After Marrying the Disabled Crown Prince of the Enemy Country

Chapter 91          Ask in Person

The painted Le Zhi in the picture sat on the swing with curved eyebrows and eyes, looking up at the bright moon in the sky.

This was the scene where she and Huo Du watched the moon together when they were in Shengyang City that day. The only difference was that in the painting, her side was empty.

Without him.

Le Zhi’s eyes gradually showed a little puzzlement. Whether it was his paintings or his words.

Over the past few days, the two had experienced many things, and Le Zhi naturally knew that Huo Du had her in his heart. However, she did not know how much she weighed to him.

Also, in other words, she deliberately did not want to think about it.

The same for this moment.

Le Zhi hid the confusion in her eyes, turned to stand up calmly, and asked him with a serious face, “Your Highness already knew about the decree of dethroning the taizi, right?”

Huo Du chuckled, but there was a little sigh hidden in this laughter.

“Le Zhi, I’m not an immortal,” he said.

Planned strategies, calculated people’s hearts, distinguished the surrounding covetous schemes and traps and thought of countermeasures early. This was what he had been doing every day since he could remember.

And these were nothing more than just games, again and again. It was just that he won every time in the gamble, but who could guarantee that he would win every time?

Those who walk on the edge of the cliff would fall into the abyss forever if they were not careful.

Le Zhi was stunned, and her heart suddenly felt suffocated for a moment. She had never seen him like this.

So, she slowly approached him and hugged him gently. Her soft cheeks rubbed against his chest as if comforting and also soothing him.

After a long while, Le Zhi let go of him and asked, “Then what are you going to do next…”

Huo Du looked at her with unconcealed tenderness in the bottom of his eyes. Le Zhi’s words were asked halfway, and she suddenly did not dare to ask anymore.

She dared not ask him about his plans, for fear that his plans run counter to her own.

“Does Your Highness know about Shen Qingyan?” Le Zhi changed the topic and asked with a frown, “Today Huo Xu forcibly took her back, is she…”

“Yes.” Huo Du’s eyes were deep, and his words were concise.

Still, say he’s not an immortal?

Obviously, he knows everything.

As if seeing the meaning in Le Zhi’s eyes, he said again, “I also learn about the news this morning.”

Le Zhi nodded, not surprised at all, but was very anxious because she confirmed her guess in her heart.

“Is there nothing else to ask me?”

Huo Du did not ignore half of the questions that Le Zhi had not to ask just now. He knew what she wanted to ask, and he did not intend to hide it from her. He just wanted to hear her asking personally.

Huo Du knew exactly what she was afraid of.

No one dared to mention the dead knot that lay between them, but the dead knot would not disappear just because it was not mentioned. Even if the love was strong, it could not dissolve this knot.

They had known each other for so long and had experienced all kinds of things. Could it be that he still did not understand her ultimate goal was not only for Huo Xu but for Huo Changyun?

Huo Du understood, he understood it all. He knew all her fear and weakness.

He laid out the most perfect game he could imagine, and he was confident he could untie the knot between them. However, he stubbornly hoped that she could still ask him.

He looked at everything coldly but tied his lifelong paranoia to her alone.

“No more.” Le Zhi shook her head and said softly, “I know that Your Highness must have made a comprehensive arrangement. But I still want to help Shen Qingyan. As far as Your Highness is concerned, maybe there will be more support from Shen Huai, which is not a bad thing.”

After saying that, she bypassed Huo Du and walked out.

Just as when she turned her back to him and walked away, the calm reasoning on her face disappeared instantly. Everything in front of her became misty, but she did not dare to raise her hand to wipe it as she did not want Huo Du to know that she was crying. The steps under her feet were getting faster and faster, and she almost ran out of the greenhouse as if fleeing.

If she stayed a little longer, Le Zhi was afraid that she could not help but ask him, could not help telling him her plans, and could not help but force him to choose between his biological father and her. She even greedily hoped that he would choose her.

Outside the greenhouse, the continuous white snow seemed to fall with ice crystals between it.

The tears at the corners of her eyes were blown away by the cold wind, and Le Zhi pressed her red eyes with her hands, letting the cold wind blow away the uncontrollable greed in the bottom of her heart. Not long after, she walked into the wind and snow quickly.

She had to hurry up to understand Shen Qingyan’s current situation.

The heater in the greenhouse was warm, and Huo Du stared at the drawing paper like falling into an ice cellar.

After a long time, he picked up the painting brush on the gardener’s table and broke it. Then, he closed his dark gloomy eyes.

