Princess Consort Rui looked at Duoduo, her eyes involuntarily widening.
"What did you say?"
Duoduo did not speak; she just looked at Princess Consort Rui calmly.
Princess Consort Rui felt as if her bones had been pulled out, collapsing weakly onto the soft couch.
"Is what you said true?"
Duoduo nodded. "I am sure!"
"If you don't believe me, you can have a doctor you trust check your pulse."
Princess Consort Rui remembered that the doctor her maiden family sent yesterday had not left yet.
"Jinzhi!"
Jinzhi hurriedly pushed the door open and walked in.
"Your Highness, what are your orders?" Jinzhi shot a displeased glare at Duoduo.
"The doctor from yesterday, has he not left yet?" Princess Consort Rui asked urgently.
Jinzhi nodded, looking confused.
"Yes, Your Highness. Didn't you say you had a message for him to take back? So, he is still waiting for your word."
"Go, bring him here." Princess Consort Rui waved her hand.
"Yes, this servant will go right away!" Seeing that Princess Consort Rui's face looked terrible, Jinzhi hurried out.
Soon, Jinzhi returned with a stern-looking middle-aged man.
Duoduo looked at him curiously.
The middle-aged man walked to the center of the room, looking straight ahead, and bowed to Princess Consort Rui.
"You, come take my pulse!" Princess Consort Rui tried hard to calm herself down.
Although the middle-aged doctor found it a bit strange, he respectfully stepped forward to take her pulse.
Halfway through, he let out a sound of surprise.
"What is it?" Princess Consort Rui asked coldly.
The doctor withdrew his hand and bowed.
"Congratulations, Your Highness. Most of the toxins in your body have been cleared."
"Now, with just a little recuperation, your body will definitely return to full health."
Princess Consort Rui lowered her sleeve and looked coldly at the doctor.
"And what about the child in my womb?"
A trace of hesitation appeared on the doctor's face.
"Speak!" Princess Consort Rui shouted sternly.
The doctor bowed lower. "To answer Your Highness, the fetus may have health issues due to the influence of the toxins."
"This humble one suggests that Your Highness give up this pregnancy."
"Afterwards, this humble one will do his utmost to help Your Highness condition your body, so you may conceive a royal heir again soon."
Princess Consort Rui's hands hidden in her sleeves dug fiercely into her palms.
"The child in my womb, is it a girl!"
Princess Consort Rui's words made the doctor shiver.
He fell to his knees.
"Spare my life, Your Highness! This humble one was only following orders!"
Princess Consort Rui froze, a look of disappointment and bitterness crossing her face.
"Whose orders? Was it my father? Or Prince Rui?"
The doctor lay prostrate on the ground, trembling.
"Your Highness?" Jinzhi felt the sorrow radiating from Princess Consort Rui and could not bear it.
Feeling the sharp pain from her palms, Princess Consort Rui regained some of her senses.
"Jinzhi, escort him out of the manor." Princess Consort Rui almost ground her teeth as she spoke.
"Yes!"
Jinzhi stood in front of the doctor. Having escaped disaster, the doctor hastily scrambled up from the floor and followed Jinzhi out.
Princess Consort Rui lowered her head, remaining motionless.
She connected all the events in her mind.
After she was poisoned, the diagnosing doctor said she was carrying a son.
It was exactly because of this that Princess Consort Rui swore to death she would not transfer the poison to the fetus.
Later, Prince Rui personally petitioned and brought in an imperial physician.
The imperial physician's words were roughly the same as the first doctor's.
They all suggested flushing the toxins into the fetus to reduce the harm to her.
When the doctors sent by her maiden family heard the imperial physician's suggestion, they all echoed it.
It was only because she stubbornly insisted that they temporarily sealed a portion of the toxins within her own body.
In truth, her family's doctor had long diagnosed that the child in her womb was not a son.
But why did they all deceive her like this?
If Duoduo had not exposed it, would she have died without ever knowing the truth?
Princess Consort Rui also remembered that at first, right after she was injured, Prince Rui was very anxious.
However, once the doctor from her maiden family arrived, Prince Rui never asked about it again.
Even when she proposed to recuperate in a separate courtyard, Prince Rui did not object.
Princess Consort Rui covered her face, tears streaming down.
Prince Rui had known all along that she was not carrying a son!
Yet, not a single person had told her the truth!
Why?
Princess Consort Rui did not understand!
A small hand gently stroked Princess Consort Rui's head.
Princess Consort Rui pulled Duoduo into her arms, resting her head on Duoduo's neck, and sobbed softly.
Duoduo was stunned for a moment, then raised her hand and gently patted Princess Consort Rui's back.
After seeing the doctor out, Jinzhi returned to see this scene.
Princess Consort Rui was holding the little Princess Changle, crying her heart out in a suppressed manner.
"Your Highness?"
Jinzhi quickly closed the door and walked to Princess Consort Rui's side.
After a good cry, Princess Consort Rui vented the emotions in her heart and felt much better.
She dried her tears with a handkerchief and let go of Duoduo.
"Did I scare you?" She squeezed out a smile at Duoduo.
Duoduo shook her head.
"Father says that crying is a woman's right, an ability that men can only envy."
"Only by crying it out will it not become a knot in your heart."
Princess Consort Rui looked blank for a moment. "Did your father really say that?"
Duoduo nodded.
"Yes! But father also said that crying cannot solve problems."
Princess Consort Rui broke into a smile through her tears. "Your father is right!"
Seeing that Princess Consort Rui's mood had improved significantly, Duoduo spoke.
"Have you made your decision? Teacher said we can't stay too long."
Li Jin had noticed that after they arrived, pigeons had flown out towards the capital.
Li Jin had managed to intercept the letters.
But Prince Rui would definitely find out soon that they had been here.
Duoduo remembered that Prince Rui was suspicious by nature. Once he found out, it would not be good for Princess Consort Rui.
Looking into Duoduo's crystal-clear eyes, Princess Consort Rui felt a moment of daze.
"I want to save her! Please help me!"
A firm look appeared in Princess Consort Rui's eyes.
Duoduo nodded.
She took out silver needles from her clothes. "I need to give you acupuncture, and then I will write a prescription for you."
"Take the medicine according to my prescription for a month, and the toxins will be cleared."
"Alright! Jinzhi!" Princess Consort Rui whispered an order to Jinzhi.
Jinzhi hesitated for a moment but turned and walked out.
Princess Consort Rui lay down, and Duoduo rolled up her clothes to expose her belly.
Princess Consort Rui was a bit nervous, her hands clenched into fists.
Duoduo swiftly inserted the needles. Princess Consort Rui stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Soon, Duoduo removed the silver needles and adjusted Princess Consort Rui's clothes.
"All done, you can take a nap now."
Princess Consort Rui held Duoduo's hand, reluctant to let go.
"Are you leaving?"
Duoduo nodded. "Teacher said the people in the manor are sending letters to the capital."
Princess Consort Rui froze, a mocking smile appearing on her lips before quickly vanishing.
"Princess Changle, tell me, will we meet again?"
