Not Your Typical Villianess - Chapter 207

An hour later at Old master Tong’s side hall.

“Master, the seventh young miss is now awake” the Tong family steward uncle Yi reported.

“Xiao Yao is awake” Old madam Tong shouted from her seat at her husband right. She sat surrounded by her three daughters-in-law who fanned her face gently and dabbed away the sweat running down her face. She had rushed back to the mansion from the temple as soon as she was informed of the situation.

Old madam Tong was a dedicated Buddhist, she had turned to Buddhism after losing her two daughters and spent most of her time at the temple. Although she wasn’t always at home she had been informed of everything that happens. Old master Tong had sent word to her the day Chen Yao arrived at Tong mansion. She had arrived a few minutes later and after he had introduced her to Chen Yao.

Both of them hit off immediately, Chen Yao looked a little like her mother who old madam Tong raised and was quite fond of. Madam Tong tried to keep Chen Yao’s mind from the scandal when it broke and for the few days she stayed at Tong mansion, Chen Yao seemed to be doing well.

Chen Yao’s suicide attempt shooked her to her bones that nearly an hour later she was still trying to calm down. Old madam Tong held the armrest of her seat and pulled herself up but stopped as she heard the Crown Prince say

“Grandfather, Grandmother, if you don’t mind. I would like to have a word with Chen Yao now. I need to get back to morning Court”.

“Oh, that is alright. I don’t mind”, Old madam Tong replied smiling, she sat back. Her husband had thrown her a look, she didn’t want to mess up her husband’s plan if she agreed to the Crown Prince’s request.

Zhongshan Ling glance over his shoulders at Fu Lang who stood behind him and muttered, “let us go”.

Fu Lang wheeled him from the side hall to Chen Yao’s quarters. When they arrived Chen Yao sat up on the bed, while Liang fed her a bowl of medicine. Although the doctor reported that her vein wasn’t cut since the cut wasn’t deep, he still advised her to lay off her hand and not make use of that hand so as not to deepen the wounds and caused a complication.

Zhongshan Ling had prevented the maids he had met on his way in from announcing his presence so Chen Yao had no idea he was there until she was done drinking her meds and Liang pulled back to pack up the bows and spoon. The medicine was very bitter so Liang came over with a small paper bag of sweets. As she bend down her head to unwrap the paper bag, Chen Yao gasped as she saw the Crown Prince just by the open door.

“Your Highness!”

Liang looked up as she heard that and glanced at the door, she stood up immediately bowed and muttered, “Your Highness!”

Chen Yao hissed as she pulled back the blanket wrapped around her legs, she had unknowingly touched her bandaged hands.

“Don’t stand on my account, you are injured. It is alright to take things easy. I will come to you”, Zhongshan Ling placed his hands on the big wooden wheels on either side of his wheeled wooden seat and wheeled himself forward. Fu Lang stepped out, he got the hint that his master wanted to have a word with the young miss in private.

Liang turned to the side as she heard the hiss, bent down and checked Chen Yao’s wounds. “Hold still my lady,” she said carefully holding up Chen Yao’s bandaged arm to check her injury. She didn’t seem to have to pull any of her stitches and the bleeding hasn’t worsened at all. She placed Chen Yao’s arm gently on the bed and pulled up the blanket to cover her legs before bowing and leaving the room.

Chen Yao held the tip of the blankets, head bent down as her eyes focused on her laps. Zhongshan Ling frowned slightly as his gaze fell on the bandage wrapped around her wrist. Chen Yao felt his gaze on her arm and covered the white bandage with her uninjured arm. Her un-injured hand did a pretty poor job since the bandage was wider.

“How are you doing?” He asked in a quiet tone.

Chen Yao glanced up at him, “good. I am good your Highness. Thanks for asking”, she glanced around the room cheeks red. She glanced at anything but at him, then glancing down at her bandaged arm. She bit her lower lips, ” your Highness, sorry for doing this. You must have many other places and things to do, you didn’t have to come here. I feel like I keep doing things that cause trouble for you”.

