Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

"Then should I get some medicine to help with pregnancy and make sure she drinks it?"

"No need. All medicines have some toxicity. An adult's body doesn't need these."

After a pause, he said again,

"If you are still worried, we can prescribe a milder tonic. After that, you just need to maintain normal eating and living habits and take the tonic we prescribed on time to ensure the safety of both mother and child."

After hearing the imperial physicians' diagnosis, Song Hanchuan finally felt relieved.

He nodded repeatedly in thanks and personally saw the imperial physicians out.

After everyone left, he turned back into the room and stayed by Liu Zhiyi's side without leaving her for a moment.

They served rice and soup, and also brought tea and water.

He didn't leave his room until Liu Zhiyi had finished lunch and went to take a nap, and then he went to his study.

She opened the dark room and came to Pei Yun Chu again, eagerly announcing the good news that Liu Zhi Yi was pregnant.

He carefully observed the shock, despair, and disbelief in the other person's eyes. Only when the last glimmer of light in their eyes vanished did he finally curl his lips into a satisfied smile.

He strode out of the dark room.

"Send the man back to the Marquis's residence."

"My lord, the lady is newly pregnant. What if he goes mad after he leaves and does something harmful to her?"

Song Hanchuan shook his head firmly.

"Don't worry, he won't."

Pei Yun Chu is not a bad person. He only has a possessive desire for Liu Zhi Yi and has no intention of harming her.

For a long time, all he wanted was Liu Zhiyi. The reason he was so stubborn was partly because he was unwilling to let his beloved leave him completely.

On the one hand, he always believed that Liu Zhiyi had been deceived into following Song Hanchuan and would regret it one day.

When he discovered that Song Hanchuan and Liu Zhiyi were truly in love, he felt that since Song Hanchuan was impotent and unable to help Liu Zhiyi have children, Liu Zhiyi would regret it sooner or later. That's when he came up with that extreme method.

He wanted to win back Liu Zhiyi's heart through sexual intimacy.

Now, Song Hanchuan has shown him with facts that his wish will not come true, and he has finally given up hope.

He was right.

As soon as Pei Yun Chu returned to the manor, he dragged his ailing body to send people out to inquire whether Liu Zhi Yi's pregnancy was true or false.

It turned out that Song Hanchuan had indeed not lied to him.

He couldn't possibly bribe all twenty-odd imperial physicians.

"Hahahaha... He really went to great lengths to extinguish my hopes. So many imperial physicians, even nobles in the palace wouldn't dare to parade around like this."

Pei Yunchu smiled, but his eyes became moist, and a single tear slid down his cheek.

But he quickly wiped it away.

"General, are you... alright?"

"Make preparations, we're going to the border tomorrow."

The next morning at court, Jiang Xuanyan suddenly received a memorial from Pei Yunchu, in which he wrote that he was volunteering to guard the border and would never return to the capital.

He didn't even wait for Jiang Xuan Yan's consent, because at that moment, he had already set off alone for the border.

Jiang Xuan Yan sighed and agreed in a deep voice.

Upon hearing the news, Lady Hou fainted from crying.

To appease Pei Yunchu, Jiang Xuanyan bestowed upon him a great deal of gold, silver, and fertile land, and granted him the title of Prince Zhenbei, a hereditary title.

Five years later, the Jiang Kingdom was peaceful and the seas were calm, and the people lived in peace and contentment.

At the same time, it became the strongest country on this continent. Liu Zhiyi gave birth to two sons and a daughter, and her official position rose again and again, until she stood at the same level as Song Hanchuan.

At that time, the crown prince was already twelve years old and officially took over the administration of the court.

Just then, Jiang Xuan Yan disappeared.

When Liu Zhiyi brought Song Hanchuan to him, he had already committed suicide in the small courtyard where Shen Ningzhu lived.

He lay on their old bed, a smile on his lips, and passed away peacefully.

(End of full text)