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Chapter 178: Adding a Little Brother or Sister for Bao Shu
Chapter 178: Adding a Little Brother or Sister for Bao Shu
Meng Qianqian further inquired about Lady Wang's diet and daily routine, primarily to determine if Lady Wang and Magistrate Wang had been consuming alcohol or taking any medications.
Lady Wang replied, "I have been taking some medicine. After Rou'er's engagement was broken off, I fell ill for a while. The physician prescribed a few doses of medication to regulate my condition. But after you visited me, I recovered, and I haven't taken any more medication since. As for alcohol, I haven't touched a drop, and Wang Daniu doesn't drink either."
Hearing Wang Daniu's name, Meng Qianqian remained relatively calm.
She asked Lady Wang for the prescription, saying, "It's for nourishing qi and blood, and it won't do any harm."
Lady Wang heaved a sigh of relief, "Then I can rest easy."
Meng Qianqian asked, "Are there any other discomforts?"
Lady Wang explained, "Other than feeling sleepier than usual, I have no other discomforts. My menstruation hasn't come, and I thought it was due to menopause. I consulted the physician to help regulate my condition."
When a woman reaches the age of forty-nine, her menstruation usually stops.
Although Lady Wang was not yet at that age, it wasn't uncommon for some women to experience early menopause.
No wonder Lady Wang suspected this and never considered the possibility of pregnancy.
After the initial surprise, Lady Wang became a bit worried, "Oh dear, I wasn't prepared for this. I wonder if..."
Meng Qianqian understood her concern and held her hand, "Lady, your pulse is strong, and your body is healthy. There's no need to worry."
As Meng Qianqian exited the room, the three girls immediately surrounded her.
Zhou Nanyan asked, "Sister Meng, is Auntie Wang expecting?"
Meng Qianqian smiled at them and said, "You're all going to be big sisters now."
Wang Rou blushed with a shy smile, her heart finally at ease.
Lin Xiaoru nodded, not smiling, but her happiness was palpable to those around her.
The most excited was Zhou Nanyan, who exclaimed, "From now on, I won't be the youngest anymore!"
Among the younger generation of the four families, she was the youngest, and she had to address everyone as older siblings.
When Magistrate Wang returned from court and learned that he was going to be a father again after sixteen years, he was overjoyed.
Meng Qianqian returned to the Governor's Mansion and shared the good news with Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan gave a cold hum.
Meng Qianqian asked, "You're not happy?"
Lu Yuan replied, "Why should I be happy for someone else's joy?"
Bao Shu stumbled over and punched him in the arm.
Lu Yuan: "..."
Nurse Li, who was in the room, overheard the news and couldn't help but feel puzzled, "Hasn't the young lady and the young master been sharing a room for some time now? Why isn't there any sign of a baby?"
Both Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan turned away, feeling embarrassed.
Nurse Li hugged Bao Shu and wiped her sweat with a handkerchief, "Why don't we give Miss Bao Shu a little brother or sister too? Miss Bao Shu, do you want a little brother or a little sister?"
Bao Shu: "Chicken."
Nurse Li: "..."
Lady Wang's good news made Nurse Li a bit envious.
She decided to forgive the young master's foolish behavior on their wedding night and allow him to stay more often in the young lady's room.
That evening, a new dish appeared on the dinner table—Deer Meat Soup for Kidney Strengthening and Yang Nourishment.
Under the supervision of the matriarch, Lu Yuan finished every drop of the soup.
Being in the prime of his youth, it was no surprise that Lu Yuan ended up with a nosebleed all over the bed.
When Nurse Wan came to change the bedding early the next morning and saw the bloodstains, she instantly understood.
"Young Master, did your hemorrhoids act up?"
Lu Yuan: "It's a nosebleed... a nosebleed!"
Lu Yuan was genuinely ill and confined to the house. Meng Qianqian instructed the kitchen to brew several large pots of Fire-Clearing Tea for him.
