She had originally planned to give birth to His Highness’s firstborn son. With the Emperor placing importance on the child in her womb, she could then go to the consort’s mother and stoke the fires. The position of Principal Consort might have fallen to her.

But now His Highness was with Yan Shiyao, and Yan Shiyao was the Chief Minister’s legitimate daughter — she could never be a mere concubine.

If the child in her womb were to disappear because of Yan Shiyao…

No. With Chief Minister and Yan Intendant both in the picture, she had no certainty of being able to defeat Yan Shiyao. It would not be worth the cost.

Without this child, given His Highness’s current attitude toward her, she would truly have nothing left.

Yan Shiyao shook her head. From the day she arrived at the Third Prince’s residence, Jiang Jin had said the same thing every single day — urging Qi Qingchen to send her away.

“You are with child — how could you properly attend to This Palace?” Qi Qingchen pushed aside the thin blanket and walked over to sit beside Yan Shiyao, rapping his knuckles against the table.

Yan Shiyao caught the signal and obediently poured tea, setting it in his hand.

“Your Highness, this concubine is capable,” Jiang Jin said with a smile. “Besides, there are maids and servants to assist this concubine. As for Miss Yan — it would not be proper for her to continue staying in the residence.”

Qi Qingchen let out a quiet laugh. Not proper?

How was it improper for Yan Shiyao, his future Third Princess Consort, to be here??

By this time, the imperial edict would surely have already reached the Chief Minister’s residence.

Yan Shiyao was to be the mistress of this household. What standing did a concubine have to say that the Third Princess Consort being here was improper???

Jiang Jin’s breath hitched. What was His Highness laughing at?

Yan Shiyao hadn’t noticed Qi Qingchen, or perhaps she simply didn’t deem him worth noticing. At the moment she was leisurely gnawing on a piece of fruit.

“You’ve overstepped.” Qi Qingchen’s tone was flat.

Jiang Jin’s lashes trembled. “Your Highness…”

Qi Qingchen lost patience with her. He reached over and clasped Yan Shiyao’s fruit-gnawing hand, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “Come with This Palace to the evening meal.”

“Let go.” Yan Shiyao tossed the core into the waste bin. “Third Prince, mind yourself. What if my future husband finds out and gets angry with me?”

“He won’t.” Qi Qingchen’s smile grew even brighter.

“?” Yan Shiyao showed no mercy and twisted his hand. He could keep his grip to himself!

“Yan Shiyao!” Qi Qingchen winced and let go.

His shoulder wound had mostly healed over the past several days. As for everywhere else on his body — if it wasn’t bruised from Yan Shiyao’s kicks, it was bruised from her pinches. He had quite a collection of marks.

Yan Shiyao still didn’t know that the Emperor had already issued the edict. If she found out, he’d better hide from her for a few days.

“You’re supposed to be nursing This Palace back to health — look at what you’ve done.” The man thrust his arm out in front of Yan Shiyao, absolutely exasperated yet completely helpless about it.

Yan Shiyao’s eyes lit up. “Qi Qingchen, is your shoulder healed?”

Just this noon he had been complaining that his arm couldn’t move, and now it could!

“No.” Qi Qingchen’s expression stiffened. “You made me so angry that moving it at all will set it back by several more days.”

“Qi Qingchen, are you lying to me?”

“If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to leave right now.” Qi Qingchen raised his hand and pressed it over the wound. Blood seeped through the white robe and stained his fingertips.

“Your Highness.” Jiang Jin’s heart clenched. “Why is it bleeding again? Zhujing, go quickly and summon the Imperial Physician.”

“Yes, Side Consort.” Zhujing curtsied and ran out of the bedchamber.

Yan Shiyao picked up her tea and watched the Imperial Physician hurry in, then let down the bed curtain to attend to Qi Qingchen’s wound.

Jiang Jin rested a hand on her abdomen, her face etched with worry.

A quarter of an hour later, the Imperial Physician emerged from behind the bed curtain. “Please ensure His Highness is not agitated any further. The medicine this old physician prescribed will work against the wound’s healing if His Highness’s energy is not settled.”

“Then can’t you prescribe something that works even when his energy isn’t settled?” Yan Shiyao said before she could stop herself.

