"Miss, here you go." Qiuju took out her silver needle pouch and pulled out the longest silver needle.
"You lowly servant, are you trying to stab me to death?" Jiang Jiaojiao sat up abruptly in fright.
"Heh! Lowly servant? Aunt Jiang talks as if she's so noble. She's just a lowly concubine."
Qiu Ju glanced at Jiang Jiaojiao with disdain, too lazy to tell her that she was now a free agent.
Qiu Ju's words struck a nerve with Jiang Jiaojiao, who had once thought of escaping the Prime Minister's mansion and getting rid of her status as a concubine.
Unfortunately, she found out she was pregnant right at that time.
Seeing Jiang Shuyue as elegant as ever, her radiant and pure beauty was like that of a fairy who had fallen to earth.
But I felt like a naked person, utterly humiliated in front of her.
Jiang Jiaojiao felt ashamed and her face burned.
Before Jiang Shuyue could even begin to ask questions, Jiang Jiaojiao turned her head away and said, "Go away, I don't need your pity."
Why should I pity you?
Jiang Shuyue didn't even glance at her, and took the handkerchief that Qiuju handed her.
Normally, Jiang Shuyue sees patients through women, and she never takes their pulse through a handkerchief.
Qiuju understood her thoughts best.
Seeing Jiang Jiaojiao in a daze, Jiang Shuyue frowned slightly, "If Aunt Jiang is unwilling to see a doctor, she can tell the person outside."
"Are you really good at diagnosis?" Jiang Jiaojiao knew perfectly well that the legendary doctor at Jishetang was Jiang Shuyue, but she still couldn't help asking.
"Whether it's true or not, just stick your arm out and you'll know."
Jiang Shuyue remained calm and composed. She was curious. Considering that Jiang Jiaojiao had only been in the Wei family for a short time, and even with modern medical equipment, it was impossible to determine whether the fetus was male or female, why was she so certain that she was carrying a boy?
Jiang Jiaojiao glanced guiltily at the doorway and lowered her voice, saying, "What's past is past. Can you do me a favor?"
Qiu Ju rolled her eyes and cursed him inwardly as shameless.
If it weren't for the fact that Miss had severed ties with the Jiang family, and that arguing with her would be detrimental to her if overheard, Qiuju would have loved to give her a good scolding.
Jiang Shuyue said calmly, "I practice medicine and save lives; nothing else matters."
Jiang Jiaojiao looked anxious and pleaded, "For the sake of our past kinship, please help me this time, elder sister. Just tell that old witch outside that I'm carrying a boy."
Jiang Jiaojiao dared not imagine what would happen if her lies were exposed; she would be met with cold words and her food, clothing, and daily necessities would revert to the treatment she received when she first entered the mansion.
“Aunt Jiang, please be careful with your words. I have no relation to you whatsoever. You can’t ask me to lie for you.”
Jiang Shuyue resolutely refused.
Jiang Jiaojiao turned pale instantly, biting her lip tightly, her whole body trembling slightly.
Feeling isolated and helpless left her physically and mentally exhausted. A few days ago, she returned to the Jiang family mansion, but her father showed no sign of forgiving her and told her not to keep going back to her parents' home.
The meaning is clear: they dislike her for bringing shame to the Jiang family.
After her mother was demoted to a concubine, her father never entered her courtyard again.
On the day Jiang Jiaojiao returned home, two groups of matchmakers came to the Jiang residence.
She heard her mother say that if it weren't for the new emperor's ascension to the throne and her father's busy official duties that delayed his remarriage, he probably would have already married a stepmother.
In order to gain favor with the Wei family, she had to put on a brave face and pretend that her family treated her well, even though she was neglected at her parents' home.
Jiang Shuyue stood motionless in front of the bed, and the atmosphere in the room became tense.
Just then, the crisp sound of the beaded curtains clashing rang out, and Aunt Chen walked in.
