Fearing this was a test from Ye Zhen, Xie Tingzhou quickly pledged his loyalty, "No, my heart, my body, everything I have can only belong to Ye Zhenzhen. No one else can touch her!"
To conceal his true feelings, he pounded his chest, showing none of the princely dignity he displayed in front of others.
But Ye Zhen knows him very well.
She grabbed his ears with both hands and pulled them apart, saying, "Everything you have is naturally mine. I only let you use your beauty to mislead the masked man. You still want to give me your body and soul?"
When Xie Tingzhou saw her like this, he knew that his thoughts had been seen through.
He slumped his head and snuggled against Ye Zhen's shoulder, looking very aggrieved. "Ye Zhenzhen, give me some face, boohoo, I won't do it again next time."
The dignified Crown Prince, unable to find the masked man, resorted to a honey trap.
He wasn't afraid of losing face in front of outsiders, but he was afraid of losing face in front of Ye Zhen.
Hearing the whimpering sound in his ear, Ye Zhen laughed out loud, "I'm serious, you should try it."
Xie Tingzhou thought to himself, "Ye Zhenzhen agreed to this, so she won't hold me accountable later, will she?"
She looked up. "Aren't you angry? Aren't you jealous?"
Ye Zhen shook his head, "It's fake. Why would I be angry? I'd eat anything."
Xie Tingzhou felt wronged. "You're not even jealous, Ye Zhenzhen? Don't you care about me anymore?"
Snap!
Ye Zhen slapped him on the back of the head. "Xie Azhao, that's enough. You're getting addicted to acting."
The head that had been hit nuzzled against her neck, and his long, slender fingers were held out in front of her. "Pinky promise, no grudges later, and no forgetting me."
Helpless, Ye Zhen could only extend his finger, hook it with his little finger, and then stamp it with his thumb.
Since moving back to the East Palace, they've seen each other less, and Xie Tingzhou has become even more clingy than before.
Ye Zhen roughly guessed that he was insecure.
Even though Xie Tingzhou has reunited with the Emperor and Empress and their relationship is now quite good, Ye Zhen will always be the most important family member and lover in his heart.
With his finger still firmly planted, Xie Tingzhou seized the opportunity to push his luck, saying, "You're not allowed to look at any man other than me."
Ye Zhen also took the opportunity to state his own requirements: "You are not allowed to be overly enthusiastic towards Su Yanwan, you are not allowed to smile at her, and you are not allowed to get close to her."
But she knew in her heart that with Xie Tingzhou's face and his status as the crown prince, he had no need to smile at Su Yanwan.
Every time Su Yanwan travels with Xie Tingzhou, she seizes the opportunity to spread rumors that Xie Tingzhou is interested in her. As long as Xie Tingzhou doesn't deny it, and they have a couple more encounters, this honey trap will be considered a success.
Xie Tingzhou complained, "Ye Zhenzhen, what kind of person do you take me for?"
How could he possibly have had any contact with Su Yanwan?
Then he used this opportunity to flirt with Ye Zhen, which made Ye Zhen playfully hit him, and the two of them burst into laughter.
In stark contrast to the cheerful atmosphere here, the Xiao family's house was filled with tension and a sense of impending conflict.
"What do you mean?"
Madam Xiao shouted angrily, "You keep saying you're pregnant with my grandson, and now you want me to help you sleep with my man? Are you crazy?"
She was furious.
In the dead of night, unable to sleep because of her son's death, Xie Jinyao made an excuse to keep her company.
She figured that since it was already public knowledge that Xie Jinyao was pregnant with Cheng Hai's child, it would be good to let Xie Jinyao stay in her room.
This way, the Prime Minister would also think that she values Cheng Hai's offspring.
Unexpectedly, Xie Jinyao offered to serve the Prime Minister in her place.
How could she even think of that?
Compared to Madam Xiao's anger, Xie Jinyao remained calm. "Madam Xiao, you should know that I am not pregnant. I cannot give birth after nine months."
"I have my own plans for this matter."
She has already spoken with her family, and her mother and brother both support her.
When her due date arrives, she will have Xie Jinyao wear a prosthetic belly and then bring the baby from her maternal family over.
Xie Jinyao saw through her thoughts, "Madam, I am carrying the only bloodline of the second young master of the Prime Minister's mansion. When I give birth, the Prime Minister may be waiting outside."
The lady wanted to bring the child inside, but that was very risky.
Having her thoughts exposed, and since she needed Xie Jinyao's cooperation anyway, Madam Xiao decided not to hide it anymore, saying, "You don't need to worry about this matter."
She has been married into the Prime Minister's household for over twenty years; she can certainly manage this.
“But Madam, Mingyue wants to have her own child. If it means raising a child for the Xiao family, Mingyue would rather confess to the Prime Minister.”
Xie Jinyao said, "Mingyue doesn't mind going outside to clarify that Mingyue is not pregnant with her cousin's child."
"Are you threatening me?"
Xiao was shocked.
How could an orphaned girl living under someone else's roof be so arrogant?
Xie Jinyao smiled and said, "Madam, why don't you think about it differently? Bring the Xiao family's child over. Putting aside whether the Xiao family will use this to blackmail you in the future, what will happen to you if the Prime Minister finds out?"
"If you, Madam, facilitate my affair with the Prime Minister, and I become pregnant with his child, even if he finds out, he won't abandon his own child."
She smiled at Madam Xiao and said, "Madam, the Prime Minister has not taken a concubine all these years, not because he dislikes women or the idea that having many children brings good fortune."
Instead, it was because he remarried after graduating from high school, and Madam Shen made quite a scene about it. He didn't want to be seen as abandoning his wife, so he could only portray himself as someone deeply in love with you.
It's not appropriate for me to take any other women, but Madam, ask yourself honestly, doesn't the Prime Minister want a long line of children?"
Her bluntness made Xiao's face even uglier.
However, Lady Xiao had to admit that Prime Minister Li wanted more sons, especially after she could no longer conceive, which he always regretted.
Even so, I cannot agree to your request.
If Xie Jinyao were to get involved with the Prime Minister, and she were to reveal the truth about her fake pregnancy, wouldn't the Prime Minister know that she was lying?
Xie Jinyao understood her concerns. "Don't worry, Madam. I will confess to the Prime Minister afterwards that I deceived you."
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