After spending some time with Ah Jiu, Wufu returned to the Beast-fighting Arena; the women’s race was already halfway through.

As soon as Wufu left, Ah Jiu’s face turned somber. When Xiao Li came in, he gave him a sharp look.

Xiao Li was startled by his gaze, his legs started to shake, but he tried to remain calm and cautiously asked, "Your Highness, what’s wrong?"

"Are you hiding something from me?" Ah Jiu asked coldly.

Xiao Li was taken aback. "Huh?"

Seeing Xiao Li’s reaction, Ah Jiu frowned slightly, feeling uncertain. But the feeling Wufu gave him was peculiar, something was off.

"Wufu’s makeup is thicker than usual. When she was close to me, there was a faint scent of blood," Ah Jiu said, staring at Xiao Li intently. "Her complexion looked a bit haggard."

Even though the makeup was so thick, it only intensified the feeling that she was hiding something.

She usually had a very minimal style, not one to enjoy complexities. Her attire was always as simple as possible, sometimes she didn’t even wear any powder, just showing her bare face.

But unlike today, this was the first time he saw her makeup so thick, and her eyes were avoiding him.

There’s definitely something going on here.

Xiao Li subconsciously swallowed. He didn’t expect his master to observe the lady so keenly, with such sensitivity.

But he reacted quickly, using his Inner Strength to force the blood to rush to his face, making him appear flushed, stammering, "Your Highness, maybe it’s, you know, that time for the lady?"

"Hmm?" Ah Jiu looked at him in confusion.

"You know, that," Xiao Li said, pretending to be embarrassed and awkward, "The time of the month for women."

Ah Jiu was taken aback, slowly understanding what he was implying, his face gradually turning red as he asked, "Is it these days?"

Xiao Li awkwardly replied, "Your Highness, how would this servant know? Or, should I ask Jadeite?"

"Nonsense!" Ah Jiu said, extremely embarrassed. "There’s nothing to ask about that!"

Of course, I knew you wouldn’t want to ask, that’s why I brought it up, Xiao Li chuckled sheepishly.

"In that case, she seems too frail, and her hands are so cold. Send Bai Xiaobai to help her recuperate," Ah Jiu said.

"Yes, I will remember," Xiao Li said, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead when Ah Jiu couldn’t see, thinking to himself that he avoided disaster this time, but who knows how he would muddle through the next time.

Three times a week of blood extraction, no matter how many supplements Wufu took, it couldn’t restore lost blood so quickly. Especially as it happened more often, she would only grow weaker.

If His Highness found out...

Xiao Li dared not imagine such a scene and just hoped the lady could keep His Lordship under control.

At the Beast-fighting Arena, the women’s horseball match ended. Wufu and Guan Chuying comforted Changping, who had lost the match, saying, "...You entered the competition hoping to get a decree from the Empress Dowager to annul the marriage with Song Wei. But now, it’s impossible between you two. Your mother consort is not forcing you, so a loss is just a loss, it’s the participation that counts."

"Exactly, you’ve already shined. For me, being able to ride a horse well is good enough," Guan Chuying said.

Changping chuckled, "Alright, I just thought that since Wufu got such joy, I wanted to get some too, a double blessing! It’s just a match. As a Commandery Princess, I can afford to lose. I’ll practice more and definitely beat her next time."

Wufu nodded, "I’ll come up with some strategies for you later."

"Deal!" Changping said happily. "Let’s go, let’s dress up nicely for the Imperial Banquet."

...