The Sickly Regent Prince Who Was Abandoned as a Substitute Bride

Chapter 169 Ye Jiuchen Goes Astray in Cultivation

Li Shuyao frowned slightly, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

She gently shook her head and said firmly, "Xi'er, there's no need to tell Father. I know what I'm doing. You may leave now; I need to be alone."

"Yes, Your Highness." Xi'er nodded helplessly, then turned and slowly left.

She knew her young mistress had a strong personality, and once she made a decision, it was difficult for others to change her mind. But seeing her mistress so injured, she was heartbroken.

After Xi'er left, Li Shuyao slowly stood up and stepped into the bathtub.

Hot water gradually submerged her body, the warm water gently caressing every inch of her skin, yet it could not soothe the deep pain in her heart.

She picked up a soft cloth and carefully wiped her body, her movements slow and mechanical.

"Ye Jingchu, you forced all of this upon me, so don't blame me for being ruthless!" Li Shuyao muttered to herself, her eyes revealing a resolute determination.

At this moment, she seemed to have made up her mind to take action and no longer tolerate the various unfair treatments Ye Jingchu had given her.

Recalling the past, Li Shuyao couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness.

The gentle, considerate, and caring Ye Jingchu of the past has now become unrecognizable, leaving only indifference and cruelty.

Her own father, the relative who should have given her protection and love, instead pushed her into this endless suffering.

Thinking of this, a bitter smile appeared on Li Shuyao's lips, and she murmured self-deprecatingly, "Ha, so-called fatherly love is nothing more than this."

In the quiet of the night, Li Shuyao was alone, lost in thought, pondering how to move forward. She understood that only by relying on herself could she escape her predicament and regain her dignity and happiness.

Sunlight streamed down the ancient and bustling streets of the capital, where a long queue had already formed in front of the Jishi Tongrentang pharmacy. People had come from far and wide, hoping to receive treatment from the renowned physician, Dongfang Wan'er.

Day after day, Dongfang Wan'er remained steadfast in this place. Her superb medical skills and compassionate heart won the respect and praise of everyone, and her reputation grew louder and louder, spreading throughout the capital and even further afield.

That day, after a busy day of clinical work, Dongfang Wan'er dragged her slightly tired body home. Sitting by the window, watching the sky gradually darken outside, a strange emotion suddenly welled up in her heart.

For some reason, she felt as if she hadn't seen that familiar figure—Ye Jiuchen—for some time.

Thoughts flooded her mind like a tide, recalling every moment she spent with Ye Jiuchen.

Those wonderful times they had spent together now seemed so precious. Dongfang Wan'er couldn't help but sigh softly, "It feels like it's been so long since I've seen Ye Jiuchen!"

As if waking from a dream, she finally realized how deep her longing for him was.

Just then, Qiuqin, a maidservant serving nearby, couldn't help but speak up: "Miss, you've finally remembered your husband! I thought you'd forgotten all about him!"

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Wan'er blushed slightly and gave Qiuqin a reproachful look: "You little rascal, you're getting more and more unruly these days, daring to say anything!"

However, deep down, I felt a sense of relief at Qiuqin's straightforwardness.

Seeing this, Qiuqin playfully stuck out her tongue and said, "Miss, why don't we go to the Regent's Mansion to visit the young master? Maybe he misses you too!"

Dongfang Wan'er was slightly taken aback, then nodded: "Alright, then let's prepare the carriage and head to the Regent's Palace."

So, the master and servant got ready and set off for the Regent's Palace.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the gate of the Regent's Palace. Dongfang Wan'er got out of the carriage and walked towards the gate.

Upon seeing that it was Dongfang Wan'er, the gatekeeper quickly bowed and then went inside to report.

Not long after, Dark Night came running out with a look of panic on his face, staggering as he ran! His eyes were darting around, and fine beads of sweat were even seeping from his forehead.

"Your...Your Highness, why...why did you suddenly come?" Dark Night stammered, his voice trembling noticeably.

"What, am I not allowed to come?"

Dongfang Wan'er's eyebrows furrowed, her beautiful eyes fixed on the dark night, and she coldly questioned, "Or is it that Ye Jiuchen isn't here?"

She pondered to herself, keenly sensing that something was amiss in the atmosphere, especially after seeing An Ye's unusually tense expression.

"No...that's not true. His Highness is indeed currently in seclusion, cultivating, and has not yet emerged."

As An Ye spoke, he unconsciously took two steps back, seemingly wanting to keep a certain distance from Dongfang Wan'er. However, his tone sounded somewhat lacking in confidence.

Dongfang Wan'er, being exceptionally intelligent, naturally saw through An Ye's guilty conscience at a glance. She coldly snorted and said, "An Ye, don't try to deceive me! Judging from your appearance, you're definitely hiding something from me. Get out of my way!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already stepped forward, ready to personally enter the courtyard to find out what was going on.

Seeing this, An Ye was extremely anxious and quickly reached out to stop Dongfang Wan'er.

Just then, Dongfang Wan'er shouted, "Qiuqin, you're in charge of this!"

Upon hearing this shout, Qiuqin, who had been standing behind Dongfang Wan'er, immediately responded and moved.

She moved with the agility of a swallow, arriving in front of Dark Night in the blink of an eye, and without hesitation stretched out her arms to hug Dark Night tightly.

An Ye was completely taken aback by this turn of events and was instantly stunned. His eyes widened as he stared at Qiu Qin, who was so close to him, his cheeks flushing bright red, like a ripe apple.

At this moment, Qiuqin stared at the dark night with a determined look on her face, showing no intention of letting go.

"Qiuqin, you...you let me go!" An Ye's voice was clearly panicked, and he even stammered.

However, Qiuqin held onto his arm tightly, refusing to let go, and said with a firm look in her eyes, "I won't let go. You're being so secretive, you must be hiding something important from me! Tell me clearly now!"

An Ye was extremely anxious and quickly explained, "It's really nothing serious, it's just... Oh dear, can you let me go first? The princess is in danger!"

Upon hearing this, Qiuqin's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with astonishment. She never expected this to happen. She quickly let go of her hand and urged, "Why didn't you tell me sooner!"

As soon as Qiuqin let go, Anye rushed into the house like an arrow, but then suddenly stopped, turned around and shouted at Qiuqin, "Don't come in! You'll only make things more chaotic!"

After saying that, he turned around again and rushed into the yard as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Dongfang Wan'er had already sensed something was wrong and rushed in without hesitation, following An Ye.

Upon entering the courtyard, they were shocked by what they saw—Ye Jiuchen's eyes were bloodshot, and he exuded a strong killing intent as he fiercely fought with a stranger.

The man was agile and his moves were fierce; he fought Ye Jiuchen to a standstill.

Dongfang Wan'er looked closely and a sense of doubt welled up in her heart: This man looked so familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before...

"Ye Jiuchen!" As Dongfang Wan'er's clear and anxious voice rang out, the entire space seemed to tremble.

Suddenly, Ye Jiuchen unleashed a powerful palm strike, like a thunderbolt, slamming it into the man. The man was instantly sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.

Ye Jiuchen slowly raised his head and looked in the direction where Dongfang Wan'er was.

At that moment, Dongfang Wan'er's heart tightened, because she saw that Ye Jiuchen's originally deep and bright eyes had turned blood red, as if they were burning with raging fire.

Moreover, his handsome face was covered with dense, intricate lines that intertwined to form a mysterious and unpredictable array.

The scene before him was so shocking and terrifying that it did not diminish Ye Jiuchen's innate handsomeness in the slightest.

On the contrary, this strange change added a wild and untamed charm to him, giving him an irresistible allure.