Who said the heir would die out? The concubine is pregnant again!

Xu Fanglin sneered inwardly. She knew Zhou Zisu had no good intentions! Saying she wouldn't dare to forge anything—wasn't that last sentence her real purpose?

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tangwei puffed out her cheeks and glared angrily at Zhou Zisu.

"You mean, you can't take out that bottle of Snow Dew unless your cousin consummates the marriage?"

Zhou Zisu's face stiffened. "Miss Zhao, please be careful with your words. I didn't mean that. It's my master who's been holding a grudge. He said that with my qualifications, I could easily be someone's wife, so why should I lower myself to be a concubine?"

I said it was because when I treated Yunqian back then, I undid his clothes... so I had no choice but to stay with him.

Yingzhu had heard about this before. During the time Liang Yunqian was injured and confined to a wheelchair, besides soaking in hot springs, Zhou Zisu would give him acupuncture treatment.

They spent every day together, and Zhou Zisu developed feelings for Liang Yunqian.

However, Liang Yunqian was in no mood for romantic relationships due to a leg injury at the time, and Zhou Zisu used the excuse that the two were too intimate to demand a formal status.

Princess Rui took a liking to her identity as a disciple of a divine physician, and in order to keep her, she gave her the title of concubine.

As for Liang Yunqian's attitude towards Zhou Zisu, did he really dislike her? Or was it because he had been poisoned by Tripterygium wilfordii, which caused him to lose interest in women for several years?

Yingzhu had no idea.

Now that his poison has been neutralized and he is gradually returning to normal, and Zhou Zisu has also returned, perhaps his attitude towards Zhou Zisu will also change.

However, these are not matters for Yingzhu to concern herself with. After all, Zhou Zisu is his concubine in name only, and even if something really happens between the two of them, it would be perfectly reasonable.

Yingzhu was fully aware that her only task was to give birth, and she shouldn't meddle in other people's business.

Xu Fanglin sighed inwardly that none of the women in this mansion were easy to manage; Shen Yingzhu was unruly, and Zhou Zisu was also ambitious.

"Medicine is not a matter of gender. Your excuse is nothing more than your infatuation with the Crown Prince, your greed for the wealth and glory of the Prince Rui's mansion, and your unwillingness to leave."

Zhou Zisu scoffed dismissively, "I am the apprentice of a divine physician. I have the skills to heal the sick and save lives. I have been invited by many high-ranking officials and nobles, but I have never gone. Even the Empress Dowager invited me to the palace to be a female physician!"

I don't care about any glory or wealth; I just want to stay by Yunqian's side. But my master felt sorry for me, saying that I had been in the manor for so long and had not yet consummated my marriage with Yunqian. He was afraid that I would be wronged here and kept urging me to go back.

I almost didn't make it back this time. I knelt before my master for a long time before he finally relented and let me return. He wouldn't give me that bottle of medicine either, saying he'd give it to me as a gift when I became pregnant.

Princess Rui silently calculated that the Empress Dowager's birthday was still two months away. If Yun Qian and Zi Su consummated their marriage, they would still have time to go to her master's place to get the Ningxue Dew.

"It's understandable that your master is thinking about your future. Yunqian was only distant from you before because of the poison from the Thunder Vine. Now that the poison has been cured and he has returned to normal, he will treat you differently."

Xu Fanglin immediately declared, "But Yingzhu is the one chosen by the Taoist priest to be pregnant. Currently, the Crown Prince has not fully recovered, and it is difficult for ordinary women to conceive."

Whether the young master is willing to consummate his marriage with Consort Zhou is still uncertain! Even if they do, she might not be able to conceive, right?

Yingzhu thought to herself that Xu Fanglin really knew how to stir up trouble, using her good fertility to provoke Aunt Zhou, clearly trying to incite Aunt Zhou's hostility towards her!

As she expected, Zhou Zisu raised her chin slightly upon hearing this, her gaze towards Yingzhu filled with disdain.

"We doctors have never believed in fate. But if Your Highness the Queen and the Crown Princess do, I will not make any further judgment."

But according to medical principles, as long as Yun Qian is healthy, any woman can conceive; she doesn't necessarily have to be exceptionally fertile. This kind of statement is far too mystical.

Yingzhu remained composed and dignified in the face of Zhou Zisu's mockery.

"If Aunt Zhou has any doubts about the Taoist priest's words, she can ask him for advice. I never said that I was the only one who could conceive. If the young master is willing to get close to the young master's wife or Aunt Zhou, it would be a good thing. After all, the more people there are, the more chances there is for a baby to be born."

Zhao Tang covered her mouth and chuckled, "Some people have such good ideas, it's just a pity that my cousin has absolutely no interest in her, he won't even consummate the marriage!"

These words were undoubtedly a great humiliation for Xu Fanglin, because she and the prince had been married for so long but had not yet consummated their marriage.

However, Zhao Tangwei's words were a follow-up to Zhou Zisu's, so Xu Fanglin shouldn't have said anything more, otherwise he would have just made a fool of himself.

Zhou Zisu pursed her lips tightly, paused for a moment, and then chuckled:

"I'm Yunqian's woman in his harem anyway, I have a formal title, and sooner or later I'll have the chance to consummate our marriage. It's pitiful that some people have waited for so many years but don't even have a title, how pathetic!"

Zhao Tangwei's mocking smile froze on her face, her small face turning deathly pale. "You..."

Before she could speak, Princess Rui interrupted her.

"Alright, there's no need to argue about this. It's just a matter of each person having the ability. Yingzhu can serve Yunqian in bed, and so can you. It all depends on whether you can win Yunqian's favor."

The two women argued back and forth, and Princess Rui showed no favoritism towards either of them.

Yingzhu knew perfectly well that Princess Rui was using Zhou Zisu to put pressure on her!

If she doesn't surrender, others will compete with her for the chance to serve the emperor.

Today, Yingzhu only learned half of the scripture, and Princess Rui was in a bad mood, so she dismissed them all.

After Liang Yunqian finished his business at the Ministry of War, he returned to his residence and changed into his everyday clothes. Then, Granny Qiao came to deliver a message, saying that the Princess Consort of Rui invited him to have a meal.

He rarely dined with Princess Rui; if she invited him, it was always because of something.

He was reluctant to go, but then he wondered if Shen Yingzhu had gotten into trouble again.

With this in mind, Liang Yunqian agreed.

However, when they arrived at Deshan Hall, Shen Yingzhu was not there, nor was Zhao Tangwei, who always liked to stick close to Princess Rui. Judging from this situation, Princess Rui had something important to tell him privately.

During the meal, Princess Rui dismissed the servants and spoke to him about Ningxue Dew.

"As you know, we can't afford to offend the Empress Dowager. Next month, the Prince of An will be on a diplomatic mission, intending to form a marriage alliance. The Emperor is reluctant to send his princess away for the marriage and intends to choose a woman from the royal family. I don't want your sister to be chosen and marry into another country, so I must use Ningxue Dew to please the Empress Dowager."

Just think of it as helping your sister consummate her marriage with Zisu! As long as you coax her and get her to get the other bottle of Ningxue Dew, this matter will be easily resolved.

Princess Rui appeared sincere, but Liang Yunqian could see through her tearful eyes to her cold-blooded selfishness.

"Previously, my mother said Shen Yingzhu was pregnant and forced me to consummate our marriage. Now, for Ning Xuelu's sake, she's making me consummate my marriage with Zhou Zisu. In my mother's eyes, what am I? A pawn to fulfill your wishes?"