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

Yingzhu herself was reluctant to eat more, only wanting to save some for her family, yet Lan Yun called her a vain person?

Xu Fanglin didn't explain, but followed Lan Yun's words:

"Yingzhu has only recently been favored by the emperor and is inexperienced in the ways of the world. She doesn't know the proper etiquette and inevitably likes to boast to others about how much the prince dotes on her."

The two women, mistress and servant, sang in unison, while Yingzhu stood silently to the side, her eyes red.

Liang Yunqian stood with his hands behind his back, as still as a pine or bamboo, raising his eyebrows to examine Shen Yingzhu.

"Did you voluntarily share the things with them?"

Faced with Liang Yunqian's questioning, Yingzhu was caught in a dilemma.

With Xu Fanglin present, Yingzhu couldn't complain about her. But if she nodded, she would bear the reputation of vanity.

After weighing the pros and cons, Yingzhu finally decided to take the gamble.

She glanced at Xu Fanglin, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, before nodding and saying softly, "Yes."

Xu Fanglin knew that a vixen like Yingzhu loved to play the innocent little lotus in front of men, pretending to be pitiful and helpless.

Because she had to pretend to be weak, Yingzhu didn't dare to confront her in public.

Xu Fanglin dared to act so recklessly precisely because he understood this point.

Now that Yingzhu has admitted it herself, Liang Yunqian heard it clearly. He naturally assumes that Yingzhu is too vain. However, Liang Yunqian suddenly remembered what Yingzhu said last night.

"Didn't you say you were going to save the hawthorn milk balls for your mother? Why would you share them with someone else?"

He actually remembered that sentence? Yingzhu was surprised but also very relieved.

The reason she didn't expose him earlier was because she was gambling, gambling that Liang Yunqian still remembered what happened last night.

Luckily he remembered, otherwise Xu Fanglin's attempt to smear him would have failed!

But Yingzhu couldn't speak up on her own initiative. She had to wait for Liang Yunqian to raise his questions before she could hold back the tears she had been holding back.

"That was the original plan, but the Crown Princess said that I was trying to conceive and couldn't eat hawthorn. To prevent me from eating them, I divided them all up."

Liang Yunqian slowly turned his head, and Xu Fanglin felt very uncomfortable under his sharp, dark gaze, so she innocently spread her hands.

"I didn't know she was going to give it to her mother; she didn't mention it!"

Yingzhu sobbed, "It's forbidden to bring food out of the manor. Even if someone brings it, it has to be done secretly. That's why I didn't dare to tell anyone openly."

"The gifts I bestowed upon Yingzhu are all permissible for her to consume during her convalescence, yet the Crown Princess disposed of them without authorization. Does she perhaps have a grudge against me?"

Liang Yunqian's rising intonation made Xu Fanglin feel uneasy.

"I'm only concerned about having children, and I'm worried that hawthorn berries might affect fertility. I'm also thinking about your position, Your Highness, and I hope Yingzhu can conceive as soon as possible. I mean no harm!"

Xu Fanglin was adept at sophistry, so Liang Yunqian didn't waste words with her and simply gave the order in public.

"Lianchuan, tell the servant to go queue up again and buy another can of hawthorn milk balls. Do not open it. Give it directly to Yingzhu. She is specially allowed to take it back to her family. There is no need to hide it."

In reality, Yingzhu's only intention was to prove her innocence and let Liang Yunqian know that she was not someone who boasted everywhere.

She didn't think about getting another jar, since Yuanji's pastries were limited in supply, expensive, and hard to buy.

Liang Yunqian suddenly offered to give her another can. In contrast, Xu Fanglin, who was standing to the side, looked pale. Yingzhu stopped refusing and thanked him.

"Thank you for the reward, Your Highness."

"From now on, no one is allowed to touch anything in Shen Yingzhu's room without permission!" Liang Yunqian seemed to be warning everyone present, but his gaze was actually fixed on Xu Fanglin.

Xu Fanglin's heart skipped a beat. "What does the young master mean by that? Is he perhaps wary of me?"

"As the Crown Princess said, Shen Yingzhu is preparing for pregnancy, so her belongings should be handled with care to prevent someone from secretly tampering with them and harming her, like Qiuhe did!"

Liang Yunqian didn't explicitly state it, but the warning in his words was particularly clear. Xu Fanglin dared not argue further, fearing he would pursue the matter further. She simply pretended not to understand and replied with a smile:

"Your Highness is absolutely right. It was my oversight. Let's not dwell on these trivial matters. Please have your meal."

Liang Yunqian washed his hands, sat down, and casually asked Yingzhu, "Are you feeling better? Did you have a fever again last night? Did you take your medicine today?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I didn't have a fever last night, and I haven't taken my medicine yet."

