Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Why can’t I get pregnant?
Ji Lian pinched the back of Xie Tingyu's hand hard, causing the soft flesh to sink a little. Xie Tingyu glanced sideways, then let go and let him withdraw his hand.
Before Ji Lian could reply, Xie Tingyu continued to look at Yuan Fuxue, "Yuan Lang, feel free to speak up if you have anything to say."
"This Gu must have been brought to Jiankang from the Yi people in the northern border. They use the human body as a vessel to feed the Gu, which absorbs nutrients from the body's essence and blood. As they age, their demands increase. Each time it attacks, the host loses a point. Even if..."
Yuan Fuxue paused at this point, then looked up at Ji Lian. "Even if intercourse can temporarily alleviate the symptoms, it's not a long-term solution. Specific medicines are needed to eradicate them. One of these herbs is called Snow Marrow Ice Lotus, and I'm afraid it's only found in the Xianbei of the northern border."
Ji Lian lowered her eyes and pressed her handkerchief against her fingertips, saying softly, "We've come this far over the years, it's better not to take this medicine."
Yuan Fuxue unfolded the paper and said in a serious tone, "If you don't eat, Your Highness will age faster than others. Perhaps after the age of twenty-five, your hair will turn gray and your appearance will fade. It's even more likely that you will die before the age of thirty."
Upon hearing the words "fading appearance," Ji Lian suddenly looked up at Xie Tingyu. He was just taking the prescription and examining it, muttering, "One qian of osmanthus flowers, five fen of hundred-year-old wild ginseng roots..."
Her brows furrowed slightly as she scanned the last ingredient. Her fingertips touched the final ingredient. "Use the entire Snow Marrow Ice Lotus plant as the medicine. Boil it in cold dew water for three hours."
"Please leave me a copy of this recipe as well."
Ji Lian suddenly snatched the prescription and turned away, her face flushed from her neck to the tips of her ears. "What do you want with this prescription Yuan Lang gave me?"
"The last ingredient requires deep trekking into the heart of the Xianbei. It's so difficult to obtain." Ji Lian stuffed the paper into his lapel. "If you can't find it, forget it. Don't bother."
"Your Highness, this is wrong."
Wang Qiwu said from the side, "If my mother and Sister Xuanji were still alive, the Xianbei would have been in the hands of the Great Zhou long ago, and taking the Snow Marrow Ice Lotus would have been a piece of cake."
"Qiwu is right." Xie Tingyu stretched out his hand in front of Ji Lian's eyes. "If there is a chance to go on an expedition in the future, I will definitely fetch a whole Snow Marrow Ice Lotus for Your Highness to repay you for playing the zither to summon the spirit."
Ji Lian looked at the palm that Xie Tingyu extended. There was still a faint tooth mark that had not healed, which was the mark left by his previous bite.
"If..." Ji Lian slowly raised her eyelids and met Xie Tingyu's gaze, "If it becomes extremely difficult for you to obtain this Snow Marrow Ice Lotus in the future, and you are afraid of your life, then don't take it."
Xie Tingyu did not answer but asked, "Your Highness, are you going to copy it, or should I do it?"
"I'll do it."
Ji Lian rose to the desk, ground ink, and picked up his brush. His sleeve brushed the paper as he leaned over to write. In a moment, he finished copying. Once the ink had dried, he handed it to Xie Tingyu. As he took the paper, the man grasped his fingers, and as they felt the warmth of their skin against each other, their gazes locked once more on their clasped hands.
Love is what it is. If there are any rumors, it’s all Xie Tingyu’s fault, Ji Lian thought.
"what?"
"I want to compare the two pieces of paper to see if Your Highness has missed anything."
Xie Tingyu carefully checked the ingredients and dosage, confirming they were correct before putting the prescription away. As her fingertips brushed the edge of the paper, they inadvertently touched Ji Lian's fingers, which hadn't yet been retracted. Using her falling sleeves to conceal them, she gently caressed Ji Lian's fingertips. Their eyes met for a moment, then gently looked away.
Wang Qiwu, who had been watching the entire scene, felt as if every time Xie Tingyu and Ji Lian locked eyes, pink bubbles would spontaneously form in the air. But in the blink of an eye, the two looked away, and the entire romantic atmosphere vanished without a trace.
