Chapter 63: Her Period Has Arrived

Recalling True Lord Yunyin's warning, Ning Junruo paused slightly, then calmly withdrew her hand.

"Wasn't Sister a firm believer in Daoist Nun Miao from the Yiyi Pavilion previously? Now that such a situation has arisen, why haven't you thought of asking them to take a look?" she asked softly.

At the mere mention of this, Xiao Yunji's tears fell like broken pearls.

"Ever since she came to the Prince's Manor last time and gave me a box of prenatal pills, she has never visited again. After taking the pills for two days, I felt the effects were mediocre. True Lord Yunyin checked them and said they contained cinnabar, advising me not to take them anymore, so I followed his advice."

"Afterwards, I sent Cherry to invite her a few times, but she declined on the grounds of being busy. I trusted her so much before, but who would have thought my health would get worse and worse after getting pregnancy? Sister, do you think there's something fishy about her fertility pills?"

When Miao Shan visited last time, Ning Junruo had already warned her in secret, and she figured Miao Shan would not dare to run wild in the Prince's Manor again.

Moreover, her trip to the Nether Valley Mystic Sect to seek an audience with True Lord Yunyin had long spread throughout Liangzhou. With True Lord Yunyin's discerning eyes, how could Miao Shan's little tricks escape exposure?

Thinking of the various rumors outside, Ning Junruo sighed softly. She was not magnanimous enough to forgive Chang Yumang's previous actions.

After all, she was merely basking in Xiao Yunji's reflected glory.

Even if her leg affliction could be miraculously cured this time, Ning Junruo firmly believed that with the evidence in her hands, her good days would not last much longer.

Contemplating the actions she was about to take, Ning Junruo let out another sigh: "Just take your medicine with peace of mind and look after your health. Do not dwell on other matters."

Upon leaving the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Ning Junruo asked the estate physician, "The Consort has been taking her medicine for so long, why hasn't there been any visible improvement in her health?"

The physician bowed respectfully.

"Replying to the Princess Consort, when this old man took the Consort's pulse, I found that her pulse has gradually grown calm. Her health is indeed recovering step by step."

With a deep and slightly surprised look in her eyes, Ning Junruo asked, "Then why is she still bedridden?"

"The Consort suffered a severe deficiency of vital energy and blood this time, and her appetite is poor as well. It is only natural that she remains in bed to rest," the physician explained.

Doubt still lingered in Ning Junruo's heart: "True Lord Yunyin has clearly cleared the Gu poison from her body, yet her monthly period has still not arrived... Could she truly be pregnant?"

The physician gently shook his head. "The pulse does not indicate pregnancy, or perhaps her period is simply about to arrive."

Ning Junruo frowned slightly. "The Dowager Consort and the Prince both earnestly hope that she can add offspring to the estate. Yunji even had people start preparing baby clothes. If it turns out she is not pregnant after all, I wonder what they will think?"

The physician shook his head once more, pondered for a moment, and lowered his voice. "This old man has heard that among the women who previously visited Miao Shan, some indeed conceived children. But there are also those, like the Consort, who continually tried to preserve a nonexistent pregnancy in vain. Not only did they waste a vast amount of wealth, but in the end, failing to save the so-called fetus, they almost cost themselves their lives..."

Hearing this, Ning Junruo's expression shifted slightly, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes.

"What on earth is Miao Shan's background? How dare she use the banner of the Nether Valley Mystic Sect to harm people to this extent?" she muttered to herself, turbulent currents surging in her heart.

"Princess Consort, this matter is indeed bizarre. Although such things have happened, Miao Shan's reputation remains prominent," the physician lowered his voice, his words full of caution.

Ning Junruo nodded. "Continue to closely observe any changes in the Consort's condition, and report any abnormalities to me immediately. As for Chang Yumang... let nature take its course."

This Chang Yumang had slandered her time and time again, and the physician had never liked her anyway.

The phrase "let nature take its course" explained everything!

The physician uttered a compliance, then bowed and cupped his fists in farewell.

After parting ways with the physician, Ning Junruo strolled along the bluestone paths of the estate, pondering her next move.

Lingxiao suddenly stepped before her silently, slipping a small note into her palm. "Princess Consort, Old Xu just sent this over, urging you to reply as soon as possible."

She had to admit that Lingxiao and Tumid's execution skills were truly exceptional. Sensing that no one else was around, Ning Junruo unfolded the note and began to read.

Upon seeing the contents, she could not help but smile knowingly. Xu Mingyi's efficiency was truly reliable...

Thinking of the instruction to reply as soon as possible, a thrill ran through Ning Junruo's heart. She feared that at this very moment, he was pacing outside the manor walls, anxiously awaiting her response.

Pacing her steps, Ning Junruo returned to the Yilan Residence, hurriedly took up her brush, and penned a reply. Once finished, she carefully sealed the envelope and handed it to Lingxiao, a trace of unperceived anticipation flashing in her eyes.

"Deliver this to him personally, and make sure no one else finds out."

Lingxiao acknowledged the order and swiftly vanished from the Yilan Residence, leaving Ning Junruo standing alone by the window, gazing at the tall estate walls in the distance, her heart a tumult of mixed emotions.

True to Murphy's Law, what one fears the most arrives the soonest. Before dawn the next day, just as Ning Junruo finished washing and grooming, Cherry hurried over, stating that her young mistress had an urgent matter and wished to request the Princess Consort's presence.

Ning Junruo glanced at her indifferently. "Has something happened to your mistress's health?"

Avoiding her gaze, Cherry finally nodded. "What the Princess Consort says is true; something is indeed wrong with my mistress's health."

"Does the physician know?"

Ning Junruo's calm demeanor made it seem as though she had known all along.

"The physician came to check on her last night," Cherry said submissively, entirely stripped of her former arrogance.

"Have the Dowager Consort and the Prince gone over?" Ning Junruo asked.

Lowering her gaze, Cherry replied in a low voice, "Fearing to disturb their peaceful rest, we haven't dared to alert them just yet."

Seeing her like this, could it be...

Rising to her feet, Ning Junruo said, "I will go with you to take a look."

When Ning Junruo arrived, Xiao Yunji was sitting on the bed with her arms wrapped around her knees, weeping silently.

"What is the matter?" Ning Junruo asked. "Weren't you doing well just yesterday?"

"I... I... my child..."

Xiao Yunji's shoulders shook as she wept with exceptional heartbreak.

"Did your period come?" Ning Junruo asked tentatively.

Xiao Yunji whipped her head up, gazing at Ning Junruo through tear-filled eyes, and choked out, "No... it's... blood... so much blood..."

"Has the physician examined you? What did he say?" Ning Junruo looked at her with a trace of sympathy.

"He said it's my period, but I simply don't believe it! How could it possibly be my period? I was clearly pregnant..."

Her vacant gaze made her look like she had lost her backbone.

"Sister, am I destined to be childless for the rest of my life?"

Xiao Yunji's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, steeped in profound self-reproach and sorrow.

Just as immense her joy had been prior, just as profound was her sorrow now. How could Ning Junruo not understand her feelings?

Watching her obsessed state, Ning Junruo gripped her hand tightly and said firmly, "Yunji, do not be sad. Some things cannot be forced, and before long, you will understand."