On Our Wedding Night, I Discovered the Crown Prince’s Hidden Illness
Chapter 476: Ulterior Motives

Chapter 476: Chapter 476: Ulterior Motives

Ye Shi pushed him away with a sneer, "My husband has overestimated me. How could I know the Imperial Examination questions? Besides, you didn’t plan to take up a post in Tiancheng anyway."

"But before we were married, didn’t you have an intimate friend in the Ministry of Rites?"

A smile remained on Yu Haoqiong’s face, yet it failed to reach his eyes.

Ye Shi cast her eyes downward, "That’s ancient history now, and to be honest, that wasn’t really an intimate friend."

If it hadn’t been for Yu Haoqiong’s appearance, that man from the Ministry would likely have become her Prince Consort.

Yu Haoqiong laughed again, reaching out to embrace Ye Shi and pecked her on the corner of her lips, "This prince is jealous. The Princess must coo me properly."

Ye Shi smiled knowingly, reached out to untie his waistband, "Fine, I’ll ask around. How difficult could it be to find out the Imperial Examination topics?"

Disgust flashed through Yu Haoqiong’s eyes as he carried her towards the bed...

--

In the Eastern Palace, the guest room of the bedroom.

Miao Zhu approached Leng Yu Yan with bowed head and eyes, "Commandery Princess, this maid is at fault, I truly didn’t know Your Highness would drink the soup."

Had she known the Commandery Princess would drink it, she definitely wouldn’t have tampered with the soup.

Leng Yu Yan climbed into bed, "You can’t be blamed; he forced two spoonfuls on me."

She hadn’t wanted to drink it either.

Miao Zhu tucked her in properly, "Commandery Princess, now that the investigation has failed, what should we do next time?"

Leng Yu Yan pulled on Miao Zhu’s arm, lowering her voice, "You were right before, the people close to the Crown Prince must have prepared this for him before; otherwise, how could he know what kind of soup it was just by looking at it?"

The investigation failed because of this.

"It must be so. Song Guo told me tonight that it’s not been a day or two since His Highness was incapable. It seems this is no secret in the Eastern Palace. However, for the East Palace Master, his prestige is at stake. The next investigation must be discreet, without giving anything away."

"This puts me in a tough spot."

Leng Yu Yan turned to lie on her side, pondering how she could ascertain his condition without pulling down his trousers?

Just then, a knock on the door sounded.

Miao Zhu called out, "Who is it?"

"It’s me," Song Guo said, "Miao Zhu, I’ve had the palace maid clean up your quarters."

"Alright, I’ll be over in a bit." Miao Zhu turned back to Leng Yu Yan, "Commandery Princess, did you see His Highness washing up while you were bathing earlier?"

"I don’t know where he washed; by the time I left the bathroom, he was getting dressed."

"Then, we’ve missed tonight’s chance. We’ll discuss it again tomorrow."

Miao Zhu’s words made Leng Yu Yan instantly understand, the maid was suggesting she personally observe.

"It’s settled," Leng Yu Yan waved her hand, "you go rest early."

After Miao Zhu left, Leng Yu Yan stared at the canopy above, lost in thought. Even if she had seen him wash up, how could she judge his condition?

To make a judgment, it had to be done first thing in the morning when it would be meaningful.

But for that man, who was incapable, no time seemed practically meaningful.

It was truly a headache. Leng Yu Yan, deciding not to think on it any further, turned over and fell deeply asleep.

Outside her room, Ye Yiheng paced back and forth several times, accomplishing his goal of having people stay in the Eastern Palace for the night.

Ensuring that she remained in the bedroom had also been accomplished.

Ye Yiheng didn’t know where the error had occurred, but sharing a bed with her seemed to have become difficult.

Glancing at the sky, he sighed softly and turned back to his room.

--

Early morning, as the light just began to appear.

Ye Yiheng felt groggily that someone was standing in front of him and upon opening his eyes, almost jumped in fright.

"Yanyan, are you sleepwalking?"

