Chapter 36
“Miss Li? I presume she is the young lady Older Cousin rescued.” Zhao Shuheng smiled bitterly. “I heard Lanxi mention her last time.”
“She truly is fortunate to have met Older Cousin.” The more Zhao Shuheng spoke, the more bitter the smile on his face became, until in the end, he could no longer smile at all.
The moment he thought of Fourth Younger Sister, even pretending became impossible. It was as if flames were wrapped around the softest part of his heart, burning it. That pain was difficult to describe. Fortunately, he was already moving toward revenge.
Zhao Shuheng quickly restrained his emotions and once again returned to his usual solemn appearance. “Since Older Cousin has other matters, I will take my leave first. Only, as for what I said today, I sincerely hope Older Cousin will consider it carefully. There is no need to give me an answer in a hurry.”
Gu Wan blocked Zhao Shuheng’s path and instructed him, “I hope that what Your Highness said today will not be known by any third person, including Noble Consort Rong.”
Zhao Shuheng did not think too much about it. He only assumed Gu Wan was naturally cautious, which was why she said this, so he agreed.
After seeing Zhao Shuheng off, Gu Wan did not hurry upstairs. Instead, she asked Lanxi, “Did you say everything?”
“According to Young General’s instructions, not a single word was missed.”
“What was her reaction?”
Lanxi recalled what Miss Li had said just now and repeated it. “Miss Li was very distressed about the money.”
Gu Wan: “…”
“Nothing else?”
Lanxi cupped her fists. “Originally, Miss Li wanted to go downstairs to find you. After hearing those words, she seemed quite happy at first, but then suddenly said she was tired. However, seeing the dark circles under her eyes and her weary expression, perhaps it was because she was physically unwell. There was no other reaction.”
Gu Wan knew that Zhao Shuheng would definitely bring those few Sangxie people to her today.
And all she needed to do was deliberately let Li Yueyue discover this scene.
Sangxie had always been known for unity. If their master fell into trouble, they would never sit by and ignore it. So if Gu Wan wanted to know whether Li Yueyue had any connection to Sangxie, she only needed to look at Li Yueyue’s reaction at that moment.
As for feeling distressed about the money, that was rather interesting.
However, Lanxi was not very good at reading expressions and observing people. She was not as careful as Ziying. So Gu Wan felt it would be better to go upstairs and take a look herself.
After she pushed open the door, the girl had just tossed a candy into her mouth. The powder-purple wrapper outside the candy was still pinched in her palm, not yet put down.
“I heard from Lanxi that you were looking for me?”
Shang Rongyue recalled what she had just said. She had clearly said that if Shen Sanniang had something to say, she could come upstairs to find her; Shang Rongyue was too lazy to go down.
Heaven knew that the tendons in her two legs were still faintly aching now. Standing in the corridor for that while had truly used up the last of her strength.
However, thinking that Shen Sanniang had spent no small amount of silver to vent anger on her behalf, Shang Rongyue still put on a smiling face. “Yes, I have something to say to Sanniang.”
After all, Shen Sanniang was someone who could get people out from the government authorities. She was a bandit with a background. Provoking her would bring no good results, but if Shang Rongyue coaxed her well, Shen Sanniang would be an excellent shield for her.
She pulled Gu Wan down to sit. “Recently, Sanniang has spent so much money because of me. Yueyue feels very sorry in her heart and doesn’t know how she should repay you.”
“What candy did you just eat?” Gu Wan suddenly asked without context.
“Ah?” Shang Rongyue was suddenly asked this and only then realized that she had not really savored the candy’s flavor. Her tongue rolled the candy ball around, and after carefully distinguishing it, she finally gave the other woman an answer. “It seems to be pomegranate.”
“Seems?”
“I’m not sure either. The wrapper doesn’t say. Probably.” Shang Rongyue answered honestly. The candy was a watery red color and had a faint pomegranate flavor, but it was covered by the candy’s sweetness. For a moment, she could not tell whether it was pomegranate or some other berry.
“Then I’ll help Yueyue taste it.”
