The prepared brown medicinal soup sat in a white porcelain bowl, cooled with water, giving off only slight steam.

Pei Yunshu sat leaning against the headboard, staring at her protruding belly for a long time before finally making up her mind and reaching for the medicine bowl on the silver tray.

Qiong Ying couldn’t help but stop her: “Princess Consort, why not reconsider?”

“Perhaps we could have a few more medical officers examine you – there might be a way that doesn’t require inducing labor,” Fang Zi softly urged from the side.

Lu Tong sat calmly at the table, as if she hadn’t heard the conversation in the room.

Pei Yunshu was of noble birth with distinguished status, and the child in her womb carried princely blood, while she was merely a resident physician from an ordinary medical clinic. Before this, she and Pei Yunshu had never even met. To ask Pei Yunshu to entrust her life – and her unborn child’s life – completely to a complete stranger was truly asking too much.

Lu Tong lowered her eyes thinking this, when she heard Pei Yunshu speak gently: “I trust Doctor Lu.”

Her tone was particularly firm.

Lu Tong was startled and instinctively looked up to see the woman leaning against the soft cushion behind her, smiling as she looked toward her.

“I trust Doctor Lu,” Pei Yunshu repeated. “Many medical officers from the Medical Academy have come, but not one noticed anything wrong. They couldn’t even detect that I was poisoned – how could we expect them to provide an antidote?”

“But,” Fang Zi choked up, “this is too risky for you…”

If successful, that would be fine, but if it failed, Pei Yunshu would take all the blame upon herself. The price of making decisions alone was that she would have to bear the unpredictable consequences alone.

Pei Yunshu’s tone was light: “I am taking a risk, but isn’t Doctor Lu also taking one? Do you think Doctor Lu agrees to induce labor without any difficulty?”

Fang Zi and Qiong Ying fell silent.

This was indeed true. If Lu Tong induced labor for Pei Yunshu and something went wrong, she naturally couldn’t escape responsibility. Even if successful and she detoxified the young master, Prince Wen, knowing the truth, might not thank her. Prince Wen was someone who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong, selfish and cold – he might even turn the tables and pin the crime of attempting to harm the prince’s heir on Lu Tong.

Inducing labor for Pei Yunshu was not a profitable deal for Lu Tong.

Thinking of this, the two maids’ defensive looks toward Lu Tong softened somewhat.

Pei Yunshu said no more, reached for the medicine bowl on the silver tray, and drank it all in one breath.

Finally, she set the empty bowl on the tray and smiled at Lu Tong: “From now on, I entrust everything to Doctor Lu.”

Lu Tong stood up and sat in the chair by the bed. Yin Zheng handed her the medical box and went out to prepare hot water. The labor-inducing medicine would take a while to take effect. The room was quiet, perhaps to break this awkwardness or to ease her inner tension, so Pei Yunshu initiated conversation with Lu Tong.

She asked Lu Tong: “Doctor Lu’s medical skills are superior to those of Medical Academy officers. May I ask who your teacher was?”

Lu Tong took out gold needles from the velvet cloth and carefully wiped them while replying: “Just an unknown mountain doctor.”

Pei Yunshu nodded, hearing that Lu Tong was unwilling to discuss this, and changed the topic: “Today is Mid-Autumn Festival. Doctor Lu helping me induce labor may delay your family reunion. Should I have someone send word to your family so they won’t worry?”

Lu Tong paused in wiping the gold needles.

She said: “That’s not necessary. My family members are no longer here.”

Pei Yunshu was stunned, then looked at her apologetically: “I’m sorry, I…”

“It’s nothing,” Lu Tong’s expression remained calm. “That was in the past. The princess consort needn’t take it to heart.”

The room fell quiet again.

After a while, Pei Yunshu looked down at her protruding abdomen and asked softly: “Doctor Lu, if we induce labor, can the child be saved?”

Having already taken the labor-inducing medicine, Pei Yunshu only now thought to ask this. Lu Tong didn’t know whether to call this princess consort naive or big-hearted. She didn’t want to deceive Pei Yunshu, so she said flatly: “Inducing labor is to separate the fetus before the toxicity fully penetrates. If it continues to remain in the princess consort’s womb, the toxicity will only deepen.”

