Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Prince Wants to Win Her Favor
 

Murong Jiu dreamed of two frail children running nonstop on a mountain path, with someone chasing after them to kill them, and the sound of dogs barking.

She seemed to be trapped in the dream, her feet sinking into the mire, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pull them out.

In the dream, she watched as the two children were driven to a dead end, and even though she screamed until she was hoarse, no one could hear her. She felt so desperate, so anguished—she knew it was a dream, yet she couldn’t wake up.

She fell into darkness, with no one to pull her up.

It was at this moment that it felt as if a warm temperature was coming from her hand; like driftweed in the sea that had grasped a lifeline, someone seemed to be calling her.

“Ah Jiu, Ah Jiu, wake up…”

Finally, she pulled herself out of the muck and opened her eyes.

What she saw were a pair of worried deep eyes and a silver mask.

“Prince?”

As her voice emerged, she realized how hoarse her throat was.

Jun Yuyan wanted to pour her a cup of hot tea, but she grasped his hand tightly.

“Don’t go, don’t leave.”

Murong Jiu’s face revealed a look of panic; the despair from the dream still deeply shrouded her. All she knew was that she didn’t want Jun Yuyan to leave, she didn’t want to lose this warmth and fall back into the darkness.

“Ah Jiu, I’m not leaving, I’m right here with you.”

Jun Yuyan’s voice was gentle, carrying a power to soothe the heart, as he had her lie back down on the pillow.

He had never seen Murong Jiu so panicked and helpless before.

She seemed vulnerable like a rained-on, homeless kitten.

“Ah Jiu, don’t be afraid, no one can hurt you or the child.”

Murong Jiu’s tears fell silently onto the pillowcase, as if she was still in the nightmare: “I couldn’t save my children, I’m so useless, how could there be such an irresponsible mother like me?”

“That was just a dream, only a nightmare; things in dreams are opposite of reality, they won’t happen.”

No, it wasn’t a dream, it was something that had truly happened; her foolishness had killed two children, and only at their death did she realize her mistake.

She regretted it so much.

Suddenly, a hand reached over, wiping the tears from the corner of her eye. The fingertips had thick calluses, rubbing without hurting, yet very much present.

Her vision slowly focused, falling on Jun Yuyan’s face once more.

Noticing her gaze, Jun Yuyan, the hand that wiped her tears, lifted and removed the silver mask.

The long scar on his face had faded a lot, almost invisible if not stared at, no longer as scary as before. His face was handsome and resolute, with distinct features, especially his deep, profound eyes, almost causing Murong Jiu to be lost in them.

Murong Jiu finally regained her composure from the nightmare. She realized she was still holding his hand tightly, quickly let go, and her eyes also showed a bit of panic: “Prince, I apologize, I was a bit out of it just now.”

A flash of disappointment in Jun Yuyan’s eyes went unnoticed; he should have expected this—Ah Jiu wouldn’t cling to his hand like that once she woke up.

There was no need to hurry, as to not startle her.

He withdrew his hand, stood up, and handed her water.

“Thank you, Prince.”

Murong Jiu sat up and sipped the warm water in small sips until it was finished.

Jun Yuyan took the teacup and then said to her, “You’re pregnant; you shouldn’t have such emotional fluctuations. Don’t think too much. In the Prince Mansion, no one can hurt you.”

Murong Jiu shook her head: “Prince, I can’t stay in the Prince Mansion forever, I can’t ruin your reputation.”

She was already planning on mentioning this issue, and now seemed like the right moment to discuss it thoroughly.

Sooner or later, she was going to leave.

Yet, as the words came out, she felt a hint of an inexplicable sadness in her heart.

It was like reluctance.

She couldn’t be like this; she must make a clean break.

She looked up, “Prince, I’m prepared…”

Jun Yuyan’s brows were tightly furrowed, “Prepared to go where? You’re pregnant, and soon your belly will grow large. Do you want the whole world to point at your belly and slander you and your child? Even if you’re not afraid, what about the child? Do you want him to be cursed the moment he is born?”

“I, I can take the child and live under a false name.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she knew it was impossible; she had to stay in the Capital City to seek revenge and clear her name.

What could she do? She couldn’t ruin the Prince’s reputation just for her own selfish desires.

There was still time for a divorce.

“Have you found the child’s father yet?” Jun Yuyan asked her.

Murong Jiu shook her head, not daring to meet Jun Yuyan’s gaze, afraid he would think her a frivolous woman.

She frowned, seemingly reluctant to talk more about the child’s father, leaving Jun Yuyan unsure if it was out of disgust or something else.

It must be disgust, right? To lose her innocence for no reason and then become pregnant was a burden, akin to ruining a woman’s life. How could she not hate it?

His chest heaved with hot breath, the words he wanted to say had reached his throat, tumbling through his mind, and ultimately, he swallowed them back down.

He didn’t dare gamble; if he laid it all out now and Ah Jiu drifted even further away, where could he chase her to?

Being close at hand now, he had the advantage, able to look after her and the child, and had the chance to foster a deeper relationship with her.

“I don’t care about reputation; you just stay in the Prince Mansion and give birth to the child safely.”

Most importantly, to let her settle down in peace for now, without thinking further of divorce.

“How can that be acceptable? You already have a woman you love, and even if she were very magnanimous, she…”

“She is not in the Capital City. If we divorce, my father will arrange another marriage for me.”

Murong Jiu understood; she was a good shield for him, one that could protect him from other possible suitors.

Jun Yuyan’s eyes flickered subtly, “So you have no need to feel guilty. We both get what we need from this, don’t we?”

Her heart did lighten somewhat, but there was also a faint sourness mixed within.

She lowered her head and said, “Thank you, Prince. When the divorce happens in the future, I will make sure to explain things clearly to your future Princess Consort.”

Jun Yuyan’s brow furrowed even more deeply.

He wasn’t experienced in winning a woman’s affection and didn’t want to push Ah Jiu further away; this was not his desire.

“Didn’t you say that my leg injury is suitable for medicinal baths? How about tomorrow I take you and your mentor to stay at Bright Moon Villa for a few days to soak in the hot springs, is that alright?”

He wanted to create more opportunities to spend time with her.

Going to the manor to soak in the hot springs would also help her relax and better nurture the fetus, relieving morning sickness.

Murong Jiu was somewhat tempted, but even before she could nod, the voice of Eunuch Shi suddenly came from outside.

“Prince, Princess Consort, an imperial decree has come from the palace; Your Majesty summons you and the Princess Consort to court!”

To court?

Being summoned to court at this time, it couldn’t be because of her pregnancy, could it?

Anxiety flickered through Murong Jiu’s eyes.

The news of her pregnancy had just come out, and them being summoned to court could only be for this reason, she couldn’t think of any other.

It must be the Fifth Princess spreading the word; suspicions have arisen within the palace.

Her pulse indicated she was three months pregnant, any Imperial Physician in the palace could diagnose it, and if they went to court, the truth would be revealed.

“Prince…”

Jun Yuyan reassured her, “Don’t be afraid; when the time comes, I will say that our relationship began before the wedding. As long as you insist that the child in your belly is mine, my father won’t say anything.”

“But…”

She was afraid the Empress and others wouldn’t let it go and would destroy Jun Yuyan’s good reputation.

One must know, before the proxy marriage, Jun Yuyan’s fiancée was Murong Man, not her.