Chapter 179 Difficulty Conceiving
"Does this...have anything to do with Lord Lu?" Who asks a woman such a direct question?
“I’m also thinking of Madam Shen,” Lu Yuan said. His eyes were long and narrow, drooping slightly. In the dim light of the carriage, they looked dark and heavy, as if they were entangled in something inextricable, something he couldn’t break free from or escape. “After all, the doctor has said that your health is not good and you need to recuperate. If you get pregnant now, it may be harmful to the mother’s health.”
After saying that, he raised an eyebrow. "Lord Shen wouldn't be so reckless as to ask you to have children for her right now, would he?"
Jiang Zhi's cheeks felt hot and flushed, but thankfully it wasn't noticeable inside the carriage.
"There's no need for Lord Lu to worry about that; we don't have such plans at the moment."
She kept her head down and didn't see the obvious relief on Lu Yuan's face when she finished speaking.
If there are no offspring, things will be much easier.
He added, "Even if you don't plan to get pregnant, that contraceptive soup isn't a good thing. Drinking too much of it might make it harder to conceive in the future."
Jiang Zhi had no intention of discussing these matters with him and simply gave a vague reply.
Lu Yuan clearly didn't want to end the topic. "When I was handling a case in the past, I accidentally obtained a prescription for a contraceptive medicine that causes almost no harm to a woman's body. If Madam Shen needs it, I can give it to you free of charge."
"No need, we don't need it for now."
Lu Yuan was about to say something when he saw Jiang Zhi lift the carriage window curtain and call out, "Master!"
She recognized the carriage as belonging to the Shen family, then ignored Lu Yuan and bent down to leave.
Upon hearing her voice, Shen Ci'an alighted from the carriage and came over to support her hand and waist. "Sorry, some things kept me from coming out until later. Are you cold?"
Seeing that Jiang Zhi wasn't wearing his cloak, he took her hands in his palms to warm them.
Jiang Zhi shook her head. "I'm not cold."
"Alright, let's go back to the manor then."
Shen Ci'an saw Lu Yuan through the car window, nodded slightly to him, and said, "Thank you for escorting my wife, Lord Lu. Farewell."
Lu Yuan snorted coldly and lowered the curtain.
Yet, Jiang Zhi's soft, sweet voice could still be heard drifting in from outside.
"Master, I want to eat the almond milk from Mixiangju."
"Okay, let's go buy it now."
"I also want to eat plum blossom pastry, osmanthus sugar cake, and translucent flower rice cake."
Shen Ci'an said helplessly, "You can buy it, but don't eat too much, otherwise you'll get indigestion and won't be able to eat dinner."
"I'm not a three-year-old child..."
Their voices faded into the distance and soon could no longer be heard.
The train carriage was so dark you could hear a pin drop.
Lu Yuan's face remained calm, exuding a restrained coldness and aloofness, but his hands, resting on his knees, were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white.
He suddenly let out a cold laugh, a fierce glint appearing deep in his eyes.
*
Not long after, the Winter Solstice Banquet was held in the palace.
Shen Ci'an was deeply favored by the emperor and had just gotten married. He brought Jiang Zhi with him to the palace for a banquet.
The banquet hosted by Emperor Xuanzhao was held in the Zichen Hall, while the women were seated in a side hall, separated only by a screen.
It distinguishes between men and women in accordance with etiquette, and also allows both sides to hear each other speaking.
Jiang Zhengting, the Minister of Rites, presented Emperor Xuanzhao with a "Winter Solstice Greeting Memorial" praising his merits. Then, an imperial eunuch conveyed the imperial decree to hold a banquet, and the banquet officially began.
When Jiang Zhi took her seat, she saw Jiang Yunqian, who was seated at the end of the table. She noticed that Jiang Yunqian's face was pale and her eyes were dark. Her former arrogance had vanished, and she looked like a frightened bird, easily flustered by the slightest disturbance.
I wonder how she was treated by Xiao Xuanyou.
However, Jiang Zhi wasn't in the mood to pay much attention to her.
She then looked at the Empress, who sat at the head of the table.
The empress's face also showed signs of illness, which she barely concealed with makeup. Combined with her elaborate and ornate crown, it was difficult to detect without close inspection.
But Jiang Zhi had heard Lu Yuan mention that the Empress suddenly suffered from heart palpitations on the day of her wedding to Shen Ci'an. All the imperial physicians took turns to see her, and Xiao Xuanyou even dropped everything to stay by the Empress's side every day to take care of her.
