Although it was summer, she still developed a high fever after being soaked in seawater all night. Su Yunmo arranged for a maid to make her a bowl of ginger soup, which he then slowly fed to her. He covered her with a light blanket, and once she sweated profusely, the fever should subside.
Su Yunmo remained quietly by the bedside, secretly contemplating the unpredictable future: "Regardless of whether she is the Crown Princess or not, this girl is a pawn that can be used. Now that he has saved her life, it should be easy to get her to do things for him in the future!"
"Your Highness, you..." Duan Feng couldn't help but feel uneasy when he saw the prince personally guarding this unknown girl.
"It's alright, you can go out now!" After sending Duan Feng away, Su Yunmo continued to silently plot.
"Zhengyang? Are you there?" She mumbled something, and it was impossible to hear what she was saying.
Su Yunmo moved closer.
"Zheng Yang!" Amidst the broken voice, Su Yunmo not only heard a hint of anxiety, but also clearly recognized the name.
Was she really calling for Su Zhengyang? Su Yunmo tentatively called her name: "Yi Qing!"
The person on the bed suddenly threw off the covers, exposing her smooth arms, with beads of sweat seeping from her tiny pores. The fever should be breaking by now! But why did Su Yunmo feel still so confused?
"Yi Qing!" Su Yunmo probed again.
As if she heard his voice, she stretched out her arms and groped around haphazardly. Without hesitation, Su Yunmo reached out and grabbed her delicate little hand.
She grew increasingly uneasy in her sleep, warm tears streaming down her face. They melted a small, deep corner of his heart, though he was completely unaware of it at the moment.
---Aside---
If you like it, please remember to add it to your bookshelf.
Chapter 4: First Meeting with the Imperial Uncle
In a hazy, indistinct state, everything around her seemed like a veil, like a thin mist, so blurry that it was impossible to distinguish between a dream and reality. Leng Yiqing tried to open her eyes wide, attempting to see her surroundings clearly. However, it was all in vain; all she knew was that at this moment, she was still floating, presumably still floating on the sea.
But why can't I feel the coolness of the seawater? Have I become numb from being in the water? Where is Su Zhengyang? We fell into the water together, so where is he? Could he be like the protagonist in *Titanic*, giving the lifeboat to his beloved woman and sinking to the bottom of the sea himself?
"Zhengyang? Are you there?" She seemed to be clinging tightly to the plank, swimming through the mist towards an unknown future, calling out, her heart pounding in her chest. "Zhengyang? Say something!" Her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She continued to swim around, though she couldn't see where she was going or what was around her. She persisted, sustained by a strong belief in her heart—she had to find him. But tears welled up uncontrollably, each drop stinging her hand, as if slowly eroding her resolve.
"Zhengyang..." He called out anxiously, but received no response.
The fog grew thicker and the air thinner, making even breathing difficult. Leng Yiqing gradually felt powerless.
"Yiqing!" Tears, almost dried up, surged forth with this gentle call. She pushed aside the wooden plank in front of her, desperately trying to paddle towards the sound, faster! Faster! But why did it seem to grow ever more distant?
"Yi Qing!" The voice grew increasingly uncertain, shifting from left to right, becoming even more elusive in the chaos.
Leng Yiqing reached out, groping around in a slightly flustered state. Suddenly, the clear sense of touch made her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, settle down. Her blurry vision slowly cleared, and a figure that was all too familiar appeared.
"Zhengyang!" She held tightly to the warmth that seemed so fragile, wanting to pull him closer.
But things never go as planned. No matter how tightly she held on, it was bound to slip away eventually. The color of the large hand in her hand gradually faded, became blurred, and lost its warmth. Leng Yiqing hurriedly stretched out both hands and grasped it tightly, trying to transfer her body heat to him.
Tears fell heavily onto those almost transparent hands, stirring up puffs of smoke. As the smoke cleared, her vision cleared, and she found herself grasping only cold air in her empty hands. The thick fog around her dissipated, and she suddenly realized that she was lying in a bed. Was this a hospital?
But why are the hospital rooms so low? And why is the ceiling made of such raw wood? And it even seems to be swaying slightly? Could it be that I'm still on the ship, and that was just a nightmare?
"Zhengyang!" She suddenly sat up, searching for Su Zhengyang's whereabouts.
She was momentarily stunned by what she was seeing.
