Chapter 130: Chapter 130 His Purpose
Hearing this, and recalling the rumors that had recently spread throughout the capital city, Lai Manting immediately collapsed to the ground.
The successive schemes at the palace banquet were offerings to Consort Xian from her.
As for all the palace maids and eunuchs involved, their ends were miserable, their deaths horrifying; she had already heard rumors.
It seemed the rumors of the Crown Prince’s sinister, cruel, and violent nature weren’t false.
What else was he incapable of?
Fortunately, she had committed herself to Prince Liang and had early on replaced herself with the little girl as the candidate for Crown Princess Consort; otherwise, her end beside such a ruthless man would likely have been even more tragic.
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The thought that it was her own design made Lai Manting’s heart tremble incessantly.
Lai Jiajia was quite exasperated. After all, Madam Lai wasn’t her biological grandmother, and the side branch of the family couldn’t raise their heads, mostly because Madam Lai was oppressing them.
Thinking of this, the anger she had been repressing all this time burst forth, “Third Sister is jealous of Fifth Sister’s beauty, that’s a fact! Third Sister, how else do you want to twist the truth to protect your reputation? Shameless, disgraceful!”
Ye Yiheng continued to support himself on Song Guo’s arm as he walked towards the Leng Residence.
Leng Yu Yan hurriedly followed, speaking softly, “The feeding in prison, was it Your Highness’s doing?”
Ye Yiheng didn’t hide it from her, simply saying, “I only ordered someone to add a little something extra to the food. Prince Liang’s methods are beyond my reach.”
After saying those words, he chose not to say more.
This piqued Leng Yu Yan’s curiosity even further, and she turned to look at Mo Chen, who was following behind him.
Mo Chen scratched his head, “Prince Liang obliterated all traces, after making those people deaf, dumb, and blind, then executed them by Lingchi. During the Lingchi, those wild wolves were well fed.”
Lai Jiajia remained by the shadow wall, saying to Madam Lai, “Grandmother, you just said I have no right to speak, I admit that’s correct. But you often say this to my parents too. They are already parents themselves, and they care about their reputation. My father might not be your biological son, but he was born to my grandfather!”
At these words, Madam Lai was shaking with anger, and she swung her hand for a slap.
Leng Yu Yan turned her head, calling out, “Sister, come over here.”
Lai Jiajia turned and ran away, Madam Lai’s slap missing its target, causing her to stumble and nearly fall.
—
The group arrived at the side branch’s courtyard.
Ms. He, hearing the footsteps, joyfully said to Lai Zonghui, “Yu Yan is back, let’s hurry up.”
Just then, Lai Zonghui’s and Ms. He’s son Lai Xuan ran into the courtyard. Seeing Ye Yiheng covered with an eye veil and Leng Yu Yan dressed as a man, his eyes darted about in fascination.
How could there be such beautiful people in the world?
That the Crown Prince was handsome was known to all.
That Fifth Sister could be so beautiful!
She looked like a goddess descended to earth!
Lai Xuan stared blankly for a long time until Lai Jiajia tugged at his ear, bringing him back to his senses. It took him a while to regain his composure and shout to the indoors, “Father, mother, the Crown Prince and Fifth Sister have arrived.”
At this, Lai Zonghui and Ms. He rushed out quickly, bowing deeply, “Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
“Rise,” said Ye Yiheng, his expression indifferent, yet he was personally carrying two exquisite boxes of cakes, “I have come in haste and haven’t prepared any gifts, please accept these.”
Lai Zonghui and Ms. He took the gifts with uneasy hands, “Thank you, Your Highness!”
The Crown Prince had come, and the homely dishes they as a couple had prepared seemed hardly presentable.
Lai Zonghui pulled Lai Xuan to the side and whispered, “Go to the tavern outside and purchase a few dishes to bring back.”
Ye Yiheng, with his acute hearing, spoke indifferently, “Today I am here to join the Crown Princess Consort in tasting my uncle’s and aunt’s cooking.”
Suddenly being addressed as uncle and aunt by the Crown Prince, Lai Zonghui and Ms. He were overjoyed.
They knew the Old Madam and the eldest brother and sister-in-law didn’t receive such treatment.
