Chapter 5 Extra 2: A Few Things About Pregnancy (Part 1)

Bai Hua was experiencing severe discomfort during her early pregnancy, which unfortunately coincided with her travels. In order to minimize her suffering, Ning Jue decided to postpone their return to Beijing and allow her to rest more during the journey.

However, staying in the inn all the time wasn't comfortable. Ning Jue thought that his current place of residence was not far from Yunruo Manor, so after considering it, he drove Bai Hua towards the manor, intending to stay there for a while.

On the way, Bai Hua asked him, "Husband, are you acquainted with the owner of Yunruo Manor?"

Ning Jue thought for a moment, then shook his head and replied truthfully, "I didn't like making friends in the martial arts world before."

Given his nature, this answer was not surprising.

If it's just a matter of visiting someone's home, how can one properly start the conversation without having some prior relationship?

Bai Hua hesitated and said, "If we are not familiar with them, wouldn't it be impolite of us to come and bother them so abruptly? I'm afraid they will see us as uninvited guests and won't want to keep us entertained."

Ning Jue had certainly considered this issue as well. Although he was not familiar with the owner of Yunruo Manor, Duan Yi had once done him a favor. By borrowing some of Duan Yi's influence, it should be just as convenient for him to act.

He explained the relationship to Bai Hua, who then felt somewhat relieved and no longer felt uncomfortable.

As it turns out, the name Duan Yi was indeed very useful.

Upon arriving at the main gate of the manor, the two introduced themselves and explained their purpose. Without Ning Jue needing to say much, the gatekeeper went in to announce their arrival, and the two were quickly led into the inner courtyard of the manor and treated as honored guests.

Ning Jue handled the situation with ease, but Bai Hua felt a sense of guilt for not being able to accept such hospitality from the mistress of the manor.

The manor was large, with many houses. The small courtyard where Master Kong arranged for the two of them to rest was secluded and tranquil, with an elegant environment. Even their three meals a day were meticulously prepared for them. Bai Hua didn't know if Master Kong was so generous to every passerby, or if Duan Yi's past kindness was simply too great, hence his lavish hospitality.

However, Duan Yi is Duan Yi, and they are themselves.

What Duan Yi did was none of her business with Ning Jue, but Bai Hua felt guilty for taking advantage of his kindness.

In private, away from others, Bai Hua said to Ning Jue, "Why don't you explain to us, my husband? We are just ordinary friends with Duan Yi. They really don't need to owe us any favors."

Ning Jue was much more perceptive than Bai Hua. Through his observations over the past few days, he had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

He countered with a question: "How do you know that their goodwill towards us is merely to repay the kindness shown to Duan Yi?"

Bai Hua subconsciously replied, "What else could it be?"

Ning Jue didn't keep them in suspense: "Perhaps they also have something to ask of us."

Bai Hua hadn't considered this point, and upon hearing this, she was slightly taken aback and said, "We? What can we do to help them..."

Ning Jue thought for a moment and replied, "I guess the time is almost here, probably in the next few days. They will find a moment to tell us the truth."

Hearing his words, Bai Hua was genuinely curious. Yunruo Manor was a large and powerful family, so what did they need their help with?

As expected, Ning Jue's guess was correct. Two days later, Kong Pingsheng, the only son of the owner of Yunruo Manor, returned to the manor. The owner of the manor held a grand welcome banquet for him and took the opportunity, in the midst of the revelry, to formally introduce Kong Pingsheng to Ning Jue.

Master Kong said politely, "Young Master Ning and his wife are staying at my Yunruo Manor, which truly honors my humble abode. Young Master Ning has come all the way from Xiangcheng. There are countless routes back to the capital, but he only passed through my Yunruo Manor. It is truly a remarkable coincidence. I suppose it is fate that we are destined to meet."

Ning Jue was not keen on these polite words and replied directly, "Please speak frankly, Master. My wife and I are staying at the manor and we owe you a favor. If there is anything we can do to help in the future, we will certainly not refuse."

Upon hearing Ning Jue's words, the manor lord and his wife exchanged a quick glance, their expressions visibly relaxing.

