The Imperial Hunting Ground had a beautiful scenery with mountains, rivers, and forests.

Because Chu Lian was injured, Emperor Chengping had granted her a special pardon. She was allowed to rest in the tent and not participate in any activities.

In the entire Spring Hunting Ground, the few of them who were injured were probably the most free.

According to Wenqing's report, High Duke Zheng, Sima Hui, Commandant Guo, and the others had personally come to ask about her condition before she woke up in the morning.

Sima Hui had even left behind a maidservant who was proficient in medical skills. Chu Lian was supported by Wenqing to the nearby lake.

She couldn't understand why He Changdi, the husband she needed the most, was nowhere to be seen when even Sima Hui, Commandant Guo, and Xiao Hongyu had come to show concern for her.

She took a deep breath of the cool spring air and suppressed the anger in her heart.

If not for Emperor Chengping's arrangements for the officials who came with him, she would have rushed to He Changdi's side and asked him what he thought.

This was too infuriating.

Even if he wasn't satisfied with her, he should at least meet her and make things clear. What was the point of avoiding her like this!

Chu Lian turned to Wenqing and Wenlan and instructed, "Go and find out what happened to Princess Leyao. See if my husband is with her."

Just as Chu Lian finished speaking, she heard a woman's voice.

Chu Lian turned to look in the direction of the voice.

About fifty to sixty meters away from them, a man in a black robe with a cold expression and a sword at his waist was walking next to the girl in a wooden wheelchair.

Behind the young girl were four to five maidservants and officials.

Who else could it be but He Changdi and Princess Leyao?

Chu Lian's clear eyes narrowed as she stared at He Changdi and Princess Leyao, who were strolling by the lake.

The corners of her mouth curled up in a sarcastic smile, and her small face, which was supposed to be bright and beautiful, dimmed a little.

It turned out that He Changdi was avoiding her to accompany the injured Princess Leyao.

She had learned a lot.

Wenqing and Wenlan, who were behind Chu Lian, frowned as well. They didn't understand what the Third Young Master was doing.

When did he get so close to Princess Leyao?

He Changdi's face was cold, and his eyes were deep. No one knew what he was thinking. Upon closer inspection, there were two green shadows under his eyes.

Suddenly, he sensed a familiar gaze. He raised his head and met Chu Lian's stunned gaze.

He Changdi furrowed his brows in an instant, and his eyes that landed on Chu Lian flashed with regret.

He leaned forward slightly and wanted to run over, but he seemed to have thought of something and stopped himself.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the raging blood in his chest, and coldly looked away.

From the corner of her eyes, Chu Lian saw Princess Leyao sneer at her.

Chu Lian forced a smile onto her face and bowed in the direction of Princess Leyao. Then, she turned around and left without a second glance back.

Wenqing and Wenlan, who were following behind Chu Lian, were also very angry. They blocked Chu Lian's back on both sides, not letting the people behind see even a little bit.

When Chu Lian returned to the tent, she curled up on the bed and sulked. Originally, she just wanted to go out to get some fresh air, but she didn't expect to feel even more stifled.

Damn, He Changdi was simply poisonous.

It didn't take long for Wenqing to tell him about Princess Leyao's situation.

When she mentioned that Princess Leyao's leg was crippled, Chu Lian didn't feel sad at all. In fact, she even felt a faint sense of joy.

From the first time she entered the palace, Princess Leyao had been targeting her.

Now, it was even more blatant.

She couldn't understand He Changdi's thoughts. Although Princess Leyao was young, her intentions were clear. He Sanlang really wanted to become the Emperor's son-in-law and marry the Emperor!

The Great Wu Dynasty wasn't the previous dynasty. The Emperor's son-in-law wouldn't be given any real power. If he married the Emperor's daughter, he would just be waiting to die!

Chu Lian's thoughts were in a mess. Because this hunting ground was located in the suburbs, the weather was later than in Shengjing, so it was quite cold at night.

Chu Lian had ridden a horse on the way here, and she had suffered a fright yesterday. She hadn't slept well at night, so Chu Lian had become thinner.

