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

Leng Yu Yan curtsied, "I have seen Consort Xian."

　　"You are too polite." Consort Xian smiled ever more kindly, "This morning, you helped the Emperor expose the fake divine doctor, which as an elder, made me deeply gratified."

　　As she spoke, she grabbed Leng Yu Yan's hand, "We haven't seen each other for some days, I have missed you dearly, hence I specially invited you here."

　　"Princess's concern flatters me greatly." Leng Yu Yan bowed her head in a submissive reply.

　　Seeing this, Consort Xian smiled and nodded slightly, pulling her to sit down and raising her hand to instruct a palace maid to bring tea and refreshments.

　　After casually chatting about family matters, Consort Xian dismissed everyone around and placed her teacup down, "Since you returned to the capital, some time has already passed, have you thought clear about what you ought to do?"

　　Leng Yu Yan calmly replied, "I am slow-witted, I still need guidance from Your Highness."

　　Consort Xian immediately furrowed her brows, "You could expose the fake divine doctor, the Emperor praised your intelligence, did you really not understand what I said that day?"

　　Leng Yu Yan replied confusedly, "That day, Your Highness told me why the Leng Family was given Marquis Ningyuan's Mansion. I pondered it for many days, deeply aware of Your Highness's great contribution. With such a grand favor from Your Highness towards the Leng Family, I have nothing to repay you with but my deepest gratitude and tears."

　　"Enough, you are only newly of age, I shall allow you more time to think." Consort Xian's eyes flashed with a fierce look, which disappeared in the blink of an eye, then a smile surfaced, changing the topic, "Aunt also knows you and Man Ting are alike, neither wanting to marry the Crown Prince, after all, the Crown Prince..."

　　She did not continue further, just quietly watched Leng Yu Yan, to see if she would follow her cue and ask the question.

　　The corner of Leng Yu Yan's lips under her veil curved, "Your Highness, how is the Crown Prince?"

　　Her tone was anxious, her concern clearly overflowing.

　　Consort Xian sighed softly, "Today, the Crown Prince's cold disease acted up, the imperial physicians went but saw no improvement."

　　Upon hearing this, Leng Yu Yan frowned deeply.

　　Seeing her expression, Consort Xian sensed an opportunity, and whispered comfortingly, "As an elder, I naturally wish to see you prosper. If your marriage with the Crown Prince is fixed, you will marry over, and few days after..."

　　Her voice choked up, her tone was mournful, clearly showing concern for her junior's well-being.

　　"Your Highness?"

　　"Do you still see me as an outsider?" Consort Xian sniffed, tenderly patting her hand, "Call me Aunt."

　　Leng Yu Yan felt a wave of nausea inside, suppressed it, and then softly called, "Aunt."

　　"Today, go visit the Crown Prince, take something on my behalf, and say it's your own heartfelt gesture." Consort Xian stood up, grabbed a food box from the shelf, and placed it in front of Leng Yu Yan, "Open it and take a look."

　　Leng Yu Yan opened it and saw that inside were three layers of cakes, each small and exquisitely made, with no unusual smell upon close inspection.

　　At this moment, a cheerful voice came from outside.

　　"Mother Consort—"

　　Upon hearing this, Consort Xian smiled at Leng Yu Yan, "Prince Liang has arrived."

　　Leng Yu Yan put down the lid, turned around and saw a young man with a clear and elegant demeanour stepping in quickly.

　　The visitor's lips slightly curved, his nose high, and his long eyebrows stretching to his temples. Adorned with a brocade robe and a jade crown, and jade belt and brocade boots, he was the picture of refined elegance.

　　Leng Yu Yan bowed, "I have seen Prince Liang."

　　Upon seeing her, the man smiled slightly, "No formalities are needed."

　　His eyes clearly smiled, yet the smile did not reach the bottom of his eyes, as if considering everything beneath him.

　　"Mother Consort's cakes here are extremely delicate, may your son taste a few pieces?"

　　As he spoke, Prince Liang reached out to pick a pastry, but Consort Xian slapped his hand away.

　　"These are for Yu Yan to give to the Crown Prince, yours are in the small kitchen."

