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

Leng Yu Yan took a step forward, performing a formal bow, "Granddaughter pays respects to Grandmother, daughter pays respects to Father."

Madam Lai concealed the surprise in her eyes, "It's good to have you back, Yu Yan, but why are you wearing a veil?"

"The granddaughter had blemishes that couldn't be removed from her face, ultimately I had no choice," she responded calmly, ignoring the looks from the people around her.

Hearing this, Madam Lai sighed softly, about to offer a few words of comfort, when her eldest son, Leng Zongfa spoke, "No matter, no matter."

Whether her looks were ruined or not, as long as she could serve as a pawn for the Leng Family, it was enough.

Leng Yu Yan smiled faintly.

A few short words, all revealing cold detachment.

"Feng Shi, with a smile, stepped forward, "You're finally back, Yu Yan. When you have time, go offer incense to your mother at the ancestral hall."

Leng Yu Yan nodded slightly, "Thank you for the reminder, Aunt Feng."

Feng Shi had been elevated to a higher status, yet still, she didn't change her expression when called in this manner.

Leng Zongfa rebuked, "Show some respect, should you still call her Aunt Feng?"

Feng Shi quickly pulled Leng Zongfa to calm him, "My lord, do not be angry. It's understandable she hasn't adapted to the change yet. I dare not compare myself with sister, I'll be content if I could achieve one-tenth of what she did."

Lai Manting stepped forward enthusiastically, taking Leng Yu Yan's arm, "Sister, I've missed you day and night during these years you weren't home. Seeing you looking well and your skin so fair, I don't even know how to express my joy."

People with different expressions echoed her sentiments in unison.

Leng Yu Yan's eyes smiled as she watched them play their parts.

Just then, a eunuch's loud voice announced, "Imperial decree arriving—"

Everyone knelt down.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees, 'The Fifth Miss of Marquis Ningyuan's Mansion, Leng Yu Yan, virtuous and well-mannered, is now bestowed in marriage to Crown Prince Ye Yiheng to be the Crown Princess Consort…'"

Leng Yu Yan's lips under the veil slightly curved, so these people were not only waiting for her but also for the imperial decree.

Everyone in the capital knew she was the foremost ugly woman, how ironic for the Emperor to describe her as virtuous and well-mannered.

Yet, to be bestowed as the Crown Princess Consort...

How had this fallen to her?

It seemed her dreams were not just mere flights of fancy.

"Thus I decree!"

Following the eunuch's singing declaration, Leng Zongfa accepted the decree.

The Imperial Decree Eunuch, with a smile plastered on his face, said, "Marquis, please have Miss Leng come to the palace later to express her thanks."

"Of course," Leng Zongfa nodded, slipping him a red envelope and gesturing for tea and refreshments to be brought forth.

Shortly after, Leng Yu Yan returned to her bedroom to rest, and the other guests gradually left the hall, leaving the Marquis and Old Madam to chat idly with the Imperial Decree Eunuch.

In the back courtyard, Lai Manting paced restlessly.

Seeing her daughter's trembling form, Feng Shi pulled her to a secluded place and, ensuring no one was near, whispered, "Do you regret it, regret giving the position of Crown Princess Consort to that little girl?"

"Mother, the Crown Prince is short-lived, blind, and a useless man, I do not regret it."

"Then why are you so agitated?"

"What makes me angry is that she has become so graceful?" Lai Manting's eyes flashed with jealousy.

"But isn't her face blemished? She certainly cannot compare to my dear daughter!" Feng Shi patted her daughter's hand, "Besides, when the Crown Prince passes away, it remains to be seen whether that little girl will survive or not."

Lai Manting's eyes lit up, "Mother, what do you mean?"

Mrs. Feng curved her lips into a sneer and whispered in her ear.

"Die for love?" Lai Manting asked in confusion, "How would she agree?"

"Silly girl, we'll tell people it's a love death, claiming she was deeply in love with the Crown Prince. This will show that the daughters of the Leng Family value love and loyalty. It would be beneficial for your future, we can't let her die in vain," Mrs. Feng said affectionately as she caressed her daughter's cheek.