“Childbirth is like having one foot in the grave. I cannot guarantee I can remove the toxicity from the fetus, nor can I guarantee the princess consort’s safety. I can only try my best to fight for a chance of survival for the princess consort’s unborn child.”

She looked up: “Does the princess consort understand?”

These words were very direct, without any comfort. Hearing this, Pei Yunshu’s face grew even paler.

Qiong Ying couldn’t help but frown: “How can Doctor Lu speak like this?”

Those medical officers, to keep patients in good spirits and dispel worries, always found ways to say comforting words, fearing Pei Yunshu might be frightened and disturb the fetus. But this doctor seemed to think the princess consort wasn’t nervous enough, with every word piercing the heart.

“I am the doctor treating the princess consort, not an entertainer to make her happy.”

Lu Tong answered coldly: “Moreover, I believe letting the princess consort clearly understand the current real situation will help with the upcoming delivery.”

Qiong Ying: “You…”

Pei Yunshu stopped Qiong Ying’s next words and smiled with difficulty: “Doctor Lu is right. Even without poisoning, no one can guarantee delivery will be without accidents.” She quietly gripped the bedding beneath her, trying hard to appear relaxed. “I, Pei Yunshu, have never done a bad deed in my life. I believe Heaven won’t treat me harshly – today will surely go smoothly.”

These were Pei Yunshu’s words of self-comfort, but they sounded somewhat harsh to Lu Tong’s ears.

Never doing a bad deed in one’s life means Heaven won’t treat one harshly?

Her Lu family – her parents were loyal and upright, her sister kind, her brother righteous – yet they ended up with their entire family destroyed.

While those who committed many evils lived proudly in this imperial city, rising to become feared superiors.

“Good deeds bring good rewards, evil deeds bring evil retribution” was merely self-consolation from failures facing unfair fate – a fallacy. Rather than placing all hope on ethereal “Heaven” and “retribution,” it was better to rely on oneself.

The atmosphere in the room gradually became stifling. In this silence, Pei Yunshu’s freshly changed clothes were gradually soaked with sweat again. She frowned, trying hard to endure while somewhat anxiously touching her abdomen: “Doctor Lu, I… I feel somewhat uncomfortable.”

Lu Tong’s expression moved.

The labor-inducing medicine was taking effect.

She stood up to fetch the hot water Yin Zheng had prepared. Fang Zi and Qiong Ying’s bodies shook as they looked at her somewhat helplessly.

But Pei Yunshu, seeing this, smiled calmly: “Doctor Lu, just do what you need to do. Even if… even if something goes wrong, I will protect you and prove this matter has nothing to do with you – it was entirely my decision.”

Even at this moment, this princess consort still thought of others’ safety. Lu Tong noticed her sweaty hands beside her, the bedding beneath her already wrinkled from grasping, and those beautiful eyes trying hard to hide panic and helplessness.

Pei Yunshu was afraid. No matter how calm and composed she appeared, she was still deeply afraid.

The bedding beneath her was soaked through. Perhaps due to “Children’s Sorrow,” the labor-inducing medicine took effect faster than usual. Pei Yunshu’s face lost all color and she gradually let out painful moans. The fresh osmanthus fragrance in the room could no longer mask other thick, fishy odors.

In the deep autumn afternoon, behind tightly closed doors, without refreshing breezes, like a stagnant mud pit trapping everyone together.

“Don’t be afraid.” After hesitating, Lu Tong grasped the woman’s hand on the bed.

Pei Yunshu was startled.

After a pause, she leaned close to Pei Yunshu’s ear, her tone still calm.

“I know Pei Yunying.”

In an instant, Pei Yunshu froze.

Hot tears immediately welled up in Pei Yunshu’s eyes. With strength from who knows where, she grabbed Lu Tong’s hand and asked urgently: “A’Ying? You’re A’Ying’s person?”

Fang Zi and Qiong Ying also looked at Lu Tong in amazement. After all, in their memory, Pei Yunying had never mentioned arranging such a female doctor.

But Pei Yunshu seemed to have suddenly gained solid support in her desperate, drifting fate. Her gaze swept away its previous endurance and panic, becoming trusting and relieved. She caught her breath, sweat sliding down her cheeks, yet still smiled at Lu Tong.

“Doctor Lu, so you’re A’Ying’s person. Wonderful,” she suppressed her pain, tears in her eyes. “I trust you, truly.”

