Chapter 90 How could Shen Chu possibly be a woman?

At this moment, Shen Chu was still questioning the old doctor, "Are you sure it's a pregnancy pulse?"

The old doctor was practically swearing an oath: "Madam, if I hadn't been greedy for a spendthrift son, I would never have been tempted to buy cheap medicinal herbs."

I can't be wrong. Your pulse is smooth, your blood and energy are abundant, like pearls rolling on a plate—it's definitely a pregnancy pulse.

Chen Chu narrowed her eyes slightly. "Didn't you just say that I'm suffering from both qi and blood deficiency, and that I'm overthinking things, making it difficult to keep the baby?"

The old doctor stammered, "I...I just want to sell you medicine. If I don't exaggerate a bit, what will you do if you don't buy the pregnancy-preserving medicine?"

"So my child is okay? I have no signs of miscarriage."

The old doctor hunched his shoulders and whispered, "Madam is in excellent health. Even if she were pregnant with three, it wouldn't miscarry, let alone one."

Shen Chu was so angry she laughed.

Having grown up in Medicine King Valley since childhood, with her senior brother watching over her, she was as strong as a little tiger, except for her stomach problems that prevented her from eating spicy food.

When the old doctor said she was deficient in both qi and blood, she was a little confused, thinking it was because she was pregnant. She never expected that the old doctor was trying to sell her fake medicine.

"How can you, as a doctor, sell fake medicine to patients? What if someone dies from it?"

The old doctor whispered in defense, "It's really not fake medicine, it's just a little less effective, it won't kill anyone."

I was driven to greed by my spendthrift son, and who knew that my first attempt would result in the authorities coming to investigate.

"How many times do you want to take it? Even if it doesn't kill anyone, poor efficacy could turn a minor illness into a major one."

If someone really dies, you'll go to jail and pay with your life. You dare to be so heartless as to kill someone, but you're not afraid to risk your life to educate your son?

Enraged, Shen Chu slammed her fist on the table. "Quack doctor!"

Crackle, crackle.

The table shattered into a pile of wooden strips in an instant.

The old doctor was so frightened that he covered his head and cowered on the ground, pleading, "Heroine, spare me! I will never do it again. I will never sell fake medicine again, and I will never lie to anyone again."

Hongxiu waved her fist at the old doctor, "If you dare to practice medicine recklessly again, I'll tear down your clinic."

"Waaah, I really won't do it again."

"Never mind, let's go."

Chen Chu called out to Hong Xiu, "Since Pei Yuan has his eye on this clinic, he will probably send people from the Five Cities Garrison to check on it from time to time. If the old doctor is in danger, he won't dare to cheat anymore."

As soon as the two left the clinic, they saw Pei Yuan and Sun Yan returning and walking quickly toward them.

"You two, stop right there!"

Anyone who stands still at this moment is a fool!

Shen Chu and Hong Xiu exchanged a glance, and in perfect unison, they took off running.

Pei Yuan narrowed his eyes, "Chase!"

Hearing footsteps behind her, Chen Chu felt like cursing.

I must have forgotten to check the almanac before going out today.

"Let's split up. You drive the carriage to Paifang Street in a bit."

Fortunately, there were many alleys in the south of the city, and she and Hongxiu turned into different alleys.

She wandered around, and as the footsteps behind her faded into the distance, she leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

Why did Pei Yuan return?

Did they discover something?

She didn't even raise her head; Pei Yuan shouldn't have recognized her.

Once I caught my breath, I looked up and realized I had entered a dead end.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard Pei Yuan's voice outside.

"The person should be around here. Let's look for them."

That persistent ghost.

She cursed under her breath and saw a small door at the end of the alley, which seemed to be the back door of a house.

Shen Chu tiptoed inside and hid under a pile of firewood against the wall.

Footsteps and Sun Yan's voice could be heard from outside the wall.

"Your Highness, this is a dead end."

Pei Yuan gave a soft "hmm," and then fell silent.

