FBC – Chapter 338 Overexertion

After Mu Junyan left the room, Sui’er and Yun’er finally dared to enter, their faces flushed red.

Yun’er whispered, “Your Highness, I’ll go fetch Doctor Shen to prepare some medicine to wrap your hand.”

Gu Hua gave a soft “hmm,” then realized something.

Did they just hear what Mu Junyan said?

She instantly felt embarrassed.

Even though she already had three children, they were still a bit shy.

Sui’er pressed her lips into a smile. “Your Highness and the Prince have such a good relationship. Everyone says you’ve had three children together, yet you’re still so sweet with each other.”

Gu Hua usually treated them like younger sisters, which made Sui’er bolder in her words.

Gu Hua’s face burned hot. She gave her a sideways glance and teased, “If you stay with me, I’ll make sure you marry happily. If there’s a young man you like, just tell me. I’ll see to it—and let you experience the kind of sweet married life we have.”

Sui’er had just come of age and was even more shy; she blushed furiously.

“Your Highness, you’re teasing me.”

Gu Hua smiled gently. “I’m not teasing. I’ve noticed you often speak with Dong Mo, and you were recommended to my courtyard by him. Could it be that you two…”

Sui’er stomped her foot in panic. “Ah! Your Highness! I’m just following you—I won’t marry anyone!”

Gu Hua raised an eyebrow. “All my maidservants say that at first, but once they grow up, none of them can resist. When they see someone they like, their hearts fly away.”

Sui’er widened her almond-shaped eyes, but dared not say more, turning bright red. “I’ll go see why Yun’er hasn’t returned yet.”

Gu Hua laughed heartily at her shy expression.

She slowly rotated her wrist…

Ah, it really aches. She couldn’t even lift it.

How should she manipulate Yin Tao and Yi Yun now?

Gu Hua sat on the soft couch, massaging her wrist while deep in thought.

Soon, Yun’er returned with Shen Li, Sui’er carrying a bowl of medicine for pregnancy following behind.

“What happened to your hand? Did you sprain it?”

Shen Li sat across from her and gestured for her to place her injured right wrist on the table.

Obediently, Gu Hua set her right hand down and took a small sip of the medicine with her left: “Hmm, it tastes quite good.”

Shen Li glanced at her. “You’re strong as an ox now, so you don’t need to drink anything too potent. Most of the ingredients are gentle tonics.”

Gu Hua chuckled. “Strong as an ox.”

It sounded odd to describe herself this way, but it made her feel good.

In her previous life, her health had always been poor. Even when she wanted to escape, she felt she couldn’t survive.

This life started with her giving everything to change her fate, but in the beginning, her frail body frustrated her.

When one’s health is poor, it brings a kind of depression.

Nothing excites you, and everything feels bleak.

At first, she had sought revenge and aimed to force Mu Junyan’s hand, which made her daring enough to seduce him.

These past years, everyone in the mansion cared for her, and she persisted in practicing martial arts for two hours daily. Gradually, she forgot her frailty.

Now, she felt unstoppable energy coursing through her.

And her courage had grown alongside it.

Shen Li frowned. “How did you injure your hand? This is acute overstrain. Did they really make you do such heavy work?”

Gu Hua’s face turned crimson.

Yun’er and Sui’er: “…”

Seeing the two maidservants remain silent while Gu Hua looked like she wanted to speak but couldn’t, Shen Li frowned further.

He scolded them coldly: “Your Highness is pregnant. Even if the fetus is stable, you can’t be so overworked. What did you do to injure your wrist like this?”

Yun’er and Sui’er: “…”

In truth, they didn’t really understand either—they had only guessed after noticing the Prince’s instructions to let the Princess wrap her hands, and seeing how awkwardly intimate the situation was.

Yun’er had casually read a small storybook and mentioned a guess to Sui’er.

Naturally, they didn’t dare speak openly. Shen Li, being unmarried and cold-natured, probably wouldn’t understand anyway.

