“Master Xie’s condition of having no essence is due to the influence of medicinal substances…” The old imperial physician’s expression was grave. “May I ask what medicines Master Xie has been taking recently?”

Concubine Jiang hurriedly brought over the medicines from the past few days.

The old imperial physician smelled them, tasted them, and shook his head. “These are indeed medicines to treat Master Xie’s ailment. Are there any others?”

Xie Jingyu suddenly remembered that before falling ill, he had been continuously taking body-conditioning medicine, said to be excellent medicine that would help the couple smoothly conceive a legitimate son.

He looked at Yun Chu with some disbelief.

He didn’t know why, but a voice in his heart told him that this matter could not be unrelated to Yun Chu.

“Why is my husband looking at me like this?” Yun Chu’s eyes were clear and bright. “It seems my husband suspects me, his lawful wife. There should still be some of that body-conditioning medicine from before. Someone, go fetch it for the imperial physician to examine.”

The servant boy outside immediately brought over the unfinished medicine packets.

The old imperial physician carefully smelled it, twisted some between his fingertips, and continued shaking his head. “This is medicine to condition a man’s body. This prescription is excellent—after three months of use, it will certainly result in bearing a son.”

Xie Jingyu pressed his lips together. “Wife, just now I misunderstood…”

“No need to explain.” Yun Chu’s voice was bland. “I trouble the imperial physician to look carefully again—where exactly does the problem lie?”

The old imperial physician nodded and carefully examined Xie Jingyu’s pulse. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the flowerpot placed on the windowsill, and he hurried over to it.

At the first quarter of the hour of Shen, Xie Shi’an returned from his studies.

Just as he stepped through the main gate, he was summoned by a servant boy from Xie Jingyu’s courtyard.

He thought his father wanted to ask about his studies. Walking in, he saw the servants all keeping their heads lowered, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.

His heart sank. It seemed his father’s illness had worsened again.

Xie Shi’an walked to the doorway and saw that Yun Chu was also in the inner chamber. He bowed in greeting. “Father, Mother.”

“Kneel down!”

Xie Jingyu’s cold shout used almost all his strength.

Seeing that Xie Shi’an stood without moving, he grabbed the cup at his bedside and hurled it over. “I told you to kneel down! Didn’t you hear me?!”

Xie Shi’an didn’t understand what had happened.

But with his father so enraged, he didn’t dare ask more questions. He straightened his back and knelt down.

Xie Jingyu’s eyes seemed to shoot fire. He couldn’t believe even in his dreams that the eldest son he had painstakingly cultivated had actually drugged him.

The magnitude of hope he had placed in this son was matched now by the magnitude of his heartbreak, sadness, pain, and fury!

He couldn’t help but climb up from the bed and grab the flowerpot from the windowsill, smashing it before Xie Shi’an.

The soil mixed with fragments exploded before Xie Shi’an. His complexion changed dramatically.

“Speak! Why did you do this?”

Xie Jingyu supported himself on the table, gasping heavily for breath.

Just now, that old imperial physician had said that because of this pot of flowers, he would never be able to father children again for the rest of his life.

Moreover, it was also because of the medicinal properties of this flower that his illness grew increasingly severe…

If the existence of this pot of flowers hadn’t been discovered in time, within a month, he would have died suddenly…

“Father, is there a problem with this flower?” Xie Shi’an feigned composure. “This is a flower that a peasant woman sold to me, saying it could calm the mind and soothe the spirit. That’s why I bought it back to place in Father’s bedchamber.”

Yun Chu spoke slowly, “An, do you truly not know what flower this is?”

Xie Shi’an didn’t dare meet her eyes at all. He kept his head lowered and said, “Your son truly doesn’t know. Please, Father and Mother, speak plainly.”

“An, you disappoint me too much.” Yun Chu shook her head. “You’ve always been clever, well-read in numerous books. You always have your own considerations before doing anything. Do you think your father and I would believe you sent a pot of flowers to be placed here for no reason at all?”

