Xia Qing’s words deepened Xiao Du’s worries. Despite his early deployment in secret, he still hoped that before everything was fully arranged, the balance between the Xia family, the current emperor, and himself would not be disrupted so quickly. However, if what Xia Qing said was true and the Xia family were to collapse overnight, would his current forces stationed in Ping County be enough to contend with Zhao Yan?
But as he schemed day and night for a way out of the Marquis’ Mansion, little did he know that another matter was quietly unfolding right under his nose…
One morning, as Xiao Du emerged from his room, Nanny Li hesitated to stop him, glancing worriedly back into the house. Xiao Du immediately understood and led Nanny Li into the study, dismissing the people inside before sitting down and asking, “What is it that you want to tell me? Is it about Madam?”
Nanny Li nodded heavily with concern and, on the verge of tears, recounted the whole story. The more Xiao Du listened, the paler his face became, his hand trembling slightly as it rested on the desk…
By noon, Yuanxi finished reading the medical book in her hands and began to needle herself at the acupoints on her arm. Each gold needle pierced her fair skin, causing a faint sheen of sweat to appear on her forehead. After finishing with the needles, she took out a porcelain box from the cabinet. Inside was a dark ointment, emitting a rich sandalwood scent. Yuanxi stared at the ointment with hesitation, then sighed softly. Just as she was about to scoop some out with a spoon, someone suddenly snatched the silver spoon from behind her.
Startled, Yuanxi turned around to see Xiao Du standing behind her with a mixture of anger and tenderness in his eyes.
A flicker of guilt crossed Yuanxi’s eyes as she hastily lowered her head and forced a smile, “Why are you back at this time today?”
Xiao Du’s gaze swept over the gold needles and ointment on the table, “Tell me, what are these?”
Yuanxi clenched her hands together, trying to appear calm, “I’ve been feeling unwell recently, so I tried acupuncture and made some medicine for myself.”
Seeing her increasingly distressed, Xiao Du made as if to leave, “Fine, if you don’t want to tell me, I’ll call Old Zuo over right now and make him tell me what prescriptions he gave you!”
Panicked, Yuanxi grabbed his sleeve and then realized her mistake, “You know already? Who told you?”
Xiao Du turned to her, his face full of pain, “Yes, if it weren’t for someone telling me, I wouldn’t have known that my wife has failed to such an extent. I even needed your nanny to remind me that you went to study medicine because you wanted to cure yourself and that you even risked trying some secret remedy from Old Qiao to conceive!”
Yuanxi bit her lip, her expression turning melancholy, “The prescription Old Zuo gave me was found in an ancient book. Although it carries some risk, it might be effective.” Before she could finish, her face suddenly changed, and she bent over in pain, clutching her abdomen as sweat dripped from her forehead.
Alarmed, Xiao Du rushed to support her faltering body, then realized with rage, “How long has this been going on?”
Yuanxi, enduring the familiar cramps in her abdomen, shook her head weakly, “It’s nothing, the doctor told me these are just possible side effects of the medicine, it won’t harm my body…”
Xiao Du felt a sharp pang in his heart. He quickly pulled Yuanxi into his arms, rubbing her stomach with warm palms, “Why are you so foolish? Didn’t I tell you I don’t care!”
Yuanxi felt the warmth emanating from her lower abdomen, and the cramping sensation subsided somewhat. She let out a long breath and buried her head in his neck, whispering, “I understand, but I still want to have our child. Not for the sake of continuing the family line or for any rivalry, I just want a child who resembles both of us, who can hold my hand and call me mother. If possible, I’d trade anything for that.”
Tears of anguish slid into Xiao Du’s heart as he held her tightly, “But I forbid it! Xia’er, no one is more important to me than you. If you truly want a child, we can try, but not through methods that would harm you.” He gripped her hand firmly, determination in his tone, “If you insist on endangering yourself like this, I’ll go to Old Zuo and ask for a potion to render me infertile, cutting off all hope, sparing you from this torment.”
Yuanxi trembled, then clung to him even tighter, almost wanting to merge him into her flesh. She understood how difficult it was for him to say such words, always protecting her in the most resolute manner, driving away all shadows without retreat.
From that day on, Yuanxi gradually let go of those obsessions because she understood that someone cherished her dearly, unwilling to see her suffer any harm. And since some regrets were irreparable, why let them cause discord between two people who loved each other?
Just when she thought everything could pass so smoothly, something unexpected happened, as if a calm surface suddenly stirred into a whirlpool, engulfing them all.
One day after the Dragon Boat Festival, Yuanxi took Anhe to the Golden Pavilion in the West Market to select new fabrics. The owner of the Golden Pavilion, under the pretext of tailoring clothes to fit, led Yuanxi alone into the inner chamber. Almost the moment she stepped through the threshold, Yuanxi noticed the unusual scent in the room, a blend of sandalwood with the familiar aroma of eucalyptus, a fragrance usually reserved for the palace.
