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Thankfully, Xiao Qing, Xiao Jizi, and the somewhat useful Xiao Linzi were not like that, otherwise...

Ah, there was no otherwise, might as well keep them on. Now that she had silver, if those three wanted to freeload, let them freeload; she was willing to support them.

However, if it were someone else, she certainly wouldn’t fancy someone like Consort Fang Pin, who had to be sustained day after day with medicine. That would cost a fortune in silver.

Chatting with Lian Hua brought enormous satisfaction to Consort Fang Pin, filling her with joy and relaxation. Looking into Sister Lian’s eyes, how deeply they sympathized, how profoundly they shared her feelings, it was almost as if they couldn’t bear to see her suffer.

Her heart satisfied, she lamented with a sorrowful tone, "Alas, this is all my sister’s fate. I can’t blame anyone else—only my misfortune to blame."

While speaking, she pinched her handkerchief to wipe the corners of her eyes. How could she be so unfortunate? If it weren’t for her misfortune, perhaps she’d be as lucky as Sister Lian, pregnant with the royal heir.

Hearing this, Xiao Jizi rolled his eyes inwardly. The consort indeed had a sickness, a sickness of affectation. She was truly unfortunate, but only because she made her life so miserable.

He had to keep a close watch to see what this affected and pretentious consort was up to. If she thought to deceive the master or gain sympathy, no way!

How dare she take advantage of the master’s innocence and credulity? Just wait till Nanny Qi returns; she’ll show this consort!

Lian Hua’s mind was filled with thoughts of how useless Consort Fang Pin was, her thoughts drifting far away, even considering with the consort’s weak constitution, how lucky she was to have His Majesty as a patron; otherwise, supporting her would be a loss.

Seeing Consort Fang Pin gaze at her, seeming to encourage her to say something, Lian Hua thought for a moment and steeled her heart, speaking against her conscience, "Why doesn’t the consort consult an Imperial Physician? Maybe ask that dark-skinned Charcoal Head to take a look?"

Although she disliked him, Nanny Qi and His Majesty had said that one must not conceal their illness nor disdain the doctor.

That Charcoal Head, no matter how disagreeable, seemed to have commendable medical skills. Rather than discussing it here with her, it’d be more useful for Consort Fang Pin to speak with Charcoal Head herself.

Consort Fang Pin paused in wiping her tears. Charcoal Head? That description?

She seemed to know who Lian Hua referred to, "Is Sister Lian speaking of Imperial Physician Huang?"

Lian Hua nodded, "Yes, that’s him. He’s so incorr... ahem, so mischievous. He speaks in such a particularly mischievous way!"

The words had slipped out. Suddenly realizing something, she quickly corrected herself.

Would it be wrong to speak ill of Charcoal Head in front of others?...

Consort Fang Pin sensed something off about the statement. Was Sister Lian suggesting that Imperial Physician Huang spoke offensively?

Her eyes held a flicker of eagerness as she tentatively asked, "Does Sister Lian also find Imperial Physician Huang’s words unpleasant... ?"

Lian Hua paused for a moment, pondered briefly, and hesitantly nodded.

Both women eyed each other and gradually recognized the meaning in the other’s gaze. Their eyes suddenly lit up as if they had found a kindred spirit.

Consort Fang Pin was the first to speak, "Doesn’t Sister agree that this Imperial Physician Huang can be quite annoying?"

Lian Hua’s eyes widened. It was a case of great minds thinking alike.

She had told His Majesty she didn’t wish to see Huang Zude, feeling that he always frightened her.

Upon hearing this, His Majesty would comfort her, and after consoling her, he would reason with her, saying Doctor Huang was highly skilled and dutiful.

She should behave and let him take the Pulse of Peace as anyone would.

If Nanny Qi heard, she’d give her a stern look and say that a doctor’s heart is a parent’s heart, and Huang Zude should be commended for his straightforward actions, rather than trying to please.

When she expressed her complaints privately to Xiao Jizi and the others, they all advised her for her own good.

She understood the reasoning, oh, she just wanted to vent a bit, hoping someone would agree with her complaints for once.