Now, her face was pale and she looked haggard. It seemed like all the nourishment she had put into her body had gone to waste.

Wenlan's heart ached. Because the two sisters knew martial arts, they usually served Chu Lian by her side when she went out. But in the manor, Third Madam's most trusted servant was Xiyan.

The night before they left, Xiyan had specifically told them to take good care of Third Madam's health. Senior Servant Zhong had also added extra instructions.

After all, Third Madam's health had recovered, and the two of them were loving. She might even have a little heir in her belly.

But now, not only did Third Madam not gain weight, she was even thinner than before …

Chu Lian was so angry that she lost her appetite. She had been eating casually for the past two days.

Wenlan asked with a worried expression, "Third Madam, do you have anything you want to eat at noon? This servant will prepare it for you."

Third Madam, who usually paid a lot of attention to her food, had no interest at this time. She waved her hand. "Just make a few dishes. I don't eat much in the morning, so I'll prepare lunch early."

Wenlan didn't understand what Chu Lian meant. She thought that Third Madam's appetite had finally recovered, and her face lit up with joy. She brought the two servant girls to pick some ingredients.

That afternoon, Chu Lian ate very early.

It was about two hours earlier than usual.

She didn't eat as much as Wenlan had expected. Chu Lian only drank half a bowl of fragrant duck soup before she said she was full.

Then, she went behind the screen to take an afternoon nap.

He Changdi came back at noon. Chu Lian had slept for less than an hour.

He entered the tent and found that it was very quiet inside. His expression became even colder.

"Your grandmother hasn't eaten yet?"

Wenqing lowered her head. "Third Young Master, Third Madam ate two hours ago and has already gone to sleep." Wenqing's words were respectful, but not emotional.

He Changdi sensed the change in the tent.

He had originally planned to eat with Chu Lian, but he gave up on that idea.

He waved at Wenqing. "You can leave now."

Wenqing walked out of the tent without looking back.

Laiyue was standing guard outside. When he saw Wenqing come out, he went up to her.

Laiyue's face was full of anxiety. "My Sister Wenqing, how are things inside?"

"What do you mean how?"

Laiyue pulled Wenqing to the side and said in a low voice, "Didn't you see that Third Madam and Third Young Master are fighting?

Tell me, what's going on? Everything was fine. Why did things suddenly change? "

Wenqing was already angry with He Changdi. Lai Yue, who had no eyesight, was still distorting the truth here. She immediately became angry. Sure enough, the master had the same kind of servant. This Lai Yue was also not a good person.

"Use your dog eyes and see if it's Third Madam's fault or Third Young Master's.

If you can't figure it out, you'll be starving just like Third Young Master! "

Laiyue's eyes widened in shock. He grabbed Wenqing's sleeve and said, "Oh my, my dear lady, I'm begging you. Please get me a bowl of rice. I've been running around all morning and I haven't even had a sip of water!"

Wenqing sneered. "What, Princess Leyao's snacks aren't enough to fill your stomach?

Stop crying in front of me. "

Laiyue felt bitter inside. "Sister Wenqing, don't misunderstand me. I went to work early this morning. How could I have gone to Princess Leyao's?"

Wenqing was stunned. "You didn't go to Princess Leyao's?"

Laiyue shook his head, his face scrunched up like a tangerine.

"Then did Third Young Master go alone?"

"I don't know about that. How would I dare to ask about Third Young Master's matters?"

Wenqing glared at him. "What use do I have for you?!"

"Sigh, no, Sister, I'm really innocent. Please give me some rice to eat."

Laiyue looked extremely pitiful.

His green robes were stained here and there, his stubble was growing out, and his hair was messy. Just by looking at his appearance, he really did look like a refugee from somewhere.

Wenqing snorted. "Come with me. Third Madam still has some leftover food for lunch. You can have it."

Laiyue grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. "Alright, as long as there's food, I won't mind."

He Changdi, who was starving, didn't have the mood to eat. He didn't expect that his personal attendant had already abandoned him.