　　A hint of panic flashed through Consort Xian's eyes, but she quickly composed herself, and seeing this, Leng Yu Yan made a mental note.

　　She covered the box, picked up the food box, and bid farewell to Consort Xian.

　　Consort Xian smiled and nodded, raising her hand to dispatch two palace maids to escort Leng Yu Yan to the Eastern Palace.

　　Just as they left Chenglan Palace's main hall, the voice of Prince Liang could be heard, "Was the person just now the ugly girl of the Leng Family?"

　　"Keep your voice down, she just left."

　　"The Princess worries too much, she can't hear." Prince Liang sneered with contempt.

She was indeed an ugly girl, compared to Man Ting, she and heaven and earth were as different as night and day.

Leng Yu Yan slightly tilted her head, her brows lightly raised.

They had been walking for about half an hour, and the grand gate of the Eastern Palace was now close in front of them, where Leng Yu Yan stopped.

"Two palace maid sisters, I can go to the Eastern Palace by myself. It looks like it's going to rain soon; if you don't head back now, you might get caught in it."

The people of the Eastern Palace all had their quirks and none of them would welcome those from Chenglan Palace, the two palace maids knew well they couldn't enter the Eastern Palace, and if they were to get wet, their status wouldn't allow them to seek medical treatment from the Imperial Physician.

Getting caught in the rain during the chilly spring was the last thing they would want.

Thinking of this, the palace maids simultaneously agreed, bowed politely, and quickly turned back.

Seeing them running off into the distance, Leng Yu Yan tiptoed to a corner of the wall and hid.

She placed the food box on the ground and took out a pastry, breaking it open.

Angered, she tossed the pastry onto the ground.

Consort Xian is malicious!

The pastry was filled with intestinal rupture powder!

No wonder Consort Xian didn't let Prince Liang eat it and instead had her deliver it to the Crown Prince in her name.

Once delivered, whether the Crown Prince ate it or not, she would be doomed.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew, and heavy rain fell abruptly.

--

At this moment inside Chenglan Palace, Consort Xian sneered as she watched the curtain of rain.

Today, Leng Yu Yan neither agreed on the spot to help her nor did she refuse.

Such was the most genuine response.

Had she agreed immediately, Consort Xian would have feared that Leng Yu Yan might be suspected by Ye Yiheng, raising his guard.

Now the situation was perfect.

With such heavy rain, Leng Yu Yan could only be trapped in the Eastern Palace.

If the Crown Prince died from eating the pastry, the person who could not escape suspicion and bore the greatest suspicion would be Leng Yu Yan!

Prince Liang sat at the table, leisurely eating a pastry, "Mother, did you stop me from eating the food in the box just because it was meant for the Crown Prince?"

"You child, can't you keep your mouth shut when eating?" Consort Xian turned around, smiling warmly, "Look at you, all grown up yet acting like a child? You even have crumbs at the corner of your mouth."

Prince Liang's face wore a faint smile as he wiped away the crumbs, "In mother's eyes, I will always be a child."

"Of course, you and Seventh Brother are both my children, all that I do is for you and your brother!"

Prince Liang bowed his head, biting into a large piece of pastry.

Consort Xian was good to him, not short of food, often praised him, and gave him generous gifts during holidays.

But she was much stricter with the Seventh Brother, almost the same with food, but rarely praised him, and even sometimes reprimanded him. Because of this, the Seventh Brother was very motivated.

As a child, he thought Consort Xian loved him more than the Seventh Brother.

It was only as he grew older that he realized it was a setup.

She was nurturing his vanity, always indulging his wishes.

Even when Father Emperor reprimanded him, she would step in to shield him. After Father Emperor's reprimands, she would incessantly praise him, causing him to become overly proud.

The most sinister strategy to destroy someone is through setup.

The reason being, the Seventh Brother was her own flesh and blood, while he was merely adopted by her after his birth mother died.

She always thought he was unaware, but he had known for a long time.

Now, as she targeted the Crown Prince, he naturally was pleased to see it happen.

Without lifting a finger, he would benefit from the fisherman's gain.

Excellent!