Shang Rongyue thought the other woman was asking her for a candy and was about to find another one according to the color of the wrapper. Her hand had already reached into the paper bag when Shen Sanniang suddenly turned her shoulders, lifted her chin, and made her raise her head. Then Shen Sanniang kissed her.
Shen Sanniang rarely took the initiative to kiss her. On the few occasions she had, it had mostly been when Spring-Welcoming Sigh had flared up, and most of those kisses had only been light kisses on her fingertips or cheeks.
As for the lips, Shang Rongyue was almost always the one who took the initiative. Sometimes, she would even be stopped halfway by the other woman, who would say she was too desirous.
But today, Shen Sanniang seemed to have fallen under a spell. She held Shang Rongyue’s body firmly in her arms, her hand clasping her waist and refusing to let go. Between lips and teeth, she showed no mercy, giving Shang Rongyue nowhere to hide.
Her tongue slipped into Shang Rongyue’s mouth and found that candy. After pushing it aside, she instead clung to Shang Rongyue, lingering over her inch by inch and tasting her thoroughly.
The candy quickly melted under the heat of their entanglement. Clear syrup spread to the corners of their lips, hanging there like lip rouge. The already rosy lips shone like gemstones.
Gu Wan did not forget her purpose. Little by little, carefully, she licked clean the area around the person in her arms’ lips. She did not even spare the syrup on her pearly teeth. By the time they parted, Shang Rongyue’s cheeks were already flushed through, and those two pitiful lips were even more moving. Their deep red color made her look as though she had been terribly bullied.
Shang Rongyue gasped for breath. The way she looked at Gu Wan carried a few traces of timidity.
Normally, she dared to seduce Gu Wan so recklessly because at the beginning of these matters, Shen Sanniang had always dodged again and again. Watching the other woman’s flustered nervousness, Shang Rongyue had found it very amusing.
Excluding Shen Sanniang losing control later, everything at the start had been within her control.
But today, Shang Rongyue had not seduced her. She had not even thought in that direction, yet Shen Sanniang had pressed her down like this.
Shen Sanniang was a martial artist and had so much strength. Shang Rongyue had not even had the chance to dodge.
Such an主动 Shen Sanniang felt extremely unfamiliar to Shang Rongyue.
But Gu Wan was still somewhat unsatisfied. Unable to resist temptation, she lightly pecked the corner of Shang Rongyue’s lips once more before finally pondering and answering, “It does seem to be pomegranate.”
Su Zhaoyun had changed into Lanxi’s clothes today and was waiting at the doorway for Gu Wan so they could go out together.
Only, the room was very quiet, without a single sound. Su Zhaoyun seriously suspected that no one was inside.
Only when the door was pulled open from the inside did Gu Wan straighten the wrinkles in her collar, clear her throat, and say in a low voice, “Let’s go.”
Before leaving, Su Zhaoyun glanced into the room. The bed curtains were lowered, and she did not see Miss Li.
Perhaps she was still resting.
By the time the two arrived at Shen Rong’s side, Shen Rong had just changed into a slightly plainer dress, and her maid was serving her as she did her hair and makeup.
Without the splendor of silk and jewelry, and with her hair styled simply, she actually looked somewhat like the pure and clean version of herself from childhood.
Once, Shen Rong had also been an innocent little girl, chasing and running with the sisters in her family beneath the corridor. It was unknown when she had stopped smiling so openly. When she was happy, she covered her face with a silk handkerchief and laughed softly. When she liked something, she only nodded slightly. Even the buyao on her head rarely swayed when she walked. Every gesture showed the elegance of a noble young lady.
She no longer loved to laugh, and she rarely became close to others. She had truly become the so-called young lady of an aristocratic family.
And with Gu Wan, she had gradually become unfamiliar too.
Looking at her younger female cousin’s attire today, Gu Wan felt slightly dazed.
“Older Cousin is here.” Today, Shen Rong wore a pale purple dress, her hair neatly coiled behind her head.
Although it was the hairstyle of a married woman, paired with this outfit, it did not look old-fashioned at all. In addition, the single jade buyao was just the right ornament, steady but not lacking nobility.
