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

But she didn't say a word.

Having no reason to linger any longer, Liang Yunqian lifted the curtain and left.

After he left, Yingzhu could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down her face, and she cried out.

"If you want to leave, then leave. It'll give me peace and quiet, and save me from having to deal with your attitude and living in constant anxiety. Do you think I want you here? I don't care at all!"

As she continued, Yingzhu choked up and could no longer speak, sobbing uncontrollably as she lay on the table.

Suddenly someone stuffed a handkerchief into her face, and the handkerchief still carried the scent of pine tea.

Surprised, Yingzhu raised her tearful eyes, and what came into her blurred vision was Liang Yunqian's tall and imposing figure.

Large tears slid from her eyes. Yingzhu felt embarrassed and immediately wiped them away, turning her face away to avoid looking at him.

"You...you left, didn't you? Why are you back all of a sudden?"

Just moments ago, she had been cold and aloof, as if she disliked even speaking to him. But now, her starry eyes were filled with tears, and her aggrieved and heartbroken appearance softened Liang Yunqian's heart.

"When I heard someone crying and cursing at me, of course I had to come back and listen."

"I wasn't crying! It was just sand and dust in my eyes."

Yingzhu wiped away her tears, her small nostrils slowly opening and closing. She sobbed in denial, her voice soft and sweet, like a layer of misty rain, damply permeating Liang Yunqian's heart.

He could no longer bear to speak loudly, and his voice became much gentler.

"You hate me that much? You don't want to see me?"

How could he have the nerve to question her? He didn't even look at his own actions.

"You wouldn't listen to my explanation, you just left without a word, leaving me all alone there, and you didn't even come back by noon. It's clear you hate me."

"I really had something to do that day; I was ordered by my father to go out on a mission."

Yingzhu didn't believe that at all!

"Last time Aunt Zhou fainted in your room, you did the same thing, making an excuse to leave and not returning to Tingsong Garden. I know all your tricks. You did the same to me that day, which shows you're deliberately avoiding me."

How could she make so many connections?

"You're different from her."

Liang Yunqian instinctively denied it, and Yingzhu stared at him suspiciously, her curled eyelashes wet with tears.

"I'm not stupid, I know what you're thinking. Now that I'm pregnant, I can't serve you anymore, so you think I'm useless and stop coming to me."

What they said is true. You are so heartless. When I told you before, you didn't admit it and said you would come to be with me again, but what happened?

You get angry over such a small thing. I tried to explain, but you wouldn't listen. You don't care about the truth at all; you're just making excuses to distance yourself from me.

Yingzhu launched into a long tirade of accusations against him, each word laced with resentment.

He wasn't angry about it; instead, he felt that Shen Yingzhu was at her most authentic at that moment.

"Didn't you say you didn't care whether I came or not? Why are you so angry because I haven't come for two or three days? Are you looking forward to my arrival?"

What time is it? He's still concerned about these things?

"No way!" Yingzhu denied, her face flushed.

"It's not that I care about you, I just hate that you're two-faced. If you don't want to come, fine, but why push all the responsibility onto me?"

Your father and mother are considerate of the Fourth Prince's feelings, but who has ever cared about my thoughts? They all told me to lie, and now you blame me. Where can I complain?

Yingzhu felt increasingly aggrieved as she thought about it, and the tears she had just stopped falling streamed down her face again.

Upon hearing this, Liang Yunqian was filled with doubt.

"And what about your father? When did he contact you?"

"The prince didn't contact me, but he instructed the princess to tell me that if the fourth prince spoke to me that day, I couldn't admit my identity, and I had to change my voice so that the fourth prince would mistakenly think that we just had the same name."

This was something Liang Yunqian never expected. He thought that Yingzhu was reluctant to tell Liang Xingzhou the truth, but he never imagined that it was actually his father's idea!

"Why did Father do this?"

"The princess said that it was Xingzhou's mother who asked the king for it."

Aunt Song was worried that Xingzhou would be unable to accept it if he found out I had entered Prince Rui's residence and become the heir's concubine, and would refuse to cooperate with treatment. That's why she didn't want me to admit it, thinking she would wait until he regained his sight.

Yingzhu said several sentences, but Liang Yunqian heard those two words most clearly.

"What did you call him? Xingzhou?"

Liang Yunqian's question was odd. "The Prince didn't ask him to change his name, did he? Isn't Xingzhou his name?"

"Are you close to him? Why did you call him by his name?"

They used to be quite close, after all, they were already engaged. If it weren't for that accident, Yingzhu might have married Xingzhou.