That afternoon, Lu Yuan sat in the study, watching his son tear up his calligraphy scroll while sipping the Fire-Clearing Tea to cool down.
Suddenly, Manager Cen reported, "His Majesty is here."
Lu Yuan replied nonchalantly, "What's he doing here? Didn't he cry enough last time?"
Manager Cen hesitated, "Well... His Majesty is waiting in the Flower Hall..."
Before he could finish, Zong Zhengxi appeared at the study door, his face contorted in grief.
"Alright, no need to invite him in," Manager Cen wisely retreated.
Lu Yuan glanced at Zong Zhengxi and continued drinking his tea.
Seeing that Lu Yuan wasn't paying attention to him, Zong Zhengxi found a chair and sat down on his own.
Before he could speak, he started crying.
Lu Yuan frowned, "You're the Son of Heaven, and you're crying and wailing? Don't forget, you'll be fifteen next month!"
Zong Zhengxi whimpered, "Father Emperor is not well..."
Lu Yuan was taken aback, but quickly regained his composure and asked, "What happened?"
Zong Zhengxi sobbed, "I didn't cry outside, but I started crying when I came here..."
Lu Yuan spoke sternly, "Speak about the matter at hand!"
Zong Zhengxi wiped his tears and sniffled, "Father Emperor has been unconscious for three days, and his breathing is getting weaker. The imperial physicians all say... Father Emperor won't make it through tonight..."
Lu Yuan said coldly, "Why are you here? Go to the Chancellor."
Zong Zhengxi cried, "I wanted to go to him... but I don't know what's wrong... I just ended up here."
Lu Yuan left the study.
Meng Qianqian stood in the corridor, holding a pot of Fire-Clearing Tea.
She had overheard the previous conversation.
Seeing Zong Zhengxi so heartbroken, it was likely that the Retired Emperor was indeed critically ill.
It wasn't surprising that the news hadn't spread, as it concerned the dignity of the nation. Caution was necessary to avoid causing unrest and panic among the people.
"Do you want to go see him?" Meng Qianqian asked.
Lu Yuan said seriously, "I'll send someone to check on him first."
He called Yu Zichuan and gave him some instructions, and Yu Zichuan left.
About an hour later, Yu Zichuan returned with a letter.
Lu Yuan handed it directly to Meng Qianqian, "This is for you."
"Me?" Meng Qianqian asked.
She sat on the stone bench in the courtyard and opened the letter.
It contained a detailed record of the Retired Emperor's symptoms, pulse readings, diagnoses from various imperial physicians, and the prescribed treatments.
It was a comprehensive medical case.
After carefully reading it, Meng Qianqian said to Lu Yuan, "'A fever with thirst, but no aversion to cold, is a Warm Disease.' The pulse reading is a floating and rapid pulse, which also aligns with Warm Disease. The prescription from the Imperial Medical Institute is appropriate, so logically, it shouldn't be getting more severe."
Lu Yuan thought for a moment, "Poisoning?"
As expected of someone who had experienced the intrigues of high society, his guess was bold.
Meng Qianqian said, "The possibility of poisoning is not small, assuming the medicine hasn't been tampered with."
Lu Yuan asked, "If it's been tampered with, can you tell?"
Meng Qianqian nodded, "Yes."
Lu Yuan stood up, "I'll go to the palace and take a look. Regardless, I'll protect you."
Then, he went to the study and said to Zong Zhengxi, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying, "Stop crying, let's go to the palace."
"Oh." Zong Zhengxi obediently followed.
Along the way, Meng Qianqian asked him some questions about the Retired Emperor, mostly related to his health, diet, and daily routine.
Under Lu Yuan's bloodline suppression, Zong Zhengxi answered in detail.
By now, Meng Qianqian had almost ruled out the possibility of the medicine being tampered with.
Could it really be poisoning?
At the palace gate, the guards were astonished to see Lu Yuan.
But they didn't dare stop him, perhaps out of respect for the Son of Heaven's presence or Lu Yuan's remaining influence.
(End of Chapter)
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