"Princess, I know your mind is clear as a mirror, you just don’t want to talk or deal with anyone."

Chun Nuan looked at the Princess Consort Chu, who had her eyes closed, and said softly, "I’m a doctor. I treat illness, not fate, and what you have is an illness of the heart. Your fate is in your own hands."

"You are a Foreign Princess sent for marriage. You know very well your existence concerns the peace at the border between two countries."

"You also understand in your heart that your family doesn’t value you because you are this Princess, but because you are the Princess Consort Chu, closely tied to the Great Zhou Dynasty. But the Princess Consort Chu could be you, or it could be someone else..."

In short, when they value you, they really do value you, even to the point of going to war for you—but in truth, that’s only because they need such an excuse. And when they don’t value you, you are nothing at all.

"You’ve been married to Prince Chu for so many years, you should know what kind of person he is."

So-called deep marital affection was nothing but a performance; after acting for so long, she actually believed it herself.

The child of Prince Chu’s mistress is only half a year younger than the Commandery Princess. That girl is his childhood sweetheart. Back then, for the political marriage with the foreign state, he was the most suitable, so in a way, Prince Chu was also the one sacrificed.

The sons and daughters of the Royal Family, having enjoyed its glory and wealth, naturally also have to bear the Royal Family’s responsibilities.

"A person only lives one lifetime. Being alive is just that one breath. Once that breath stops, everything is gone."

"Princess Consort Chu, do you believe that if you’re gone, it won’t even take three months before Prince Chu brings a new bride into the Prince Chu Mansion? Everything about you will disappear from that mansion. The only one who’ll remember you will be your daughter, Princess Hui Ning..."

The Princess Consort Chu snapped her eyes open at this.

"My words are crude, but whether it’s like this or not, you just think it over yourself."

"Princess Consort Chu, your illness isn’t serious. I’ll prescribe two doses of medicine—you’ll be fine after taking them. But the premise is that you have to sort yourself out." Chun Nuan said, "If you refuse to sort yourself out, even an immortal can’t save you."

"Write the prescription."

The Princess Consort Chu spoke with difficulty, "I don’t want to die."

Now that’s more like it.

A single lifetime, countless hardships—since you finally made it into this world, why rush to die?

Once you die, there’s nothing left. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Once you die, you only make things easy for others.

Seeing that the dust-covered doors of her heart were finally pried open, Chun Nuan secretly let out a huge sigh of relief.

She wrote out the prescription and handed it to the Princess Consort Chu.

"For this medicine, it’s best to have someone you truly trust go to the pharmacy in person to have it filled, and personally watch over the decoction..."

Chun Nuan did not say more than that.

After all, the sun and the human heart are the two things you mustn’t stare at directly. Maybe not everyone is bad, but there will definitely be bad people.

Just like what Zhong Xiuxiu said about her legitimate elder sister’s situation in the Minister’s Mansion: two years without conceiving, and when she came seeking a consultation, it turned out she’d been taking what she shouldn’t have taken.

A perfectly good body was delayed; who would have thought?

The Princess Consort Chu’s illness was the same. When you’re sick, it’s all too easy for someone to take your life while they’re at it, so Chun Nuan kindly reminded her.

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome," Chun Nuan said. "There is one more matter I must tell you about."

She then spoke about assisting with Princess Hui Ning’s delivery.

"Everyone knows I never make house calls. This time I came to treat you only because of the Empress Dowager’s decree." Chun Nuan said, "Besides, the Grandmaster Mansion already invited two very experienced midwives, and they also invited my proudest student from Chunshan Medical College, Zhong Xiuxiu. They are fully capable of guaranteeing the Commandery Princess a safe delivery. And as for another point, my second sister-in-law was also in labor that very day, and she hadn’t hired a midwife either."

