"Xue Feng, tell me more about your master!" Xue Zi Ning teased.
Xue Jing Yun let out a cold snort, "If A Ning wants to know, just ask me. Why ask him?"
"I'm curious what you're like from others' perspectives."
Xue Jing Yun looked into those clear eyes and sighed, "Then ask away!"
Xue Zi Ning walked to Xue Feng's side and asked, "Tell me about your master's amusing childhood stories!"
As Xue Feng began to speak, Xue Zi Ning couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Behind them, Xue Jing Yun watched A Ning laugh so heartily at his childhood anecdotes that he couldn't help but curve his lips upward.
He hoped his A Ning would be smooth sailing and happy from this day forward!
Soon, A Ning's laughter subsided, replaced by a look of worry.
He quickened his steps, about to inquire, when he saw A Ning suddenly turn around, look at him with affection, and say, "Yan Zhao, I'll have many children for you in the future, so you won't be lonely."
His body trembled. A Ning suddenly hugged his waist and whispered, "I never knew you were so young when the Xue Kingdom was invaded..."
He remembered how much he had wished for his lost imperial brother to appear quickly then, so he would have someone to help him devise a plan to rescue their Emperor and Empress.
But there was no one. He endured three days and three nights, finally realizing that relying on oneself was better than relying on others; only when one was powerful was one truly powerful.
So many years had passed, and that thought seemed to have been forgotten. It turned out there was a time when he too was vulnerable.
"A Ning, what's in the past is in the past. Now that I have you, it's enough."
"No, we must also have children."
"A Ning, you're still young. We'll have them in a few years."
Xue Zi Ning shook her head, "But, Yan Zhao, you're not young anymore. I want to have several, so they won't be lonely."
Reluctant to go against her wishes, he nodded, "Alright, we'll have them when we get back."
Xue Zi Ning smiled.
In the past, she had never thought about having children, even considered not having any. But once you fall in love with someone, you want to give them the best, even to the point of having children for them.
"Yan Zhao, when they grow up, we'll go into seclusion."
"Alright, whatever A Ning says." He nodded.
"Xue Yan, Xue Song, you're here too?" Xue Feng's voice called out from ahead.
Xue Zi Ning turned around and indeed saw Xue Song and Xue Yan not far away.
"Yan Zhao, let's go take a look." With that, Xue Zi Ning walked towards Xue Song and Xue Yan.
Xue Jing Yun also followed.
It turned out that today was the day Ming Hui Hall made house calls.
Xue Yan came over to have her pulse taken. Since giving birth to Ping An, Xue Yan's health had not been as good as before. She had heard that the doctors at Ming Hui Hall were very skilled, even more so than the imperial physicians in the palace.
The doctor examining Xue Yan appeared young, but his technique was skilled.
Xue Feng, standing nearby, could also take pulses, but he could only diagnose common ailments. He understood less about women's illnesses.
"The young lady is deficient in qi and blood. It's likely she didn't recuperate properly after childbirth, but don't worry. Taking this prescription will resolve it," the doctor said.
Xue Yan nodded, "Thank you, Doctor."
As she stood up, she saw Xue Zi Ning and was very surprised.
"Xue Yan," Xue Zi Ning nodded. After all, they were outside, and she didn't want to attract attention.
Xue Yan understood her Majesty's intention and said, "It was Xue Song who insisted I come. He said that the doctor from Ming Hui Hall prescribed medicine when I gave birth to Ping An, which helped me get through the difficult time."
"Indeed, proper recuperation is necessary," Xue Zi Ning said.
Xue Yan's childbirth with Ping An was not smooth, and it was the same with Xi Luo initially.
"If the young lady wishes to conceive, perhaps you could sit down and let me take your pulse," the doctor suddenly said.
Xue Zi Ning was startled and looked at the doctor, asking, "Are you speaking to me, Doctor?"
The doctor nodded, "I can tell the young lady wishes to conceive."
Xue Zi Ning thought that it wouldn't hurt to have it checked, especially since she did want children.
The doctor stood up and said, "Please, young lady, come into the room."
"Can't it be done outside?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
The doctor smiled, "Unless you wish for your husband to overhear."
Xue Zi Ning was astonished. How did this doctor know Yan Zhao was her husband?
"If the young lady wishes to see, I'll accompany you inside," Xue Yan said. Seeing that her Majesty was very eager to know, she stepped forward.
Xue Zi Ning nodded and looked at Xue Jing Yun. Xue Jing Yun nodded; with Xue Yan accompanying her, he felt reassured.
Upon entering Ming Hui Hall, the doctor led her and Xue Yan into a room.
The room was clean, with no unnecessary items, only an incense burner emitting a scent that cleared the mind.
Seeing nothing unusual, Xue Yan nodded slightly. Xue Zi Ning sat down, and the doctor took her pulse for a while, her brows furrowing slightly.
Xue Zi Ning couldn't help but ask, "Doctor, is it not good?"
The doctor said, "Not only is it not good, it's very bad. Has the young lady stayed in an extremely cold place before?"
Xue Zi Ning was taken aback. Just as she was about to say no, she suddenly remembered that to lure out Nangong Yue and Shen Yun Xiu, she had drunk that medicine and, when she couldn't bear it, used ice to relieve the heat in her body.
The doctor continued, "The injury to your body makes it difficult for the young lady to conceive."
Xue Zi Ning's gaze deepened, "Is there no other way?"
The doctor looked at her for a long time and said, "The path to conception is long, but the young lady's body seems unusual..."
Xue Zi Ning trembled all over. The doctor muttered to herself, "It seems this is not a human body."
"Xue Yan, let's go!" Xue Zi Ning stood up, preparing to leave.
The doctor asked, "Does the young lady not need me to condition her body?"
"No, thank you," Xue Zi Ning said.
As Xue Zi Ning reached the doorway, she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. She looked at Xue Yan, who had already collapsed on the ground.
Her heart skipped a beat. There was a trap.
She wanted to use her martial arts, but her limbs felt weak and powerless.
The doctor behind her chuckled, "Empress, are you really leaving like this?"
"You..." She turned back and saw the doctor's face contorted into an unusually sinister grin.
"Yan... Yan Zhao..."
Outside Ming Hui Hall, Xue Jing Yun felt an inexplicable premonition. He looked at Ming Hui Hall coldly and said, "Xue Song, go inside and check on Xue Yan."
Xue Song nodded. After such a long time without them emerging, he also sensed that something was amiss.
"Xue Feng, go to the back of Ming Hui Hall. If anyone tries to escape, apprehend them."
After giving the orders, he entered Ming Hui Hall. The moment he stepped inside, he felt that something was wrong; the smell was off.
He said in a low voice, "Xue Song, hold your breath."
Xue Song quickly held his breath. Upon seeing Xue Yan collapsed on the ground, he rushed over in fright and checked Xue Yan's breathing. Fortunately, she had only fainted.
Xue Jing Yun looked around the room; besides the unconscious Xue Yan, there was no one else.
"Find the Empress, even if you have to dig three feet deep," Xue Jing Yun said, word by word.
Xue Song saw his Highness displaying an anger he had never witnessed before.
The aura emanating from him was as cold as frost, chilling to the bone.