—

Since the decree of dethroning the prince spread, the whole court was in an uproar, and the civil and military officials suddenly felt that the monarch was unpredictable. And the happiest person was Huo Xu. Having just been released from confinement, Huo Xu was elated to learn of such a happy event.

Sure enough, his imperial father’s favorite person was still him. The previous anger and confinement were just toughening him.

Now that the position of taizi was up in the air, it must be him who would be occupying the Eastern Palace next!

“Your Highness, do you still go to the western courtyard for dinner?”

Qin Yu’s questioning pulled back his thoughts. Huo Xu wanted to answer, but a pale weak face suddenly appeared in his mind. His heart moved slightly as he remembered the words of his mother, and decided not to be willful anymore.

After all, he was the one who wanted to be the emperor.

“Not going to the western courtyard,” he said.

A trace of stunned expression appeared on Qin Yu’s face.

If he did not go to the western courtyard, then did he want to eat with the third concubine?

“Tell the kitchen to cook more dishes that she likes to eat.”

The recent series of happy events made Huo Xu happy, and even his impatience with Shen Qingyan was reduced to some degree. In fact, he did not hate her that much. It was just that when he married her at that time, he was unwilling and poured all his anger on her.

Now, Shen Qingyan’s resistance and rejection of him made him miss the little girl who followed him and cheerfully called him “Brother Ah Xu”.

Anyway, they were even having a child now. Huo Xu did not believe that she could treat him coldly all the time. As long as he took the initiative, she would surely return to the past.

He was convinced.

Let bygones be bygones. He would still confer Shen Qingyan as an imperial concubine in the future. As long as she was obedient, he did not mind being nice to her.

As for Jiang Man, to be honest, his joy was particularly strong when he first heard that she was pregnant. Since Jiang Man looked so much like Zhizhi, she and his child must be very similar to him and Zhizhi.

But things were different now. Huo Du had been abolished, and it was hard to hinder him anymore. Zhizhi would soon be able to return to his side.

When the genuine one came back, the fake one naturally looked a little disgusting. In addition to the previous farce, even if Zhizhi was kind and considerate, the more women care, the more jealous they would become. In the future, when Zhizhi sees Jiang Man and her child every day, she was bound to remember the past again and again.

Huo Xu did not want a thorn between Zhizhi and him.

Therefore, he planned to keep Jiang Man and her child outside the palace after he ascended the throne in the future. Although she had been wronged a little, she was not a woman of noble birth after all. She should be satisfied that she could live a life of luxury without worry, right?

Thinking of this, Huo Xu smiled with satisfaction.

Qin Yu’s expression was complicated. He only responded softly and went out to call someone to prepare the meal.

At dusk, the dining hall was filled with the aroma of dishes.

Shen Qingyan sat quietly at the dining table, not knowing what to eat. She did not understand why Huo Xu came to accompany her for dinner. Should not he be more unscrupulous in the current situation? Why did he still put on an act?

Soon she put down the silver chopsticks and sat quietly with a gloomy expression.

“Are these dishes unpalatable?” Huo Xu raised his eyes to look at her and asked, “Are you still feeling unwell?”

Such a warm and gentle tone, to Shen Qingyan, seemed like a lifetime away. Before she married Huo Xu, he always spoke to her in such a gentle tone, letting her indulge in his gentle appearance which made her fall deeper for him until unable to pull herself back.

She did not answer, just looked at his face silently.

How many masks were there on this gentle and calm face? Shen Qingyan did not know and also could not count them.

She felt only awkwardness and disgusted.

The chicken soup on the table had a strong aroma, floating to her nose and causing Shen Qingyan to turn her head to retch.

“Are you all right?”

Huo Xu hurriedly got up and walked to Shen Qingyan’s side, reaching out and patting her back lightly. But as soon as he touched her, he was surprised. How can she, how can she lose so much weight?

Because of the winter, she wore thick clothes, so he could not see anything. Only when he touched her with his hand did he realize that she was so thin.

“Who prepared the dinner today?” Huo Xu suddenly became angry, and his voice became heavy, “Remove these greasy dishes and replace them with lighter ones!”

“Yes!” The servants on the side were all trembling with fright and walked out quickly.

Shen Qingyan sneered in her heart. This was the real him, moody and hypocritical.

It’s disgusting.

To avoid Huo Xu’s anger at the innocent servants, Shen Qingyan had no choice but to say lightly, “I’m fine.”

Seeing that she was finally willing to speak, Huo Xu secretly happy in his heart, moved his hand up. He rubbed Shen Qingyan’s head, and said softly, “You eat too little, eat some more later.”