She had been trembling with fear just moments ago, but upon hearing Pei Yunying’s name, she was immediately filled with boundless strength.

Lu Tong remained silent. In desperate situations, people could only rely on themselves, but beyond self-reliance, thoughts of loved ones could always ease the pain of the process somewhat.

The medicine’s effects grew more intense. Pei Yunshu gradually couldn’t suppress her painful moans, her breathing rapid. Lu Tong spoke with her while having Fang Zi feed her sweet soup.

If this went on too long, Pei Yunshu would have no strength left.

Just as the atmosphere in the room grew tense, sudden violent pounding came from outside, accompanied by a matron’s loud scolding: “Princess Consort, Princess Consort, open the door! Thieves have infiltrated the mansion – someone is poisoning the prince’s heir!”

Lu Tong’s expression changed dramatically.

Fang Zi and Qiong Ying also looked up sharply.

The next moment, the pounding intensified as Meng Xiyan’s voice rang out from outside: “Why hasn’t the princess consort responded? Has something happened?”

Pei Yunshu opened her sweat-covered eyes through her pain and said through gritted teeth: “Trouble. Meng Xiyan must be suspicious.”

Outside the door, Meng Xiyan stood behind the matron, her face dark enough to drip water.

Pei Yunshu had dismissed the examining medical officer, keeping only that female doctor in the room, which made her uneasy. So she had servants go to the pharmacy where the female doctor’s maid had bought medicine to ask the shopkeeper what exactly they had purchased.

Upon hearing the visitors were from the prince’s mansion, the shopkeeper was frightened and carefully recalled the prescription the maid had filled without being asked.

“Angelica, bitter orange, Sichuan lovage, motherwort, astragalus…” The shopkeeper’s color changed in horror. “This is the Fetal Protection Drink formula – it’s labor-inducing medicine!”

Labor-inducing medicine!

Meng Xiyan’s nail-painted fingernails nearly embedded in her palms.

No one would take labor-inducing medicine without reason, especially when Pei Yunshu still had over a month before her due date. But they were now secretly obtaining and taking labor-inducing medicine – there was only one possibility.

That female doctor named Lu Tong had discovered the fact that Pei Yunshu was poisoned.

Meng Xiyan’s body tensed as she looked at the door with undisguised coldness.

Her cousin’s words echoed in her ears again –

“The poisoned person’s fetus remains stable. After ten months, a stillborn child is delivered, but the mother stays safe.”

‘Children’s Sorrow’ was meant to work silently within the mother’s womb, so that when ten months were complete, the unborn child would have no chance of survival. But whether a child born before ten months could survive, even her cousin wasn’t certain. After all, this forbidden medicine had ostensibly been lost for years, and those who had used it recently had never been discovered.

If it were just this matter alone, it might be manageable, but more importantly, now that Lu Tong had discovered the truth about ‘Children’s Sorrow,’ once this matter came to light and the crime of poisoning the prince’s heir was pinned on her, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Meng Xiyan bit her lip, a flash of fear crossing her heart.

Today Prince Wen was at Minglin Garden for the imperial banquet, which would end in the evening. Even if news from the mansion reached him and he hurried back, it would take some time. She had to push all blame onto that female doctor before Prince Wen returned.

Prince Wen had always been completely devoted to her. As long as she eliminated all evidence, between Pei Yunshu and herself, Prince Wen would always unreasonably favor her.

She just needed to eliminate all witnesses. That female doctor deserved it – who told her to discover secrets she shouldn’t have and wholeheartedly help Pei Yunshu? She couldn’t read the situation and was seeking her own death!

Meng Xiyan looked up expressionlessly and beckoned to the matrons and servants behind her.

“The princess consort has been taken hostage by villains – break down the door!”

The servants and matrons obeyed, surging forward. With a “bang,” the carved yellow wooden door was smashed open from outside, and a crowd of matrons rushed in.

Inside the room, Lu Tong frowned.

The prince’s mansion was indeed not peaceful. If before there had only been suspicion, then Meng Xiyan’s current desperate actions almost allowed Lu Tong to confirm that Pei Yunshu’s ‘Children’s Sorrow’ was connected to this side consort of the prince’s mansion.

