Zi Lingling finished giving instructions, then returned to Zixin Pavilion to say goodbye to Xueying before following Ye Lingyuan to the Southern Mountain Villa.
Night was falling, and the moon had risen above the willow branches.
Southern Mountain was originally a desolate hill, neglected by all.
A few years ago, Ye Lingyuan had chanced upon this place and discovered a natural hot spring. To his surprise, the hot spring possessed a certain ability to suppress the ancient, exotic poison within his body—Moonlight Glaze.
Thus, Ye Lingyuan purchased the land and constructed this villa.
After the villa was built, Ye Lingyuan rarely lingered here, except to suppress the Moonlight Glaze on the nights of the full moon.
Therefore, in this vast villa, besides Old Steward Qin, who was responsible for cleaning, and Aunt Chang, the cook, there were no other staff.
When Zi Lingling and Ye Lingyuan arrived, Qin Binghe and Chang Ruyu had already been waiting at the main entrance for a long time.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Upon seeing Ye Lingyuan, the two hurried forward to pay their respects.
Ye Lingyuan quickly helped them up and said gently, "Old Qin, Aunt Chang, I've told you many times, you don't need to bow to me, do you?"
Old Qin chuckled tremulously, "Your Highness, there is a distinction between superior and inferior. How could this old servant overstep?"
Aunt Chang also looked at Ye Lingyuan affectionately and said, "Your Highness, Old Qin is right. We must not overstep."
Ye Lingyuan knew further persuasion would be futile, so he pulled Zi Lingling over and introduced her, "Old Qin, Aunt Chang, this is Lin'er."
"Greetings, Princess Consort!"
Old Qin and Aunt Chang were both worldly wise and could easily guess that Zi Lingling was the one Ye Lingyuan had chosen as his princess consort.
They trusted Ye Lingyuan's judgment and were naturally very respectful towards Zi Lingling.
Zi Lingling quickly helped them both up.
What a joke! Didn't she see that Ye Lingyuan had explicitly permitted them to dispense with the formalities?
She cheerfully greeted them, "Greetings to you both!"
As she greeted them, she took out two bottles of pills from her Nine Spirit Ring and handed them over. "Old Qin, Aunt Chang, I came in a hurry and didn't bring any good gifts. Please accept these two bottles of Body Restoration Pills."
Body Restoration Pills were internal medicinal pills for healing, with significant efficacy even for old, chronic injuries.
She could tell that Ye Lingyuan treated them differently. And these two clearly had some residual internal injuries.
Old Qin and Aunt Chang couldn't hide the joy in their eyes, but they still looked at Ye Lingyuan questioningly.
Ye Lingyuan smiled faintly and said, "Since Lin'er is giving them, you should accept them."
Only then did they take the pills from Zi Lingling's hand and say, "This old servant (this old woman) thanks the Princess Consort. You've spent too much."
Zi Lingling helped them up again and smiled, "Are you two trying to make me feel bad? They are just two bottles of Body Restoration Pills. Please don't stand on ceremony with me."
Old Qin and Aunt Chang were about to say more when they heard Ye Lingyuan speak.
"Since Lin'er has said so, then you two should not be so formal."
Aunt Chang blinked in surprise, then her face broke into a smile. "Good, good, good! We are all family now."
Old Qin echoed, "Good, good, good! We are all family now!"
Even with Zi Lingling's thick skin, she blushed at Old Qin and Aunt Chang's words, "We are all family now."
Seeing this, Aunt Chang quickly said, "Your Highness, Princess Consort, dinner is ready. Shall we go inside?"
Old Qin suddenly realized they were still standing at the entrance of the villa.
He quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! Your Highness, Princess Consort, let's go inside! Let's go inside!"
Ye Lingyuan nodded, took Zi Lingling's small hand, and walked into the villa, quickly leaving Old Qin and Aunt Chang "behind."
Watching the couple's affectionate demeanor, Aunt Chang happily said, "Old Qin, our Prince has finally opened his heart."
Old Qin nodded, "It seems it won't be long before the Underworld King's Mansion celebrates a joyous occasion!"
Aunt Chang agreed, "Exactly! It's a pity the Empress Mother won't get to see it."
As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.
Old Qin's steps faltered, and he chided, "Chang Ruyu, it's a joyous occasion that His Highness has found someone he loves. Don't spoil the mood. I believe the Empress Mother would be at peace in the afterlife!"
Chang Ruyu was Aunt Chang's given name.
Aunt Chang wiped the moisture from the corner of her eyes and nodded, "Qin Binghe, eighteen years have flown by, and we have finally not failed the Empress Mother's trust. I will go pay respects to the Empress Mother tomorrow and tell her this good news."
Qin Binghe was Old Qin's name.
"Good! Tomorrow I will go with you to speak with the Empress Mother."
Old Qin looked up at the night sky, his voice clearly choked with emotion, "Alas, if only the poison in His Highness's body could be cured, then it would be a truly happy occasion for all. Only then would we have truly fulfilled the Empress Mother's trust!"
Mentioning the poison, Aunt Chang's expression suddenly changed drastically. "Old Qin, this is bad! The moon is already halfway up the sky, His Highness is going to have a relapse!"
After she spoke, she rushed towards the depths of the villa.
Old Qin stamped his foot in vexation and chased after her.
Describing their speed as "swift as flying" wouldn't be an exaggeration.
At the same time, their cultivation base of early Yuan Transformation realm was also revealed.
Meanwhile, Ye Lingyuan was picking up a piece of crispy pork with his chopsticks, preparing to feed it to Zi Lingling, when he saw Old Qin and Aunt Chang rush in anxiously, their voices filled with concern, "Your Highness, how are you?"
The hand holding the chopsticks froze, and the crispy pork fell onto the table.
A hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes, but it quickly turned into a sigh of helplessness. "I am fine!"
If it were anyone else, he would have already sent them away with a single word: "Scram."
But Old Qin and Aunt Chang were different.
In Ye Lingyuan's eyes, they were like family.
It was because these two, despite suffering severe injuries, had rescued Ye Lingyuan from a dangerous predicament, allowing him to survive and achieve what he had today.
Although Ye Lingyuan appeared cold, he was ultimately a person who valued relationships and remembered kindness.
Therefore, in Ye Lingyuan's eyes, these two were like his mother, Consort Hua, his family.
Zi Lingling frowned, feeling as though something was being overlooked, but she couldn't grasp it.
Seeing Ye Lingyuan sitting there unharmed, Old Qin and Aunt Chang visibly relaxed.
They exchanged a glance, then carefully examined Ye Lingyuan, confirming that he had not had a relapse. A hint of strangeness flickered in their eyes.
Old Qin asked doubtfully, "Your Highness, are you truly alright?"
Aunt Chang also looked at Ye Lingyuan with a face full of confusion, awaiting his confirmation.
Ye Lingyuan nodded.
"But tonight is not the full moon..."
Old Qin, unwilling to give up, tried to ask again, but Aunt Chang interrupted him.
Aunt Chang said, "Since Your Highness is well, that is for the best. We beg Your Highness's pardon for our intrusion."
After speaking, she tugged at Old Qin's sleeve from behind.
Old Qin quickly realized he had spoken too much.
He lowered his head and awaited Ye Lingyuan's judgment.