Chapter 128
**Chapter 128: Did the Shen Family Make Her Sick?**
The Prince of Yan still held some lingering affection for Liu Ruyan. When he learned that she had caught a cold, he decided to pay her a visit out of respect for their past relationship.
“Your Highness, let me accompany you,” Shen Wei said, slowly rising with a hand on her waist, instructing Cai Lian to fetch a cloak.
The Prince chuckled lightly, taking Shen Wei's warm hand in his. “It’s snowing outside, and it’s freezing. You should rest, Wei Wei. I’ll just make a quick trip to Qixue Pavilion and be back soon.”
Shen Wei wanted to see him off, but he gently stopped her. She could only watch reluctantly as he walked away, his tall figure gradually disappearing into the vast, snowy landscape.
“Cai Lian, bring me some tea oil,” she said, her smile fading as soon as the Prince left.
She needed the tea oil to apply on her belly, hoping to minimize stretch marks.
...
The snow continued to fall through the night, piling up on the stone path of the royal residence.
Not long after the Prince had stepped out of Liuli Pavilion, he suddenly halted. He instructed the young eunuch beside him, “Go back to Liuli Pavilion and bring me some plum blossom cakes to take to Qixue Pavilion.”
The Prince had a fondness for the plum blossom cakes made by Shen Wei—crispy and fragrant, with a subtle scent of plum mingling with the aroma of the dough, they were quite delicious.
With Liu Ruyan ill, bringing her a few cakes would serve as a small comfort.
The young eunuch hurried back through the snow to fetch the cakes.
The Prince walked through the white snow to Qixue Pavilion. Snowflakes danced in the air, enveloping the pavilion in a vast, white shroud, resembling a celestial palace from a myth. The Prince paused, lost in thought, recalling the first time he met Liu Ruyan.
It was a snowy year in Yan Capital.
As the Prince rode back to Yan Capital, he passed through a plum blossom grove, where his horse startled and nearly collided with a woman admiring the snow beneath the trees. He caught Liu Ruyan just before she fell, their eyes locking as plum petals fell and snowflakes swirled around them—a moment that felt like an eternity.
Later, Liu Ruyan entered the Prince's residence as a concubine, and they shared a brief period of happiness together.
The Prince entered Qixue Pavilion, where the palace doctor quickly approached and bowed. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
The Prince waved for the doctor to rise and asked, “How is Ruyan’s health?”
The doctor replied, “She has been afflicted by external dampness, with cold air invading her body, causing a high fever. I have prescribed medicine for her cold, and if she takes it regularly, she should recover soon.”
Xue Mei had already gone to prepare the medicine.
The Prince lifted the silver-white gauze curtain and stepped into Liu Ruyan’s cool bedroom. The room was elegantly arranged, with Liu Ruyan’s unfinished *Hua Jian Ji* on the table, fresh white plums in a vase, and the faint scent of plum blossoms wafting from the incense burner.
Liu Ruyan lay quietly on the bed, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, a white cooling towel resting on her forehead. Her face was pale, devoid of color, resembling a sleeping ice beauty.
Sickness made her look even more endearing.
The Prince sat by the bed, gazing at Liu Ruyan’s serene and beautiful face, nostalgia washing over him. Memories of their time together flickered through his mind.
“Cough, cough…”
After a while, Liu Ruyan furrowed her brows and coughed softly. Her eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. As her vision cleared, she saw the Prince’s handsome face.
“Your Highness…” she murmured.
The gentle call melted the Prince’s heart instantly.
“I’m here, Ruyan. Just focus on getting better,” he replied.
At that moment, Xue Mei entered with the prepared medicine. The Prince, rarely taking such initiative, picked up a small white spoon and personally fed Liu Ruyan the bitter concoction.
The medicine was bitter, but Liu Ruyan felt sweetness in her heart.
She gazed at the handsome man so close to her, momentarily seeing the young man who had galloped through the plum blossom grove years ago. They seemed like a pair of celestial lovers, their past a dreamlike haze.
