Hearing this, Pang Xiao was stunned for a moment, as if he couldn’t immediately comprehend the meaning of Qin Yining’s words.

Seeing his foolish expression, Qin Yining smiled and shook his hand: “What’s wrong?”

“Yining, do you mean you might… be with child?” His voice was somewhat hoarse.

That wasn’t right. Bingtang had said that after he took that medicine, he wouldn’t be able to impregnate a woman for at least five years, and recovery afterward might not be easy. She had also said that his father-in-law had likely been affected by such medicine, which was why he never had children again in his lifetime.

It had only been three years. Could it be that he had a better constitution and the medicine had already lost its effect?

Qin Yining raised an eyebrow and carefully observed his expression.

He seemed more shocked than delighted?

Thinking of the current situation, it truly wasn’t the best time to conceive. Qin Yining sighed lightly and shook her head dejectedly: “I’m not certain. Perhaps it’s because I haven’t been resting well lately, and my diet hasn’t been as refined as before. My health has declined, so delayed menstruation is possible.”

Pang Xiao suddenly snapped back to reality. The responsibility for this matter lay entirely with him—it was because he thought using that medicine meant he didn’t need to worry, which made him increasingly reckless. Now, if she really was pregnant, he was showing this attitude of non-acceptance and unwelcome…

How despicable was he?

“Yining, I was just too surprised. I…”

“I thought you would have guessed, considering we’re both young and healthy,” Qin Yining’s face was flushed, but as her thoughts turned, she suddenly realized something: “Or are you saying you know something that makes you think we won’t have children?”

Pang Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. His wife was too clever—she had caught his slip with just one sentence, truly overwhelming him.

“What could there be? I just thought we’ve been traveling so roughly lately, I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“No, that’s not right. You must be hiding something from me.”

Qin Yining understood Pang Xiao too well, seeing even his most subtle expressions clearly. After thinking for a moment, she swallowed the questions that had reached her lips.

Could it be that her body was damaged after giving birth to the twins, making pregnancy impossible? Was Pang Xiao just afraid she’d be heartbroken and didn’t want to tell her?

She was with Bingtang all day—she could ask Bingtang about it later.

“Forget it. I’m probably just having irregular cycles. It’s not necessarily that. Are you still going to inspect the city later?”

Seeing Qin Yining change the subject, Pang Xiao knew she must have misunderstood.

Not knowing how many times he cursed himself inwardly—why did he become a fool whenever he faced his wife? He quickly pulled her into his arms, his voice urgent: “The inspection can wait. Don’t overthink things. Let’s have Bingtang come take a look now?”

But Qin Yining smiled and shook her head: “It’s fine. Since you don’t want to inspect, let’s rest for a bit. I’m bored all day with nothing to do. I’m always with Bingtang—when can’t I see her? Besides, I don’t have any illness.”

Qin Yining smiled naturally, but Pang Xiao knew she must be concerned about this matter. Rather than let her ask Bingtang and have the truth come out, it would be better for him to speak up himself.

Thinking of this, Pang Xiao stopped asking Qin Yining and directly called out loudly for Bingtang.

Naturally, Qin Yining had wanted to see Bingtang secretly without Pang Xiao present. Unable to stop him, Bingtang still came walking in quickly, and Qin Yining hurriedly stood up and stepped aside.

“Your Highness, Princess Consort.” Bingtang bowed, looking puzzled at Pang Xiao and Qin Yining.

The atmosphere between the masters didn’t seem quite right.

Pang Xiao coughed and said: “Check your mistress’s pulse.”

He helped Qin Yining to sit on the warm kang by the window, then stood there watching eagerly.

These past days of rough travel, stopping and starting, the road conditions hadn’t allowed Qin Yining to maintain her usual lifestyle habits. Since she didn’t feel unwell anywhere, she had temporarily stopped the regular pulse checks, and Bingtang hadn’t examined Qin Yining for half a month. Seeing Pang Xiao so nervous now, and Qin Yining’s expression also unnatural, she quickly composed herself and seriously began the diagnosis.

“Princess Consort, do you feel any discomfort?” Bingtang frowned. “From the pulse, the Princess Consort’s body shows deficiency in both qi and blood, but with careful nurturing, this can be remedied. There’s nothing seriously wrong.”

Pang Xiao suppressed his confusion and unease, saying nothing for the moment.

Since Bingtang was already here, Qin Yining had no choice but to ask: “My monthly cycle is ten days late. I wanted you to take a look…”

Bingtang immediately understood, instinctively glancing at Pang Xiao before turning back to say: “The Princess Consort’s diet has been rough these days, and rest hasn’t been good. This doesn’t necessarily mean there’s joyful news. However, ten days is still short—it can’t be detected from the pulse yet. Why don’t you rest and recuperate these days, Princess Consort? I’ll check on you more frequently, and in about a month, we can be certain.”

Qin Yining felt somewhat disappointed but understood that a pregnancy pulse wasn’t something that could appear just because you wanted it to. Moreover, depending on individual constitution, the time it could be detected from the pulse varied. This matter couldn’t be rushed.

Her beautiful eyes turned, glancing back at Pang Xiao, then looking at Bingtang. Qin Yining smiled gracefully and asked: “Speak up—are you two hiding something from me?”

Pang Xiao, such a heroic figure, seemed somewhat awkward at this moment. An embarrassed smile hung on his handsome face, and he unconsciously scratched the back of his head.