Fang Zi and Qiong Ying blocked in front of Pei Yunshu. Pei Yunshu was already bleeding and in agony, only managing to lift her head slightly and angrily demand: “Meng Xiyan, what do you want to do!”

Meng Xiyan stood in the doorway. With the door smashed open, a sliver of light fell from behind her, yet it plunged the woman into deeper shadow, making even her beautiful features appear somewhat sinister.

But her voice was soft, carrying a particularly discordant concern.

“Princess Consort, just now the shopkeeper from the nearby pharmacy sent someone to say that this Doctor Lu’s maid went to the pharmacy to get Fetal Protection Drink for inducing labor. The shopkeeper was worried something had gone wrong and specially sent someone to inform us. When I learned of this, I immediately rushed over.”

She looked at Lu Tong coldly: “How dare you attempt to harm the prince’s heir!”

“I did not harm your mansion’s heir,” Lu Tong didn’t intend to bear Meng Xiyan’s anger alone. “The labor-inducing medicine was the princess consort’s own idea.”

Pei Yunshu, covered in sweat and supporting her belly, glared at Meng Xiyan with Fang Zi’s help: “It was my idea. Meng Xiyan, my fetus is unstable with signs of poisoning, so I asked Doctor Lu to induce labor to preserve the baby. Get out—”

A flash of sinister light crossed Meng Xiyan’s eyes, then she opened them wide in surprise: “The princess consort is so amusing. Medical Academy officers come regularly, and none have ever detected poisoning in the princess consort. How could a female doctor from a small medical clinic diagnose poison in the princess consort’s baby?”

She looked up at Lu Tong, her tone ominous: “I think this woman is spreading malicious rumors!”

Accusations without evidence, blatant framing – if this side consort wasn’t arrogantly stupid, then there was only one possibility: she planned to kill and silence witnesses.

For a dead person, naturally no mercy need be shown.

A moan reached her ears. Lu Tong looked down to see the wetness beneath Pei Yunshu growing larger. Meng Xiyan’s violent entry with her people had made Pei Yunshu even more tense – she had started bleeding, and the situation would only become more critical.

She certainly knew how to pick her timing.

Meng Xiyan also noticed the pain in Pei Yunshu’s expression and couldn’t help feeling pleased.

Childbirth was normally life-or-death – today Lu Tong was certainly doomed, but if shock and worry caused Pei Yunshu to have difficult labor and die with her child, wouldn’t that perfectly suit her wishes? As for this blame…

Her gaze shifted to the two maids protecting Pei Yunshu by the bed. She didn’t know where Pei Yunshu had found these two maids, but they were utterly loyal to her. Meng Xiyan had tried repeatedly to bribe them without success. Since that was the case… let these two become scapegoats – it would fulfill their master-servant bond.

Meng Xiyan pointed at Lu Tong: “Arrest this woman!”

Pei Yunshu was shocked: “Meng Xiyan, how dare you!”

Meng Xiyan frowned: “The princess consort has been bewitched by this woman and is now mentally unclear. And these two people—” She looked at Fang Zi and Qiong Ying, her smile sinister. “As the princess consort’s personal maids, they conspired with outsiders to harm the princess consort. Arrest them all and await the prince’s judgment!”

The servants behind her had been waiting for these words. Hearing this, they rushed in to grab Lu Tong.

Seeing this, Qiong Ying and Fang Zi kicked away a matron in front of them, drew daggers from their waists, and blocked in front of Pei Yunshu’s bed.

They actually knew martial arts?

Lu Tong’s expression shifted.

It seemed Princess Consort Wen was not entirely without backup plans.

Seeing this, Meng Xiyan at the door darkened. No wonder these two maids never left Pei Yunshu’s side – they had something to rely on. These ordinary servants and matrons were unreliable. Meng Xiyan shouted: “Lu Han—”

With her shout, orderly footsteps suddenly echoed from the courtyard as a group of sword-bearing guards reached the door – the prince’s mansion guards.

Meng Xiyan stepped back and pointed sternly at the people in the room: “Take them down!”

“Yes!”

The blue-clad guards pounced like wolves on sheep. Meng Xiyan smiled coldly.

Prince Wen doted on her and let her command the mansion guards. These guards were truly capable people. Even if Pei Yunshu’s two maids were skilled, ultimately two fists couldn’t defeat many hands, especially since… there was still a helpless burden in the room.

