Amidst Yinzhen's rambling words, Qian Shengyan drifted off to sleep.

Just as she was about to fall into a deep sleep, Qian Shengyan suddenly felt someone patting her. She struggled to wake up and saw Yinzhen asking with a serious expression, "Why didn't Hongshan cry today? Is he alright?"

Qian Shengyan: ...

She desperately wanted to ask Yinzhen, "Are you alright? Are you alright?"

“He’s grown up now, he doesn’t cry much anymore.” Qian Shengyan turned over, half of her body pressing down on Yinzhen. “Go to sleep, Your Majesty, we have to get up early tomorrow.”

"Hmm," Yinzhen responded, but his hands began to wander.

Qian Shengyan, who had just closed her eyes, widened them again, feeling the mischievous hand in disbelief: "Your Majesty...?"

"Hmm, don't be afraid, I won't do anything," Yinzhen said calmly, but his hands continued to move.

Slightly out of breath, Qian Shengyan reached out and pressed his hand: "It's very late..."

"You go to sleep."

Qian Shengyan: ...

Is this even human language?

In the end, she almost cried because of Yinzhen's touch. Perhaps because the two hadn't been intimate for a long time, her reaction was particularly intense this time, almost causing Yinzhen to lose control, but he ultimately restrained himself.

"The birth control pill you used before was good."

The next morning, before the emperor went to court, he left behind this sentence, leaving Qian Shengyan completely puzzled.

But she was too tired and her mind was blank. She mumbled a few words and then fell asleep on the bed again. When she woke up, Qingxue told her with a smile that Physician Zhou was waiting to take her pulse.

Physician Zhou was the same Doctor Zhou who used to serve the various masters in the Prince's Mansion. Qian Shengyan was quite familiar with him, and when she saw Physician Zhou, she smiled and said, "It's been a few days since I last saw you, Physician Zhou, you look even more energetic."

"Thanks to Consort Xi." Imperial Physician Zhou replied with a smile, first taking Qian Shengyan's pulse. "Your Majesty is in good health, but Your Majesty has always suffered from summer heat. This old minister feels that Your Majesty's pulse indicates heat. Your Majesty should consume less heat-inducing foods these days."

Qian Shengyan: ...

Sigh, recently under her guidance, my little kitchen has been making grilled lamb skewers and cold-served rabbit heads, and it seems I've really eaten a little bit... and gotten a sore throat.

Physician Zhou naturally knew that Qian Shengyan liked to eat hot foods, so he simply took out a bag of tea from his medicine box: "This is honeysuckle and dandelion that I dried myself. Your Majesty, if you are alright, you can brew some tea to drink. It is not very bitter."

Qian Shengyan: ...

She didn't want it, but Qingxue, who was standing next to her, had already accepted it as if it were a treasure.

However, Qian Shengyan thought of Yinzhen again. That man had been extremely busy lately, and Qian Shengyan noticed that his eyes were a little red, so she asked Physician Zhou a few questions: "Could His Majesty drink these medicinal teas?"

"His Majesty is prone to heatiness, so he can drink it," Physician Zhou nodded.

After saying this, Physician Zhou prepared to leave, but before leaving, he took out a bottle of pills and gave it to Qian Shengyan: "It's the same prescription as before, one pill each time, but I've adjusted the amount of honey, so it should be sweeter this time."

"This is..." Qian Shengyan looked at the familiar little bottle and could roughly guess what it was, but, "I don't need this?"

If they can't have sex during the mourning period, why is she using contraception?

Physician Zhou was taken aback, then his old face flushed red: "That was sent by His Majesty to His Highness."

Qian Shengyan: ? ?

You scoundrel, what are you trying to do?

As it turns out, he really wanted to do something.

That night, the two lay panting on the bed. Yinzhen didn't call for water directly, but only called out "Su Peisheng". After the water was brought, he carried Qian Shengyan behind the screen to wash her, while Qingxue came in to make their bed.

Qian Shengyan leaned limply against Yinzhen's chest, occasionally letting out a soft groan when his fingers touched her: "It hurts..."

"It was my fault, I used too much force." After being satisfied, Yinzhen was particularly easy to talk to. "I won't do it again."

Qian Shengyan: ...

You bastard, you still have the nerve to talk about the future!

After getting ready and getting into bed, Qian Shengyan took out a small medicine bottle and swallowed a pill.

She finally understood: it was acceptable to have sex during the mourning period, but not to get pregnant, as that would be embarrassing. But if you really wanted the emperor to abstain from sex for three years, well… well, probably no one would dare to actually keep an eye on whether the emperor was abstaining or not.

Yinzhen watched her finish her medicine, his expression showing a hint of heartache. He then touched her soft, round belly and sighed, "In two years, give me another child, boy or girl, it doesn't matter."

Qian Shengyan: ...

She didn't want to sleep anymore; she wanted to grab the mirror from the dressing table and let that scoundrel look at himself.

Hong Shan's arrival was already an accident; Qian Shengyan absolutely cannot have another child! Absolutely not!

The small bottle of pills was quickly emptied, and when Physician Zhou brought more medicine, his face looked like he had something to say but dared not say it.

Qian Shengyan: ...

Even without the imperial physician Zhou saying it, she knew that he had warned her before that she shouldn't use too much of this medicine, because every medicine has some toxicity, and this kind of contraceptive would also have some effect on her body.

She didn't want to, but... but!!!

A man who has been celibate for a year and a half is terrifying...

Qian Shengyan couldn't help but think of acting as a pimp again. She wanted to push Guo Shi forward, but Guo Shi often came to Yongshou Palace, but she would run away as soon as she heard that the Emperor was coming. She obviously had no intention of doing so. As for the others... Qian Shengyan rummaged around and guessed that Yinzhen probably didn't want to go and have sex with them.

...The three-year mourning period must be completed before the imperial concubine selection can begin, but Qian Shengyan is worried that she won't even make it to the third year. She is so miserable. Every night she forces herself to stay awake and wait for the emperor, but almost every time she falls asleep first without realizing it. Sometimes, Yinzhen is probably too tired and they fall asleep together, and then she is forced to get up early. Sometimes, Yinzhen is not tired... so she is forced to wake up and have another round of exercise.

She felt that if she kept going like this, she wouldn't be able to tie her hair up in a bun anymore.

It was at this moment that someone in the palace finally made a move!

"Your Highness, shouldn't we just leave the Imperial Concubine's side alone?" Qingxue asked with some concern. "Those two young ladies from the Tongjia clan are neither of official rank nor noblewomen. How can they possibly live in the inner palace?"

Qian Shengyan knew what she was afraid of. The surname Tongjia was not to be underestimated, even if it was just one surname during the reigns of Emperors Kangxi and Yongzheng. But... Qian Shengyan was hoping that there would be someone truly useful.

"The Imperial Concubine misses her family and has asked the Emperor. Now she's only inviting younger family members to keep her company. What can we say?" Qian Shengyan sighed, secretly hoping for something more.

Go for it, Tongjia!

It's up to you two sisters to win over Yinzhen!

I must say, the Tongjia sisters are really beautiful. Qian Shengyan was lucky enough to meet them once in the Imperial Garden. The young girls, in the prime of their youth, were playing and laughing, their laughter radiating youthfulness.

“Youth is wonderful…” Qian Shengyan sighed. She subconsciously ran her hand through her hair and touched the corner of her eye, only then vaguely remembering that she had been in the Qing Dynasty for thirteen years.

Hongli is already thirteen years old, and she is getting old.

Then look at that young and lovely girl; she liked everyone, not just Yinzhen.