Chapter 103

 

Hua Yang conscientiously pretended to be ill in the palace.

At first, there was no need to pretend as the symptoms of nasal congestion and cough dragged on for seven to eight days. Coupled with the “nightmare” in the middle of the night, no one would suspect that she was faking illness.

After the cold was gone, in order to keep her “nightmare” disease to continue, Hua Yang deliberately ate less and woke up in the middle of the night, staying awake for more than an hour.

Without good food and good sleep, her body became increasingly haggard, like the full moon on the night of the Lantern Festival, heading straight for the thin sickle.

Seeing that his jade-like daughter was getting thinner and thinner, Emperor Jingshun was extremely worried.

Originally, the national treasury had a balance of 500,000 taels at the end of last year, and Emperor Jingshun, who had not put on palace draft for two years, was secretly thinking about it and was waiting to announce it at the court meeting at the beginning of the year. However, his beloved daughter fell into the water and caught the cold, how could Emperor Shun was still in the mood for a palace draft. Beauties could be found at any time, but his most precious daughter Hua Yang was only one.

Emperor Jingshun gave up the palace draft and began to hire famous doctors all over the capital. Who let those losers from the imperial hospital unable to cure his daughter!

The imperial doctors were worried and anxious. Fortunately, the princess was kind-hearted and kept speaking for them. Emperor Jingshun was also good-tempered and did not cut off their heads at every turn.

Hua Yang then carefully controlled the number of “nightmares” she has.

In late First Month, she had nightmares every night.

In early Second Month, she changed it to once every two to three days, and in late Second Month she changed it to once every four to five days.

She still ate less and her face continuously getting thin. When she saw her father emperor and mother empress, she pretended to be listless and unmotivated, which made Emperor Jingshun feel distressed every time.

On this day, Princess Nan Kang came to visit Hua Yang. Seeing Hua Yang lying on the bed like a pitifully sick beauty, Nan Kang whispered suspiciously: “Don’t you just fell into the water once, why have you been sick for so long? I almost suspect you want to stay in the palace on purpose.”

Hua Yang looked at her, suddenly pulled up the quilt and started sobbing.

When Chao Yun saw this, she immediately ran to Qianqing Palace to complain to Emperor Jingshun.

Emperor Jingshun came after hearing the news, Hua Yang repeated Nan Kang’s words with red eyes, and said with shame: “Father, why don’t you send me back to the Chen Mansion, so that the people in the capital will not criticize me, a married princess who live in the palace for a long time must have been coveting Father Emperor’s favor.”

Emperor Jingshun looked at his other daughter with a sullen face.

As early as when Chao Yun ran away, Princess Nan Kang knew that she was going to be in trouble, and stammered: “Father, I, I was just joking with my sister…”

Emperor Jingshun: “Look at how thin she has become, and you still make such a joke with her? Since you were a child, you have been obsessed with comparing yourself to Hua Yang. Considering you’re still a child, Zhen didn’t bother with you. But Hua Yang is now sick. As a sister, it’s fine if you don’t care about her, but you still come here to make fun of her!”

Nan Kang’s face turned pale and she could only kneel down to apologize.

Emperor Jingshun snorted, “Go back. You don’t have to enter the palace again until Hua Yang recovers.”

Nan Kang knew that her father was angry and resigned aggrievedly.

Emperor Jingshun looked at his sick daughter again.

Hua Yang looked sad: “Father, is my disease no longer curable?”

Emperor Jingshun’s eyes immediately became extremely gentle. He held his daughter’s hand and said, “Don’t worry Panpan. Zhen have already sent people to find Imperial Docter Li, and there are other famous doctors who will definitely cure you.”

Hua Yang nodded obediently.

Father emperor and mother empress had always regarded her as a well-behaved and lovely daughter. They also did not want her to be interested in the country affairs. And when such a pampered princess fell ill, father emperor and mother empress would never suspect what she was up to.

By Third Month, Hua Yang had nightmares only once every ten days, and the person had begun to regain some energy and were willing to go to the Imperial Garden.

Emperor Jingshun finally breathed a sigh of relief as his daughter was expected to recover.

It’s just that the timing for his palace draft like the previous years had passed, so Emperor Jingshun simply didn’t care about it anymore. Anyway, it would be the same if he drafted next year.

.

On the evening of the ninth day of Fourth Month, when Hua Yang had dinner with her father emperor, mother empress, and younger brother, she sheepishly proposed that she would leave the palace tomorrow.