Through a small window directly opposite the bed, one can see the calm sea and the morning glow in the distance. Although the room is small and located by the sea, it feels neither cold nor damp. Everything is made of antique-style golden nanmu wood, from the ceiling to the walls, from the bed to the round table, with exquisite and delicate carvings and the occasional waft of the wood's natural fragrance.
A disheveled man leaned lazily against the bed, staring blankly at another part of the room. Sensing movement beside him, he immediately turned his head.
With a hint of a smile in her eyes, she said, "Yiqing, you're awake!" Her tone was full of tenderness and concern.
The unfamiliar surroundings, the strange man before her, and his ancient attire made Leng Yiqing suspect that someone was playing a prank on her.
She suddenly remembered that she had fallen into the water, and that it happened during Su Zhengyang's wedding night...
She looked down, and sure enough, the blanket had slipped off as she sat up, exposing her snow-white upper body completely naked to his and her gaze.
"Ah!" She hurriedly pulled the blanket up, wrapping herself tightly. But she saw he still had that same gentle smile and those same eyes, showing no sign of embarrassment. What kind of man was this? How could he feel no desire whatsoever after seeing her perfect body? Could it be that while he was unconscious, he had already…
She angrily raised her hand, pointed at him, and demanded, "Tell me, have you already...?"
Su Yunmo's eyes were filled with doting affection as he smiled and stroked Leng Yiqing's long hair: "Silly girl, how could your royal uncle treat you like that!"
"Royal Uncle? I don't know you! What kind of joke are you playing? Where's the other man? Have you seen the other man?" Being pranked was bad enough, but to take the joke so far, leaving her naked in front of another man, even with her good temper, she couldn't tolerate it anymore.
"You're not Leng Yiqing?" Su Yunmo seemed somewhat disappointed. If she really was Leng Yiqing, then things would be easier to handle.
There was no hint of jest in his eyes, only a serious expression, a stark contrast to his gentle demeanor just moments before. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but outwardly remained nonchalant: "I am Leng Yiqing! And who are you? Where am I?"
"You are now on my ship." He could evade questions about the identity of someone of unknown origin.
"I'm asking what country we're in now? What dynasty? Who's the emperor?"
Faced with such questions, even the usually wise and calm Su Yunmo began to feel confused. What kind of woman was she? Had she lost her memory? Would someone with amnesia still remember their own name? Would someone with amnesia still think about finding another man upon waking up?
"This is Yilong Kingdom, the fifth year of the Heavenly Dynasty, Emperor Su Haotian." After answering her series of questions in one breath, Su Yunmo wanted to see what other unexpected questions she would ask.
As a shrewd and capable executive director from the 21st century, she had to rethink this matter; it seemed she had traveled through time. However, she knew that no matter where she was, she should proactively adapt to her environment. So, after confirming that she was indeed in another world, she knew that the most important thing now was how to survive here.
“You know me! I am Leng Yiqing! Then tell me, who am I? I’ve been in the sea for too long, and there are many things I can’t remember clearly!” She said firmly, her clear eyes meeting his increasingly deep gaze, making it impossible for him to doubt the truth of her words.
"In that case, you should stay at my residence for now! Because if you go back now, there will probably be a lot of trouble." If she really wasn't Leng Yiqing, Su Yunmo suddenly had another plan. Taking her back to his residence was the most important thing at the moment.
In any case, this was Leng Yiqing's only way out at the moment, so she agreed without hesitation.
---Aside---
We haven't gotten to the main topic yet, so please be patient!
Add it to your bookshelf and nurture the story; I guarantee it will become more and more exciting.
Chapter 5: The Gentle Imperial Uncle
Nestled among lush greenery, pavilions, terraces, ponds, rockeries, flowerbeds, and bonsai create a refreshing and unconventional ambiance. The white stucco walls combined with light red roof tiles, continuous archways and corridors, and a high-ceilinged living room with large windows all combine to create a pleasing and delightful space.
This was the temporary lodging that Su Yunmo had arranged for Leng Yiqing. He knew perfectly well that if he rashly brought her back to the manor, it would surely cause a huge uproar. He had to first confirm whether the Leng Yiqing in the Crown Prince's manor was still there, or rather, whether he should simply let this Leng Yiqing replace the real Leng Yiqing.
