, but Li Hua's face remained expressionless.
He slightly raised his eyelashes, and his gaze toward his subordinates was not sharp, but rather cold and indifferent, like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, instantly putting Sanjiu to rest.
Although she still looked resentful, Sanjiu obediently knelt down and withdrew her murderous gesture.
Of course, he also knew that it was not the right time yet, and his eldest son still needed the identity of the princess's consort as a cover in order to plan important matters.
But he was indignant on behalf of his master. Princess Duanrong was far too arrogant and unruly. Not only did she beat their eldest son every month, but this time she was afraid that even beating him wouldn't be enough to vent her anger. Who knew what kind of way she would come up with to humiliate him.
They were still husband and wife in name, and the eldest son gave her so much money every month for her to squander in luxury. How could she be so cruel? It's truly chilling!
How could their eldest son suffer such injustice!
However, Li Hua himself felt no discomfort or fear. These were just some low-class humiliation tactics. What hadn't he experienced? What was he afraid of?
He leaned against the swaying carriage wall, his face turning deathly pale, even bluish, from the sudden change in color caused by the packet of medicine.
Blood even tasted in his mouth; after taking the drug, all his strength was drained.
When he arrived at the princess's residence, he reverted to being the "shriveled and cowardly," "weak and frail" sickly prince consort.
He was helped off the carriage, his eyes filled with palpable panic, and his expression was one of utter fear and despair.
Sanjiu was stopped in the outer courtyard, watching her master being led away, her eyes burning with anxiety.
Li Ye guessed at several possible outcomes, which were nothing more than the princess not being able to vent her anger during the day, or having been angered by the emperor again, and wanting to take it out on him.
At worst, he'd get a beating and suffer some humiliation. A month into the marriage, he felt like he'd fallen into an icy abyss; he'd gotten used to it.
Yet, in his lowered eyes, there was still an overwhelming sense of sorrow.
Li Hua, pulled by several maids brought by Manyue, entered the main hall and side hall, exclaiming, "Oh dear, the Prince Consort is finally back! Our princess was so worried..."
These people seemed to have forgotten that they were the princess's personal maids. At this moment, they acted like madams of a brothel, commenting on Li Hua and laughing ambiguously.
Li Hua was pushed and shoved into the inner room of the side room. Halfway there, the drug took effect, and she vomited blood again.
Upon seeing this, Manyue panicked immediately: "Prince Consort!"
"Oh no! The prince consort has fallen ill again! Quickly, call for help!"
Due to the effects of the drug, Li Hua could no longer stand and began to fall to the ground.
This might allow them to avoid a humiliation, since no matter how ruthless the princess is, she wouldn't humiliate someone who's half-dead.
Before Li Ye closed his eyes and pretended to be unconscious, he even thought for a moment that if he could sleep like this forever... perhaps it would be a good ending for him.
In his last moments of consciousness, he vaguely saw the princess running frantically from outside.
Li Ye's lips trembled slightly, a self-deprecating smile that failed to materialize.
When Li Ye regained consciousness, he found himself placed on a soft bed.
A group of doctors surrounded him and began to examine him, some prescribing medicine, others giving him acupuncture.
Li Hua was most afraid of needles; he could remain unfazed even if a knife cut him. But his greatest fear was being pricked by needles, to an absurd degree.
He groggily opened his eyes, wanting to see what trick the princess was up to, but instead saw a royal physician holding a long silver needle, aiming it directly at his head. He rolled his eyes and truly fainted this time.
But when he woke up again, Li Hua began to panic.
When he opened his eyes, it was completely dark outside, but the room was brightly lit.
He was lying on a soft, dry bed, and he had already changed into clean clothes. Two maids were guarding him not far from the screen, and a faint fragrance of incense was still burning in the auspicious beast incense burner in the room.
This was supposed to be a very comfortable and reassuring environment, but as he tried to get up by supporting himself on his arms, he looked down and found that his shirt was wide open.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't Da Zhang; he was wearing a red gauze robe with the front slit up to his navel.
It's a thin layer, not much different from garlic skin. It can cover up what should be hidden, and reveal what shouldn't be exposed.
Li Hua had never experienced anything like this in his life. He gasped for breath and began to cough violently, blood filling the air between his teeth.
"Cough cough cough cough... cough cough cough..."
He suddenly remembered that when he was carried back after feigning unconsciousness, the maidservant beside the princess said, "Go and bring over the prepared clothes, the red gauze one."
"Once the imperial physician has finished his treatment and the prince consort wakes up, change him into the new clothes first. The princess said she'll be visiting tonight..."
Li Hua's mind went blank for a moment, probably from coughing and lack of oxygen, but he belatedly realized what the maid meant.
The princess... wants him to serve her?
It's also possible that the effects of that potent medicine, which allowed him to deceive even the imperial physician, hadn't worn off yet.
He slammed back onto the bed with a bang.
Li Hua's vision started to blur, not from being hit or coughing, but from she was so angry.
He thought of Princess Duanrong's famous dissolute behavior and the increasing number of male lovers that sprang up in her harem.
He was trembling with rage in the blink of an eye. He never expected that she would come up with such a way to humiliate him!
For the first time, Li Hua felt a resolute urge to disregard everything and fight to the death.
Just then, a gentle voice, one he had never heard from the princess, came from outside.
"How is the prince consort? Is he any better?"
"Your Highness, the imperial physician said the effects of the medicine should wear off around this time, and the prince consort should have already woken up."
"Really? Then I'll go in and take a look." Gan Qiongying's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement, mainly because she wanted to see the God of Wealth himself.
But to Li Hua, her words sounded like a demon demanding her life.
All he wanted to do at that moment was to leap up and fight the princess to the death. But the reality was that his guard, Sanjiu, was nowhere to be found. He had taken medicine to avoid humiliation and was now weak and powerless. Even sitting up straight with his arms up, he would break out in a sweat.
Therefore, Li Hua stared with rage at the approaching shadow behind the screen, and then... like a fish, he slipped into the quilt.
He wrapped himself up tightly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com