Chapter 87: Facing the Decision to Terminate (Please Subscribe and Vote)

Chapter 087: A Pregnancy and the Need for Abortion (Please Subscribe and Vote)

If this were the old Lu Xueqing, after being slapped by An Ran, she would have been frantic, rushing to apply medicine to reduce the swelling. But now, to ensure that someone else would deal with An Ran on her behalf, she didn’t apply any remedy—instead, she further messed with her already red and swollen face, making it look even more pitiful. At times like this, a man’s protective instincts toward a woman would often be stirred; to vent their anger on behalf of the one they cared for and to comfort her, the unlucky "culprit" was naturally the one who ended up suffering.

Lu Xueqing no longer dared to hope for help from anyone in the Prime Minister’s mansion. Her father remained silent even when her brother’s leg was slashed, her mother was always distracted and lost in sorrow, and the old madam was a master of verbal attacks. The concubines, at best, refrained from plotting against her openly, which was already a mercy. Her younger sister was utterly unreliable. So Lu Xueqing felt that everyone in the Prime Minister’s household was useless. She had to rely on her own beauty and body to win his favor and pity. When he succeeded, she would be his exalted wife.

She locked the maid outside the door and stared into the bronze mirror again and again, only allowing a sinister smile to appear on her face when she was completely satisfied. “An Ran, just wait for your death!”

“Hmm~~”

Suddenly, a man appeared behind Lu Xueqing, wrapping his arms around her from behind. He buried his head in her fair neck, inhaling the unique scent of a woman. Lu Xueqing shivered at his touch and couldn’t help but cry out softly.

“What, miss me so much just because I was away all night?” The man looked up, smiling as he reached out to tease her perfect chin, noting the left side of her face he had just seen in the mirror. “Xueqing, what happened to your face? Who did this?”

His smile vanished, replaced by anger. He prized Lu Xueqing’s face above all, and only then the feeling she gave him within. Now, seeing her face so badly beaten, how could he possibly have any mood for anything? What man would want to continue when his woman looked disfigured?

Lu Xueqing’s face quickly shifted complexion, tears welling in her eyes. She turned to throw herself into the man’s arms, sobbing, “My lord, that wicked An Ran! She brazenly entered the Prime Minister’s mansion, acting arrogantly and disrespecting even the old madam and father. She fights us openly with fists and kicks! Boo hoo...”

An Ran hid in the corner, paying no mind to Lu Xueqing’s false accusations. She only wanted to know who the man in the room was. She sensed his martial prowess was formidable and dared not probe him with internal energy lightly for fear of being discovered.

Lu Xueqing had just called him “my lord,” so who was this lord? Jun Yihong? But his deep and steady voice didn’t sound like Jun Yihong’s, and the young master had been confined by Jun Moli for three months, never daring to step outside the Jing Wang Mansion.

So which prince was this?

Jun Dingyue had killed off all his brothers except his sons. He had seventeen sons in total; six died young. Now, including the seventeenth prince born to Concubine Zhen who was under seven years old, there were only ten left. Of those ten, four were still minors living in the palace and could not come and go freely.

That left six princes. Since this man wasn’t Jun Moli or Jun Yihong, the remaining possibilities were Prince Qian Jun Ziao, Prince Kun Jun Ruohan, Prince Su Jun Hongyi, and Prince Qin Jun Huaijue.

Among these four, Prince Qian and Prince Su were allies, being full brothers born to Noble Consort Xi, who had passed away years ago. Prince Kun and Prince Qin were on the same side, their mothers being biological sisters. Prince Qin’s mother died when he was young, and he was raised by Prince Kun’s mother, Consort Wan. The two were as close as brothers, with Qin always following Kun’s lead.

An Ran had never met these four princes nor heard their voices, and she couldn’t tell who this man was. Whoever he was, seeing Lu Xueqing’s self-inflicted injuries, he probably had no interest left today. Soon, she could follow him to find out who he truly was.

Moreover, An Ran was even more curious how this lord managed to get involved with the secluded young lady Lu Xueqing in broad daylight. She had thought Lu Xueqing’s lover was someone she had deliberately invited to avoid entering the palace, but that was not the case. This lord must have been captivated by Lu Xueqing’s beauty and the influence she wielded through Lu Anrong, volunteering to win her favor.

“Xueqing, don’t cry. I’ll go find someone right now to deal with that wicked woman and avenge you!” The man comforted her softly. He had come secretly because of desire, but seeing her face like this, he had lost all interest. Now, he was furious and wanted to settle the score with that woman.

Upon hearing he wanted to leave, Lu Xueqing’s delicate white hand immediately grasped his belt, stroking it softly as she shyly lowered her head and murmured, “Won’t you stay a little longer?”

The man’s heart was stirred by her teasing, his words full of innuendo: “Stay a while? Very well.” As long as he didn’t have to see her face, she was still a rare beauty.