Emperor Jingshun looked at his daughter’s rosy but still thin face, and said reluctantly: “There’s no hurry, just stay here for a while. Let’s talk again after you fully recover.”

Empress Qi listened silently, while the crown prince agreed with his father’s words.

Hua Yang lowered her eyes and whispered: “I’m already fine, and if I don’t go back, I’m afraid Prince Consort and the others will continue to worry about me…”

Her voice became lower and lower.

Emperor Jingshun suddenly realized that her daughter missed her prince consort.

After all, they were a young couple who had only been married for barely three years. How could they live apart so long?

Emperor Jingshun couldn’t help but look at Empress Qi.

Empress Qi then smiled and said: “It’s time to go back. The last few times we meet, I see that Prince Consort has also lost a lot of weight.”

Emperor Jingshun then ordered Eunuch Ma: “Send someone to the Chen Mansion and ask Prince Consort to pick up the Princess tomorrow morning.”

Eunuch Ma immediately went to make arrangements.

Chen Mansion.

Chen Jingzong still rode for an hour before returning from the guard station. When he learned that his mother was looking for him, he went to Chunhe Hall first.

Chen Tingjian and Sun shi were both there.

When Sun shi saw her son, she said happily: “The Princess has recovered from her illness. His Majesty asked you to pick her up tomorrow morning.”

Chen Jingzong snorted.

Chen Tingjian: “What’s with your attitude?”

Chen Jingzong: “I don’t have any attitude. She is a princess. Even if she never comes back, I, the Prince Consort, can only accept it.”

Chen Tingjian: “Do you think the Princess doing it out of her own will? She has been ill for so long. Firstly, she can’t help herself. Secondly, she is sympathetic to us. If she really comes back, His Majesty will keep ask whether we take good care of her. Can you afford it?”

Chen Jingzong: “Whatever you say.”

After saying that, he turned around and left.

Chen Tingjian’s face then turned black.

Sun shi sighed: “In our family, the Old Four is the one who’s most worried about the princess. If it were you who were sick, I would also wish to guard you day and night. But he was blocked outside the palace. Could only be anxious when he can’t see the person. It would be strange if he’s able to hold back his anger.”

Chen Tingjian: “I understand, it’s just that I’m afraid he’ll really show his displeasure in front of the Princess.”

Sun shi: “You’re always like this, thinking you’re someone special. Your sons can’t control their emotions, everything they think will show on their faces, right?”

Chen Tingjian: “He shouldn’t even have the thought of complaining. In front of the Princess, he is a minister first and then a husband.”

Sun shi: “Then I, an old woman from a remote town, should treat you as Cabinet Elder first and then my husband?”

Chen Tingjian:……

Sun shi slapped the table and glared at him, then went to the inner room without even leaving the door open for him.

Chen Tingjian had no choice but to sleep alone in the front yard.

The next day, Chen Tingjian got up early and sent someone to pay attention to the movements of the Old Four, and asked the steward to inform the Old Four to come to Chunhe Hall before setting off.

Not long after breakfast, the steward came and said awkwardly: “Cabinet Elder, Prince Consort didn’t listen. He got in the carriage and left. I couldn’t stop him.”

Chen Tingjian waved his hand and told him to retreat.

In the palace, Chen Jingzong first went to Qianqing Palace to pay his respects to Emperor Jingshun. Not long after, Empress Qi and the Crown Prince came over with by Hua Yang.

Chen Jingzong’s eyes fell on Hua Yang’s face, as if he were glued to it. He glanced away several times, but quickly moved over again uncontrollably.

This was a sign of missing her too deeply. Emperor Jingshun and Empress Qi both laughed, and even the thirteen-year-old prince understood what was going on.

Hua Yang’s earlobes felt slightly warm. This man used to behave well and decently in front of her father emperor and mother emperor, but today when they were about to be reunited, why can’t he control himself?

After exchanging a few words, Hua Yang got on the sedan chair and took Chen Jingzong out of the palace.

Chen Jingzong helped her onto the carriage, then followed her in.

Hua Yang looked at him silently.

In the past two months, Chen Jingzong started visiting the palace every two to three days. As her condition slowly improved, he only visited the palace on holidays.

As his mother said, Chen Jingzong had indeed lost weight.

But Hua Yang had tried her best to hint for him to feel at ease. She pretended to be pitiful in front of her father emperor and mother emperor. But when talking to Chen Jingzong alone, she looked relaxed and teased him a few words, because she knew that Chen Jingzong would not reveal this to the outside world.