Beside her, Mr. Zhou, the shopkeeper, noticed her change in complexion and discreetly stepped back, bowing slightly, “The nobleman is waiting in the inner chamber. I am but a humble servant, please forgive me, Madam.” Yuanxi glanced inward and caught sight of a glimpse of bright yellow robes behind the pearl curtain. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly bowed inwardly, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Zhao Yan, hidden behind the pearl curtain, smiled faintly and spoke slowly, “Long time no see, cousin. Come in and let’s talk.”
Yuanxi glanced at Mr. Zhou, who hastily closed the door and retreated, realizing she had no other option at the moment. Gathering her courage, she lifted the curtain and stepped inside.
Amidst the lingering fragrance, Zhao Yan sat casually at the table in his everyday attire, with Steward Fu standing behind him, pouring tea. Yuanxi sat down cautiously, tightly gripping the teacup in her hands. The face across from her seemed somewhat blurred in the rising mist, intensifying her anxiety even more. She couldn’t fathom Zhao Yan’s intentions at the moment.
Zhao Yan set down his teacup with a casual air and said, “Time flies, doesn’t it? It’s been almost half a year since you last visited the palace, and it’s been nearly two years since you married Chongjiang. Yet, there’s still no sign of a nephew or niece for me.”
Yuanxi felt her heart-wrenching as she felt the hand holding the teacup trembling, but she quickly suppressed the surge of pain, unwilling to show any weakness at this moment. She maintained a cold tone, “This is a matter between my husband and me, Your Majesty, no need for your concern.”
Zhao Yan glanced at her, seemingly surprised that she could remain composed at this moment. Then, with a hint of amusement, he continued, “Is it now? What a pity. Chongjiang is only a year younger than me, and my eldest son is already nearly five years old. Yet, Chongjiang hasn’t fathered a child yet, which is quite regrettable.”
Yuanxi couldn’t bear it any longer. Her expression grew colder, and she placed the teacup on the table, saying, “Your Majesty, why ask knowingly? Why doesn’t Chongjiang have children? Isn’t it because of your arrangements…” Her voice trembled, and the rest of her words choked in her throat.
Zhao Yan sighed, “I didn’t want this either. Seeing you two like this makes me uncomfortable.” Then he turned to her with a mysterious smile, “If I told you I found a remedy that could cure your illness, allowing you to have children, would you be interested?”
Yuanxi looked at him in disbelief but quickly understood his intention. He had been waiting for this moment, exploiting her weakness. Even if such a remedy existed, he wouldn’t easily give it to her. So she tried her best not to reveal any emotions on her face and said calmly, “Is that so? Thank you, Your Majesty. May I have a look at the prescription?”
Zhao Yan smiled and spread his hands, and Steward Fu respectfully handed her a piece of paper. Zhao Yan waved the paper in front of Yuanxi and said, “This is a secret remedy I obtained from the Miao territory, which can surely cure your illness. But…” He suddenly smirked and asked, “I wonder what you’re willing to exchange for it?”
Seeing his intentions clear, Yuanxi regained her composure. She maintained her indifferent tone and asked, “What does Your Majesty want?”
Disappointed by her lack of desire, Zhao Yan continued, “It’s quite simple. I just want the silver bow hanging in your husband’s room, the one bestowed by the late emperor.”
Yuanxi was slightly taken aback. At that moment, she had imagined many possibilities, but she never expected that he would go to such lengths for that silver bow. Could there be some hidden significance behind it? Zhao Yan leaned in, his voice seductive, “Just sneakily get that bow for me. I can assure you, I won’t use such a thing to harm you. Think carefully, cousin. A momentary favor is nothing compared to securing your status as his legitimate wife. Though Chongjiang might not care now, as time goes on, this matter might become a thorn in his heart. A woman’s beauty fades, and without a child to hold his heart, your position as his wife may be precarious.”
Yuanxi toyed with the teacup lid, suddenly feeling a surge of irony. She stood up slowly, bowed to Zhao Yan, and said, “Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. But I will never do anything behind my husband’s back, nor will I engage in any transactions without his knowledge.” She smiled faintly, “If Your Majesty has no other orders, I will take my leave now. My maid outside must be very worried.”
Zhao Yan’s expression changed immediately, and he frowned as he stood up, “You don’t want this remedy?”
Yuanxi turned back, her face displaying a gentle yet firm light, “Between my husband and me, we’ve never needed any blood ties to sustain us. All we have is love and trust for each other. I’m afraid Your Majesty may never understand that.” With that, she straightened her back, lifted the pearl curtain, and left.
Zhao Yan sat back heavily, his expression grim. Steward Fu hurriedly fanned him and said, “Your Majesty, don’t be angry. Lady Xuan Yuan doesn’t know what’s good for her. You’ve wasted your kindness.”
Zhao Yan sighed deeply, “I knew she wouldn’t agree from the start. But I didn’t expect her to refuse so decisively.”
Steward Fu hesitated for a moment, then swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue: If you knew she wouldn’t agree, why bother to seek disappointment?
Zhao Yan placed the paper in his hand into the candle flame. He watched as the pale yellow paper burned, engulfed by the flickering fire. “At least now, Xiao Du knows there’s a secret hidden in that bow. When he discovers it, he’ll naturally come to me.” He smirked lazily, “I just couldn’t stand their sickeningly sweet display of affection. I couldn’t resist stirring up some trouble.”