Shen Qingyan did not want to have a pointless argument with him, so she nodded her head in agreement with him.

At this time, a maid came hurriedly from outside. But she did not dare to enter the room, she just stood hesitantly outside the hall, looking anxious.

Huo Xu naturally saw her. He recognized this maid, who was from the western courtyard.

But he did not call her in.

Could it be that Huo Xu did not want to destroy the harmony and tranquility of this moment as Shen Qingyan’s attitude towards him had eased a little?

However, Shen Qingyan opened her mouth to call the maid into the hall, and she asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Your Highness, Prince Concubine.” The maid saluted respectfully and said, “The master of the western courtyard has been suffering from abdominal pain, and she shed a lot of blood just now.”

“Has the doctor gone over?” Huo Xu frowned and asked.

“Already, but Master keeps crying pain again.”

The frowning brows tightened even more, and Huo Xu looked at Shen Qingyan worriedly. For some reason, he suddenly cared about Shen Qingyan’s attitude and did not want to go to the western courtyard to accompany Jiang Man at this time.

But, after all, that was his child too.

He was in a dilemma for a while.

“Your Highness, go and have a look.”

Huo Xu could not help but be startled by the gentle tone of voice. He looked at Shen Qingyan’s indifferent expression, and his heart was a little suffocated. After a while, he still nodded and walked out.

Shen Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief. She really wanted to thank Jiang Man for calling him away, otherwise, it would be suffocating and uncomfortable to stay under the same roof with him.

“Lu Ying, let’s go back to the room.”

“Master, don’t you want to eat anymore?” Lu Ying looked worried. Although she also hated Huo Xu very much, she felt that he was right this time that her master should eat more.

These days, her master had been having severe morning sickness and had been vomiting, the whole person had lost a lot of weight. She was distressed by just looking at her master.

But Shen Qingyan still shook her head, “No.”

Here, she really had no appetite at all.

The master and servant walked to the bedroom together, Lu Ying held her in one hand and the lantern in the other, watching the road ahead carefully.

Suddenly, a figure passed by, and his speed was so fast that neither of them had time to cry out in surprise. When they regained their senses, he had disappeared into the night.

It was De Shun.

Lu Ying clenched her hand tightly because he shoved a note into her hand just now. The two did not say much, just quickened their pace and returned to the bedroom.

Shen Qingyan kept her eyes on the paper for a long time. Then, she gradually closed her palms and made a fist.

There were only two simple sentences on the note.

The child in Jiang Man’s womb was not Huo Xu’s.

Watch out for Jiang Man.

Previously, she had heard Jiang Man with another man’s voice in the room in the western courtyard. After learning that she was pregnant, Shen Qingyan did not think that the child in her womb might not be…

But at that time, she could not even take care of herself, so naturally, she was lazy to care about these things.

Now it was different. If Jiang Man had the intention to hurt her, then she brought it on herself.

There was a candle burning on the table, Shen Qingyan handed the note to the candle and watched it burn to ashes.

—

Early the next morning.

Jiang Man asked the maid to carry the food box and walked toward Shen Qingyan’s room. The hand hanging by her side was clenched tightly, and a red mark was bitten out of her soft lips.

She originally did not want to take this step, but yesterday, Huo Xu started ignoring her to accompany Shen Qingyan. Even if she deliberately pretended to have abdominal pain to attract him later, he was impatient with her.

In the past, she was Huo Xu’s substitute for his sweetheart which naturally oppressed Shen Qingyan everywhere. But now, he had begun to waver, and he had begun to care about Shen Qingyan. Even if she was pregnant, she still could not get his attention.

No way!

She had been a substitute for too long and wanted to continue to enjoy Huo Xu’s tenderness towards true love. How could she accept now that it was gone?

Jiang Man thought that it would be fine as long as Shen Qingyan disappeared. At least… her child should not exist.

It was a great threat to her. That child should not have come.

As her thoughts drifted away, she already walked to the front of the room.

In the bedroom, Shen Qingyan was wearing a sapphire blue dress, and she even put on some lipstick today, which was enough to cover her weak complexion. Because of the news from De Shun last night, she was not surprised that Jiang Man came to greet her for the first time ever.

Her eyes suddenly turned cold as the corners of her lips rose.

“Let her in.”

Jiang Man came in slowly with the goose-yellow skirt lifted. She saluted gently at Shen Qingyan, and said, “Pay respect to Prince Concubine.”

Although the two knew each other’s existence, this was the first time they had officially met.

“Free of the ceremony.” Shen Qingyan smiled lightly, “Sit down.”