The Empress's condition has only improved in the last few days.
The matter was kept completely secret, and the news did not spread outside the palace.
Although she knew it was wrong to think this way, she still breathed a sigh of relief when she learned that the Empress was ill.
Xiao Xuanyou was busy taking care of the sick, so he couldn't focus his attention on himself.
Now that she is married, no matter how crazy Xiao Xuanyou is, he wouldn't force himself on a married woman.
After Jiang Zhi and the others toasted the Empress, the Empress soon said she was feeling unwell and withdrew.
Emperor Xuanzhao also left accompanied by Consort Chen, telling everyone to relax and not be too formal.
The banquet finally became truly lively.
Colleagues toasted each other, while the officials' wives were busy chatting and socializing.
Through the screen, Jiang Zhi heard a familiar voice, "Lord Shen, I didn't have time to congratulate you on your marriage, so I'll toast you with this cup of wine."
It was Xie Qi's voice.
Faced with his high-sounding words, Shen Ci'an naturally couldn't refuse, so he picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it all in one gulp.
Then Xiao Yunheng's voice followed, "Lord Shen has won the heart of a beauty, which is truly enviable. I, the young master, also respect you."
Just as Lu Yuan had guessed, even though Emperor Xuanzhao knew that Xiao Yunheng was the mastermind behind poisoning Li Jinyan, he did not issue an edict to punish him.
He was simply summoned to the palace and given a severe scolding, and that was the end of it.
Emperor Xuanzhao even allowed Lu Yuan to find a scapegoat to close the case, and the case was never to be mentioned again.
Jiang Zhi felt a chill in her teeth.
Shen Ci'an drank another cup.
Immediately afterwards, Lu Yuan chuckled, picked up his wine cup, and approached Shen Ci'an, saying, "Back in Sizhou, I had a pleasant working relationship with Lord Shen, and I would like to toast you as well."
Shen Ci'an's alcohol tolerance was only average. After drinking a few cups, a blush immediately rose on his usually cool and aloof face.
At this moment, after Emperor Xuanzhao left his seat, Xiao Xuanyou, who was sitting at the head of the table, also raised his wine cup, a smile that did not reach his eyes, and said, "Come, let us all toast Lord Shen today."
The officials below immediately joined in offering a toast.
Shen Ci'an frowned deeply.
Although it is common for colleagues to toast each other at banquets and return home drunk.
But now he has a young lady, and he doesn't want to be around her reeking of alcohol.
So after drinking the last cup offered by Xiao Xuanyou, he lowered his hands and looked apologetic when the others came up to toast him.
"I'm so sorry, but my wife doesn't like the smell of alcohol. If I come home drunk, I'm afraid I'll upset her. Tonight, I'm afraid I'll have to be sent to the study."
"Haha, I never expected that such a proud and aloof Lord Shen would be afraid of his wife."
"That's not quite right. It should be said that Lord Shen is newly married and has a very deep and harmonious relationship with his wife!"
The room erupted in laughter.
Only a few people looked grim and, without prior arrangement, picked up their glasses and started drinking.
Xiao Xuanyou raised an eyebrow and tapped the table. The eunuch beside him immediately understood and brought the wine pot to Shen Ci'an.
"Lord Shen, let me fill your cup."
Shen Ci'an covered the rim of the cup with his long, jade-like hand, his voice as cold as ever, "This humble official has a low alcohol tolerance, please forgive me, Your Highness."
"Lord Shen, please don't refuse..." the eunuch urged while pouring him wine.
But then a soft "Ah" was heard, and as the two pushed each other, half a pot of wine in the eunuch's hand spilled all over Shen Ci'an.
"What kind of job are you doing?" Xiao Xuanyou coldly rebuked, "Why aren't you taking Lord Shen downstairs to change his clothes?"
Shen Ci'an couldn't help but glance at Xiao Xuanyou.
He sat upright at the head of the table, his phoenix eyes slightly lowered, his cold profile bathed in the flickering candlelight, making it impossible to discern the emotions in his eyes.
Jiang Zhi also heard about what happened on Shen Ci'an's side.
What made her uneasy was that after Shen Ci'an was taken away by the eunuch to change his clothes, Jiang Yunqian, who was seated last, also got up and left her seat.
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