On the hunting grounds, every family took care of their own meals. The imperial family didn't care about your life or death. Even if He Changdi was on duty every day, he still had to come back to eat.

Chu Lian purposely ate early to avoid sitting at the same table as He Changdi.

But she hadn't expected Wenqing and Wenlan to be so extreme and not prepare food for He Changdi.

He Changdi didn't have any appetite. His mind was in a mess as he tiptoed behind the screen to look at Chu Lian.

Chu Lian's back was to him and she was sleeping on her side. Her soft body was curled into a ball. He reached out to touch her, but he pulled back halfway.

He closed his eyes and walked out of the screen. He lay down on the long couch for a while.

Chu Lian opened her eyes as soon as he left.

Staring at the top of the tent, Chu Lian blinked. She hadn't fallen asleep at all. A long time later, she laughed self-deprecatingly. It seemed that waiting for He Changdi to give an explanation was impossible.

Forget it, he didn't care what he said.

Chu Lian turned over in a huff and closed her eyes. This time, she really fell asleep.

When she woke up, He Changdi was no longer in the tent.

In the afternoon, Emperor Chengping had taken people to the forest to hunt. Princess Duanjia had ordered people to deliver some game, including wild ducks, golden chickens, and a buck. Emperor Chengping was going to host a bonfire banquet for the spring hunt that night. Chu Lian had used the excuse that she wasn't feeling well to decline.

But facing the game that was delivered, Chu Lian couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

Wenqing brought out a rocking chair for her. She sat by the side and instructed the servant girls on how to roast the game.

When the game was done, Chu Lian didn't eat a bite herself. She had the servants distribute it to old Duke Zheng, Princess Duanjia, Prince Jin and the others.

At this time, there were still two hours until the bonfire banquet.

In Prince Jin's tent, He Changdi sat gloomily. Although his handsome face was as cold as before, it was very pale and haggard.

Prince Jin opened the tent flap and came in. He saw his good friend sitting at the table in a daze.

His emerald green eyes glanced at him. "What's wrong?

Half-dead? "

He Changdi's thin lips were pressed into a line. His eyes were lowered, as if he was a statue that couldn't speak.

Prince Jin took off his cloak and handed it to the servant beside him. Then, he walked to He Changdi's side and looked him up and down.

His clothes were disheveled, his face was haggard, his beard was unkempt, his eyes were bloodshot, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Hiss … what kind of blow did this fellow suffer …

As soon as Prince Jin sat down, a servant girl brought over some soup to warm his body and stomach.

Before he could pick up the spoon next to him, He Changdi said faintly, "Give me a bowl as well."

This time, Prince Jin was shocked. He pinched the spoon and frowned at his good friend. "With Jinyi's cooking, you still want to eat at my place?"

Back when Guilin Residence was still open, he would go there whenever he felt a craving for food. A dignified prince actually went to a restaurant to satisfy his cravings. In the end, He Changdi actually went out to eat these "shoddy" food. Heh heh.

He Sanlang didn't care about Prince Jin's teasing. He said faintly, "I haven't eaten for a day and a night."

Prince Jin: …

"How could Jinyi starve you?"

That lass was a foodie. She would cover her mouth with food if she didn't do anything. How could she not cook? Even if she didn't cook, there were two maidservants by her side who had learned some of her true essence!

He Changdi couldn't go hungry.

He Sanlang didn't speak. He just stayed silent. When the servant girl brought over another bowl of soup, he took it and drank it in one gulp.

He didn't look like he was tasting the food, but purely to fill his stomach.

Prince Jin was a little stunned. He shook his head helplessly. "I wanted you to have a good taste. Although this soup isn't as good as Jinyi's, it's still fine."

While Prince Jin was drinking the soup, a servant came in to report.

"Reporting to Your Highness, Jinyi Village Lord ordered someone to send some game. You should try it now."

Prince Jin was stunned and raised his eyebrows. Look, he just mentioned Chu Lian, and Chu Lian sent food.

"Bring it in."

The servant hurried out. After a while, he came back with a food box and placed two plates of game on the table.

A plate of venison and a plate of wild duck were already sliced.