Leng Yu Yan stared at the blanket, responded emotionlessly with a shake of her head, "No, I’m not sleepwalking."

She had gone to bed early last night, and though she had woken early in the morning to a hazy sky, she couldn’t fall back asleep.

Thinking that the morning was an opportunity to gauge the extent to which he was incapacitated, she had found herself, as if led by some mischievous spirit, in his bedroom.

"Without sleepwalking, what are you doing here?"

Ye Yiheng saw her hair uncombed, wearing the same robe she had on the night before, clearly in a state similar to sleepwalking.

Leng Yu Yan furrowed her brows and stared at the brocade quilt covering him; it was piled on his body and difficult to see anything amiss. She then snapped back to reality, "If I say I had a nightmare last night, would you believe me?"

"I would," he nodded.

"Alright then, I’ll get into your bed, and you will protect me." Leng Yu Yan’s delicate foot stepped onto his bed, and with a flip of the quilt, she rolled herself in.

Just as her trembling hand was reaching out...

Ye Yiheng suddenly coughed violently and hurriedly left the bed, "I’ve had enough sleep; you can use this bed."

Leaving those words behind, he retreated to the inner bathing room.

Soon the sound of water followed, and Leng Yu Yan pressed on her temples, her second attempt at investigation failed.

He seemed to be on guard.

Indeed, with two investigations in such a short time, someone as cunning and nearly devilish as he would certainly be wary.

For some reason, looking at his bedroom, especially his bed, used to make her feel dizzy.

But now, that feeling miraculously disappeared!

Just when Leng Yu Yan was thinking that the disappearance of her dizziness was a cause for celebration, she abruptly realized—

Even her dreams acknowledged the impracticality of the man in reality; such dreams had vanished, let alone her dizziness.

Regardless, his bed was spacious indeed, and after turning over a few times, Leng Yu Yan fell asleep again.

When Ye Yiheng returned after a cold bath, he found her sleeping soundly and shook his head.

Was she really having a nightmare, or did she have an ulterior motive?

Fortunately, he had made a quick escape; otherwise, if he were to be found out, this woman might not sleep as peacefully.

—

At this very moment, in Linqing Pavilion.

The sun rose slowly, rolling thick clouds and mist, a splendid sight.

Ling Lang stretched towards the mountaintop sunrise, exclaiming, "How magnificent, how beautiful!"

Ruofeng yawned, "Why doesn’t teacher compose a poem?"

Ling Lang raised his hand and pondered for a while before saying, "We have important matters to attend to; why would we write poems?"

Ruofeng chuckled, "We arrived at Linqing Pavilion last night, and the Four Guardians didn’t even give us a room to stay in. Do you think we can get anything done today?"

"How can you boost the morale of others and undermine your own prestige?" Ling Lang glanced at him, "It was too late last night, and it wasn’t good to entangle with the Four Guardians. Today, bright and early, we have plenty of time; we will surely complete the mission entrusted by His Highness."

"Alright, I’ll trust you for now," said Ruofeng, as he tidied the blankets spread on the ground.

After packing up, they proceeded to the main hall of Linqing Pavilion, one after the other.

The Pavilion Members looked at them with suspicious eyes.

An older Pavilion Member stopped them, "Gentlemen, what brings you here?"

Ling Lang smiled, "Elder, we come on a mission. Could we trouble you to inform the Four Guardians?"

"And whose orders are you following?" the older Pavilion Member asked again.

Ling Lang smiled again, "Naturally, they are the Pavilion Master’s."

The Pavilion Members laughed.

Ruofeng asked, "What’s so funny? Why laugh?"

None of the Pavilion Members spoke; they simply shook their heads and dispersed.

This left Ling Lang and Ruofeng quite puzzled.

Ruofeng lowered his voice, "Did we say something wrong?"

"We didn’t," Ling Lang pondered and replied, "The mistake lies in the fact that these Pavilion Members already have their understanding; they won’t easily believe what outsiders say."