No longer bothering with evasive remarks, Master Kong finally stated his request directly: "Since you are so straightforward, I will shamelessly state my request. I have few children, and my clan is even smaller. I only have one son as a source of comfort, but he is not interested in the tea plantation business on the estate. He is devoted to martial arts and only wants to join the army to serve the court and protect the people."

"I should be gratified by his heroic spirit, but he is my only child, and I am reluctant to let him go so far away. Therefore, at first, my wife and I tried to dissuade him, which delayed his participation in the local officials' recruitment and selection process. Later, my wife and I finally agreed, but unfortunately, my son intervened and saved a respectable woman from being abducted and assaulted by the son of an official. For this, he offended the local prefect. Even though my Yunruo Manor spent money to smooth things over, all the money was gone and never returned. My son's path to joining the army was deliberately blocked by the higher-ups, so he could not serve his country..."

After they finished speaking, both Master Kong and his wife showed indignation on their faces. On the contrary, Kong Pingsheng himself, who was the most wronged, reacted calmly and just drank the wine in his cup.

Bai Hua was furious and pressed on, "That prefect is supposed to be a local official, how can he be so lawless and bullying! The manor lord is a respected figure in the area, and he still doesn't respect him. You can imagine how domineering and tyrannical he is towards ordinary people."

Master Kong sighed, "The people of Yunzhou City have long been outraged, but the officials protect each other, and no one can do anything about it. I heard that the wife of Prefect Li was once a close friend of the Princess Consort of Prince Rui in the capital. With this relationship, Prefect Li is even more fearless."

Having spent a lot of time with Ning Jue, Bai Hua had become quite sharp-tongued. She was already indignant, and upon hearing this, she couldn't help but scoff and say sarcastically, "That's really something. I've only ever heard of fathers protecting their sons, but this prefect actually knows how to seek protection, managing to whisper sweet nothings in Prince Rui's ear through the words of others."

Upon hearing this, everyone stared in astonishment.

Before they could react, someone let out a suppressed laugh, and then everyone's expressions changed as they struggled to hold back their laughter.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Bai Hua restrained her impulsive arrogance, shrank back a little embarrassedly, and stopped peeking out.

Ning Jue spoke up at the right moment to help her out, saying, "My wife is outspoken, please forgive her."

Madam Kong shook her head and praised, "My lady speaks frankly and incisively. Her courage is even more admirable. Hearing such words makes me feel much better."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kong Pingsheng, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up, picked up his wine glass, and toasted Bai Hua.

"Madam's words have comforted me, and I would like to offer you a toast. However, since you are pregnant, it is inconvenient for you to drink alcohol."

Madam Kong gestured to the side and ordered someone to serve tea instead of wine. Bai Hua had just picked up her teacup and stood up when Ning Jue also stood up with his wine cup in hand.

He said, "Since it's a toast, how can I refuse? I'll drink this wine for my wife."

After drinking, Kong Pingsheng said, "Young Master Ning, I will personally offer you another cup later."

"No rush, the feast is far from over, and the wine bottles are still full." After saying this, Ning Jue asked again, "Young Master Kong wishes to serve his country, do you have a specific goal for enlisting? I wonder which army you wish to join?"

The three sat down, and Kong Pingsheng answered truthfully, his eyes changing from lazy to eager: "I want to go to Xiangcheng and serve under General Meng. General Meng is a peerless hero. He has been guarding the border since he was young. He does not rely on his family's glory. All the honors on his body are earned by himself in battle. I admire him the most and dream of following him."

General Meng, Meng Yu.

Bai Hua was also surprised to suddenly hear a familiar name.

However, among the famous generals of the Great Yan, General Cui is now gray-haired and can no longer go to the battlefield; General Yuchi was injured last year and is still recuperating; and there is also Lord Xie, who has spent half his life on the battlefield and won countless battles. He can be considered a legendary figure, but in middle age he became afraid of death and advocated peace several times in court discussions, losing the sharpness of his youth.

Then there's General Meng. He had previously commanded several battles, inflicting heavy losses on the Western Xia cavalry, and had become a new generation of young war god of the Great Yan. Although he came from a family of military generals, he never relied on his family background for glory. His honors and achievements were genuine, and no one in the entire army disapproved of him.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Kong Pingsheng admired Meng Yu and wanted to follow him.