Jiang Man sat down according to her words. After a pause, she called the maid next to her and opened the food box she brought. Then she showed a well-behaved smile to Shen Qingyan, and said softly, “I heard that you’ve been having severe morning sickness for the past two days. And I also heard that this supplement is very good for pregnant women. This slave came uninvited, just to bring you this soup.”

She called herself a slave and was extremely submissive. Although this move was deliberate, Jiang Man thought about Shen Qingyan’s unrelenting temperament in the past and that most noble girls were innocent, so she came over impatiently.

Moreover, she really could not wait.

“I’ve eaten breakfast already, and I can’t eat it anymore now.” Shen Qingyan sighed softly and said regretfully, “It’s a pity to waste such a good soup. Why don’t you drink it?”

Hearing this, Jiang Man’s heart tightened, and a chill swept through her body. She could not tell whether Shen Qingyan really could not eat it, or she was testing her due to suspicion.

“This… this slave has already eaten today.”

“It’s a good supplement, so why not eat more?” Shen Qingyan smiled gently, “Don’t be nervous, you are also pregnant, so you should eat more.”

Jiang Man was stunned, completely panicked.

Originally, she did not think that Shen Qingyan was her rival. A noble girl who had been raised in a boudoir since she was a child, how could she know that people’s hearts were unpredictable? When she was a rough servant girl in a rich family in the past, she had long understood the childishness of those indulged young ladies. She thought that Shen Qingyan was like that, but she did not expect…

It was she who underestimated the enemy.

“Many thanks to Prince Concubine. This slave really can’t eat anymore.” Jiang Man’s eyes were flustered, and stood up tremblingly, “This slave is a little uncomfortable, so I will go back first, and I will come to greet you another day.”

After speaking, without waiting for Shen Qingyan to reply, she turned around and walked out.

There was a bad premonition in her heart for no reason, Jiang Man walked out embarrassingly, wanting to get out of here quickly.

Shen Qingyan’s face sank when she turned around. If it were not for her guilty conscience, why did she leave in such a hurry?

“Someone, hold her.”

The cold voice came into Jiang Man’s eardrum, her feet softened, and she almost tumbled out of the door. Fortunately, the two servants caught her and brought her to Shen Qingyan.

“What do you mean? Could it be that you will punish this slave because I refuse to drink this soup?”

Although Jiang Man was afraid, she was pregnant, so she had some confidence in the end.

“It’s not a big deal if you don’t drink the soup, but it’s a big deal if you added something else to it.” Shen Qingyan did not beat around the bush with her, and said directly, “If you drink it, today’s matter will end here. How about it?”

With the rim of her eyes starting to redden, Jiang Man trembled and said, “You, you…”

For some reason, she suddenly felt that she had been seen through by Shen Qingyan.

“Go and invite Third Prince.”

Not long after, Huo Xu came. As soon as he entered the room, the whimper fell into his ears. He frowned and looked at Jiang Man who was crying.

Doubts appeared in his eyes.

“Presumptuous!”

This was said to the two servants holding Jiang Man. Despite she did something wrong, his woman should not be held by other men.

After being yelled at like this, the two servants let go of their hands.

“My Lord!” Jiang Man rushed into Huo Xu’s arms with tears streaming down, “Woo…”

Huo Xu frowned tighter and looked straight at Shen Qingyan, “What happened?”

“She put an abortion medicine in the soup and especially brought it for me to drink.”

“What?” Huo Xu was shocked. He let go of the person in his arms with a look of disbelief, “You…”

“This slave has been wronged. This is just an ordinary bowl of soup.” Jiang Man bit her lip and vowed not to admit it even to her death, “How can Prince Concubine wrong me with empty words?”

Hearing this, Shen Qingyan curved her lips and sneered, “Whether you’ve been wronged or not, we can find out by checking with the doctor.”

“Call the doctor.”

Even if Jiang Man insisted strongly, she would not admit it.

Even if the doctor found out, as long as she refused to admit it, she would push everything to the kitchen. Without any evidence, plus the flesh in her belly, what could they do to her!

“While the doctor hasn’t come yet, there is another thing I don’t think Your Highness knows yet?”

This early in the morning, Huo Xu was invited here before he had breakfast. It was so noisy that it really annoyed him!

“What’s the matter?”

“Jiang Man, the bedwarmer, is having an affair with someone.”

This time, Huo Xu’s face turned completely dark. He opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Man, only to see her eyes staring blankly as if she was stupid. Seeing this, he had no choice but to turn to look at Shen Qingyan, “Do you have any evidence?”

