Jiang Yin's voice grew increasingly maniacal as he spoke and laughed.
"Zhao Changdu, you've been completely deceived by Gu Ying. She knew full well that you would have a high position and power in the future, so she deliberately seduced you and married you. You've been fooled into picking up a broken shoe."
Zhao Changdu's blood surged through his body, and he clenched his fist tightly, a dark mist swirling in his eyes.
Every word of those accusations drilled into his mind, making his heart tingle with pain.
He had experienced moments of confusion and doubt before, but upon hearing these words, his mind went blank for a moment. Then anger surged within him, and he violently attacked Jiang Yin, causing blood to flow from his head. He detested hearing these words coming from that man's mouth.
He would rather believe that those words were deliberately spoken to deceive him, to drive a wedge between him and Ah Ying.
But... as he pondered, he recalled the various details that had puzzled him before.
Ah Ying's uncanny ability to forewarn him...
And her reputation as a foolish and worthless person in the past. When compared to the refined and talented young lady from the noble mansion she had become now...
The more he thought, the darker his expression became. He grabbed a porcelain cup from the bedside and violently threw it to the ground.
Hearing a sharp and jarring sound coming from inside the room, Huai An was frightened and immediately rushed in, pushing the door open.
When he looked up and saw the man sitting on the bed with a chilling aura, his heart skipped a beat.
In that moment, he was both startled and delighted.
"Thank goodness! Sir, you're finally awake! Do you know how we've been getting through these days?"
He happily ran over, wishing he could just dive into the man's embrace.
Zhao Changdu glanced at him indifferently.
Huai An stopped in his tracks, but joy still filled his eyes.
Zhao Changdu's brows furrowed, his thin lips slightly parted, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness from just waking up. "Where is Ah Ying?"
Huai An excitedly replied, "Madam is with the young master!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changdu's gaze momentarily froze, and his cold heart felt a sudden pang. "What?"
Has the child been born?
Huai An walked over, helping him up while draping a cloak over his shoulders. He smiled and said, "Sir, you've been unconscious for a long time, so you probably don't know. Madam gave birth to the child last month. Unfortunately, there was a fire accident right after she gave birth, and Madam was weak. She was also exposed to the cold autumn rain, so she moved to Lingxi Pavilion with the child temporarily. But she's much better now, thanks to the care of Lord Jiang and our Madam. The Madam's health has greatly improved, and the young master has grown plump and healthy."
At that moment, Huai An suddenly exclaimed with excitement, "Our young master, he's, tsk tsk, truly a bewitching beauty. He looks exactly like you!"
Zhao Changdu's stern eyes softened for a moment.
In the span of a few breaths, various emotions entwined in his heart like dense vines.
As Jiang Yin had said, he truly loved Ah Ying and wanted to be her husband for this lifetime and beyond.
In order to come back and see their flesh and blood, he had risked his life to drive the Qiang tribe back to their old territory.
However, he never expected... that his Ah Ying was not an ordinary person at all, but someone who had died and been reborn, and she had a relationship with Jiang Yin...
No wonder she always emphasized to him that she would not rest until she avenged the enmity between her and Jiang Yin.
No matter how he asked, she refused to reveal the relationship and hatred between her and Jiang Yin.
Looking back now, she had already been deceiving him back then.
But what does it matter?
He knew she was deceiving him, yet he willingly took her as his wife, didn't he?
Zhao Changdu closed his eyes, a touch of mockery flickering in his phoenix-like eyes. However, now he knew about her past... it felt like a thorn had been inserted deep in his heart, causing him discomfort no matter how he tried to think about it.
His throat tightened, his temples throbbed with pain, and even the position of his heart felt like it was being torn apart.
"Young master, how do you feel now?"
Zhao Changdu didn't speak. The prolonged coma had made his reactions somewhat sluggish.
"It's nothing. After lying down for so long, it's normal. Master Jiang said that even if the toxins in the master's body are completely cleansed, it will still take some time to fully recover to the previous state."
Zhao Changdu's eyebrows slightly furrowed. "Who?"
Huai An's heart trembled. "Young Master Jiang, ah."
Zhao Changdu's gaze turned cold. "Jiang Yin?"
"No, no!" Huai An quickly said, "It's our Lady's younger cousin, Ye Zhuojiang. He was sent by the Ye family to assist our Lady. Thanks to him, the master, our Lady, and the young master are safe."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changdu's expression eased slightly.
Huai An helped him sit at the table and hurriedly arranged for food to be brought in and for someone to summon people from the Lingxi Pavilion.
