SYADEPCO – CH023

Chapter 23: Pretending to Be Affectionate

“Your Highness, you must be mistaken. My father and brother would never betray you.”

Wan Yiyu shook her head while crying, unwilling to accept the truth.

“Miss Wan, what do you think has happened to your brother now?” Ziwu suddenly lowered his voice.

Wan Yiyu’s heart sank. She stopped crying and cautiously asked, “W-what happened to him?”

“Since he deceived everyone by claiming he was dead, we simply turned that lie into reality,” Ziwu said slowly.

“Ah…” Wan Yiyu let out a terrified scream.

“You killed my brother?!”

“I believe General Wan has already received the body. He’s next. If you leave now, Miss Wan, you might just be able to see him one last time,” Ziwu said mockingly.

Wan Yiyu’s face turned deathly pale. She quickly got up and ran out, mumbling repeatedly, “It’s not true… it’s not true…”

“Nanny Wang, Nanny Qin, go back to the palace and tell my mother consort that I deeply appreciate the gift she sent,” Yan Lin’s cold voice echoed in the large room.

Nanny Wang and Nanny Qin were scared out of their wits, fearing they too would be killed.

“Y-yes, Your Highness…”

“As for the rest of you, do any of you still wish to stay at Prince Lin’s Manor?” Yan Lin asked again coldly.

“Y-Your Highness, I want to return home.”

“I want to go back as well.”

The remaining women no longer dared to dream of becoming his concubine. Terrified, they all hurriedly left, breaking into a run as soon as they stepped over the threshold.

Sensing the person beside him shiver, Yan Lin asked in a low voice, “Are you scared, Princess Consort? Do you think I’m cruel and violent?”

Chu Baihan had only shivered because she felt cold. But upon hearing his words, she frowned. What was with him now? Why was he speaking so strangely?

Though inwardly complaining, she patiently replied, “Rebels deserve death. I don’t think Your Highness did anything wrong. Only by being ruthless can one make enemies fear you.”

She actually thinks that way?

Yan Lin pressed his thin lips together. Although he didn’t say anything more, anyone with eyes could tell he was in a good mood.

“Lin’er, are you trying to scare your royal grandmother to death? I thought you were going to let down Han girl,” the Empress Dowager said sternly.

“Royal Grandmother, do you often feel shortness of breath? Why don’t I examine you, if you don’t mind?” Chu Baihan quickly changed the topic, not wanting the Empress Dowager to keep focusing on her relationship with a certain prince.

“Little Han, you know medicine?”

“To be honest, Royal Grandmother, I’ve studied medicine under an old physician and know a bit. You often have trouble sleeping, poor appetite, frequent headaches, shortness of breath, and sometimes chest pain, don’t you?” Chu Baihan asked gently.

“How do you know that?” Nanny Xiao asked in shock.

Chu Baihan responded a bit embarrassedly, “Just now, I secretly took Royal Grandmother’s pulse.”

“You cheeky girl. I guess it must have been when you pulled me earlier. I didn’t even notice,” the Empress Dowager laughed instead of getting angry.

“So tell me, what should I do about this condition?” she asked with a smile.

“I’ll write you a prescription shortly, Royal Grandmother. Take the medicine as instructed. But for complete recovery, keeping a good mood is crucial. Emotional distress is the worst enemy of health,” Chu Baihan said seriously.

The Empress Dowager was indeed aging, and her health was no longer what it used to be. She had to take care.

“You all won’t give me great-grandchildren…how can I possibly be in a good mood!” the Empress Dowager coughed, her face pale.

Chu Baihan felt both worried and helpless. How did the conversation circle back to this again?

That prince thinks about killing her every day; how could they possibly have a child together?

As she was silently grumbling, a warm hand suddenly grasped her fingers.

Her body stiffened. She turned her head in shock to look at a certain prince’s side profile.

What was he doing?

“What you said is what the imperial physician also said. Royal Grandmother must not bottle up her emotions anymore. Even if you’re faking it, pretend to be affectionate with me,” Yan Lin whispered coldly.

Chu Baihan: “O-okay.”

The Empress Dowager had treated her so well, she couldn’t bear to let her down.

Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile and said sweetly, “Your Highness, let me help you sit down.”

The Empress Dowager, seeing this scene, couldn’t help but turn and flash Nanny Xiao a triumphant smile.

Nanny Xiao returned a helpless smile.

The Empress Dowager truly had gone to great lengths to help Prince Lin and his princess consort develop their relationship.

She had stayed up all night and her pulse today was indeed extremely weak.

“Little Han, I heard you went out to look at a shop. What are your plans?” After sitting down, the Empress Dowager asked kindly.

Chu Baihan was slightly stunned. She hadn’t expected the Empress Dowager to know about that.

She nodded and honestly replied, “Yes, I went to check out a pharmacy. I plan to turn it into a medical clinic.”

“A clinic? That’s great. I think it’s a wonderful idea,” the Empress Dowager immediately nodded in approval.

She actually agreed?

Chu Baihan was both surprised and delighted.

She had been prepared to be refused when she brought it up.

After all, not to mention Yan Lin’s unique circumstances, if others learned she knew medicine, it could cause trouble for Prince Lin’s Manor.

Moreover, royal women were not supposed to show themselves publicly; surely the Empress Dowager would worry about that.

But she hadn’t expected her to agree so readily.

However, even if the Empress Dowager approved, it didn’t matter…**that prince** definitely wouldn’t.

Chu Baihan glanced at Yan Lin from the corner of her eye, her expression dimming.

The Empress Dowager caught her look and immediately frowned, turning to Yan Lin: “Lin’er, why aren’t you saying anything? Do you disagree?”

Oh no. That prince is going to think she complained to the Empress Dowager again.

Feeling helpless, Chu Baihan quickly said, “Royal Grandmother, no, it’s not like that. Actually…”

Just as she was racking her brain for an explanation, the person beside her spoke first in a low voice: “Royal Grandmother, I have no objections.”

Huh?

She turned to him again, stunned, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.

He actually agreed?

“Good, good, as long as you agree,” the Empress Dowager smiled happily, clearly very pleased.

“Oh right, I also asked a master at Puguang Temple to read your birth charts. The two of you are a perfect match. The master also said, if Han girl can conceive within three months, Prince Lin’s Manor will be forever prosperous,” the Empress Dowager added with a smile.

*Cough, cough, cough…* Chu Baihan was drinking tea and almost choked to death.

“Royal Grandmother, I’ve said before, I won’t have children,” Yan Lin said firmly.

The atmosphere instantly turned cold.

Chu Baihan could only silently sip her tea.

But inwardly she couldn’t help wondering: Is he so against having children because he dislikes kids, or because the one he would have to have them with… is her?

Maybe… both.

With that thought, her expression fell slightly.

Does he really hate her that much?

Lin’er, this child, must still be refusing children because of his eye condition. The Empress Dowager sighed to herself.

For a moment, all three people in the room had their own thoughts.

The Empress Dowager lingered a while longer, then found an excuse to return to the palace, taking Nanny Xiao with her.

She had sensed that Lin’er’s attitude toward Han girl had begun to change, and they needed time alone together.

“Your Highness, if there’s nothing else, I’d like to go to Qianling Pavilion,” Chu Baihan said after receiving permission. Her heart was already racing; she had to get started with Qianling Pavilion as soon as possible.

Surprisingly, Yan Lin didn’t stop her. He simply knocked on the table and signaled for Ziying to follow.