Because they had just been roasted, the barbecue on the plate was still steaming and fragrant.

Prince Jin picked up his chopsticks and pointed at the two plates in front of him. "It's self-defeating. You said you didn't eat it. Did Jinyi send all the barbecue she made to me?"

He Changdi's face turned bitter. It was true. Chu Lian didn't leave a single bite for him.

He Sanlang didn't say anything. He picked up his chopsticks and picked up a piece of barbecue and put it in his mouth.

It was fragrant and tender. It was unforgettable. It was Chu Lian's way of roasting it.

But when such delicious food fell into his mouth, his mouth was full of bitterness.

Prince Jin didn't expect that his good friend would make a move.

He said in annoyance: "Hey, you're too impolite. This is what Jinyi sent to me. If you want to eat it, let Jinyi roast it for you. You can eat as much as you want. Why do you have to rob me?"

Although Prince Jin said so, he didn't stop his good friend. He knew that his good friend was in a bad mood. He interrupted him to distract him.

The two plates of barbecue were divided up by the two men in no time.

Prince Jin leaned back in his chair. His eyes fell on his good friend, who was in a daze. "Tell me.

What happened?

Did you quarrel with Jinyi? "

He Sanlang rubbed his stiff face and took a deep breath. "Lian 'er is angry with me."

Prince Jin looked up at him. "Tell me."

He Sanlang and Prince Jin were sworn friends and childhood friends. They had been good friends since their previous lives, so there was nothing they couldn't talk about.

After some consideration, He Changdi revealed the ins and outs of the matter.

Monarch Jin was taken aback when he heard that. His green eyes flickered in disbelief. "Are you really interested in Le Yao?"

He Changdi was stunned by his good friend's question. His face was cold and his voice was filled with anger. "Lu Yi, what do you mean?!"

Prince Jin sneered. "You're hugging and accompanying her. Aren't you interested in that little girl?"

He Changdi: "…"

"Don't think too much. Princess Le Yao is only 11 years old. I'm not a pervert!"

"Haha."

"That's the Emperor's order. I can't disobey it."

Prince Jin glanced at his idiotic friend and sneered: "Are you stupid? Leyyao is already 11 years old. How many children who grew up in the palace are innocent? Don't tell me that Leyyao is still young. In another year, she will be 12 years old. Even if she is from a noble family, she can still get married at the age of 12.

Le Yao is unhappy with Jinyi. Have you ever thought about Jinyi's feelings?

I think you're not as good as Xiao Bojian! "

Prince Jin's last sentence was a bit harsh. But since his good friend was in a dead end, he had to remind him.

After He Changdi thought about Prince Jin's words, he was instantly enlightened.

His face suddenly turned solemn.

At the same time, he felt guilty and terrified.

He clenched his fists and suppressed his emotions. He asked coldly, "Yi, how's the investigation going?"

Prince Jin's light-colored eyes, which were full of sarcasm and laughter, suddenly turned dangerous.

"Whether it was Le Yao's injury or Jinyi's fall, it was all planned. It's just that we haven't found the mastermind yet. We can't be sure that Sixth Brother is the mastermind."

He Changdi's deep eyes emitted a dangerous and cold light.

Prince Jin tapped the table with his slender fingers. "There's one thing I don't understand. It's fine if they wanted to plot against you, but why did they plot against Jinyi?

Even if Xiao Bojian still has feelings for Jinyi, there's no need for him to risk his life in front of Imperial Father. "

This was indeed a mystery. In this life, Chu Lian had never had any relationship with Xiao Bojian, and had nothing to do with the open and covert struggle for the throne. Yet, she had been dragged into it for no reason. Even He Changdi, who had been reborn, could not understand this.

"What do you think?"

He Sanlang shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll protect Lian 'er."

Prince Jin didn't speak anymore. The two of them sat in silence for a while before Prince Jin started to drive them away.

"Alright, go. I'm going to rest. I can't sleep looking at your cold face."

He Changdi got up and left with a cold face.

