Just as Nanling stepped out of Jiaofang Palace, he encountered a palace maid standing guard by the roadside.
"Did Grandma call me for something?"
Nanling recognized her at a glance; she was the head palace maid serving the Empress Dowager.
She greeted him with a smile and said casually.
"This servant greets Your Highness!"
The palace maid first respectfully curtsied, then stood up and took out a box. "Princess, this is a prescription that Her Majesty specially found to help you improve your health!"
Nanling: ...Well, it's one thing to have a mother who spends all day looking for doctors and medicine for her, but why is her grandmother joining in the fun too?
There is nothing wrong with her health; the physicians by the Empress's side have already examined her.
The Empress also shared some tips for preparing for pregnancy, such as when to have intercourse and how to elevate your hips with a pillow after intercourse...
While listening, Nanling blushed deeply, but still remembered all of the Empress's words.
Besides the fact that it was the Empress's good intention, Nanling was also somewhat tempted—the Empress had given birth to quadruplets, a rare occurrence indeed.
The sight of two dragons and two phoenixes is no longer just an ordinary auspicious omen.
Rather, it is an existence that is almost mythical.
Of course, the Empress's good fortune is due to her own luck and has nothing to do with those so-called fertility techniques.
But people naturally want to share in the joy and good fortune.
Nanling thought that if she did the same, even if she couldn't have the same good fortune as the Empress, having only a healthy and intelligent child would still be good.
Nanling, on the contrary, was somewhat resistant to those tonics.
Even without the Empress's reminder, Nanling knew that "every medicine has some degree of poison."
Even the mildest tonics will leave residues in the body if taken regularly over a long period.
If you eat something that doesn't go well with your diet, it's not a big deal if you can't get pregnant, but it would be a real problem if you ruin your health.
"If you keep a calm mindset and pay attention to your diet and rest, you will get what you want."
Xie Yuan offered many words of comfort to Nanling.
Actually, Xie Yuan wanted to suggest finding a doctor to examine Helian Qi properly.
A couple has been married for many years but has no children; it's not necessarily the woman's fault.
It's hateful that society is prejudiced. Not to mention in the patriarchal ancient times, even in later generations, despite so many years of popularizing knowledge about childbirth, people still blame women for giving birth to girls or being unable to have children.
Xie Yuan: ...Changing the world is really not easy! Then let's keep trying.
The only thing she can do now is try to change the people around her.
Princess Nanling and the other female officials were probably the ones most influenced by Xie Yuan.
Perhaps they didn't undergo any radical changes, but they all got used to listening to Xie Yuan's advice and unconsciously accepted many of her ideas!
"..." Nanling collected her thoughts. She agreed with Xie Yuan's point of view and would not take medicine indiscriminately.
However, one cannot refuse the concern shown by elders.
"Grandma has gone to so much trouble for me again!"
Nanling accepted the brocade box with a smile, her delicate face showing gratitude and admiration for her elder.
She said softly to the palace maid, "Go back and thank Grandma for me! It's a bit late today, I'll go visit Grandma tomorrow after I finish get off work early!"
Nanling wasn't just being polite; it really is getting late today.
If I go to the Empress Dowager's place, I will definitely have a good chat with my maternal grandmother.
The auntie at the university would even leave food for us...
After all that trouble, it will take at least one or two hours.
The palace gates were locked at specific times, and there was a curfew in the capital.
Of course, Nanling was a princess and one of the empress's most trusted female officials.
She enjoys many privileges.
However, Nanling kept in mind her empress's words: privileges are one thing, but they cannot be abused.
If one's own conduct is not upright, it is difficult to gain the trust of others. (Reading in a messy place)
If Nanling only wanted to be a spoiled young lady or an arrogant noblewoman of the imperial family, she could do whatever she wanted.
But Nanling didn't want to!
She wanted to achieve what the Empress had envisioned: to dominate the court and leave her mark on history.
Women already face many difficulties, and those who truly want to leave their mark on history need to put in many times more effort.
Nanling didn't want to be just the heir apparent's wife of the Prince of Ruyang, nor did she want to be just another Zheng woman.
She is Zheng Qing, a female attendant of the Great Zhou Dynasty and a court official with a proper rank!
Adhere to the rules, strictly abide by the "Great Zhou Law", be upright, do not abuse privileges, and even if you cannot be perfect, you must not give others any leverage to use against you!
Therefore, today she can only thank her maternal grandmother verbally, and then take the time to personally visit this elder who is so kind to her.
"This servant will certainly report your words to the Empress Dowager. Her Majesty will be very happy to know that you are going to visit her!"
The palace maid also spoke politely.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Nanling, carrying the box, left the palace with her maid.
The palace maid then turned and went to report to the Empress Dowager.
"Ah Qing, have you accepted the things?"
The Empress Dowager sat cross-legged, holding a string of prayer beads in her hand, gently turning them.
"Yes! The princess is very happy and said she would come to visit you in a couple of days!"
The palace maid truthfully relayed what Princess Nanling had said.
She also described to the Empress Dowager the helpless look in Princess Nanling's eyes when she saw the box.
"This child is probably terrified of Yongchang!"
"That's true. Yongchang is too impatient. He's always either searching for doctors who are good at gynecology or looking for some strange and unusual folk remedies."
“Nanling is filial and will not disobey his elders, so he can only endure it himself.”
"But if she's subjected to this too many times, she'll start to resist it."
"This prescription of mine is a genuine secret formula for conditioning the body. Alas, I fear that Nanling will be frightened and will shelve this prescription as well!"
The Empress Dowager's slightly aged face was filled with obvious affection and doting.
Only in his lowered eyes did a hint of reluctance flash across his face.
Oh, Nanling, I'm so sorry, Grandma of Foreign Languages University.
I hope you won't hold a grudge. Your mother will do her best to protect you!
Furthermore, if things succeed, you will become the most honorable woman in the world.
I'm doing this for your own good!
...
Nanling rode in an oxcart and slowly returned to the Ruyang Prince's Mansion.
Inside the oxcart, Nanling opened the box.
Sure enough, there were several pieces of paper inside, with prescriptions on them.
Seeing those Chinese medicine names made Nanling's mouth taste bitter.
In the four years since her marriage, and especially in the last year or two, she has consumed far too many bitter medicinal soups.
I'm almost having a stress reaction.
Even without taking any medicine, just seeing the names of those Chinese herbal medicines makes her feel apprehensive.
"Forget it, let's just put all of these away."
Nanling immediately closed the box, returned to his own courtyard in the Prince's Mansion, and went to his study.
She casually placed the box on an empty shelf in the treasure room.
Then she returned to the inner courtyard to wash up and change her clothes.
No sooner had Nanling left the study than someone walked in.
He immediately noticed the extra black lacquered and carved box on the treasure cabinet.
He slowly approached and took the box down.
He opened it, took out a few sheets of paper, and then removed the drawer at the bottom of the box, revealing a letter...
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