Bingtang lowered her head with furrowed brows, momentarily unsure how to respond properly.

Seeing them both like this, it would be strange not to notice something was wrong.

Qin Yining feigned anger and asked: “What exactly are you hiding from me? Can’t it be spoken in my presence?”

“Yining, don’t be angry.” Pang Xiao smiled. “Actually, there’s nothing we’re hiding from you. We’re together all day—what wouldn’t I tell you? This matter, well, actually is…”

Pang Xiao’s tone was hesitant, and Qin Yining’s face gradually lost its color. Could it really be that something was wrong with her body, that she couldn’t bear children in the future?

Seeing Qin Yining’s face turn pale, Pang Xiao became anxious and said: “Actually, I took a medicine that makes it difficult to impregnate women for five years, so that’s why… I was somewhat surprised.”

Qin Yining’s pupils contracted, and she suddenly looked up at Pang Xiao: “How long have you been taking it?”

“Three years now.” Pang Xiao could only answer obediently at this point.

Qin Yining said in a low voice: “Was this after I gave birth to Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er?”

Pang Xiao nodded, looking at Qin Yining’s angry expression with tightly furrowed willow-leaf brows, anxiously about to explain.

But Bingtang spoke before him: “Princess Consort, please don’t misunderstand. I was the one who gave this medicine to His Highness. When the Princess Consort gave birth, you suffered greatly—the process was both complicated and dangerous. His Highness felt sorry for you and didn’t want you to suffer like that again, so he privately came to me asking if there was any medicine for men to take.

“My late father treated noble ladies in the palace, and privately he also encountered many secrets of ducal and marquis families. Such medicine did exist, so I prepared it for His Highness.”

Qin Yining’s almond eyes widened in disbelief that Pang Xiao would do such a thing.

What man didn’t hope for more offspring? That was precisely why men took concubines and chamber maids. She could never have imagined that Pang Xiao not only didn’t take concubines but had used this kind of sterilizing medicine on himself.

The reason was simply that he feared she would go through the ordeal of childbirth and walk through death’s door again!

Tears fell in streams, rolling onto her clothes and spreading into dark tear stains.

Seeing her tears, Pang Xiao panicked, hurriedly embracing her while his large hands clumsily wiped her tears: “Yining, don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”

Qin Yining was angry that he had secretly done such a foolish thing and pushed his hands away.

Bingtang also realized she hadn’t explained clearly and hurriedly said: “Princess Consort, please rest assured. This medicine doesn’t harm the body—it only uses medicinal effects to suppress conception. After the medicine’s effective period, recovery is possible.

“Of course, this recovery varies from person to person. Some people, after using the medicine once, might never be able to have children again in their lifetime. But others have different constitutions and recover after three to five years. His Highness likely has a good physical foundation, so it won’t affect future offspring. This time, you might already be pregnant.”

Qin Yining frowned and said seriously: “Why wasn’t I told about such an important matter earlier? Offspring is a major issue—what if it really affected our ability to have children?”

Pang Xiao hurriedly held her close, swaying gently, and said tenderly: “Don’t worry. Even if we can’t have more children, I already have Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er. I don’t want you to suffer, and I don’t want to have children with other women. I already have two children—why should I care about such things?”

Hearing this, Qin Yining couldn’t stop her tears from falling. She lowered her eyes and wiped them with her handkerchief, her heart feeling sour and soft, moved yet angry—a complex mixture of emotions.

“I can’t bear to see you cry. Stop crying quickly. My body is perfectly fine. Maybe, as Bingtang said, I’m the type with a good constitution, and the medicine’s effects have already worn off.”

Qin Yining took a deep breath. Things had come to this point—asking more questions would be useless.

“Bingtang, is His Highness’s body recovered now?”

Bingtang said: “His Highness is physically robust, so there should be no problems.”

After all, there were differences between men and women, and she couldn’t ask about many details. Moreover, now that Qin Yining suspected she might be pregnant, if she truly was with child, it would naturally explain everything.

Qin Yining asked worriedly: “If I really am pregnant this time, will having used that medicine affect the child’s health?”

Bingtang recalled the pulse records she had seen at home and remembered her father’s words from years ago. She said with certainty: “Princess Consort, please be assured. This medicine was originally developed by my father and his colleagues at the request of nobility. Some legitimate wives, after bearing children, worried about having too many concubine-born sons competing for favor, so they secretly gave this medicine to their husbands to secure their own children’s positions. Several officials in the former Great Yan court used this medicine, and we still have the pulse records at home. So I can confirm that the children they bore afterward were all very healthy—it doesn’t affect them.”

Qin Yining knew Bingtang came from a learned medical family, and after being so close for so long, Bingtang had always been loyal to her and wouldn’t lie. If there had been any harm, Bingtang wouldn’t have dared give Pang Xiao this medicine originally.

Thinking of this, Qin Yining finally nodded slowly and urged Pang Xiao: “Go handle your business. I’ll sleep for a while.” She clearly didn’t want to talk with Pang Xiao at the moment and was sending him away.

Pang Xiao wanted to shamelessly stay but feared making Qin Yining even angrier. After hesitating repeatedly, he had no choice but to nod: “Then I’ll take people to check the situation in the city. You rest for a while.” He also gave Bingtang a meaningful look: “Take good care of your mistress.”