Pale-colored smoke smoothly rises in a thin delicate line like a soul of a descending life. It only needed a little waft to move it in a curve but eventually, it will just return to its peaceful rising state. The smell of sandalwood continued to permit in the air diffusing a wooden and floral blend making people feel calm.

Yet, no matter how many incense sticks can be lighted, the people inside the room could never feel such tranquility. This is especially concentrated on the person who just finished drawing some blood from Lin Mian Mian's finger. Two people are sitting in floor cushions while a few servants are stationed in every corner.

By just sitting there, the 'nth' physician can feel the desolate emotion coming from the thirteenth wife.

The drawn blood is then placed in a small vial. Inside the vial is a special liquid mainly used by physicians to measure a person's fertility. Even though this method is somewhat weird and crude from the perspective of a modern man, this kind of method in this pseudo-set world is quite normal. Lin Mian Mian did not know the science behind it but even his transmigration after death remained a mystery.

The process of this test is quite easy. All you have to do is to take a few drops of blood from the subject then place it inside the vial. Somehow, the special liquid inside the vial has a non-polar characteristic. Meaning, it will act like how oil and water react. The special liquid is less dense than the blood so the blood will drop to the bottom.

Once the division between the two liquids is clear, then the physician will add a drop of a catalyst then mix it. There will be a variation in the mixture's color depending on whatever illness the subject had. If it becomes red then the subject is healthy. If it becomes black then the subject has some terminal illness.

Lin Mian Mian's result is violet - it means infertility. It doesn't have to be a ger, a female, or a male. As long as the result is violet, it means the same thing.

This result is similar to the results of the physicians who tested Lin Mian Mian before him. They have different methods in testing; using whatever material they are best at using. Yet, no matter how many chances and types, the answers are all the same. If this is in statistics, with all the factors are given and known, then it can only tell one truth.

Lin Mian Mian will never be able to bear a child.

"Lady Lin... the results..." The physician lowered his head, unable to continue his words.

This concubine is only one of the figureheads of the harem. If we talk about the significance, Lin Mian Mian is not the only one. However, somehow, this issue made a lot of people worry about him especially the physicians who initiated the tests. They suddenly feel sad and gloomy after knowing the result.

They have done this before with their other patients. They feel sad, they feel pity, but it is not to the point of getting affected. After all, despite being a physician, they were totally unrelated. But this becomes different when it comes to Lin Mian Mian.

Is it because of the influence that he had on the people?

It should be expected, the physician thought. The gers are known for having a weak body. Though it never happened before that they lost their ability of conceiving, this is still something expected. But he somehow wanted to change the result.

He wanted to receive a positive answer.

This ger had suffered so much in a short time. His honorable father died in a war. A month had not passed yet but he was wed inside the palace. It also didn't take a month for the emperor to leave the borders. And now, something happened to him that caused his ability to conceive to be gone forever...

At this pace, it is as if fate is trying to eliminate him immediately.

"I... I understand. I understand it very well," a calm voice said in response. "Thank you."

The physician looked up. Recently, Lin Mian Mian had been wearing a veil to cover his face. This is to stop people from seeing the missing cinnabar. It was also due to this that proved the rumors. But now, Lin Mian Mian did not wear one. The mark needs to be inspected during the tests.

Nobody had seen the face of the ger so seeing it again now made the physician stare at him. Subconsciously, the focus of his attention went over to the lower part of Lin Mian Mian's eye where the cinnabar is found. There should be a pinkish-red dot on that spot but now what is left is a smooth skin void of any past remembrance.

Lin Mian Mian noticed that physician gazing at his missing mark. As a reaction, he looked sideways to hide the missing mark. His eyes trembled as if he is about to cry. The physician realized his mistake so he quickly lowered his head and bowed with a bang to the floor. He apologized loudly to show that he did not intend to stare at the wife.

"This servant... this servant did not mean to look..." The physician cried. "This servant apologizes!"

Lin Mian Mian did not expect the physician to do that. He tried to sit up, planning to help the physician to stand when he suddenly felt a bubble forming on his behind. Instantly, Lin Mian Mian straightened then clamped his back! His reaction suddenly shifted from tears to utter disbelief.

This reaction, if seen from a different perspective, made Lin Mian Mian look like he's suffering!

And that's what the physician had seen!

"His Lady, please punish me! This servant is not worthy!" The physician exclaimed.

The crisp sound of something banging to the floorboards resounded in the whole house. Fortunately, this house is made of wood. If not, Lin Mian Mian will surely see a person who personally brought himself to death by bowing. He never thought that such a thing could happen!

Lin Mian Mian thought of an answer. "You did nothing wrong. Don't say such words. If it is something wrong..." It should be me.

The physician calmed down after hearing his words. Though, he still lowered his head to show his sincerity, also to avoid himself looking at that spot. At this point, Lin Mian Mian thanked the physician for retaining the posture since his face is now showing that he is about to burst!

"Then, this servant wanted to pursue the reason for his Lady's incident. If the Lady permits, please allow this servant to ask questions about his lady's daily activities. This will help this servant to solve this problem..."

He waited for Lin Mian Mian's response while still having his whole body lowered. After a while, he heard a sigh then after are slight movements as though the other person stood up. Seeing that the other person will not look up, Lin Mian Mian made a beeline towards his room!

