Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

After the autumn banquet, Cui Zeyu and Xie Yunting became acquainted. They met again at a restaurant, drank and chatted happily, and began to have contact with each other.

Xie Yunting came from humble beginnings and hated the rules and regulations of the aristocratic families in Bianjing. After arriving in Bianjing, he couldn't get along with many people.

Unfortunately, the emperor relied heavily on him, and many people in Bianjing dared not speak out against him.

When Caiyue found Cui Zeyu, Xie Yunting happened to come to the door. Cui Zeyu learned that Yu Jie'er had been slandered and that it was difficult for her to prove her innocence. Since this was a shameful matter in the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion, he asked Xie Yunting for help without thinking.

Xie Yunting snorted coldly, his eyes filled with disgust. "What talk of benevolence and morality? It's all just hypocrisy. This is easy to handle. Since your sister thinks Princess Rongjia is faking her pregnancy, just have a doctor come and take a look."

"I'm afraid Princess Rongjia won't agree. My brother-in-law and Old Madam Song are both on Princess Rongjia's side. If they try to stop her, my sister won't be able to stand up to them alone." Cui Zeyu was full of worry about this.

"That's easy. Princess Rongjia is the Emperor's niece. If she has miscarried, just have the Emperor send an imperial physician to examine her. Leave this to me; I'll get the imperial physician for you." After saying this, Xie Yunting rode into the palace. He had an imperial token bestowed by the Emperor, so he didn't need to announce his arrival.

Cui Zeyu waited at the entrance of the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence. When he saw Xie Yunting bring the imperial physician, he hurriedly led his men to the Wutong Garden.

Inside was Princess Rongjia's boudoir. Cui Zeyu, being a man, couldn't easily go in, so he stopped in the outer room. "Sister, the Emperor learned that the Princess had miscarried and, worried about her health, specially sent an imperial physician over."

How did the Emperor know that Princess Rongjia had miscarried?

Everyone in the room shared this thought.

Cui Lingrong didn't care about anything else and hurriedly went out, where she actually saw the imperial physician.

Princess Rong and her entourage arrived shortly after. Upon seeing the imperial physician arrive, carrying the Emperor's decree, Princess Rong frowned deeply.

Cui Zeyu walked to her sister's side and gestured for her not to be afraid, "Sister, I'm here."

"What's this?" Cui Lingrong gave a look.

Cui Zeyu immediately explained, "It was General Xie who helped invite them."

The sound was neither too loud nor too soft; everyone inside the room could hear it.

Cui Lingrong was unaware that her younger brother had become so close to Xie Yunting. This was a stroke of luck for her, so she immediately said to Princess Rong, "Your Highness, since it is the Emperor's will, please do not obstruct it any further, otherwise..."

She paused and didn't say anything.

She figured the imperial physician certainly didn't know about these things at the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence. If they insisted on stopping him, she wouldn't mind repeating it all. Then, as more and more people found out, she'd see if Princess Rongjia was afraid.

No matter how the Princess Consort Rong calculated, she could never have imagined that Cui Zeyu would be able to invite the imperial physician. She never took Cui Zeyu seriously; how dare an ordinary merchant go against the Rong Prince's Mansion!

Princess Rong went to see the imperial physician again, pondering how to make him understand her meaning.

Just then, Xie Yunting's urging voice came from the courtyard, "Brother Cui, hurry up! I'm waiting to go drinking with you. Don't dawdle, the Emperor is waiting for the imperial physician to give his report!"

Cui Zeyu bowed to Princess Rong and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor is just worried about Princess Rongjia's health; it's out of good intentions."

At this moment, Song Shulan and Old Madam Song were both dumbfounded. Cui Zeyu was actually hanging out with Xie Yunting?

In their view, Princess Rongjia was definitely not faking her pregnancy, and they believed her words. Since that was the case, it would be good to have the imperial physician take her pulse; otherwise, if Cui Lingrong said something inappropriate and it reached the Emperor's ears, it would affect Song Shulan's career.

Song Shulan glanced at her mother, and the old lady Song stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, since the Emperor's intentions are good, why not let the imperial physician go in?"

Princess Rong glared at everyone in the room. She knew that once the imperial physician entered, her daughter's false pregnancy would be impossible to hide.

Her gaze finally landed on Cui Lingrong's face. She took a deep breath and said, "Mrs. Cui, please come in with me first."

Cui Lingrong raised her eyebrows slightly and saw her younger brother blocking her way. She whispered that it was nothing and followed Princess Rong into the inner room.

There was no one else in the room; not even Song Shulan and her son were allowed to enter.

Only Princess Rongjia and her daughter, along with Cui Lingrong, were present. Princess Rong looked at Cui Lingrong and said, "The Rong Prince's Mansion will not pursue today's matter. You may send the imperial physician back."

"Your Highness, the imperial physician was sent by the Emperor. I am not capable of that." Cui Lingrong knew that Princess Rong knew the outcome was already lost, and she could not compromise.

If we don't confirm today that Princess Rongjia's pregnancy is fake, many things will remain unclear in the future.

Cui Lingrong was unusually assertive. She glanced at Princess Rong and continued, "Or is it true, as I say, that the princess is faking her pregnancy, and Your Highness is an accomplice?"

