Yanzhi was the youngest and didn’t know exactly what was going on between the mistress and the prince everyday, but she could see that the prince really cherished the mistress.
She had grown up with the mistress, so of course she hoped to see the young master treat the young lady well. Now, not to mention the other young ladies in Bianjing who envied the mistress for marrying such a good man, even the people at Dongping Earl Manor were jealous beyond description.
Yanzhi scratched her head blankly and said, "I don't know why, but ever since my young lady got married, I've had much more free time."
"How could you not have more free time?" Yin Lan poked Yanzhi on the forehead with one finger, smiling gently. "The prince doesn't let you or me get involved in anything he can do himself. Although we're the mistress' personal maids, the only one who can truly serve her personally is the prince."
Hearing this, Yanzhi only then realized that she hadn't drawn the mistress' eyebrows, changed her nightclothes, or bathed her for a long time!
For a dignified eight-foot-tall man, the prince was actually willing to condescend to groom, dress and bathe a woman.
This was really something no woman in the world would dare to even imagine!
"The prince treats the mistress too well," said Yanzhi.
"That's what a real husband and wife should be like," said Yin Lan, somewhat gratified. Whenever she kept night watch, she could hear the sounds coming from the masters' room, which made her heart feel warm too.
Especially the prince...he seemed insatiable, always clinging to the mistress.
Before the mistress got pregnant, the prince had no concept of restraint whatsoever. At least after the mistress conceived, the prince was finally able to restrain himself a little. These little details showed how much this man loved the woman.
The more she thought about it, the hotter her cheeks felt. Hearing her mistress' voice coming from the room, she quickly nudged Yanzhi and said, "The mistress is calling for someone. She must be hungry. Go quickly and tell Hai Tang to prepare food."
"I'll go prepare food right away. Sister Yin Lan, you go in first."
Yin Lan nodded and steadied her mind before pushing open the door and entering the room.
It was summer, and all kinds of exotic flowers were planted in the courtyard, their fragrance assailing the nose. As soon as Yin Lan went in, she saw her mistress' face under the south window, even more delicate and flushed red than a begonia, and the dark-clothed master sitting on the short couch, his nose high, his brows deep, unparalleled in sternness, his handsome features making one unable to look at him directly.
Yin Lan took a deep breath and swiftly lowered her head to ask the mistress if she had any orders.
Gu Ying got up and said gently with a smile, "Have Yanzhi and Hai Tang bring dinner here, the prince still has to go to the study to review documents after eating."
Yin Lan bent herself and said, "Yes."
Not until after dinner did Zhao Changdu still have a completely calm expression, with not a hint of fierceness in his eyes. He was even in a good mood and accompanied her on a long stroll around the courtyard.
Although Gu Ying was very curious, she didn't ask anything.
It was the next day when Cheng came to her looking extremely anxious that she found out the prince had secretly ordered the arrest and imprisonment of several of Cheng’s collateral relatives that she had been supporting, accusing them of provoking trouble and bullying others.
These were Cheng’s only remaining blood kin, all supported by her with the Duke’s money and power, and relying on Zhao Hui’s influence to receive idle official posts in Bianjing, living extravagantly and unrestrained.
Now they had fallen from the clouds into the mire overnight. Before dawn, the women of those families were already at the door of the Duke's manor, kneeling and begging Cheng as their auntie to help the men and children of their families.
When Cheng heard this news, she immediately panicked.
These last few days, her heart had already been a big tangled mess. Lady Sun's matter still hadn't been resolved, and now there was fire in the backyard again. She didn't dare plead with Zhao Changdu as a mother to release those people. She could only pathetically lead Granny Wang by the hand to come to Changfeng Pavilion.
How could Gu Ying give her this face? She immediately had Yin Lan find an excuse to send her away empty-handed.
Cheng left with an ashen face, furious and helpless, and returned to Baomo Hall.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Zhao Changxing still looked quite relaxed seeing his mother so angry, except for a glint of coldness and gloom in his eyes. "Mother, is there something you're hiding from me?"
Cheng sat uncomfortably on the bed, glancing at her useless son. "There's no such thing. Don't make trouble for me."
The culprit who had ruined his manhood was still at large, and she had already spent a lot of money trying unsuccessfully to find him. She was thinking of giving up, but this boy not only couldn't help her, he was criticizing her.
Zhao Changxing sneered. "What, Mother thinks I'm a cripple now?"