In the room, as the guards fiercely attacked, Fang Zi and Qiong Ying had to split their attention between protecting Pei Yunshu on the bed and guarding Lu Tong while dealing with the guards – quite troublesome.

A burly guard avoided Fang Zi’s dagger and suddenly grabbed Yin Zheng’s arm to drag her out. Yin Zheng had never seen such a scene and instinctively screamed.

Lu Tong turned to see this scene, grabbed a vase from the small table, and swung it hard at the guard’s head.

“Bang—”

The guard swayed and slowly collapsed.

Yin Zheng looked at her in shock, and others in the room couldn’t help but pause.

This seemingly gentle and weak woman had struck with unhesitating decisiveness.

The fine white porcelain vase shattered on the ground, mixed with bright blood. Lu Tong strode forward and swept down the curtains from the bed.

The moon-colored gauze curtains fell like a pale crescent moon, like cloud gauze, gently floating down from overhead, separating the outside and inside into two worlds.

Her calm voice also floated out.

“Protect me.”

Fang Zi and Qiong Ying suddenly came to their senses. Now at this life-or-death moment, their only task was to protect Lu Tong to successfully deliver the princess consort’s baby.

A woman’s low moan came from within the curtains. Meng Xiyan’s expression grew even darker – that female doctor was more troublesome than she’d expected. She suddenly narrowed her eyes, her voice becoming sharp.

“Take them down, life or death doesn’t matter—”

Instantly, the guards in the room no longer held back, drawing swords and attacking the people in the room. Lu Tong was blocked by the gauze curtains, her expression unchanged, as if she hadn’t heard the fighting sounds outside, calmly helping Pei Yunshu with her breathing.

With a “swish,” a cold light stabbed directly from the side, grazing Lu Tong’s cheek. The next moment it was blocked back by Qiong Ying’s dagger.

“Doctor Lu, you’re injured…” Pei Yunshu looked at the blood mark on Lu Tong’s face, speaking breathlessly.

“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine.” Lu Tong pressed her down, her tone flat.

The fighting outside grew more intense. Because Fang Zi and Qiong Ying had to consider Pei Yunshu and the others behind them, they were inevitably distracted. Meng Xiyan’s eyes flashed as she shouted: “Who exactly sent you? How dare you attempt to harm the princess consort in broad daylight!”

“Lu Han, kill them—”

Hearing this, the guard captain suddenly abandoned Fang Zi in front of him, turned his long sword, and suddenly thrust toward Lu Tong’s back. In a flash of lightning, the silver-white sword tip aimed for Lu Tong’s heart!

“Bang—”

A sharp sound of something cutting through air rang out.

A cold light shot through the air with fierce momentum, ruthlessly piercing through the guard’s skull.

Warm blood splattered on the moon-colored gauze curtains, red and white scattering in mottled patterns.

The arrow fell to the ground, along with the guard and his sword.

The fighting in the room had stopped at some point. In the deathly silence, Lu Tong heard Meng Xiyan speak, her voice trembling.

She said: “Pei… Pei Yunying… how did you come?”

Pei Yunying? Lu Tong was slightly startled.

Pei Yunshu also heard the commotion outside and looked delighted: “A’Ying is here?”

Lu Tong had no time to be distracted, only hearing footsteps approaching from outside, as if someone had entered the room and walked to Pei Yunshu’s bedside.

The gauze curtains divided inside and outside into two worlds, like day and night separated by clear moonlight. However, when Fang Zi had fought with the guards earlier, sword edges had torn the gauze curtains, creating gaps in the moonlight.

Through the torn gaps, Lu Tong glanced outside.

A crimson figure blocked in front of the bed.

Amid the chaos on the floor, he stood with his back to Lu Tong. She couldn’t see his expression, only the completely unsheathed silver blade at his waist.

Lu Tong had seen Pei Yunying draw his blade before, but it seemed he had always only partially unsheathed it before putting it back. This was the first time she saw this bright silver blade completely unsheathed – the blade sharp and fierce, as if the person had shed his amiable mask to reveal the rebellious ruthlessness beneath.

No longer concealing his overwhelming killing intent.

He turned his head slightly, his whole body emanating coldness, yet his voice was gentle and soothing as he spoke to Lu Tong.

“Continue.”