Ling Mohan's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he looked at Feng Ruoyan with an displeased expression, his brows furrowed as he suppressed his anger.
Feng Jin stepped forward, taking the man's hand, fearing he would clash with Feng Ruoyan in such a setting.
"I'll go with you."
"No!" the man said decisively.
Knowing Feng Ruoyan's character well, how could Ling Mohan let her go alone?
"Don't worry, this is the imperial palace, I doubt she would dare to act rashly. I will be fine."
Feng Jin patted the man's large hand, telling him to wait for her there. Her icy gaze fell upon Feng Ruoyan, and she said indifferently, "Let's go."
Feng Ruoyan walked ahead to lead the way, winding through numerous paths until they quickly reached a desolate area.
"Why did you bring me here?"
As they walked further, Feng Jin couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She stopped her steps and asked Feng Ruoyan.
"This is not a place for talking. I will explain everything to you in the pavilion ahead."
As if worried Feng Jin would go back on her word, Feng Ruoyan grabbed Feng Jin's wrist and hurried forward.
"Feng Ruoyan, let go! If you don't release me, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Feng Ruoyan's sudden action made Feng Jin panic. She yelled angrily, her hand tightly clutching a six-inch-long silver needle.
"We're here!"
Just as Feng Jin was about to deploy the silver needle, Feng Ruoyan suddenly spoke, interrupting her.
Feng Ruoyan lit the lantern and hung it in a corner, bringing some light into the darkness of the night.
"You brought me here, what exactly do you want?" Feng Jin looked at Feng Ruoyan vigilantly in the light, the silver needle she held never retracting.
"I... I..." Feng Ruoyan stammered, unable to utter anything.
Feng Jin's brows furrowed, "You brought me all the way here just to make me listen to this?"
After speaking, Feng Jin turned to leave.
"Wait."
Feng Ruoyan shouted loudly, stepping forward to block Feng Jin. The darkness concealed the turmoil on her face as a 'thump!' sound was heard.
"What are you doing!"
Seeing Feng Ruoyan kneeling steadily before her, Feng Jin was even more bewildered. What was this game?
"I... my dear sister, it was all my fault before. I beg you to help me."
Feng Jin snorted coldly, feeling a touch of sarcasm. It was truly strange today, for Feng Ruoyan to kneel before her and ask for her help. How could she help? Even if she could, she didn't want to.
The reason she saved Feng Ruoyan at the Third Prince's manor that day was because she was in a difficult position; she wasn't a saint who repaid evil with good.
"I'm sorry, I can't help." Feng Jin said these words and prepared to leave.
As she took a step, more than a dozen maids suddenly appeared from all around, tightly surrounding the pavilion.
Feng Jin raised her eyebrows. No wonder she insisted on coming here; it was an ambush. It was a grave offense for an official's wife to be in the imperial palace's inner court. What was it that Feng Ruoyan needed help with that she disregarded even such a crime?
"What do you mean by this?"
"Sister, please don't misunderstand. I only want you to help me, and I have no other intentions. As long as you help me, I will let you leave."
"And if I insist on not helping, what can you do to me?"
Feng Jin sat lazily on a chair. She wanted to see what other tricks Feng Ruoyan had up her sleeve.
"I... I beg you to help me." Feng Ruoyan's tone was unusually low, almost pleading.
After a long pause, Feng Jin finally lifted her eyes to glance at Feng Ruoyan, "Speak, what exactly do you want me to help you with?"
Continuing to stall was not a solution, and if the affairs of the imperial palace's inner court escalated, it would be difficult to resolve.
With a look from Feng Ruoyan, the surrounding palace maids retreated.
"I need a child."
Feng Jin almost choked on her saliva. What use was she for needing a child? She couldn't help her give birth. Shouldn't she be seeking help from Chu Yanxi for this matter? Could it be that Chu Yanxi was incapable?
With this realization, Feng Jin burst into laughter, "I really can't help with the matter of having a child. You should discuss it with the Third Prince. If he is unable, I might be able to help him with some conditioning."
A trace of embarrassment crossed Feng Ruoyan's face. She endured her emotions and said gently, "It's my body that is not well. Since the miscarriage last time, I haven't recovered. Taking medicine is also useless."
She had taken all the medicine her mother prescribed, but still hadn't conceived.
At first, she wasn't that anxious, but a few days ago, the lukewarm Liu Meng'han suddenly became pregnant, and her status in the manor turned upside down.
The Emperor and Empress in the palace sent numerous rewards to the Third Prince's manor. The servants in the manor were all opportunistic. Upon seeing Liu Meng'han's pregnancy, they all flocked to flatter her. If this continued, where would she have a place in the Third Prince's manor?
Without children by her side, even with the Third Prince's favor, it would all be in vain. As time passed, her beauty would fade, and the love would wane. All favor was merely fleeting.
"I've told you long ago that your body is no longer suitable for having children. Forcing a pregnancy will only damage your health. At best, the child will be lost; even if you manage to give birth, the child will not survive. At worst, mother and child will die."
Her current body, being able to preserve her life, was already a good thing. Let alone wanting to have children, it was simply an impossible feat.
"Everything that happened before was my fault. I beg you to help me."
Feng Ruoyan pleaded. She didn't believe Feng Jin's words about her condition being so severe. She was entirely worried that if she had a child one day and the Third Prince inherited the throne, and she gained power, Feng Jin would retaliate against her, which was why she didn't want to help.
"I told you, your body is not suitable for pregnancy."
"I must have a child. Without a child by my side, I will never be able to establish myself in the Third Prince's manor in this life. I will bear any consequences myself. Whatever you want, I can give it to you."
Feng Ruoyan clung to Feng Jin, refusing to let go. She was determined to make Feng Jin help her today. Feng Jin must have a way to help her, but she was simply unwilling to do so.
Her head ached from being pestered, and coupled with the fact that they had been out for too long, if the Princess of Xiliang arrived and discovered she wasn't at the banquet, it would cause more trouble. Feng Jin also worried about further complications, "If you want to get pregnant, I do have a method."
"Really?" Feng Ruoyan's tone was full of surprise. She quickly added, "What method? As long as you tell me, I'll do it."
Feng Jin paused and said, "I've written a prescription. You should drink one dose according to it. During the period of taking the medicine, you must not have intercourse. After your period ends and you have recovered, wait for ten days before having intercourse."
"Okay, I'll do as you say. What if I still don't conceive?" Feng Ruoyan asked with a hint of worry.
"Continue to take the medicine and follow this method until you conceive."
Originally, pregnancy was a matter of going with the flow. All that could be done was to promote ovulation and increase the chance of conception.
Whether she could conceive depended on her own fate.