ASTRP -Chapter 194 The Sickly Prince

“I really don’t know what to do with you anymore.”

“Well… I have plenty of time to explain everything to you clearly. I can also wait until you recover.”

But the moment Feng Jingge finished speaking, something suddenly shot out from the wheelchair.

Xiao Jinghan flicked a pebble with his fingers, instantly knocking the object away.

Only then did Feng Jingge see clearly that it was a tiny bug.

Her brows immediately furrowed.

“What do you mean by this?”

“I’m trying to talk to you properly, so why are you attacking me in secret?”

“I merely wanted to see whether the Regent Prince of Jing Kingdom could protect you.”

The moment Shen Nan finished speaking, he started coughing violently.

A large mouthful of blood spilled out as he clutched his chest, struggling to breathe.

He hurriedly grabbed the attendant beside him.

“Go… don’t let anyone see me like this… go!”

The attendant practically carried him back inside. He was truly frail beyond measure.

Feng Jingge instantly felt uncomfortable inside.

“I…”

She pointed at herself.

“Did I anger him?”

“But I don’t think I said anything wrong!”

Xiao Jinghan knew Feng Jingge was kind-hearted.

She was a woman with a strong sense of responsibility and integrity.

Although she wasn’t truly a member of the Feng family, she still couldn’t bear seeing someone suffer or risk their life because of her.

Xiao Jinghan softly comforted her.

“There was already something wrong with his body. It has nothing to do with you.”

“We’ll deal with this matter slowly. We have plenty of time anyway.”

“I guess that’s the only way…”

Feng Jingge pulled Xiao Jinghan toward the inner room.

Outside Shen Nan’s chamber, they heard the imperial physician and the personal attendant speaking.

“This won’t do… I’m afraid His Highness won’t survive until the gu-raising process is complete.”

“I’m worried too, but His Highness is too stubborn. He insists on raising the gu insect.”

“He already fainted once before. Right when we were about to extract the gu insect, His Highness woke up.”

“He absolutely refused… sigh, what are we supposed to do now…”

“That Feng Jingge doesn’t even know that His Highness is doing all this for her. Our prince is suffering for nothing. It breaks my heart.”

For me?

Feng Jingge frowned tightly and walked straight over.

“Why is it for me?”

The attendant froze.

“Y-you… why did you come over…”

“Answer my question. Why is it for me?”

Xiao Jinghan hated this sort of hesitant behavior the most. He grabbed the attendant by the throat.

“If you don’t speak, this prince will twist your head off!”

The attendant’s mouth fell open in terror, and he hurriedly said,

“His Highness wants to protect you…”

His breathing became difficult, and only then did Xiao Jinghan release him.

The attendant coughed before saying,

“L-let’s speak in the inner hall!”

“I’m afraid we’ll disturb His Highness’s rest here.”

Along the way, the attendant explained that Prince Shen Nan had not slept properly for several nights.

Being able to sleep now was already a good thing.

And all of this was because of the gu insects.

He also explained that there had originally been gu insects inside Feng Jingge’s body.

The female gu was inside Feng Jingge, while the male gu was inside Prince Shen Nan.

Just like this world itself—

Women served men, and females served males.

Whenever something happened to Feng Jingge, the female gu would suffer.

The paired male gu would then experience twice the pain, causing the host agony and thereby warning him.

“You said you lost your memory. Was it because of drowning?”

“Yes…”

“One year ago, our prince suddenly experienced difficulty breathing. He nearly died.”

“After he fainted, the male gu inside him died and flowed out through his nosebleed. That was when he said something terrible must have happened to you.”

The attendant explained that after the prince was rescued with great difficulty, he insisted that Feng Jingge, the eldest miss of the Feng family, must have encountered disaster.

The death of both the mother and male gu could only mean that Miss Feng’s body had suffered severe damage.

“Later, the First Prince Shen Ruo returned, and His Highness immediately went to Jing Kingdom to find you.”

After hearing this, Feng Jingge realized something.

The female gu had died because the original owner of the body had died instantly.

It was only because her own soul entered Feng Jingge’s body that she continued living.

But at that time, Shen Ruo had come looking for her?

Why didn’t she know anything about it?

Feng Jingge pursed her lips, unable to say a single word.

“Our First Prince later sent people to infiltrate the Feng family, only to discover that Miss Feng was still alive and perfectly fine. Only then was His Highness relieved.”

The attendant lowered his head.

“His Highness wanted to nurture a new pair of gu insects, which is why he has become like this now.”

“He said that when the gu insects first begin developing, the female gu is still very weak and needs nourishment from the male gu.”

“And the male gu’s nourishment comes from the host’s blood.”

“That’s why our prince… has become like this.”

Feng Jingge immediately said,

“Then there’s no need for this anymore. I’m perfectly fine.”

“There’s no need for him to protect me. Stop nurturing the gu insects immediately.”

Xiao Jinghan felt uncomfortable inside.

He felt that Shen Nan had already sacrificed far too much for Feng Jingge.

He occupied too much weight in Feng Jingge’s heart.

He himself could also sacrifice more.

Thus Xiao Jinghan said,

“If he wants to raise them, fine. Let him raise them until this prince has a sturdy body.”

Feng Jingge quickly turned around and glared at him.

She thought to herself that this man truly dared to say anything.

“Raise what exactly? I’m already a princess consort now. I already have the prince protecting me.”

Hearing this, the attendant gave a bitter smile.

“You… are already a princess consort. Back then, you swore to our prince that you would marry him.”

“But now you’ve become someone else’s wife.”

“I…”

Feng Jingge actually wanted to say that those words weren’t spoken by her.

And Shen Fufeng too—

He clearly knew his younger brother liked the original owner.

So why did he also fall for her?

He truly had no sense of propriety whatsoever.

“Right now, Prince Shen Nan is the one holding power in Wu Xing Kingdom.”

“He said that ever since his elder sister committed suicide three years ago in the Emperor of Jing Kingdom’s bedchamber, their empress had fallen into constant sorrow.”

“Not long after, she became gravely ill from grief.”

They only had one princess.

After she died, the emperor also passed away soon after.

“Originally, the First Prince was supporting the kingdom, but he had no interest in ruling, so everything fell onto the Second Prince.”

“But the Second Prince knew his health was poor, so he delayed ascending the throne.”

“The Second Prince intends for the First Prince to inherit the throne after he dies.”

“You really broke His Highness’s heart… For an entire year there was barely any news from you, nor did you exchange letters with our prince.”

“Then suddenly word spread that you had become a princess consort. Our prince nearly cried his eyes dry.”

Judging from how openly the attendant spoke, the original owner must have been very familiar with him and with everyone in this palace.

At that moment, a young servant came running over, saying that the prince had awakened.

The guard frowned slightly.

“He slept for an hour?”

“Half an hour already. Previously, he couldn’t even sleep half an hour at a time. It seems the physician’s medicine is actually effective.”

“Ah, what’s the point of arguing over whether it’s half an hour or one incense stick of time?”

“Tell the imperial physicians to continue adjusting the medicine.”

Feng Jingge thought for a moment.

“I want to see him.”

“Can you go by yourself?”

“That prince of yours only aggravates our prince…”

Xiao Jinghan didn’t like hearing that.

Yet he couldn’t explain himself.

The person they loved wasn’t even the same person!

But who would believe that if he said it aloud?

Feng Jingge turned to look at Xiao Jinghan before pulling him toward the doorway.