Chapter 265: Chapter 266: How Dare You Seduce My Princess Consort

Hua Manman unleashed a torrent of flattery.

"Of course, the Prince is the most handsome!

You’re incomparably handsome, dashing, and elegant. Your heroic presence could rival an Immortal’s. How could any of those common men out there possibly compare to you?"

After speaking, she gazed at Prince Zhao with sparkling eyes, her face filled with adoration.

But Li Ji clearly heard her inner thoughts—

’I can’t believe Prince Zhao is so childish. He can’t even stand it when I praise someone else’s looks. What a baby!’

Li Ji’s expression darkened. "You despise me."

Hua Manman quickly denied it.

"No, no! How could I possibly despise you?!"

Li Ji shot to his feet and strode outside.

He looked so murderous, as if he were on his way to kill someone, that a frightened Hua Manman hurriedly grabbed him.

"Where are you going, Your Highness?"

Li Ji said coldly, "I’m going to Sui Chun Garden to see which audacious dog of an actor dares to seduce my Princess Consort."

He said he was just going to "see," but by the looks of it, he was more likely going to tear the place down.

Hua Manman felt her scalp prickle with dread.

She clung tightly to Prince Zhao’s arm and explained loudly.

"No one seduced me! I just listened to a couple of plays with Princess Anshun, that’s all! You have to believe me!"

Li Ji sneered. "Just listening to a couple of plays, and you can write so many words of praise?

When I asked you to write a love poem before, you made all sorts of excuses and refused for the life of you.

But now you can suddenly churn out so much poetry for someone else?"

Having no other choice, Hua Manman had to confess the truth.

"Actually, the poems in this review were written by someone else. I just copied their poems into my assignment."

Li Ji froze, incredulous. "You actually got someone to do your assignment for you?"

Hua Manman mumbled under her breath.

"It’s not like you don’t know my literary skills are... what they are. I really can’t write anything good, so I had to ask for help."

She waited for a long time, but Prince Zhao didn’t say a word.

She cautiously raised her head to look at him.

"I know I was wrong. Please don’t be angry anymore, okay?"

In truth, Li Ji wasn’t angry anymore.

He just felt awkward. He had been so jealous, only to find out his jealousy was misplaced. It was all just a misunderstanding.

How was he supposed to save face now?

Li Ji cleared his throat, speaking with the composure of someone for whom nothing had happened.

"Don’t do this again. Even if you can’t write it yourself, you can’t have someone else do it for you. It’s wrong to deceive people."

Hua Manman obediently admitted her mistake. "I’ll never do it again."

Li Ji told her to rewrite the review, and with that, the matter was considered closed.

...

News of Princess Anshun’s pregnancy quickly spread throughout Shangjing City.

Among the happiest to hear it was none other than Lin Qingzhi.

She immediately sent a message to the Fourth Prince, asking to see him as soon as possible.

The next day, she met the Fourth Prince at Yu Yang Restaurant.

Lin Qingzhi suppressed her excitement and looked at the Fourth Prince, asking.

"Have you heard about Princess Anshun’s pregnancy?"

Li Ying nodded slightly. "Yes."

Lin Qingzhi couldn’t help but take a step forward.

"I told you before that Princess Anshun would become pregnant. Now that it’s come true, this should be enough to prove that I wasn’t lying, shouldn’t it?"

Li Ying was already beginning to believe Lin Qingzhi. She might genuinely possess the ability to see the future.

On the surface, however, he remained impassive and said flatly.

"Perhaps it’s just a coincidence."

Lin Qingzhi grew a little anxious.

"Princess Anshun was unable to conceive for over ten years of marriage, and now she’s suddenly pregnant. Isn’t that enough to prove I’m telling the truth?"

Li Ying remained silent.

He wanted to see how much more useful information he could dig out of Lin Qingzhi.

Lin Qingzhi finally realized the difference between the Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince.

Back when she had approached the Crown Prince, it had taken only a few simple tricks to win his trust.

But it wasn’t working with the Fourth Prince.

The Fourth Prince was naturally suspicious and never let his feelings show, so even now, Lin Qingzhi couldn’t figure out what he was truly thinking.

To win the Fourth Prince’s trust, Lin Qingzhi had no choice but to throw out a second piece of bait.

"Then I’ll tell you one more thing. Princess Anshun won’t be able to keep the child. In a month at most, the baby in her belly will be gone."

Li Ying didn’t actually care whether Princess Anshun had a child or not.

However, this was indeed a way to verify Lin Qingzhi’s ability.

"Then we’ll wait another month and see."

Lin Qingzhi was very confident that Princess Anshun’s child would not survive.

Before her rebirth, she had heard people talk about Princess Anshun. After being unable to conceive for decades, she suddenly became pregnant, which should have been a joyous occasion. However, the good times didn’t last, and Princess Anshun miscarried not long after.

When the women of the inner courts gossiped about it, they all said Princess Anshun was cursed with misfortune and fated to be childless.

Therefore, Lin Qingzhi was certain that the child in Princess Anshun’s womb would be gone soon.

By then, the Fourth Prince couldn’t possibly call it a coincidence again.

...

Ever since Princess Anshun became pregnant, the entire Prince Anshun Mansion had been filled with joy. Even Prince Anshun, who usually angered his wife, was much better behaved.

After all, this was the child he had longed for for over ten years. No matter how thoughtless he usually was, he knew now that he had to take good care of the pregnant woman’s feelings and absolutely must not make the Princess angry again.

Princess Anshun took her medicine on time every day and slowly nourished her body through a supplementary diet.

Every day, the household doctor would check her pulse to ensure the fetus was growing more stable and normal by the day.

When Hua Manman came to visit Princess Anshun, she also brought Feihua Zhenren along.

After taking Princess Anshun’s pulse, Feihua Zhenren said with a smile.

"Your Highness’s condition has improved greatly. You don’t need to take the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine anymore. Continue with the dietary supplements. You can walk around more when you feel up to it, but avoid strenuous exercise and don’t get angry. You must maintain a peaceful state of mind."

Princess Anshun nodded to show she understood, then shot a pointed glance at Prince Anshun.

Prince Anshun said miserably, "What are you looking at me for? I haven’t made you angry at all recently."

Princess Anshun huffed and ignored him.

She pulled Hua Manman out of the room, leaving Prince Anshun to entertain Feihua Zhenren.

Princess Anshun led Hua Manman to a room that was decorated in an exquisite and adorable style.

"This is the room I’ve prepared for the baby. What do you think? Is there anything that needs to be improved?"

Hua Manman took a turn around the room. "It’s wonderful. The baby will love it."

Princess Anshun took out a sewing basket and pulled out a small piece of clothing.

"I made this outfit for the baby. Do you think it’s pretty?"

Hua Manman took the little outfit, examined it for a moment, and suggested.

"The baby should be born next summer, and next year happens to be the Year of the Pig. You could embroider a little pig on the collar."

Princess Anshun asked humbly, "What kind of little pig would look good?"

Hua Manman immediately had someone bring her a brush and paper and drew a little pink pig with a long nose.

"Embroider this little pig, Peppa. The baby will definitely love it!"