After Disguising As A Woman To Marry The Foolish Prince, I Became Pregnant - Chapter 10

Zhu Man’s mind was still in a mess. He subconsciously reached out to pat He Tianyun’s back, and only after several pats did he gradually regain his senses and ask, “What’s wrong?”

He Tianyun did not answer, but simply repeated the words “Princess Consort” over and over again.

Zhu Man had no choice but to shift his gaze behind He Tianyun, just in time to see Zhu Tianci crawling out of the pond. Drenched from head to toe, his expression was as dark and gloomy as a water ghost.

At that moment, Zhu Zhixing and Zhu Man’er also rushed over. Seeing this scene, they were equally bewildered.

Zhu Man knew that Zhu Tianci might try to push the blame onto He Tianyun, so he first turned his gaze toward Pan Fu. “What happened?”

Pan Fu performed a bow and replied, “This boy has a foul mouth and provoked His Highness. The Prince merely meted out a slight punishment.”

Zhu Man’s brows furrowed. “He insulted the Prince?”

“How would he dare?” Pan Fu said. His tone carried a hint of a smile, but when spoken with the high-pitched, thin voice unique to eunuchs, it took on an air of biting sarcasm. “The Third Young Master said that the Princess Consort is a… jinx.”

Zhu Man understood immediately. Their father often scolded them that way, so the other younger siblings followed suit and frequently had those words on the tips of their tongues. Zhu Tianci didn’t dare speak against He Tianyun, so he targeted Zhu Man instead.

Zhu Man looked at He Tianyun and smiled. “Are you standing up for me?”

He Tianyun blinked, reached out to pull him, and said, “He is bad.”

Hearing this, Zhu Man laughed. “Thank you. Are you hurt?”

He Tianyun only gave a silly smile and said, “Let’s go play.”

Zhu Man did not agree. Instead, he pulled him over to look closely and saw that there were indeed several scratch marks on his hand. Likely, when Zhu Tianci was being pushed in, he had been frightened and subconsciously grabbed at something, accidentally scratching He Tianyun and breaking the skin.

He Tianyun followed his gaze, poked the scratch with his finger, and a bit of blood immediately seeped out of the wound.

Zhu Man frowned instantly. “Don’t play with it. Be good, wait for me a moment.”

He let go of He Tianyun and strode over to stand before Zhu Tianci.

Zhu Tianci subconsciously took half a step back.

Seeing this movement, Zhu Man let out a scoff. He didn’t say a word, but instead raised his hand and pushed hard. With a loud splash, he pushed the person right back into the water. Only then did he return to take He Tianyun’s hand and lead him toward the courtyard where he lived.

Zhu Man’er hurriedly followed, observing her “husband” with a mix of curiosity and fear.

“He’s very easy to get along with, don’t be afraid,” Zhu Man reassured her. Once they returned to the courtyard, he sent her away to get some medicine.

Seeing this, Pan Fu quickly offered to do it, but Zhu Man shook his head. “You step down first.”

“How can that be?” Pan Fu frowned. “I must follow His Highness.”

“With me here, what are you worried about?” Zhu Man glanced at him. “If the Prince wants to play again in a moment, will you play with him?”

Pan Fu’s expression stiffened. He hesitated for a moment but eventually went out.

Zhu Man’er soon returned with the medicine, followed by Zhu Man’s personal servant, Jingxin. Upon seeing him, Jingxin’s eyes lit up. “Young Mas—”

Zhu Man made a silencing gesture.

Jingxin immediately changed his address. “Miss.”

Zhu Man nodded and took the medicine from Zhu Man’er’s hand to tend to He Tianyun’s wound, while listening to Jingxin tell him about the events of the past few days.

Following his instructions, Zhu Man’er had been staying at the manor in the suburbs and had only returned this morning. Their father, just as he had guessed, had not looked for him, so nothing had gone wrong.

Zhu Man breathed a sigh of relief. After tending to He Tianyun’s wound, he carefully cautioned him, “You are not allowed to touch it.”

He Tianyun still wanted to poke it.

Zhu Man immediately caught his hand and said in a serious tone, “You cannot.”

He Tianyun gave an “oh” and stopped moving. Instead, he started looking left and right, seemingly very interested in this courtyard.

Zhu Man then said, “You can play here, but you can’t go far.”

He Tianyun didn’t move, but continued to look around.

Seeing that he truly didn’t seem all that terrifying, Zhu Man’er used sign language to ask Zhu Man, “How is the Prince’s manor?”

“It’s alright. Better than I imagined, and also worse,” Zhu Man pulled Zhu Man’er down to sit and explained. “You’ve seen the Prince’s situation. He isn’t difficult to get along with, and the managing nanny is a very good person. But with his condition, the servants in the manor…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but Zhu Man’er understood the implication better than anyone, and her gaze darkened instantly.

“That’s why you can’t go,” Zhu Man said helplessly. “I won’t be mistreated there, but it would be different for you.”

Zhu Man’er gestured, “Then what about the Emperor?”

Zhu Man replied, “Since they haven’t said anything, it at least shows they don’t want to pursue the matter for now. Let’s just muddle through for a while.”

Zhu Man’er frowned and gestured, “No, it’s very dangerous.”

Zhu Man shook his head.

Zhu Man’er was confused.

Zhu Man gave her a helpless smile. “Actually, if it weren’t for you, I would stay in the Prince’s manor.”

Zhu Man’er was stunned.

Zhu Man glanced at He Tianyun, who was sitting nearby picking up a withered leaf and tearing it apart, and said, “At least being with him is very simple.”

Hearing this, Zhu Man’er also looked over.

