"I heard you've got a mysterious fortune teller by your side?"

Pei Jian's voice rang out from inside the Pei family study.

Ling Ku stood straight outside the study, and a faint scent of calming incense lingered in the air. During his time with Pei Jian, he seemed to have figured out how to burn the calming incense.

“Father, that man is indeed a bit eccentric, but he occasionally says a few things that are quite agreeable, so I keep him around to keep me entertained.”

Pei Ju didn't seem to take the so-called fortune teller seriously, and changed the subject, saying, "But Father, that person outside the study... seems to be a stranger."

"Yes, he's a new guard I hired."

"Father, have you investigated this person's background?" Pei Ju's expression began to show some worry. "If his origins are unclear, you cannot keep him by your side."

"You don't need to worry about these things."

Pei Jian smiled, looking towards the door as if he were appraising his most prized work.

"But Father!"

"Alright, you've been nagging more and more lately," Pei Ju said impatiently. "If there's nothing important, you don't need to keep coming to the front yard. Just take care of what you're doing."

"yes."

As Pei Ju left the study, he gave Ling Ku a deep look, and then suddenly began to attack him.

"Father said you are highly skilled in martial arts, I want to see just how good you really are."

Ling Ku froze for only a second before swiftly launching his attack, each strike aimed directly at Pei Ju's vital points. Just as the sword tip was about to pierce Pei Ju's throat, Pei Jian's voice finally rang out:

"stop."

Ling Ku deftly and neatly sheathed his sword and returned to his original position, like a real marionette.

"Ju'er, don't be so reckless in the future."

Pei Ju gave Ling Ku a deep look, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

This person actually dared to try to kill him... If he doesn't avenge this, he's not Pei Ju.

Pei Ju stormed out of the front yard, then turned and headed towards a residence outside the mansion.

Why has Young Master Pei returned after leaving?

Jiang He, disguised as a fortune teller, was surprised to see Pei Ju arrive so quickly. Shouldn't Pei Ju be with Pei Jian at this time?

"I've thought about it, and I still want to ask you to tell my fortune."

Upon hearing this, Jiang He's eyes darkened. He used the tool he had prepared beforehand to perform a divination and then mysteriously gave Pei Ju a message: "We are all of the same origin, why are you so eager to harm each other?"

When Pei Ju heard this divination phrase, his hands trembled violently.

Born from the same roots...

"Is there a way to break this?" Pei Ju asked somewhat eagerly.

"Heavenly secrets must not be revealed."

That night.

Ling Ku stood guard outside the house, watching the full moon in the night sky.

Just as Pei Zhi said, only Pei Jian in the Pei family knew how to use calming incense, and he mostly used it in his study.

This alone is strange, as the frequency of burning calming incense in the inner room is much lower than in the study.

What's even stranger is that the time spent burning calming incense is mostly at sunset, rather than before going to bed.

These doubts lingered in Ling Ku's mind, and he became increasingly suspicious that the mother Gu was somewhere in the study.

But how to get the Marquis closer to the study was a problem.

A gust of wind blew by, and Ling Ku pursed his lips. He suddenly missed the moon in the capital. Was it as round as it was now?

......

The capital city, Zhaoning Palace.

"Your Majesty, Miss Pei is outside."

Jiang Yu, who was reading a book, was stunned when she heard Ling Mama's words. "Pei Zhi?"

Didn't Pei Zhi refuse to come see her?

"right."

"Let her in."

A few breaths later, Pei Zhi's figure slowly appeared in Jiang Yu's eyes.

"You look quite well; it seems you've recovered considerably," Jiang Yu said with a smile, glancing at Pei Zhi's complexion. "What brings you to Zhaoning Palace today?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I have come to take your pulse."

Pei Zhi was clearly still somewhat hesitant to look Jiang Yu in the eye, and slowly walked to Jiang Yu's side, reaching out to feel Jiang Yu's pulse.

"Has the Empress Dowager become even less active lately?" Pei Zhi asked softly. "Her sleeping at night is unusually restless compared to before?"

"How did you know?" Jiang Yu's expression instantly turned serious. She had only learned about these things in the last few days, and she hadn't even told Mei Chu yet.

"As the birth approaches, the mother Gu will receive more nourishment, and the offspring Gu will gradually begin to take effect."

Pei Zhi withdrew her hand and continued in an extremely calm tone, "I have some medicine here. If Your Majesty the Empress Dowager does not mind, you may take one pill every three days."

Without a second thought, Jiang Yu swallowed a pill and smiled at Pei Zhi, "Thank you, Miss Pei."

Pei Zhi seemed startled by Jiang Yu's actions, her eyes flickering slightly.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager...won't you be wary of me because I'm from the Pei family?"

"This medicine must have taken you a lot of effort to refine. Since you're willing to take my pulse, I naturally trust you." Jiang Yu felt a warm current enveloping her entire body, making her feel extremely comfortable.

"It's good that I can help the Empress Dowager."

Pei Zhiwei breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief. "Your current symptoms can be considered numbness, and it will become more and more obvious, so you must move around."

"Why don't you come to Zhaoning Palace every day to keep me company?"

Jiang Yu suddenly spoke up, "Your medical skills are superb. With you accompanying me every day, I feel at ease."

"I...I think I'd better not..."

Pei Zhi lowered her head in a flustered manner. "I just remembered that I still have some medicine to pack. I'll go back first."

"Miss Pei."

When Pei Zhi pushed open the door, Jiang Yu's voice rang out, and Pei Zhi paused in her tracks.

"I don't deny that I blamed you in the past, but now that you're willing to help me, I wouldn't be so foolish as to push you away, would I?" Jiang Yu's words made Ling Mama, who was standing to the side, smile. Pei Zhi looked even more at a loss.

"But... it was me who poisoned you with the Gu poison. It was also me who came to Dayu to ask for the Jiang family's blood back then."

These days, Pei Zhi has been having nightmares every night, dreaming that Jiang Yu had an accident during childbirth.

She would wake up from nightmares in a cold sweat every time.

"But I also know that you came to Dayu to ask for the Jiang family blood to save Pei Jian, and you did not intentionally poison me with Gu."

Jiang Yu paused for a moment, then said, "It's already difficult enough for women to survive in this world, so sometimes we shouldn't make things too hard on ourselves."

But I...

Seeing that Pei Zhi still wanted to say something, Jiang Yu smiled and waved her hand, "If you really feel guilty, you should stay with me and help me give birth to the child smoothly."

"I...I will."

Pei Zhi's gaze fell on Jiang Yu's stomach. What she had just given Jiang Yu was the antidote she was most proud of.