The Sickly Regent Prince Who Was Abandoned as a Substitute Bride

"In Mother's eyes, our Wan'er is the most beautiful and lovely child in the world." Lu Wanning gazed at Dongfang Wan'er with deep affection and love, her eyes seeming to bestow all the beauty in the world upon her.

"Wan'er, those Liu Qiqi and her daughter are so vicious, plotting to kill you, and Dongfang Zheng just stood by and did nothing." Lu Wanning was filled with disbelief. She clearly remembered how attentive Dongfang Zheng had been when he pursued her passionately. Back then, even if she only had a slight cold, he would frequently visit her and show her utmost care. Yet now, he couldn't even care about the life or death of his own daughter; it was truly heartbreaking.

"Mother, I really don't understand what you saw in that cheap old man back then. Since you passed away, he has stopped caring about me and even married me off to the eldest prince just to consolidate his position in the court!" Dongfang Wan'er cried to Lu Wanning, feeling wronged.

Hearing this, Lu Wanning was so angry that she could barely speak. A tightness in her chest made her cough uncontrollably.

"Hmm..." Seeing this, Dongfang Wan'er quickly patted Lu Wanning's back gently and comforted her, "Mother, don't be angry. It's not good for your health to get angry. The most important thing right now is to find a way to get rid of the poison in your body."

"Yes, Mother will listen to Wan'er..." Lu Wanning thought about what Dongfang Wan'er had said. If Dongfang Zheng was really so heartless, then he must have had an ulterior motive in pursuing her back then...

Dongfang Wan'er placed her right hand on Lu Wanning's pulse, carefully examining her. After a moment, her expression turned serious, and she said softly, "Mother, you have been poisoned by an extremely rare and potent toxin, which has penetrated deep into your bone marrow. But don't worry, as long as you follow my instructions, there is still hope for a cure. First, the windows in the room must be kept tightly closed, but should also be opened appropriately for ventilation to maintain air circulation. Second, starting today, you can only eat the food I bring; do not touch anything brought by anyone else..."

"Why is that? Even the food sent by Granny Qiu is not acceptable?" Lu Wanning asked, her face full of doubt.

Dongfang Wan'er looked at her mother, a barely perceptible murderous intent flashing in her eyes, and lowered her voice to remind her, "Mother, Granny Qiu is no longer the Granny Qiu she used to be. She has long since become Liu Qiqi's lackey."

Upon hearing this, Lu Wanning was struck dumb, as if by lightning. She never imagined that Qiu Mama, who had always been by her side and loyal to her, would betray her! The news brought by her daughter was so shocking that she couldn't accept it for a while.

Seeing her mother's reaction, Dongfang Wan'er realized that she had said too much today, and these things were indeed difficult for her mother to digest all at once.

She decided to let her mother rest first, and tell her the rest of the story slowly after she calmed down. So, she gently helped Lu Wanning lie down and said softly, "Mother, please rest first, don't think too much. Your daughter will always be by your side and take good care of you." After saying that, she tucked Lu Wanning in and then sat quietly by the bed, watching over her as she fell asleep.

After Lu Wanning fell asleep, Dongfang Wan'er quietly left the room.

[It seems I'll have to go out again to buy some medicinal herbs. Combined with Western medicine and acupuncture, my mother's poison should be completely cured in a few months. But... Granny Qiu!]

Dongfang Wan'er's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a wicked smile appeared on her lips: "Tonight's going to be fun!"

As she walked out of the courtyard, Qiuqin hurriedly went to greet her.

"Young Miss!" Qiuqin called out, her voice filled with concern, "Is Madam alright...?" The young lady had told her to wait outside, so Qiuqin had obediently waited in the courtyard.

"Hmm, it's nothing," Dongfang Wan'er replied simply, then instructed, "Take the medicinal herbs I bought and brew them for Miss. I want to take a medicinal bath."

"Yes, Miss." Qiuqin nodded respectfully and then turned to brew the Chinese medicine.

Dongfang Wan'er remained in the room, continuing to work with the precious medicinal herbs. She carefully prepared each herb in the correct proportions, then used a stone pestle to pound them into a fine juice. Next, she mixed this juice with a specially prepared clay, forming a soft paste.

Dongfang Wan'er gently applied the paste to her face, as if giving herself a luxurious beauty treatment. She knew that these herbs could not only whiten her skin but also gradually fade the traces of toxins on her body and face. She believed that with continued use for several months, the toxins in her body would be completely eliminated.

She closed her eyes, feeling the cool sensation on her face.

"Young Miss, the medicine is ready..." Just then, Qiuqin's voice came from outside the door.

"Bring it in." Dongfang Wan'er closed her eyes and lazily reclined on the chaise lounge.

"Ah..." As soon as Qiuqin pushed open the door, she saw a strange black-faced man lying on the young lady's chaise lounge. She screamed in fright and almost dropped the basin she was holding.

"Qiuqin, what are you yelling for? Look carefully at who I am!" Dongfang Wan'er opened her eyes and said irritably.

"Phew! Miss, what are you doing? You scared me to death!" Qiuqin breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Dongfang Wan'er's voice.

"This is a beauty and skincare secret recipe that I specially found. Just pour the brewed herbs into the bath tub, and you don't need to worry about anything else," Dongfang Wan'er instructed.

"Yes, Miss." Qiuqin carefully poured the medicinal herbs into the bathtub, tested the water temperature, and only after confirming that everything was in order did she leave with peace of mind.

Dongfang Wan'er slowly removed her clothes, revealing her body. Her figure was fairly good; neither too thin nor too fat, though she lacked fullness in certain areas. As for her skin color, it was truly indescribable—it was practically jet black…

"Sigh, how ruthless Liu Qiqi is..." Dongfang Wan'er muttered to herself as she stepped into the bathtub.

Dongfang Wan'er quietly soaked in the bath filled with the rich aroma of herbs, letting the warm medicinal water seep into her skin inch by inch, as if every pore was greedily absorbing the medicinal power contained within. She gently closed her eyes, abandoning all distracting thoughts, and wholeheartedly focused on feeling the subtle reaction between her body and the medicinal power.

Time ticked by, and Dongfang Wan'er's face grew increasingly pale, with fine beads of sweat constantly seeping from her forehead. She clenched her teeth, trying her best to suppress any sound, but the indescribable pain surged relentlessly like a tidal wave, making it almost unbearable.

"Pain..." Dongfang Wan'er murmured to herself. She felt as if thousands of ants were gnawing at her entire body at the same time, causing both itching and pain that drove her almost mad. However, she knew clearly that this was a sign that the medicine was taking effect. Only by enduring this painful ordeal could the toxins that had accumulated in her body be gradually expelled.

Outside the door, Qiuqin waited anxiously. She couldn't understand why the young lady was torturing herself like this, and she couldn't help but wonder to herself, "What on earth is the young lady doing? Is it really okay for her to continue like this?" Despite her worries, Qiuqin still chose to trust Dongfang Wan'er, because she knew that this seemingly weak woman had an incredibly strong will and determination.