13 #13: Traps Within Traps

I was lonely, all my maids were replaced by the Pengs, they weren't suspicious but they weren't trustworthy either. I wasn't allowed to move anywhere, The Madam was sick with a fever, and Brother-in law was searching for a doctor skilled enough to cure her. Xin Xin was sent to with him.

The Peng's basically controlled this mansion, no messages were sent out. The bird which would get me information of updates about the novels, was killed.

I would frequently hear, that the General wasn't given a message regarding his family, and all of his letters were written back by a steward from Pengs. I would have fought. but, I am weak. A walk from my bed to the door kills my legs.

The details of the pregnancy, were kept silent as to not tarnish the reputation of the General. But, I know something is wrong. I have seen, my fourth aunt, when she was having a kid, she was different. Her behavior was totally changed. She would get irritated by eating a stale dish. Her tastes changed. But mine remain same.

Except for not getting periods, and frequent nausea, nothing is same. I feel nothing else wrong. I have to find out. Is it not pregnancy but a poison? But, all the doctors said the same thing, which means a normal doctor wouldn't be enough to help me.

I need to meet a very much skilled one. The imperial doctors? No, they are the same, but with a title. Skilled doctors, would surely be unwilling to remain in palace, but would heal the commoners too. But where, the last miracle doctor, Feng Ru, disappeared into the woods, in search of a medicine and was nowhere to be found.

Feng Ru didn't have disciples too... I have to search. But, who can help me. Right! Guan. He must be somewhere here right. I bent a bit from the window and shouted Guan. He appeared right away.

"Yes, Milady.", he said.

"I need to talk with you, something private.", I said.

He came inside and stood near the window.

"Something is wrong, Guan. I feel I am not pregnant but something else.", I said.

"Do you mean you miscarried or?", he said.

"No, I heard from the ladies, before my marriage. That, the best age to conceive is from 20-25, any other age, it would be extremely difficult to induce a pregnancy. And that, many, don't get pregnant just from their first time.", I spoke a bit awkwardly, but I know, Guan is different from all men.

"But, a lady from my village had a kid at 14. It isn't about the age right?", he said, calmly.

"But, isn't it weird. That I myself wouldn't know if my body had some changes. Isn't it too much of a coincidence, that I, am unable to move from here to there, whereas my aunts could go till the market, I don't even have a swollen belly!, The Madam and brother-in law are in their own worries and messages are being intercepted. Tell me Don't you see?", I asked.

"Yes, but what can I do, I can't leave you alone.", He said.

"No one knows, you are here, nor the Madam, nor brother in law, you need to pass on a message to the Emperor.", I said.

"The what? Emperor, I may be skilled, but the Emperor has shadows from the elite soldiers, even I can't feel their presence!", He said.

"You no need to do anything, just pass on this to the Emperor", I said, giving him a letter.

"Fine, I will do it.", He said as he went out.

Yes, Now all that is left is...

*knock knock*

"Come in"

"Miss, we have brought your dinner, please have it when it is warm.", The servants came with the meal.

"Thank you, I shall have it after I wash my face."

As I washed up, I knew it, something must be wrong with the food, or tea? I only consumed those. What must I do? The servants won't leave unless I eat, So, I have to eat it.

I ate up, and said I would be resting. But no, I have to get out. Somehow, I dressed up as a man, a cheap disguise but it was worth it to buy Qing Yuan's limited edition dresses.

I was about to go out, when a servant came in, I turned and hid, It was Xin Xin. I cried when I saw her, being away from her was too painful.

"Miss, I missed you so much!" she cried.

"Me too."

"I understand what is going on, So, go and be quick. I will stay in your place.", Xin Xin said.

"Thanks.", I said going out as fast as I could.

My legs and feet were hurting so much as though someone was cutting them off, I was able to get to the end of my courtyard, surprisingly, there were not many guards in my courtyard.

I went outside easily, but I am sure I won't be able to escape If I just went to my parents, surely Peng would keep a check on them. I went a bit away from the market, and to the pharmacy, I asked for a medicine for leg pain, I took it and was walking, I had to reach the weaponry warehouse of my sister which is out in town. From There, I can send the General a message from her eagle, It would take me only 20 min on foot, but I can't walk now.

I could feel myself feeling faint, before I knew it, I fell down, It was painful. My whole body was aching. I couldn't be conscious anymore, I slept.

I woke up to a scent of roses, no, it was more of jasmine? I got up and saw a pinkish roof, I got up and saw, I was in a room, a very feminine room.

"Oh! Are you awake?", I startled as I heard a voice from behind me.

It was a male, no, female? a female with a man's face?

"You are?", I asked.

"I am a male prostitute from the brothel of Red Lake.", he said.

"uh, Thank you for saving me." I said, awkwardly.

"What, Do you find me to be gross? unlikeable?", He asked.

"No, Its just that you are too beautiful. I am afraid, If you tried to seduce me, I would certainly be seduced.", I said blushing.

"No, you can never be a customer, it is physically impossible.", He said

"why?", I asked, drinking water which he gave.

"We serve only men, no women.", He said.

"Oh! I guess my disguise isn't that great.", I said.

"It is good, but I somehow got to know.", He said.

He sat in front of the mirror and began combing his hair, to say, he looked more beautiful than me. I would have married him, if I was a guy.

"Do you know about your health?", he asked.

"My health?",

"You're pregnant, Aren't you, at quite a young age.", he said, selecting a few jewels and wearing them.

"No, I am not.", I said.

"Your pulse says so, I felt it when I carried you here", he said.

