Chapter 206 If he's crippled, he'll be crippled; he'll be severely punished.
On their wedding night, they should have been deeply in love and trust each other.
There was no blood on the handkerchief, and facing the bloodshot eyes of Prince Yong, Tao Wanyin hugged the quilt to cover her body.
Recalling everything that had happened before, she finally understood what that night when Tao Changhai sent her to a large courtyard meant.
Prince Yong angrily ripped the blanket off her.
She stared at him, trembling, but Prince Yong simply grabbed the blanket and lay down on the ground.
Out of consideration for her reputation, the matter was not made public.
But since that night, Prince Yong has never stepped into her room again.
Prince Yong was depressed for half a year, but one day he seemed to have come to a realization and told her that he would pretend the matter had never happened and was still willing to be close to her.
But it was too late; an even worse and more embarrassing problem arose...
Whenever Tao Wanyin saw a man's genitals, she couldn't help but feel nauseous, and she didn't know what was wrong with her.
Seeing her strong resistance, the enraged Prince Yong, relying on his strength as a man, tried to force himself on her. Unable to break free, Tao Wanyin vomited all over his body.
Tao Wanyin still remembers that when Prince Yong left, his face was even paler than hers.
Feeling guilty, she agreed when Prince Yong wanted to take a concubine.
They lived like this for several years, their relationship a facade but their hearts were distant. Prince Yong's ability to seduce women grew stronger and stronger, and the backyard of his palace was almost overflowing with his many concubines.
It wasn't until the Tao family secretly sent someone to tell her that if she couldn't give birth to a legitimate son for the royal family, her family would send her younger sister over.
The younger sisters in the family were even more difficult to deal with than Concubine Du Yufang, which is why Tao Wanyin took the initiative to invite Prince Yong over.
But what marital affection remained between them? Lying in the same bed was a forced union against their will.
Tao Wanyin's face turned deathly pale as she suppressed her nausea, showing no sign of pleasure.
Prince Yong, as if seeking punishment, bulged his veins, and beads of sweat splattered onto her body.
After that, Prince Yong would come to the main courtyard several times a year. Tao Wanyin would endure it each time as if she were being tortured. But after a while, she got better and stopped vomiting. She would just feel nauseous inside.
Tao Wanyin thought back to the most recent time when she received Ji Qingwu's prescription.
That time, she was prepared to become impotent after Prince Yong's death, and this was the last time. It was the first time she didn't feel any pain or nausea.
Tao Wanyin's face changed from pale to slightly pink.
Ji Qingwu said softly, "Your Highness."
Tao Wanyin took the jade pendant from under her pillow and placed it in her hand, as if to give herself some courage.
She said calmly, "Qingwu, I know what you want to ask, but I was blindfolded when I was taken in. It's been so long, I can only vaguely remember that person's voice."
Ji Qingwu nodded and looked at her quietly.
Tao Wanyin recalled to herself, and slowly said, "What I can say for sure is that at that time, he must have been a high-ranking official with even greater power and influence than my father." She still remembered the humble tone in Tao Changhai's voice when he spoke.
Ji Qingwu said, "There will be a direction. At that time, your father was only a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. He must have done this to sell his daughter for personal gain. Let's investigate whether your father's official position was promoted that year and who promoted him."
She pondered carefully and said, "Or perhaps your father has committed some serious crime and needs someone's protection. If we investigate in these two directions, we might be able to find out who that person is."
As soon as she finished speaking, Tao Wanyin excitedly grabbed her hand.
“How could I not have thought of that! My father is a profit-driven man; he must have gotten something out of this.”
Then, with a look of fear on her face, she asked, "Even if we find out, can we defeat him?"
Looking at Princess Yong's slender fingers, Ji Qingwu said calmly, "That person won't only have this one weakness."
He and Grand Secretary Tao were once on the same boat and knew each other's secrets.
Perhaps this person is another big fish that Emperor Wusu is looking for.
After taking Tao Wanyin's pulse, Ji Qingwu stroked his chin and said, "Your Highness, this place is not like the Prince's mansion. We must be careful in everything we do. When we get back, I will make you some pills to help with pregnancy. You can take a few every day, and there shouldn't be any problems."
Tao Wanyin didn't want to cause her too much trouble: "Qingwu, just leave a prescription. We can prepare the medicine here when the imperial physician arrives."
Ji Qingwu sighed inwardly. Prince Yong wanted to entrust Tao Wanyin's pregnancy entirely to her. Since she had made a deal with Prince Yong, she would take full responsibility.
How could she not know that prescribing medicine was more convenient, and that decocting medicine was more effective?
However, the situation is now critical. The entire Tao family has been executed, and it is already difficult enough to protect Princess Yong. The Empress Dowager plans to have Prince Yong depose his wife.
If she loses her child, Tao Wanyin's life will be in danger, so she needs to be even more careful now.
Just as Emperor Wusu had told her when she presented the prescription to the Empress Dowager, it would be bad if it were used by those with ulterior motives in the palace.
It would be better if she made the medicine into pills, sealed them, and then sent them over.
Ji Qingwu said in a low voice, "Your Highness, without the Tao family, your situation in Anle Hall will only become more difficult. The Empress Dowager is planning to persuade the Prince to depose you."
Upon hearing this, Tao Wanyin paused for a moment before saying in a dry voice, "So what if he's crippled? I just want this child to be alright."
Ji Qingwu shook his head and said, "Even if the Princess Consort is open-minded, Prince Yong will not agree."
She stated frankly, "The reason I came here is because Prince Yong knelt before me and made a deal with me."
Tao Wanyin's jade pendant fell to the ground, and Ji Qingwu bent down to pick it up for her and put it back in her hand.
"The jade pendant of the princess has come loose today. Perhaps it is because the princess's mother is watching over you from heaven and knows that someone is protecting you as sincerely as she did, so she is more at ease with you."
After Ji Qingwu left, Tao Wanyin looked down at the jade in her palm, which was pure and flawless, and emitted a faint glow.
*
At the entrance of the Hall of Diligent Governance.
The sun outside was scorching, and the two of them knelt for the entire afternoon.
The Empress Dowager came and went, and Consort Wei came and went; their shadows shifted from west to east.
Li Yuzong stood by, trying to persuade him until his throat was dry.
Prince Yong and Wei Ting seemed to be locked in a contest, neither willing to utter a single word to ask the Emperor to calm his anger.
Emperor Wusu had already finished reviewing the memorials and was leaning back on his throne, drinking tea and reading a book.
Li Yuzong tiptoed into the hall and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant sees that the Prince is covered in sweat and his skin is all red from the sun. If he kneels down again, he might faint."
Emperor Wusu turned another page of his book with his long fingers and said casually, "How is the General Who Guards the North?"
Li Yuzong said, "General Wei is kneeling upright. As expected of someone from the Northern Army, his posture has not swayed at all after so long."
Prince Yong was swaying and almost lying on the ground, just like how Wei Ting had knelt down back then, and he was still in the same position now.
Emperor Wusu slammed the ancient book onto the large table, making a loud bang.
Li Yuzong quickly lowered his head and said, "This old servant misspoke. This General Wei is really something, daring to beat even a prince. He has too much audacity and should be severely punished!"
Then Emperor Wusu said, "Go to Anle Hall and bring the person here."
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