Who said the heir would die out? The concubine is pregnant again!

As the footsteps drew closer, Yingzhu could no longer play dumb. Feigning panic, she hurriedly put on her clothes. "Who is it?"

Yingzhu was still veiled. She turned around cautiously, but when she saw who it was, she immediately stood up and bowed, "Greetings to the young master."

When she looked up again, her eyes flashed with panic, and she awkwardly adjusted the ties of her clothes.

"Why didn't you make a sound when the young master came over? Peeking like this is beneath your dignity."

Liang Yunqian, with his tall and slender figure, had long eyelashes that drooped slightly and dark, bright eyes.

"Do I need to steal from you?"

"Yes! I am the young master's concubine, so you may look at me openly, but my rash has not yet subsided, so please don't look at me! It's unsightly."

"What about the maidservant you were assigned to? You still need to apply the medicine yourself?"

When Yingzhu raised her eyebrows, what she saw was not concern, but a scrutinizing gaze.

Logically speaking, she was just a concubine, and Liang Yunqian had no reason to come and visit her at this time.

Since he came over, it's most likely that Xiao Chuanzi delivered a message yesterday, which is why Liang Yunqian came over this morning to find out the truth.

He already knew where Qiuhe was, yet he still deliberately asked her; there's only one possibility—

Liang Yunqian suspected that Yingzhu intended to report him, which is why he came to test her.

If Yingzhu were to criticize her, Liang Yunqian would surely think she was being unruly and gossiping about the Crown Princess behind her back.

Even if the Crown Princess is wrong, given Yingzhu's current status, she cannot speak ill of her in front of Liang Yunqian.

Thinking of this, Yingzhu's eyes shifted slightly. "Qiuhe... should be busy brewing medicine. I am just a maid, lowly and insignificant. I should try not to trouble others with things I can do myself."

Yesterday, the doctor instructed that I shouldn't be exposed to drafts if I have a rash, so I couldn't go there myself. That's why I asked Xiao Chuanzi to pass on the message.

"Did Qiuhe kneel for a full hour yesterday?"

Liang Yunqian sat down, lifting his robe slightly, his knuckles idly tapping the table. The sound was soft, yet it seemed to strike one's heart.

After a brief pause, Yingzhu said, "I was tired at the time and lay down to rest. I don't know what the situation was like outside. I guess I've had enough of kneeling, right? I will definitely obey the young master's orders."

He gave her two chances, and she didn't complain at all?

Therefore, what Xiao Chuanzi said might not be true.

If Shen Yingzhu really wanted to cause trouble, this would be the perfect opportunity, but she kept covering for Xu Fanglin and Qiu He, probably because she was a natural coward.

Liang Yunqian didn't ask any further questions, but only looked at the bottle of ointment in front of the dressing table.

"Since Qiuhe is so busy, I will apply the medicine for you."

"That won't do! There's no need to trouble the young master; I can manage on my own."

Yingzhu stepped forward to snatch the medicine bottle, but Liang Yunqian had already carried it on his back.

She tried to get the medicine, but he was too broad-shouldered and too large for her to reach, even on tiptoe.

Yingzhu, at a loss, half-raised her eyelashes and realized with a start that she was extremely close to him.

His tightly pursed lips and half-drooping long eyelashes conveyed a sense of aloofness.

"Why not? Ever since you got the rash, you've been wearing a veil, hiding yourself away. What's there to be ashamed of?"

His tone carried a hint of doubt; could it be that he suspected her rash was fake?

The doctor diagnosed her personally; how could she possibly fake it?

"Because it's not pretty, I'm worried that the young master will dislike it."

"You think I'm shallow and only judge people by their appearance?"

Meeting his unquestionable gaze, Yingzhu turned and stepped back, offering no further objections.

She turned gracefully and slowly sat down on the stool. With a slight lift of her slender fingers, she gathered her slightly curly black hair behind her, swept it to her right side, and let it hang down in front of her.

Shen Yingzhu was poised and elegant in every gesture, unlike an ordinary person; she had the bearing of a lady from a prominent family.

