After Becoming the Cannon Fodder Live-in Spouse A (GL) - Chapter 26: The Twenty-Sixth Day

Chapter 26: The Twenty-Sixth Day

Leaning against the carved wooden bed with mandarin duck and phoenix patterns, Prince Qi outshone all the scenery in Plum Garden, especially when a smile appeared in her phoenix-like eyes, making it seem as if all the outdoor brilliance gathered on her alone.

Hearing Ye Fuguang’s words, her thin lips curved, and the scar under her left eye, like a decorative mark, deepened slightly. For a moment, only her slow, responding voice filled the room:

“This prince already likes you very much now, does my consort know?”

“…!”

Ye Fuguang thought to herself, this is bad.

How could Prince Qi be someone who flirts so casually?

No, no, fantasizing about her adoptive mother is against human ethics!

Her face turned red, like a boiling kettle, with steam practically coming out of her ears. Her mind was so heated that all sorts of chaotic thoughts bubbled up. She stood dazed by the bed, her hand held by the other, her easily blushing appearance making people want to tease her even more.

Shen Jinglan squinted her eyes but then noticed the attendants carrying white jade trays, bringing in food. The aroma of the dishes wafted over.

At the same time, a small “gurgle” sounded close by.

She looked at the young girl standing in front of her.

Ye Fuguang’s already red face felt like oil poured on fire. She closed her eyes in despair, no longer caring how many times she had embarrassed herself in front of the prince. She mumbled, “I’m… not that hungry…”

Shen Jinglan’s smile deepened, and she extended her other hand. “When this prince was gravely ill, my consort worked hard to care for me. Naturally, I can’t let you go hungry now—”

Ye Fuguang looked at the hand extended toward her.

She froze for a moment, then realized.

After all, Shen Jinglan had been bedridden for so long that her muscle strength likely hadn’t recovered, making it difficult to walk. In a modern hospital, she’d be the type needing a scientifically tailored rehabilitation plan. How could she expect a newly awakened patient to manage on her own?

Ye Fuguang felt she understood. Recalling the strength she used to dismantle a bed in the middle of the night, she cautiously assessed Shen Jinglan’s arm, hidden under wide robes. Then, she slipped one hand behind the other’s back, the other under her knees, and in the next moment, lifted her completely off the bed.

Huh?

Prince Qi seemed lighter than she imagined?

And quite thin, perhaps from losing weight after lying down for so long.

Confident she had enough strength to carry her to the dining table, Ye Fuguang walked straight there, not noticing the sudden shock on Yu Qing and the others’ faces when they saw this scene.

—It was as if they saw Lin Daiyu uprooting a willow tree.

…

Shen Jinglan was also stunned.

When she extended her hand, she only meant for her little consort to help her up. She felt that, though she had been unconscious for a while, she wasn’t so weak that she couldn’t walk. In the past, in the army, no matter how badly injured, she disliked showing weakness unless it was a tactical need to deceive the enemy.

Thus, her attendants knew better than to handle her like this.

Only her foolish consort failed to please her properly.

Her phoenix-like eyes flickered with changing emotions, but Shen Jinglan didn’t speak to be put down immediately. She let Ye Fuguang carry her to the cushioned grand chair, then watched as her little consort sat beside her, eyes full of expectation.

Ye Fuguang, out of utmost courtesy, showed her table manners by waiting for the superior to start eating first.

But Shen Jinglan propped her head with one hand, her vibrant robes sliding to reveal the slightly protruding edge of her wrist bone. She leisurely met Ye Fuguang’s gaze.

“?”

Ye Fuguang, confused, turned to look at Yu Qing.

The head housekeeper, Yu Qing, realized in despair that this side consort, while waiting to be married at the Ye Family, must not have learned any palace etiquette. She subtly made a gesture, signaling her to serve the prince food.

Serving food meant using public chopsticks to place dishes in the master’s bowl.

Ye Fuguang understood, turned back, and eagerly asked, “What does the prince want to eat?”

The table was lavishly set, filled with exquisite delicacies. Since Shen Jinglan had just awakened and her stomach was weak, there were no heavy dishes, only easily digestible delicacies. The soup base and the fragrant rice porridge showed the chef’s hard work.

She even suspected the tender cabbage dish was the legendary boiled cabbage.

Shen Jinglan didn’t mean to make things difficult. “Anything is fine.”

So Ye Fuguang thought for a moment, picked up the gold-rimmed lotus petal bowl in front of her, and served her a bowl of tofu soup. Then she took a spoon, scooped some, blew on it, and brought it to her lips.