She’d feel relieved once her frustration with being intimidated by Huang Zude was voiced, and she’d no longer dwell on it.

Afterwards, she’d still see the doctor as needed; she understood that.

But it seemed everyone in Canglan Court failed to grasp her subtle intentions, which made her quite melancholic.

So, when she heard Concubine Fang Pin speak thus, Lian Hua felt she had found a kindred spirit and nodded vehemently, "I think it’s utterly detestable!"

The moment these words were exchanged, a similar glint of light passed through their eyes.

The two then engaged in a whispered exchange, criticizing everything about Huang Zude, from one thing to another.

Especially for Concubine Fang Pin, it was rare to find someone akin to a confidante, with whom she could share a common language.

She stopped her tears and no longer felt her heart ache, and said indignantly, "This surnamed Huang, his words are so unpleasant to hear!"

He said she was not sick; if she was not sick, why would she have called for him? It was infuriating!

Lian Hua nodded in full agreement, "Right, so unpleasant!"

She was clearly well, yet he said she was suppressing her emotions, making it sound severe—as if to scare someone, hmph!

Concubine Fang Pin, holding a handkerchief, slapped the table angrily and said, "He is really too much to handle, always upsetting people."

He wouldn’t even prescribe her medicine, which was infuriating; why couldn’t he give her some? She felt uncomfortable if a day went by without taking medicine. Such an Imperial Physician truly lacked any ounce of compassion!

Lian Hua nodded in agreement, "Absolutely true, and what’s more, he was born so dark and unattractive."

So fierce, the moment she said anything, he would frighten her by prescribing more medicine. She was well, eating three bowls of rice, a bowl of soup, lots of dishes daily, and even adding a few servings of cakes and stews. With such a good appetite, how could she possibly need to take medicine.

Remembering the infuriating scene with that surnamed Huang, who hadn’t given her any face, Concubine Fang Pin gritted her teeth and said, "I called for him, and he claims that sister is just being melodramatic and doesn’t need medicine.

It’s so enraging, if you can’t diagnose then admit it, instead of talking nonsense! "

What melodramatic illness? Is there even such a disease? This surnamed Huang can’t diagnose illnesses and even mocks her, it infuriates her to the extreme!

Lian Hua hadn’t listened carefully, her mind preoccupied with the fact she had unnecessarily consumed twice the amount of medicine.

When Concubine Fang Pin finished speaking, she immediately echoed: "Indeed, indeed.

Talking about changing five doses into ten doses, actually doubling it, what a black heart! "

She had drunk fetus-preserving medicine for ten days straight, and it was so bitter. She hadn’t expected Charcoal Head to be so heartless, always prescribing medicines that were much more bitter than usual!

The more Concubine Fang Pin spoke, the more agitated she became, "He’s an Imperial Physician, he should just diagnose and be done with it. Why fuss over so much more!"

He even said that the medicine prescribed by Imperial Doctor Wang was useless, so why did she feel much better after taking it? A quack doctor!

The more Lian Hua spoke, the happier she became, and she was just a sentence or two away from dispelling all her anger.

Charcoal Head was indeed meddlesome, she added, "Exactly, too meddlesome."

So meddlesome that he insisted on taking her pulse before leaving, also intimidating her by saying a minor illness could turn into a serious one, hmph!

Concubine Fang Pin’s face showed her annoyance, "His medical skills are truly awful, not even able to identify a minor ailment of sister, I really don’t know how he got into the Imperial Medical Bureau. Because of this surnamed Huang, the whole bureau is discredited."

Now she had to resort to finding the prescriptions from Imperial Doctor Wang for her medicine. What’s the use of these so-called Imperial Physicians!

Lian Hua nodded reflexively, "Indeed, it’s too bad, huh???"

Is it really so, is Charcoal Head’s medical skill bad? Uh, it probably shouldn’t be, as she felt it should be effective after taking the medicine.

When Charcoal Head took her pulse later, he said that her baby was resting well, and she should just be mindful in her daily life. Otherwise, Nanny Qi and His Majesty wouldn’t let her go through all this trouble, she still had to thank Charcoal Head for that.