Jiang Yuelin let out a long sigh of relief and said bluntly, "Why should I agree to your request?"
"Having an ally like me will only benefit you. And if I take Leng Yiqing away, you'll be able to get what you want even more easily, won't you?" Su Yunmo had, of course, considered the pros and cons; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to barge in like this.
"What I want? Ha, I might as well just kill her!" Jiang Yuelin said with a sneer. Now that the wealthy Prince Yun has come to ask her for help, she should of course try to squeeze as much money out of him as possible.
But Su Yunmo had already considered this. He calmly said, "A few months ago, you threw her into the lotus pond, and she didn't die. Do you think you still have a chance now? Besides, doing this will make you lose six hundred taels of gold and an opportunity to cooperate with me. Do you think it's worth it?"
Six hundred taels of gold—she wouldn't earn that much in her entire life's salary, unless she firmly established herself as Empress, in which case the entire national treasury would be hers. But right now, that amount was a luxury, an unattainable dream. With that money, she could realize many more of her ideals. Money held immense appeal for her.
Without hesitation, Su Yunmo took out a stack of gold notes from the inner pocket of his belt and threw them onto the table.
"Okay! I'll cooperate with you! But how exactly do we do it?" Finally, driven by mutual benefit, Jiang Yuelin agreed to the cooperation.
“I don’t know Leng Yiqing’s current situation, so I can’t make any plans. That’s up to you. You can go to Leng Yiqing and ask her if she has any ideas.” Su Yunmo wasn’t afraid to tell her this. If he knew how to save her, he wouldn’t have come to her.
Jiang Yuelin readily agreed, but there were still some things that needed to be clarified: "Okay, but we can't rush things right now. I hope you can understand! After all, if I make things too obvious, it will arouse Su Zhengyang's suspicion. I don't think you'd want to lose both ways, would you?"
“I know that! But I’m warning you, don’t even think about trying anything funny. I’ll have Duan Feng keep an eye on you,” Su Yunmo threatened.
Duan Feng—everyone knows him, he's elusive and unpredictable, even the emperor praised his abilities. However, Jiang Yuelin, who once roamed the martial world, knows even better that Duan Feng's kung fu is unparalleled. A few years ago, he even gave up his position as the leader of the martial arts alliance to join the Prince Yun's mansion, willingly becoming a lowly bodyguard by Su Yunmo's side.
So, even if she might have been hoping to use some tricks earlier, she's now somewhat uncertain about what to do.
Seeing her expression change, he figured she must have heard about Duan Feng, so he was relieved. He put his mask back on, turned, and flew out the window, disappearing into the vast night.
From then on, Jiang Yuelin became restless and unable to eat or sleep, only wanting to find an opportunity to settle this matter as soon as possible so that she could put her mind at ease.
However, within the manor, the name Leng Yiqing had become taboo; no one dared mention it to Su Zhengyang, and she certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to walk right into the line of fire. Now, she could only hope that time would fade Su Zhengyang's hatred.
Day after day of anticipation, another month passed. Finally, things took a turn for the better. The coldness of Qingxin Pavilion made Su Zhengyang lose interest in the challenge. He felt as if it were all just a one-man show, with only him busy from beginning to end, only him angry. The woman listened to everything he did, without making a fuss. He found it increasingly boring.
Moreover, Su Yunmo seemed to be just a passerby; he only visited Qingxin Pavilion that one night and hadn't been seen since. Perhaps he had already given up on this woman who was utterly unattainable. After all, Leng Yiqing had become completely unlikable in recent years; what man would like that kind of woman?
He gradually relaxed his surveillance of Qingxin Pavilion, and his attention began to return to the tasks assigned by the Emperor. Occasionally, when the steward mentioned the method of making quilts and the Qingxin Pavilion, he would simply nod and let the steward make the decision himself.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Jiang Yuelin felt more at ease and slept more soundly. Perhaps because she hadn't been sleeping well before, she felt unusually sleepy these past few days, and spent her days lazily leaning back in her chair.
Su Zhengyang also noticed her unusual behavior and asked her considerately, "Lin'er, what's wrong with you lately? You seem listless all the time."
"Ugh! So boring! There's no one to talk to," Jiang Yuelin hummed lazily.
