Deep Affection
The moment she stepped out the door, Xiao Lingyan glared at Zhao Ruxi and said, "Take off the covers! Do you want your husband to die of heatstroke?"
Zhao Ruxi quickly pulled back the thin blanket for him, then gently wiped the light sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, and said with an embarrassed smile, "If I didn't cover you with this blanket, do you believe that your mother would come over tomorrow to demand an explanation, and send Auntie Yu to stay here and not leave?"
Xiao Lingyan silent.
He looked at Zhao Ruxi silently for a while, then said, "I really hope I'll feel better tomorrow."
Zhao Ruxi paused in wiping her sweat, then nodded vigorously at Xiao Lingyan, agreeing, "Okay."
She understood Xiao Lingyan's intention to remain paralyzed for a year or two.
True friendship is revealed in times of adversity. Without experiencing hardship, you'll never know whether the person smiling at you all day is a friend or a foe.
Once he recovers, he will become the crown prince, and eventually, he will sit on the throne. If we don't distinguish between the loyal and the treacherous now, we will truly have no chance later.
A long illness tests filial piety. After being paralyzed for a year or two, he'll be able to see through all sorts of monsters and demons. Even the forces behind the Sixth Prince will probably be eager to make a move.
But she fully agreed with Xiao Lingyan's desire to change his mind.
There are plenty of ways to distinguish between loyalty and treachery; why gamble with your own health?
"But that won't do." Xiao Lingyan sighed deeply. "I have to achieve the goals I set for myself, even if I have to crawl on my knees. But I've already married my wife, yet I can only watch her go without being able to eat her. This kind of life is just too unbearable. I can't stand it for even a day longer."
Zhao Ruxi reached out and touched his face. "Then you'll get better soon."
She straightened her expression and said earnestly, "No matter what, I hope you can stay healthy. Lying in bed like this for too long can cause your muscles to atrophy, damage your body, and make you feel very uncomfortable."
She kissed the corner of his mouth, her eyes tender. "No matter what, your health is the most important thing."
"No, I was just saying. Don't worry about it, I have my own plans," Xiao Lingyan said.
Besides the reason Zhao Ruxi had mentioned, he had another consideration for being paralyzed for a year or two.
He's from modern times, after all. Although he's never been married, he's gone through nine years of compulsory education, so he knows some common sense.
The optimal age for women to give birth is in their twenties; otherwise, modern society wouldn't have set the marriage age at twenty for women and twenty-two for men.
Zhao Ruxi is only sixteen years old now, and her body is not yet fully developed. If she were to consummate the marriage at this time and become pregnant, not only would she be prone to difficult childbirth, but even if she were to give birth smoothly, it would inevitably affect her health and shorten her lifespan.
How could he bear to let Zhao Ruxi suffer like this?
But if both of them are healthy, but Zhao Ruxi doesn't get pregnant, then the entire Great Jin will condemn Zhao Ruxi, and countless people will try to force him to take concubines.
He was the only fully grown prince, and Xiao Ge intended to make him the crown prince. If he and Zhao Ruxi had been married for two years without having a child, even if Xiao Ge gave Kang Shilin and Zhao Ruxi Zhao Ruxi face, he would still have to put pressure on them.
Thinking about the pressure and accusations Zhao Ruxi would have to endure, he would rather be paralyzed for two years.
In a year or two, Zhao Ruxi will be eighteen years old, which will be the most suitable time for her to get pregnant and have a child. Even so, Xiao Lingyan was very worried when he thought about the backwardness of ancient medical technology and the risks during childbirth.
If he could, he would rather not have children.
Zhao Ruxi was concerned about his health, but wasn't he also concerned about hers? Damaging his body was better than Zhao Ruxi risking her life to bear his child, wasn't it?
Zhao Ruxi tried to persuade him for a while, but seeing that she couldn't convince Xiao Lingyan no matter what she did, she had to give up.
