Chapter 73 The Strange Smell of Le Jin: She Won't Have Children

When Yuan Jingming finished his shift, the moon was already high in the sky, and the long street was deserted, with only a gentle breeze blowing. He had been working non-stop for several days, and the back of his eyeballs was throbbing with pain. He was afraid that if he continued like this for a few more days, he would be ruined.

It's not that his colleagues in the military are irresponsible; he had too many things to handle during the first month of his marriage, and he couldn't leave them undone this month. But the thought that no matter when he returned home, Yingyun would always be there waiting for him filled him with a sweet, blissful feeling, and even the pain in his eyes eased.

He left the Imperial Guard camp, mounted his horse, and had just gathered the reins in his hand when servants from the Prince's residence galloped up from afar, bowing and congratulating him.

"Your Highness! The Princess Consort is pregnant! The doctor says she's been pregnant for over a month!"

The door was kicked open, startling everyone. But when Le Jin heard hurried footsteps in the corridor, she remembered that afternoon when he had been running like a madman when Jiang Yingyun was sent to Yuyang Nunnery, and she almost couldn't keep up.

It's truly rare for a couple to be young at heart.

Le Jin's lips curled up subtly as she watched Yuan Jingming rush over and kneel before Jiang Yingyun. He grabbed her hand, but couldn't get the first word out, his words tumbling out like he was cooking. It wasn't until Jiang Yingyun chuckled and patted his shoulder that Yuan Jingming calmed down slightly.

Is it true?

"Of course. The doctor said that my recent rash from touching willow catkins is also a symptom of pregnancy."

Jiang Yingyun touched her lower abdomen, which was still barely noticeable. She couldn't quite describe her feelings. She was happy, but she didn't know why she was happy. With such a little thing on her body, wouldn't she be restricted in brewing and selling wine in the future?

While she was still thinking, she suddenly felt that her hands were a little damp.

"Jingming, why are you crying?"

Yuan Jingming had been holding her hand and pressing it against his cheek, but the moment his fingertips felt her pulse, a sudden sadness welled up inside him. It was as if there was something sealed away in his heart that he had been avoiding for so many years, pretending not to see it, but at this moment it was easily opened by someone, and he didn't even have time to prepare.

“I…” His Adam’s apple bobbed with difficulty, and his voice suddenly went hoarse, “My mother never saw what I looked like; she passed away when I was born…”

Yuan Jingming had no memory of his mother. As a child, he would complain about why his father would vent his hatred on him, but now, holding Jiang Yingyun's hand, a cloud of fear rose in his heart and filled his mind.

What if, what if Yingyun really had an accident? Would he hate the child too? But the child was a part of Yingyun. As a husband and father, how could he abandon his responsibilities based solely on his own love and hate? For a moment, many thoughts were tangled together. Yuan Jingming felt that the road ahead was uncertain and his heart was suspended by a rope, swaying back and forth.

Seeing his brows furrow and relax intermittently, Jiang Yingyun understood that he was struggling with something and smiled brightly, "You'll be a father by this time next year, and you're still so clueless."

She helped Yuan Jingming up, and the two sat together. She then took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. "Everyone's fate is different. Your mother passed away early, but that has nothing to do with you. Your father should be responsible for her life. So promise me that you will protect me and the child from now on. Can you do that?"

Yuan Jingming suddenly straightened his back, looked at Jiang Yingyun, and nodded heavily. With Jiang Yingyun's reassurance, he finally came to his senses and repeatedly thanked Le Jin and Meng Shutai for discovering this joyous event.

When Yuan Jingming was in a good mood, he acted freely and casually, and asked Meng Shutai directly, "It's late tonight, why don't you stay at the Prince's Mansion for the night instead of going back?"

Meng Shutai did not answer him, but turned to look at Le Jin, "You decide."

Le Jin was happy to not return to the Meng residence and immediately agreed.

Yuan Jingming accompanied them to the guest room, chattering away about how he felt upon hearing the news of Yingyun's pregnancy, how fast the horse had sped along the way, and how the wind was so strong that he was almost deafened, behaving exactly like a storyteller.