Based on Chen Jingzong’s performance in the palace just now, Hua Yang thought that as soon as he got in the carriage, he would hold her into his arms, kiss her, and then ask her if she was really well.

However, to Hua Yang’s surprise, Chen Jingzong just sat on the other end of the seat, pursed his lips, and his handsome face became increasingly cold and ruthless as he became thinner.

Hua Yang immediately realized that the Chen Jingzong in front of her was the real Chen Jingzong. Before, he was just putting on a show for her father emperor and mother empress.

Hua Yang guessed: “Angry because I’ve lived in the palace for too long?”

Chen Jingzong: “I won’t dare.”

Hua Yang: “I think you are very brave.”

Chen Jingzong didn’t respond and turned his head to the other side, as if he didn’t even want to see the corner of her clothes.

Hua Yang was silent.

When she first got married, she didn’t care at all whether Chen Jingzong was angry or not, but after two years of relatively loving life, Hua Yang was not used to Chen Jingzong suddenly assuming such a posture.

She smiled and looked at the carriage window on her side: “If I had known you didn’t want to see me, why would I trouble you to make this trip? I would have just come back by myself.”

Chen Jingzong responded with a low laugh, extremely mocking.

Hua Yang suddenly got used to it again. This was how the two of them had been in the past life. You ridiculed me and I ridiculed you.

If Hua Yang had lived very comfortably in the past two months and she really didn’t want to leave the palace on purpose, Hua Yang might still feel a little guilty toward Chen Jingzong, but it was not like that.

She twirled the bracelet on her wrist.

When she wore this bracelet during the Lantern Festival, it fitted just fine. The bracelet would slide slightly along her wrist when she moved, but it would not fall too low and get in the way of her hand.

But now when she put down her arm, the jade bracelet was slid directly to the bottom and covered half of her palm.

Of course, she brought this on herself and she had no regrets.

But Chen Jingzong called her “ancestor” so affectionately at night, but now he didn’t feel sorry for her at all and even got angry with her.

The carriage stopped in front of Chen Mansion.

When Hua Yang was about to get off the carriage, Chen Jingzong had already stood on the side. Not far away, Chen Tingjian and the others came out to greet her.

Hua Yang glanced at Chao Yun with her peripheral vision, but handed her hand to Chen Jingzong.

After getting off the carriage, she greeted her father-in-law and the others as usual.

Sun shi‘s and Yu Xiu’s eyes was red. Luo Yuyan was not so sentimental, but she was shocked after seeing Hua Yang’s weight loss.

Wan Yi even threw herself into Hua Yang’s arms, tears falling down her cheeks: “Fourth Aunt, I miss you so much.”

Hua Yang touched the little girl’s head and said with a smile: “I’m back now. You’ll come to play with me often in the future.”

Chen Tingjian said with concern: “Princess has just recovered from a serious illness. Please go back to Siyi Hall to rest first. Don’t get tired.”

Hua Yang was really not in the mood to socialize, so she took Wan Yi away.

She stayed with Wan Yi for almost half an hour, mainly to ask about the recent situation in the Chen Mansion. She then told Wan Yi about her recent condition, which could also convince her father-in-law and the others that she was really well, and she only needed to recuperate for a while.

After Wan Yi left, Hua Yang went to bed and lay down.

She played with the jade bracelet on her wrist. It was the finest mutton-fat white jade, which was warm and moist with her body temperature.

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of maids saluting prince consort came from the outside.

Hua Yang fiddled with the bracelet again, closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

The sound of footsteps came in, stopped outside the Babu bed for a while, and finally came to the bed and sat down.

“Is it fun to pretend to be sick for so long and make yourself miserable?”

The cold voice was like boiling tung oil beneath the calm surface, suppressing the anger that was about to rise at any time.

Hua Yang turned around, frowned and asked, “What do you mean pretend to be sick?”

She never told Chen Jingzong that she was pretending, she just acted relaxed and hoped that he wouldn’t worry too much.

Chen Jingzong looked at her: “I am not a fool, and you’re not a princess who will run on the ice regardless of danger.”

She was able to deceive the emperor and the crown prince because she might have acted like an arrogant little princess in the palace.

But her behavior in Lingzhou and with the Chen family was dignified and proud, but she was never wilful or impulsive.

The old man knew it, and so did he.

And he knew more than the old man.

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