The weak prince's queen

Xiao Zixuan slowly woke up and rubbed his sleepy eyes. When his vision gradually cleared, he was shocked to find Lin Ruoyun lying quietly beside him! His face instantly darkened, and he angrily scolded, "You shameless woman, why are you here on my bed again?"

Lin Ruoyun's delicate body trembled, her eyes quickly turned red, and she responded softly with a grievance: "Last night it was clearly Your Highness the Crown Prince who made me..." Before she finished speaking, she was choked with sobs and could hardly continue.

Xiao Zixuan frowned, trying to recall what had happened last night. After a moment, his expression darkened, and he pointed at Lin Ruoyun and continued to scold her, "It must be you, a slutty bitch, who deliberately seduced me. Someone, come!"

However, Lin Ruoyun hurriedly interrupted his shouting and said firmly: "Your Highness, last night you probably mistook me for my elder sister, the Princess of Jin."

Hearing this, Xiao Zixuan's heart was shaken, and his originally arrogant attitude immediately subsided a bit. He retorted fiercely, "You little bitch, stop talking nonsense here!"

Lin Ruoyun was not intimidated by his aura. Instead, she raised her head and looked him straight in the face, saying slowly, "Whether this is a lie or true, I'm sure Your Highness has made up his mind. I ask for nothing more than to be by Your Highness's side. Even if it's just because I look like my elder sister, I'm willing to do anything for Your Highness. Your Highness, what do you think?"

After hearing this, Xiao Zixuan's eyes drifted uncontrollably to Lin Ruoyun's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Lin Ruoxue. Beneath her curved willow-shaped brows lay a pair of beautiful eyes as clear and moving as autumn water. Her high nose bridge and cherry lips perfectly matched, making her look even more charming and endearing. Especially the casual expression that slipped through her eyes was a stark resemblance to the Lin Ruoxue he remembered.

That familiar expression, like a key, instantly unlocked Xiao Zixuan's long-closed heart. The warm and beautiful times he had shared with Princess Jin flooded back like a tide. Every moment of that time was vivid in his mind, their strolls through the palace together, the tranquility and romance of those days. But now, things had changed, the woman was gone, leaving only a heart filled with longing and attachment.

At this moment, Xiao Zixuan's previously unwavering refusal began to slowly soften, like ice melting in the warm sun. Unconsciously, a subtle stirring of the heart quietly grew, like a bud breaking through the soil in spring, subtle yet full of life.

Lin Ruoyun keenly sensed the subtle shift in the prince's attitude, knowing full well that he had already warmed to her proposal. So, she softly said, "I'll take my leave..." With that, she bowed slightly and turned toward the door.

At this time, Xiao Zixuan was still immersed in a complex emotion of memories and heartbeats. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond. He just sat silently by the bed, watching Lin Ruoyun's back as she left.

Lin Ruoyun hurried out of the room, her heart already filled with anger—she knew full well that the Crown Prince's affection for her was solely due to him viewing her as a substitute for Lin Ruoxue. But she kept reminding herself to be patient and not act impulsively. After all, this was the only way to successfully approach the Crown Prince and achieve her goals. Thinking of this, Lin Ruoyun took a deep breath, tried to calm herself, and walked away with determined steps.

Meanwhile, Chu Xiyue tirelessly brewed the nourishing medicine gifted by the Empress for two consecutive days, carefully presenting it to Xiao Yichen for him to consume. Thankfully, neither Xiao Yichen nor Chu Xiyue had experienced any physical discomfort after taking the medicine over the past two days. Seeing this, Chu Xiyue's anxiety finally eased slightly, and she decided to continue brewing and providing these tonics to Xiao Yichen.

However, Chu Xiyue was perplexed by the Empress's sudden delivery of seemingly harmless tonics. She racked her brains to understand the hidden meaning behind them, but she could never grasp the mystery. Faced with such a confusing situation, Chu Xiyue knew that she could only take a one-step-by-step approach, adapting to any potential changes.

Precisely because of this anxiety, Chu Xiyue approached every step with extreme caution. From selecting and cleaning the herbs, to controlling the heat during the brewing process, and finally personally testing the efficacy, she personally oversaw every step, paying close attention. She dared not slack off, fearing that a moment of carelessness would lead to irreversible consequences. After all, Xiao Yichen's safety was at stake, and even the slightest mistake was unacceptable.