“Ah—gently, gently...”

An Ran listened with disinterest to the sounds from the room. No wonder she had sent the maids outside; with Lu Xueqing’s loud cries, it was impossible not to hear.

Half an hour later, the man was dressed again by Lu Xueqing. He gently opened a small window to check outside. Seeing no one, he slipped out.

Only then did An Ran see his face clearly: about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, honey-colored complexion, sharp and stern features, slanting eyebrows like swords, slender black eyes filled with sharpness, thin lips lightly pressed together. His black brocade robe exuded a proud nobility. This was clearly someone of royal caliber.

No wonder Lu Xueqing favored him. Handsome and well-born, clearly no ordinary man. Most likely Prince Qian or Prince Kun—both the most likely future emperors. If Lu Xueqing chose her man wisely, her dream of becoming empress dowager could come true.

As the man walked away, An Ran sent her best light-step follower, Han Shang, after him. She only needed to confirm which prince he was, without causing trouble or alerting him. Han Shang obeyed silently, moving like the wind.

Jun Moli had invested great effort in cultivating the Hanbing brothers’ martial skills, which surpassed even the Fierce Fire Sun. He was willing to entrust her with one of them.

After they disappeared from sight, An Ran emerged from her hiding spot, carrying her little fox. Two leaps brought her outside the courtyard, where she feigned just arriving and saw Zi Ya chatting with two little maids. Wearing a faint smile, she approached.

“What are you doing here?” Zi Ya was chatting animatedly, but seeing An Ran approach, she immediately fell silent, her guard up.

An Ran had just beaten the young lady, so Lu Xueqing was surely hiding inside, upset. This wicked woman even hurt the kind-hearted young lady—how cruel.

An Ran was amused by Zi Ya’s loyalty and felt a bit reassured for Lu Xueqing. Yet she wondered what they would think if they knew that their pure young lady was secretly meeting her lover inside, committing treason.

An Ran smiled calmly, with no hint of awkwardness. Her voice, like a golden oriole’s song, was enchanting. “Please tell the young lady that I have something to discuss with her!”

“The young lady won’t see you. You should leave!” Zi Ya was still afraid An Ran might retaliate but, recalling no other servants had suffered from her wrath, her boldness grew.

An Ran wasn’t offended and smiled again. “How would you know the young lady doesn’t want to see me unless you tell her? Perhaps she’s been waiting for me all this time!”

Zi Ya was caught off guard, feeling conflicted. She hadn’t asked Lu Xueqing’s wishes before sending An Ran away. That wasn’t proper protocol. If the young lady refused to see her, fine, but if she wanted to, things would become complicated.

“Please, tell her for me,” An Ran patiently urged.

Zi Ya looked her over again, hesitating before nodding reluctantly. “Please wait a moment.”

Lu Xueqing sat at her dressing table, still trembling, her face full of fear. After the man left, she felt a wave of acid in her stomach and vomited. Fear gripped her heart. Based on her earlier symptoms, it resembled the time Fourth Concubine was pregnant with Lu Juntao. She suspected she might be pregnant.

But they had only been together for a few days—how could it be so soon? Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, recalling his words the day he came: “I don’t usually return to old flames, but this young lady is too tender, I can’t forget her. I’d rather risk it all to come again.”

That wasn’t their first time?

Right, it must not have been the first time. The old nursemaid had said the first time usually causes bleeding. When exactly had he come again? When?

Lu Xueqing suddenly felt all his words were lies. When had he enchanted her? Now she was pregnant—what should she do? What could she do?

“Miss, Miss An is outside asking to see you. Will you see her?” Zi Ya knocked and waited outside.

“No! Tell her to get lost!” Lu Xueqing was agitated and tossed a jewelry box at the door. That damned woman—why did she want to see her?

“Yes, miss!” Zi Ya regretted it. She should have refused An Ran outright when she saw how the name unsettled Lu Xueqing, sparing her more distress.

“Wait, let her come in alone!”

Zi Ya had just turned to leave when Lu Xueqing called her back. She wanted to see what trick that wicked woman was playing.

“Yes!” Though puzzled, Zi Ya immediately went to fetch An Ran.

An Ran had long expected Lu Xueqing would see her—and only her. She feared others entering might discover her secret. At this moment, her greatest concern was how to terminate the pregnancy without showing any hint during the upcoming first round of the palace selection.

She needed a doctor.

She followed the path in, knocking on Lu Xueqing’s bedroom door.

“Come in!”

An Ran sneered. Lu Xueqing’s voice was sharp and irritable.

She entered and closed the door behind her. Immediately, she caught the sour scent unique to pregnancy. Earlier, she had only heard Lu Xueqing’s retching from her hiding spot; now, smelling it confirmed the pregnancy.