Her voice turned cold and sharp. “The physician said I suffer from infertility. Can I also suspect that this is related to you?”

Xie Shi’an suddenly raised his head. “No, Mother, I didn’t do such a thing!”

“I can understand why you did this.” Yun Chu showed a bitter smile. “You were afraid that after your father and I had a legitimate son, we would neglect you, distance ourselves from you. That’s why you committed this act… But my understanding is one thing; accepting and forgiving is another matter. An, I will never be able to have children of my own for the rest of my life… Now, are you satisfied…”

After she finished speaking, she pressed her lips tightly together and walked out of the room.

Xie Shi’an had a bellyful of words to explain.

Before he could stand up, his chest cavity received a kick. It was Xie Jingyu using all the strength in his body to kick him in the heart.

“How could I have given birth to such an unfilial son like you!” Xie Jingyu fell back onto the bed. “Get out! Get out of my sight!”

He had always taken pride in Xie Shi’an, was certain this son would be the future pillar of the Xie Family, believed this son would completely transform the Xie Family.

But this son’s methods made his blood run cold.

Yet thinking it over, how could someone who could unhesitatingly force his own birth mother to death tolerate the Xie Family having a true legitimate son who would take everything away?

This son of his had a cold temperament, indifferent and selfish. With such a person, why worry about not ascending to high position…

The Xie Family would ultimately still have to rely on An.

Xie Jingyu closed his eyes.

The only one he had wronged was Yun Chu…

He already had many children, but Yun Chu could never become a mother again.

Xie Shi’an covered his chest and walked out of the room.

He looked at the servant boy waiting at the entrance and spoke in a suppressed voice. “Has anyone come to Father’s courtyard?”

The servant boy kept his head lowered as he answered. “Over an hour ago, Madam brought an old imperial physician to examine the master’s pulse.”

Xie Shi’an lowered his brows and eyes.

He had checked medical texts. That flower needed to be placed in a room for at least a month before it would have medicinal effect.

But he had only sent it over less than ten days ago. How could the imperial physician diagnose that Father’s body had been affected by this flower?

He always felt something was strange about this matter, yet didn’t know where exactly the strangeness lay.

He walked toward Sheng Residence.

Tingxue stood guard at the entrance. “Madam is resting. Young Master, please return.”

Xie Shi’an spoke, “Then I’ll come again tomorrow morning to apologize to Mother.”

Yun Chu sat in the room, not caring in the slightest about Xie Family matters.

She was drawing diagrams, designing three pendants—one for Yu, one for Changsheng, and one to keep for herself.

But the raw jade that Prince Pingxi had given was truly too large. After making three pendants, at least two-thirds would still remain.

She thought about it and drew some jewelry pieces, styles suitable for a little girl, to be made into a complete set of hair ornaments. The little girl would surely love them very much.

The remaining scraps could be made into small beads one by one, paired with tassels she braided herself, which could be hung on Yu’s fan or sword.

Yun Chu spent two days finalizing the designs, then took the drawings to find craftsmen.

Just as she reached the main street, she heard many people discussing matters concerning Prince Consort Liu.

“Have you heard? Prince Consort Liu’s head has fallen to the ground!”

“That fellow from the Liu Family was personally selected by the Eldest Princess as her consort and deeply favored by the Eldest Princess. How could his head have fallen?”

“A relative’s nephew of mine serves in the palace. He says Prince Consort Liu showed improper behavior before the throne, greatly disrespecting His Majesty. In a rage, His Majesty personally struck off Prince Consort Liu’s head!”

“Didn’t you see just now so many bailiffs passing by? I heard the entire Liu Family has been arrested!”

“Even if Prince Consort Liu showed improper behavior before the throne, what does that have to do with the other members of the Liu Family?”

“As for court matters, how would we common folk know so much…”

“…”