"If the Emperor marries before finding all the herbs, don't have sex too often, or you might get pregnant."
Ji Lian, who had just sat down, blushed furiously upon hearing this, and choked on a mouthful of tea. He covered his face with his sleeves and nudged Xie Tingyu with his knees to signal her to stop him, only to see her ask seriously, "Why can't I get pregnant?"
Wang Qiwu also nodded curiously, "Why can't I get pregnant?"
"When a man is pregnant, his breasts swell and produce milk, and his abdomen gradually expands, nourishing the fetus with his own essence and blood. Even dormant, the poisonous insects in his body will still steal his flesh and blood. Even if he successfully gives birth, the excessive loss will accelerate aging. To maintain good health, it is best not to get pregnant too early."
"oh."
The two of them nodded in unison.
Ji Lian almost buried her entire face in the tea bowl, and her voice came out muffled, "I haven't found a wife I'm interested in yet, and the Emperor's Mansion isn't even built yet, so it's too early to talk about marriage or pregnancy."
"Yeah?"
Yuan Fuxue raised an eyebrow, "Why do I feel that Your Highness Di Qing is eager to get married now?"
"I don't."
"I don't believe it."
"Who asked you to believe it?"
Yuan Fuxue stood up and smoothed his sleeves. "Now that the acupuncture is over, it's time for me to go home. Madam Tingyu, see you tomorrow."
What a lady Tingyu is! Ji Lian's fingertips unconsciously stroked the rim of the bowl.
Seeing this, Wang Qiwu also stood up and said, "Now that I have delivered the stew to Sister Tingyu, I should return to Wang Garden."
What a good sister Tingyu is! Ji Lian tapped the edge of the bowl with her pearly teeth, making a soft sound.
The two gentlemen looked at Ji Lian at the same time in tacit understanding. He could only slowly stand up under their gaze, "Well... now that the medicinal food and cakes have been delivered to Xie Tingyu, it's time for me to take my leave."
Although Xie Tingyu's leg injury had not yet healed and his movements were a little slow, he still insisted on escorting the three gentlemen to the corridor. As he watched them leave, the figure in green clothes stood quietly beside the red railing.
Ji Lian walked a dozen steps and, just as he turned a corner, he suddenly looked back and met the gaze of the man in the corridor. As he turned and continued walking, Yuan Fuxue leaned in and whispered, "Your Highness's gait is still perfect. I guess he hasn't taken the final step yet."
Seeing Wang Qiwu walking ahead obliviously, Yuan Fuxue moved closer, half reminding, half admonishing, "Your Highness, please understand that medicine is three-quarters toxic. Contraceptive soup is cold in nature. All prescriptions, whether inside or outside the palace, are harmful to your health. Don't damage your foundation for a moment of pleasure."
Ji Lian suddenly grabbed Yuan Fuxue's sleeve, deliberately slowed down his pace and fell behind Wang Qiwu.
"What you just said," he lowered his voice, "wasn't it specifically for Xie Tingyu to hear?"
Yuan Fuxue grasped his fingertips with her backhand. "If I'm telling her this, I'm also telling you this. Although we both adore the same woman, life is hard for men, let alone something as life-threatening as bearing a child." She gently applied pressure to her fingertips. "Men should support each other."
Ji Lian suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed, "Yuan Fuxue, do you have something to ask for?"
"Your Highness, what do you think of my medical skills?"
"Although you studied under Doctor Wang Shuhe, you are better than your teacher. You are not necessarily worse than him."
"Thank you for your praise, Your Highness."
Yuan Fuxue pulled a scroll of documents from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. "My master is over forty, and according to palace rules, male physicians must leave the palace for retirement at the age of forty-five. If no one can perform acupuncture on Your Highness to suppress the poisonous insect, I'm sure it will be very troublesome."
"This is my letter of recommendation for admission to the Imperial Medical Bureau. Your Highness, I beg you to pass it on. If you find it favourable, I will act as your guarantor and I will be able to enter the palace as soon as possible to check your pulse."
At this point, he glanced at Wang Qiwu in front of him and said, "Wang Lang is kind-hearted. As a man, he will keep the fact that Your Highness has the poisonous insect a secret. Your Highness can rest assured."
