pulse diagnosis
“My elder brother has always been prudent, how could he suddenly take concubines one after another? Even if An Chan was arranged by Mother, it is understandable... but to take another concubine, Mu Shi, is really a bit…”
Looking at Dou Zhen's wistful expression, Lin Xu understood that she and Dou Yanzhou were siblings from the same mother, so naturally she was on the side of her brother. Dou Yanzhou always presented himself as handsome and dashing, so even if he suddenly said that he had done a lot of dirty things in Dou Yanxun's name over the years, no one would believe him for a while.
She smiled faintly and changed the subject:
"As for you, it's been so long since I've seen you that I almost didn't recognize you. Whose daughter is this? How can you have such a beautiful face, so lovely and pitiful?"
Dou Zhen knew she was joking, but she smiled and lowered her head. "Sister-in-law, please stop teasing me. These past few months, since I stopped going to the palace, I've been at home every day, but I haven't had a moment's rest. I'm so bored I can hardly breathe."
After saying that, she showed Lin Xu the calluses on her palms from practicing embroidery. "Needlework alone is nothing. My mother also hired musicians from the palace to teach me to play the zither. Now, my ten fingers often ache at night. I feel like I'm practicing the zither and embroidering in my sleep!"
Yin'er smiled with pursed lips beside her. Lin Xu stroked Dou Zhen's smooth hair, a mischievous glint gradually appearing in his eyes: "Isn't Mother doing all this so that Third Sister can shine at her coming-of-age ceremony and find her a husband that is hard to find anywhere else in the world?"
After speaking, she lowered her voice and quietly asked Dou Zhen about her current relationship with Jiang Heng.
Since she cleared the obstacles for Dou Zhen regarding the Fifth Prince, Lady Bai has given up some of her intention to arrange Dou Zhen's marriage into the royal family. Now, she is focused entirely on Dou Zhen's coming-of-age ceremony and naturally has no time to interfere with her. If the two are already interested in each other, they can gradually reveal this to their families and put the marriage on the agenda.
After all, Jiang Heng is now a powerful censor, handsome and from a prestigious family, making him a highly sought-after son-in-law in the entire Dayu Kingdom. The two are a perfect match, and Bai Shi has no reason to be dissatisfied.
Upon hearing Jiang Heng's name, Dou Zhen blushed and lowered her head, gently nudging Lin Xu's arm.
Seeing her so girlish, Lin Xu couldn't help but laugh. "I never imagined that Dou Yuse, the renowned talented woman of Mujing, could be so shy. If those young masters from noble families who admire you saw this, they'd probably be envious..."
The two whispered to each other as they walked, and soon arrived at the Half Moon Bridge in the garden. Emerald lotus leaves floated faintly on the pond, reflecting the glow of the sunset. The autumn chill was palpable; even in the usually warm and peaceful Mujing, desolation was everywhere.
Lin Xu took the cloak from Zhu Ling. He was about to escort Dou Zhen back to her residence, Ningyue Tower, when he unexpectedly saw Fu Zhen walking towards him from afar, followed by a tall, thin man.
After exchanging greetings with Lin Xu and Dou Zhen, Fu Zhen smiled and said, "We've finally found the Second Madam. Just now, Madam told us that you weren't feeling well, so she invited the Qi family physician to come and take your pulse. Please come with me."
Lin Xu had long forgotten about this matter, but seeing Doctor Qi standing behind Fu Zhen, who was about thirty years old with a beard on his side and looked quite refined, he agreed and said goodbye to Dou Zhen, returning to the main hall of the villa to sit down.
A few days ago, they sent word that they would be returning today. Bai acted quickly and had already sent people to clean up the long-vacant villa, replacing the plum vases, shelves, and other items. It was arranged to be clean and elegant.
Zhu Ling lowered the light-colored curtain beside the brocade couch, served tea to Doctor Qi, and then invited him to sit outside the curtain to take his pulse.
Doctor Qi placed a thin silk handkerchief on Lin Xu's wrist, then closed his eyes and listened to her pulse.
In an instant, a look of doubt appeared on Doctor Qi's calm face. He opened his eyes again and examined her carefully.
Lin Xu's heart skipped a beat. Although she hadn't sought medical help these past few days, she had been extremely careful ever since she was poisoned by someone else. She had not only been taking medicinal diets to regulate her body, but she had also been very careful about her diet and daily life. She should have recovered by now and be fine.
Before she could ask, Doctor Qi suddenly leaned down, looked up at Lin Xu behind the curtain, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying:
"Your Madam, you are not seriously ill. It's just that you've been worrying too much lately and need to rest for a while to ensure the safety of the baby in your womb."
Lin Xu's hand, which was holding the cup, trembled slightly. The half-cup of tea inside almost spilled out.
Meanwhile, Fuzhen and Rongwei, who were waiting in the hall, widened their eyes and then whispered their congratulations.
Lin Xu stared blankly at the handkerchief on her wrist... the fetus in her womb, was she pregnant?
But how could I have gotten pregnant out of nowhere?
She shook her head in disbelief, looked at the vaguely visible figure of Physician Qi outside the curtain, and whispered:
"Dr. Qi, are you mistaken? Am I... really pregnant?"
Physician Qi assumed she was too happy to believe it, and spoke with great certainty. “I examined her twice, and I am certain there is no mistake.” He added, “However, Madam may be exhausted from recent work, and the pregnancy is weak and unstable. She will need to rest in bed for a while to ensure the safety of the baby.”