But now the situation has changed, and Liang Yunqian's expression is not good, so Yingzhu didn't say that sentence again.

"It's been two years since we last met, so we're not really familiar with each other. I... I just called him that casually, and then he suddenly changed his surname, so I couldn't quite process it."

The more Liang Yunqian thought about it, the more he felt that the tone of her voice when she uttered those two words was exceptionally gentle.

"That's too intimate. You've never called me by my name like that before."

These words actually came from Liang Yunqian's mouth? He actually cares about these details?

"You are the crown prince, and I am merely your concubine. How dare I address you by your given name?"

"You have been promoted to concubine; you are no longer a maidservant."

Liang Yunqian made a point of correcting her, but Yingzhu found it laughable.

"There was no concubine-taking banquet, nothing at all. No one in the manor recognizes me as a concubine, and I don't want to humiliate myself."

"Now that I've spoken, I won't go back on my word and will take you as my concubine."

Yingzhu gently reminded her, "When the Crown Princess told people that I wasn't a concubine that day, you didn't refute her."

"..." He thought about it carefully, and it seemed that there was indeed such a thing.

Clearing his throat, Liang Yunqian rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You didn't tell Liang Xingzhou the truth that day. I thought you felt something for him..."

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Liang Yunqian hesitated and didn't continue.

Yingzhu got angry as soon as she heard this. "What do you think? Do you think I still have feelings for him? I've already explained it to you twice, and you said you would believe me. Why are you doubting me again?"

"You promised you'd openly acknowledge him, but your voice changed the moment you saw him. What do you think I'd think?"

"That day happened so suddenly, I didn't have time to explain to you, and I don't blame you for misunderstanding. Later, I came to your door to try to explain, but you wouldn't listen."

I dare not disobey the orders of the Prince and Princess, but you refuse to listen to my explanation. I am isolated and helpless in this mansion, and my days are extremely agonizing!

I really want to give birth to my child tomorrow, take the money, and leave Prince Rui's residence to avoid causing any more trouble.

Yingzhu felt more and more aggrieved as she thought about it, and tears fell again, but she stubbornly wiped them away with her hand, unwilling to shed tears in front of him.

He had heard her say similar things before, and at that time he only felt anger and impatience. But this time, when he saw her crying and saying those words again, his heart felt as if it had been slashed by a dull knife, a dense, persistent pain.

"Shen Yingzhu! You are now my concubine, and you are not allowed to mention leaving again!"

Some things won't just disappear if she doesn't bring them up; she has to make things clear.

"Liang Xingzhou lives in the Prince's residence, and we'll inevitably run into each other again. What am I supposed to do here? Just continue to be misunderstood by you?"

There won't be a next time.

Liang Yunqian's expression was unusually solemn, but Yingzhu's heart remained unmoved.

"You always say the same thing. When something goes wrong, I'm the first person you suspect. Do you think I'll still trust you?"

Upon careful reflection, he was indeed right, and Yingzhu wasn't wrong either.

He does bear responsibility for the current situation.

"My upbringing made me suspicious. I can't fully trust anyone, and I always doubt the people around me, wondering if they have betrayed me."

What you crave most is trust, and I failed to give you enough. This is indeed my fault; I know I was wrong and am willing to change.

If something like this happens again, I will never doubt you. I will consider whether you have some hidden difficulties or have been framed.

He gazed at her intently and made a promise, but Yingzhu was skeptical of his words.

"I hope you will keep your word. This is the last time I will trust you. If you misunderstand me again because of Liang Xingzhou, I will leave the palace after giving birth and will never stay!"

Yingzhu's attitude was firm, so to convince her of his sincerity, Liang Yunqian nodded.

"Okay, I promise you, I will keep this promise."

After achieving her goal, Yingzhu breathed a sigh of relief. This time, it was thanks to Qingfeng's opera skills that she was able to successfully lure Liang Yunqian over.

If Qingfeng hadn't intervened, she and Liang Yunqian might have continued their cold war, and she would have continued to be abused by the servants.

As she was lost in thought, Liang Yunqian's gaze fell on the sewing basket. She had hidden it so quickly, and he couldn't help but be curious.

"What are you embroidering?"

"It's nothing! I'm just embroidering it for fun, it's not finished yet!"

Yingzhu's eyes clearly flickered. The more she tried to hide it, the more curious Liang Yunqian became. He even wondered who this was embroidered for and why he couldn't see it.

Liang Yunqian reached out to take it, but Yingzhu held on tightly, refusing to let go.

"Am I an outsider? Can't I even look?"