“Older Cousin came just in time. For today’s matter, Older Cousin must accompany me. I don’t feel at ease with anyone else.”
Yesterday, Shen Rong had said her body was unwell. This should be what she was referring to. Because it involved a woman’s body, Zhao Shuheng naturally could not follow beside her.
“Once we arrive, Older Cousin must not call me Your Ladyship anymore,” Shen Rong instructed.
This was not difficult to understand. The emperor’s consort had a physical issue, and it was also an illness of the private chambers. Naturally, it was not easy to make a big show of it.
Gu Wan brought Su Zhaoyun along and traveled together with Shen Rong and one personal maid. The carriage wheels turned, and after several turns, they arrived at their destination.
The signboard of the medical hall was not large, but all the patients who came to see the doctor inside were women.
Several women were waiting for medicine in the hall while chatting with one another.
“This Physician Wu is truly skilled. My younger sister had been married for many years without becoming pregnant. He only examined her once and wrote a prescription. Before she even finished the medicine, she became pregnant. By the end of the year, she had a pair of boy-girl twins!”
“Really? Physician Wu is too miraculous!”
“…”
Gu Wan helped Shen Rong down from the carriage and led the group inside.
At the door, the apprentice was diligently copying prescriptions. The maid stepped forward and asked, “My madam’s surname is Shen. She made an appointment with Physician Wu.”
The apprentice put down what he was holding and flipped through the register back and forth. Only after seeing the name on the paper did he let them in. “Madam, this way please.”
They went upstairs. When they arrived at the door, they knocked. Only after receiving permission did they invite the group inside.
Gu Wan had thought the other party would be a white-bearded old man. She had not expected Physician Wu to be under fifty. To have such a reputation at this age was truly not easy.
“May I ask which one is the patient?”
Shen Rong stepped forward and sat on the square stool. After rolling up her sleeve, her maid placed a handkerchief over her wrist.
Although this was a medical consultation, an imperial consort and an unrelated man still had to observe the separation between men and women.
Physician Wu closed his eyes. Only after a long while did he slowly open them.
“May I ask, Madam, what aspect do you wish to have examined?”
Shen Rong said, “May I ask, Physician, if one wishes to seek a child, what should be done?”
Hearing this, Physician Wu frowned. “May I ask, Madam, have you felt any discomfort recently?”
Shen Rong nodded. “I will not hide it from you, Physician. Recently, every time I have contact with my husband, I bleed. Moreover, ever since my monthly courses began this month, the blood has never stopped. Even if the amount is not much, there is always blood on my clothes. May I ask, Physician, can I still bear children like this?”
Physician Wu sighed. “According to Madam’s current condition, you should first regulate your body and replenish what has been depleted little by little before discussing children. If this continues to be delayed, I fear it will be difficult for you to conceive again in this lifetime. Even if you forcefully become pregnant, the child will be very difficult to keep.”
Gu Wan did not understand. Since Shen Rong had never miscarried, how could her pulse be this severe?
The maid beside them was the first to speak. “Physician, did you examine carefully? My madam’s body was healthy before. How could she be this seriously ill?”
Physician Wu shook his head as he spoke. “Bleeding during intercourse is an illness of extreme weakness. If it is treated now, there is still hope. But if time goes on, I fear the consequences in the future will be unimaginable!”
Gu Wan turned back in astonishment. Su Zhaoyun nodded at her, confirming Physician Wu’s words.
At once, Gu Wan’s body stiffened in place.
Bleeding during intercourse was due to physical weakness?
Spring-Welcoming Sigh had caused such a violent reaction in her not because of bloodline, but because her body was weak…
Thinking back on everything from before, Gu Wan only felt an icy chill spread from her legs upward bit by bit.
Especially when she thought of that night beneath the brilliant stars, the girl’s eyes as gentle and obedient as the bright moon in the sky, taking the initiative to kiss her and saying:
“Because it was Sanniang, I was still very happy in my heart.”
But the very next day, Gu Wan had left her aside.
So these past few days, what had she done?
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