"This way, Chu Chenyi will be able to better appreciate your kindness and be even more devoted to you."
Although she had deceived them this time, she had also done a good deed, fostering the relationship between the two. It was only Lin Yuwei who had been thoroughly frightened. All in all, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
Lin Yuwei's eyes dimmed, and she slumped onto a chair, sighing, "Even if his feelings for me have changed, it's only because he's moved and feels grateful. Such feelings are neither here nor there for me."
Feelings gained through kindness were no different from charity, and they would gradually fade with time.
"Actually... I can see that Prince Jing also has feelings for you. Perhaps you're too close to the situation to see clearly."
"Perhaps..." Lin Yuwei lacked the spirit to respond, murmuring idly. She had long since come to terms with it. The two of them were bound together by an imperial decree, and whether there was affection between them was entirely unimportant. Living out the rest of their lives in mutual respect was also good.
It was difficult for an honest official to resolve domestic disputes. She shouldn't interfere in the affairs of a young couple, fearing she might only make things worse. It was best to let them find their own solutions.
Feng Jin reached out and took Lin Yuwei's slightly cold hand. "The weather has only just begun to turn cool, and your hands are already so cold. When I took your pulse the other day, I noticed you had a deficiency of qi and blood, and a cold constitution. The medicine I prescribed for you then was to treat this condition. Just follow the instructions and drink it. As for Chu Chenyi..."
"There's no major issue. Continue taking the medicine according to the prescription, and have him take one pill of this daily."
She took out a blue porcelain bottle from a box on the bookshelf and handed it to Lin Yuwei.
"If Chu Chenyi asks what this medicine is, I... how should I answer?"
"It's all medicine to replenish qi and blood and dispel cold. When I took your pulse earlier, I found that he had an excess of yin fire in his body, likely due to the lingering effects of his leg injury, which has led to the invasion of cold. He should be experiencing severe leg pain most nights these past few days."
"Indeed! The night before last, his leg was so painful that he had to summon the imperial physician to administer acupuncture, which only provided some relief."
That day, Chu Chenyi's legs had throbbed with pain like needles. After the imperial physician's acupuncture, the pain had only eased for a moment, but he still felt a constant ache.
"Then that's certainly the case. Continue taking the medicine and adjust for a while, and there will be no major issues. Remember, you must not catch a cold again, and especially avoid anything cold. You also cannot bathe with cold water in the future. As his wife, you will have to trouble yourself with these matters."
"I understand, Sister Feng Jin. I will definitely urge him to do so."
Lin Yuwei nodded solemnly, clutching the medicine bottle tightly. It seemed she would have more responsibilities from now on.
"When Chu Chenyi asks you later, just say I only gave you some medicine. If he asks about the illness, just tell him that his body is unwell and needs to be treated for a period of time."
Lin Yuwei looked at Feng Jin with a hint of difficulty, her brow slightly furrowed, and said with a touch of worry, "Sister Feng Jin, if we... if we deceive him like this, and if Chu Chenyi consults other imperial physicians, won't we be exposed?"
If they were found out, it would be disastrous. If Chu Chenyi then sought to cause trouble, it would be difficult to handle.
Feng Jin's lips curved into a smile, her mind already made up. "Don't worry. Even if other imperial physicians are called in, they won't be able to discover anything. Rest assured!"
If other imperial physicians could find out, wouldn't that jeopardize her livelihood? How could she allow such a thing to happen?
With Feng Jin's assurance, Lin Yuwei finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Sister Feng Jin, if you say it's fine, then I won't worry."
"Alright, let's go out quickly. We mustn't keep him waiting outside any longer."
Feng Jin estimated the time. If they didn't go out soon, Chu Chenyi would likely be in a frantic state outside. They had to leave quickly.
The moment the door opened, Chu Chenyi appeared immediately at the doorway, startling the two inside.
"Prince Jing still has the habit of eavesdropping at corners. Truly an eye-opener," Feng Jin said deliberately, her tone laced with sarcasm. After all, the soundproofing in the room was excellent, so she wasn't worried that Chu Chenyi had heard anything he shouldn't have.
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Chu Chenyi's face as he was caught. He cleared his throat and weakly defended himself, "I merely saw that you two had been inside for a while and had just come over to knock on the door when you happened to come out."
Feng Jin smiled thinly, not bothering to hide her displeasure. "That's indeed quite a coincidence. We were just about to leave, and Your Highness arrived..."
"That's right, it's a coincidence. It's getting late, and we should be going back."
With that, Chu Chenyi grabbed Lin Yuwei's hand and strode out.
Feng Jin watched their retreating figures and shook her head helplessly. Finally, she had sent away these two troublemakers and could have some peace.
However, Chu Chenyi's grand arrival to demand an explanation was likely due to someone leaking the news. Without much thought, she already knew the answer. Her gaze shifted to Ling Mohan.
"You don't shy away from making trouble at all. You turned around and told Chu Chenyi immediately. Aren't you worried I'll get into trouble?"
His mouth was even more troublesome than a woman's. Some things were better left unsaid and kept to oneself. He was deliberately creating problems for her. If this wasn't clarified, who knew what major trouble he might stir up tomorrow.
Exposed, Ling Mohan couldn't help but feel a touch of awkwardness, but he tried his best to conceal it. "I just said it casually..."
"Casually? I think you said it deliberately. You just wanted to provoke Chu Chenyi. Do you really think I don't know your little schemes!"
"I was just worried that Chu Chenyi would come looking for trouble with you, so I rushed back. Please, for the sake of my sincere apology, don't dwell on these trivial matters anymore."
Ling Mohan, knowing he was in the wrong, placated Feng Jin in a gentle tone, hoping to quell her anger.
Feng Jin snorted, finding Ling Mohan's childish behavior incredibly exasperating, yet also acknowledging a sense of helplessness.
"Since this matter has passed, let it be. If there's a next time, you'll have to find your own way to solve the troubles you create. Don't expect me to clean up your mess again!"
She decided to be direct and upfront, lest Ling Mohan forget his lesson in the future.