So, upon returning to his residence, the first thing Su Zhengyang did was to send Duan Feng to the Crown Prince's residence to investigate. The result was that the Crown Princess had disappeared. However, out of consideration for the reputation of the Crown Prince's residence, Su Zhengyang did not publicize it widely, but secretly sent some people to search for her throughout the capital.
Su Yunmo was very excited upon receiving the news, which gave him an opportunity.
If this is indeed the Crown Princess, but she has lost her memory, then she can now implant a new past into her mind, making herself seem great in her eyes.
However, if this is not the real Crown Princess, but an identical woman, then now is the most opportune time to replace her.
After much deliberation, he finally decided to go and find out what was going on with her, hoping to discern the truth from her words.
********* ...
Leng Yiqing sat upright in her room, staring blankly out the window. The wind was still blowing gently, and judging by the sky, it seemed quite late, yet she felt no sleepiness whatsoever. During the day, Su Yunmo had revealed his own identity and hers to her, and she needed time to carefully consider her current situation.
She, or rather Leng Yiqing, was the Crown Princess personally appointed by the Emperor three years ago. The current Crown Prince is Su Zhengyang, the Empress's son and Su Yunmo's nephew.
But why was he, as the imperial uncle, not in a hurry to send her back to the Crown Prince's residence, but instead kept her here? Could it be, as he said, that he was trying to exonerate himself? Or did he realize that she wasn't the real Leng Yiqing and had some other ulterior motive?
A soft knock sounded at the door, and Leng Yiqing, slightly snapping out of her daze, opened it. A woman in a white robe, her long hair loosely tied back with a jade belt, looked at her with seemingly casual yet concerned eyes: "Yiqing, I was passing by and saw your light was still on. What's wrong? It's so late, aren't you asleep?"
"Thank you for your concern, Imperial Uncle. I just want to remember things from the past as soon as possible!"
He welcomed Su Yunmo into the room, then sat back down on the low stool by the window, listlessly leaning on the windowsill.
"Yiqing, don't be too anxious. Your royal uncle has thought about it and decided to send you back tomorrow morning. Perhaps you'll remember some things after you get back." Su Yunmo's gentle voice always provides a sense of comfort.
Hearing this, Leng Yiqing turned around and looked at him, wanting to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. But what she saw was a look of certainty.
Leng Yiqing paused slightly, faced with a choice between staying and returning. She was actually more afraid to go back. She didn't know if the Leng Yiqing in the Crown Prince's residence was still there, nor how the Crown Prince would handle the Crown Princess's absence at night. A fleeting worry crossed her eyes, but Su Yunmo easily caught it.
"Don't be afraid, Uncle is here for you!" He took Leng Yiqing's cold little hand and patted it gently, as if to give her a lot of comfort.
In such an unfamiliar environment, could she really only rely on this royal uncle? Leng Yiqing's heart was constantly in her throat.
"Then please tell me more about the past, Uncle!" Regardless of whether what the uncle says is true or false, knowing more is always better than knowing nothing at all.
Su Yunmo slowly walked to the table, poured two cups of tea, and held his own cup. He paced around the room, pondering what kind of past he should arrange for her. He quickly came to an answer: perhaps it would be good to let her know about Leng Yiqing's family background, after all, he was just an imperial uncle.
"Your father is a great general of the Celestial Empire and the current Empress's cousin. So you and Su Zhengyang can be considered cousins! I don't know why Su Zhengyang suddenly wanted to marry you, but not long after you were married, he fell in love with someone else and brought back another woman. As for the rest, your uncle doesn't know much." Su Yunmo said this casually, secretly observing her reaction.
She listened intently, seemingly wanting to get more information, because her expectant expression turned somewhat dejected at the abrupt end of his words.
"Well……"
"I'm sorry, Uncle, that's all I know." Looking at his eyes full of guilt and listening to his sincere apology, Leng Yiqing felt a tiny bit moved. He must be a very good uncle!
Night deepened, and the clear night sky, even the stars, were so beautiful—a sight rarely seen in modern cities. In this tranquil night, she felt as if her soul had been purified, and with her gentle royal uncle by her side, she suddenly felt no longer afraid, and her whole being felt so relaxed and at ease.
---Aside---
Thank you everyone for your continued support! I'm starting to update my posts again! However, since it's Chinese New Year, I might only be able to update every few days!
Chapter Six: Truth and Falsehood