The Hostage Girl - Chapter 66-Part 2
Chapter 66-Part 2
Upon leaving her secluded courtyard, the lady official in charge of recording the Crown Prince’s daily life specifically asked, “Shall we record this as a visit to Concubine Yao?”
Feng Liwu thought for a moment and nodded.
Since Concubine Yao had been formally brought into the household, it was only proper to appear evenhanded, especially since Concubine Cao was already being intentionally neglected.
Otherwise, rumors of inappropriate relationships might once again circulate in Luo’an City.
Yet, the woman in that room still lacked awareness and refused to submit to him.
He found himself unusually tolerant, even indulging her occasional boldness.
He decided to let her be for now, planning to wear down her resistance until she willingly bore his children.
With this thought, the Crown Prince’s steps grew lighter.
After all, the person was already in his household, and it didn’t matter which bed they slept in or whether they were presenting as male or female—they were his.
This sense of abundance and security gave him peace of mind.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xiurun, upon waking from her nap, stretched lazily on the couch and noticed a servant delivering food to Concubine Yao. Having eaten little at the Qin household—only drinking wine on an empty stomach—she saw the tray full of dishes and immediately reached for it.
However, Tao Hua hurriedly stopped her, explaining that the Crown Prince had ordered all food and drink meant for Concubine Yao to be disposed of and not consumed by anyone.
Jiang Xiurun, unaware of the Empress Wei’s directive to administer sterility-inducing medicine, quickly realized the situation.
If the Crown Prince had given such explicit instructions, there must have been tampering with the food.
Only a few people would dare meddle with the Crown Prince’s meals, and among them, only the Emperor or the Empress could do so without fear of reprisal.
It was likely Empress Wei, given her interest in meddling with the Crown Prince’s household affairs.
With this deduction, Jiang Xiurun pitied Feng Liwu.
Motherless in childhood, he had lacked nurturing, and now as an adult, his mother was excessively controlling, even extending her interference into the Crown Prince’s residence.
The food was probably laced with sterility-inducing medicine—an appalling act for any mother to commit.
Remembering that in her past life, the Crown Prince left no heirs, Jiang Xiurun sighed silently.
Perhaps this life would be the same, with the Crown Prince remaining childless.
How unfortunate.
She wondered what kind of nourishing meal might help make up for his losses.
Thus, that evening’s dinner was meticulously planned by Jiang Xiurun herself.
The menu featured cooling winter melon and shrimp soup, chilled snail meat with tangy vinegar, and roasted pheasant skewers basted with fresh sprigs of red willow, accompanied by fruit wine for a refreshing touch.
Jiang Xiurun disliked the heat and found eating indoors stifling.
She ordered the meal to be served under the grape trellis, where the green canopy provided a respite from the summer sun, making for the perfect dining setting.
Seeing her bundled up despite the heat, Feng Liwu, feeling warm on her behalf, remarked, “Go change into lighter clothes. There’s no one indiscreet in my courtyard, so you don’t need to be so cautious.”
Genuinely overheated, Jiang Xiurun obliged without hesitation.
But since there were no clothes of hers in the Crown Prince’s quarters, she casually donned one of his loose linen robes instead.
Over the past few days of close interaction, the two had encountered each other in varying states of undress more than once, so there was no need for pretense about decorum in private.
Jiang Xiurun had come to understand that while Feng Liwu appeared dignified and austere on the surface, her perception of him in her past life had been entirely wrong.
This Crown Prince, who didn’t even recognize livestock breeds, was in fact someone who enjoyed indulgence—whether in food, wine, or women.
It seemed there was no shortage of vices in his life!
