On Our Wedding Night, I Discovered the Crown Prince’s Hidden Illness
Chapter 444 Change of Wind Direction

Chapter 444: Chapter 444 Change of Wind Direction

Lai Manting’s eyes began to redden, she knew Princess Heng Yuan was close to Leng Yu Yan, claiming now that the prescription was lost was nothing but an excuse.

She simply did not want her face to recover.

Her eyes reddened even more, perfectly portraying a picture of aggrieved vulnerability.

Princess Linglong, upon seeing this, spoke up again, "The Crown Prince may have a backup of the recipe. The Commandery Princess is His Highness’s fiancée. Just go and speak to His Highness on her behalf, and surely he will agree. Once you obtain the recipe, Consort Lai can try them one by one until she succeeds."

Lai Manting gratefully lowered her eyes to hide the hatred for Leng Yu Yan in her eyes. She pivoted on her kneeling knees, nodding to Ye Linglong, "Thank you, Princess Linglong, for speaking up for this humble one!"

"Why thank me? You should be asking for Princess Beilan’s help," Ye Linglong pursed her lips.

Ye Yuan chuckled softly, remained silent.

Princess Linglong was quite meddlesome, what benefit was she hoping to gain from this?

Lai Manting decided to play the role of the weak to the end and thus crawled on her knees toward Leng Yu Yan.

"Commandery Princess, if this concubine has ever wronged you in the past, I beseech you to overlook my minor faults. I earnestly implore you to help obtain a copy of the Crown Prince’s prescription for this concubine!"

While speaking, she bowed down in an utterly pitiable manner.

Her actions stirred up sympathy among many present.

Someone spoke up, "Princess Beilan, just help her out. Such a prescription is valuable, and surely the Crown Prince has a backup."

Another joined in, "Even if there isn’t a backup, the Crown Prince could simply inform Prince Liang of the address where he found the prescription. Wouldn’t that solve the problem?"

Leng Yu Yan leaned forward slightly, her gaze cool as she looked at Lai Manting, "Are you admitting that there are spots on your face? Why not remove your veil so that everyone can see, and let me verify if they are the same as mine were previously?"

Lai Manting held onto her veil, "This concubine fears frightening the Princesses and Ladies."

Leng Yu Yan offered a slight, indifferent smile, "What if the spots on Consort Lai’s face are different from what I had before?"

At that point, a Princess spoke up, "That’s logical. If the spots are different, the method of removal would naturally vary."

Ye Jiu also spoke, "Indeed, back when Ah Yan had spots, Consort Lai was quite aggressive, insisting she remove her veil. Now it’s your turn, why are you too scared?"

Lai Manting shifted her pleading gaze to Ye Linglong, who then addressed Leng Yu Yan, "The Commandery Princess herself once had spots and knows the pain Consort Lai is currently enduring. Such assistance is a mere trifle for Princess Beilan; surely the Princess would not refuse to help? In the future, you will be the Crown Princess Consort, and wouldn’t disdain a reputation for kindness, would you?"

Leng Yu Yan smiled coolly again, staying silent.

This Ye Linglong, she and Leng Yu Yan had always been strangers, so why target her today?

That’s when Ye Yuan gently touched her own bandaged hand and said lightly, "We’re all women here, and it’s not like we’re at a matchmaking event. Consort Lai, there’s no need to be shy; take off your veil first. If you don’t even have the sincerity to remove your veil, how can you have the audacity to ask the Commandery Princess for help?"

Her words piqued curiosity among the crowd; they all wanted to see what the spots on Lai Manting’s face looked like.

Lai Manting’s eyes turned redder, covering her mouth as if to cry, "Princess Heng Yuan, I have not offended you. Why must you insist on me removing it?"

Ye Yuan shook her head, "Look at what you’re saying. Aren’t we all trying to help you? You’re truly ungrateful. Never mind, as if I said nothing."

Consort Xian was eager to see both her sons married to Princesses with significant family backgrounds. Whether the seventh could succeed also depended on the fourth.