"It's already this late, why haven't you taken your medicine? You should follow the doctor's orders."

Yingzhu glanced at Lan Yun and said softly, "I didn't have breakfast, so I dare not drink the medicine."

Liang Yunqian immediately put down his chopsticks and looked at Xu Fanglin.

"Yingzhu is still recovering and hasn't had breakfast yet, and you expect her to serve you?"

Xu Fanglin's phoenix eyes shifted slightly, then she gave Yingzhu a light sneer.

"When you first arrived, I asked you if you had eaten breakfast, and you said you had. You silly girl, why can't you tell the truth? You'll only make the young master misunderstand and think I'm mistreating you and not letting you eat."

These two, master and servant, are adept at setting traps for her. Yingzhu will show weakness when she needs to, but when it comes to crucial moments, she will not compromise herself.

"It was Sister Lanyun who answered for me. Sister Lanyun said that I have a minor illness, that I can just skip a meal and take my medicine later, it won't kill me. I was afraid people would say I was being dramatic, that's why I didn't dare to clarify."

Lan Yun, whose name was called, was stunned on the spot!

Shen Yingzhu usually seems like a mute mosquito, so why is she suddenly biting people? It was so unexpected!

Just as she was feeling alarmed, the prince's question came like a heavy stone crashing down on her!

"Lan Yun, did you ever say such a thing?"

Lan Yun's heart pounded. She wanted to refute, but couldn't find the right words.

She didn't dare say it was the Crown Princess's idea, as saying it would only offend her. It was better to bear it herself, so the Crown Princess would remember her kindness.

"I was thinking that taking the medicine an hour later shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"How dare you neglect my woman?" Liang Yunqian stretched out his black boots and kicked Lan Yun's knee.

Lan Yun, in pain, collapsed to her knees before Yingzhu.

Yingzhu took two steps back and watched coldly.

"Shen Yingzhu needs to recover quickly so she can serve you in bed and conceive. Yet you disturbed her recovery while she was seriously ill, delaying her service by even one day and hindering her ability to have children. Can you afford to bear the consequences?"

Liang Yunqian's voice suddenly turned cold, and Lan Yun was so frightened that she broke out in a cold sweat and kowtowed, begging for mercy.

"This servant is foolish and did not think that much. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

Xu Fanglin couldn't bear the thought of her maid being scolded, so she tried to smooth things over.

"Alright, Lan Yun didn't do it on purpose. They all suffer from colds on their own, without even taking medicine. Not everyone is as delicate as Yingzhu. Lan Yun's mistake was unintentional, Your Highness, please forgive her this time!"

Yingzhu subtly criticized Xu Fanglin for always pretending to be kind in front of Liang Yunqian and always protecting her own family.

She thought this action would demonstrate her benevolence, but little did she know that Liang Yunqian was a man of clear rewards and punishments, and he detested those who stirred up trouble.

The Qiuhe incident is a case in point; Xu Fanglin hasn't learned her lesson and continues to protect Lan Yun!

If Xu Fanglin had severely punished Lan Yun, Liang Yunqian would not have said anything. But she didn't punish her at all, acting as if it didn't matter. Liang Yunqian's dark eyes narrowed slightly.

"It seems Lan Yun is in excellent health; she won't need to collect that medical allowance anymore!"

The head maids in the Prince's mansion were treated very well; they received a medical allowance of six taels of silver annually and were also entitled to tonics.

Lan Yun wanted to save up this money, so she didn't take medicine for minor illnesses and just endured them.

She thought she was young and would get over it in a couple of days, and even mocked Yingzhu for being pretentious. Little did she know that the prince would actually cancel her annual allowance!

Lan Yun's face turned pale. When she met the prince's piercing gaze, she didn't dare to utter the words that were stuck in her throat.

Xu Fanglin's face gradually stiffened, simply because the Crown Prince did not give her any face, but instead deducted Lan Yun's annual allowance!

This isn't just about six taels of silver; it's a slap in the face!

Yingzhu had been upset since early morning, and now was the perfect time to watch the show.

Xu Fanglin found her increasingly displeasing, so he waved his hand and said, "The young master is concerned for your illness, so you should go back and rest! Otherwise, the young master will think I'm mistreating you."

Yingzhu had vented her anger and should have gone back to her peaceful life. However, she had just turned around when Liang Yunqian called her back.

"Haven't you eaten yet? Sit down and have your meal."

Xu Fanglin covered her nose with a handkerchief, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Your Highness, Yingzhu is ill and should not dine with us, lest she pass on her illness to us."

In reality, Yingzhu had no intention of sitting with them, but Xu Fanglin's disgusted attitude made Yingzhu rebellious.

She wouldn't refuse, but she'd see what Liang Yunqian said.