The man leaned against the table, suppressing his emotions. His heart had cooled slightly.
Huai An looked at his master with some curiosity, observing his calm appearance while sensing turbulent currents within him.
What had happened at Moon Lake that night?
Why did it seem like the master's passion for the Lady had vanished?
Could it be that he was overthinking? Perhaps the young master had just awakened and was still a bit dazed.
After a while, Mrs. Lin arrived with a large group of people, happily visiting the courtyard of Changfeng Pavilion.
Grandfather and General Gu were among them.
Seeing the concerned gazes of the group, Zhao Changdu's heart stirred. It seemed that he had missed many things in the past month.
"Good child, it's good that you woke up," the Old Duke extended his large palm and patted his grandson's shoulder. "Grandfather no longer has to worry."
General Gu didn't say anything, his expression remained neutral as his eyes focused on Zhao Changdu, wanting to see how well he had recovered.
After all, he was his daughter's husband. If he had any sequelae or something of the sort...
What would become of his unfortunate daughter and the unfortunate little grandson?
"Grandfather, I'm fine."
"General Gu, you don't need to worry either."
General Gu snorted lightly, seeing that he was unharmed, and sat down in the outer room with his hands behind his back.
Ever since Zhao Changdu was poisoned, everyone has been deeply concerned. On the day when Gu Ying went into labor, although Ye Zhuojiang managed to extract the antidote method from Le Su's mouth, it wasn't until the day after Gu Ying gave birth that they began the process of detoxification. After being detoxified, Zhao Changdu needed to rest in bed for a long period and release a bowl of poisoned blood every day, until the toxins were completely eliminated after a month.
Mrs. Lin couldn't bear to see her son's pale face and held him in her arms, crying for quite a while before finally stopping.
After the big fire, Changfeng Pavilion was still under repair. Due to his illness, Zhao Changdu couldn't move around freely, so he chose to recuperate in a separate courtyard.
During this month, Gu Ying was in seclusion at Lingxi Pavilion, observing the traditional postnatal confinement practices and avoiding exposure to the wind. As a result, she rarely had the opportunity to come and visit.
Because of her physical discomfort, it seemed normal for her not to visit her critically ill husband. However, there was an indistinct atmosphere of inexplicable tension lingering in the air.
Jiang Yin's voice grew increasingly maniacal as he spoke and laughed.
"Zhao Changdu, you've been completely deceived by Gu Ying. She knew full well that you would have a high position and power in the future, so she deliberately seduced you and married you. You've been fooled into picking up a broken shoe."
Zhao Changdu's blood surged through his body, and he clenched his fist tightly, a dark mist swirling in his eyes.
Every word of those accusations drilled into his mind, making his heart tingle with pain.
He had experienced moments of confusion and doubt before, but upon hearing these words, his mind went blank for a moment. Then anger surged within him, and he violently attacked Jiang Yin, causing blood to flow from his head. He detested hearing these words coming from that man's mouth.
He would rather believe that those words were deliberately spoken to deceive him, to drive a wedge between him and Ah Ying.
But... as he pondered, he recalled the various details that had puzzled him before.
Ah Ying's uncanny ability to forewarn him...
And her reputation as a foolish and worthless person in the past. When compared to the refined and talented young lady from the noble mansion she had become now...
The more he thought, the darker his expression became. He grabbed a porcelain cup from the bedside and violently threw it to the ground.
Hearing a sharp and jarring sound coming from inside the room, Huai An was frightened and immediately rushed in, pushing the door open.
When he looked up and saw the man sitting on the bed with a chilling aura, his heart skipped a beat.
In that moment, he was both startled and delighted.
"Thank goodness! Sir, you're finally awake! Do you know how we've been getting through these days?"
He happily ran over, wishing he could just dive into the man's embrace.
Zhao Changdu glanced at him indifferently.
Huai An stopped in his tracks, but joy still filled his eyes.
Zhao Changdu's brows furrowed, his thin lips slightly parted, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness from just waking up. "Where is Ah Ying?"
Huai An excitedly replied, "Madam is with the young master!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changdu's gaze momentarily froze, and his cold heart felt a sudden pang. "What?"
Has the child been born?
Huai An walked over, helping him up while draping a cloak over his shoulders. He smiled and said, "Sir, you've been unconscious for a long time, so you probably don't know. Madam gave birth to the child last month. Unfortunately, there was a fire accident right after she gave birth, and Madam was weak. She was also exposed to the cold autumn rain, so she moved to Lingxi Pavilion with the child temporarily. But she's much better now, thanks to the care of Lord Jiang and our Madam. The Madam's health has greatly improved, and the young master has grown plump and healthy."