Typically, doctors could only detect the fetal pulse after a month, or twenty days for the more skilled. But few, like An Ran, could tell by scent alone.

“What do you want with me?” Lu Xueqing, half her face swollen and red, glared fiercely.

She hated An Ran with a burning passion. Just seeing her made her sick. Whenever An Ran appeared, no good came to the Lu family.

An Ran said nothing, striding toward the mirror where Lu Xueqing looked at herself, and smiled meaningfully. “I’ve come because of your troubles. Do you have something on your mind, young lady?”

Lu Xueqing’s face immediately paled, a flicker of panic flashing before fading. Her gaze met the dark, deep eyes of An Ran warily. “My trouble is meeting a wicked woman like you. If you died one day, I’d have no worries at all!”

“Heh heh...” An Ran chuckled lightly. Lu Xueqing’s boldness was impressive—daring to curse her openly. Interesting.

“In that case, take care of yourself, young lady. If you pass the first round of the selection, I’ll celebrate for you. But if you cheat and fail, the Prime Minister’s mansion will change hands. Take care!” An Ran left with a few airy words, heading for the door. “Let’s see how long you can keep up that tough talk!”

Lu Xueqing swallowed hard, still shaken. That damned An Ran was a persistent ghost. What did she mean by those words? She felt An Ran was sinister and must know something. This thought only worsened her fear.

“Zi Ya! Zi Ya!”

Zi Ya, who had just wondered why An Ran left so soon, heard Lu Xueqing call hurriedly and ran in, thinking An Ran was bullying her again.

“Miss!”

“Come in, I have something to tell you. You mustn’t tell anyone, understand? Or you’ll lose your monthly wages!” Lu Xueqing’s face was fierce, her eyes and tone full of unspoken threats.

Zi Ya wasn’t a family-born maid but was taken into the mansion by Lu Xueqing’s childhood kindness. Her father died early, her mother ran off with someone else, leaving only her elderly grandmother. Though Lu Xueqing didn’t say it outright, mentioning the grandmother was a veiled threat.

“Yes, miss. Zi Ya won’t tell anyone!” She had never seen the young lady like this—so unfamiliar and frightening.

“Come closer.”

Zi Ya leaned in. Hearing the words, her face turned pale. The young lady wanted safflower? That was an abortifacient!

“What are you standing there for? Hurry up! If the guards ask where you’re going, say you’re buying my favorite snacks!”

“Yes, miss!” Zi Ya composed herself, bowed to Lu Xueqing, and left.

After Zi Ya left, Lu Xueqing waited anxiously for the safflower. But by dinner, she returned empty-handed.

“What? The medicine’s all sold out?” Lu Xueqing slammed the table in fury.

Who needed so much safflower? Someone was deliberately sabotaging her. Besides An Ran, who else?

Zi Ya nodded silently. She had searched every pharmacy and even medical clinics in the city; none had safflower left. Everyone said a girl had bought it all!

Her ten toes were raw from running, yet no trace of safflower was found. What could a young lady unmarried need safflower for?

“Damn An Ran, the wicked woman who disturbs the peace of Yue City!” Lu Xueqing’s simple words elevated the feud between An Ran and the Prime Minister’s mansion to a conflict between An Ran and all the city’s people. Ladies from the Prime Minister’s mansion were different—their thoughts far loftier than ordinary girls.

But even if An Ran was a wicked woman, Lu Xueqing could only turn to her now. If An Ran refused to help, and she was exposed during the selection, no one would stand up for her. She would have no escape; the entire Prime Minister’s mansion would suffer. Her father might lose the emperor’s favor, and the disgrace of failing to raise his daughter properly would make him a laughingstock.

“Miss, I’ll beg Miss An to sell us some,” Zi Ya said, not knowing why safflower was so important but seeing Lu Xueqing’s distress, she wanted to help. To prevent Lu Xueqing from troubling her grandmother, Zi Ya would do her best to get the safflower.

Sell some? If An Ran were willing to sell, Zi Ya wouldn’t have to search the whole city to buy it all up. An Ran was surely waiting to be asked directly. If she didn’t ask, what other choice was there?

Lu Xueqing thought hard, considering many options, before biting her lip and saying, “After dark, go to An Ran’s place and say I want to invite her to examine my illness.”

“Yes!”

Zi Ya agreed repeatedly, wolfing down some food before sneaking out the back gate after nightfall.

An Ran dumped all her day’s gathered safflower on An Yue. The scent was enough to startle him. What was all this safflower for? His clinic wasn’t just for clients seeking abortions!

“Master, what is this...?”

An Ran glanced at the white-bearded An Yue and smiled brightly. “Wait, someone’s coming soon!”

P.S.: I originally planned to write 10,000 words, but with the recent thunderstorms, I couldn’t use the computer. Posting 5,000 words for now. If the weather clears, I’ll update more soon!