Chapter 103 is back.
Pregnant women in the second and third trimesters often experience hunger, and it's not just simple hunger, but a combination of hunger and cravings. If they can't eat what they want, they feel so heartbroken that they want to cry.
Fortunately, the nannies Xie Qingyu sent were very experienced, and Zhao Xiheng could get food anytime, anywhere. In addition to three main meals a day, there were also various nourishing soups. The nannies were afraid that she wouldn't like to eat, so they specially made pastries and fruits into the shapes of flowers and animals.
She pinched her cheeks and felt that all the fat she had gained was well-deserved.
She couldn't eat any more. Between beauty and food, Zhao Xiheng decisively chose beauty.
She pushed away the pastries and fruits that the maids had brought her, pouted, and said with a hint of unreasonableness, "I'm not eating them, you can all take them away."
The maids were shocked, thinking that Zhao Xiheng was refusing to eat because they hadn't prepared it well. They hurriedly asked, "What would Madam like to eat? We'll go and make it for you right away."
Zhao Xiheng finally managed to tear her gaze away from the exquisite pastries, swallowed hard, and said, "No, it's just that I feel like I've gained too much weight from eating all the time..."
Before she could finish speaking, the people started to retort, screaming, "Where is she fat? Madam is very thin. Only by taking care of her health now will she have the strength to give birth."
"The doctor said that if I eat too much, the baby will grow big, and it will be difficult to give birth if the baby is too big," Zhao Xiheng explained with a serious expression, her delicate eyebrows furrowing.
The doctor did give that advice, but he didn't say that Zhao Xiheng's child was too big; he just told her to be more careful.
The nannies looked her over; her belly was almost eight months along, which was quite large, but they still doubted the truthfulness of Zhao Xiheng's words. They were in charge of the lady's diet, so why hadn't the doctor told them?
But since Zhao Xiheng said she didn't want to eat, then she didn't have to. They would bring it to her later when she wanted to eat.
Pregnant women are heavy and hot, so it's inevitable that they'll be anxious. If we don't go along with her wishes now, she might become even more irritable. So we stopped bothering her and quietly withdrew.
It was the middle of July, the hottest time in Pingzhou. Zhao Xiheng was sweating profusely, but the people in the room had to follow the doctor's orders and couldn't place too many ice basins. So she could only lean against the window and try to cool off with the breeze from the courtyard, but it was like scratching an itch through her boots. The sweat soaked through her thin clothes and clung to her skin, her snow-white skin faintly visible under the thin gauze.
Her hair was all gathered up and secured with a jade hairpin, revealing her slender neck.
But Zhao Xiheng couldn't cool down no matter what she did; her irritability only grew stronger. She threw down her fan and stood up. "Has the lord's letter arrived yet?"
The maids didn't dare to provoke her, but Xiao Tao stepped forward and said, "The gatekeeper said that he hasn't received any letters from the master these past few days."
Zhao Xiheng picked up the round fan, tore it with her hand, and cursed angrily, "Well, well, you've really grown wings outside, and you don't even know to send letters back anymore. Who knows what kind of beauties you've attracted outside? I heard that the women of Goguryeo are all good at singing and dancing, and they're very beautiful."
She supported her waist with her right hand and her belly with her left, and quickly walked around the room. Her heavy body was frightening to behold, so everyone crowded around her.
Zhao Xiheng grew impatient and waved them away, saying, "It's too hot, stay away from me."
She continued muttering, "I used to know to send a letter home every three days..."
"Didn't you complain a while ago that the lord was sending letters too frequently?" a maid whispered.
Zhao Xiheng's expression froze, and she was speechless for a moment. After recovering, she angrily retorted, "It's one thing for me to dislike it, and it's another thing for him to do it or not. He should at least have some attitude!"
A few people chuckled to themselves. That's how young couples are; they clearly miss each other, but they just won't express it properly and always use these awkward ways.
I hope our lord will return soon.
They quickly grabbed their fans and began fanning Zhao Xiheng, trying to ease her worries. "Madam, are you feeling cooler now?"
"It's cooler now. If you're tired, take a rest." Zhao Xiheng's tone softened. She knew she had been in a bad mood lately, and it was kind of them to accommodate her. "I'll have someone increase your monthly allowance later."
At night, when she opened her eyes, it was pitch black all around, so dark that she couldn't see her hand in front of her face. Zhao Xiheng woke up because she was hungry.
I want to eat, I want wonton and shrimp noodles, sprinkled with scallions and cilantro, steaming hot, the noodles are thin and chewy, the bone broth is thick and rich, the wontons are stuffed with large fresh shrimp, and the flavorful chives, pork and eggs are added. When cooked, they are soaked in the broth, and when you bite into them, the hot broth and tender shrimp meat explode in your mouth.
I want to eat freshly made seaweed rice cakes, with a golden-brown crust. When you scrape them with chopsticks, you can hear a sizzling sound. They're crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. You can also break them into small pieces and soak them in wonton noodle soup, then slurp them down.
The more she thought about it, the hungrier and craving it became. But then she remembered that she had gained weight and couldn't eat anymore. Hunger and resentment had been brewing in the darkness until they exploded in an instant. She bit the corner of the blanket and sobbed.
