Chapter 15: The Princess Consort Seems Not to Be Human

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“Hua Qing... why are you here?”
“We were just talking about your injury. Don’t worry, Grandmother will make sure you get justice,” Lady Jiang said nervously, instinctively trying to change the subject.
Lin Yue gave a contemptuous smile. “He already knows the truth; he just doesn’t realize that Grandmother is involved. And now she wants to cover it up? Isn’t that just like burying silver where everyone can see it?”
“What?” Lady Jiang looked terrified, glancing anxiously at Xiao Hua Qing.
Xiao Hua Qing frowned but didn’t deny it. Instead, he asked, “When I took that embroidered piece back then, did you already know it was Lin Yue’s work?”
“Of course not! How could I have known?” Lady Jiang hurriedly shook her head.
Suddenly, she strode over to Lin Yue and whispered sharply, “You’d better tell Hua Qing the truth now—that you were just trying to oppose me and were talking nonsense. Don’t forget, no matter how much we argue, we’re still family. If we make a big fool of ourselves, it’ll be a loss for everyone.”
Then she glared at Lin Yue with a piercing look, biting her lip as she muttered ambiguously, “If your parents find out...”
Lin Yue sneered. At this moment, Lady Jiang still tried to control her—it was laughable.
Lin Yue looked straight at Xiao Hua Qing and said clearly, “Everything I said was true. If you don’t believe me, you can investigate yourself.”
“But I think it’s unnecessary. I just want you to understand that it was a man-made mistake. Let’s never mention it again.”
With that, she stood up. “You two continue your conversation; I’m going to have breakfast.”
Su Yingyue also stood and said, “Daughter-in-law will serve Mother.”
Lin Yue immediately replied, “No need. From now on, let’s keep to ourselves and have less contact.”
“Starting tomorrow, you don’t need to come pay respects to me. You don’t have to report on your affairs with the heir either. My only request is this—stay away from me.”
At the thought, Xiao Hua Qing felt as though something was blocking his heart, a deep discomfort tightening inside him. He unconsciously clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms, yet he didn’t notice.
Seeing this, Su Yingyue’s heart ached, and her eyes darkened.
Meanwhile, Lady Jiang was still angrily saying, “Lin Yue is getting more and more outrageous; does she really think she’s the Crown Princess? She’s just a secondary wife. If it weren’t for our Duke’s household back then...”
“That’s enough!” Xiao Hua Qing shouted, no longer willing to listen.
Lady Jiang was startled but soon began to sob in grievance, “Hua Qing, you don’t believe me? I’m your own grandmother! You don’t trust my words but believe Lin Yue’s? Wuwuwu...”
“Poor daughter of mine, if you were still here, how could Hua Qing be deceived, or I be bullied?”
“Wuwuwu... daughter, wait for me—I’m coming to find you.”
Xiao Hua Qing trembled with anger but bit his lip tightly and closed his eyes in pain.
He had never doubted his grandmother before, so why now...?
“Someone, escort Lady Jiang back to the residence.”

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“Hua Qing... you...”
“Let’s go. Don’t make me hate you anymore.”
Xiao Hua Qing opened his eyes slowly, his tone now icy cold.
If it weren’t for Lin Yue coming to him before marrying his father, he might never have noticed.
But what could he do then? Compete with his father for a woman?
Lady Jiang was forced to leave, and Su Yingyue followed her out.
Lady Jiang grabbed her hand excitedly, as if clutching a savior. “Yingyue, please help me explain. This is all Lin Yue’s doing—she’s deliberately trying to make life difficult for you and your husband.”
“Grandmother has always been helping you. We’re in the same boat. You must remember all the kindness she’s shown.”
Su Yingyue pulled her hand away, recalling that whenever she visited the Duke’s household before, Lady Jiang was always surrounded by noble ladies and treated her coldly and indifferently.
Back then, she thought Lady Jiang was just too busy to pay attention to her, but now she realized Lady Jiang was deliberately humiliating her.
Lin Yue was right—how could she expect Lady Jiang to support her?
“You’d better burn that letter.”
“Otherwise, when the truth finally comes out, I’m afraid your health won’t be able to bear it.”
After saying this, Su Yingyue left.
Lady Jiang was stunned, standing there dumbfounded as if she had suddenly lost all support, overwhelmed with confusion.
In the past, hadn’t she been able to manipulate everyone? Why were things turning against her now?
Burn the letter? No way!
That was her greatest leverage. Lady Jiang snorted coldly, thinking Su Yingyue was really trying to deceive her.
Lin Yue’s favorite person was Xiao Hua Qing; she would never truly hurt him. This leverage had to be kept—maybe it would be useful in the future.
...
After breakfast, Lin Yue asked Nurse Qin to prepare, as she planned to leave the residence.
Nurse Qin happily went to prepare the carriage, thinking Lin Yue was going back to her family home.
But Lin Yue only wanted to stroll through the market and observe the common people’s lives.
When she saw Luo Qingyu leading a dozen guards waiting outside, with a luxurious carriage beside them, Lin Yue froze.
“What are you all doing here?”
Luo Qingyu looked suspicious. “Didn’t Nurse Qin say the princess was returning to her family home?”

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At that moment, Nurse Qin stepped forward happily. “Princess, all the gifts are ready, in the two carriages behind.”
“You’ve been married here for so long, and it’s always been the lady and the young lady visiting you. Now finally, you can go home in glory.”
Lin Yue: “...???”
[They’ve made such a show of it, it would be hard not to go back.]
[Well, I’ll visit my parents and my brother and sister-in-law. If they have any difficulties, I can help.]
So Lin Yue got into the carriage.
She noticed that Luo Qingyu, the captain of the guards, was still standing outside her carriage window. She lifted the curtain and asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be leading? Why are you out here?”
Luo Qingyu remained expressionless. “Reporting to the princess: when out and about, it is my responsibility to ensure your safety.”
Hearing this, Lin Yue lowered the curtain.
She spoke to the system: [I feel Luo Qingyu has taken an interest in me because of that unfilial son of Xiao Hua Qing.]
System: [Unknown, but he doesn’t seem hostile.]
Lin Yue: [Regardless, the priority is to accumulate merit to save the Crown Prince and Crown Grandson, and also Xiao Jingyun. Calculating the time, the accident happened during the heavy snows of the winter month. Now it’s April; we only have six months left.]
System: [Focus more on the people’s livelihood. Great merit is inseparable from serving the people. The more difficulties you solve for the people, the greater your merit and rewards.]
Lin Yue nodded. [Understood.]
Outside the carriage window, Luo Qingyu gripped the reins tighter and tighter.
The prince will be in trouble during the winter month?
Thinking of the prince who had raised him since childhood, Luo Qingyu’s heart tightened painfully. No, he absolutely could not let the prince come to harm.
The princess seemed not possessed by any demon, but she didn’t seem entirely human either?
Merit?
Could she be some kind of immortal cultivator?
When the prince was seriously ill, the Taoist Zhang used a marriage blessing ritual and selected the princess to marry the prince. Everyone anxiously awaited the outcome, and unexpectedly, the prince recovered on his wedding night.
Perhaps Taoist Zhang knew something no one else did. Luo Qingyu decided to visit Taoist Zhang at the Qingcheng Taoist Temple that night.