Ning Jue: "General Meng's Black Tiger Army soldiers are all brave and fierce. Ordinary soldiers have to go through several rounds of selection before they are finally recruited. Right now, the Black Tiger Army is growing stronger and attracting the attention of the court. General Meng cannot recruit soldiers on his own. If you want to serve under General Meng, you will have to be specially dispatched by the capital. Although the process is not very complicated, it is not something that can be done in a few words.

Kong Pingsheng was clearly more familiar with the enlistment process. He nodded and replied, "Yes, but Prefect Li is holding back my household registration information and won't report it to higher authorities. This most common way of enlisting is not going to work for me."

Ning Jue asked a question that went off-topic: "To save a stranger, you've caused yourself so much trouble. Does Young Master Kong have any regrets?"

Kong Pingsheng gripped his wine glass tightly, thought for a moment, and then shook his head seriously: "No regrets. I joined the army to protect the people's peaceful lives. If I were to stand by and watch them die, wouldn't these words and aspirations be nothing but empty rhetoric? I, Kong Pingsheng, disdain being a hypocrite who only seeks empty fame."

These words carried weight, and Ning Jue nodded, asking, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Kong Pingsheng hesitated for a moment, seemingly embarrassed to speak.

Master Kong was anxiously waiting, but he couldn't wait any longer. He was afraid that Young Master Ning would have limited patience and change his mind. So he quickly spoke up for his son: "We know that Young Master Ning is someone who can speak for the Grand General. The Duan family head, Duan Yi, was introduced by Young Master Ning and was able to re-enter officialdom. Therefore, we would like to ask you to help us introduce Ping Sheng to work for the Grand General. Even the lowest-ranking gatekeeper position is fine. As long as Ping Sheng can be appointed by the Grand General, it will be much easier for him to be transferred from the capital to Xiangcheng."

Parents plan far ahead for their children.

Parents' hearts are truly full of love and worry.

Bai Hua hid her hand under the dining table, quietly nudged Ning Jue, and whispered, "This isn't too difficult. Why don't we lend a hand?"

Ning Jue did not immediately express his opinion.

He wasn't one to meddle in other people's business, and he didn't care if others suffered injustice. He wasn't used to being a good person, couldn't manage world affairs, and didn't have the heart of a bodhisattva.

But since Bai Hua had spoken up and he felt compassion, he had no choice but to pay more attention to her.

In addition, the manor lord's wife had indeed taken good care of Bai Hua a few days ago. He had accepted this favor and was only doing a small favor, so how could he refuse?

Ning Jue: "I can help with this."

Upon hearing this, Kong Pingsheng's eyes lit up, and his chest heaved slightly. The manor lord and his wife immediately stood up to bow and express their gratitude.

Ning Jue and Bai Hua quickly helped one of them up, neither of them used to such a grand gesture and feeling extremely embarrassed.

And for them, it was a piece of cake.

"How about this, let my wife recover better at the villa first, and when we leave, Young Master Kong will accompany us back to the capital as my bodyguard. That way, I can get to know Young Master Kong better and have something to say when I introduce him to General Wang."

Master Kong nodded hurriedly: "That would be perfect."

The heavy weight that had been hanging over Kong Pingsheng's heart for many years could finally be lifted. He breathed a long sigh of relief and solemnly thanked Ning Jue and Bai Hua again.

"If you and your wife ever need my help in the future, I will go through fire and water for you without hesitation. Whether I become famous or remain mediocre in the future, I will never forget the kindness you have shown me today, despite our brief encounter."

...

Having made everything clear and knowing that the other party had also accepted a favor, Bai Hua felt more at ease staying at the villa.

Over the next ten days or so, her frequent nausea during meals finally showed signs of improvement.

The mistress of the manor also found a female doctor who was most skilled in gynecology for her daughter. After eating the medicinal food prescribed by the doctor, Bai Hua had more energy every day. The doctor also gave her a jar of homemade plum yogurt. Whenever she was about to feel nauseous, she would quickly drink it and it would suppress the urge to vomit.

