On Our Wedding Night, I Discovered the Crown Prince's Hidden Illness

The warm sunshine of spring was delightful, and the swaying flower branches were intoxicating.

On days without school uniforms, the academy was awash with the charming colors of spring.

The female students, dressed in reds and greens, each displayed their unique charm.

Lai Manting had practiced calligraphy with a brush all night long. The vertical strokes and hooks she practiced throughout the night had shown no improvement. In the morning, her eyelids were dark, and she had to layer on several coats of face powder before she could leave the house.

When she saw Leng Yu Yan passing outside the teaching house, she affectionately called out, "Fifth Sister."

Leng Yu Yan responded with a smile, "Third Sister."

Lai Jiajia pouted and quickly pulled Leng Yu Yan along, seemingly afraid others wouldn't notice how exceptional her elder sister was.

Having suffered quietly at the hands of Lai Manting before, Lai Jiajia especially despised such pretentiously affectionate actions. Inside the teaching house, she remained visibly upset.

Leng Yu Yan teased her, "When you're angry, your cheeks puff up, which is really cute."

It was the first time someone had called her cute, and Lai Jiajia burst into laughter.

Just as they reached the entrance to Class D's teaching house, a girl with acne on her face suddenly ran out of the teaching house, crying.

Seeing this, Leng Yu Yan was clueless, "What happened to her?"

Lai Jiajia didn't know the reason either, and only said, "Her name is Mi Xinmei. Yesterday when Sister joined our group, I was so happy I forgot to introduce her. The acne on Xinmei's face has always been a huge issue for her, and despite trying many remedies and prescriptions, nothing has worked."

Many students who had arrived early at the teaching house were huddled together, chatting, and occasionally casting glances their way.

This infuriated Lai Jiajia, who directly asked the slightly plump girl in her group, "Luo Meng'er, what happened?"

Luo Meng'er pinched her plump arms and approached, speaking softly, "They were talking about Xinmei's pustules on her face."

Lai Jiajia frowned, "They've talked about it before, why is Xinmei crying so much this time?"

"They say her fiancé took a concubine last night, and they mocked her, saying she can't even compare to a concubine," Luo Meng'er's voice grew softer as she spoke.

"That's too much!" Lai Jiajia was furious.

Leng Yu Yan asked calmly, "How did you find out about this?"

In wealthy households, such matters were not uncommon, but generally, men with fiancées would secretly take concubines for fear of offending the bride's family.

Who would dare to compare a concubine with someone's daughter from a dignified household?

Luo Meng'er anxiously explained, "The problem is that her fiancé's cousin is also in the academy, and that's how the news spread. That person didn't just come to humiliate Xinmei, she also brought classmates to point fingers at our class. Xinmei is introverted by nature, and with this, she just couldn't take it and cried."

Being demeaned not only in rank but also mocked, it was difficult to bear emotionally.

Inside the teaching house, those whispering girls raised their voices, "We didn't say anything wrong; her acne disgusts everyone who sees it, let alone the men in her future!"

"It's all Mi Xinmei's fault, because of her, our entire Class D is looked down upon."

"If you ask me, your team of six should start a separate class, the ugly with the ugly, the fat with the fat, not a single one of you looks decent!"

"People like you deserve to be despised by men!"

Hearing these words made Lai Jiajia's nostrils flare, "All of you are unmarried girls, yet you talk endlessly about men; are you obsessed with men?"

A girl in pink dashed over, pointing and scolding, "Lai Jiajia, don't think we don't know, you can't be Lai Manting's little tail anymore, and now that you've found an ugly girl, you think you're so much more superior?"

Another person mocked in agreement, "Isn't that what you think, finding someone even uglier than you among the Leng sisters?"

"You're all spouting filth!" Wave after wave of abuse targeted Lai Jiajia, causing her to become so angry that her chest heaved dramatically.

Luo Meng'er, with her plump frame, trembled, having often faced such insults.

The two others from their team were crouching in a corner of the teaching house, their heads lowered, terrified that the scolding would again fall upon them; otherwise, they would be the ones crying today.

In such a scene, Leng Yu Yan could now handle herself with calm.

Five years ago, in the large hall of the Leng Family, she still vividly remembered being humiliated by hundreds of guests, earning her the title of the ugliest woman in the world.

Now, these were merely child's play to her.

She patted Lai Jiajia and Luo Meng'er on the shoulders, about to retort against those troublemakers, when unexpectedly, Miss Xu's voice came through the window.

"Lai Jiajia, although your father and Marquis Lai are brothers, your father is only recorded under your grandmother's name. On the surface, you are the legitimate daughter, but in the end, your birth doesn't even match that of Li Lu, the concubine daughter!"

Hearing this, Leng Yu Yan was shocked beyond belief; she herself hadn't known this—how could Miss Xu know?

Thinking it over, the only possibility was that either Lai Manting or Li Lu had spread the word.

Lai Jiajia had heard rumors, but this was the first time someone had said it so boldly.

"Xu Yaxiang, you're talking nonsense!"

Xu Yaxiang sneered as she entered from the door, "It is said that your father crawled out from the belly of a lowly maid; Old Master Lai had few direct descendants, and that's why your father was kept."

These words, once spread, could not only damage her father's reputation but also affect hers and her brother's future lives. Lai Jiajia felt utterly chilled by these words, her body cold and trembling.

Noticing her severe trembling, Leng Yu Yan squeezed her hand and stared coldly toward Miss Xu.

"You should know that the affairs of those days were..." Xu Yaxiang suddenly felt the icy gaze of Leng Yu Yan, cold as frost and sharp as a knife, causing her to shiver and hurriedly shut her mouth.

Leng Yu Yan quickly pulled candy from her wallet, her knuckles poised to strike—

It was at this moment that the teacher bellowed, "What is all this noise about? What kind of behavior is this?"

Leng Yu Yan then held back.

"Everyone proceed to the academy grounds; today the Crown Prince graces the academy, bringing with him the late Empress's calligraphy. You may all witness his elegance," the teacher said sternly, his face ashen. "The atmosphere here is foul; do not lose your decorum in front of the Crown Prince!"

The crowd nodded, "Yes, teacher."

The teacher glanced at Leng Yu Yan, this one who had entered the school on her status as the prospective Crown Princess Consort and had reportedly even refused marriage at court. Such a rule-breaker, he must indeed make a clear statement to her.

"Leng Yu Yan, although you have been granted marriage to the Crown Prince, currently, you are a student of the academy. As a student, you ought to abide by the academy's rules. Do you understand?"

Those who had been mocking her earlier now snickered.

Leng Yu Yan's expression remained indifferent: "The student understands."

--

Springtime was brimming, and the spring flowers blushed.

The academy grounds were filled with female students of various sorts.

Ye Yiheng, accompanied by Jian Lecheng, ascended the high platform.

"Your Highness, I can't understand how the ugly Leng girl could enter Xinya Academy?" He glanced below, where among the many beautiful young girls, only the ugly Leng girl, wearing a veil, was noticeably out of place.

Truly a blight on the landscape!

"Shut up!" Ye Yiheng's handsome brows twitched.

The Mountain Master of the academy hurried over, bowing respectfully, "Welcome, Your Highness! Welcome, Young Master!"

Then, along with the teachers and students, they all bowed deeply, "We greet Your Highness!"

Ye Yiheng slightly raised his hand, "Dispense with the formalities."

The crowd rose.