Please Get Better Soon

"If I don't speak to the Emperor, you'll all have to rely on Consort Xian's favor. Either way, I'll be the one who suffers, you'll offend someone, and Consort Xian will benefit the whole thing."

She reached out and patted him a few times. "Consort Xian, what a brilliant plan! I admire you!"

Several concubines and beauties immediately changed their expressions, looking at Consort Xian with disbelief.

Noble Consort Cen's smile vanished abruptly, and she stared at Consort Xian with a cold laugh, "Back when I was playing these tricks with Consort Jin and Consort De, you were probably still playing in the mud somewhere. What, now that they're gone and I'm old, you think this harem is your domain?"

She turned to the young eunuch and instructed him, "Go and report everything that just happened to the Emperor."

The young eunuch agreed and began to back away.

Consort Xian's face turned pale instantly. She stepped forward and grabbed Noble Consort Cen's hand, saying, "No, no! Sister, I was wrong. I won't do it again. Please forgive me this time. I was blinded by greed."

She came from a minor aristocratic family, and her son was still young. She had always lived a very cautious life, afraid of being targeted and harming her son.

Now that she saw no hope with the Second Prince or the Fifth Prince, she wanted to test whether her status in the palace had improved and to gauge Noble Consort Cen's attitude.

She thought that even if Noble Consort Cen Gao Xing, she wouldn't dare to disrespect Noble Consort Cen Sixth Prince because he was the Emperor's only prince who was still alive and well.

Unexpectedly, Noble Consort Cen was so stubborn that she immediately summoned someone to find the Emperor.

Noble Consort Cen flung her hand away and snapped at the hesitant eunuch, "Why aren't you going yet? Are you waiting to see your head roll?"

The little eunuch scrambled through the crowd and ran towards the palace gate.

Cen Peixuan, standing at the back of the crowd, gripped her handkerchief tightly.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to her, she whispered to Nanny Chen, "Let's go."

Seeing that Cen Peixuan was still walking very fast after leaving the palace, Nanny Chen was worried about her and advised, "Your Highness, please slow down and be careful of your stomach."

Cen Peixuan then slowed her pace.

Seeing that she looked more relaxed and that no one was around, Nanny Chen whispered to comfort her, "Don't be afraid. Didn't you see how well the Imperial Concubine has dealt with these people? They can't cause any trouble."

Cen Peixuan shook her head, walked out of the palace gate, got into the carriage, and didn't say a word until she returned to the Prince of An's Residence.

Inside the Prince of An's Residence, Xiao Lingpu was playing chess with his retainer Lu Fei, while another retainer Liu Tingrun, watched the game.

Lu Fei slowly placed the chess piece on the board, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Your Highness, I feel that Consort of the Prince of Qi seems a little restless."

Xiao Lingpu glanced at Lu Fei but said nothing.

Lu Fei, trying to gauge Xiao Lingpu's attitude, continued, "Prince of Qi is lying there unable to move, and instead of serving Prince of Qi at home, Consort of the Prince of Qi is making a big splash in court. I heard that the Emperor has repeatedly sent people to invite her to take up an official position, but she has refused."

"As a result, the ministers who previously disapproved of her being an official will likely change their opinions of her considerably."

Xiao Lingpu placed a chess piece, remained silent for a long time, and then said, "Little Five's illness doesn't seem to be faked."

Lu Fei and Liu Tingrun exchanged a glance, then remained silent.

At this moment, Nanny Chen came in, leaned close to Xiao Lingpu Xiao Lingpu's ear, and told him what had happened in the palace.

Lu Fei and Liu Tingrun were both Xiao Lingpu's confidants. Before he was injured, he had Xiao Lingyan. After Xiao Lingpu, he dismissed most of his retainers, leaving only these two confidants.

When Nanny Chen reported this, she didn't avoid the two of them. Although her voice was low, Lu Fei and Liu Tingrun both heard it.

A mocking smile appeared on Lu Fei's lips, "Consort Xian is certainly in a hurry."

Liu Tingrun shook his head, stroking his beard, and said, "This man is nothing to fear."

If Consort Xian were shrewd, she wouldn't need to do anything. She could simply live a quiet life, carefully raising the Sixth Prince, and enjoy endless glory. Regardless of whether the Sixth Prince ultimately ascends the throne, Emperor Xiao Ge and the next emperor would not mistreat her.

But now, with the Sixth Prince still so far from coming of age, it's unwise for her to rush out and provoke Noble Consort Cen.

Xiao Lingpu remained silent.

Lu Fei and Liu Tingrun were used to him keeping his thoughts to himself and not saying anything.

Lu Fei nodded in agreement, saying, "That's why the Imperial Concubine didn't take her seriously at all and directly beat her to a pulp."

If she were a formidable person, Noble Consort Cen would naturally be patient and even help Consort Xian conceal the truth from the Emperor.

If we indulge Consort Xian more and more, and let her run rampant in the palace, then we can have the other concubines and beauties complain to the Emperor. Even with the Sixth Prince around, the Emperor will certainly not let Consort Xian off the hook.

Noble Consort Cen's style was to eliminate the enemy without shedding blood.

Today, she chose to stand her ground. Firstly, Consort Xian herself is not clever enough to be a threat; secondly, it is estimated that Consort Xian's actions have stepped on Noble Consort Cen's sore spot.

Nanny Chen was an old servant in the palace who had watched Xiao Lingpu grow up. Later, Noble Consort Cen bestowed her upon Cen Peixuan under the pretext of educating her.

She remained silent as she listened to Lu Fei and Liu Tingrun's discussion.

Seeing that neither of them had spoken again, she continued, "The princess must have been frightened today. She didn't utter a sound on the way back."

Xiao Lingpu then tossed the chess piece into the board, leaned back in his chair, and gave a cryptic smile, "Good that you're scared now."

He raised his head and instructed the nanny, "Tell her more about the palace's shady dealings, so she'll go to the palace less often and stay obediently in her residence."

"Yes."

Xiao Lingpu stood up. "Let's go, come with me to see Little Five."

Although the injury on his hand hadn't fully healed, it no longer prevented him from going out and walking around.

The group went to the Prince of Qi's Residence together. They looked at Xiao Lingyan Xiao Lingyan saw that he was still the same as before, only able to speak but unable to move. Xiao Lingpu himself couldn't tell whether he was disappointed or relieved.

Undeniably, he still harbored some desire for the throne.

Although he was crippled, he could still inherit the throne if his father had no other choice.

Worried that Xiao Lingyan be bored, Zhao Ruxi would read to him or talk to him whenever he was lucid.

She had avoided him when she heard that Prince of An was coming. Now that she heard that Prince of An had left, she came out and sat down next to Xiao Lingyan.

Before Xiao Lingpu arrived, Xiao Lingyan had already heard reports from his subordinates about the events in the palace.

Upon seeing Zhao Ruxi, he smiled at her and said, "See, you couldn't resist anymore."

Zhao Ruxi sighed and grasped his hand, "So what? Can the Emperor really wipe them all out?"

She buried her face in his hands, her voice muffled, "Get well soon."

Stroking Xiao Lingyan's hand, Zhao Ruxi looked up at him and said, "You don't want to get better, is it because of me? Don't you want me to get pregnant too soon?"

Xiao Lingyan in surprise, "How did you know?"