With this "miracle cure," Bai Hua suffered much less.

Because of the care and attention the mistress of the manor had for her, Bai Hua naturally took Kong Pingsheng's matter to heart as well.

She had an idea and privately suggested to Ning Jue, "Master Kong and the others only know about your relationship with the Great General, but they don't know that I am a close friend of the General's wife. What do you think if I directly send a letter to Junman to introduce Young Master Kong, wouldn't this matter save some unnecessary procedures and become much simpler?"

“I’m afraid it won’t save trouble, but will make things more complicated.” Ning Jue patiently explained the key points to her. “Meng Yu is now the general with the largest army in Great Yan, and his arrogance is at its zenith. He is deeply feared by the emperor. If he doesn’t follow the proper procedures for troop deployment and recruitment, it will be easy for those with ulterior motives in the court to find a pretext to use against him. Therefore, although your method may be feasible under normal circumstances, it is absolutely not feasible in the current situation.”

Bai Hua was persuaded by him and sighed, "Originally, I was prejudiced and thought that you had been living a carefree life in the martial world for a long time and were used to being straightforward. You were not good at the intrigues and schemes in the court. But now I realize that you just do not want to participate. You know just as much as others."

Ning Jue smiled, raised his hand and affectionately rubbed Bai Hua's nose, saying, "Do you mean to praise me?"

Bai Hua pouted: "Yes, yes, I'm praising you. I was a bit inconsiderate just now, and I almost caused trouble for Junman."

Ning Jue comforted her, "It's not that serious. Even if you send your letter, General Meng is a cautious person and will surely have his own considerations. Perhaps he will reply to inform you that the current situation is sensitive and give you guidance on the correct and feasible solutions."

Bai Hua nodded in agreement.

Ning Jue looked at her and said with concern, "It took you so long to get your face back to a rosy color these past few days. Hua'er, don't worry too much and upset yourself. I'll take care of these things, so don't worry. The most important thing for you right now is to rest and recuperate."

Bai Hua complained softly, "Everyone takes such good care of me. Now I can't swing on the swing, I can't kick the ball, and I can't do anything strenuous. I'm so bored. All day long, you're the only one who talks to me to keep me entertained."

Ning Jue leaned closer to her and, as usual, reached out to massage her lower back to help her relax.

He whispered in her ear, even though there was no one else in the room, out of consideration for her feelings, "Wait a little longer. I asked the doctor, and he said that women can have sex with their husbands in the second trimester. This is a good way to relieve boredom. If we are careful together, we won't harm the baby."

Bai Hua pursed her thin lips, and an unusual burning sensation instantly rose to both sides of her cheeks.

She raised her hand and pushed Ning Jue away in embarrassment and annoyance, scolding him for being indecent. The two of them were clearly discussing serious matters, but he started talking nonsense again.

Ning Jue cupped her fist in his palm and said, "It's not that Hua'er is bored and wants to find some fun to relieve her boredom. Isn't my suggestion good?"

"No, no."

"Why are you being so hypocritical? When we're perfectly in sync, Hua'er is so relaxed and happy..."

Bai Hua's face turned pale and then red. Unable to bear his continued raving, she quickly reached out to cover Ning Jue's mouth.

Ning Jue dared not argue with her, nor did he dare to dodge, so he could only cooperate and let her cover his mouth.

It covered the mouth and the eyes.

At that moment, Ning Jue stared intently at her, his gaze anything but innocent. Bai Hua knelt and stared at him closely for a while, feeling his gaze and lips burning her. She blushed and gave up, quickly letting go and moving away from him.

Bai Hua said in a good-natured tone, "In order to take better care of me, there are many servants and maids from the manor coming and going in this courtyard, and there are also people on duty at night. You must not cause trouble here and make a fool of yourself in front of outsiders."

Ning Jue didn't take it to heart: "By March or April, we should be in the capital, having already left the manor."

"March or April?"

"Is Hua'er getting impatient?"

Bai Hua was embarrassed and speechless for a moment.

She naturally had no experience with pregnancy. She only found out she was pregnant on the way home. Her pregnant sister-in-law wasn't around, and she had no one to guide her. She didn't know that Ning Jue was referring to the second trimester, which was after the third or fourth month of pregnancy. Now that he was taking the opportunity to make fun of her, she felt both ashamed and resentful.

