Quick Transmigration: The Villain Is Too Pampered and Alluring - Chapter 76

The Ninth Prince had come to wish the Duke of Zhenbei a happy birthday, and, while at it, to check in on Xiao Dingcheng before leaving.

As Xiao Dingcheng stepped out of Feixu Courtyard, he immediately spotted the Ninth Prince standing there, draped in a luxurious fox fur cloak. Although he appeared slightly ill, his smile was gentle and warm.

Xiao Dingcheng quickly took a few steps forward to bow. “Your Highness.”

The Ninth Prince reached out to help him up. “Dingcheng, there’s no need for such formality between us.”

After helping Xiao Dingcheng to his feet, the Ninth Prince smiled and said, “Had I not encountered you and received your help during the Lantern Festival, I fear I would not be standing here today… Imperial Physician Zhou later told me how dangerous that day was, and that it was your timely help that saved my life.”

Xiao Dingcheng hastily responded, “It was only because of your Highness’s great fortune.”

The Ninth Prince chuckled. “That may be so, but I still owe you my gratitude… Though I was barely conscious that day, I recall there was a woman with you. The two of you saved me, and I’ve already informed His Majesty the Emperor. He has promised to reward her generously.”

Xiao Dingcheng was slightly taken aback but remained silent as the Ninth Prince asked, “I wonder who the lady with you was that day… Does Dingcheng know what kind of reward she desires?”

Just as the Ninth Prince finished speaking, a voice rang out from the entrance of the Feixu Courtyard.

“Your Highness, it is a blessing that you’re unharmed. I was simply fortunate to be there with the Heir Apparent that day. I wouldn’t dare claim credit.”

Liu Rumian stepped out from the doorway, wearing a faint smile. “Since Your Highness is outside my Feixu Courtyard, I would be remiss if I didn’t come to greet you.”

The Ninth Prince asked, surprised, “So it was you, Madam Liu, that day?”

Xiao Dingcheng’s expression shifted slightly, just as he was about to speak, Liu Rumian suddenly clutched her abdomen and took a few steps back. “Ah… Your Lordship, my… my stomach hurts…”

Xiao Dingcheng instinctively stepped forward to support her. Seeing this, the Ninth Prince realized it was not appropriate to linger any longer and said, “The reward will arrive soon. Dingcheng, take good care of Madam. I shall take my leave now and not disturb you further.”

With that, the Ninth Prince turned and left with his entourage…

Xiao Dingcheng glanced down at Liu Rumian, who was leaning against him, his eyes dark.

Once they returned inside, after dismissing the servants, Liu Rumian moved in front of Xiao Dingcheng and suddenly knelt down.

Xiao Dingcheng, who had been about to question her, was startled to see her kneel so suddenly, and quickly helped her up. “You’re pregnant! What are you doing?”

Liu Rumian looked up at him, tears already streaming down her face. “I beg the Heir Apparent to give me and our unborn child a way out.”

She choked back a sob. “That day, it was the Heir Apparent and Sister Sheng who saved the Ninth Prince, right?”

Xiao Dingcheng’s eyes grew cold. “So what were you doing just now?”

With tears falling, Liu Rumian pleaded, “Your Lordship, you saw my position in the manor today… From the Old Madam to the Duke and Princess Consort, none of them treat me kindly. I can endure the humiliation, but what about our child? He is your first child!

Ignoring Xiao Dingcheng’s attempts to stop her, Liu Rumian persisted in kneeling by his feet, begging, “Your Lordship, can you bear to let your first child be born an illegitimate son? Being born as illegitimate means he will always be regarded as inferior and looked down upon by others. Your Lordship, do you have the heart to bear this?”

Xiao Dingcheng frowned. “Get up first, then speak.”

“I can’t get up…” Liu Rumian smiled bitterly. “In this manor, I’m just someone who can be stepped on by anyone.

Xiao Dingcheng’s expression stiffened. “What are you talking about? Has someone in the manor been bullying you?”

Liu Rumian let out a small laugh, though her tears continued to fall. “I went to greet the Old Madam, but she refused to see me. I went to present a silk handkerchief I embroidered myself to the Princess Consort, and as soon as I turned around, that handkerchief was given to a servant… The Duke publicly scolded me, saying my playing was just a frivolous sound…”

Tears fell like rain as she continued, “Your Lordship, I don’t mind being a concubine, and I don’t mind the scorn and humiliation, but Heir Apparent, do you no longer care for me at all?”

Xiao Dingcheng stared at her. “Caring for you means taking the reward meant for Sheng Nuan and giving it to you?”

Liu Rumian’s gaze flickered slightly before she cried out, “Your Lordship, I am not doing this for myself, but for our child… To speak disrespectfully, Princess Lin’an and you are at odds, will there even be a child between you and Princess Lin’an?”

