When the news of Empress Song and her two sons being punished reached Shen Wan's ears, she was drinking mung bean soup. The slightly chilled mung bean soup made her feel as if all the pores in her body were opening up after drinking it. Coupled with this good news, her mood was even better.

Yinshuang grinned, happy that everyone who had ever made things difficult for her princess was now in trouble. "The empress has been under house arrest for a month and hasn't been released yet, so she's been put under house arrest again. That makes it two months."

Shen Wan said, "The Empress cannot be confined for more than two months."

Yinshuang was puzzled. "It's clearly been two months."

Shen Wan said, "His Majesty's birthday is just over a month away. Xi Liang and Dong Lie will come to offer their congratulations. For the sake of Great Chu's reputation, His Majesty will also allow the Empress to attend the birthday banquet."

With the Emperor's birthday approaching, Shen Wan was thinking about what birthday gift to give him. The Emperor had always been good to her, so she had to prepare a good gift for him.

This should have been Xie Jingyan's responsibility, but Shen Wan thought of the birthday gift Xie Jingyan presented to the emperor in her previous life. It couldn't be described as perfunctory; it was purely annoyance to the emperor.

Not long after the Emperor's birthday banquet, she fell ill and died after being bedridden for more than half a month. On the day of the Emperor's death, she saw Xie Jingyan in the palace. He looked sad and must have regretted it.

Although the emperor in this life certainly won't die as quickly as he did in the previous life, she wasn't sure Xie Jingyan wouldn't anger the emperor as much as he did in the previous life. Just in case, she should prepare the birthday gift for the emperor herself.

As Shen Wan lay on the small couch, pondering what to give, Haitang and Dong'er brought in hot water, poured it into the bathtub behind the screen, and then came over and said, "Your Highness, you may take a bath now."

Shen Wan had been strolling around the streets for half a day and was sweating a bit. She couldn't take a nap without taking a bath.

Shen Wan got off the small couch, walked to the screen, and Yin Shuang helped her change her clothes before she soaked in the bathtub.

The water temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold, and soaking in the tub was incredibly comfortable. She leaned against the edge of the tub, feeling completely at ease.

After soaking in the water until it cooled down, Chen Wan got up, put on a cool nightgown, sat in front of the dressing table, and applied some of the perfume she had bought that day. The light pear blossom scent was quite pleasant.

Just as she finished applying the ointment and was about to get up, Shen Wan felt a strange sensation in her lower abdomen.

It's very light.

It looks like a little fish blowing bubbles.

A surge of ecstasy welled up in Shen Wan's heart.

Fetal movement.

She finally felt what fetal movement felt like.

Because she didn't experience morning sickness and was eating and sleeping well, Shen Wan always felt that her pregnancy was fake, as if she were having a false pregnancy, and she was somewhat anxious and insecure.

At this moment, she was finally certain.

Shen Wan touched her lower abdomen, smiling happily. Yin Shuang and Hai Tang, completely unaware of what was going on, looked at each other.

Yinshuang asked, "Your Highness, what are you laughing at?"

Shen Wan shook her head. "It's nothing."

She lay down on the bed, but her initial drowsiness vanished, replaced by a longing to experience once again the sensation of little fish blowing bubbles.

When Xie Jingyan returned to the room from the study, he saw Shen Wan leaning against a large pillow. He asked, "Why aren't you asleep?"

Just as Shen Wan was about to speak, that feeling she had been waiting for returned, and she exclaimed excitedly, "The baby is moving..."

Xie Jingyan walked to the bedside, and Shen Wan took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen, then asked, "Can you feel it?"

Xie Jingyan shook his head.

Shen Wan was somewhat disappointed. The commotion was small and fleeting, but the child would grow up and the signs would become more apparent later.

Xie Jingyan's hand remained on her lower abdomen, not moving away. Shen Wan was focused on making sure he could feel the baby's presence, so she didn't remove his hand either. Gradually, his hand became restless, and her breathing became heavy. "Are you testing me?"

Shen Wan didn't react for a moment, "What?"

Looking up, I was met with a pair of eyes filled with desire.

Following the gaze of a certain gentleman, Shen Wan realized that her clothes had been opened a little at some point.

Her face flushed, and she pulled the blanket over herself, but Xie Jingyan was faster. His kiss landed, with an overwhelming force.

As Shen Wan drifted into a daze from the kiss, he whispered in her ear, "Smells so good..."

What smells good?

Shen Wan realized and said, "It's the new perfume I bought today..."

Before he could finish speaking, his words were swallowed up again.

A room bathed in spring sunshine.

...

Six days have passed in the blink of an eye.

It will be a few days before Cheng Yao marries the Prince of Yanping.

Shen Wan was worried that there would be many young ladies from prominent families sending dowries to Cheng Yao in a few days, so she decided to send them ahead of time.

That day, after breakfast, Shen Wan took Yin Shuang out of the mansion and took a carriage to the Right Prime Minister's residence.

The gatekeeper of the Right Prime Minister's residence recognized the carriage of the Prince of Ling's residence. When he saw Shen Wan get out of the carriage, he quickly sent someone to inform the Right Prime Minister's wife that he knew, and then bowed to Shen Wan.

The steward of the Right Prime Minister's residence led Shen Wan to the inner courtyard. Just as they reached the second gate, the Right Prime Minister's wife strode over and said, "Princess Ling has come to my Right Prime Minister's residence. I am sorry for not welcoming you sooner."

Shen Wan smiled and said, "I was supposed to come and deliver the dowry to Cheng Yao in a couple of days, but the weather is nice today, so I came early without sending anyone to inform her beforehand."

The Prime Minister's wife looked grateful. "Yao'er's life was saved by Princess Ling. Princess Ling is pregnant, yet she still came personally to bring Yao'er a dowry. How can Yao'er accept such a gift?"

Shen Wan said, "I don't have many close female friends, and I'm not too sick to go out yet, so I must come in person to deliver the dowry."

The Prime Minister's wife led Shen Wan into the inner courtyard. She was very considerate and made sure Shen Wan stayed in the shade.

After walking a short distance, Cheng Yao came running over, lifting her skirt. She hadn't expected that Shen Wan, who was pregnant, would personally come to deliver her dowry, and was the first person to do so.

Her wedding date with the Prince of Yanping was set, and unless the Prince of Yanping invited her, her parents wouldn't allow her to go out. She was bored staying alone in the mansion and just hoped that someone could come and talk to her, but she didn't dare to hope that it would be the Princess Consort of Ling.

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