"You think you know everything? Go away, go away, I don't want to talk to you." She said, and tried to pull the covers over her head to ignore him.

Ning Jue hadn't expected that his words would provoke such a strong reaction. He quickly stopped her and apologized, saying, "Hua'er, don't be angry. Since you're pregnant, I naturally need to know more about you. Otherwise, how can I take better care of you? I didn't mean to show off. I just asked the doctor about all of that. If you feel uncomfortable asking, you can ask the mistress of the manor for her experience. She will definitely teach you patiently."

Bai Hua wouldn't let him off the hook, her eyes wide with anger, and she scolded him, "You always say such inappropriate things to provoke me."

Ning Jue smiled at her adorable appearance and said, "What's wrong with it? It's all just human nature, and quite common. Hua'er doesn't understand now, but once someone with experience teaches you, you naturally won't be so resistant."

Bai Hua was a little stunned, and asked him in confusion, "What kind of experience is this...?"

“Of course.” Ning Jue gave her a meaningful look, as if to confirm whether she was really prepared to continue listening.

Bai Hua wouldn't let him keep her in suspense and urged, "Tell me quickly."

Ning Jue leaned closer to her before speaking slowly and deliberately. Some things are obviously more effective when spoken intimately at close range.

"Some gossip among pregnant women in the city claims that having sex during pregnancy is not only harmless, but can actually nourish a woman. Furthermore, the cervix is ​​more sensitive during the second trimester, making intercourse more pleasurable and intense, so Hua'er will definitely be happier."

Bai Hua froze, her cheeks turning even redder than a ripe peach. She had just asked him to continue because of her strong thirst for knowledge, but she hadn't expected that his opening remarks would be filled with such offensive and vulgar language.

She pretended to be annoyed and about to express her dissatisfaction.

Ning Jue took the initiative and spoke first: "Why are you glaring at me, Hua'er? I'm just relaying what I heard and asked, not trying to tease you. Besides, those words aren't all lies. If there were no real-world evidence to support them, how could they have spread so widely, with no one daring to refute them?"

Bai Hua didn't believe it: "No one would take a serious look at a topic that's hard to talk about."

Ning Jue: "I believe it, but Hua'er insists on not believing it. In that case, we will have to wait until you are three or four months pregnant, and then we will try it ourselves and explore the truth together. Then we will be able to tell who is right and who is wrong."

Now that things have come to this point, how could Bai Hua possibly show any weakness on the spot?

Besides, March and April are still a long way off. Even if she's afraid, it won't stop her from being stubborn and defiant when confronting Ning Jue.

Moreover, she had always considered those words to be nonsense. The idea that the palace was sensitive and that sexual intercourse nourished the pregnant woman's body was all baseless and frivolous talk that was absolutely unbelievable.

In order to set things right and to tell Ning Jue not to listen to those unfounded rumors, Bai Hua boldly agreed, saying, "Let's try it and see. When the facts are clearly laid out before you, you'll realize how foolish you were to be deceived."

Ning Jue gazed deeply at Bai Hua, smiled faintly, and replied, "Okay, I'm looking forward to it. Hua'er is the one who has the most say on how it feels. I will listen carefully to your honest feedback."

When he spoke the last few words, Ning Jue's voice deepened, carrying a slightly bewitching hoarse quality.

Bai Hua shrank back uncomfortably, feeling as if he was about to drag her to the bed and have his way with her, conducting a thorough experiment.

Ever since that venison soup incident, she has truly been afraid of him.

Ning Jue sensed something and stopped moving forward.

He reached out and gently rubbed Bai Hua's nape to comfort her, saying softly, "Don't be afraid, we agreed on March or April, and that won't change."

Three or four months later...

Bai Hua suddenly felt that this time was like the execution deadline he had set for himself.

On that day, I will be bound to a cold, hard execution rack, my legs spread wide, at the mercy of others...

Imagining those unbearable scenes, she felt a little regretful, and even more afraid.

Author's note: Pregnancy photos are the most... well, you know. [bunny head with upright ears]