Xiao Dingcheng was stunned.

Liu Rumian pressed on, “I’m carrying the Duke’s first grandchild in my womb… but he’s to be born a concubine’s son.”

Xiao Dingcheng could already guess Liu Rumian’s intention. “So?”

Liu Rumian clutched Xiao Dingcheng’s sleeve. “Heir Apparent, Princess Lin’an isn’t favored. If you could ask His Majesty to grant me the title of equal wife, then our child would be born as a legitimate son… It wouldn’t just be for the sake of me or our child, it would be for the good of the entire manor, Your Lordship!”

Xiao Dingcheng sat down and quietly gazed at Liu Rumian, letting out a long sigh. “Mian Mian, it turns out this Heir has never truly known you.”

It seemed that he had never clearly seen the person by his side before. Only now did he realize that she could be so scheming.

There had always been signs of many things in the past, including how tonight she used her abdominal pain to call him over from Tangnuan Courtyard… She used the child in her womb, sparing no effort to scheme for her own greatest benefit.

As for her complaints about being disliked by the Old Madam and the Princess Consort… wasn’t it also partly due to herself?

Xiao Dingcheng sighed deeply.

Liu Rumian also realized that she had torn away all her facades, revealing her true self to Xiao Dingcheng. However… it didn’t matter to her; as long as she could achieve her goals and become an equal wife, she didn’t mind whether Xiao Dingcheng would continue to favor and cherish her or not.

A man’s heart was the most unreliable thing. What truly mattered was status and power.

As long as she could become the Heir Apparent’s consort, equal in status to Princess Lin’an, and give birth to a legitimate son, she’ll have nothing to worry about in the future.

With that thought, Liu Rumian tightened her grip on Xiao Dingcheng’s leg, pouting as she spoke in tears. “Heir Apparent, I know you no longer treat me as you did in the past, but for the sake of the child I’m carrying, and for the sake of having a legitimate heir for the manor… please grant this concubine this. As for what I owe Sister Sheng, I will certainly find a way to make it up to her in the future.”

Xiao Dingcheng’s voice was cold. “Will you really?”

Today, he saw with his own eyes how the Liu Rumian he had always thought to be gentle and timid was trying to drag Sheng Nuan down, and how she schemed tirelessly to secure benefits for herself…

Liu Rumian raised her head, smiling sadly. “Then let the Ninth Prince know the truth, and have His Majesty deal with me and our child!”

The room fell into silence. After a long pause, Xiao Dingcheng let out a deep breath, his tone returning to a composed state. “I’ll agree to this, but from today on, I will never step foot in Feixu Courtyard again.”

Liu Rumian had said one thing correctly: he would never have children with Princess Lin’an. But the manor still needed a legitimate heir, and besides… Liu Rumian had already claimed credit in front of the Ninth Prince. If he insisted on rewarding Sheng Nuan, it would be difficult for Liu Rumian to extricate herself from the situation.

After all, she was carrying his first child…

With those words, Xiao Dingcheng turned and walked out of Feixu Courtyard.

Behind him, Liu Rumian’s sobs echoed from the room, but Xiao Dingcheng realized that he no longer felt heartache for her…

Xiao Dingcheng made his way straight to Tangnuan Courtyard, only to find that Sheng Nuan wasn’t there. After asking around, he learned that she had gone to Princess Lin’an’s courtyard.

Everyone in the family adored Sheng Nuan, and only he had been so slow to realize it.

This was the last time… Xiao Dingcheng told himself. This would be the last time he let Sheng Nuan down.

While Liu Rumian and Xiao Dingcheng were tearing each other apart over the reward, Sheng Nuan had already arrived at Jingluan Courtyard. As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw the young eunuch A’Gui standing there trembling.

Upon seeing her, A’Gui’s eyes lit up, and his lips moved as though he wanted to say something but didn’t dare to. Instead, he eagerly approached her. “Miss Sheng, you’re finally here!”

The little eunuch no longer had a trace of the disdain he once had for Sheng Nuan…

Sheng Nuan smiled at the little eunuch and continued walking forward. “Where’s the princess?”

Su Lan’s eyes were slightly red as she whispered, “The princess is in the hot spring pool…”

Sheng Nuan nodded and walked inside.

Although Sheng Nuan had been worried before coming, she couldn’t help but wonder if Princess Lin’an might be pretending to be sick…

But as she approached the hot spring pool, she heard a muffled groan. A few steps further, through the mist, she saw the thin figure of Princess Lin’an leaning over the edge of the pool.

Steam rose around him, but his face was deathly pale. His whole body was trembling, and groans of pain occasionally escaped his throat. It was obvious that he was in extreme pain…