"Your Highness, where are you taking me?"
Lin Qingwan was pulled into the courtyard by Zhao Cong. Not knowing what he was going to do, she subconsciously tried to pull her hand back.
Noticing her movement, Zhao Cong turned around, his long eyes flashing with coldness. Seeing that she seemed a little uneasy, he quickly softened his expression, but did not let go of her hand.
"Did you hurt yourself?" He softened his grip. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
After saying that, he pushed up her sleeve and saw that there was indeed a red ring on Lin Qingwan's slender, snow-white wrist.
Zhao Cong's brow twitched slightly, and the next second, his fingertips gently massaged along his wrist bone.
Lin Qingwan couldn't dodge, and felt the place he touched burning like fire, which instantly spread from her arm to her cheek. "It's okay, no need to rub it."
“They’re all red.” Zhao Cong looked down at her, his voice a little hoarse for some reason.
The air between them grew thin, and they both restrained themselves with utmost calm.
Madam Tang and Tang Yun were invited in and witnessed this scene.
Zhao Cong's broad frame blocked Lin Qingwan's face, but their clasped hands shone white in the sunlight.
Zhao Cong's massage became even gentler, his tenderness evident even in the strands of hair. "I'll be gentler next time, don't be angry."
Not only the Tang family mother and daughter, but also Shen Xu, Cangying and Muxue were dumbfounded. What had they just missed?
Shen Xu looked at Cang Ying, "Are you sure the Crown Prince hasn't been poisoned?"
Cang Ying glared at him. "Does our family look like vegetarians in Guard Shen's eyes?"
"How did the Crown Prince and Miss Qingwan suddenly..."
Cang Ying's eyes darted around. "It wasn't sudden."
Shen Xu was shocked, as if he had discovered something incredible. "You... know?"
Cang Ying's lips twitched. No matter how proper and polite the Crown Prince and Lin Qingwan were in front of others, he remembered that the Crown Prince and Lin Qingwan changed their undergarments when they were in the same tent!
The clothes they took out still had holes in them, and were still there...
Even if he were a eunuch, he wouldn't be able to look directly at that position! The Crown Prince was a virgin and hadn't touched a woman for so many years, yet he fell for Lin Qingwan.
Cangying didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
Shen Xu could tell from his face that the story had taken a turn for the better, and he became even more curious.
However, now is not the time to talk about this. Madam Tang managed to force a smile, but Tang Yun's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He leaned to the side, trying to see the vixen's face clearly!
"Yun'er, quickly perform the rites," Madam Tang reminded them, and the two of them respectfully performed the rites.
Zhao Cong patted Lin Qingwan's hand affectionately, "Wait for me a moment."
Then he turned around, shielding Lin Qingwan behind him, his hand still holding her wrist, his thumb occasionally rubbing it.
Lin Qingwan stared at the straight back in front of her, her eyes filled with surprise and astonishment, but also with a burning heat rising from her wrist.
His mind went blank, and he could only repeatedly recall the tenderness Zhao Cong had just shown him.
He said he hurt her and that he would be gentler next time...
What kind of insolent and lewd words are these?
It came from the mouth of the aloof and dignified Crown Prince.
However, Lin Qingwan soon realized that this was just the mildest kind of surprise she had experienced today.
Zhao Cong looked down at the Tang mother and daughter, not letting them get up. "Madam Tang, are you in such a hurry to come over to explain the Tang family's waist token?"
The voice was deep and cold, completely lacking the gentleness and caution it had shown when speaking to Lin Qingwan earlier.
Madam Tang's heart turned cold. "Your Highness is wise! Even if we had ten thousand lives, we wouldn't dare to poison you. Although this waist tag belongs to the Vice Minister's residence, the person in it is not from the residence."
"Someone must have framed me. Your Highness, please investigate thoroughly."
Madam Tang kowtowed and begged for forgiveness, unable to hide her panic.
She had sent someone to investigate before she took action, but unexpectedly, she ran into the Crown Prince!
No, is it really just a perfect match?
Now is not the time to investigate this matter. We must clear our names now, otherwise Yun'er will be married to the Crown Prince with a stain on her reputation. This marriage was not the Crown Prince's choice to begin with.
They only had this one daughter, and naturally hoped she would be favored by the Crown Prince.
Zhao Cong remained unmoved. "The fact that the waist token is in their hands means the Vice Minister's Mansion is to blame. The fact that I dealt with the person without causing trouble for the Tang family is already the greatest leniency I can show the Vice Minister's Mansion."
"Your Majesty understands." Madam Tang's back was stiff. "Your Highness is magnanimous and will not hold the Tang family accountable. However, please believe that the Tang family only wishes for Your Highness's long life and has no intention of disrespecting you."
Zhao Cong narrowed his eyes, "I didn't say you were disrespectful, but if I hadn't happened to come here today, I don't know what my heart would have suffered."
The word "heart's treasure" was used without any hesitation, and Tang's mother's throat tightened, unable to answer for a moment.
Even without Tang's mother, Lin Qingwan was also... flattered and overwhelmed.
Perhaps because she was so surprised, she was much calmer than before and could roughly guess what Zhao Cong wanted to do by bringing her out.
Thinking about it made my ears burn even hotter.
Tang Yun couldn't see Lin Qingwan's true face; his gaze was fixed on the Crown Prince holding her wrist, and his heart was breaking.
She knew the Crown Prince was cold and didn't crave affection, but at least she was his principal wife, and she hoped he could give her enough respect. However, with their wedding imminent, not only did the Crown Prince refuse to see her, but he was also keeping a mistress in his private courtyard!
This is a complete disregard for the Tang family.
Tang Yun, with a fiery temper, barely suppressed his anger under his mother's subtle hints and asked, "May I ask, Your Highness, who is the woman behind you?"
She hasn't even officially become the Crown Princess yet, but she's already putting on a show of catching someone cheating.
"Yun'er, don't be rude!" Madam Tang knew her daughter's temper and couldn't help but get nervous. "Don't forget why we came here."
Tang Yun pursed her lips and looked directly at Zhao Cong, "Doesn't Your Highness intend to introduce your beloved?"
“We’re getting married soon, and I’m your nominal wife. This…” she gritted her teeth, “It’s not right to keep this girl outside. Why not make her a concubine or secondary wife, so she’ll have a proper status.”
"I can't serve you for nothing."
Tang's mother hurriedly explained, "Yun'er is doing this for the good of this young lady. Now that we've met, it's good to talk things out."
Zhao Cong had met Tang Yun before and knew that she inherited Tang Shilang's rough appearance and personality, and was also very narrow-minded.
What he knew, how could the emperor not know? But in the emperor's heart, the interests of the ruler were above all else. Even if Tang Yun were a fool, the emperor would not hesitate to let him marry the Crown Prince.
A cold smile crept into Zhao Cong's eyes. "Miss Tang doesn't need to worry about that. I'm devoted to Wan'er, how could I possibly wrong her?"
Tang Yun's pupils constricted, and her fingernails dug deeply into her palms.
The dissatisfaction in my heart was further compounded by a sense of grievance.
Lin Qingwan tensed up even more when she heard the word "Xin Yue".
Zhao Cong said seriously, "She is Feng'er's birth mother, and a woman I properly married at the border. In terms of qualifications, it is not up to Miss Tang to make her a concubine."
"If you want to enter the Eastern Palace, you have to ask her if she's willing to let you in."
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