"The pulse may be wrong, By running, your pulse increases and while sleeping it decreases, certain actions can control the pulse!", I shouted and realized It could have all been a drug.

"Exactly, I hope you realized it. You have a weird poison in you.", He said, looking at me from the mirror.

"But, how did you know?", I asked.

"The owner of the brothel taught all of us prostitutes, before serving any man, we first check their pulse, if they have some sort of contagious or you know the diseases which we can also get if we have relations with them. If they are unwell, we send them back with a medicine", He said, while he came and combed my hair.

"Isn't that unusual, I never knew they do it in brothels, Is your owner a doctor?", I asked.

"No, she isn't. but, she learnt a few skills from an old man.", He told.

"Oh!"

When the doors opened, and a lady came in, She was a bit old, around 50s and carried air of a princess.

"Miss, I present to you Lady Feng Ru, The lady of the Red Lake.", He said proudly.

"F-Feng Ru???", I asked shocked, If it was the miracle doctor, I must be the most luckiest one in this world!

"Seeing your reaction, you must know me as a miracle doctor, but I don't do medicine for free anymore.", she said sternly.

"Oh.. I am glad to have met you.", I said as I lost consciousness again.

What was the time, I was staring at an indefinite black area. I need to return, In more few hours, The maids will come to check upon Xin Xin, I need to go back. Huang Lei needs to be informed, If he comes here, surely, the Pengs could be kept in check.

It was so cold, as though it were January already. I have to go back, I didn't meet Qing Yuan yet, I haven't published my novel yet! I have to go...

A strong smell of mint? No, it is more like Lemon, a fresh smell, no, it changed, Roses and jasmine. I slowly opened my eyes, I saw many people near me. I got up, My whole body throbbed.

"You, What are you?", Feng Ru asked as she was holding a bowl of blood, seeing the blood, I no longer felt dizzy.

"I am Lei Jia Li, age 16, married.", I said.

"No, you are a creepy person, You were fed a dangerous poison for almost 6 months continuously, that too in heavy doses! you should I have died long back!", she said.

"Died? No, I thought I only had pregnancy symptoms...", I felt something down, yes, it had come, My Aunt Flo, the period.

I went over, and had a bath. It was painful with cramps. It was too tiring. Feng Ru was doing something with the blood in the bowl.

"What's wrong Madam Feng Ru.", I asked.

"The poison given to you, is from the barbaric kingdom, for them it is a medicine, considering their weather conditions and habitat. I don't know its name, but I know that it is given to young women, who haven't matured yet, This drug is given in less quantities, it is a medicine.

But when given in high quantities they lose their ability to give birth.", she said still doing some things.

"But to us, this medicine in low quantities induces miscarriages and makes the person infertile. Prolonged usage for 14 days, would make you permanently infertile but have the pulse of a pregnant woman, and having it for more than 2 months would kill you. But you haven't died.", She said

"Is it that bad I didn't?", I asked confused.

"No, but it is weird, that drug doesn't have a cure, once a damage is done by it, it is done, No cures, no remedies. But, you, haven't died even with this much quantity of drug, nor have you become infertile, rather if I must say, you can have at least 12 children without any difficulty.", She said and turned back.

"Why is it I wonder.", I said

"What's that on your head?", she asked.

"This! oh! you didn't see it before right? Its a scar, a knife scar.", I said, putting my hair behind, so that she could see it clearly.

"It wasn't there before, You covered it before?", she asked.

"Yea, I received it when I was small, I took a knife for my aunt.", I said.

"Wait a minute, Was she pregnant?", She asked.

"How did you know?", I asked

"Your Scar is purple, not purely brown, normal scars are read or brown, the knife must have been laced with poison to make her infertile, you took the knife and got the poison! Oh!! I get it. You must have been infertile all along. But when you started ingesting this barbarian drug, the drug acted as an antidote! This explains all.

Oh! great, Now I got the antidote for this drug! It is so funny, The one who wanted to hurt you ended up making your life more easier!", She said laughing hysterically.

"So, Now am I alright? but I was feeling unwell.", I said explaining my leg pains etc.

"That must be the excessive drug, it might have caused pains, but now it is okay.", She said.

"So, I am Fine? I do feel weak, but now I am totally normal right?", I asked.

"Of course, you are normal now after all, I personally made and fed you a priceless medicine.", She said.

"You said you wouldn't cure for free, So, How much do I have to pay, or must I do you any favor?", I asked.

"I would ask you a hefty sum, as you are a noble, but, you already brought me the cure to a poison no one has found cure for, Do you know this drug when given to men, can kill him in 20 hours, I found a cure !!!", She shouted enthusiastically.

I felt weak, so I leant back, "Can I ask you for a favor? no two favors?", I asked Feng Ru.

"What is it? I can do anything but give you the shares I get from selling the antidote.", She said.

"I want you to cure my mother-in law and I want to send a message.", I said.

"Ok, I can, But, If her disease is something incurable, I can't help it. About the message you can ask Zen Xiu to do it.", She said going out.

"Zen Xiu? "

"Yes, My name is Zen Xiu, I will help you out.", he said as he whistled, a beautiful bird came, I am ashamed that I didn't know its species, It was elegant, it was black, with a bit of orange. I never saw it before.

"Write and give", he said, giving me a paper with a brush.

I wrote everything in the most short way as possible and asked him to hurry. It would take him alone to come, in two to three days, I hope he comes soon.

"Thanks for the stay, But I need to go.", I said.

"Be careful, the drug is probably served with hot water, so drink everything cool, when it is cooled, the drug has no effect.", Feng Ru said as she bid me farewell.

I ran back home, But, The maids were about to enter my room.