bestfiction Chapter 348 I was given contraception
Chapter 348 I was given contraception
The night was as dark as ink, and the flickering candlelight illuminated the faces of Gu Mochen and Yelü Fengqi. Gu Mochen wore a black brocade robe, his brows furrowed with a deep and worried expression; Yelü Fengqi was dressed in a close-fitting outfit, a long sword at his waist, and although his face was resolute, he was also drawn in by Gu Mochen's words, his expression becoming solemn.
"Brother Yelü, have you heard of family feuds?" Gu Mochen spoke softly, his voice echoing in the quiet room, as if carrying the vicissitudes of time. He slightly raised his head, his gaze passing through the window to the endless darkness, seemingly lost in distant memories. "I have heard of it. I know someone whose family is extremely wealthy, with a vast fortune awaiting his inheritance. This should be something to be envied, but it has also brought much trouble. Within the family, many covet this wealth. They are jealous of his privileged position, yet they know he is highly skilled in martial arts and cannot directly harm him. Therefore, those insidious individuals have turned their evil thoughts towards his offspring."
Yelü Fengqi frowned, pondering to himself, "How could there be such vicious people in this world?" He picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, but the warmth of the tea could not dispel the chill rising in his heart. "Offspring are the foundation of a family's continuation. How could those people be so cruel?" he couldn't help but ask, his voice tinged with indignation.
Gu Mochen sighed softly and continued, "Brother, you may not know this, but once a child is born, the family will do everything in its power to protect him. Ordinary methods simply won't work. Those with ill intentions racked their brains to achieve their goals, and finally came up with an extremely cruel method—to prevent all his women from having children." As he said this, a trace of pity flashed in his eyes, as if he could see the suffering of those innocent women.
"This... how could this be done?" Yelü Fengqi stared wide-eyed in astonishment, nearly dropping his teacup. He couldn't fathom what kind of conspiracy or trickery could accomplish something so contrary to the laws of nature.
“Preventing every woman from becoming infertile is easier said than done.” Gu Mochen’s voice grew increasingly low, as if it came from the deepest hell. “So, they carefully observed him and figured out which woman wanted a child the most. They took advantage of that woman’s desire for a child and poisoned her. Then the man was also poisoned. In the end, he inexplicably became unable to have children, and the family’s lineage was thus plunged into dire straits.”
A deathly silence fell over the room, broken only by the occasional crackling of the candlelight. Yelü Fengqi's mind, however, was in turmoil. Suddenly, his eyes widened as if struck by lightning. He thought of his first wife, that gentle and virtuous woman who had always deeply regretted not bearing him any children.
Over the years, the First Madam had gone to great lengths to have a child. She searched far and wide for all sorts of rare herbs, and no matter how far the journey, she would go without hesitation wherever she heard of a remedy that could help with fertility. She visited countless doctors, and each doctor's arrival ignited a glimmer of hope in her eyes, only to have that hope burst like a bubble each time. Her once radiant face was now deeply etched with the marks of time and sorrow, making her appear much older.
Yelü Fengqi felt a sharp pain in his heart. Could it be that his first wife had also suffered the same fate? Although he and his first wife were not monogamous and had multiple wives and concubines, their affection for each other had always been incredibly deep. His first wife was gentle and considerate, managing the household affairs impeccably, and showing him exceptional care. In his heart, his first wife held an unparalleled position.
Thinking of this, Yelü Fengqi could no longer sit still. He stood up abruptly, walked a few steps to Gu Mochen, clasped his hands in a fist, his eyes filled with anxiety and pleading: "Please, Brother Changfeng, save my wife!" His voice trembled slightly, a husband's deep worry and love for his wife.
Gu Mochen quickly stood up, supporting Yelü Fengqi's arms with both hands, and said, "Brother, don't be anxious. This matter needs careful consideration. Now that we have discovered the conspiracy behind this, we will definitely find a way to unravel the mystery and give sister-in-law justice." His eyes were firm and confident, as if conveying a kind of strength to Yelü Fengqi.
Yelü Fengqi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knew that being anxious at this moment was useless; the most urgent task was to find a solution. "Brother Changfeng, where do you think we should begin?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Gu Mochen as if he had grasped at the last straw.
Gu Mochen pondered for a moment and said, "First, we need to find out if there are any suspicious people around my sister-in-law. Those who secretly poison her must have planted spies around her or personally approached her to find an opportunity to poison her. We need to carefully investigate the maids, servants, and people who frequently come into contact with my sister-in-law. This is definitely not something that a quack doctor can do alone."
Yelü Fengqi nodded, secretly considering the situation of his family. "Alright, I'll go back and arrange for people to investigate everyone around Madam one by one," he said, his tone resolute.
“There’s no rush. Besides, my wife will conduct a thorough examination of my sister-in-law’s body. Perhaps we can find clues about the poison used by the poisoner from her pulse or physical symptoms. However, this matter should not be leaked, so it’s best not to tell my sister-in-law for now.” Gu Mochen continued, his thinking meticulous, considering every detail thoroughly.
“Alright, I’ll arrange for us to visit Moon Lake over here tomorrow. I’d appreciate it if you could help me investigate.” Yelü Fengqi said, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.
"That would be perfect." Gu Mochen said, "Without further ado, elder brother, extend your arm, and I will treat you right away."
Yelü Fengqi clasped his hands in gratitude again and said, "Brother Changfeng, if you can save my wife and me this time, I, Yelü Fengqi, will repay you tenfold!" After saying that, he stretched out his arm and placed it on the table.
Gu Mochen placed a square handkerchief under Yelü Fengqi's wrist and began to take his pulse. The pulse was steady and strong; no doctor could imagine such a healthy body being unable to conceive. However, upon closer examination, a slight irregularity could be found between the continuous, strong pulse, which quickly disappeared. This indicated that Yelü Fengqi had been given a sperm-suppressing drug—how ruthless! This drug was essentially a modern-day birth control pill. It only needed to be given to the First Madam periodically, and she would pass it on to Yelü Fengqi through intercourse. Thus, the couple taking the pill would never have children. Judging from the pulse, he had probably been taking the drug for fifteen or sixteen years. Moreover, this drug wasn't considered poison, so most doctors wouldn't be able to detect it unless they could perform a blood test or personally prepare it. Gu Mochen knew this because he had Ye Qingchen prepare this drug for him after his third child. Many years ago, he and Ye Qingchen, to vent their anger, had given this drug to the prostitutes in brothels, so that men who had been to brothels would be temporarily unable to have children. How this drug ended up in the Liao Dynasty is unknown.
The treatment was easy. Gu Mochen took out a bottle of spatial water mixed with the universal antidote from his sleeve—he had just mixed it in his spatial storage—and gave it to Yelü Fengqi. He said, "Brother Yelü, you've been given a drug similar to a contraceptive potion. However, this drug is potent and can be transmitted from woman to man. It's not a serious problem, but it will temporarily impair your sperm quality, preventing you from having children. This potion is a universal antidote. You, your wife, and all the concubines should drink a sip, and it will be cured. However, there's no guarantee when he might poison you again, so don't let your sister-in-law take any more medicine indiscriminately. There's probably another reason why she can't have children before this happens. As for Chu Ran's mother, she's probably not just weak and sickly; she might have been murdered by someone else."