Inside the palace, Noble Consort Cen, upon hearing Auntie Yu's report, sighed and said, "Never mind, let them be."
If Xiao Lingyan were in good health, she would definitely send a palace matron to reside permanently at the Prince of Qi's Residence's residence. She needed to have someone help Zhao Ruxi establish the rules for the Prince of Qi's Residence from the very beginning.
No matter how high Zhao Ruxi's IQ or how strong her abilities are, it is undeniable that she spent the first fourteen years of her life growing up in the countryside and the city. In the two years since returning to the Earl of Suiping's Residence, she has focused on studying for exams and has not been involved in any administrative affairs. Now that she is suddenly managing such a large Prince of Qi's Residence, Noble Consort Cen is very worried.
But by sending a nanny to reside permanently at Prince of Qi's Residence, whether with good intentions or bad, it was a slap in the face to Zhao Ruxi. Her son was already in such a state, yet Zhao Ruxi was still willing to marry him. Noble Consort Cen felt that what she was doing was somewhat unethical, and in the eyes of the Emperor and Mister Kumu, it would be seen as bullying Zhao Ruxi.
Since Xiao Lingyan has said so, let them be.
Since Xiao Lingyan told Zhao Ruxi to find another courtyard to live in, after Auntie Yu left, Zhao Ruxi took a stroll around the Prince of Qi's Residence and found a courtyard she liked near the main courtyard. She then had the servants tidy up and move her things in.
She also enjoyed her spicy hot pot with butter at her new home that night.
Xiao Lingyan paralyzed in bed and naturally could not accompany Zhao Ruxi on her homecoming. When it was Zhao Ruxi's turn to return home, she was accompanied by Auntie Yu's Earl of Suiping's Residence.
Noble Consort Cen sent Auntie Yu to replace Xiao Lingyan, worried that her daughter-in-law would be ridiculed by the people of the capital.
Those who were always jealous of Zhao Ruxi's marriage to the Prince of Qi still secretly laughed at her.
Princess Xiangyang, who had always disliked Zhao Ruxi the most, was no longer in the capital.
Prince of Ming and Consort Jin were dead. Although Princess Xiangyang survived because she had half of Xiao Ge's blood, she was not stripped of her title. However, Xiao Ge was worried that his foolish daughter would do something stupid, so he had Wu Huaisi send an official to Lu Shanchu Shan Chu in a remote area. Lu Shanchu took Princess Xiangyang to take up her post in the far south.
Poor Lu Shanchu married the princess, thinking he would live a life of luxury and never have to worry about anything. He even planned to coax Princess Xiangyang into giving him money to buy his parents a house in the capital.
However, when the Prince of Ming was imprisoned and plotted a rebellion, he was almost implicated and lost his life.
He had just escaped with his life. Although he was only assigned to be a county magistrate of the eighth rank, he quickly packed his bags and took Princess Xiangyang, who had always looked down on him and was unwilling to consummate their marriage, to the south.
This might be a good thing for him, who has always been a weak husband and walks on the edge of being cuckolded.
At this moment, the only one who could speak sourly to Zhao Ruxi was Qi Xuan, the young lady from the Duke of Wei's Residence.
She had originally hoped to marry the Prince of Qi. But when she learned that the Prince of Qi was engaged to Zhao Ruxi, whom she looked down upon, the bitterness in her heart almost overwhelmed the entire Duke of Wei's Residence.
Seeing that Zhao Ruxi had become the Consort of the Prince of Qi but had married a paralyzed man, she felt much more at ease.
"So what if she married a prince? So what if she became the Consort of the Prince of Qi? She'll still be living a life of widowhood. In my opinion, that woman was born with a cursed fate."
"She was clearly the legitimate daughter of a marquis, yet she was thrown into the countryside and suffered for fourteen years. She finally married Prince of Qi, but ended up a widow in name only. I think maybe Prince of Qi became like this because he married her."