The Imperial Physician pursed his lips and said with great earnestness, “Only this prescription will help His Highness recover quickly.”

Yan Shiyao’s eye twitched. She had the strong sense he was talking nonsense, but he was an Imperial Physician — his medical skill couldn’t be lacking, could it?

“His Highness must be soothed and indulged. Otherwise, His Highness will heal very slowly.” The Imperial Physician looked squarely at Yan Shiyao, his meaning unmistakable.

Yan Shiyao gave a perfunctory nod.

After the Imperial Physician withdrew from the bedchamber, the maid rolled up the bed curtain. Yan Shiyao looked at the slightly weakened Qi Qingchen and offered her well-meaning suggestion. “Third Prince, why not find a local physician instead? I think this Imperial Physician is rather old now — his skills have likely deteriorated. I fear he may not be able to treat you properly.”

“Miss Yan, Imperial Physician Yan is the Qi Emperor’s dedicated physician. How could his skills possibly deteriorate?” Jiang Jin retorted with dissatisfaction.

“The Side Consort is right.” Qi Qingchen sat up from the bed, and a maid crouched to help him put on his long boots.

“Come, This Palace is going for the evening meal. Go and serve the dishes for This Palace.” Qi Qingchen raised the arm that was not injured.

Yan Shiyao stepped forward reluctantly and took his arm.

The man looked down at her with a slow, unhurried smile. “Yan Shiyao, did you hear what Imperial Physician Yan said? If This Palace becomes agitated again, the wound will heal very slowly — and you, likewise, will not be able to leave. So then — be a little more agreeable toward This Palace.”

Yan Shiyao pressed down the fist that wanted to fly at him, and gave a dutiful nod.

She genuinely suspected him and Imperial Physician Yan of conspiring against her. Even if she suspected it, there was no way to expose him — if the Imperial Physician declared the wound was not healing well, no physician in the land would dare contradict him!

……

The kitchen.

In a complete departure from her usual habits, Yan Shiyao stood obediently beside Qi Qingchen and served his food.

“Third Prince, have some shrimp.” Yan Shiyao curved her lips into a perfectly practiced smile.

Qi Qingchen cooperated and opened his mouth, taking a bite of the shrimp.

He still hadn’t quite worked out what Yan Shiyao was up to.

Usually she would sit down, finish eating herself, and then symbolically serve him two dishes. This was supposed to be nursing him through his injury — but having her as his nurse had put him through quite a bit of suffering these past few days.

“Big Brother Qi, here — have a sip of soup.” Yan Shiyao blew on the soup spoon to cool it, then smiled and offered it to his lips.

Qi Qingchen studied the soup for a moment. It had been prepared by his household’s kitchen — Yan Shiyao couldn’t have tampered with it.

Moreover, Yan Shiyao wouldn’t have the audacity to try to harm him in his own residence. With that thought settled, Qi Qingchen opened his mouth again and drank the soup.

“Big Brother Qi, wipe the corner of your mouth.” Yan Shiyao gently dabbed at the trace of soup at the corner of his lips with a handkerchief.

Qi Qingchen narrowed both eyes. “Yan Shiyao, do you have…”

Before he could finish, Yan Shiyao seized the opportunity while he was off guard, reached out, and tugged at his robe. The maids behind them quickly bowed their heads.

The skin at his shoulder was pale, and the wound was essentially healed. Yan Shiyao pointed at the site and curved her lips. “Third Prince, care to explain?”

Qi Qingchen unhurriedly smoothed his robe back into place. “This Palace’s injured shoulder is the other one.”

Yan Shiyao swallowed back everything she wanted to say, picked up a pastry, and bit down hard.

The man’s lips carried a wicked smile. “Yan Shiyao — if you’re eating, then eat. Why are you pulling at This Palace’s robe? You want to be with This Palace — there’s no need to be quite this eager.”

“Qi Qingchen, there is something wrong with your head.” Yan Shiyao stepped forward, snatched the golden chopsticks from his hand, and tossed them into the waste bin. “Stop eating.”

She would sooner be with Wu’an behind Qi Qingchen than with Qi Qingchen himself.

Qi Qingchen: “Wu’an.”

Wu’an nodded and retrieved a fresh pair of golden chopsticks for Qi Qingchen.