“That is okay, I don’t mind. There is no need to apologise, you were going through a lot. Don’t let those rumours affect your peace of mind, people always talk no matter what you do”.

“It is so hard, it is not my fault. I didn’t ask you to be abducted, that was something I had no control over. I feel like I have nothing left, my life is over. Who would want me now, grandfather said that all the marriage offers fell through. Everyone believes that I ran away from home with a boy, what am I to do. Just how am I going to live now?’

Zhongshan Ling watched as a long line of tears fell down her face making his heart soften, he sighed and ran his hand down his face. “Don’t ever say that no one wants you, that is a lie. Because I want you, it is not your fault that you were abducted so don’t take anything they said to heart. Don’t worry about your future, you won’t ever be in pain. I will always protect you because you are my family”.

Chen Yao gazed at him, “really?”

“Yes, I will marry you a fake you an imperial Concubine that way no one can hurt you”.

Chen Yao’s eyelid but she quickly shook her head, “no, no I can not let you do that. You would be sacrificing your future and reputation for me, with my reputation… I am not worth it, just let me join the temple”.

“You are worth every problem and more. Forget about what others say, I will be the judge of my life not others”.

“Okay”.

Zhongshan Ling returned to the side hall after saying a few more words to her. Old Master Tong and everyone else present in the room was shocked when he informed them of his decision. Although there were a few concerns among the members of the won’t family concerning Chen Yao’s reputation.

All their concerns were smoothened out by the Crown Prince who assured them that it wouldn’t be a problem. After speaking with them, he returned to his residence. He was already too late to make it to morning court, he sent word to the royal Secretary requesting leave. Zhongshan Ling went straight to the main courtyard to speak with Xia Ying about the marriage.

Xia Ying was sewing a hand warmer when she heard the servants chorus greetings to the Crown Prince from the open window. Xia Yong dropped the half sown hand warmer in the seeing basket and held up to her maid’s hands for support as he got up. She straightened up her clothes before leaving her bedroom for the living room.

She arrived as Zhongshan Ling wheeled himself into the living room. Xia Ying cane forward and standing a short distance away from him, curtsied while holding her maid’s hand as support.

“Your highness”, she said softly.

“Consort, you look well. I am sorry for not visiting you as often as I should”

“Your highness doesn’t need to apologise, I understand that you were busy with work. It would be unreasonable for me to hold grudges”

He smiled and glanced at her face, “you look paler and even slimmer, please take care of your health. I would be hurt to see you get sick”.

She touched her lips self consciously and smiled, “I understand, please come in. You must be tired, I will have my maids get us some wine and snacks”.

He held up his hands, “hold on consort, just tea please. I am not hungry”.

“Oh, that’s good too”, she glanced at Daiyu, ” please get us some tea”.

“Yes,” Daiyu Murmured and left the room.

Zhongshan Ling followed her inside and wheeled himself to a comfortable position. Since his accident Xia Ying had gotten a lot more careful. She didn’t go close to the high seat and instead sat on the seat opposite him. She noticed that he glanced intently at the painting behind her, it was from one of the great masters and was a colourful landscape painting.

Zhongshan Ling rubbed his neck and pursed his lips, “I wanted to inform you of my plans before following it through. My younger female cousin has met with a misfortune of late, I don’t want her to suffer from all that scrutiny alone. I intend to take her in as a concubine, that is the only way to give her a way out. I thought that you as my wife deserves to be informed before I take any other steps further.”

Xia Ying had already heard the rumours concerning this cousin in question and while she was sympathetic. She couldn’t help but worry that this cousin of his might not be that simple and might cause a mess but she doesn’t dare say anything and instead just replied, “I will support whatever decision you make concerning this, Your Highness.. We must not allow Miss Chen misfortune to kill her light.”