Fang Qingyue was startled when she heard this. She glanced at Shen Qiunian's face from the corner of her eye and saw contempt in his eyes.
If I don't fight back, Chen Qiu Nian will only become more aggressive.
So she deliberately twisted her sleeve lightly, causing the sachet in her hand to fall to the ground with a crisp sound.
Shen Yuhan immediately noticed the movement and turned to look at Fang Qingyue, a trace of concern flashing in his eyes: "Qingyue, what's wrong?"
Seeing this, Shen Qiunian quickly took a step back, a trace of panic on his face, and immediately put on an innocent look: "Brother Yuhan, I just chatted with Doctor Fang casually, and I didn't expect that she accidentally dropped something."
Fang Qingyue smiled faintly, bent down to pick up the sachet, and said in a gentle voice with a hint of sarcasm: "It's okay, if Mr. Shen has something to say, you can say it openly, why are you so secretive?"
Chen Qiunian's expression changed slightly, obviously not expecting Fang Qingyue to fight back on the spot.
He knew he was in the wrong, so he glanced at Shen Yuhan and saw his cold expression. He didn't dare to say anything more and hurriedly stepped aside.
When Song Xiaoya saw this scene, a strange look flashed in her eyes.
She curled her lips slightly, glanced at Fang Qingyue with a smile, then took Shen Qiunian's hand and said softly.
"Qiunian, it's getting late, let's go in."
The two of them then left in a hurry.
Following Shen Yuhan, they entered the palace. The Qianqing Palace was brightly lit and lavishly decorated. The gold-rimmed screens and jade-carved tables displayed the majesty and wealth of the royal family.
Inside the main hall, civil and military officials had taken their seats one after another, each sitting upright on a carved brocade chair, talking to one another in low voices. The atmosphere was both solemn and filled with a hidden tension.
Fang Qingyue was led to a position close to Shen Yuhan. She bowed slightly and sat down, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
Although the palace banquet seemed to be just a celebration party, she also knew that these high-ranking nobles would never miss any opportunity to test each other.
As she sat down, she noticed a maid walking towards her with a plate of hot mutton.
The mutton was emitting a rich aroma, the hot steam was hanging in the air, and the fragrance was overwhelming.
As soon as Fang Qingyue smelled the strong smell of mutton, she felt nauseous.
Her face turned pale instantly, her stomach churned, and she almost vomited on the spot.
She tried hard to suppress her physical discomfort and try not to attract other people's attention, but she couldn't help but gently cover her mouth and nose, and her face became even uglier.
Shen Yuhan, who was sitting next to her, noticed her abnormality and immediately turned to look at her, his eyes full of concern: "Qingyue, are you okay? Why do you look so bad?"
Fang Qingyue forced a smile and shook her head, her voice soft but trembling: "It's okay, maybe I caught a cold on the road just now, and I feel a little uncomfortable."
However, Fang Qingyue's strangeness obviously did not escape the eyes of others.
The ladies sitting opposite had sharp eyes. Seeing Fang Qingyue's reaction, one of the older ladies narrowed her eyes and said with a half-smile, "Doctor Fang, you have a really strong reaction to this mutton. Could it be that... you are pregnant?"
As soon as these words came out, they immediately attracted the attention of people around.
Several other ladies also cast inquiring glances at him, with a bit of curiosity and speculation in their eyes.
Fang Qingyue was startled and quickly lowered her head to hide her feelings. She said calmly, "Madam, you're joking. I just have a stomachache and can't stand these fishy things."
After hearing this, the lady raised her eyebrows slightly and said with a smile: "I see, then I was just overthinking it."
Fang Qingyue forced a smile, but secretly prayed in her heart that this matter would not be investigated further.
She turned to look at Shen Yuhan and saw that his brows were slightly furrowed, and a hint of suspicion flashed in his eyes.
Although Shen Yuhan remained calm, he already had some doubts in his heart.
He thought carefully, Fang Qingyue's previous physical discomforts, as well as the bowl of medicine in the clinic today, all seemed to point to the same possibility.
Could it be... that she is really pregnant?
However, Fang Qingyue's explanation made him unsure for a moment.
Rumors in the palace are the most hurtful. If you rashly ask about them at this time, it will cause unnecessary suspicion and trouble.
So, he temporarily suppressed his doubts, patted Fang Qingyue's shoulder gently, and said in a gentle tone: "If you feel unwell, you can go back to the clinic to rest. I will take care of the palace affairs for you."
Fang Qingyue glanced at him gratefully and shook her head. "Thank you for your concern, sir. I'm fine. I'm just a little bit unwell. It won't interfere with my work."
Seeing that she was so persistent, Shen Yuhan said no more, but the doubt in his heart still could not completely dissipate.
The palace banquet was gradually going on well. In the hall, melodious music played, glasses clinked, and the nobles toasted each other amidst laughter and joy. The atmosphere gradually became lively.
To liven up the atmosphere, the emperor tapped the table and said with a smile, "Since everyone is here at the palace banquet today, why not let the young ladies from each family show off their talents to liven up the atmosphere."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall echoed them, and the atmosphere became more and more lively.
Some young ladies from official families showed anticipation on their faces, while more of them were a little nervous, obviously uneasy about showing their talents in front of everyone.
When Fang Qingyue heard the emperor's proposal, her heart tightened and her originally calm face changed color slightly.
She subconsciously touched her belly, thought for a moment, and decided not to participate in the performance to avoid hurting the baby in her belly.
The maids began to pass the fortune sticks around the hall. Every young lady from an official family had to draw a lot. If she drew a red lot, she had to go on stage to perform.
When Fang Qingyue took the stick tube, her fingers trembled slightly, and then she pulled out a white stick from it. She breathed a sigh of relief, put the stick back on the maid's tray, and calmly returned to her seat.
It was Song Xiaoya's turn. She stood up gracefully and walked to the maid, her eyes smiling, her demeanor elegant and self-possessed, her every move revealing the demeanor of a lady from a noble family.
She drew a red stick from the stick holder, glanced around, and a confident smile appeared on her face.
She was clearly very confident in her talent.
Song Xiaoya bowed to the emperor and said softly, "Since this is to entertain His Majesty, I would like to perform a simple piece of art to add some fun to the palace banquet."
The emperor nodded slightly, with admiration in his eyes: "Well, Xiaoya, you are known as a talented woman, I also want to meet you."
Song Xiaoya opened her red lips slightly, her voice soft and sweet: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
After saying that, she began to dance to the rhythm of the music.
The hall was silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes were focused on her.
Her dance moves are graceful and light as a swallow, and her skirt draws beautiful arcs in the air.
Her movements were clean and neat, yet graceful. Each spin had a unique charm, as if pushing the atmosphere of the entire hall to a climax.
However, as she turned around sharply and her sleeves fluttered, the pattern on her wrist was faintly revealed to everyone.
Shen Yuhan's eyes accidentally swept over and his expression suddenly changed.
His eyes were fixed on the pattern on Song Xiaoya's wrist, and a familiar picture suddenly flashed in his mind.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