Seeing her son about to throw another tantrum, Cheng had no choice but to placate him. "Mother didn't mean it that way. It's just that Gu Ying is too arrogant. I went to see her personally at Changfeng Pavilion today, but she pretended to be ill and refused to see me. Does she not care about the king's law anymore? She's acting as if she owns the Duke's manor. If she really gives birth to the Duke's rightful heir, where will there be room for you and I, mother and son, in the manor in the future?"
Zhao Changxing listened expressionlessly, but when he heard the words "rightful heir", his brows and eyes moved slightly, and his gaze instantly became somewhat irritable and vicious.
The events of that night seemed to be right before his eyes. Now she was pregnant with Zhao Changdu's child.
Heh, the irony of fate.
If it wasn't for Gu Ying... how could he have become a useless cripple?
And to save face for the Duke's manor, and prevent Zhao Changdu from finding out what he had done to Gu Ying, he could only swallow the humiliation and keep the matter buried in his heart.
Gu Ying thought she had ruined his manhood so she could sleep easy?
One day he would make her pay the price for emasculating him!
At the moment, Cheng didn't have the patience to take care of her son's feelings. She murmured, "In any case, I still have to appease your father more... As long as your father is still in this household, I can rely on him... Gu Ying and her husband won't be able to accomplish anything."
She didn't know if she was comforting him or herself, but after sitting for a while she couldn't keep still and got up clutching her handkerchief, saying she was going to make pastries and stew for Zhao Hui.
Zhao Changxing sneered coldly. "Mother needn't waste effort. Haven't you noticed Father rarely comes to Baomo Hall lately?"
Zhao Changxing's words made Cheng pause in her footsteps.
She turned around, her expression changing slightly. "Where has your father been going lately?"
Zhao Changxing narrowed his eyes. "My people said he often goes to Ruyi Alley recently."
Cheng was surprised. "What's he doing going to Ruyi Alley?"
Zhao Changxing's handsome face was cold. "Unknown."
He didn't care one bit about Zhao Hui's matters. He only wanted to know when Zhao Changdu would get out of the manor and go back to the borderlands.
Cheng's mouth twitched. But on second thought, she used to live on Ruyi Alley herself. The Duke must be reminiscing about their intimate days back then, which was why he was wandering around their old residence. Her heart felt not worried but sweet.
But no matter how reassured she was, she also sensed something amiss.
Yanzhi was the youngest and didn’t know exactly what was going on between the mistress and the prince everyday, but she could see that the prince really cherished the mistress.
She had grown up with the mistress, so of course she hoped to see the young master treat the young lady well. Now, not to mention the other young ladies in Bianjing who envied the mistress for marrying such a good man, even the people at Dongping Earl Manor were jealous beyond description.
Yanzhi scratched her head blankly and said, "I don't know why, but ever since my young lady got married, I've had much more free time."
"How could you not have more free time?" Yin Lan poked Yanzhi on the forehead with one finger, smiling gently. "The prince doesn't let you or me get involved in anything he can do himself. Although we're the mistress' personal maids, the only one who can truly serve her personally is the prince."
Hearing this, Yanzhi only then realized that she hadn't drawn the mistress' eyebrows, changed her nightclothes, or bathed her for a long time!
For a dignified eight-foot-tall man, the prince was actually willing to condescend to groom, dress and bathe a woman.
This was really something no woman in the world would dare to even imagine!
"The prince treats the mistress too well," said Yanzhi.
"That's what a real husband and wife should be like," said Yin Lan, somewhat gratified. Whenever she kept night watch, she could hear the sounds coming from the masters' room, which made her heart feel warm too.
Especially the prince...he seemed insatiable, always clinging to the mistress.
Before the mistress got pregnant, the prince had no concept of restraint whatsoever. At least after the mistress conceived, the prince was finally able to restrain himself a little. These little details showed how much this man loved the woman.
The more she thought about it, the hotter her cheeks felt. Hearing her mistress' voice coming from the room, she quickly nudged Yanzhi and said, "The mistress is calling for someone. She must be hungry. Go quickly and tell Hai Tang to prepare food."
"I'll go prepare food right away. Sister Yin Lan, you go in first."
Yin Lan nodded and steadied her mind before pushing open the door and entering the room.
It was summer, and all kinds of exotic flowers were planted in the courtyard, their fragrance assailing the nose. As soon as Yin Lan went in, she saw her mistress' face under the south window, even more delicate and flushed red than a begonia, and the dark-clothed master sitting on the short couch, his nose high, his brows deep, unparalleled in sternness, his handsome features making one unable to look at him directly.
