After Zhou Xuance went on his expedition, Shen Zhiyi initially returned to her parents' home frequently, but later she became increasingly lazy and rarely went out.
"Sister!" Shen Qi'an and the Seventh Prince were both in the royal private school and often came to the palace to see her. Today, the two of them came and even brought her candied hawthorns. "I bought them especially for you."
"I'm not a child."
"It's sweet and sour, and it tastes especially good," Shen Qi'an said with a smile.
"What did the teacher teach you today?" Shen Zhiyi took the candied hawthorn, took a bite, and found it to be sour but tasted delicious.
"I taught you a passage from Mencius." The Seventh Prince often came over, plopped down, and without any ceremony, poured himself a glass of water. He then glanced at Chen Zhiyi and said, "Aunt, Qi'an and I have arranged to go horseback riding in the countryside to admire the autumn leaves. Would you like to come along?"
"I don't really want to go." Shen Zhiyi is quite lazy these days.
The past few days have been rainy, and she even spent most of the day lying on the couch.
In the past, she would never have dared to imagine such a thing. Now she realizes that having money and leisure, no in-laws to serve her, and her husband not by her side is truly a life of bliss.
"Sis, you've become increasingly lazy since your husband left. Haven't you noticed you're getting fatter and fatter?"
Shen Zhiyi, still chewing on a candied hawthorn, was stunned upon hearing this.
Girls all care about their figure.
"Hongrui, have I gained weight?" Shen Zhiyi looked to the side.
Red Bud and Green Lotus exchanged a glance and both shook their heads.
They spent all their time with their daughter and didn't notice the changes in her.
However, the Prince's residence was filled with the finest food, clothing, and daily necessities. Whenever there was something good, the Emperor would send a portion to the Regent's residence. A relaxed mind naturally leads to a plump figure, and so it goes...
He has gained some weight.
That evening, Shen Zhiyi took off her outer garment and reached out to pinch her waist; she had indeed gained some soft flesh.
This cannot continue; we must exercise restraint.
So Shen Zhiyi didn't eat that night. In the middle of the night, Lühe hurriedly knocked on the door, "Miss—"
"What is it?"
Shen Zhiyi's breath hitched, thinking that something had happened to Zhou Xuance or her father and brothers. She hurriedly let her in. Lühe entered the bedchamber and said, "The Emperor Emeritus has been bedridden for a long time and passed away at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM)."
She paused for a moment, but wasn't too surprised.
According to the imperial physician, he would only live for three to five days at most after the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, but unexpectedly he survived for more than a month.
"Help me change my clothes and go to the palace."
When Shen Zhiyi entered the palace, the entire imperial city was shrouded in a mournful and desolate atmosphere. Members of the royal family and court officials arrived one after another, and hundreds of Zen monks from the royal temples were invited to chant sutras in the hall...
The new emperor personally took charge of all funeral arrangements and would also discuss some matters with Shen Zhiyi.
On the day of Emperor Xiaoxuan's funeral,
A light rain began to fall over the imperial city.
Autumn rain is chilly.
Death smells like a sudden downpour on decaying leaves—cold and rotten.
——
Handling funeral arrangements is ultimately a complicated and tedious process.
Shen Zhiyi had lost her appetite again during that time. When she returned to her parents' home, Xu Yunyi saw her and frowned: "Zhiyi, why have you lost weight?"
"I can't eat anything."
"Wait here, Mom will cook you a bowl of noodles."
Shen Zhiyi loves eating the food she cooks.
While waiting, Wen Qing arrived, and a maid casually brought out a plate of pickled apricots.
Her morning sickness has improved, and she is much rounder than before, but she has a strong craving for sour foods. When Shen Jingchuan found out, he specially sent someone to find the sourest apricots from the northern border to make dried fruit. The sour smell alone is enough to make one's mouth water, and most people really can't stomach it.
Shen Zhiyi looked at it, but felt a little hungry.
"Sister-in-law..."
"Eat it, but it's too sour, I'm afraid you can't handle it."
She ate a dried apricot, but didn't find it sour.
Wen Qing looked her over and laughed, "Zhiyi, you're not pregnant, are you?"
"..."
Shen Zhiyi stood there stunned. "That can't be right. I haven't had any morning sickness."
"Not all pregnant women experience morning sickness. Have you been feeling drowsy, lethargic, or heavy-hearted for the past month?"
"Spring drowsiness and autumn fatigue are very normal."
Have you seen a doctor to take your pulse?
Shen Zhiyi was stunned.
Since her rebirth, she has been somewhat sensitive to cold. She knows the specific reason in her heart; it is a psychological problem, and seeing a doctor is useless. Zhou Xuance did find a doctor to come and check her pulse every day, but she refused to see him.
She knew some medical skills herself, so she felt there was no need to see a doctor.
Wen Qing's words made her heart skip a beat.
He stubbornly insisted it was impossible, but he still took his own pulse to check...
immediately,
They stood there, stunned.
When Xu Yunyi brought out a bowl of noodles, she saw that her daughter looked completely bewildered, while her daughter-in-law was happily laughing beside her.
"What happened?"
“Mother, Zhiyi is pregnant,” Wen Qing said with a smile. “It’s been almost two months, and she has no idea.”
"What?"
Xu Yunyi was both surprised and delighted.
They hurriedly summoned the physician from the Zhai family for a diagnosis, and it was confirmed that she was indeed two months pregnant.
It probably existed before Zhou Xuance left.
"This is wonderful news! Don't go back to the Prince's Mansion these days. Stay home and rest for at least the first three months before you leave." Xu Yunyi smiled from ear to ear.
During the first three months, miscarriage is extremely easy.
This was her daughter's first pregnancy, so she was naturally cautious and ordered everyone in the household to keep quiet.
Even Shen Qi'an was unaware that his older sister was pregnant.
That night, Shen Zhiyi lay in bed, tossing and turning.
Subconsciously touching her stomach...
Confused,
The thought of a little one connected to you by blood being born fills you with a subtle, indescribable feeling.
Unable to sleep, she got up and wrote another letter home to Zhou Xuance.
When the letter arrived in the southern border region, Zhou Xuance opened it and chuckled softly:
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