The university student Ye was quite calm. After all, she had previously paid to take on a caregiver’s role. Feeding the boss first, then herself, wasn’t a big deal.

Shen Jinglan looked at the porcelain spoon at her lips and noticed the attendants around her gasping.

A moment later, she smiled silently, didn’t stop her, and opened her mouth to swallow the spoonful of tofu soup.

Then Ye Fuguang quickly fed her a second spoonful.

After finishing a bowl of tofu soup, Ye Fuguang switched to another bowl, adding a few slices of braised noodles, some cabbage, a few shrimp balls, and some shredded chicken. Her dorm roommate, who had fasted for months due to stomach issues, had described the pain of weak digestion, even with tofu and cabbage. So Ye Fuguang guessed Shen Jinglan probably didn’t want hard-to-digest food either.

When Ye Fuguang worked, her expression was focused, even thoughtful. Though she was serving, she didn’t act like a trained servant, nor did she carry any flirtatious air, which Shen Jinglan found quite interesting.

Until the little consort looked up again, her eyes questioning as if asking if she should continue, Prince Qi came back to herself and said, “You eat.”

The little consort immediately grabbed her bowl and chopsticks, first tasting everything she had fed Shen Jinglan, finding the flavors indeed good. Then she went for the five-treasure dish and three-crisp soup. Even though the table was full of soups, she found it very enjoyable and added a few loquats for herself and Shen Jinglan.

The fruit peels had been removed by the kitchen, leaving only the bright yellow flesh on ice from the cellar, very fresh.

–

When Shen Jingming arrived at Prince Qi’s mansion, he saw this scene—

He had thought Shen Jinglan would be dejected or full of hatred. Instead, she was being carried by her little side consort to the garden pavilion, looking relaxed, more leisurely than retired nobles, even pointing at the greenery near the crabapple tree to chat.

“It’s toon, good for frying with eggs,” he heard the little consort say.

Shen Jinglan smiled faintly, lazily asking, “Then shall we uproot all these crabapples and plant toon?”

●

“What?”

Ye Fuguang’s face was full of surprise, practically screaming “no need for that.”

The person teasing her leaned against the railing, laughing. Noticing someone approaching, she glanced over, and her smile cooled. In Ye Fuguang’s astonished gaze, she stood from the pavilion’s bench and solemnly knelt toward Shen Jingming.

“Unaware of Your Majesty’s arrival, I was foolish and failed to greet you.”

Ye Fuguang, realizing late, hurriedly knelt too, lowering her eyes, looking obedient. If Shen Jingming hadn’t seen her swaggering and making up romantic stories, or heard from the Imperial Guards about her absurd actions, or learned she was secretly writing stories about Prince Qi, he might have been fooled.

But why was his sister so kind to this girl?

Could it be she didn’t know about the events during her illness and thought this little Qianyuan was weak and easy to bully?

Thinking so, Shen Jingming stepped forward, single-handedly helping Shen Jinglan up, noticing her arm under the robes was much thinner, no longer as strong as before. Emotions swirled in his eyes for a moment, then he hid them, smiling slightly:

“We’re siblings, and I’ve long said you don’t need to kneel to me. How could you forget after sleeping so long?”

“Besides, I just ordered others not to disturb you. You’ve just recovered; we can’t let these formalities tire you.”

Shen Jinglan showed little expression, saying, “Thank you, imperial brother,” and stood as he wished.

In the past, when Prince Qi’s mansion was tightly guarded, someone would have reported the emperor’s arrival at the front gate.

She thought casually, her expression revealing nothing.

Her calm demeanor made Shen Jingming uncertain, unsure where Ye Rong’s prescription had taken effect. He asked a few more questions about her recovery and diet.

Though both knew every missing blade of grass in the mansion would be reported to Mingde Hall, they tacitly went through the polite routine.

Until Shen Jingming paused, looking at Ye Fuguang, who was kneeling with a numb expression. “I originally thought marrying you a side consort for luck was a desperate move. Now that you’re awake, I must properly reward the Imperial Observatory.”

Shen Jinglan’s face, somewhat similar to his, showed a timely smile. “Imperial brother worried about my illness and thought so much for me. I’m deeply grateful.”

“Your awakening is the best thing,” Shen Jingming said, then shifted with a smile, “Since you can’t walk easily now, at the grand court meeting in three days, I’ll have Fuyao prepare a chair for you to sit and listen.”

