Chapter 61 - Our Plans

So apparently, Ren spending the night with me was a very big deal and this news traveled fast like wildfire all over the imperial palace. I bet no one suspected that Ren spent the night with me without engaging in any activities that could lead to the production of a baby. I wonder how they would all react if they knew that Ren and I just slept peacefully side by side until morning came.

I still found it hard to believe that last night was Ren’s first time spending the night in his inner court. I figured that for some reason, Ren wasn’t entirely fond of his place and had little to no interactions with it, but it was still surprising, nonetheless.

If I recalled correctly, Shin did mention that Ren wasn’t interested in women in his inner court because his attention was always on the wars and battles. He fully engaged himself on that front and sometimes he wouldn’t be in the palace at all.

If Ren wanted to lessen the pressure from the emperor on the topic of producing the next heir to the throne, he was vastly successful. When I asked Ren directly about it, he admitted to something to that effect.

“Did the emperor pressure you into spending the night with me?” I asked, curiously. I honestly wasn’t trying to accuse him of anything. I knew full well that we were accomplices in this ruse. However, I didn’t know how long we could keep this charade going.

“Partly. He said that I wasn’t taking my duty of producing the heir seriously since I haven’t moved in with you…or something along those lines. So, this should shut him and the court members up for a while…hopefully…” Ren said with a sigh.

“I see. Sounds like he really gave you an earful...” I replied understandingly.

“Yeah, he definitely did. You’re not going to ask for the other reason why I stayed?” Ren asked as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his warm embrace.

I felt my heart beat faster instantly as the distance between our bodies vanished.

“So, what’s your other reason?” I asked, just like he wanted me to.

“You’re so beautiful. Of course, I’d like to spend every night here with you,” Ren said with a gentle smile before he kissed my forehead softly.

“That’s not a very funny joke…” I said as I rolled my eyes at him.

“Who said that it was a joke? I’d seriously spend every night with you if only you’d allow it…” Ren said looking serious.

“I politely decline your generous offer, my crown prince,” I mumbled my refusal.

“Ah…I knew it. You might hate it, but I’ll have to drop by to spend the night with you regularly…” Ren said with a small laugh.

I knew that it was to make sure that the emperor and the high court officials were satisfied with our efforts to produce an heir. So that was that. We were accomplices in this as Ren said on that night.

“I see. I understand,” I said with a nod.

“Be a good girl. Auntie has told me that you’ll be starting your lessons soon,” Ren said.

“Oh…about that…” I replied vaguely. I wasn’t sure if I should bluntly tell Ren that I had absolutely no interest in those lessons. Wouldn’t that just make me come across as uneducated and unladylike?

“What is it?” Ren asked, clearly curious.

“I was wondering if…you know…in addition to the arts, if I can…study medicine…?” I asked, hesitantly.

“Medicine?” Ren said with sudden interest in his voice.

“Yes. I’ve heard from Shin that the Imperial palace has a large team of talented doctors and a large herbal garden and so I thought…” I said with passion.

“I get what you’re getting at. I’ll think about it,” Ren replied after a moment of thought.

“Really?” I asked excitedly, my eyes flying wide open.

“To be honest, medicine and healing isn’t a field that is…common…for women…” Ren mumbled, still seemingly deep in thought.

“Oh…” I said, a little disappointed.

“All royal doctors that work in the palace are men. I would go as far as to say that all doctors in the capital and surrounding towns are men as well…” Ren explained where he was coming from.

“Oh…I didn’t know this at all…” I said, a little shocked at this fact.

“You’re a rare case. Apart from your village, I have never seen a woman practice medicine before,” Ren said with a sigh.

I truly never knew this. Where I was from, anyone could practice medicine if they had the skill and the aptitude for it. It didn’t matter if the person was male or female. Uncle Gobei’s wife practices medicine and so does many other women in the village. Sure, it probably wasn’t the number one profession of choice for all women, but it wasn’t out of the question to have a female doctor.

When my father encouraged me to take up medical training under his care, he never mentioned that it was unusual for women to be doctors either. I guess, I just thought that it was normal for women to be doctors everywhere. Apparently, that wasn’t the case in the capital and most towns that Ren has visited. I realized that there were so many things that I didn’t know and that this land was a vast place full of unknowns.

“I see. I guess, I just thought that every village would be the same as mine…” I said in a small voice.

“Honestly, I was quite surprised when you healed my arm back when we first met. I admit that I didn’t think that you could accomplish such a feat because you were a woman. I ended up very pleasantly surprised indeed…” Ren told me with a gentle look in his eyes as he reflected on the days he spent back in my house.

I wonder how the people in my town were doing and if my house was still intact. Since my house is located in quite a remote area near the forest, I was worried that some wild animals may have moved in to live there already. Not that I had any luck to pop by to check…

--To be continued…