"Am I not human?" Su Zhengyang looked at her amusedly and pulled her into his arms.
"You wouldn't believe it!" she suddenly perked up. "There are some things that are useless to say to you men. You can't understand them, and you'll never get it."
"Oh? Then you can talk to Xiaomei." He felt this was perfectly reasonable. If he couldn't be close to his personal maid, which other woman could he be close to?
Jiang Yuelin had mentally rehearsed these possible scenarios countless times: "Pfft! You want me to tell her? Tell her our little secrets as women? Tell her about things that happen in bed with us men? Don't let them laugh at me to death! Besides, does she even have those experiences! Unless you..."
Knowing that this woman was about to throw a tantrum again, Su Zhengyang could only give in to her: "Okay! Stop! Then tell me, what should we do?"
"I want to go find Leng Yiqing!" Jiang Yuelin finally mustered up the courage to say the name.
"Her?" Su Zhengyang was quite surprised. Even if they weren't rivals in love, they couldn't possibly be friends who would share such intimate thoughts.
"Yes! She's the only one left in the manor now, and I can't find anyone else to talk to. Do you want me to go or not? I'm so bored, I'm afraid I'll get sick if I don't go. Besides, didn't you complain that it's too quiet over there and you feel restless? I'll go and create some trouble for you, so I can give you some fun." She fully demonstrated her talent for crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide, leaving Su Zhengyang with no choice but to agree.
"Also, tell your people to stay three feet away from that room, and no one is allowed to come near. Otherwise, if they hear me, I'll be too ashamed to face anyone!" Jiang Yuelin seized the opportunity to continue making demands.
Su Zhengyang agreed to all of them.
☆, Chapter Forty-One: Who's Got No Guts?
After listening to Jiang Yuelin's words, Leng Yiqing remained skeptical, looking at her thoughtfully.
"Hey! Why won't you believe me?" Jiang Yuelin said impatiently. "What good would it do me to lie to you? If I really wanted to do something to you, I could have done it a month ago. Why wait until now? Su Yunmo already knows. All I want is money and power."
Thinking back carefully to what Jiang Yuelin had just said, he couldn't find any problems. Perhaps he should be bold and trust her this once. If Su Yunmo was willing to go all out, what was there for him not to dare to do?
"Okay, I believe you!" After a great deal of determination, Leng Yiqing finally agreed.
"So do you have any good ideas on how to get out of here?" Jiang Yuelin quickly asked.
"No! But I'll say it again. Xiao Xiang is the biggest obstacle." She especially remembered Xiao Xiang's words, that she wanted to see them covered in wounds. So whenever they encountered any trouble, she would just watch and laugh.
Leng Yiqing couldn't understand why, when they should be on the same side, they were like enemies. And Jiang Yuelin, her former rival in love, was now on her side. What kind of world was this?!
"Why must Xiao Xiang be excluded?" Jiang Yuelin couldn't understand them at all. It should be said that these two, mistress and servant, had spent so much time together and had developed some feelings for each other. She had always thought their relationship was very good, so why did they suddenly become so irreconcilable?
Because this concerns Su Yunmo and Xiao Xiang, she didn't want to tell anyone without their consent. Besides, she thought Su Yunmo probably didn't want more people to know about this either! He hadn't even told the original Leng Yiqing, so why would he let Jiang Yuelin know? She decisively refused: "Knowing this won't do you any good, so you'd better not ask. Since you're here to help me, you should fully cooperate with me."
Since Leng Yiqing said it wouldn't do her any good, Jiang Yuelin didn't press the matter further: "Okay! I'll figure something out! But right now, I have to go back, otherwise, if this goes on for too long, Su Zhengyang will become suspicious."
"Okay! Go ahead! I won't see you off!" Leng Yiqing said indifferently.
Before leaving, Jiang Yuelin reminded her, "If Su Zhengyang asks you what we talked about today, don't say anything. Just ignore him. You don't even need to make up a lie. I'll handle things with him."
Leng Yiqing said confidently, "Don't worry! He won't come looking for me!"
Coincidentally, ever since Jiang Yuelin returned from Qingxin Pavilion, she has been in a great mood, had a big appetite, and most importantly, suddenly became more feminine than before. Su Zhengyang noticed this and took it to heart, thus tacitly approving of her relationship with Leng Yiqing.