"Since you gave me the prescription, I should return the favor."
Ji Lian took the document and put it into her sleeve. "But did you really enter the palace just to practice medicine?"
"It's also for my eldest brother. He was a noble Phoenix Lord back then, and during his pregnancy he took the finest supplements. He followed the doctor's orders to take a walk after meals every day, and the fetus remained stable. But—"
Yuan Fuxue's voice suddenly turned cold. "She died of hemorrhage during childbirth. I privately visited the old servants who served that night and were released from the palace. They all said it was a sudden hemorrhage. I don't believe it. What they said is all lies. I don't believe it! Big brother never interacted with the servants in the palace. That night, except for Xie Guijun..."
Ji Lian interrupted coldly, "Be careful with your words. Although Mr. Xie has a cold personality, he is definitely not someone who would harm others' lives."
"Madam Tingyu and Mr. Xie are siblings, so naturally they are both kind and noble people."
Yuan Fuxue's eyes dimmed slightly. "Big brother and I have been close since childhood. I still often dream of our childhood playtimes. I wish I could enter the palace to accompany him when he gives birth."
"I must go to the palace to investigate this matter. No matter who is behind this, I will not tolerate it."
When he said the last few words, Yuan Fuxue's voice was like the collision of metal and stone. The determination at this moment was completely different from his usual aloof attitude.
"Yuan Lang is truly a man of great affection and kindness." Ji Lian bowed solemnly. "If you need any help, just ask."
The two of them exchanged greetings and left together.
Ji Lian was about to step onto the carriage when she heard someone calling from behind: "Your Highness, please stay."
Ji Lian turned around. He had seen this man before. He was a servant of Changhaoyuan.
The servant bowed and said, "The young master has prepared a thank you gift, and because it is valuable, he wanted to present it personally. Unfortunately, my leg injury makes it inconvenient. If Your Highness could move over and have a chat, it would be great."
How could Ji Lian not accept Xie Tingyu's invitation?
Without thinking, he turned around and went back. The servant was dumbfounded and watched Ji Lian rush towards Changhaoyuan with a brisk pace, her clothes fluttering in the wind, even faster than when she came.
When he reached the front of the courtyard, Ji Lian stopped to catch his breath, and only walked in slowly after his mind was calm.
Xie Tingyu looked up at the sound, smiled and waved, "Lianlian, come quickly, I have prepared a gift for you."
As he approached, he saw her pull out a jade comb from her bosom. He looked closely and saw it was the same comb he had thrown into the lake in a fit of rage. His pupils suddenly constricted, his knuckles unconsciously curled, and he muttered, "This... did you go find it?"
"I told Wangshu's mother that I had dropped a beloved comb into the lake in her new garden. I sent dozens of people to fish for it for several days before I found it."
Xie Tingyu flicked her wrist, and the jade comb flew into the air, its teeth gleaming with a soft, gentle glow. Quick-witted, she caught the comb firmly with her backhand and held it out to Ji Lian. "Look, is that the one?"
Ji Lian snorted, "You're going to give me to you and then give me to you? How can you give gifts like that?"
Xie Tingyu stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled. He took out a bronze mirror from behind and smashed it neatly. Picking up one half of the mirror, he handed it to him, "As the saying goes, a broken mirror can be reunited. Take pity on me and I'll take one."
Ji Lian bit her lip as she took the bronze mirror. When her fingertips lightly touched her palm, she suddenly raised her eyes and said, "Xie Tingyu, that day...after that quarrel, we never talked about reconciliation. Although I promised to be your lifelong confidant, but...but, are we reconciled now?"
"Huh? Make peace? You and I have never had a fight, so how can we talk about making peace?"
Ji Lian's eyes flickered as she leaned over to peck the corner of Xie Tingyu's mouth. "I have petitioned His Majesty to set up the Imperial Palace next to Xie Garden in Wuyi Lane. When the time comes, you..."
"Then I will climb over the wall every night to look for you."
"Okay, I'll wait for you to climb over the wall and look for it."
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The author has something to say: I originally planned to write 400,000 words for this book, but it feels like it will exceed that. I will review the outline tomorrow and finalize it as soon as possible.
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