Shen Qingyan remained expressionless and raised her finger to point to Jiang Man’s belly, “The evidence is in her belly.”

“You, you venomous slender!”

Jiang Man was on the verge of collapse, she could not believe it, how could Shen Qingyan know!

Must… It must have been to fool her!

“Don’t worry.” Shen Qingyan said lightly, “Your Highness, there is a secret method in the court to test the kinship between the baby and the father. Later, send someone to invite Imperial Physician Jiang to have a test and we will know.”

After a short pause, she continued, “To ensure fairness, the baby in my belly can also be tested.”

“Bang.”

Jiang Man fell to the ground, and her eyes were as dead as ever.

She was completely finished.

With this look, even if she did not test it, who else could not see it?

Huo Xu’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He naturally knew that there was no secret method in the court, how could a child still in the womb be tested? It was merely Shen Qingyan who fooled her.

However, this woman dared to betray him!?

He treated her so well, not only did she not know how to be grateful, but she actually dared to betray him!

“Who is that man?” His eyes were like sharp arrows and were about to shoot through the woman kneeling on the ground.

“He, he…” Jiang Man’s eyes were red and trembled in fear.

But that was the child’s father, how could she tell him?

“Huh!” Huo Xu laughed angrily, “Don’t want to tell me? Do you think I won’t be able to find him if you don’t tell me?”

“Someone, drag this slut out and flog her to death!”

“No!” Jiang Man suddenly rushed forward, clutching Huo Xu’s trousers tightly. She was not afraid of death, but her child should not have had no chance to come into the world, “I beg you. This slave begs you! Forgive me this time!”

“Look at me, look at me! I… I’m Xiao Zhi!” She began to panic, trying to use this face that looked like Le Zhi in exchange for his compassion.

Sure enough, Huo Xu’s eyes moved slightly. His icy eyes merely changed to an even more gloomy face.

“Xiao Zhi?”

He sneered coldly that she dared to compare with Zhizhi. Since this vulgar slut liked wild men so much, he would fulfill her!

“Someone, sell her to the secret prostitute establishment.”

Secret prostitute establishment? The person who was sent to that place could no longer be called a person.

Jiang Man fainted all at once. Then a few servants drag her out.

Shen Qingyan originally looked at all this indifferently, but when she heard about the secret prostitute establishment, her heart could not help but shrink. She stared at Huo Xu in a daze, a feeling of sadness rose in her heart. This man was really cruel.

Jiang Man… Being sold to that kind of place was worse than death.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.

Huo Xu was rubbing his brows and had a headache, walked out with a gloomy expression when he heard the sound. Shen Qingyan also followed to the door and listened carefully. Vaguely heard some familiar voices.

Can it be… my father is here?

A trace of joy appeared in her heart, and she lifted her legs to walk out.

—

“How?”

“Master, don’t worry. De Shun has sent me the latest news. Miss Shen is fine and Jiang Man has been sold to a secret prostitute establishment.”

Le Zhi frowned. A secret prostitute establishment?

Before she could think more, a person sat on the stone bench beside her.

“Withdraw first.” She said to Li Yao.

Then, she turned her gaze to her side. Huo Du ignored her, just poured a cup of tea on his own, and sipped it gently.

Since the greenhouse yesterday, the two had tacitly ignored each other. Obviously, there was no quarrel, but for no reason, the two suddenly began to stiffen.

Therefore, she had to hold Little Lame Huo to sleep last night. The result was obviously that she had not slept well.

Le Zhi quietly watched Huo Du drinking tea. He also looked paler now. He surely must not have slept well last night. Suddenly, he looked up at her.

She turned away with a chill in her heart.

In fact, Le Zhi could not figure out what she was hiding. But there was a voice in her heart that was getting clearer and clearer. Between them, it seemed that they were about to come to an end.

At this time, An Xuan came over, and he said in a deep voice, “Your Highness, he is here.”

He?

Who is he?

Le Zhi lowered his eyes, a little curious.

Then, she heard the footsteps of Huo Du getting up and leaving. She slowly raised her eyes and looked at his departing figure.

But after taking a few steps, Huo Du stopped, turned around resolutely, and walked back towards her. He turned suddenly, and before Le Zhi could react, he had already walked in front of her.

“Who is the person, what is he here for, his relationship with me, and my next plan.” Huo Du stared straight at her and asked word by word, “You really don’t want to ask any questions?”

He asked in a casual tone. But Le Zhi could hear that he should be very angry.

The author has something to say：

Du: I advise you to ask me quickly, don’t force me to kneel down and beg you!

Zhi: ???