"How is the baby? Is it a boy or a girl?"
Qiuju said bluntly, "This aunt is probably fine; she won't even extend her hand to take my pulse!"
Jiang Jiaojiao's tears instantly streamed down her face. She pulled the blanket over her chest, looking as if she had suffered a great injustice, and said, "Auntie, I'm fine. I don't need to see a doctor. Even if the child and I are not meant to be, I don't blame you."
Originally, she deliberately bumped into Aunt Chen at the corner, and the First Madam complained about Aunt Chen in front of the Old Madam.
Who knew that his attempt to steal a chicken would backfire and he would lose the rice instead?
The doctor didn't even know whether the child in her belly was a boy or a girl, so she made up a story, saying that when she went back to her parents' home, the family physician examined her and said that she was carrying a boy.
The Wei family also stopped having the family physician examine one of the concubines.
Jiang Shuyue is determined to expose her lie today; she will not allow her to take her pulse no matter what.
Aunt Chen glared at Jiang Jiaojiao with disgust. "It's your own fault for not wanting to see it. If the child is lost, don't blame me."
Jiang Jiaojiao's reluctance to see a doctor was exactly what she wanted.
When the female doctor enters the mansion, the gatekeeper and so many servants are watching. If the old lady blames her, she can deny everything.
Hearing that Aunt Chen wouldn't force herself, Jiang Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Don't worry, Aunt, I'm really fine. Perhaps it's because the food wasn't to my liking today and I didn't eat much. You didn't touch me; I just fainted on my own."
"That lowly maidservant beside you said something else entirely. She's yelling that I bumped into you." Aunt Chen's gaze was icy, filled with utter disgust.
Caiyan cowered at the door, and when she realized that her mistress was unwilling to see the doctor, she quickly went inside and knelt down before Aunt Chen.
"It's all because I'm blind. I didn't see clearly before I started shouting. My lady, you are very magnanimous. I was just confused because I was concerned."
Aunt Chen didn't even glance at Caiyan kneeling on the ground, but glared at Jiang Jiaojiao and cursed, "Hmph! Now you realize you're blind? Don't think that just because you have someone backing you up, you can make baseless accusations. Don't you even think about who you're really related to?"
Aunt Chen only dared to speak recklessly and show off her mother-in-law's power in Jiang Jiaojiao's room.
Jiang Shuyue turned around and put the handkerchief in her hand back into the first-aid kit.
She said to Qiuju, "This is none of our business. Let's go back."
Aunt Chen then beckoned to the maid who had been there earlier, "Show the guest out. The consultation fee will be deducted from Aunt Jiang's monthly allowance."
The maidservant hurriedly stepped forward, took a bulging purse from her sleeve, and handed it to Qiuju with both hands, saying with a smile, "I'm sorry to trouble you and the young lady to make this trip for nothing."
Jiang Jiaojiao stared wide-eyed at the purse.
That was her monthly allowance, and she was hoping to save some money to do something big.
She had already planned her escape route: she would find a baby boy to keep in reserve before giving birth, and switch with him if she gave birth to a daughter.
Bribing a midwife and finding a baby both require a large sum of money.
Just as she was certain that Qiuju wouldn't accept payment for her consultation, she saw Qiuju reach out and take the purse, putting it into her bosom without even looking at it.
The maidservant smiled and bowed, gesturing for the young lady to enter.
Watching the tall figure leave, Jiang Jiaojiao gritted her teeth.
Aunt Chen, her face dark, glared fiercely at Jiang Jiaojiao before turning and leaving.
As they stepped out of the courtyard, Qiuju clicked her tongue twice. "That concubine in the Prime Minister's mansion is really something. She knew whether the baby was a boy or a girl before her belly even showed. If she's so capable, why does she need to call a doctor? I think she's even more amazing than the young lady."
Jiang Shuyue smiled faintly, "Perhaps she saw a baby boy in her dream."
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