Sun shi knew Feng Ruoyan's predicament and hurried to the Third Prince's manor.
"Yan'er…" Sun shi called out loudly before seeing Feng Ruoyan.
"Mother, you're finally here."
Upon seeing Sun shi, Feng Ruoyan could no longer conceal her grievances. She threw herself into Sun shi's arms and sobbed softly.
"Yan'er, you are pregnant. You must not get so agitated. Don't stir the fetus. Please sit down quickly." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Sun shi comforted Feng Ruoyan's emotions and helped her sit down. "Yan'er, what happened that you urgently asked me to come over?"
"Mother, Yu Momo, who is by Liu Meng'er's side, is too overbearing. Relying on being an official from the Empress's side, she doesn't put me in her eyes at all. She even belittled me in front of everyone, saying that even though I am a side consort now, I am ultimately just a concubine and not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Liu Meng'er…"
"Now even that little cheap woman Feng Jin has colluded with Liu Meng'er, and the Princess of Jing has also arrived. Mother, if Liu Meng'er truly gives birth to a legitimate son, will there be any place for your daughter to stay? Mother, please help me think of a way, Mother!"
Feng Ruoyan urged Sun shi to find a solution anxiously. If this continued, she would truly suffer.
"Yan'er, you don't need to worry too much. As long as you give birth to a child first and have the eldest son by your side, it will be fine. Moreover, Liu Meng'er's place is full of the Empress's spies, making it truly difficult to act."
"But Mother, the months of my pregnancy are later than Liu Meng'er's. Initially, it was you who taught me to say that my child's months were older than Liu Meng'er's and falsely claim it was the eldest son. However, the time of delivery is not something I can control…"
She couldn't decide when the child would come out. Moreover, her child was more than a month younger than Liu Meng'er's. She had been placing some cloth on her abdomen daily to make her belly appear larger, thus hiding it for so long.
But when it came to delivery, wouldn't all of this be exposed? Even if her child were a boy, without being legitimate or the eldest, how much attention would he receive?
"Stay calm. I will find someone to induce your labor before Liu Meng'er delivers, ensuring your child is born prematurely."
She had already thought of a plan. Earlier, she had heard that noble ladies in the palace would find ways to induce labor to secure the position of the eldest son for their children.
"Induced labor? Can that work?"
Feng Ruoyan was subtly worried. She had never heard of induced labor. Could it really work? What if something went wrong?
She subtly placed her hand on her slightly bulging abdomen with a hint of worry. The imperial physicians had long diagnosed that her body was severely damaged after her last miscarriage. Being able to conceive again was already a blessing from heaven.
However, she had to nurture it carefully without any mistakes. Otherwise, if the child in her womb were lost, even her life would be in danger.
"Mother, the imperial physicians also said that I now…"
"Enough, Yan'er. Don't believe those mediocre physicians. Didn't that little cheap woman Feng Jin also say you wouldn't conceive again? Now you have a child, don't you? With Mother here, everything will be arranged for you, ensuring your child becomes the Third Prince's eldest son."
With Sun shi's assurance, although Feng Ruoyan had some doubts, she nodded and agreed, "I will listen to everything Mother arranges."
She had no other choice now. Her father no longer cared about her affairs. The only person she could trust was her mother.
"Don't worry, Yan'er. Mother will arrange everything for you. Did you put the things I gave you into the Third Prince's food and drink every day?"
"I put them in every day, Mother. These days, the Third Prince has been entangled with those concubines. The day before yesterday, the Empress reprimanded the Third Prince. If this continues, will the Third Prince's health be damaged? What if the Empress suspects us? That would be terrible."
Every time she administered the medicine, she was extremely worried, fearing discovery.
Now, the Third Prince's complexion was becoming paler and paler. If this continued, she truly worried something would happen.
"Yan'er, don't be afraid. When you administer the medicine today, use only half the dosage. Then, according to this prescription, have the Third Prince take it every three days, and his health will be fine."
Feng Ruoyan took the prescription handed by Sun shi and clutched it tightly. "Mother, where did you get these things? I've never seen them before."
And the medicine she was to give to the Third Prince had made Chu Yanxi seem like a different person during these days. Initially, Chu Yanxi wasn't particularly fond of conjugal intimacy, but now he wished he wouldn't get out of bed all day.
Even she, seeing this change, felt a little scared. She only worried that Chu Yanxi would ruin his health because of this. If the Empress then investigated and found out about her, she would surely not escape punishment.
"This is all for you. Mother has been seeking medical advice day and night. The prescription to help you conceive was obtained by Mother from a master. These prescriptions were also given to Mother by that master. For this, Mother has spent her savings of more than ten years."
Sun shi vaguely made up other excuses to tell Feng Ruoyan. She couldn't tell Feng Ruoyan these things yet, fearing she couldn't bear it and would ruin the grand plan.
Feng Ruoyan, however, trusted Sun shi completely. She was also deeply moved by what Sun shi had done for her, and she believed Sun shi's words even more.
"Alright, there are spies everywhere in the Third Prince's manor. I can't stay long. You must be very careful when you are alone in the manor. If anything happens, endure it if you can. Don't rush to confront. Mother will support you through everything."
"I understand, Mother." Feng Ruoyan nodded and agreed to Sun shi's words. She asked the maids around her to lead Sun shi out through the back door.
After Sun shi left, Feng Jin, who had been hiding behind the wall, stepped out. The figure that had just walked out of Feng Ruoyan's courtyard looked so much like Sun shi.
Even more suspicious was why the maid had taken Sun shi out through the back door and not openly through the front gate.
She suspected that Sun shi's visit to Feng Ruoyan was to plot something unsavory.
Feng Jin was about to get up and leave when she heard hurried footsteps from the courtyard. She quickly hid again, only daring to observe stealthily.
It was a man's figure. Without guessing, she knew it was Chu Yanxi. After a while, two more women entered.
Then, several maids came out of the house and stood guard at the door. After that, no one else came out.
Hiding in the dark, Feng Jin's mind instantly began to conjure images. As if she had thought of something, her eyes widened sharply. It was too difficult to imagine. Before anyone could discover her, she quickly left.