However, Jiang Yuelin's state didn't last long. She soon returned to her previous lethargic state, often waking up in the morning and not knowing what to do, sometimes even feeling nauseous at the sight of food. The inexperienced Su Zhengyang and Jiang Yuelin were at a loss, and had no choice but to call in the imperial physician.
After the imperial physician's thorough examination, he knelt before Su Zhengyang with a beaming smile, displaying an obsequious demeanor: "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness! Consort Lin is pregnant!"
"Hahahaha!" Su Zhengyang was overjoyed. Ignoring the other people around him, he picked up Jiang Yuelin and spun her around several times before putting her down.
This was naturally the best thing for Jiang Yuelin. She could successfully give birth to the Crown Prince's eldest son, and if she had Su Yunmo's help to secure her position, her future would surely be limitless! As she thought about it, she was also infected by this joy and revealed the joy of becoming a mother for the first time.
"That imperial physician—shouldn't we prepare something? Quick, go prepare some medicine to prevent miscarriage!" Su Zhengyang was already getting anxious about the baby in her belly. "Xiaomei! Go find the best midwife in the city to stay at the mansion. Also, start making some baby clothes. Oh, and Lin'er, just tell me what you need, I..."
"Alright, alright! This is just the beginning! Why are you making such a fuss?" Jiang Yuelin looked on helplessly, unable to bear his excessive excitement any longer.
"Who said that? This is not something to be taken lightly. I've been looking forward to this for so long!" Su Zhengyang smiled smugly. Thinking of Leng Yiqing's mockery of him before, he finally washed away the shame. He really wanted to appear in front of Leng Yiqing immediately, tell her the news, and let her know whose fault it really was.
Jiang Yuelin asked curiously, "What's wrong? Why do you seem so troubled now?"
"Oh! It's nothing! Imperial Physician, you stay here and handle things. Make sure you get everything you need, and make sure it's the best of everything. My son, Su Zhengyang's son, absolutely cannot be outdone by anyone! I have to go out for a bit now, I'll be right back!" With that, he strode out the door.
Without the slightest hesitation, he headed straight for Qingxin Pavilion. He could no longer wait; the sooner he told her, the better, and the sooner he would see her frantic state, the happier he would be.
Before she even reached the door, her voice rang out: "Leng Yiqing, I've come to tell you today..."
But to his surprise, he saw Leng Yiqing sitting at the table with a radiant smile, staring at something inexplicably in her hand, completely infatuated. He became even more smug; today he would show this woman what disappointment truly meant.
He snatched the things from her hands and shouted, "I'm going to be a father! Lin'er is pregnant!"
"What's it to me?" Leng Yiqing completely ignored him.
"Didn't you say I was spineless? Now I'll show you that it's not me who's spineless, it's you who's incompetent!" Su Zhengyang stood smugly in front of Leng Yiqing, swaggering around as if he could really gain immense benefits from this.
"Pfft..." The woman almost sprayed water all over his face. "You're a grown man, why are you holding onto such a small thing? Sigh, to be honest, even if I'm useless, so what? It's none of your business! And what happens to you—I don't want to know either. So, you can leave now. Go take care of your two little darlings!" Leng Yiqing quickly snatched the things back from his hands, turned her back, completely ignoring him, and continued to admire her masterpiece.
Su Zhengyang not only failed to gain any advantage, but also got a cold shoulder. Fortunately, he was in a good mood and didn't want to argue with her.
Chapter 42, Let's Do It, Dad!
News of Jiang Yuelin's pregnancy spread like wildfire, and congratulatory visitors flocked to the Crown Prince's residence, practically wearing down the threshold. Su Zhengyang was also extremely busy. Every day, aside from completing the tasks assigned by the Emperor, he devoted almost all his remaining time to this matter. He had no time to attend to Qingxin Pavilion, as many of its staff had been reassigned to Yueming Pavilion.
Some kind-hearted maids and eunuchs, seeing Leng Yiqing as a pitiful woman, felt sorry for her and would secretly send her some of the good food and drinks or other delicacies from the kitchen.
