The Sickly Regent Prince Who Was Abandoned as a Substitute Bride

"My son..." Empress Dowager Xiao Xiangxiang slowly walked out from behind...

"Mother..." Ye Erxiao quickly stood up and bowed to the Empress Dowager!

"My son, it's just the two of us here, no need for formalities..." Empress Dowager Xiao Xiangxiang said, looking at her son with affection.

"Mother, I know you care about me, but the proper etiquette between ruler and subject cannot be disregarded..." Ye Erxiao stepped forward and gently helped Empress Dowager Xiao Xiangxiang to sit down in a chair.

"Xiao Fuzi, quickly serve the tea..." Ye Erxiao turned his head and called out to the eunuch beside him.

"Yes, ma'am..." Li Fu bowed and jogged out of the palace to prepare tea.

"Mother, did you hear what Ninth Brother said just now?" Ye Erxiao asked after the Empress Dowager was seated.

"I heard that. In my opinion, Ye Jiuchen now wants to seize your throne. Perhaps he really didn't want to be emperor before, but his personality has changed now, which is why he is acting this way. His purpose is to completely sideline you..." the Empress Dowager analyzed calmly.

"Mother, I think so too. The poison I gave him back then was too weak..." Ye Erxiao frowned and said with a gloomy face.

"If it weren't for the divine physician Dan's superb medical skills, he would probably have already perished and gone to join his mother!" The Empress Dowager's voice revealed a hint of coldness.

"However, the most crucial thing right now is to ensure that they don't realize that we have already uncovered their schemes." Ye Erxiao said this solemnly with a resolute look in his eyes.

"What my son says is quite right. We must keep a close watch on his actions from the shadows and find solid evidence. When the time is right, we will take back the military tally and defeat Ye Jiuchen in one fell swoop..." The Empress Dowager nodded in agreement, indicating her support.

At that moment, Li Fu entered the hall carrying fragrant tea, and the two immediately stopped talking.

"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, please have some tea." Li Fu respectfully placed the teacup on the table and then quietly withdrew.

Ye Erxiao gently picked up her teacup, took an elegant sip, but deep in her mind she was secretly planning her next move.

"Oh, by the way, my son, you must also pay close attention to the matter of Doctor Dan. If it weren't for his close relationship with the late Emperor, I would have already chopped off his head..." the Empress Dowager reminded him.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will keep it in mind." Ye Erxiao nodded in response.

"If your heartless and ungrateful father hadn't been bewitched by that vixen Consort Shu back then, how could this series of terrible things have happened!" Empress Dowager Xiao Xiangxiang trembled with anger every time she mentioned this matter.

"Mother, please calm down. Now that Consort Shu has passed away, why bother with this matter?" Ye Erxiao knew that Consort Shu was a source of heartache for his mother. Back then, his father had doted on Consort Shu and even favored Ye Jiuchen as a result, so he couldn't help but feel some resentment.

"My son," I said, "I have heard that the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Dongfang is about to come of age, and her mother is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo. In my opinion, you might as well hold a selection ceremony and have the Marquis of Dongfang send his beloved daughter to the palace. In this way, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion will surely stand on your side and become your powerful ally..."

"What Your Majesty says is absolutely right. Tomorrow I will issue the decree to select the imperial concubines." Ye Erxiao thought this plan was brilliant and immediately agreed.

The two talked for a while longer, until the sun was high in the sky, before they parted ways.

Inside the Marquis's residence, Dongfang Wan'er slept until the sun was high in the sky before slowly waking up.

"Miss, Miss, the Duke's mansion has sent over the ingredients." Qiuqin rushed in like a gust of wind.

Dongfang Wan'er stretched lazily and said with her eyes half-closed, "Qiuqin, I'm going to take a beauty nap!"

"What is beauty sleep?" Qiuqin asked, looking puzzled and indicating that she didn't understand at all.

"How silly! Beauty sleep is naturally the kind of sleep that makes you more beautiful the more you sleep..."

"So that's how it is. Sleeping can make you more beautiful." Qiuqin admired Dongfang Wan'er as she washed and dressed, secretly marveling at how much more beautiful her mistress had become. It seemed she'd need to get more beauty sleep herself...

"Qiuqin, wear that pink glitter dress today..."

"Alright, Miss..." Qiuqin quickly opened the wardrobe, picked out the pink glitter dress, and then carefully dressed Dongfang Wan'er according to the color and style of the dress. Today, Dongfang Wan'er looked exceptionally playful and cute.

"Hmm, not bad, not bad..." Dongfang Wan'er looked at herself in the mirror from left to right, quite satisfied with her appearance. Especially when she saw that the birthmark had faded to the point of being almost invisible, she was overjoyed. But then she picked up the rouge from the dressing table and gently applied it to the birthmark a few times.

"Miss, why are you doing this..." Qiuqin asked, puzzled.

“Qiuqin, you don’t understand. If this birthmark disappears all at once, it will inevitably arouse suspicion. It’s better to keep it subtly visible.” Dongfang Wan’er explained.

In the front yard, Dongfang stood there, his brows furrowed, racking his brains about how to return Lu Wanning's dowry to her. Just as he was deep in thought, a shrill voice suddenly reached his ears.

"The Regent has arrived..."

[Why is the Regent coming so frequently...] Dongfang Zheng muttered to himself.

He was well aware of Ye Jiuchen's power and status, and having just been punished in court, he dared not easily provoke him. Therefore, he quickly turned to Steward Zhou and said, "Quickly, summon everyone to welcome the Regent."

Butler Zhou accepted the order and left. Dongfang Zhengze took a deep breath, adjusted his state, and prepared to welcome the arrival of this powerful figure.

However, Dongfang Wan'er, on the other side, couldn't help but feel puzzled after hearing what Steward Zhou said.

Why is Ye Jiuchen here again? When did he start frequenting the homes of ministers so often...?

Despite her reluctance, Dongfang Wan'er understood that at this moment, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go out to meet the guests.

"Greetings, Ninth Prince..."

"Greetings, Ninth Prince!"

Dongfang Zheng led his entire family in a respectful bow to Ye Jiuchen to express their welcome.

Ye Jiuchen merely glanced at Dongfang Zheng, not even lingering on Dongfang Wan'er for a moment, before walking straight to the main seat and sitting down.

"May I ask what brings the Ninth Prince here?!" Dongfang Zheng noticed Ye Jiuchen's unpleasant expression and his heart pounded...

"Lord Dongfang, I have come here specifically to supervise the ministers' return of the women's dowries. After all, I am the one who amended this law, so let's carry it out here today..." Ye Jiuchen fiddled with his thumb ring.

Ye Jiuchen's eyes were sharp as he stared at Dongfang Zheng.

Dongfang Zheng, sweating profusely, said nervously, "Your Highness, I will cooperate fully." After saying that, he turned around and ordered his servants to fetch Lu Wanning's dowry.

Dongfang Wan'er: [New laws? When did this happen? Ye Jiuchen came to ask for his mother's dowry; this whole thing seems very strange.]

Lu Wanning looked at Dongfang Wan'er, [Daughter, you're amazing...]

Dongfang Wan'er understood Lu Wanning's meaning and shook her head. "Mother, I didn't know about this..."