Suddenly a figure appeared on the wall, startling Shen Chu so much that she almost screamed.

Pei Yuan stood on the wall, surveying the entire courtyard.

Noticing his gaze fixed on the woodpile, she became so nervous that she almost forgot to breathe, struggling to inhale and pressing her entire body against the wall.

The firewood was stacked tightly and firmly; looking down from the top of the wall, only the neatly arranged firewood could be seen.

Pei Yuan slowly withdrew his gaze and jumped off the wall.

"Let's go."

The footsteps outside the wall gradually faded into the distance.

Shen Chu let out a long breath and realized that her palms were sweaty.

Fearing that Pei Yuan might return, she didn't dare to go out immediately. She hid under the pile of firewood for about fifteen minutes. Just as she was about to go out, she suddenly saw a group of people coming from the front yard.

When she saw who was in charge, she quickly shrank back.

What is the Chen family doing here?

Wasn't she brought into the palace by the Empress?

Madam Chen smiled and said, "Granny Li, although this house is in the south of the city, it is clean and tidy, making it perfect for storing rice and grain for disaster relief."

Besides, the Crown Prince also left through the south gate when he went to provide disaster relief, and this place is close to the city gate.

Standing next to her was a nanny with her hair neatly styled; she was Li, a trusted nanny of the Empress Dowager.

Li Mama said, "Madam Chen's residence is indeed spacious. I will go back and inform the Empress Dowager of Madam Chen's wishes."

"Thank you for your trouble, Granny Li."

Madam Chen and Granny Li left one after the other.

Chen Chu rubbed her aching back and crawled out from under the pile of firewood.

Unexpectedly, the Chen family also owned a house in the south of the city.

She walked around the house but found nothing, so she left through the back door and went directly to Paifang Street.

Meanwhile, Pei Yuan, having searched around but finding no one, returned to the clinic.

The old doctor was sitting on the ground, tidying up the table that Shen Chu had smashed, crying and muttering to himself as if he had lost his parents.

"I didn't check the almanac today. I thought I was going to make a big deal, but who knew I'd run into a pair of shrewish monsters. I lost both the table and the medicinal herbs."

Who is the Yaksha?

Upon hearing Pei Yuan's voice, the old doctor was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground and began to wail.

"My lord, I really only accepted those two kinds of ineffective medicines, not a single extra penny."

I promise I'll never do it again, please don't arrest me, sir.

Pei Yuan pulled up a chair and sat down. "I'm asking you, do you know those two women from before? What illness did they come to see me for?"

When the old doctor heard that they weren't there to arrest him, he immediately beamed with joy.

"Sir, please ask about that lady and her maid."

"lady?"

The old doctor nodded. "She is pregnant, about a month and a half along. Judging from her clothes and appearance, she doesn't look like an ordinary person; she must be a lady."

Pei Yuan frowned. "A pregnancy test?"

If the woman from earlier was indeed the one he had slept with that night, then considering the timing, could she be pregnant with his child?

The thought made his heart skip a beat, and an indescribable feeling spread through his mind.

Sun Yan asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, are you sure it's her? Could it be that we've been investigating in the wrong direction all this time?"

These days he has been investigating the nobles who accompanied the Empress Dowager to offer incense that day. Could it be that the people with His Highness were actually ordinary people living in the south of the city?

Pei Yuan remained silent.

He wasn't sure.

The dark room where they spent that passionate night was a room used by Jingguo Temple to store incense and candles. The fragrance emanating from the incense and candles was so strong that it masked the woman's scent.

It was only because Shen Chu had a faint, elegant fragrance like wisteria that allowed him to fall asleep peacefully that he deduced that the woman that night also had a similar scent.

Strictly speaking, the aura emanating from the "madam" who came for the consultation earlier was more similar to that of Shen Chu.

But how could Shen Chu be a woman?

The "lady" from earlier was very likely the woman he had slept with that night.

Pei Yuan pinched the bridge of his nose and asked the old doctor, "Do you remember what they look like? Draw them."