Yin Lan took a deep breath and swiftly lowered her head to ask the mistress if she had any orders.
Gu Ying got up and said gently with a smile, "Have Yanzhi and Hai Tang bring dinner here, the prince still has to go to the study to review documents after eating."
Yin Lan bent herself and said, "Yes."
Not until after dinner did Zhao Changdu still have a completely calm expression, with not a hint of fierceness in his eyes. He was even in a good mood and accompanied her on a long stroll around the courtyard.
Although Gu Ying was very curious, she didn't ask anything.
It was the next day when Cheng came to her looking extremely anxious that she found out the prince had secretly ordered the arrest and imprisonment of several of Cheng’s collateral relatives that she had been supporting, accusing them of provoking trouble and bullying others.
These were Cheng’s only remaining blood kin, all supported by her with the Duke’s money and power, and relying on Zhao Hui’s influence to receive idle official posts in Bianjing, living extravagantly and unrestrained.
Now they had fallen from the clouds into the mire overnight. Before dawn, the women of those families were already at the door of the Duke's manor, kneeling and begging Cheng as their auntie to help the men and children of their families.
When Cheng heard this news, she immediately panicked.
These last few days, her heart had already been a big tangled mess. Lady Sun's matter still hadn't been resolved, and now there was fire in the backyard again. She didn't dare plead with Zhao Changdu as a mother to release those people. She could only pathetically lead Granny Wang by the hand to come to Changfeng Pavilion.
How could Gu Ying give her this face? She immediately had Yin Lan find an excuse to send her away empty-handed.
Cheng left with an ashen face, furious and helpless, and returned to Baomo Hall.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Zhao Changxing still looked quite relaxed seeing his mother so angry, except for a glint of coldness and gloom in his eyes. "Mother, is there something you're hiding from me?"
Cheng sat uncomfortably on the bed, glancing at her useless son. "There's no such thing. Don't make trouble for me."
The culprit who had ruined his manhood was still at large, and she had already spent a lot of money trying unsuccessfully to find him. She was thinking of giving up, but this boy not only couldn't help her, he was criticizing her.
Zhao Changxing sneered. "What, Mother thinks I'm a cripple now?"
Seeing her son about to throw another tantrum, Cheng had no choice but to placate him. "Mother didn't mean it that way. It's just that Gu Ying is too arrogant. I went to see her personally at Changfeng Pavilion today, but she pretended to be ill and refused to see me. Does she not care about the king's law anymore? She's acting as if she owns the Duke's manor. If she really gives birth to the Duke's rightful heir, where will there be room for you and I, mother and son, in the manor in the future?"
Zhao Changxing listened expressionlessly, but when he heard the words "rightful heir", his brows and eyes moved slightly, and his gaze instantly became somewhat irritable and vicious.
The events of that night seemed to be right before his eyes. Now she was pregnant with Zhao Changdu's child.
Heh, the irony of fate.
If it wasn't for Gu Ying... how could he have become a useless cripple?
And to save face for the Duke's manor, and prevent Zhao Changdu from finding out what he had done to Gu Ying, he could only swallow the humiliation and keep the matter buried in his heart.
Gu Ying thought she had ruined his manhood so she could sleep easy?
One day he would make her pay the price for emasculating him!
At the moment, Cheng didn't have the patience to take care of her son's feelings. She murmured, "In any case, I still have to appease your father more... As long as your father is still in this household, I can rely on him... Gu Ying and her husband won't be able to accomplish anything."
She didn't know if she was comforting him or herself, but after sitting for a while she couldn't keep still and got up clutching her handkerchief, saying she was going to make pastries and stew for Zhao Hui.
Zhao Changxing sneered coldly. "Mother needn't waste effort. Haven't you noticed Father rarely comes to Baomo Hall lately?"
Zhao Changxing's words made Cheng pause in her footsteps.
She turned around, her expression changing slightly. "Where has your father been going lately?"
Zhao Changxing narrowed his eyes. "My people said he often goes to Ruyi Alley recently."
Cheng was surprised. "What's he doing going to Ruyi Alley?"
Zhao Changxing's handsome face was cold. "Unknown."
He didn't care one bit about Zhao Hui's matters. He only wanted to know when Zhao Changdu would get out of the manor and go back to the borderlands.
Cheng's mouth twitched. But on second thought, she used to live on Ruyi Alley herself. The Duke must be reminiscing about their intimate days back then, which was why he was wandering around their old residence. Her heart felt not worried but sweet.
But no matter how reassured she was, she also sensed something amiss.