…

Ye Fuguang suspected the dog male lead was targeting her, and she had evidence.

Because that face was the one who had instigated other advisors to say her luck-bringing was useless and hinted at chopping off her head!

But the attendants around, near and far, knelt without changing expression, and she was in the most conspicuous spot. If she made a mistake, Shen Jingming surely wouldn’t spare her.

Her knees ached until they were numb, so she could only curse the dog male lead in her heart.

What grand court meeting?

It was clearly a criticism session. Since the defeat at Yancheng, the court hadn’t decided on Shen Jinglan’s punishment. Now, just after waking, they were pushing her to the forefront, letting her face the force of public opinion in court. If they arranged some memorials related to the northwest, it would be utterly heartless—

How vicious, Shen Jingming.

The little side consort kept her head down, grumbling in her heart, unaware her expression had turned somewhat ferocious. Shen Jinglan, always watching her, saw it and guessed her delicate skin couldn’t handle kneeling. While speaking, she casually stepped in front of her.

She perfectly blocked Ye Fuguang’s body, which was starting to wobble.

Ye Fuguang’s view was suddenly filled with the crimson robe, staring at the python pattern, noticing a silly-looking dragon face, like OvO. Paired with Shen Jinglan’s personality, it was inexplicably funny.

She pursed her lips, holding back a smile, finally waiting for the dog male lead to leave. After paying respects, she stood, only to be caught by Prince Qi.

Shen Jinglan looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. “What’s my consort laughing at?”

“Replying to the prince, I didn’t laugh,” Ye Fuguang said, trying to stay serious, knowing ancient rules were many, especially in this fictional setting where all dynasties’ taboos might be combined.

Who knew if mocking a python robe could get her beheaded?

Having killed fish for ten years at the big O, her heart was as cold as a knife—she couldn’t have laughed.

Prince Qi didn’t seem to care if she believed her, as if used to her occasional defiance. After a moment, she said, “Still not getting up?”

Ye Fuguang: “qaq”

Her face was sad. “I… can’t get up…”

If numb skin suddenly got bl00d flow, it would hurt more.

Shen Jinglan enjoyed her pitiful expression for a moment before raising a hand to help her up. The nearby attendants, quick-witted, came to assist Ye Fuguang, and some thoughtfully massaged her knees after she sat.

–

The spring breeze rippled the clear water in the pavilion, bringing a garden-wide coolness.

It also carried someone’s pained whimpers to Prince Qi’s ears.

Seeing Ye Fuguang nearly tear up from the knee massage, Shen Jinglan couldn’t help but wonder if this girl, in bed, was the delicate type who refused to move or got tired after a couple of motions.

Her expression turned subtle, even showing a hint of disdain.

Ye Fuguang caught it, knowing she was embarrassing herself. She covered her face, eyes red, and quietly asked, “Won’t the prince sit? You just recovered; you shouldn’t stand long, right?”

Shen Jinglan said, “Hmm,” and replied, “I won’t sit.”

After the attendants left, Ye Fuguang moved her legs slightly, feeling the knee pain mostly gone. She looked at Prince Qi, who had been standing for a while. Though unsure how she suddenly could walk and stand, she recalled Shen Jinglan hadn’t moved much during the emperor’s visit and felt she was frailer than herself.

So she tried saying, “Then, should I carry the prince back later?”

Shen Jinglan looked her up and down, smiling meaningfully. “Can you still carry me?”

“…”

What if she could?

Ye Fuguang had this thought but remembered Shen Jinglan’s noble status didn’t allow mistakes from those serving her. She carefully looked at the path from Plum Garden, reflected for a long time, and honestly shook her head. “I can’t carry you. I’m useless.”

Admitting her weakness was better than causing trouble and getting punished.

Shen Jinglan was amused, as if she’d never seen such a self-aware little failure. After a while, she stepped closer, her bamboo-like fingers lifting Ye Fuguang’s chin, looking into her clear eyes, and asked, as if joking:

“So useless, how will my consort serve in bed tonight?”

“!”

The little consort’s pupils shook.

She was so shocked by this sentence that her soul seemed to float away, trying to find proof in Shen Jinglan’s beautiful phoenix eyes that she was joking. But even as her chin reddened from the touch, Prince Qi didn’t retract the jest.

It was over—

Ye Fuguang thought sadly.

Tonight, for her salary, she’d have to do something immoral.

And to her frail adoptive mother, heavens, what an unethical, unfilial act! Her character was about to be stained, her soul no longer pure!