"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 169

 A trace of contempt and success in Yi Yun's eyes, it disappeared in a blink, the next moment, her chest hurt, she held her chest lightly coughing.

Yi Yun frowned, wondering when she had been in a cold position, it was clearly only a small illness yet why didn't it seem any better after half a month of medication? 

Ji Yu Qing smiled: "Then I'm looking forward to seeing Ji Ling Xue's pitiful appearance as she's sent to hell."

At this moment, the housekeeper hurried forward cupping his hands at the doorway: "Imperial concubine Qing, imperial concubine Yi, prince Chen sent a letter to say he would be returning tonight."

"Cough, cough, cough." Yi Yun straightened up smiling: "Thank you housekeeper, this imperial concubine understands."

The housekeeper gave an "en" at the door, turning he slowly left, the sound of his footsteps gradually faded.

At night, Yi Yun continued to cough, lying on the bed she tossed and turned,  ignoring the window being blown open the wind, Yi Yun closed her eyes and didn't care about it, maybe her maid had forgotten to close the window properly at night.

A shadow gradually enveloped her bed, a strange smell entered her nose, Yi Yun nervously opened her eyes and turned, she was surprised to find a figure standing beside her bed, the night was dark and winds were high, it was particularly quiet in the room, Yi Yun could hear her heart beat quickly.

After looking at each other, Yi Yun asked: "You...who are you?"

Prince Chen's residence was heavily guarded, it must be an expert who could sneak into her room, such an expert was bound to be temperamental, she needed to deal with them carefully.

"It's me, younger cousin." The other person finally opened their mouth, Yi Yun tense heart eased a little, it wasn't some errant expert with some intention, that was good.

Yi Yun said: "It's older cousin, I was wondering who it could be, so sneaky, hehe, how did you get in? Did anyone see you, why did you come to find me so late at night?" She asked everything she was curious about in one breath.

Since she married into the prince's residence, she hadn't had any contact with this cousin, if she hadn't accidentally bumped into him on the streets that time, and after a heated conversation, she had told him of all her sufferings, he had patted his chest and said he would think of a way for her, then he arranged for the rumour in the capital and for someone to investigate in Dayan, forcing Ji Ling Xue down from her position, two months had passed since then.

Cousin said: "I came to tell you, the witness has been lost."

Yi Yun covered her mouth coughing, "Cough, cough, cough, what, what did you say just now...didn't you send me a message that everything had gone smoothly, that there was proof of Ji Ling Xue being a spy for Dayan...such an important person as a witness, how can you lose them, how do you get things done, you can't even do such a simple thing?"

In the dark, the cousin didn't speak, Yi Yun couldn't see his expression, she covered her mouth and coughed for a while, that's when she heard the other person lightly sigh, a large hand patting her back, lightly soothing her.

Yi Yun's entire body stiffened at his action, raising her hand she pushed the hand away from her back, she said: "You still haven't replied to my question, when you left you made a solemn vow that you would help me, but in the end you disappointed me?"

Cousin said: "It was very successful at first, but unexpectedly an incident happened at the last moment." 

Yi Yun sneered, "Incident? Such a laughable excuse."

Cousin said: "I'm telling the truth..."

"You can't possibly fulfil what you said you'll do, I'm very disappointed in you."

Cousin fell silent for a while: "Cousin, let's elope, go to a place where no one knows us and start afresh, I'll look after you."

A trace of disgust flashed in Yi Yun's eyes, she sneered: "You'll look after me? What joke are you making, it's not funny at all on such a cold day, what right do you have to say such words, I'm princess Chen not someone a commoner like yourself can think about."

Cousin chuckled, "Yi Yun, wake up, do you know where prince Chen and princess Chen went?"

Yi Yun said: "They went to a temple outside the city to burn incense and pray for blessings."

Cousin smiled: "They weren't in the capital, and wasn't in a temple outside the city, have you still not realised the Xiao Yi Chen in the residence is a fake?"

Mentioning this, Yi Yun recalled half a month ago when she went to see Xiao Yi Chen in his study, at that time Xiao Yi Chen sat behind the desk, a book in his hand, they only said three sentences to each other, there wasn't anything strange, Xiao Yi Chen then invited her to drink tea.

Tea...

Ever since she drank that tea, she felt very tired, then she caught a cold and was bed bound, Xiao Yi Chen ocassionally would come to ask about her, his tone was very flat, if her cousin hadn't brought it up, she wouldn't have dared to think the prince in the residence was fake.

"What do you know?" Yi Yun stared at her cousin, waiting for him to speak.

Cousin said: "I met him in Dayan, that's why I'm certain the one inside the residence isn't him."

"What..." Yi Yun was struck by lightening, her body swayed, she felt a chill over her entire body, so, her cold was given to her by Xiao Yi Chen?

Yi Yun's thoughts were in a whirl, she didn't expect her cousin to suddenly grasp her hand, softly saying: "Cousin, Xiao Yi Chen isn't worthy of you to entrust your life to him, leave him, come with me..."

"Shut up!" Yi Yun angrily said, coldly glaring at her cousin, not wanting to hear the rest of his words, she needed to calm down, think about it carefully.

