On Our Wedding Night, I Discovered the Crown Prince’s Hidden Illness
Chapter 440: This is a Tree Hug

Chapter 440: Chapter 440: This is a Tree Hug

Ye Jiu’s willow brows furrowed tightly, "Sixth Brother, can’t you say something pleasant?"

Ye Yiheng paid no attention to Ye Jiu, merely rising to his feet, "Yanyan, I shall return to the Eastern Palace first."

Leng Yu Yan was startled, "Oh, alright."

After he had left, Leng Yu Yan clutched Ye Jiu’s hand, "Ah Ju, you won’t take your Sixth Brother’s words to heart, will you?"

"Not at all, I’m used to it," Ye Jiu laughed.

Leng Yu Yan was puzzled, "Then why do you still say he’s the best among your brothers?"

How could someone so perpetually cold-hearted be considered good?

"Contrary to other brothers who habitually engage in empty flattery, I can banter with Sixth Brother without needing to read between the lines, which is relaxing," Ye Jiu explained with a smile. "Frankly, the brother-sister affection I share with Sixth Brother is nothing compared to what you have with the Princely Heir. The Tian Family are emotionally detached, not only that, siblings are embroiled in power struggles, full of deceit and scheming. But Sixth Brother has never harbored ill-intentions towards me, which makes him far better than the rest."

Having heard such words, Leng Yu Yan didn’t know how to comfort her but gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

Tears sparkled in Ye Jiu’s eyes as she smiled seemingly relaxed, "When I was young, after my mother passed away, several older sisters bullied me by pulling my hair. As my brothers passed by under the Wind and Rain Corridor after their studies, not one of them came to my aid."

"Only Sixth Brother spoke up, denouncing the sisters for shamefully bullying their younger sister. With just those words, they let go of my hair."

"Sixth Brother is naturally acerbic, his words usually carry hidden barbs, and he’s accustomed to indirect criticism. Even then, I knew he was different from the other brothers."

As she spoke, the glint in her eyes quickly turned into tears that ran down her cheeks, "Of course, he doesn’t hold a candle to your brothers. The brotherly love in the Leng Family fills me with envy!"

Leng Yu Yan took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears away, "Then why did you say he was as gentle as jade when he wasn’t poisoned?"

Ye Jiu sniffed and then smiled again, "He can put on an act, appearing gentle while perhaps being very vicious inside. Of course, before he was poisoned, he indeed wasn’t as cold as he is now."

At those words, Leng Yu Yan sighed. What kind of person was he, after all?

To call him emotionally detached and ruthlessly cold, yet those around him were extremely loyal to him. To say he was gentle as jade and properly mannered, but anyone who has dealt with him knew he was truly cold-hearted.

After some casual conversation, the two went into the palace together.

Chenglan Palace.

Lai Manting’s face was concealed by an eye veil, and she walked briskly. The wind lifted a corner of her veil, and she quickly pressed it down, cautiously looking around.

Ensuring that the palace maids did not shift their gaze onto her, she felt significantly relieved.

Now, on her face, she bore two patches, one on each side, identical in appearance to the ones Leng Yu Yan once had.

For nearly half a year, she had been searching for a remedy for the patches, but they only seemed to worsen. Far from being removed, the black hair on them grew longer and longer.

Lai Manting couldn’t understand why when Leng Yu Yan had the patches, they also had black hair, but it was short fuzz, whereas the hair on her face was becoming longer.

Since she had last seen Ye Zhenyu by the fish pond, she hadn’t seen him again. Now, she held the name of Consort Liang, but it was without any real significance.

Consort Xian had beckoned her to the palace urgently today, but for what reason she did not know. If Consort Xian discovered the patches on her face, how would she explain them?

She might not even be able to maintain the title of Consort Liang!

Thinking so, Lai Manting entered the main hall of Chenglan Palace with anxious steps.

Seeing her approach, still wearing an eye veil, Consort Xian’s expression darkened, "You’re here?"

Lai Manting hurried forward, "Your servant greets Your Highness!"