Because she was so far along in her pregnancy, she could only lie on her side, tears streaming down her face, gradually wetting the bedding.
The more she cried, the louder she became. She tried to turn over, but suddenly realized that there was something hot and burning on her back.
They were so frightened that they fell silent for a moment.
"Why are you crying? Are you feeling unwell?"
Although the visitor's voice was hoarse, the familiar tone, the familiar movements, and the familiar smell tinged with a faint metallic rust...
Wei Li had a splitting headache. He propped himself up and sat up, his brows almost knotted together. He wanted to wipe her tears with the back of his hand, but then he remembered that his own hands were rough and cracked. In the end, he grabbed his sleeve and wiped her face instead.
Zhao Xiheng was stunned. Lying on the bed, she even forgot to cry.
"Where does it hurt?" Wei Li hurriedly went downstairs to light the lamp and asked again, not daring to touch her stomach. He was really scared to death by her current state.
Zhao Xiheng was crying with such a big belly, what was wrong with her? What should he do? Wei Li's head almost went blank.
He felt a pang of regret. What was so important about Northern Goguryeo? She had suffered terribly these past few months; Zhao Xiheng had always been incredibly pampered…
Wei Li's hands were trembling, and the candlelight flickered.
He was about to run out to call for help when Zhao Xiheng grabbed his hand and suddenly burst into tears, "I'm hungry..."
The two looked at each other in the candlelight. Wei Li's face was so thin that he was almost unrecognizable. His originally bright red lips had turned pale, with dead skin and scabs showing. His eyes were still dark and bright.
Zhao Xiheng had become much plumper and prettier. Tears clung to her eyelashes, her nose was red, and her fair skin was flawless.
Wei Li suddenly dared not look at her, hurriedly took the lamp and went out, paused at the door, lowered his head, turned back, put the lamp inside, and then went out alone.
He reached the door again, then suddenly turned back and asked, "What do you want to eat?"
"Shrimp wonton noodles, seaweed rice cakes..." Zhao Xiheng sobbed.
He really went out this time. A faint conversation could be heard outside, followed by footsteps. The door to the small kitchen on the west side of the yard creaked open.
Wei Li stood outside, looking at the moon on the horizon. It wasn't particularly cold, but he couldn't help but shiver several times and suddenly dared not go inside.
He touched his face hastily; his stubble was still unshaven, his cheeks and eye sockets were sunken, and his eyes were definitely dark and bluish-black, making him look like a ghost.
Zhao Xiheng became beautiful again, but he became ugly...
Wei Li couldn't help but rub his hands together, then squatted down under the eaves, showing a rare kind of melancholy and shyness, like someone returning home with trepidation.
The nannies were very efficient; in no time, they brought over steaming hot wonton noodles and rice cakes.
Wei Li stepped aside and said, "Take it to her."
"Isn't the lord going to see him off?" the nanny asked.
Wei Li's eyes darted around, and the nanny added, "Madam misses you very much..."
He suddenly stood up, took the tray, and turned to go inside.
Zhao Xiheng misses him...
Zhao Xiheng misses him.
Zhao Xiheng misses him!
Wei Li helped her sit up, leaning against the soft pillows, and moved a small table over for her. Then he put chopsticks in her hand and said, "Eat."
Zhao Xiheng slammed down her chopsticks, pursed her lips, and her eyes reddened. "What did you mean just now?"
Wei Li looked at her blankly.
"Did you think I looked ugly and didn't want to see me, so you hid away?" As she spoke, tears streamed down her face like beads. "The child I'm carrying isn't just mine, and you still complain... um..."
Before she could finish speaking, Wei Li leaned in and sealed her lips with his, leaving a long, bloody kiss as if tearing at her. The dryness on his lips made Zhao Xiheng's mouth hurt, and his eyes were like those of a hungry wolf, as if he wanted to devour her whole.
Wei Li had captured Boli seven days ago and couldn't wait any longer. He immediately spurred his horse and left his men to rush back, without even having time to hold a victory celebration or bandage his wounds.
He disliked wearing heavy armor, finding it inconvenient to move in.
On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes, and everyone is more or less injured. With the blood of others added to the wounds, the clothes become stiff and blackish-red after being blown by the wind, emitting an unpleasant stench.
Wei Li changed horses four times along the way, running day and night for seven days. He only rested at roadside inns for three nights, spending the rest of the time on the road.
The mere thought of Zhao Xiheng waiting for him at home made him feel no fatigue at all; instead, it filled him with boundless energy.
When he stopped in front of the mansion, it was already late at night, the moon was high in the sky, the gatekeeper was drowsy, and the patrolling soldiers' eyes lit up when they saw him, and they even wondered if they had mistaken him for someone else.
Once it was confirmed, I almost shouted it out.
Wei Li nimbly dismounted, his vision momentarily darkened, but it didn't matter. He tossed the reins to them, his voice hoarse and barely audible, "Shut up, tie the horse."
He quietly entered the bedroom. Zhao Xiheng was fast asleep, her head peeking out from under the covers. She lay quietly on the bed, breathing evenly. Wei Li knew how unpleasant the bloodstains on his body smelled, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the bedroom and the bathroom.
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