The couple laughed and beckoned, “Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness, please come inside!”
This scene had Leng Yu Yan at a loss. Such an aloof person was actually calling her uncle and auntie. Not only that, but he even wanted to try homemade dishes?
Was it that he had grown tired of sumptuous feasts and wanted to change tastes?
Or was it just politeness, and he would refrain from eating later on?
Contrary to Leng Yu Yan’s expectation, that person enjoyed the dinner very much.
Not only that, but he also asked Lai Xuan, “What are you studying these days?”
“Your Highness, I, this commoner, I…” Lai Xuan struggled to find the right self-reference, his hand holding the chopsticks trembling slightly.
“No need to call yourself a commoner,” Ye Yiheng said calmly.
Lai Xuan took a deep breath, “Your Highness, I have recently been learning martial arts from Brother Lai, and I’m also keeping up with my studies.”
“Lai Yuyue?”
“Exactly, Brother Lai Yuyue,” Lai Xuan said with a sigh. “However, he will be returning to the frontier in some time, and I will have no place to learn.”
Ye Yiheng’s handsome brows moved slightly, “I will choose a tutor for you.”
“Really?” Lai Xuan exclaimed with surprise.
Lai Zonghui quickly said, “Thank you, Your Highness, but there is no need for you to trouble yourself with my son.”
Ye Yiheng waved a hand and said to Lai Xuan, “Every ten days, I will send someone to test you. Do you agree?”
“Of course I agree! I want to be like my brother and fight on the battlefield!”
Hearing this, Ye Yiheng nodded, slightly tilted his head, and listened attentively to Leng Yu Yan’s movements.
When he heard her grip on the chopsticks tighten, he knew she was affected, and the corners of his eyes and brows moved slightly.
The innate valor of the Leng Family men could not be concealed; just like Leng Yi before, Lai Yuyue now, and Lai Xuan close by!
—
After dinner at the Leng Residence’s second branch was over, on the horse carriage back to the Eastern Palace.
Leng Yu Yan expressed her sincere thanks, “For the matter of the palace banquet and the incident just now, I thank you, Your Highness!”
Ye Yiheng suddenly asked, “How was the poison you were struck with five years ago cured?”
“How does Your Highness know that I was poisoned and then cured?” Leng Yu Yan frowned, realizing that this was his true intent.
While cures for poison vary, they can serve as references.
“A rare medical text that records not, the Imperial Physicians unable to cure, I am very curious how the Crown Princess Consort cured it?”
Leng Yu Yan’s spirit tightened, and after a moment of contemplation, she said, “If I tell Your Highness, will you grant me my freedom?”
Ye Yiheng moved his slender, jade-like fingers, “Do not assume because of the blotch incident, I am without means to reign you in.”
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“Yes,” Leng Yu Yan smiled faintly, “but I do not know how to cure poison.”
“At the palace banquet, neither the sedative nor the aphrodisiac affected you. At the Flower Festival, you were also unaffected by the poisoned Flower Goddess Dress,” Ye Yiheng suddenly grasped her delicate wrist, “Even the Dean of the Imperial Medical Bureau could not detect it instantly, the Crown Princess Consort is quite capable.”
Her wrist was gripped painfully, Leng Yu Yan frowned, “I was born with a keen nose.”
Ye Yiheng curved his lips slightly and chuckled, “A keen nose? According to you, even a dog could distinguish poison?”
“What else then?” Leng Yu Yan retorted, struggling to free her wrist, but it was in vain.
She couldn’t help but curse inwardly, ‘You’re the dog, your whole family are dogs!’
“You possess medical skills, and they are not low, so I’ll let you treat my eye disease and cold disease first,” Ye Yiheng released her hand abruptly.
Just now, as she struggled, his hand gripping her sleeve suddenly came into contact with her skin.
That warmth seemed to carry a fragrant scent, stirring up a tantalizing daze, startling him into letting go hastily.
Seeing him act as if avoiding poison, Leng Yu Yan laughed lightly, “Are you not afraid that I might strike you in secret, Your Highness?”
At those words, Ye Yiheng laughed with her, “If you dare, I’ll make sure to drag you with me to death.”