There was something off about this woman — she didn't make a fuss or cry like someone who was truly in pain because of the news. Although she looked the part, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was all an act.
Hearing his words, Mei Liang quietly exhaled—a sigh of relief so faint it almost melted into the air.
It seemed the heavens were finally on her side. Perhaps even the gods had grown tired of watching her struggle and had decided to grant her the perfect excuse to avoid serving the emperor for a while. At least she would no longer have to attend to him every day.
For a brief moment, the sorrowful mask on her face slipped. A flicker of pure delight flashed through her eyes—gone in an instant, replaced once more by that fragile, pitiful look of helplessness.
Fortunately, Chief Imperial Physician Shen didn't notice her fleeting change in expression. He was too busy rattling off a list of herbs to Cuiyu, warning her to prepare them exactly as prescribed.