"In my eyes, every life is a life. Since I took charge of my second sister-in-law’s delivery, there was no way I would walk away halfway, so I did not go along with the people sent by Prince Chu." Chun Nuan said, "I heard that afterwards the Commandery Princess flew into a rage, dissatisfied with both the midwife and Zhong Xiuxiu, and even more displeased with me."

The Princess Consort Chu looked at Xiao Chunnuan. The rumored granddaughter of Doctor Xiao truly had a strong personality; now that she saw her, it was indeed the case.

"Don’t worry, I’ll speak with Hui Ning."

"Then I must trouble you, Princess." Chun Nuan stood up. "Rest well and take your medicine properly. You only need to remember one thing: your life is yours to decide. If you want to get better, you definitely can."

"I understand."

The Princess Consort Chu called out toward the outside, and a senior maid immediately came in.

"See Mr. Xiao out of the mansion for me. Also, follow along with Mr. Xiao and ask her to recommend a pharmacy. Buy the medicine from there, and you personally watch over the decoction. Do not look away for even a moment."

"Yes, My Lady."

The senior maid nodded at once.

Xiao Chunnuan thought: these people of the Royal Family are all old foxes, really.

They see through many things perfectly clearly, but now and then they still get muddle-headed and take a few detours.

A few days later, the Empress Dowager summoned Chun Nuan into the palace, and to her surprise, she saw the Princess Consort Chu in the Cining Palace.

"Princess, how are you?"

"Thanks to you, I feel much better now," the Princess Consort Chu said. "Since I’ve run into you today, Mr. Xiao, I’d like to ask you to feel my pulse again and see whether I should take a couple more doses to further regulate my body."

"All right, let me take a look."

Chun Nuan was sure that the Princess Consort Chu had come to the palace today precisely to ask the Empress Dowager to help invite her for a consultation.

After all, she had said she did not make house calls. Without the Empress Dowager’s decree, she wouldn’t see patients.

"Your recovery is quite good," Chun Nuan nodded after feeling the pulse. "I’ll prescribe two more doses to regulate your qi and blood. Also, when you have free time, walk around more. It will be beneficial for your recovery."

"All right, I’ll trouble you, Mr. Xiao."

Chun Nuan wrote the prescription, and the Empress Dowager had the senior maid at her side take the maid from the Princess Consort Chu’s side to the Imperial Hospital at once to have the medicine filled.

"Thank you, Imperial Sister-in-law."

"What’s there to thank? We’re all women, and besides, you traveled thousands of miles to marry into Great Zhou. As your elder sister-in-law, it’s only right I take extra care of you." The Empress Dowager said, "Since Prince Chu likes that woman, then give her a proper status and bring her into the mansion."

"Everything is up to you, Empress Dowager."

The Princess Consort Chu did not want this. She didn’t want to see that woman every day, getting on her nerves.

But since the Empress Dowager had spoken, if she refused, she would seem lacking in magnanimity.

The head of the family must appear magnanimous, so she had to learn to play that part.

"Then raise her to the rank of Madam. The rear courtyard of the Prince Chu Mansion is indeed a bit empty. I’ll grant two more Madams to enter the mansion as well," the Empress Dowager said. "You’re in weak health, so let them serve Prince Chu properly and share some of your burdens."

"Many thanks, Empress Dowager."

Hearing this, the Princess Consort Chu instantly felt much more at ease.

That childhood sweetheart of Prince Chu’s—why hadn’t she been brought in before? Because they didn’t want her lowering her head in front of the principal wife. There was no side consort in the Prince Chu Mansion’s rear courtyard, but now the Empress Dowager only made her a Madam, and on top of that, granted two more beauties.

This wasn’t making things harder for her at all; this was practically sharing her burdens!

With young, beautiful Madams waiting on Prince Chu, she didn’t believe their grand "deep love" could stay as deep as the sea!

The Princess Consort Chu was waiting to watch a good show!

Sure enough, you have to stay alive properly. As long as you live, there will always be something interesting to see.