How could the daughter of that woman ever compare to her own?

Elsewhere, Leng Yu Yan arrived at the Qingyu Residence, where the original owner had once lived.

A familiar sensation as if she had truly lived here before.

It felt as if the original owner was her, and she was the original owner.

However, the courtyard was not as lively as in the past, and all her maids were nowhere to be seen, with only one old woman sweeping the floor.

The arranged marriage was too sudden for her, and having just arrived in the capital city, now she had to enter the palace, there were some circumstances she urgently needed to understand. She had hoped to ask around in the dwelling, but things were not the same.

No matter, it was worth asking whoever was available. Thinking thus, Leng Yu Yan approached the old woman: "Do you know why the Emperor suddenly arranged a marriage with the Leng Residence?"

As she spoke, she made a gesture, and Miao Zhu understood immediately, placing an ingot of silver on the stone table.

The old woman glanced at the silver but did not take it: "This matter is no secret, everyone in the capital knows it, but Miss has just returned and might not be aware."

"How did you know I belong to this residence?"

"Qingyu Residence normally has no visitors, and today's cleaning was because the Miss was returning to the residence," the old woman slowly lifted her head, "The key point is, Miss, your eyes are strikingly similar to the late Madam's."

Leng Yu Yan exclaimed, "You are Mrs. Zhao?"

Mrs. Zhao suddenly knelt on the ground with a thud: "After the young master and the lady passed away one after another, the Miss was driven out of the residence. I could only pretend to be deaf and dumb to stay till today and see the Miss!"

While she had been sweeping, she had heard someone coming in, but out of habit, she pretended not to hear. Only when she heard a voice as pleasant as the late Madam in her youth did she realize that the Miss had returned!

Leng Yu Yan personally helped her up: "Mrs. Zhao, you have suffered!"

Mrs. Zhao shook her head and, taking a good look at her young mistress, lowered her voice: "Because the Crown Prince is blind, the Emperor intends to depose him. To compensate, he plans to find a wife for the Crown Prince, but which family would agree?"

Miao Zhu blurted out, "Why? Even if the Crown Prince were blind and deposed, he is still a Prince. Why would no one agree to marry him?"

Mrs. Zhao glanced at the gate of the courtyard: "The Crown Prince is not only blind but also frail and not expected to live many years. It is said he has a hidden ailment."

"A hidden ailment, what is it?" Miao Zhu frowned and inquired further.

Mrs. Zhao quietly murmured, embarrassed: "He is impotent, under these circumstances, which family would willingly send their perfectly fine daughter into such a predicament?"

Upon hearing this, Leng Yu Yan strangely recalled those dreams where he had a bandaged eye and claimed solitude, reflecting the reality.

But now, she heard that the Crown Prince had a hidden ailment while the man in her dreams...

Could some information in the dreams be inaccurate?

At that moment, Mrs. Zhao continued, "The Tian Family seeks a noble daughter from a noble family for a son's bride, and specifically a legitimate daughter. Why wouldn't a noble family bet on other Princes instead?"

"Why did they choose our Miss then?" Miao Zhu was indignant.

"Initially, they had their eyes on the Third Miss, but the master and madam were anxious, hence they went to the palace, not knowing what they told the Emperor, the Emperor actually agreed to let the Fifth Miss replace the Third Miss."

Marquis Ningyuan's daughter, Leng Zongfa, had many daughters, but the legitimate ones were only the Fifth Miss Leng Yu Yan, born to the principal wife, and the Third Miss Lai Manting, born to Mrs. Feng.

Having heard this, Leng Yu Yan had Miao Zhu and Mrs. Zhao stay in the courtyard while she entered the bedroom.

After several days of travel, the mask she had been wearing on her face had started to peel.

Just in case, she carefully reapplied the mask.

At this moment in the Eastern Palace, Ye Yiheng, his eyes covered by a white cloth, was playing a game of chess with Jian Lecheng, with a little eunuch singing the moves for the Crown Prince.