At that moment, Huai An suddenly exclaimed with excitement, "Our young master, he's, tsk tsk, truly a bewitching beauty. He looks exactly like you!"
Zhao Changdu's stern eyes softened for a moment.
In the span of a few breaths, various emotions entwined in his heart like dense vines.
As Jiang Yin had said, he truly loved Ah Ying and wanted to be her husband for this lifetime and beyond.
In order to come back and see their flesh and blood, he had risked his life to drive the Qiang tribe back to their old territory.
However, he never expected... that his Ah Ying was not an ordinary person at all, but someone who had died and been reborn, and she had a relationship with Jiang Yin...
No wonder she always emphasized to him that she would not rest until she avenged the enmity between her and Jiang Yin.
No matter how he asked, she refused to reveal the relationship and hatred between her and Jiang Yin.
Looking back now, she had already been deceiving him back then.
But what does it matter?
He knew she was deceiving him, yet he willingly took her as his wife, didn't he?
Zhao Changdu closed his eyes, a touch of mockery flickering in his phoenix-like eyes. However, now he knew about her past... it felt like a thorn had been inserted deep in his heart, causing him discomfort no matter how he tried to think about it.
His throat tightened, his temples throbbed with pain, and even the position of his heart felt like it was being torn apart.
"Young master, how do you feel now?"
Zhao Changdu didn't speak. The prolonged coma had made his reactions somewhat sluggish.
"It's nothing. After lying down for so long, it's normal. Master Jiang said that even if the toxins in the master's body are completely cleansed, it will still take some time to fully recover to the previous state."
Zhao Changdu's eyebrows slightly furrowed. "Who?"
Huai An's heart trembled. "Young Master Jiang, ah."
Zhao Changdu's gaze turned cold. "Jiang Yin?"
"No, no!" Huai An quickly said, "It's our Lady's younger cousin, Ye Zhuojiang. He was sent by the Ye family to assist our Lady. Thanks to him, the master, our Lady, and the young master are safe."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changdu's expression eased slightly.
Huai An helped him sit at the table and hurriedly arranged for food to be brought in and for someone to summon people from the Lingxi Pavilion.
The man leaned against the table, suppressing his emotions. His heart had cooled slightly.
Huai An looked at his master with some curiosity, observing his calm appearance while sensing turbulent currents within him.
What had happened at Moon Lake that night?
Why did it seem like the master's passion for the Lady had vanished?
Could it be that he was overthinking? Perhaps the young master had just awakened and was still a bit dazed.
After a while, Mrs. Lin arrived with a large group of people, happily visiting the courtyard of Changfeng Pavilion.
Grandfather and General Gu were among them.
Seeing the concerned gazes of the group, Zhao Changdu's heart stirred. It seemed that he had missed many things in the past month.
"Good child, it's good that you woke up," the Old Duke extended his large palm and patted his grandson's shoulder. "Grandfather no longer has to worry."
General Gu didn't say anything, his expression remained neutral as his eyes focused on Zhao Changdu, wanting to see how well he had recovered.
After all, he was his daughter's husband. If he had any sequelae or something of the sort...
What would become of his unfortunate daughter and the unfortunate little grandson?
"Grandfather, I'm fine."
"General Gu, you don't need to worry either."
General Gu snorted lightly, seeing that he was unharmed, and sat down in the outer room with his hands behind his back.
Ever since Zhao Changdu was poisoned, everyone has been deeply concerned. On the day when Gu Ying went into labor, although Ye Zhuojiang managed to extract the antidote method from Le Su's mouth, it wasn't until the day after Gu Ying gave birth that they began the process of detoxification. After being detoxified, Zhao Changdu needed to rest in bed for a long period and release a bowl of poisoned blood every day, until the toxins were completely eliminated after a month.
Mrs. Lin couldn't bear to see her son's pale face and held him in her arms, crying for quite a while before finally stopping.
After the big fire, Changfeng Pavilion was still under repair. Due to his illness, Zhao Changdu couldn't move around freely, so he chose to recuperate in a separate courtyard.
During this month, Gu Ying was in seclusion at Lingxi Pavilion, observing the traditional postnatal confinement practices and avoiding exposure to the wind. As a result, she rarely had the opportunity to come and visit.
Because of her physical discomfort, it seemed normal for her not to visit her critically ill husband. However, there was an indistinct atmosphere of inexplicable tension lingering in the air.