Actually, Leng Yiqing didn't care about any of this. Compared to working at a company before, toiling away all day just to earn a meager living, this life of being waited on hand and foot was much more comfortable. So even faced with Su Zhengyang's blatant provocation, Leng Yiqing didn't feel anything; this man couldn't control her thoughts. Besides, her mind was currently only on the little toy in her hand—Ali.
That cartoon character, known to almost every modern netizen, was now exceptionally clear in her mind. It was out of boredom that Leng Yiqing wanted to find something to do to pass the time, so, relying on the needlework she had learned for a few days at the Prince Yun's mansion, she actually started doing it herself.
Based on her impression of Ali, she drew some simple outlines on paper, and then began to make it stitch by stitch. After more than a month, she finally cut, sewed, and patched a pile of old clothes into two small Ali figures the size of her palms.
Now, only a few loose threads remain to be trimmed. The little Ali's appearance is exactly the same as the one on the computer. With its hands supporting its chin, that irresistibly cute "Go for it, Daddy!" pose, paired with those starry eyes full of longing and admiration, Leng Yiqing suddenly felt this was her greatest comfort here. She had created this look hoping she could keep it up forever.
Leng Yiqing was so engrossed in holding the little fox in her hands that she didn't even notice when someone came in from outside.
"Ahem!" The person coughed lightly twice, trying to get her attention.
But Leng Yiqing acted as if she hadn't heard a thing, lost in her own thoughts. She had a great plan in mind and was considering how to implement it, so she didn't have time to pay attention to that fly-like person!
He gradually approached. A warm feeling spread around her, and that familiar scent filled Leng Yiqing's heart. Was it an illusion brought to her by Ali? Leng Yiqing smiled foolishly. Was she missing him too much? She had actually mistaken Su Zhengyang for him.
"Yiqing!" A familiar voice rang in her ears. "Is this how you treat me?" He teased her deliberately.
Without allowing Leng Yiqing even the slightest hesitation, she suddenly stood up, looked up expectantly, and it really was Su Yunmo. His smile was still as warm as spring, but there was a hint of weariness and helplessness in it.
Seeing Leng Yiqing's eyes gradually clear up, Su Yunmo's heart began to slowly relax. When he first arrived, he was worried that the three-month wait would make her increasingly negative, and even make her give up the idea of leaving.
The silence wasn't because they had nothing to say, but because neither of them wanted to break the peaceful bliss. If only they could keep watching like this forever, they would wish for a lifetime.
Leng Yiqing slowly turned the fox in her hand, raised it high, and faced Su Yunmo.
"What is this?" Su Yunmo asked in a hoarse voice, staring blankly at the strange little thing in front of him.
"Its name is Ali! It's one of the most popular little animals in our area. It always has many different expressions, and each expression represents a different meaning. This expression means—you must persevere, you must work hard, and the future will definitely be bright!" Leng Yiqing tried her best to use words he could understand to express what she wanted to convey.
He pulled her and Ah Li into a tight embrace: "I'm sorry you had to suffer. Now that no one is watching you, I'll take you away!"
Leng Yiqing remained silent. No matter how stifled she had been these past few months, Su Yunmo's comfort made everything seem less important. There's a saying, isn't there? It's not the process that matters, but the result. She only wanted to be with him, and she could already foresee that day.
She gently pushed him away, looked at him seriously, and said, "If I really just wanted to leave, I wouldn't have come back in the first place. This time, I'm determined to sever all ties with the Crown Prince's residence before I leave. And I've already come up with a good plan."
"Oh? So confident? What's your method?" Su Yunmo listened attentively.
Leng Yiqing suddenly looked dejected: "I have a solution. But..."
The intermittent, rhythmic knocking interrupted their conversation. Leng Yiqing then realized they were on Su Zhengyang's turf. She quickly shoved Su Yunmo, saying, "Hide!"
"It's nothing, it's Duan Feng. We used a short-acting sleeping powder to knock them out. The effects should be wearing off by now. You... are you really not coming with me?" Su Yunmo asked one last time, still worried.
"Yes!" Leng Yiqing nodded affirmatively.
Seeing her determination, Su Yunmo didn't press her further. He had considered this possibility when he came. So he reached into his sleeve and took out a small wooden box, handing it to Leng Yiqing: "I remember you used to say you liked aloe vera, saying it could beautify the skin. I asked many people for help before I finally found this."