How could this be...?
Didn't she always drink a bowl of herbal soup after having sex with Dou Yanxun? How could she have gotten pregnant out of nowhere?
She looked suspiciously at Zhu Ling standing to the side, only to see that she was also full of surprise. Zhu Ling always brought in that contraceptive soup for her to drink quietly after Dou Yanxun had fallen asleep while she was on night watch. She had even secretly consulted the doctor in Laining about the prescription, so there was no chance of it going wrong.
How could she be pregnant now?
Upon closer reflection, she realized that her period had indeed been delayed for a month. Ever since the case of the two Zheng brothers in Laining was solved, Dou Yanxun had been busy at the government office until very late every day organizing case files, while she was preoccupied with her mother's death years ago, and had been worried about it, thinking that her delayed period was due to excessive worry.
Before she got married, her periods were often irregular, so she was used to it and didn't take it to heart.
But now...
Lin Xu felt her body tremble uncontrollably. She didn't want a child right now, especially not a child belonging to her and Dou Yanxun… Even though she could no longer hide or suppress her feelings for him, there was a deep-seated blood feud between them, and she should clearly be irreconcilably opposed to their family…
How could she possibly be pregnant with the Dou family's child...?
Lin Xu, supporting herself on the corner of the table, didn't want to be too shocked in front of Fu Zhen, so she smiled and instructed Zhu Ling to give the Qi family doctor a packet of reward money.
Fuzhen smiled and said, "What a blessing! The Second Madam has just returned from Laining and such a joyous occasion has already occurred. Naturally, she should rest and recuperate. I will inform the Old Madam, and she will surely be very happy."
Doctor Qi picked up his pen again and wrote two or three prescriptions for Lin Xu to protect her pregnancy and calm her nerves. Then he and Fu Zhen said goodbye and left.
Once the hall had calmed down, Lin Xu looked at Zhu Ling's equally puzzled face and was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.
She gently raised her hand and placed it on her still-flat stomach.
...This is the place. Will she have children here in the future?
Clearly, her own life is still a mess. Not only has she not avenged her family's death, but she also hasn't figured out the cause of her mother's death and her entanglement with the Empress. How can she possibly raise a child with such a special background?
She simply couldn't irresponsibly bring a child into this world.
Seeing Lin Xu remain silent, Zhu Ling couldn't help but kneel down on the ground with a thud, her eyes filled with sorrow: "...Does Madam want to get rid of this child?"
Seeing her slowly raise her icy eyes, Zhu Ling's voice was filled with sorrow: "This servant deserves to die. I truly do not know why the medicine went wrong, but please trust me, Madam. I would never dare to disobey your orders and tamper with it in secret. I have always been utterly loyal to you, Madam..."
Lin Xu raised his hand, but Zhu Ling rested on Lin Xu's lap and whispered:
“This servant understands that you must have been anxious and sleepless these past few days, but this servant dares to beg you not to act rashly. After all, this is a life… This servant believes that you will like this child… This servant has seen the look in your eyes when you look at Lang Ge’er and Chen Ge’er. This servant knows that you will definitely be a good mother…”
Will she be a good mother?
Her previously firm resolve was suddenly clouded by hesitation and some inexplicable emotions. She felt a chill all over her body, despite wearing only a thin, soft silk dress, yet somehow she gradually felt warmer.
It seemed she was no longer alone. For the rest of her life, she would walk together with the child in her womb.
.
After 3 PM, the sky gradually darkened. News of her pregnancy quickly spread throughout the manor. Lin Xu was in a state of turmoil and told everyone that she needed to rest first, thus refusing to see anyone who came to visit.
Granny Qin and Rongwei had been guarding the villa for so long, and they were already overjoyed that Lin Xu had finally returned. When they learned that she was pregnant, they were even more beaming with happiness.
Granny Qin brought the mugwort and red date tea, which she had just brewed from the small kitchen, to the bedside, smiling as she fed Lin Xu spoonful by spoonful.
"Miss has been married for over a year and has become much more composed. Now that she is pregnant, she will probably be more careful and won't be as lively as she used to be, climbing mountains and trees."
Lin Xu picked up a handkerchief and wiped her mouth. Granny Qin had watched her grow up in the Lin family and could not help but laugh whenever she mentioned her embarrassing moments. When she thought of those absurd things from the past, she couldn't help but laugh too.
Laughter filled the hall, but soon after, hurried footsteps could be heard outside. The next moment, the door was pushed open, and Dou Yanxun burst into the hall, his face filled with urgency.
He had spent half a day with Dou Huaisheng and had drunk quite a bit. He was reeking of alcohol from head to toe, and his face was flushed. But when he stepped into the hall and saw Lin Xu lying by the bed, he couldn't help but pause.
That was his wife.
She is now pregnant with his child.
He felt a strange sensation in his heart, as if a small hand was scratching at him, making him feel numb and dizzy, shocked and disoriented, as if he were immersed in a pile of honey, leaving him speechless.
He stared blankly at her serene appearance, feeling his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst. After a long while, he finally picked up his feet and quickly walked to the bedside.
Their eyes met, and the servants inside the hall, with great tact, withdrew one by one.
Looking into those dark, deep eyes, Dou Yanxun was momentarily at a loss for words. He held her hands in his palms and spoke softly, his voice extremely cautious.
"Is what they're saying true...?"
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