After seeing Prince Cheng off, on the way back, Xingxing let Zhang Xiantao get into her carriage. The two hadn't seen each other for quite some time and had a lot to say to each other.
"It's only been a month since we last met, and you're pregnant again! You two are really quick." Xingxing looked at her still-flat stomach with some admiration; having one child a year is quite a tight schedule.
Zhang Xiantao smiled and touched her lower abdomen, "If you're envious, hurry up and get married. If you get married, you might have more children than I do."
Xingxing waved her hand, indicating that she was politely declining, and said rather helplessly, "Don't even mention it, I haven't even had my period yet, so how can I talk about having a baby?"
“You’ll be sixteen after the New Year, and you still haven’t gotten your period? I got mine the day after my coming-of-age ceremony, but I wasn’t in a rush to get married then, and I wasn’t worried about it. It was my mother who was always worried.” Zhang Xiantao recalled, stroking her chin.
"Why haven't I heard you mention this before?" Xingxing leaned forward as if she wanted to have a deep conversation with her since this was the first time she heard her talk about it.
Zhang Xiantao pushed her away a little, saying with a hint of disdain, "Be careful. You're pregnant. How can you go around talking about a woman's private matters? Besides, we weren't that close back then. Even if we were, you were still young, and I would never have mentioned these things to you."
Okay, that's true.
"I've heard that many women come at fourteen. Am I too late?" Xingxing pondered, wondering if she should have the imperial physician examine her pulse and prepare some tonics after returning to the palace.
"I don't think it's a big deal. It's better to come later and suffer less. Otherwise, coming every month is too much trouble."
In the past, Zhang Xiantao would be particularly annoyed every time she had her period, always worried that she would leak and soil her quilt or pants. At this time, her mother would restrain her, not allowing her to go out, and insisting that she stay in the room to rest, and would also make all kinds of nourishing soups for her to drink.
They weren't allowed to jump around, or play with knives or guns; in short, there were all sorts of restrictions, which was really annoying.
"Is it troublesome? Tell me what discomforts you might experience, so I can learn in advance." Xingxing sat up straight with a serious expression.
Zhang Xiantao thought for a moment and then gave examples one by one, "You can't get cold, you have to dress warmly, you can't eat cold foods, it's best not to eat things like pears and watermelons when you're menstruating, don't be greedy for coolness in the summer, don't use too much ice in the house, and don't drink unboiled water..."
Xingxing listened in a daze, thinking it was too tiring and she might as well not have come.
"Being a woman is really tough. Just hearing you talk about it makes me feel bad." Xingxing trembled with fear.
"These are nothing. Some people experience abdominal pain during their periods. I have a friend whose father is my father's lieutenant. She is tall, strong, and has excellent martial arts skills and incredible strength. However, when she has her period, the pain is so bad that her legs go weak and her face turns pale. She even rolls around on the bed. It's terrifying."
Zhang Xiantao became more and more enthusiastic as she spoke, and then gave a few more examples, "...and there's that daughter of the Qianhu family, I've seen her a few times before. When she has her period, she also has severe abdominal pain. She's fine in the morning, but suddenly in the afternoon the pain becomes so bad that she doesn't even have the strength to speak."
I heard that sometimes the vomiting was unbearable, which was truly agonizing. However, it improved a lot after giving birth. I still experience some pain every month, but it's just a dull ache and not as unbearable as before.
Xingxing hugged herself tightly in fright, "How scary! I hope this won't happen when I have my period in the future."
"You're such a lucky girl, Heaven will never let you suffer like this. Not everyone is like this. I don't have stomach pain unless I overindulge in something cold, in which case I'll feel uncomfortable for a while, but I recover quickly. There's nothing bad in the palace, so you should eat more warm and nourishing medicinal meals. Even if you do have stomach pain, you'll suffer less." Zhang Xiantao was quite experienced in taking care of her body after giving birth.
This is because her father-in-law and husband are both skilled in medicine, and they do their best to regulate her body. Whenever she refuses to take medicine, the two of them will try to "brainwash" her, making her understand how serious the consequences of not regulating her body are and what kind of suffering she will suffer.
Although Zhang Xiantao found it quite annoying after hearing it so many times, she wasn't ungrateful. Her father-in-law and husband were doing it for her own good, and as long as she cooperated and finished the medicinal meal, no one would nag her anymore.
Xingxing memorized all the knowledge Zhang Xiantao had imparted, thinking that she would immediately find a royal physician to examine her after returning to the palace, so that she could receive some nourishment.
Back in the city, as they approached the palace gates, Zhang Xiantao returned to her carriage, and she and Xingxing went their separate ways.
Zhu Lin rode his horse into the palace gate. When they returned to Huayun Palace, Xingxing hurried to find the Empress. Just as she arrived in the garden, she suddenly felt a dragging sensation in her lower abdomen, which was quite uncomfortable.
"What did I eat this morning? I didn't eat anything wrong, so why do I have a stomachache?" Xingxing had just finished muttering to herself when she suddenly felt a wet, warm sensation down below.
Wow, what a coincidence!
I had just finished discussing menstruation with Zhang Xiantao, and she immediately started menstruating.
Without thinking twice, she quickened her pace and ran towards the Empress's palace. "Mother, Mother, come quickly! Long'er is in trouble!"
The Empress was tasting the pastries that had just been delivered from the Imperial Kitchen when she suddenly heard the Princess's urgent shout. She lost her grip on the pastries and they rolled to the ground. She quickly stood up.
"What happened? What's wrong with Long'er?" The usually composed Empress hurried out to greet her.
Xingxing rushed forward and threw herself into the Empress's arms, her voice tinged with grievance, "Mother, Long'er is in trouble today."
The Empress embraced her princess tenderly and said gently, "Don't rush, tell me slowly. Tell your mother who caused you trouble, and I will punish them."
The person in her arms paused in their whimper, then looked up at the Empress pitifully, "Mother, Long'er is alright. Come inside with me, and don't let any of the palace servants follow."
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