Gu Hua, extremely embarrassed, couldn’t let the two maidservants take the blame. She was about to speak, but Sui’er jumped in first.

“It’s our fault, Your Highness. We know you shouldn’t exert yourself while pregnant, but you still wanted to exercise your arm strength, so we found something for you to hold and lift. We didn’t expect it would hurt your hand.”

Shen Li glared. “What was it? Let me see. I need to know how heavy it was and how many reps you did to estimate the injury.”

Gu Hua: “…”

She felt like she was going to go crazy.

Sui’er froze—where was she supposed to find an appropriate object?

She looked around awkwardly, hoping to find something suitable.

Yun’er’s eyes darted, trying not to laugh, holding back hard.

Gu Hua, mortified, quickly explained: “It was just a brick. Since it hurt my wrist, Sui’er threw it away.”

“Absurd!”

Shen Li’s face was stern. “Your palms are small, the brick is so large. Your fingers barely hold it. You can’t even stabilize it, yet you exercised? Don’t you want hands anymore?”

Gu Hua nodded honestly. “Yes, Doctor Shen, your scolding is justified. I won’t do it again.”

Sui’er and Yun’er quickly bowed. “Doctor Shen, your scolding is justified. We will remember this forever.”

Shen Li glared at them, then took out a needle pack and stitched Gu Hua’s wrist a few times. “I’ll prepare a medicinal pack. Sui’er, you can go fetch it later.”

Sui’er quickly responded, “Yes, Doctor.”

Gu Hua watched Shen Li pack up and prepare to leave, feeling relieved.

Shen Li slung his shoulder bag and, thinking for a moment, turned to her with a serious expression: “Even if the fetus is stable, you cannot have marital relations. You’ve had a premature birth before. If anything happens to this child, don’t blame me.”

Gu Hua’s face flushed instantly.

She instinctively stood up and almost bumped into Shen Li.

She laughed awkwardly: “It won’t happen. I’ll listen to you.”

Shen Li looked exasperated.

Watching him leave with his back straight, she muttered, “Not even married, yet knows so much.”

Seeing Sui’er and Yun’er hiding their smiles, Gu Hua glared at them.

“Sui’er, go call Yin Tao.”

Soon, Yin Tao was brought in.

Yin Tao looked surprised and knelt quickly. “Your Highness, I greet you.”

“Stand up. Yun’er, take a seat.”

Yin Tao rose and secretly glanced at the Princess seated at the head.

The Princess was stunningly beautiful, delicate yet graceful.

She spoke softly, with a gentle temperament.

Seeing her sip tea without rushing to speak, Yin Tao also raised her cup and waited silently.

After recovering the wooden hairpin with Yi Yun, they had yet to meet a contact, making them anxious.

But they dared not lose it again, fearing discovery by the mansion staff.

Yi Yun even suspected someone in the mansion deliberately left it in the grass, trying to lure them out.

Gu Hua set down her tea and looked at Yin Tao, asking with concern: “You’ve been here for several months. I’ve been so busy, I haven’t taken proper care of you.”

Yin Tao hurriedly smiled: “Your Highness, you are too polite. We’re all your people, no need for such care.”

“All your people.”

Gu Hua repeated the words slowly.

Yin Tao stiffened, quickly standing and bowing: “Please forgive me, Your Highness, I overstepped.”

“Ah, don’t bow all the time. My maidservants here aren’t made to bow constantly.”

Only then did Yin Tao relax and sit properly.

“The Prince has no interest in women. For you two to stay here wastes your youth…”

Before Gu Hua could finish, Yin Tao hurriedly said, “Your Highness, we were sent by the Emperor. We can only stay in the mansion. If Your Highness does not wish to see us, we dare not appear in front of you.”

Gu Hua smiled lightly. “You were courtesans, selected by the Empress, trained for a month or two, then sent to Muzhou under the guise of palace maids. Think about it, the Prince doesn’t even look at virtuous girls, let alone you. With your background, do you think he would want you?”

Yin Tao’s face immediately fell, looking terrified at Gu Hua.

Everyone already knew?