Xue Mei stood quietly to the side, her heart blooming with joy. The Prince personally feeding Liu Ruyan created an intimate atmosphere, reminiscent of their first meeting.
Xue Mei secretly rubbed her frostbitten fingers, feeling gratified that she had finally endured the hard times. Liu Ruyan would surely regain the Prince’s favor, and Xue Mei, as her maid, would rise in status!
After finishing the bowl of medicine, Xue Mei happily took the bowl away to hand it to the other maids in the courtyard. There were four maids serving Liu Ruyan in Qixue Pavilion, but she preferred Xue Mei’s company and usually allowed only her to attend to her.
In the room, the Prince helped Liu Ruyan lie back down. “It’s cold in winter, and you’re weak. You should wear more clothes when going out to enjoy the snow and plums.”
Liu Ruyan lay on the bed, her beautiful eyes glistening with a hint of grievance. “Do you think my illness is just because of the cold, Your Highness?”
The Prince was taken aback. “Are there other reasons?”
Liu Ruyan lowered her gaze. “It’s because of Shen Wei.”
The Prince was puzzled.
How could Liu Ruyan’s cold and fever be related to Wei Wei?
Liu Ruyan sighed, “The white plums are like jade, blooming proudly amidst the heavy snow. Yet Shen Wei picked the blossoms to make cakes. I was so indignant that it festered in my heart and made me ill.”
She didn’t believe her sickness was due to the cold; it was Shen Wei’s actions that truly upset her.
The Prince was at a loss for words.
Outside, the young eunuch rushed in, holding a food box, and respectfully presented it. “Your Highness, I followed your orders and returned from Liuli Pavilion with the plum blossom cakes. Lady Shen said the remaining cakes were not fresh, so she had Cai Lian make a few new ones.”
The young eunuch opened the food box and revealed a small white plate.
Four beautifully baked cakes were neatly arranged on the plate, still steaming.
The young eunuch didn’t forget to flatter Liu Ruyan, grinning as he said, “Lady Liu, the Prince treats you so well. He loves plum blossom cakes and even remembered to bring you some, showing how much you mean to him.”
The Prince: ...
Liu Ruyan: ...
The young eunuch continued, “Your Highness, this chapter has more to offer, please turn the page to continue reading; it gets even more exciting!”
Liu Ruyan felt a pang in her nose, her beautiful eyes welling up with tears. She looked at the Prince in disappointment, her voice trembling, “Are you trying to provoke me on purpose, Your Highness? Knowing that I love plum blossoms the most, you bring me this coarse cake to insult me.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Her heart was filled with disappointment.
She turned over in bed, facing away from the Prince, her slender shoulders shaking gently with her sobs.
The Prince rubbed his forehead in frustration. That wasn’t his intention!
“Ruyan, let me explain,” he said.
But Liu Ruyan wouldn’t listen, sinking deeper into her melancholy.
In the past, during the years when their relationship was strong, the Prince would have willingly lowered himself to comfort Liu Ruyan with a few kind words.
However, in recent years, with his elder brother, the Crown Prince, falling ill, the Prince had taken on the burden of his country’s future. During the day, he was consumed with state affairs, gradually adopting the demeanor and dignity of a ruler. When he returned to the palace, he simply couldn’t spare the energy to comfort his wives and concubines.
Even when he saw Liu Ruyan crying, he felt more annoyed than pained. The flicker of compassion he had felt was completely extinguished by Liu Ruyan’s unreasonable outburst.
It was just a few plum blossoms; did it warrant such sorrow?
The Prince stood up, brushed his sleeves, and strode out.
Xue Mei was left dumbfounded, watching the Prince’s figure disappear into the snow. She rushed into the chamber, seeing Liu Ruyan in tears, and silently pinched her own skin.
The cooked duck had flown away; the Prince who had come to Qixue Pavilion had left.
Xue Mei, frustrated, asked, “My lady, how did you manage to make the Prince leave again?”
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