However, as he spoke, he suddenly changed the subject and began to look at Meng Shutai and Le Jin.

"Speaking of which, you two got married more than half a year earlier than us, so how come..."

His words hit Le Jin like a hammer blow to the head, making her see stars and almost lose her balance. Meng Shutai had to steady her.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Jingming immediately realized he had said too much and quickly explained, "I didn't mean to rush you!"

"Shutai and I grew up together since childhood. If we are destined to be together, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could become in-laws in the future!"

Yuan Jingming was full of anticipation for this future, his eyes and brows beaming with joy, but Le Jin gave a forced, insincere laugh, and all he could feel were goosebumps all over his body...

Who wants to have a child with Meng Shutai?!

"Um, I'm a little tired. The guest rooms are just up ahead, right? I'll go over there now!"

She made an excuse and ran away, leaving the two of them far behind, without looking back.

Yuan Jingming chuckled as he watched the retreating figure, nudged Meng Shutai beside him with his elbow, and said mischievously, "Hey, you two don't have some unspeakable secret, do you? Her? Or you? Don't hide your troubles, you're in the prime of your youth, hurry up and bring a little baby over..."

"Le Jin will not have children."

"Huh?" Yuan Jingming, who was immersed in his dream about his future in-laws, was suddenly interrupted. His eyes widened in disbelief. "No way... is there really a problem?"

Meng Shutai lowered his eyes, the cold moonlight making his eyelashes appear long and delicate, trembling slightly as if they were about to take flight.

“Every child she gives birth to, I will strangle.”

His thin lips moved as he uttered these terrifying words as if he were merely exhaling a breath. Yuan Jingming exclaimed in astonishment, "Are you crazy! Isn't her child your child too? This is utter nonsense! What kind of ghost story are you telling?!"

Yuan Jingming thought Meng Shutai was joking, but Meng Shutai's expression was serious, and the image of Le Jin as a mother appeared in his mind.

Would she, like Jiang Yingyun, gently stroke her lower abdomen, hoping for a new life? With her soft heart and good temper, wouldn't a child's affectionate embrace bring her joy? Would she soothe the little one to sleep, tuck him or her in, carefully feed him or her, kiss the child's cheek, and express her love every day…

Just thinking about it, even though Le Jin doesn't have a child now, Meng Shutai felt a surge of jealousy rising in his heart, like a hellish realm or a fiery inferno, with countless ghostly figures dancing wildly and wailing sharply.

Whether Le Jin's child is his flesh and blood or someone else's, Meng Shutai cannot bear to see it. Perhaps before the child even takes shape in her womb, he will secretly feed her abortion pills. When the blood flows and takes away the child, Meng Shutai will gently embrace Le Jin and kiss her violently.

Even at the moment of separation between mother and child, he did not allow Le Jin to be distracted by that lump of dead flesh.

——

Jiang Yingyun's pregnancy was a major event for the Prince's Mansion. Even the Prince of Pingning put aside his son's defiant attitude and specially instructed everyone in the mansion to pay extra attention to the Crown Princess, ensuring that her every need was taken seriously.

The easing of tensions between the young couple and the old prince was originally a good thing, but as a result, Jiang Yingyun lost her freedom of movement even before her pregnancy became apparent. Whenever she went out, a huge crowd would follow her and she couldn't get rid of them.

If she were just a wealthy and leisurely princess consort, that would be fine, but seeing the bustling and vibrant spring month of March, with all the taverns and shops in Luoyang overflowing with people, she was so envious that she couldn't help but feel a pang of longing.

Meng Shutai became busy, leaving early and returning late every day. Le Jin had been pestering him for a long time and was finally able to move around freely, so he came to keep Jiang Yingyun company every day to relieve her and himself.

Le Jin peeled a melon with a small knife, admiring Jiang Yingyun's efficiency, but also advising her, "Your rash has just healed, it's safer to stay at home."

As she spoke, she peeled a small piece of melon and handed it to Jiang Yingyun. Jiang Yingyun sighed, picked up the melon and brought it to her mouth, but before she could taste it, she felt a pang of regret for the missed opportunity.