There was still an hour before the bonfire banquet hosted by Emperor Chengping. He wanted to go back and see Chu Lian, but he still felt a little awkward.

He Sanlang glanced around and went to Field Officer Guo and Zhang Mai's tent.

Because Field Officer Guo's wife wasn't related to the royal family, he came to the spring hunt alone and stayed in the same tent as Zhang Mai.

He walked to the tent and saw the familiar felt curtain. It reminded him of the days when he was in the army with his brothers in the Northern Region.

He Changdi's stiff lips finally relaxed.

The soldier guarding the door recognized He Changdi. After saluting him, he immediately went to report. After a while, the soldier opened the tent curtain and He Changdi stepped in.

Field Officer Guo and Zhang Mai were sitting around a small table, drinking hard liquor and eating barbecued meat.

Don't be too carefree.

When Field Officer Guo saw He Changdi, he hurriedly waved to him: "Zixiang, come and sit."

He Changdi walked to the small table and sat on the ground like them. The tent was covered with wool blankets, so it wasn't cold.

He glanced at the two familiar plates of barbecued meat on the small table and pursed his lips.

Field Officer Guo didn't like to read people's expressions, so he bluntly said: "Your wife asked someone to send it. It's so damn delicious. You're really lucky."

After saying that, he directly picked up a piece of barbecued meat and threw it into his mouth. He also made a look of enjoyment.

He Changdi was speechless.

He simply lowered his head. Out of sight, out of mind.

Zhang Mai was more careful than Field Officer Guo. He looked at He Changdi up and down and frowned: "Zixiang, why do you look like this?"

Although He Changdi didn't pay attention to dressing up, he at least kept himself clean and tidy. If he could, he wouldn't treat himself badly.

Especially with Chu Lian's care. After returning to Shengjing, he would always be well-dressed and gourmet.

He had a well-proportioned body with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He also had a handsome face. Although he was always cold, his temperament was outstanding.

As long as he dressed up a little, he would look no different from a rich young master.

Some of his colleagues even secretly imitated his dressing.

For example, the green jade thumb ring he wore on his hand was originally worn by generals to prevent their fingers from chafing when shooting arrows. However, ever since He Changdi wore this thick and heavy jade thumb ring all year round, there were now civil officials in the imperial court who also started wearing jade thumb rings.

Unlike his usual meticulous appearance, He Changdi was now very 'rough'.

He was even worse than when he was in the Northern Army.

He Changdi's face was cold. After a while, he finally said: "I have a subordinate. His wife is angry at him. He has been absent-minded for the past two days and I don't know how to appease him."

As soon as he said this, Field Officer Guo didn't even eat the barbecued meat anymore. He exchanged glances with Zhang Mai and looked at He Changdi as if they had seen a ghost.

Damn, could this guy be lying? It's too fake. The subordinate he mentioned must be himself …

Field Officer Guo and Zhang Mai couldn't help but twitch.

It turned out that the decisive and talented Marquis of Anyuan actually had this kind of trouble.

After a few seconds, Field Officer Guo and Zhang Mai suddenly became excited.

Could it be that He Changdi had something to ask of them? They had to do their best to solve his problem like a good brother.

Field Officer Guo's expression became serious. "Oh?

Did your subordinate say anything about his wife's situation? "

He Changdi narrowed his eyes and thought for a while with a stiff face. "She doesn't talk, doesn't cook, and doesn't talk."

Field Officer Guo was eager to try. "She's a young couple after all. It's inevitable for a woman to be a little pretentious. Maybe she already regretted it, but she's too shy to say it."

"Yes, as a man, you have to be thick-skinned. Just take the initiative to apologize to her and coax her."

He Changdi frowned. It was obvious that he had doubts about Field Officer Guo and Zhang Mai's suggestion. In his heart, Chu Lian wasn't a woman who liked to fool around.

Seeing the doubt on his face, Field Officer Guo gritted his teeth and revealed his ultimate killer move.

"Let me tell you, if this still can't solve it, then let's try it on the bed. If the first time doesn't work, then let's do it twice. Anyway, this move is very useful for your sister-in-law."