The physician can't see but he can feel the hurried steps. Though he did not dare to stand afraid that it will give more problems to the Lady. Only after hearing a door closing and a tap on his shoulders did he move from his position. The person sitting before him is now gone. It seems that Lin Mian Mian left and went to his room.

Lu Mao is the one who tapped his shoulders. The child made a slight bowing gesture concerning the older person. The physician observed the expression of the kid. Lu Mao somewhat has a straight professional face for a kid his age, but looking closely one can see some redness from the rims of his eyes as though he is about to cry.

"Master Lin apologizes for leaving suddenly. I hope our Sir could understand," Lu Mao relayed the message. "Master Lin wanted to rest. Master had been restless for the past few days and..."

"You don't have to worry, I understand," the physician stated. "Well, I wanted to know what happened to Lady Lin before the event. You are his most trusted aid, right? Then tell me everything."

Lu Mao obliged the question and answered them truthfully, like how he answered the other physicians when they asked the same question. Only after the physician is satisfied with the information he collected did he decided to leave.

Lu Mao escorted the physician up to the gate and waited until the person is gone before he ran back inside the house and closed the doors shut. He headed straight to the corner where the incense sticks are burning properly. He picked them up once and turned them upside down then buried them in the ash. The incense sticks are quickly extinguished while the scent is slowly fading.

The illusion also faded like a mist above a pond.

"It took him a while to leave," Lu Mao stated.

Lin Mian Mian, who hid to release some gases, walked out from his room then headed back to his former spot. Zhao Yue quickly places a cup of warm tea on the table together with some light snacks. Lin Mian Mian did not wait for the cue and started munching once again.

"That physician is very meticulous! It took him about two hours just to check," Lin Mian Mian complained.

"Master Lin, they are trying to check if you can't really give birth," Lu Mao pointed out. So it is normal for these people to take it seriously since these are the orders of the Empress Dowager.

Lin Mian Mian understood it as well. "Anyways, he's the last one. We can now proceed to the next step."

What happened earlier is an illusion created by the incense. There is no way to manipulate the heaven-defying tests the physicians have unless someone manipulates the factors to deceive results. That would be difficult to do since these people are already familiar with the common tactics.

But that will be different if there is the illusion of 'correct testing'.

Lin Mian Mian Mian was able to successfully create incense that could make people sleep. So doing something that could make people hallucinate is also possible. Though, this kind of technique can only be used after a series of cautious planning since this uses a 'suggestive' illusion.

The illusion that can be created is dependent on whatever the other person is thinking. They will see what they are expecting to see. So Lin Mian Mian created a 'suggestion' to make the idea gradually integrate. He brewed it to the point that people will look at him with pity gazes.

Since the day the rumor about his cinnabar losing color started, Lin Mian Mian made his servants add some color to the rumors. That would be about the gloomy state of the Jade Lin Courtyard. Lin Mian Mian phrased a 'suggestion' saying that the whole area is sad and gloomy that anyone watching, even in just a glance, will become depressed.

So when the empress dowager started sending the physicians to check on him, the idea of a 'depressing atmosphere' had been imprinted to their heads. Then what Lin Mian Mian only needed to do is to let these people be exposed to the scent for a while and let the illusion just do its work.

While the physicians are undergoing some tests, Lu Mao and Li Hui had been working in the background. Since the physicians are under the spell of melancholy then their focus is also limited. Li Hui made the underground work of manipulating the tests so the results will give a negative answer. And since they are kids, nobody would be guarded with them to watch their actions.

Lin Mian Mian hummed as he happily finished his snack. Today marked the start of phase two. He has to look pitiful and gloomy so he should not consume things that make him subconsciously happy. They also have to do a follow-up to that physician so the time the person reports the tests then they will request an audience with the Empress Dowager.

With the given time and hurriedness, the Lady Dowager will surely accept his plea even if he did not have an appointment.

After the ger finished his food, he then changed his clothes to his current fashion statement. He looks naturally good with pale-colored clothing that always gives him an innocent and refreshing look. Yet, today, he chose a dark-colored robe to show a heavy mood.

The veil covering his face is also dark-colored. When he walked, he acted flimsy and weak just to impersonate a person who is on the verge of desperation. When Lu Mao and the gang watched Lin Mian Mian's act, they almost believe and wanted to reach out and comfort him.

After all, after this phase, they will face life away from their current comfort.

Lin Mian Mian had only gone out that one night but that experience is enough to tell that despite the palace is safe, outside the zone is a pretty much dangerous place. The empire is wealthy and living a good life but it doesn't mean that everyone is doing fine. There is always a grey area to compare things. And as a foreign soul, Lin Mian Mian could only be careful.

The physician returned to the palace. As usual, he reported his findings to the Empress Dowager. Together with the other physicians, the experts compared their results and commented on some words of information. The Empress Dowager listened to their discussion. She is quiet but one can see the frown on her brows getting deeper.

The message is clear: she did not like whatever news she is hearing.

As a mother, Empress Dowager wanted to express her concern but since she is facing the public then she had to control her emotions. She wanted to know and see Lin Mian Mian ask him personally what happened to him. But doing so will only endanger the person more.

After all, if both the emperor and the empress dowager favor Lin Mian Mian, then all attention including the enemies will be focused on Lin Mian Mian.