"Cui Lingrong, do you even know what you're saying?" Princess Rong would never admit to faking a pregnancy, much less drag herself into it, so she resorted to threats. "I've heard that your father has been an official for so many years, yet he's still just a lowly fifth-rank official. It seems your Cui family isn't very capable, and neither have your brothers. Cui Lingrong, do you really think an ant can crush a mountain?"

"Your Highness, I have no intention of overthrowing anyone; I only wish to prove my innocence." Cui Lingrong still refused to budge. "Besides, as long as the princess is innocent, let the imperial physician come in and take her pulse. You can do whatever you want with me."

"Fine, fine, you really are stubborn!" Princess Rong said, her face flushed with anger.

Princess Rongjia on the bed also panicked. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Cui Lingrong call the imperial physician in.

The imperial physician outside, unaware of the situation, entered the room upon hearing someone shouting.

"Your Highness is also very worried about the Princess's health. Please ask the imperial physician to take the Princess's pulse as soon as possible," Cui Lingrong said first.

The imperial physician sensed that the atmosphere was a bit strange, but since he was there on the emperor's orders, he simply took the pulse and didn't ask any other questions.

Princess Rong frowned, and Princess Rongjia was sweating profusely, refusing to remove her hand.

Song Shulan walked over and comforted her, "Princess, don't be afraid. The imperial physicians are highly skilled and will surely be able to heal you."

Cui Lingrong also said, "Yes, Princess, what are you worried about? Or do you really seem like...?"

"Rongjia!" Princess Rong interrupted Cui Lingrong, looking at her daughter, "Have the imperial physician take your pulse."

Princess Rongjia stared wide-eyed in disbelief. Was her mother going to give up on her?

Seeing her mother nod slightly, Princess Rongjia reached out her hand in despair, turned her head away, and closed her eyes.

The imperial physician began taking his pulse, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. After practicing medicine for over twenty years, he momentarily doubted his own medical skills. "Strange."

"What's so strange?" Song Shulan asked impatiently.

Grandma Song also craned her neck to look over, waiting for the imperial physician to continue.

Cui Lingrong didn't go to see the imperial physician; she already knew the outcome and knew without even thinking what the physician would say next.

She was looking at Princess Rong, wondering why Princess Rong would agree to let the imperial physician take her pulse.

"Having practiced medicine for many years, I can confirm that the princess did indeed consume some cold-natured foods, but she has never been pregnant. The bleeding and discomfort are due to her body being too cold, causing painful menstruation." After the imperial physician finished speaking, he discovered something else and his eyes widened in horror.

As he hesitated whether to speak, Song Shulan turned ashen-faced. The princess wasn't pregnant after all.

Grandma Song exclaimed in surprise, "What? Not pregnant?"

The imperial physician confirmed, "This is absolutely true. I don't know why it was misdiagnosed before. As for this bleeding, it's because my period started, which is why it was mistaken for a miscarriage."

If there's something you don't know, the imperial physician will never ask too many questions; this is an experience he gained from over twenty years in the Imperial Hospital.

After thinking it over, he decided to pretend that he hadn't discovered anything else and said, "In that case, I'll go and write a prescription first. The princess's constitution is too cold, and she needs to be properly regulated."

The imperial physician, not wanting to get involved in the affairs of the powerful and even less wanting to offend the Rong Prince's Mansion, withdrew first.

Cui Lingrong went to see Princess Rong, "The matter has been investigated, and I beg Princess Rong to grant my daughter and me a just punishment..."

Before Cui Lingrong could finish speaking, Princess Rong slapped Wang Shanxi's wife across the face and angrily scolded, "How did you serve her? Don't you know whether the princess is pregnant or not?"

Wang Shanxi's wife immediately understood, knelt down and kowtowed, "This old servant was wrong. It was only because the princess had not had her period and was experiencing morning sickness, and with Doctor Xu's diagnosis, this old servant did not suspect anything."

"If you can't do your job, don't serve the princess!" Princess Rong scolded, then immediately ordered, "Someone, pass on my password and bring Doctor Xu here. I want to see why he would harm my daughter!"

After saying that, Princess Rong looked at Cui Lingrong gratefully, "I was wrong to judge people. I never expected that such a scourge would come from my side. If it weren't for your insistence, our royal family would have been killed at some point."

"She's adaptable and resourceful; quite the skill." Cui Lingrong thought to herself, "No wonder she's a princess; she's far more capable than Princess Rongjia."

She looked at Princess Rong with a half-smile, "Indeed, we need to investigate this thoroughly. If the princess is unaware of the matter, then it will be difficult for Doctor Xu to handle it alone, won't it?"

Princess Rong had a bad feeling; clearly, Cui Lingrong had no intention of stopping while she was ahead.

Cui Lingrong continued, "With so many people serving the princess, and the old women having given birth, it's normal that one person didn't notice anything amiss, but how come a whole group of people didn't notice?"

And how do you explain the fact that my people found the menstrual belt that Qingxue secretly burned?

If it was Qingxue's own menstrual pad, why burn it?

"Is it really not that I'm acting on behalf of the county magistrate to cover things up?"

Four questions in a row left Princess Rong completely bewildered. She said, "How could Cui Lingrong be so sure that Rong Jia wasn't pregnant? It turns out she really did have evidence!"