This “husband” of hers was very handsome, with a face like fine jade and eyes like bright stars. When he smiled, his eyes curved slightly; even his silliness could not hide the natural elegance brought by his good looks.

And she was the one who knew her brother’s weaknesses best.

She gestured to Zhu Man, “You like his face.”

Zhu Man immediately gave an embarrassed dry cough. “What nonsense are you talking?”

Zhu Man’er looked at him skeptically.

Zhu Man said, “Can’t I just be interested in the immense wealth of the Princess Consort of Zhao? Did you see the things I had sent over just now? Besides the dowry added by the palace earlier, there are also things sent by the Noble Consort, delivered by the crate. Staying in the Prince’s manor means eating and drinking the best, and receiving gifts every now and then. What’s not to like?”

Zhu Man’er frowned, still somewhat disapproving.

Seeing this, Zhu Man smiled and reached out to stroke her hair. “But I don’t feel right leaving you alone outside. What if someone bullies you?”

Zhu Man’er’s eyes turned red.

Zhu Man handed her a handkerchief. “I really am living very well in the Prince’s manor. If it weren’t for the fact that you can’t speak, I would have wanted to swap you back.”

Zhu Man’er gestured, “Then I’ll go back.”

Zhu Man had just been speaking casually and was about to refuse, when He Tianyun, sitting next to him, gave him a tug.

Zhu Man looked over.

He Tianyun immediately hugged him. “Princess Consort.”

Zhu Man gave a hum of amusement and said, “I won’t swap.”

He Tianyun did not let go and repeated, “Princess Consort.”

Zhu Man intended to ignore him and continue discussing future plans with Zhu Man’er, but He Tianyun became restless. He reached out and covered Zhu Man’s mouth, not letting him speak.

He looked at He Tianyun in confusion, only to see him giggling while also covering his own mouth, though what he was happy about was anyone’s guess.

Zhu Man had no choice but to stop speaking. He used his hands to gesture to Zhu Man’er, indicating that he wanted to take Jingxin with him.

As the two exchanged silent communication, He Tianyun watched for a while and then let go of his hand.

Only then did Zhu Man give up on sign language and say, “Just have Jingxin wear Hua Jian’s clothes.”

Jingxin didn’t know much sign language. Suddenly hearing this, his eyes widened. “What?”

“Otherwise, how will you follow me?” Zhu Man looked at him with amusement. “Go change your clothes.”

Jingxin suddenly felt like crying. “Why me? Clearly, Hua Jian is more suitable!”

“She is more suited to stay with Man’er, not to follow me,” Zhu Man said helplessly. “You are more clever than her.”

Despite being praised, Jingxin wasn’t happy at all. He knew there was no room for negotiation on this matter, and in the end, he went to change his clothes reluctantly.

Once he was gone, Zhu Man’er gestured again to ask Zhu Man when he planned to leave.

“We’ll see when a chance arises,” Zhu Man said. “Stay obediently at the manor and don’t run around. Wait for me to come find you.”

Zhu Man’er nodded somewhat reluctantly and glanced at the Prince of Zhao, who had been fiddling with the dangling ornaments on Zhu Man’s head.

The Prince of Zhao then looked at her and gave her a smile.

Zhu Man’er was startled.

Immediately following that, she saw the Prince of Zhao suddenly touch his lower lip with his pinky finger, then raise his hand and gently pinch his ear.

She immediately grabbed Zhu Man’s hand with considerable force, startling Zhu Man, who was in the middle of speaking. He asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhu Man’er gestured urgently, “He called me sister.”

Zhu Man was stunned. “He Tianyun?”

Zhu Man’er nodded repeatedly.

Zhu Man also looked over, only to see He Tianyun’s hands still moving. It looked like he was gesturing randomly, but after observing carefully for a while, Zhu Man saw the pattern. “He’s imitating what we were just saying.”

But it was only a few movements; he likely gestured whatever he remembered, so it was almost impossible to piece together any content.

Only then did Zhu Man’er breathe a sigh of relief.

Seeing her like this, Zhu Man said jokingly, “Coward.”

Zhu Man’er curled her lip and glanced in the Prince of Zhao’s direction again. The Prince of Zhao was still smiling foolishly at her, his hands gesturing all sorts of messy, unintelligible things.

Thinking about it more carefully, his movements just now hadn’t been accurate either. It was likely she had just overthought it.

Zhu Man had returned home today mainly to see his sister. Now that he was sure she was fine, he didn’t plan to stay long. After discussing things with her, he ordered the carriage to be prepared. He also had the items he brought moved onto the carriage, intending to take them with her to prevent their father from causing trouble later.

He had originally been worried that He Tianyun wouldn’t be happy since they hadn’t played much on this trip. But to his surprise, upon hearing they were going home, He Tianyun stood up without a second word and followed him out. When boarding the carriage, he even bid farewell to Zhu Man’er with great enthusiasm: “Goodbye, Princess Consort.”

Zhu Man didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he pushed him into the carriage.

Once He Tianyun was in the carriage, he even stuck his head out of the window, seemingly wanting to continue saying goodbye.

Zhu Man had no choice but to pull him back, saying jokingly, “She is the Princess Consort, then who am I?”

He Tianyun immediately hugged him and said happily, “Princess Consort.”

Zhu Man was helpless. “I think you can’t distinguish at all. You just know that someone with this face is your Princess Consort, right?”

Hearing this, He Tianyun let go of him and repeated his words: “Can’t distinguish, Princess Consort.”

“Yes, you can’t distinguish,” Zhu Man smiled. “In your eyes, the brother and I look the same, so we are both your Princess Consort, right?”

He Tianyun blinked, pointed at him, and repeated his words: “Brother, Princess Consort.”