Chapter 6: The Hope of the Mohists

This matter concerned Mo Liuli's reputation, and for a moment, Physician He was at a loss, left with no choice but to remain silent.

Mo Liuli appeared calm on the surface, but her inner thoughts were a chaotic storm. Was this body truly pregnant? No wonder she felt so frail and lethargic. But what about the insects mingled within that pool of blood? A cluster of doubts immediately swirled in her mind, leaving her with a lingering sense of unease. She had noticed the complex, reluctant, and obscure look in Mo Zichuan’s eyes before he left, and the dull, cramping pain in her abdomen had seemed persistent ever since she woke up.

*Sigh!* She had no idea how the original Mo Liuli had gotten herself into this mess. In an era where a woman’s chastity was valued above life itself, to end up pregnant out of wedlock—with an unknown father, no less—was truly an impossible dilemma.

"Miss, please go to sleep. It is getting late. I will look after Madam Leng, so please don't worry!" Seeing her mistress staring blankly at the Madam again, the maid, Lu Ya, assumed she was worried about her mother and spoke up to offer comfort.

"Miss, your body is heavy, and the weather is quite cold. Here, these are the new warm slippers I made for you. Try them on and see if they fit." Seeing that Mo Liuli had been walking barefoot ever since she woke up, the young maid feared she would catch a chill and be unable to sleep. She picked up the warm, fuzzy slippers and knelt down, intending to put them on her mistress.

Mo Liuli pulled her feet back, refusing to wear the soft, furry shoes. She stood up, still barefoot, and walked in silence to her own bed, where she lay down flat. Pulling the quilt over her stomach, she closed her eyes.

Lu Ya had served Mo Liuli since childhood and knew her better than anyone. Mo Liuli did not dare to say much, fearing she might be exposed. In truth, these habits of walking barefoot and remaining quiet had already made Lu Ya suspicious, but the girl could not bring herself to believe that her mistress had been replaced. Thus, she merely assumed the pregnancy had changed her mistress’s temperament and that she was suffering from melancholy due to her concern for the Madam.

"Brother Yuan, why don't I take the girl Liuli to see Master Apothecary Gu? Since the Emperor of Huanlan intends for Liuli to be the Crown Princess, if the news of her pregnancy remains here on the Huanlan Continent, it will inevitably be exposed sooner or later. The trouble that would follow would be immense. Master Apothecary Gu holds a certain reputation on the Huanlan Continent; I believe that if the girl goes to study medicine—a path that brings honor to the family—it will not easily invite suspicion. If she stays away for three to five years, this marriage cannot be finalized. We can afford to stall the Crown Princess position, but the question is whether the Royal Family can afford to wait."

In the profound silence of the night, Physician He, still deeply troubled by Mo Liuli's situation, had snuck into the Mo estate. He had made his way to Mo Yuan’s study to deliberate with him.

Physician He was over a decade older than Mo Yuan, and their bond dated back to the time of the previous head of the Mo family. It was precisely because the late master had held Liuli in such high regard during his lifetime that the physician felt so deeply concerned.

Master Apothecary Gu was the most renowned apothecary across the four continents. He resided on the Yuanjian Continent and had many disciples, all of whom were individuals of great achievement. Even Physician He held considerable influence in the martial world, though he was so indifferent by nature that few knew the true extent of his background.

"This..."

Mo Yuan, who had already been at his wit's end, had not expected Physician He to return, let alone suggest taking his daughter to seek sanctuary under Master Apothecary Gu. He found it difficult to make a decision on the spot.

He understood that a woman’s marriage determined her lifelong happiness. His daughter had not a shred of affection for the Crown Prince. If she were truly to marry him, the secret she carried in her womb would never stay hidden.

More importantly, his daughter, Mo Liuli, was the hope of the entire Mo family. Summoners were incredibly rare these days. If, with her innate talent, she could become a summoner and successfully contract a magical beast, that would be better than anything else. But in the current situation, if he were to send her away in secret, and she were to grow distant from the family in the future...