Why did Xiao Yi Chen go to Dayan? The fake Xiao Yi Chen in the residence was organised by him, why did he do that, apart from her not realising it, what about the others in the residence, did they also not know?

The more Yi Yun thought about it, the more pale her complexion became, it was at this moment there were sounds of movement outside, "Prince, you've come."

Inside the room, Yi Yun and her cousin looked at each other.

Even if it was the fake Xiao Yi Chen, they still needed to treat him respectfully.

Yi Yun said: "It's too late for you to leave now, you'll be discovered, quick, hide yourself."

Cousin nodded, turning he hid behind the screen, outside was lit up, Xiao Yi Chen was escorted in by a maid holding a lantern.

Yi Yun used her handkerchief to hide her face, the candles in the room was lit, a travel-worn Xiao Yi Chen stood in front of Yi Yun, smiling he looked her up and down, "Yi Yun, I heard you coughed a lot today, are you well?"

Yi Yun smiled shaking her head, "Many thanks for prince's concern, this concubine is feeling a bit better." Her eyes however looked over Xiao Yi Chen in suspicion, but no matter what she couldn't figure out from his manners whether it was actually Xiao Yi Chen.

Xiao Yi Chen read her thoughts from her suspicious gaze, he laughed, he looked all around out of the corners of his eyes, it fell onto the nearby screen.

Xiao Yi Chen stood up walking to the screen, that movement scared the erratic Yi Yun on the bed to pale even further, even though nothing happened between a lone man and woman in the middle of the night, it would still be disapproved of by others.

"Prince!" Yi Yun hurriedly called out, she suddenly began to cough.

Xiao Yi Chen turned to look at Yi Yun, "En, what's wrong? You seem to be very nervous, could there be a man hiding in the room?"

Yi Yun forced a laugh: "Prince how can you think of me like that, no...there's nothing."

Xiao Yi Chen turned and walked towards the nervous Yi Yun, he smiled: "Yi Yun, you know why we got married, my imperial brother randomly decided to be a matchmaker, you were carried into the residence, there wasn't even a presentable wedding ceremony, this prince has never accepted this marriage, if you have someone in your heart, this prince will help you, this prince will be responsible for everything else."

The screen moved, a flash of dejection in Yi Yun's eyes, she lowered her gaze.

Xiao Yi Chen wisely said: "Yi Yun, this prince only came to tell you, we are good friends, that's a fact, but if you do something to harm my princess, then don't blame this prince for overlooking our friendship..."

Yi Yun had her head lowered, she bit her lip, saying in extreme greivance: "Prince, how can you think of me like that? Since I married into the residence, I've treated the princess like a sister, I absolutely have no desire to harm her."

Xiao Yi Chen looked at Yi Yun's trembling shoulders, he turned away: "If you can think that way, that would be best but..." He turned and left.

Yi Yun reached out to grab Xiao Yi Chen's sleeve wanting to say something, unfortunately Xiao Yi Chen turned around too quickly, her body tumbled onto the floor, letting out a screech.

When she raised her head again, Xiao Yi Chen had already disappeared from the room, Yi Yun eyes drooped, he was Xiao Yi Chen, the real thing.

Cousin walked to Yi Yun, picking her up he placed her onto the bed, "Cousin, that prince Chen has already spoken clearly, your passion is lost on him."

Yi Yun raised her head glowering at her cousin: "Shut your mouth! Prince has already left, you should leave quickly, if not you won't be able to leave at dawn."

Cousin curled his lips with a regretful expression he looked at Yi Yun, "I'm worried for you, prince Chen doesn't want you, why don't you consider me, we grew up together as childhood friends, and understand each other, I won't be like that prince Chen having several wives and concubines, I'll be good to cousin."

Yi Yun threw a pillow at her cousin's repulsive face, angrily saying: "Get lost! Get lost!"

A clear laugh responded to Yi Yun, as well as, "Cousin calm yourself, I'll come and see you another day!"

Somewhere else, Xiao Yi Chen left Yi Yun's courtyard and came across Ji Ling Xue leaning against a pillar with a smile yet wasn't a smile.

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Princess you still haven't slept?"

The carriage had jolted its way back to the residence, Xiao Yi Chen had come to warn Yi Yun while Ji Ling Xue was sleeping, even though he had gotten someone to make Yi Yun sick for a time so she didn't have extra time to act against Ji Ling Xue, but it was only a way to delay matters, Yi Yun wasn't Ji Yu Qing who only schemed on a small scale.

Ji Ling Xue took out a pillow from behind her shaking it about: "Why did prince come out so quickly, I've prepared a pillow for you, the one you're used to." Having spoken she threw the pillow at Xiao Yi Chen's face, lifting her skirt she turned and left.

Men were really untrustworthy, when they favoured you they would say sweet words and use gentle manners, saying they would do so much for you, the first thing he did when he returned was to console Yi Yun, he was concerned to see that woman.

Xiao Yi Chen caught the pillow, with a leap he stood behind Ji Ling Xue, following after her, "Princess, prince and Yi Yun aren't what you think..."

Ji Ling Xue turned her head, the lanterns in the corridor lit up Xiao Yi Chen's handsome face, those eyes shone like stars.

Ji Ling Xue said: "Yi Yun is prince's imperial concubine, a marriage conferred by the emperor, what you have is perfectly legitimate."