Chapter 420 Delivered to the Doorstep
by 枕星鱼Chapter 420: Delivered Right to Their Door
When Ji Qingqing arrived at the front hall, Madam Meng waved her over immediately.
"Qingqing, you're here. Come take a look at this emerald cloud-ripple silk dress—do you like it?"
Ji Qingqing didn't look at the dress. She glanced at the maidservants in the hall and ordered, "All of you, leave. I have matters to discuss with my mother."
Once the maidservants left, Ji Qingqing immediately pouted and confronted Madam Meng.
"Mother, you knew full well that the Wu family posed a threat to me. How could you keep them here?"
Madam Meng clenched her fists, her voice turning cold. "It's all because of that damned bitch Ji Yuntang. She threatened me, telling me I had to treat the Wu family well, and that she would drop by to check on them from time to time."
Madam Meng grabbed Ji Qingqing's hand. "Qingqing, she already knows about your connection to the Wu family. I had no other choice—I was afraid Ji Yuntang would actually ruin your chances with the Crown Prince, so I agreed."
Ji Qingqing's temple veins bulged as she spoke through gritted teeth. "Ji Yuntang, once I become the Crown Princess, I'll make her pay."
Madam Meng wanted nothing more than to destroy Ji Yuntang too, but they had already failed so many times in their schemes against her that it had left them traumatized.
Moreover, she now held leverage over them, and Madam Meng was afraid of provoking her, so she didn't dare act rashly.
She suddenly thought of something, stepped out to check around, and after confirming no one was there, came back to ask Ji Qingqing.
"Qingqing, about what your mother told you before—about winning over the Crown Prince as soon as possible and conceiving his child—how's that going?"
Ji Qingqing's face flushed red, and she said shyly, "Mother, I haven't made much progress with the Crown Prince. At most, we've only hugged and kissed..."
Hearing this, Madam Meng immediately panicked. "That won't do!"
"I've told you long ago that your position as Crown Princess is already set in stone—that's not going to change. Even if you sleep with the Crown Prince before marriage, it doesn't matter."
"In case things get exposed and the truth comes out, what you need to do is get pregnant with the Crown Prince's child as soon as possible. That way, even if the secret of your birth is revealed, the Crown Prince will let you and the Marquis's household off for the sake of the child."
"This can't wait. Here's what you'll do—go to the Eastern Palace tonight to find the Crown Prince and try to win him over."
"Your mother still has a jar of special wine. When a man drinks it, it boosts his stamina. Take it with you."
Although Ji Qingqing felt deeply embarrassed, since Madam Meng had already said so, she didn't dare argue and agreed instead.
"Mother, I'll do as you say."
"Alright, enough about that. Come take a look at these clothes and jewelry—see if you like any of them. Pick some out and pretty yourself up later."
Ji Qingqing picked a white phoenix-tail gown and some jewelry, then went back to dress and groom herself.
Madam Meng, in the meantime, had someone deliver the emerald cloud-ripple silk dress that Ji Qingqing would wear on the day of the betrothal ceremony to her room and hang it up.
Chen Huaxiu was learning embroidery in the embroidery room. When the embroiderer finished sewing a small jacket with embroidered floral clusters and said it needed to be delivered to the Second Young Miss, Chen Huaxiu jumped at the chance.
"Supervisor, I'll do it. I'm not much use here anyway."
The supervisor agreed, and Chen Huaxiu happily went to deliver the clothes to Ji Qingqing. But when she arrived at the small courtyard, she found that Ji Qingqing wasn't in her room.
She was about to put the things down and leave when her eyes were drawn to a dazzling, bejeweled dress.
Chen Huaxiu walked over to the hanging emerald cloud-ripple silk dress, her face full of envy.
"This dress is so beautiful—there are sparkling pearls all over the sleeves. I wonder how much it costs?"
At that moment, she suddenly realized that this kind of luxurious life in the Marquis's household was something she could never give Ji Qingqing, no matter how hard she tried.
Chen Huaxiu couldn't help but reach out to touch it, but her sharp fingernail accidentally snagged on a silk thread. She frantically tried to pull her hand away, but the thread just kept getting longer.
Afraid that Ji Qingqing would discover it and blame her, she quickly used scissors to cut the thread, then bolted out of Ji Qingqing's room like she was running for her life.
That night, Hua Feixue changed into a black stealth outfit and came to the Prince Ye's mansion once again.
The first thing he did after climbing over the wall was make a beeline for the small kitchen in the back courtyard to look for food.
When Ji Yuntang saw Hua Feixue on the surveillance screen, she had already gotten used to this sort of thing.
"Ah He, an old friend is here. Let's go out and greet him."
Luo Junhe's narrow, alluring eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded. "Alright."
Ji Yuntang wheeled him out to the courtyard, and the two sat there waiting.
Because she knew that after Hua Feixue finished sneaking a meal, he would come looking for them at the West Courtyard on his own.
Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, Hua Feixue arrived!
When he saw the two people sitting in the courtyard, his expression froze for a moment before returning to normal.
"You two—did you know this Sect Master was coming and are waiting specially for me?"
Hua Feixue sat down casually, picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and downed it in one gulp.
Ji Yuntang teased, "Sect Master, are you using the Prince Ye's mansion as your own kitchen?"
He didn't feel embarrassed at all about getting caught stealing food. Instead, he responded looking completely at ease.
"Not at all. It's all because the cooks hired by Marquis Yongning's household cook terribly—nothing compared to what you have here. Otherwise, this Sect Master wouldn't have to resort to sneaking around like a thief, stealing a meal here!"
Luo Junhe's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Blood Sect Master went out of your way to sneak all the way to the Prince Ye's mansion—surely it's not just for a meal?"
Hua Feixue leaned forward, staring at Luo Junhe's face for a moment, then suddenly let out a mocking laugh.
"Prince Ye is truly clever—you figured it out?"
"But wait, didn't this Sect Master hear that you were paralyzed in bed, covered in burns, your face disfigured, your eyes blinded, thin as skin and bones, and unable to get out of bed to this day?"
"So, are the rumors false?"
Luo Junhe pursed his lips slightly, his low voice said casually, "The rumors are of course true. It's just that I've already been nearly cured by my Princess Consort."
A flicker of surprise passed through Hua Feixue's eyes, but was quickly replaced by acceptance.
He said with a sly grin, "I didn't expect the Princess Consort Ye to be so skilled. This Sect Master thought the rumors outside about your superb medical skills—being able to raise the dead and heal the wounded—were all fake!"
Ji Yuntang smiled at him. "Truth and lies—only what you see with your own eyes is real."
"Isn't that right, Crown Prince?"
Hua Feixue was speechless.
Hua Feixue: "!!!"
A flash of shock crossed his eyes before disappearing in an instant. He looked around completely baffled.
"Crown Prince? Is there a Crown Prince here? Where is he? Why don't I see him?"
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