Basins of blood were carried out. Smelling the strong stench of blood in the room, Xu Yanchi's heart sank.
"Doctor, how is she?" Xu Yanchi asked as soon as the doctor emerged.
The old doctor wiped the sweat off his forehead. "This concubine is out of danger. She was hit in the abdomen, causing excessive menstrual bleeding. I'll prescribe some hemostatic medicine and ointment later. Just take them on time."
It was Chinese New Year. If it weren't for the generous reward from the Marquis Mansion, he wouldn't have come!
The old doctor's words left everyone, including Xu Yanchi, stunned.
"Menstruation? She was pregnant. How could she be having her period?"
The old doctor blew his beard and glared. "I've lived a long life. I'm not so senile that I can't tell the difference between menstruation and a miscarriage!"
"How is that possible!" Xu Yanchi refused to believe it. "Several doctors diagnosed a pregnancy before. How could there be no baby?"
The old doctor's wrinkled face scrunched up. "No wonder the amount of the concubine's bleeding was abnormal. She must have taken some medicine, making her pulse seem like that of a pregnant woman, but there is indeed no baby."
It turned out that Juanlian had been faking her pregnancy!
Xu Yanchi clenched his fists under his sleeves so tightly that the veins on the back of his hands bulged. Sensing the tension, A Cheng quickly took the old doctor away under the pretext of getting the medicine.
The old doctor hadn't bothered to lower his voice, so Juanlian in the bed heard it all. Her pale face was filled with disbelief.
"It's impossible. How could I not have a baby?!"
"It must be a misdiagnosis!"
"How could I not have a baby?!"
Juanlian couldn't believe it. Her baby was already three months old. How could there be nothing?!
How could she accept this?
Xu Yanchi's face was darker than the sky outside. "Why did you fake the pregnancy?"
Juanlian clung to him like a drowning man. "My lord, believe me. I wasn't faking it. I really had a baby!"
"My lord, you accompanied me. Have you forgotten?"
"Enough!"
Xu Yanchi coldly interrupted her. Hearing her mention those things now only reminded him of how stupid he had been, being led around by the nose!
Just then, Jiang Chan spoke up. "Sister, why do this to yourself? You'll have a baby someday. But this..."
"It's you! You did this to me!"
Juanlian stared daggers at Jiang Chan.
Jiang Chan replied calmly. "What do you mean? You said I did this to you. Where's your evidence?"
Juanlian fell silent. She had no evidence, but she was sure it was Jiang Chan. Jiang Chan had deliberately chosen the place to attack her. She did it on purpose!
"Unreasonable! From now on, you'll stay in Banyue Pavilion and don't come out unless necessary!" Xu Yanchi said coldly before storming out.
This was tantamount to house arrest, and there was no end in sight!
"My lord, you have to believe me, my lord!"
But Xu Yanchi had already walked out of the door. No matter how much Juanlian called, it was no use.
Jiang Chan also turned to leave.
"Jiang Chan, give me back my baby!"
Juanlian summoned all her strength and pounced on Jiang Chan, knocking her to the ground. They started to fight.
How could Jiang Chan let Juanlian hit her? She immediately tried to push Juanlian off, but Juanlian was desperate. No matter how hard Jiang Chan struggled, she couldn't break free.
The servants in the room were so intimidated by Juanlian's ferocity that none of them dared to step in.
Juanlian aimed directly at Jiang Chan's abdomen.
Since Jiang Chan had taken away her baby, she would make Jiang Chan feel the pain of losing a baby today!
The sharp pain in her abdomen made Jiang Chan scream and try to protect her belly.
"You're crazy!"
"Someone! Pull her away quickly!"
The servants snapped out of their daze and rushed to pull Juanlian away.
But Juanlian was as hard to restrain as a pig during the Chinese New Year. She used every trick on Jiang Chan. Just as she was being pulled away, she rammed her head into Jiang Chan's abdomen. Her face was hideous, like a crazy woman.
"It hurts. My belly..."
Jiang Chan covered her belly. Cold sweat broke out on her face. But the feeling of a downward pull in her abdomen made her even more panicked. She felt like she was losing something.
"Doctor..."
Baizhi was shocked. "The doctor should still be around. Quick, call him over!"
The old doctor never expected that he would have to see another patient just as he was about to leave.
Xu Yanchi also returned. After learning what had happened, he was shocked and angry. He slapped Juanlian across the face.
"Take her away and lock her in the wood shed. Wait for my punishment!"
Jiang Chan's accident alerted the old madam. Even Ge and Xing came.
The old madam asked in a deep voice. "What happened?"
Xu Yanchi closed his eyes and briefly explained the situation. "Mother, don't worry. The doctor is still inside. Cousin will be fine."
The old doctor spent over half an hour inside. Finally, he shook his head dejectedly.
"This madam is indeed pregnant, but it's been less than two months. She was hit in the abdomen several times just now. I... I'm really powerless. My lord, please find another doctor."
Xu Yanchi's body trembled. "Quick, find another doctor. Find the best doctor in the capital!"
With all this chaos, the family dinner was definitely off.
The imperial banquet in the palace also ended early because of Ji Junye's departure.
It was the first time for the ministers to attend such an early - ending imperial banquet. When they got home, their family reunion dinners weren't even over.
When Ji Junye returned to Zhuoying Courtyard, Shen Qing was making dumplings with Zhuxing and Yingxiu. Nongyun and Yuzhen were outside watching the young maids.
The door opened. Ji Junye was stunned to see the complete set of tools and the people with flour on their faces.
"What... What are you doing?"
Zhuxing and Yingxiu quickly stepped forward to greet him.
Shen Qing said. "Making dumplings. Since we don't have to attend the banquet, we might as well have some fun."
She had made several dumplings with copper coins in them!
"Why did you come back so early?"
Ji Junye said. "The imperial banquet was boring, so it ended early, and I came back."
Wasn't this gentle haven more appealing than staying there and looking at those old faces?
But when Ji Junye came back, Shen Qing stopped making dumplings and asked someone to bring water to wash her hands.
"Don't be in a hurry. I'm free anyway. I'll make dumplings with you."
Yingxiu and Zhuxing looked at each other, thinking they had misheard.
The Emperor wants to make dumplings too?!
As he spoke, Ji Junye washed his hands, sat down beside them, picked up a piece of dumpling wrapper, scooped up some filling with a small bamboo spatula, and pinched the wrapper with both hands. A dumpling was done.
Not only them, but Shen Qing, who had lived two lifetimes, had never seen Ji Junye cook before. It was really strange. Seeing this, she stopped washing her hands and just watched him.
Ji Junye felt uncomfortable under her gaze. "Why are you staring at me?"
Shen Qing said. "I'm thinking that you can even make dumplings. Is there anything you can't do?"
"Didn't you say we should have some fun?"
"I mean, I didn't know you could cook."
Ji Junye curled his lips. "Qingqing, you've forgotten that when I was a child, I didn't even have enough to eat. I had to steal dumplings from the imperial kitchen during the Chinese New Year."
Dumplings weren't that hard to make. He learned how to make them just by watching others.
That was true.
Shen Qing thought to herself that he was so hungry back then that he even snatched her sticky rice dumpling candies.
Thinking of this, Shen Qing directed him to make several dumplings with copper coins in them.
Zhuxing and Yingxiu had given up their seats earlier. Now they looked at each other, their eyes filled with smiles.