Menstruation

"It's already healed, my lady. You'd better not look, or it might frighten you."

"It won't! I want to see." Yan Wanning reached out to pull his shirt open again. Helpless, Si Yunqi pinched her fair, tender cheek, then undid the buttons himself.

With his shirt open, a long scar was immediately visible across his muscular chest, its tender new flesh already grown in. Si Yunqi saw her staring at the scar, her eyes reddening. He sighed softly and said dotingly, "I told you it was ugly. It frightened you, didn't it?"

"It didn't." Yan Wanning sniffled, her fair little hand coming to rest on his tawny chest. "Did it hurt, husband?" she asked softly.

"If you kiss it, my lady, it won't hurt anymore," Si Yunqi said jokingly.

Yan Wanning seemed to believe him and really did lower her head to kiss the long scar tenderly. Si Yunqi stiffened for a moment, then chuckled softly. Gazing at the sweet, delicate woman before him, his heart filled with tenderness. With a slight pull of his arms, he lifted her onto his lap, straddling his thighs, and kissed her lips. "You're so good, my lady," he murmured in a low, husky voice.

"It must have hurt terribly when you were wounded, husband." His body bore many old and new scars, all left from the years he had spent leading troops into battle. Seemingly afraid of frightening her, he always snuffed out every candle in the room when they did that.

"Are you truly not afraid, my lady?"

"Mm. Those are all marks you gained protecting our home and country, husband. Why should I be afraid?"

"Will you tell me how you got this scar, husband?" Yan Wanning leaned softly against his chest, a touch of dependence in her manner.

"If my lady wants to hear it, then I'll tell you."

He had gotten the scar while locked in combat with Western Rong's third prince, when someone launched a sneak attack. The situation had been perilous. Though he had dodged the fatal blow, he had still been slashed by the third prince, who had struck like a cornered dog leaping over a wall.

Si Yunqi slowly told her the story, glossing over the most serious parts. Then he changed the subject. "It's late. You should go to bed, my lady."

"You should go to bed too, husband." Yan Wanning climbed off his lap and slipped under the covers, looking at him with her big, dewy eyes.

"Mm, let's go to bed together." Si Yunqi lifted the covers, lay down, and drew her into his arms.

The next day, when Yan Wanning woke, she felt a terrible bloating ache in her abdomen. Her face was deathly pale, and a warm flow welled up beneath her. Realizing what it was, she clenched her teeth, her face burning.

Si Yunqi had never seen her like this before and was badly startled. He carefully gathered her into his arms, his brows tightly furrowed. "A Ning, what's wrong?"

"Does it hurt badly? Bear with it a little longer, A Ning. The physician will be here soon."

"I'm all right, husband." Yan Wanning leaned against him. "Don't call a physician. Just have Xiao He come in."

"No. When you're unwell, you must see a physician. You can't hide an illness for fear of treatment, my lady." Looking stern and deeply disapproving, he chided her.

"You've misunderstood, husband. I'm not ill." Biting her red lip, she gathered her courage, leaned close to his ear, and whispered something.

Si Yunqi froze, then coughed lightly. He released her and tucked her back under the covers, the skin behind his ears turning red. "I'll go get Xiao He."

"Mm." Yan Wanning was a little embarrassed too.

After Si Yunqi went out, Xiao He came in with a menstrual pad and helped her wash and change into clean clothes. She also cleared away all the bloodstained bedsheets.

By the time they were done, Si Yunqi had returned with a bowl in his hands and the Palace Physician following behind him. He gave her the bowl and said gently, "I heard that drinking brown sugar water helps when it's that time. Be good and drink it while it's hot."

"Thank you, husband." Yan Wanning obediently took the bowl and finished the brown sugar water in small sips.

"Let the Palace Physician check your pulse, then get some proper rest," Si Yunqi said in a tone that brooked no refusal.

Yan Wanning felt both helpless and touched. She obediently held out her hand. "As you say, husband."

"My respects, Princess Consort." The Palace Physician bowed to her, then took a pulse pillow and a handkerchief from his medicine chest. He placed the handkerchief over Yan Wanning's wrist before reaching out to carefully take her pulse.

Before long, the Palace Physician withdrew his hand. "Your body is well, Princess Consort, but you have been worrying too much lately. You should make some adjustments and get plenty of rest."

"Mm, sorry for the trouble, Palace Physician." Yan Wanning had indeed been worrying a great deal about Si Yunqi lately and had not been resting well. "Will I need to take medicine?"

She dreaded taking medicine most of all. The stuff was bitter and foul-smelling.

"There's no need for medicine. Just burn a stick of calming incense."

Relieved to learn she didn't need medicine, Yan Wanning had Xiao He see the Palace Physician out. Si Yunqi tucked the covers more tightly around her and said sternly, "Get some proper rest. Don't move about needlessly."

"I'm going to the study to take care of something. Stay in bed. I'll be back in a little while."

Perhaps because she was on her period, Yan Wanning had become much clingier than usual. She threw back the covers and sprang into his arms. "I can't sleep. Will you take me to the study with you, husband?" she asked in a soft, coquettish voice.

"I won't disturb your work, husband."

Si Yunqi thought for a moment before agreeing. He picked her up, and as he stepped out of the room, he said, "You mustn't move about. You can only stay in the study."