Chapter 65: The Prince Still Cares for You

Chapter 65: The Prince Still Cares for You

Cheng Yunshuo left Yuerong Pavilion.

This time was different from when he was usually driven away by Xing Dairong's anger.

His face wasn't filled with rage; instead, it showed suspicion and an unsettling calmness.

It felt as if he had seen through everything and found it meaningless.

Xing Dairong watched Cheng Yunshuo turn and walk away, and she shouted, "Ouch! My stomach hurts!"

Cheng Yunshuo didn't stop walking.

Seeing his resolute departure, Xing Dairong felt a surge of frustration in her chest.

Fuming, she smashed a porcelain bowl inside the room.

"Miss Xing," Qiu Kui sighed helplessly.

In private, Qiu Kui still called her Miss Xing because Xing Dairong only pretended to yield on the surface, submitting to Lu Lingyun and the Marquisate, but not in her heart.

She forbade Qiu Kui from calling her Aunt Xing and did not want to feel any hint of being a concubine in Yuerong Pavilion.

Relying on their past affection, she slowly lured Cheng Yunshuo back. With his renewed affection, her sense of dissatisfaction grew even stronger.

She realized that she needed to find another way to turn things around. After all, Cheng Yunshuo treated her differently; he truly loved her, and she also had a child to rely on. With these two advantages, she was confident she could live well.

"You're really going to drive the Prince away."

Qiu Kui said, approaching Xing Dairong.

"What do you know!" Xing Dairong glared at her fiercely. "I just asked him for a gold hairpin, and he kept making excuses, clearly lying to me!"

"How could you not know how the Prince treats you? If he had any money left, would he refuse you?"

"The entire Marquisate is his; how could he be broke?"

"Indeed, the Prince is the master of the Marquisate, but now it's managed by the Young Lady. He has to ask her for money. Are you asking him to beg the Young Lady? He's a Prince, a man; how can you expect him to do that?" Qiu Kui looked at her with exasperation.

Her words made the furious Xing Dairong calm down.

Qiu Kui continued, "How much money has the Prince spent on you? He emptied his private treasury to redeem you and even owes some friends money. Last time, when you hosted a banquet, he covered your expenses and lost a year's monthly allowance. Now, he only has his salary from the Imperial Guards. How much does he earn per month..."

"Enough!"

Xing Dairong interrupted her, realizing belatedly that Cheng Yunshuo might truly be broke.

But he, he...

Xing Dairong bit her lip, still feeling resentful.

If he had no money, couldn't he find a way to earn more!

Isn't it always the men who earn money for women to spend?

Why should he be so angry with her!

He dared to show her such disdain...

Watching Cheng Yunshuo's departing figure, she finally settled down. Fine, I'll placate him tomorrow.

After leaving Yuerong Pavilion, Cheng Yunshuo passed by Qiu Ling's Autumn Fragrance Courtyard on his way back to Yaoguang Pavilion.

Qiu Ling had been cold towards him for a while, and he knew it was due to the punishment last time.

At the time, he was too angry to care, but now, reflecting on it, he suddenly felt her grievance.

He seemed to have shown favoritism.

Without even questioning her, he had directly punished her.

At this moment, the gate of Autumn Fragrance Courtyard opened, and a servant girl came out carrying a bucket of burnt charcoal.

Upon seeing Cheng Yunshuo, she exclaimed joyfully, "Prince! Are you here to see Aunt Qiu? Please come in; it's cold outside."

Cheng Yunshuo thought for a moment, "No, I'm going back."

Hearing this, disappointment flashed in the servant girl's eyes. She said, "Going back to Yaoguang Pavilion is fine. Our Autumn Fragrance Courtyard doesn't have much charcoal, unlike Yaoguang Pavilion."

"How many pots of charcoal does Qiu Ling have?"

"Aunt Qiu only has one pot," the servant girl answered honestly.

Qiu Ling had no special status and could only receive one pot of charcoal according to the rules.

Cheng Yunshuo's eyes flickered, and he instructed Qingfeng, "Qingfeng, add one more pot of charcoal to Aunt Qiu's room this year."

"Prince, this..."

"Move one pot from Yaoguang Pavilion."

"Yes!"

After giving the order, Cheng Yunshuo returned to his own room.

Soon, the servant girl from Autumn Fragrance Courtyard excitedly brought the charcoal to Qiu Ling.

"Aunt Qiu!"

Qiu Ling was still sewing when she heard a sound and turned to look. She saw the charcoal she had brought back and was shocked. "Where did you get this charcoal?"

"Just now, I met His Highness outside the door, and he gave it to Auntie as a gift!"

"His Highness?"

"Yes! His Highness said that he would add another pot of charcoal to your room for this winter. This is even from his own share!"

Qiu Ling was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. "Where is His Highness now?"

"He went back." The young maid stoked the charcoal fire as she spoke. "If you ask me, His Highness still cares about you, Auntie!"

Qiu Ling, holding her needle and thread, pursed her lips slightly, finally letting out a pleased hum.

The next day.

As Qin's return to the mansion approached, a thorough cleaning began throughout the estate.

Maids and servants were busy cleaning the courtyards and paths.

Xing Dairong, seeing that the weather was particularly good today, dressed neatly and came out with a hot water bottle in hand.

Just as she reached Yaoguang Pavilion, she saw Qiu Ling there with her maidservant.

"Oh, isn't this Aunt Qiu?"

Xing Dairong spoke with a sarcastic tone.

Qiu Ling glanced at Xing Dairong but ignored her.

She had learned her lesson and truly ignored Xing Dairong.

She only instructed her maid, "Xiao He, take the used charcoal back."

"Yes."

In the mansion, one needed to return the used charcoal sticks for record-keeping.

Cheng Yunshuo had allocated some of Yaoguang Pavilion's share, so he would need to exchange the used ones for new ones.

Qiu Ling, familiar with the rules of the mansion, brought the used charcoal back.

Seeing that Qiu Ling ignored her, Xing Dairong frowned slightly. Then, noticing that she was bringing something into Yaoguang Pavilion, she became puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Qiu Ling continued to ignore her and even took a step back, putting some distance between them.

"Are you mute? Or are you afraid that speaking will get you scolded by Yunshuo?" Xing Dairong looked at her with disdain.

Qiu Ling endured the insult, but her little maid Xiao He could not. Xiao He retorted, "His Highness wouldn't scold Aunt Qiu! Last night, he even added another pot of charcoal to our Autumn Fragrance Courtyard, showing how much he cares for our Auntie!"

"Xiao He!" Qiu Ling tried to stop her, but it was too late.

Upon learning that Cheng Yunshuo had added another pot of charcoal for Qiu Ling, Xing Dairong flew into a rage. "What did you say? Cheng Yunshuo added charcoal for you?"

"I have nothing to say to you."

Qiu Ling glanced at Xing Dairong, collected the new charcoal from Yaoguang Pavilion, and left with Xiao He.

Seeing this, Xing Dairong could no longer contain her anger.

How dare you, Cheng Yunshuo! Yesterday, you said you had no money, yet you give extra charcoal to another woman.

Where did you get the money for the extra charcoal!

She felt foolish for feeling sorry for him yesterday. A surge of intense anger rose within her, and as she watched Qiu Ling carrying the charcoal away, she felt that Qiu Ling was deliberately showing off.

Immediately, she rushed forward.