Chapter 550 Township Lady Can Visit the East Palace Often in the Future

Chapter 550: Township Lady Can Visit the Eastern Palace Often in the Future

Xingxing naturally recognized the woman's identity and performed a proper greeting: "Greetings, Crown Princess."

Crown Princess Mu Rujun smiled warmly as she stepped forward to personally help Xingxing up, her gaze filled with admiration: "You are truly beautiful, Township Lady."

Xingxing replied sincerely, "Your Highness is uniquely beautiful as well."

Mu Rujun couldn’t help but laugh even more happily: "For some reason, your praise makes me very happy, Township Lady. Perhaps because you yourself are so lovely and beautiful."

Xingxing smiled shyly, thinking Nie Yuke couldn’t have been more wrong.

Mu Rujun chatted with Xingxing for a while before smiling and asking, "Do you know why we invited you to the Eastern Palace, Township Lady?"

Xingxing honestly shook her head.

Mu Rujun gave a somewhat helpless smile but didn’t hide the truth, speaking candidly: "It was the Empress Dowager. She believes you carry great fortune and have excellent medical skills, having saved the family of Jiping Commandery Prince and the Dowager Duchess of Xin. Since I have yet to conceive, Her Majesty wanted you to examine me."

At this point, Mu Rujun laughed again, "Her Majesty means well and cares for me deeply, not wanting me to feel too much pressure. But conceiving is also a matter of fate." She winked at Xingxing, "Today is just for show. Whether I have a child is up to fate, so Township Lady needn’t feel too burdened either."

Mu Rujun was open and accepting.

Of course, it was also because Xingxing was someone important to their second brother—otherwise, Mu Rujun wouldn’t have shared these thoughts with just anyone.

Xingxing thought for a moment before saying to Mu Rujun, "May I take your pulse, Your Highness?"

Mu Rujun complied, extending her arm.

As she did so, several scars running across her forearm became visible. Xingxing glanced at them, and Mu Rujun remarked, "Did they startle you? They’re not very pretty."

Xingxing shook her head: "These look like blade and arrow wounds. Were you on the battlefield?"

Mu Rujun smiled, "Yes, I disguised myself as a man and spent two years on the battlefield when I was younger. You guessed very accurately."

Xingxing admired, "You’re truly remarkable! My big brother has scars like these too. He says they are the marks of his battles on the battlefield."

At the mention of Yu Yonghuai, Mu Rujun’s expression turned respectful: "General Yu is brave, skilled in warfare, and a master strategist. I’d love to meet him one day."

Xingxing took Mu Rujun’s pulse.

Mu Rujun paused, then asked softly, "Well?"

Though she’d resigned herself to the possibility that she might be fated to have no children, given her position—and the fact that the Crown Prince had been resisting immense pressure from the court for her sake—she still wished to bear him a child, just as he cherished her.

Xingxing pulled back her hand: "You suffered injuries in your youth that affected your foundation, but your health has been well-nurtured over the years and is now fully recovered."

Mu Rujun understood, touching her abdomen with a wistful expression: "Yes, the imperial physicians say my body is fine. Yet I still haven’t conceived. I don’t know why."

Xingxing hesitated, then asked softly, "...And His Highness the Crown Prince’s health...?"

Most wouldn’t dare suggest the issue could lie with the Crown Prince.

But Xingxing was a physician, and she followed her conscience—she had to ask clearly.

Mu Rujun paused, then laughed quietly. She leaned closer to Xingxing and whispered with amusement, "The imperial physicians have examined His Highness thoroughly under the pretext of routine checkups. There’s nothing wrong with his health."

Besides, they conceived a child two years ago.

Back then, they were unaware of the child's arrival. Mu Rujun had been accompanying Wei Shiqing day and night to deal with the Dian River flood crisis, which left hundreds of thousands homeless. By the time they noticed, it was already too late—she had started bleeding, and it was too late to save the baby.

Xingxing recalled a story Grandma Daxi once shared with her and said to Mu Rujun, "If both are healthy, maybe it’s just fate. My Grandma Daxi knew a couple who had been married for ten years without having children, despite both being in good health. Grandma Daxi told them that children are a matter of fate. Then, in their thirteenth year, the woman had twins. After that, over the next five years, she had more children—two more sets of twins—and ended up with six kids."

Mu Rujun couldn’t help but touch her abdomen again.

Over a decade...

She wondered how much longer His Highness could take the strain.

"Oh well," Mu Rujun murmured. "As Township Lady said, it’s all about fate. You can’t rush it."

Xingxing couldn’t help but hug Mu Rujun, sincerely saying, "Your Highness, you are a good person. Everything will turn out right."

Mu Rujun was momentarily stunned by the little girl’s sudden embrace. The girl was soft and sweet-smelling, a warm little bundle in her arms.

Mu Rujun gently hugged her back, afraid she might squeeze too hard and hurt the fragile girl.

Xingxing loved how Mu Rujun smelled—not like regular perfumes—it had a fresh, piney scent. She took a whiff and said, "Your Highness, you smell amazing!"

Mu Rujun laughed happily.

Xingxing’s sweet, sincere compliments always made her so happy.

Crown Prince Wei Shiqing came in with Nie Lvming and Nie Yuke. Hearing Mu Rujun’s bright laughter from the hall, he couldn’t help but smile.

Nie Yuke’s eyes, however, flickered with a shadow of resentment.

But by the time she followed Wei Shiqing into the hall, her expression had shifted back to that of a refined, understanding noble lady.

"Your Highness."

"Your Highness."

Maids bowed along the way.

Mu Rujun and Xingxing, hearing the commotion, came out to greet them.

"Your Highness," Wei Shiqing stepped forward and naturally took Mu Rujun’s hand. Seeing her rosy cheeks and lingering smile, he knew she, like him, had taken a liking to the little girl their second brother cherished.

Wei Shiqing was even more pleased.

As husband and wife, he valued Xingxing greatly and hoped his beloved wife would feel the same.

"Greetings to the Crown Princess and Township Lady."

Nie Yuke and Nie Lvming bowed behind them.

Mu Rujun gracefully raised her hand. "No need for such formality, Fifth Cousin, Fourth Cousin."

"What were you and Township Lady talking about that had you laughing so much?" Wei Shiqing asked with a smile.

Mu Rujun chuckled again. "Just some private talk between girls. Why must Your Highness ask so closely?"

Wei Shiqing then turned to Xingxing, his gaze gentle. "Is this your first time visiting the Eastern Palace, Township Lady?"

Xingxing nodded in confirmation.

Wei Shiqing smiled. "The Crown Princess likes you. You’re welcome to visit the Eastern Palace often in the future."

Hearing this, Nie Yuke went pale!