"You don't know, spring is the peak season for selling alcohol, followed by winter. There are only two seasons a year like that. If I don't go out now, by winter I'll be almost due, and there'll be even less hope! *Pfft*"

Suddenly, Jiang Yingyun felt nauseous and gagged, her eyebrows and nose turning red instantly.

Le Jin hurriedly patted her back, saying, "See, see, even the kids feel sorry for you and want you to stop worrying so much..."

“No,” Jiang Yingyun smoothed her chest, “that’s not right…”

She picked up the melon that Le Jin had just given her and smelled it carefully. The sweet and strange smell made her want to vomit again.

Jiang Yingyun, suppressing her nausea, approached Le Jin and sniffed her, her brows furrowing even more deeply. "What perfume are you wearing?"

Le Jin was slightly surprised. Did she smell bad? She lifted her sleeve and sniffed, but there was no particular smell.

"I didn't use any perfume to scent my clothes, just honey scented my bedroom."

"Honey scent? What kind of scent is that?"

"Meng Shutai formulated a smokeless incense, and I've been using it because I think it smells fine. What's wrong?"

Seeing Le Jin's bewildered expression, Jiang Yingyun felt a pang of doubt. She'd been using it all along, so why was she only reacting today? And did she really not detect the strange, sour smell in the fragrance?

But as soon as she placed her hand on her lower abdomen, Jiang Yingyun remembered that pregnant women are naturally more sensitive to smells, and that pregnant women's moods can change from day to day—it's normal for them to like something one day and dislike it the next. So she smiled at Le Jin:

"Nothing much, maybe I'm just a little pampered because I'm pregnant."

What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. As soon as Le Jin got home, she kept sniffing herself, but she couldn't smell anything other than the familiar honey scent.

She turned to Baoyin, who was tidying her outer robe, and asked, "Smell me, do I smell particularly strong today?"

Bao Yin did as she was told, but after sniffing around, she only found it ordinary. She comforted Le Jin, saying, "Don't worry, my lady. It's normal for the Princess Consort's sense of smell to be different from ours now that she's pregnant."

"Oh, that's true."

Le Jin nodded, looking thoughtfully at the honey fragrance on the bedside table.

"Baoyin, take that incense burner away. Don't use incense anymore."

Given Jiang Yingyun's special circumstances, Le Jin decided to prioritize her. Bao Yin obediently agreed, picked up the incense burner, poured a cup of tea into it to extinguish the incense powder, and watched the crimson flame go out with her own eyes.

“Oh, my lady,” she remembered something and whispered to Le Jin, “the box with ice that I told you about last time is gone! But there’s no extra ice or extra fruit in the house either. I guess the young master took it out.”

If it's been transported out, then it wasn't brought back by Meng Shutai; it's probably something from the imperial court temporarily stored at home. Bao Yin, staying in the inner quarters, is unaware of just how powerful and influential this son-in-law she keeps calling out is, and she always makes a fuss about things.

But when Le Jin saw Bao Yin making faces and looking so serious, she couldn't help but laugh.

It's good that she cares about herself.

Le Jin rubbed Bao Yin's cheeks with both hands, "You're really amazing, my right-hand woman!"

The two girls wrestled and played together for a while before Baoyin took the incense burner out, only to bump into Meng Shutai returning.

"How do I take the incense burner?"

Baoyin lowered her head and said, "It was my wife's order."

Le Jin called out from inside, "Yingyun isn't used to this smell, so she won't be using it for a while!"

Meng Shutai's gaze swept over the incense burner, a quick glance filled with intense jealousy. "Go, do as my wife says."

However, as he brushed past Baoyin, his jealousy vanished like raindrops falling into water, and all that remained was a gentle and clear gaze upon the woman inside the room.

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Author's note: I'm so sorry I'm late again [crying][crying][crying] It's my fault [cheek resting on hand] I promise I won't do it again next time.

And although I've mentioned it several times already, I still want to remind you again: The male protagonist! He! Is! Not! A normal person! He's a complete madman, without morals or empathy! His actions will become increasingly insane, and I apologize in advance if anyone finds this uncomfortable. [pity]