Liang Yunqian pondered to himself, was her true identity really just that of a peasant girl?

Suppressing his doubts, Liang Yunqian stepped forward, hooked his long index finger around the back of her collar, and then slowly pulled it down along her shoulder line, causing her clothes to fall slowly.

Without the silk screen to conceal her, the fair and delicate lines of her shoulders and back became even clearer in his eyes.

But a few red rashes were scattered on her fair skin.

He didn't move for a long time, perhaps because he felt disgusted and couldn't bring himself to do it?

"Young Master, this rash... isn't it unsightly? You've never served anyone before, so it's really too much for you to apply the medicine. Let me do it myself!"

The rash on her back has faded, leaving only faint red marks.

To be fair, fair and jade-like skin is naturally more pleasing to the eye, but Liang Yunqian knew that Shen Yingzhu's rash was caused by him.

If she hadn't developed a rash, the matter of the thunder vine wouldn't have been discovered so quickly.

Thinking of this, Liang Yunqian no longer found the red rash bothersome; on the contrary, he found the patches of red marks thought-provoking.

After a moment of contemplation, Liang Yunqian said, "Scattered stars fall into the spring, borrowed sunset clouds to drape fragrant shoulders."

She carefully savored his words, her bright eyes shining slightly.

"Does Your Highness mean that my rash resembles stars falling into a hot spring, or the sunset draped over my shoulders?"

She actually understood? Liang Yunqian's eyes flashed with suspicion. "Aren't you illiterate?"

"..." His focus was indeed unusual; he was constantly questioning her.

"Young Master, you must have some misunderstanding about us ordinary people. I may not be very literate, but I'm not stupid. My younger brother often recites poems and explains their meanings. I've been exposed to this and have learned some simple words and phrases."

Yingzhu's explanation was reasonable, so Liang Yunqian didn't ask any further questions and began to apply the medicine to her.

He poured the ointment onto his fingertips and then applied it to the red rash on her back, gently swirling it around.

The ivory-white ointment spread evenly between her skin. The ointment was originally cool, but after being spread by his fingertips, it became warm from his fingertips.

The feeling was strange, and Yingzhu trembled slightly involuntarily, her limbs tightening slightly.

"Young Master, could you... use a little more force?"

He felt sorry for the woman's delicate nature, which was why he was gentle with her. But she made a strange request.

"Aren't you afraid of the pain?"

"I don't feel anything when it's heavier, but it's harder to bear when it's lighter; it gives me a strange trembling sensation..."

As she spoke, Yingzhu's voice grew softer and softer. Even though her cheeks were covered by a veil, her bright red ear tips still caught Liang Yunqian's eye.

"I'm seriously applying medicine to you, and you're having such inappropriate thoughts?"

Liang Yunqian turned his handsome face slightly, his deep, husky breath falling on her ear, and that strange feeling surged into her heart once again...

"I wasn't thinking anything inappropriate, it was just... an instinctive reaction."

Yingzhu wanted to explain clearly, but found that the more she explained, the worse it got, so she simply stopped.

Whether it was her imagination or not, things were a little better just now, but after she reminded him, Liang Yunqian's strength actually became lighter.

He lingered in one spot longer, more to torment her than to help her apply medicine.

Yingzhu tried her best to restrain herself, but he became increasingly unrestrained, causing her breathing to become increasingly labored.

"Young Master, is it finished yet? This servant... is a little cold."

There was a charcoal fire inside, so it was quite warm. Yingzhu said that only to get him to finish as soon as possible.

At first, Liang Yunqian just wanted to see if her rash was real or fake. However, after applying the medicine, her porcelain-white skin and exquisite figure were revealed, which aroused his wild thoughts.

Her swan-like neck and waist were both tied with a pink ribbon, which was the ties for her belly band.

With just a gentle pull, you can see the magnificent snow-capped mountains ahead...

After a long silence, Yingzhu was filled with doubt when she vaguely felt Liang Yunqian's fingertips slowly brush across her spine, igniting clusters of flames wherever they touched, finally settling on the knot of her sash!