Li Ji’s fingertips gently fiddled with the dice as he asked, unhurried.

"What is the best age for a woman to become pregnant?"

Feihua Zhenren was stunned.

’What a bizarre question.’

’Since when did Prince Zhao, the man everyone said was sinister, cunning, and killed without batting an eye, start caring about such things?’

Li Ji arched an eyebrow at him. "Why the silence? Is the question that difficult to answer?"

Feihua Zhenren cleared his throat. "Generally speaking, a woman’s optimal childbearing age is around twenty."

Li Ji calculated in his head. ’Manman is only fifteen now. That means there are still five years until she’s twenty.’

’Does that mean I have to hold back for another five years?’

Li Ji tossed the dice into the shaker cup. "Let’s continue."

Once again, Feihua Zhenren lost.

He said, resigned to his fate, "Go on, ask your question."

Li Ji asked, "Is there any form of birth control that doesn’t harm the body?"

Feihua Zhenren was speechless.

Although he was a physician, very few people would ask him such an intimate question to his face.

Especially when the other party asked so candidly, without the slightest hint that it was a matter to be hidden.

Feihua Zhenren nodded, indicating that there was.

Li Ji smiled, satisfied. "Excellent."

Feihua Zhenren was utterly baffled.

’Excellent what? How is that excellent?’

’I have a feeling there’s a hidden meaning behind the Prince’s smile!’

On the third roll of the dice, Feihua Zhenren lost yet again.

’I see how it is now,’ he thought. ’I’m just a fish on the chopping block, with no chance of turning the tables.’

Li Ji asked, "Can you sell the formula for the birth control to me?"

This time, Feihua Zhenren didn’t hesitate, nodding readily in agreement.

He was actually quite surprised. Prince Zhao was almost eighteen, an age by which most young men from ordinary families already had children. Yet here the Prince was, thinking about contraception.

Connecting this to the Prince’s first question, he figured the Prince must want to prevent pregnancy out of concern that it would be dangerous for the Princess Consort to give birth so young.

’It seemed Prince Zhao really did treasure that wife of his.’

Feihua Zhenren asked, "Does the Prince wish to continue playing dice?"

Li Ji tossed the dice in his hand onto the table. "I’m done. Let’s go fishing."

Feihua Zhenren was rather fond of fishing, so he immediately nodded in agreement. "Great idea!"

There was a pond on the estate where many fish and shrimp were raised.

The two men sat by the pond and stayed there for the entire day.

Only when the sun went down did they head back, carrying bamboo baskets filled with fish and shrimp.

Hua Manman rummaged through the fish and shrimp in the basket and began to silently calculate in her head.

’The fish can be used for spicy boiled fish, and the shrimp can be made into poached shrimp.’

Li Ji’s sharp eyes noticed some red dots on Hua Manman’s fingers. He frowned and asked,

"What happened to your hand?"

Hua Manman subconsciously hid her hand behind her back and said dismissively,

"It’s nothing."

Li Ji grabbed her wrist, forcefully pulling her hand in front of him for a closer look.

He found several tiny wounds on the pads of her fingers, looking as if they’d been pricked by a needle.

Li Ji immediately guessed what had happened. ’She must have accidentally pricked herself while making that cloak.’

He had been filled with anticipation for the birthday gift she was making with her own hands.

Now, however, he suddenly didn’t want it anymore.

He didn’t want to see her get hurt.

His staring made Hua Manman uncomfortable, and she said awkwardly,

"I was trying to make something and accidentally pricked myself. It’s nothing, it’ll heal quickly."

Her needlework was truly clumsy. No matter how careful she tried to be, she still pricked herself several times.

It really hurt the moment it happened.

But it was fine now; she couldn’t feel it anymore.

Li Ji got some medicinal ointment from Feihua Zhenren and personally applied it to Hua Manman’s fingers. He then instructed Si Yun to watch over Hua Manman and make sure her fingers didn’t get wet.

Hua Manman had rarely been cared for with such attentiveness.

’It was as if in Prince Zhao’s eyes, she was a fragile glass doll.’

An indescribable feeling bloomed in her heart.

’And it seemed... she was quite happy about it.’

Seeing her silly grin, Li Ji couldn’t resist pinching her cheek.

"Don’t do any more needlework. If you need anything sewn or mended, just have an embroideress do it."

Hua Manman nodded and agreed, but ’I’m still going to finish that cloak,’ she thought.

Li Ji heard her thoughts, but his expression remained impassive.

The next day, instead of going out to find Feihua Zhenren as he had before, he stayed in their room, watching over Hua Manman and not leaving her side for a moment.

Unable to find an opportunity to work on the cloak, Hua Manman couldn’t help but feel anxious.

She couldn’t help but ask,

"Is the Prince not going out today?"

Li Ji, lounging on the soft couch with his still-unfinished copy of *Xun Xiangji*, replied with a single, slow syllable.

"Mm."

Hua Manman’s mind raced. ’Looks like I’ll have to change the ’scene of the crime.’’

She said, feigning nonchalance, "I’m going to take a stroll outside. I’ll be back later."

With that, she turned to leave.

But Prince Zhao tossed his book aside and swung himself off the couch.

"Perfect. I was thinking of going for a walk, too. Let’s go together."

Hua Manman froze. "But didn’t you say you weren’t going out?"

Li Ji smiled. "I just didn’t want to go out alone. I’m more than happy to go out with you."

Hua Manman almost lost her composure.

’I want to cry!’

’How could Prince Zhao do this?’

’If he keeps following me, how am I ever going to finish his birthday gift?!’

Li Ji casually grabbed a cloak draped over a nearby screen, placed it over Hua Manman’s shoulders, and tied the straps for her.

"Let’s go."

He took her hand and led her outside.

She made one last attempt to protest.

"I just want to walk by myself."

Li Ji said calmly, "That’s fine. You can just pretend I’m not here."

Hua Manman was speechless.

’You’re a whole person standing right next to me. How am I supposed to pretend you don’t exist?’

’I’m not blind!’

Seeing her flustered and angry but at a loss for words, Li Ji couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

"You look so cute like this, it makes me want to kiss you."

Hua Manman’s face instantly flushed crimson.

’I was trying to have a serious conversation, and he uses it as an opportunity to flirt with me!’

’This damn man has no shame!’

Li Ji leaned down and gave her a light peck on the lips.

He pulled away just as quickly.

Hua Manman met his long, narrow eyes, which were brimming with amusement. She wanted to say something, but no words came out.

In the end, all she could do was blush and let him lead her outside by the hand.

The couple wandered all over the estate.

And so, everyone on the estate saw Prince Zhao and his Princess Consort, inseparable as ever, even holding hands while out for a simple walk. The public display of affection was so overwhelming it was enough to make everyone’s stomachs turn.

Two days later, Hua Manman finally laid eyes on the oil press she had been waiting for.

The cumbersome oil press was delivered to the estate by oxcart. Following the Princess Consort’s instructions, Steward Jia selected a few of the tenant farmers to be in charge of the oil pressing.

Hua Manman told them the specific operating procedures, standing by to guide them through every step of the process.

Steward Jia also stood beside them, listening intently and committing each step to memory.

When the first drop of peanut oil dripped out, Steward Jia’s eyes widened. ’It’s really making oil!’