Consort Xian grunted and commanded coldly, "I summoned you here, not for any trivial matter. The Beiliang Princess will soon arrive in the capital. You must stay well within Prince Liang Mansion and not cause any trouble, or I will strip you of your title as a concubine!"

"Your servant understands," Lai Manting nodded respectfully.

"Good," Consort Xian rose from her recliner, "Soon the Princesses and other Consorts will visit here. You brew excellent tea, so you will serve us."

[End of Text]

"Yes, Your Highness," Lai Manting bit down on her back teeth, forcing herself to stay calm.

So it turned out that Consort Xian had her enter the palace to serve as a tea-serving maid. Haha, she, the legitimate daughter of Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion, had actually fallen to the status of a tea-serving maid.

On the other side, Leng Yu Yan followed Ye Jiu back to Xingning Palace.

Within Xingning Palace, Ye Jiu changed into ornate robes and then, holding Leng Yu Yan’s hand, they strolled slowly towards Chenglan Palace.

The two walked very leisurely, deliberately choosing lesser paths in the Imperial Garden.

It was February now, and the weather was gradually warming. The flowers and plants in the Imperial Garden were tended by dedicated gardeners, their growth more pleasing than those found in ordinary homes.

Ye Jiu whispered softly, "Last time it was falling into the water, who knows what it might be this time, we better go slowly."

Leng Yu Yan greatly agreed.

The two meandered through the Imperial Garden, enjoying the scenery as if on an outing. When they grew tired, they sat on a bench by the lakeside.

Ye Yiheng, his face again obscured by an eye veil, was assisted by Song Guo, with Liu Yun and Yin Shuang following behind. The group of four, upon seeing Leng Yu Yan’s figure, approached her.

Hearing footsteps, Leng Yu Yan turned her head and, on turning, she saw the slightly upturned lips of a certain someone. Her gaze shifted to his back, where the two members of the palace maid duo, Liu Yun and Yin Shuang, were dressed.

Ye Yiheng stopped beside the bench and spoke indifferently, "You two are quite bold, not bringing even one palace maid with you."

Ye Jiu, hearing this, turned and remarked, "What use would it be? If she intends to dismiss them, Ah Yan and I would still end up just the two of us."

Ye Yiheng moved his index finger slightly, and Liu Yun and Yin Shuang stepped forward, bowing to Leng Yu Yan and Ye Jiu: "Your subordinates greet..."

Immediately realizing their slip, they corrected with a respectful bow: "This maid pays respects to the Princess, and to the Commandery Princess!"

Leng Yu Yan smiled and said, "Rise."

Liu Yun and Yin Shuang, who were accustomed to dressing in masculine attire, felt uneasy and shifted their shoulders: "Thank you, Commandery Princess!"

"Having these two follow you to Chenglan Palace ensures that I can be informed immediately if anything happens. Safety first," Ye Yiheng’s voice was faint, dispersing in the breeze.

But Leng Yu Yan heard him clear as day.

She stood up and performed a curtsey, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

His kindness and persistence, she acknowledged.

Ye Yiheng’s elegant brows lifted slightly as he spoke lightly again, "Just a thank you?"

Inexplicably, her face warmed, and she retorted, "Otherwise what?"

Ye Yiheng grasped her slender wrist, pulling her behind a tree.

As he pulled her, her back hit the tree trunk, and Leng Yu Yan was completely dumbfounded. Here they were by the lake in the Imperial Garden, and with Ah Ju present, how did he expect her to thank him?

Ye Yiheng propped one hand against the tree, placing the other on her shoulder, easily enclosing her between himself and the sturdy trunk.

Leng Yu Yan’s cheeks reddened at once. Was this what they called a ’tree-hug’?

While her face was flushed and her heart pounding, he leaned down and whispered, "Kiss me once."

"Sixth Brother, your skin is thicker than mine," Ye Jiu’s teasing voice came from the bench not far away, "May I come and observe?"

Leng Yu Yan panicked, pushing forcefully against Ye Yiheng’s chest with her hands.

Ye Yiheng said coldly, "Song Guo, Liu Yun, Yin Shuang."

The three responded and held Ye Jiu back down on the bench, restraining her head and neck to prevent her from turning around.