And Lai Manting, as the Fourth’s concubine, had lost a child after getting married and had no movement in her belly ever since. Nowadays, Lai Manting’s face had developed problems, and she grew increasingly dissatisfied with her.

The position of the concubine was vacated, to be used to attract a more powerful noble family, which would benefit the Fourth and, in the future, would also help the Seventh’s cause.

With this in mind, Consort Xian said coldly, "When I tell you to take off the veil, take it off. Are you planning to wear the veil for your entire life?"

Lai Manting shook her head, her voice filled with wretchedness, "Your Highness, please forgive me, I dare not remove my veil."

As she spoke, she stood up, pointed at Leng Yu Yan, and interrogated sharply, "Leng Yu Yan, you’ve always disliked me, and now you’ve seized the opportunity to embarrass me. The Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion raised you for so many years, is this how you show your gratitude and respect?"

At these words, the people present were in an uproar, and whispers filled the room.

They were all saying the same thing, roughly that when Leng Yu Yan was not yet recognized by Prince Zhenbei, she was nominally the legitimate daughter of Marquis Ningyuan. Leng Yu Yan and Lai Manting indeed used to be sisters, and just on that account, Leng Yu Yan should have lent a hand to Lai Manting.

Hearing this, Leng Yu Yan smiled, "You all should know that after my brother died on the battlefield, my mother also passed away soon after, and I was thrown into a ravine by Leng Zongfa. At that time, did the Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion ever say I was family, did Lai Manting ever call me sister?"

"In front of all the princesses and princess consorts here, I, Beilan, would like to speak my mind, would everyone like to hear it?"

Leng Yu Yan stood up, and with graceful steps, moved toward Lai Manting, before turning around to look around the room.

Her composure made many of the consorts present tremble with fright; not even the princesses raised in the palace had her presence.

Her bearing seemed innate, radiating a charm that made people want to submit at her feet.

Ye Yuan looked at her with admiration, "Ah Yan, go ahead, I want to hear it."

Leng Yu Yan nodded slightly and spoke out loud, "Setting aside the real reason behind my brother’s death on the battlefield, my mother’s death was quite mysterious, and I suspect Lai Manting’s mother caused my mother’s death, so she could climb from the position of aunt to stepmother. Under such circumstances, can I still have a sisterly affection for Lai Manting?"

While saying these words, Leng Yu Yan casually watched Consort Xian’s expression.

Regrettably, Consort Xian was looking down at the rouge on her hands, so she couldn’t see her eyes.

Ye Jiu nodded continuously, "I understand now, Ah Yan had spots appear on her face before, and now Consort Lai has them too, this is poetic justice!"

The crowd suddenly realized, and the whispering became louder.

"So it’s poetic justice!"

"It makes sense now. It’s said that Madam Lai of the Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion is almost a madwoman, probably Madam Lai did something terrible to Mrs. Zhang."

Suddenly, the tide of opinion shifted.

Ye Linglong asked, "What are you all talking about, what poetic justice?"

"Princess Linglong, there is no need to speak up for Consort Lai," Ye Jiu sighed, "who knows, she might hate you by now, after all, it was Aunt Linglong who advised Consort Lai on the method to remove spots."

Ye Linglong became immediately nervous, fearing she might bring trouble upon herself, thinking of how Ye Yuan allowed her to be accused publicly for asking to remove the veil -- if Lai Manting did something in secret...

And then considering that the condition of Madam Lai of the Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion was getting worse and the mansion seemed to be in a gradual decline, Ye Linglong suddenly felt that Lai Manting was an ominous person.

So in anger, she berated Lai Manting, "I was only trying to be kind, Consort Lai, do not vent your anger on me!"

Lai Manting loathed Leng Yu Yan, having been publically demeaned by her and her mother in front of so many princesses and consorts.

She slowly reached up and touched the hairpin in her hair, today she would regret Leng Yu Yan’s face!