"Finally inside, just a hair's breadth from being exposed."
Feng Jin grumbled, the journey in had been incredibly difficult. They were almost caught, which would have led to another huge mess.
This was the first time she had ever sneaked around like this; her heart had almost leaped out of her chest from fright.
"It's not my fault. You were too careless. How can someone your age not even tie a sachet properly? You almost got me implicated."
Chu Chenyi complained, having indeed been startled earlier. His heart was still pounding uncontrollably; it had been a close call.
Fortunately, Grandma Qin reacted quickly and managed to smooth things over. Otherwise, they would have been trapped and unable to leave.
"If you hadn't begged me to come, I wouldn't have bothered. Now you're trying to blame everything on me. Prince Jing, you're truly swift at shifting blame, faster even than your supposedly weak constitution."
"I'm telling you one last time, my health is perfectly fine. I am not weak at all!"
Chu Chenyi declared resolutely, his expression firm, as if fearing Feng Jin hadn't heard him clearly. His voice was so loud it startled Grandma Qin.
"Your Highness, please lower your voice. Don't alert anyone else!" Grandma Qin urged in fright. They had finally managed to sneak in; it would be a terrible loss if they were driven away immediately.
And when had His Highness Prince Jing become weak? Wasn't the Consort of Prince Jing recently pregnant? His Highness didn't appear to be suffering from any deficiency. His voice earlier had been full of vigor, startling even her.
However, Madam Ling was a renowned physician. If Madam Ling said so, it must be true. It was unexpected that His Highness Prince Jing, so young, would already have his body worn out.
If the Empress Dowager learned of this, she would surely worry. She hoped that Consort of Prince Jing would give birth to a son this time, thus continuing His Highness Prince Jing's lineage.
"Your Highness, don't listen to her nonsense. She's just spouting rubbish. My body..."
"Your Highness, the situation is urgent. Let's not discuss these matters now. You are still young, and Madam has excellent medical skills. She will surely be able to cure your illness... Let's go see His Majesty quickly."
Grandma Qin interrupted Chu Chenyi and hurried ahead, leading them inside.
"Your Highness Prince Jing, you must understand one thing: the more you try to explain, the worse it gets. The more you try to clarify, the more people will think you're trying to conceal something. Therefore, the best course of action is to remain silent. With time, attention will wane, and the matter will be forgotten. So, Your Highness, please stop explaining..."
"When you encounter such situations again, just smile and let it pass. Never argue with others. It only costs you your own dignity. To others, it's merely a trivial matter. They might just be looking for some excitement."
Chu Chenyi took Feng Jin's advice to heart and found it very reasonable. From then on, whenever people discussed the matter, Chu Chenyi would simply offer a faint smile and move on.
Unbeknownst to him, this was interpreted by others as Chu Chenyi implicitly admitting to the rumors. Suddenly, the gossip about Chu Chenyi's hidden ailments spread like wildfire throughout the capital.
It was as if even three-year-old children knew about it. By the time the news reached Chu Chenyi's ears, it was already too late to stop or explain anything.
He could only regret his actions deeply, wondering why he had been so foolish and blindly believed Feng Jin's words, even thinking she had told him this out of good intentions.
"That's right, what you said makes a lot of sense. If I just ignore it, it will fade away with time, and no one will discuss it anymore..."
"Yes, Your Highness Prince Jing understands perfectly."
Feng Jin suppressed her laughter, maintaining a calm expression, trying her best not to betray anything to Chu Chenyi.
"Your Highness, we should go inside first. Our main business is important. This other matter is insignificant... insignificant."
She was also worried that if she couldn't hold back and burst out laughing, revealing something, it would all be for naught. It was best to change the subject quickly.
Given Chu Chenyi's intellect, he likely wouldn't react too quickly.
Chu Chenyi didn't ponder it further. After all, the most important thing at the moment was His Majesty's condition. Following Feng Jin's lead, he hurried inside.
Feng Jin took a deep breath and walked in with a composed demeanor.
The Empress Dowager, who was attending to Emperor Xuanwen, saw them enter one after another and suddenly stood up to greet them. "You two are finally here. Did you encounter any obstacles on your way..."
The Empress Dowager's concerned words made Feng Jin feel quite pleased, and her mood brightened considerably.
"Replying to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, everything went smoothly. It's all thanks to your wise planning in sending Grandma Qin to fetch us. Otherwise, it truly would have been difficult to get in."
It was indeed thanks to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's thoughtful arrangement. Otherwise, if it were up to Chu Chenyi alone, they would have already been escorted to the Empress's quarters, let alone getting in.
Chu Chenyi snorted. He never knew Feng Jin had such a charming side. Look at how well she flattered, winning over their Imperial Grandmother so quickly.
Honestly, Feng Jin's skill in flattery was truly remarkable. He was thoroughly impressed and surrendered completely.
"What are you looking at? Do you expect me to come in..."
She had long noticed Chu Chenyi's gaze. If it weren't for the Empress Dowager, she wouldn't have tolerated it. This fellow seemed addicted to staring at her like that.
If the tiger doesn't show its teeth, it's treated like a little kitten. Did he really think she was easy to bully?
"As a man, I don't stoop to arguing with a woman. Say whatever you like."
Chu Chenyi shrugged his shoulders, unwilling to argue with Feng Jin. After all, he couldn't win against her in an argument, so it was better to concede. He would pretend not to hear whatever she said.
Feng Jin snorted displeasedly. He hadn't learned much else, but he had picked up this trick quite quickly. He was already using it adeptly, showing considerable talent.
"Chenyi, how old are you? You're about to become a father, yet you're still acting like a child. Feng Jin is younger than you; you should be more accommodating. How can you bicker over such trivial matters!"