Lu Ziqian frowned and reached out to pinch her pale face: "When did I ever say I wanted to marry her? I really have nothing to do with her."
"Alright, let's not talk about her anymore, lest we upset you again."
"Whatever you want from me, as long as it's within my power, I'll grant it."
Su Yujiao stared at him, her tone more serious than ever before: "Go and plead with the Emperor to reclaim Chimu Liaoyuan!"
Lu Ziqian stared at her, puzzled: "Why is that?"
"As long as you reclaim Chimu Liaoyuan, the Emperor will surely grant a general amnesty."
Lu Ziqian's eyes lit up; this was indeed a good idea.
Moreover, recapturing Akagi-ryoku was his lifelong dream.
He immediately agreed: "I will do my best to facilitate this, but... I have a condition."
"What?"
"I will lead my troops into battle when you become pregnant with my child."
"The battlefield is dangerous, so I need to leave a backup plan. This is also to ensure your safety!"
"If something happens to me, you'll have a child to rely on."
"Okay." Su Yujiao agreed without thinking.
Her straightforwardness made Lu Ziqian feel somewhat uncomfortable.
He stared at her delicate, pale face, as if trying to see through her beautiful skin to her true thoughts.
Whether it was her imagination or not, she seemed like a different person when she woke up this time. It was her, yet not her, as if she were wearing a mask.
"You're not angry with me anymore?"
"Are you really willing to have my child?"
Su Yujiao smiled faintly and reached out to tuck the stray hairs that were obscuring her eyes behind her ear.
"After a serious illness, I've come to understand many things."
“I was naive before. I didn’t see the hardships of the world and lived in my own imagined world all day long.”
"I won't do that anymore. I'll be more realistic and stop being idealistic."
“Having children is something every wife should do, especially since I’ve always wanted a child.”
"You and my child, the fruit of our love."
“I used to be sensitive, suspicious, and insecure, probably because I didn’t have enough security. Maybe having a child will put my mind at ease.”
She looked at him, speaking slowly and calmly.
She finally transformed back into the obedient person he liked, but it felt unreal to him.
She also used many words he had never heard before: world? idealism? crystallization? sense of security?
Everything felt strange, making him feel that she had changed and was no longer the same person she used to be.
"What's wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?"
Lu Ziqian frowned, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, yet there was nothing wrong with what she said.
"Jiaojiao, are you still angry?"
"If you're still angry, hit me a couple of times, yell at me a few times. It's better to vent than to keep it inside."
Su Yujiao smiled gently, and her beauty was enough to topple kingdoms.
"You're overthinking it. I'm not angry at all. People always grow up."
"That night really scared me, but I learned my lesson and now I know how to live from now on."
"I'm actually grateful to you for showing me reality that night."
"Besides, you know me well. I'm soft-hearted and easy to coax, and my anger comes and goes quickly."
“I heard everything you said while I was unconscious.”
"You've been rambling on for three days, but my anger has long since dissipated."
As she spoke, she reached out and pushed him, saying, "You should go back now. Didn't you say you were going to bring me back to the manor in a grand and glorious manner?"
"I don't want to be pointed at and gossiped about by the servants when I get back."
Lu Ziqian was still suspicious: "Are you really not angry?"
Su Yujiao smiled politely: "Why are you being so indecisive?"
"You don't want to take me back home?"
"Is it because you can't explain this to Chen Yunniang after taking me back?"
When Lu Ziqian heard her bring up Chen Yunniang, he was afraid that they would quarrel again, so he fled in panic.
When Xiao Tao came in, Su Yujiao was leaning against the headboard reading a book.
"Miss, you've just woken up, why don't you rest a little longer?"
She replied casually, "Yeah, I can't sleep, so I'll read a book for a while."
"What are you looking at, Miss?"
Xiao Tao could read, and when she saw the words "Women's Precepts" written on the cover, she couldn't help but widen her eyes.
"Miss, why are you looking at the Women's Rules?"
"Didn't you say this was... was... was a form of oppression against women?"
Su Yujiao put down her book, looked at Xiao Tao quietly, and said earnestly, "I was wrong before."
"These are not dross, but truths and famous sayings."
"For example, I really like this saying: 'At home, obey your father; after marriage, obey your husband; after your husband's death, obey your son!'"
“I especially love the last line, ‘When the husband dies, the son should follow him.’” She said, her eyes gleaming with determination.
Xiao Tao trembled with fright. She seemed to be hallucinating, and she actually felt that the young lady's gaze just now was terrifying.
"Miss, are you...are you alright?"
Su Yujiao smiled and said, "What could possibly happen to me? I'm fine, better than ever before."
"Miss, I feel that you...you seem different?"
Su Yujiao didn't respond, but instead instructed the others: "Go and find out about the people and things around Chen Yunniang, especially her maids. Investigate their backgrounds, the more detailed the better."
"Also, go find Mudan and ask her to keep an eye out for any newly convicted government or military prostitutes."
"Those who know martial arts are the best."
Xiao Tao looked surprised: "Miss, why are you asking about this?"
"Go when I tell you to." Her tone was somewhat sharp.
That afternoon, Lu Ziqian and Steward Wang, along with a large group of servants, entered the small courtyard in the east of the city and brought Su Yujiao back in a grand manner.
The mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and a red carpet was laid out, giving it a brand-new look. More than a hundred servants knelt at the entrance of the general's mansion and kowtowed to welcome him.
The two sisters-in-law presented gifts, and even the members of the second wife's family were forced to come out and say polite words.
This time, Lu Ziqian truly gave her a grand display of status and face.
"Jiaojiao, you're finally back! Come in quickly, let your mother see how thin you've gotten."
"Come on, come on, Mom has cooked a whole table of dishes, all of which are your favorites."
Zhou Shi, holding Su Yujiao's hand, happily entered the front hall, as if she had just married a new bride.
"Try this fish, it was just caught from the river, it's very fresh."
Su Yujiao took a sip and suddenly felt a little nauseous. Lu Ziqian asked anxiously, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Su Yujiao shook her head: "It's nothing."
Zhou put another shrimp on her plate, and Su Yujiao gagged as soon as she smelled it.
Now, everyone realized something was wrong.
Mrs. Zhou was the first to react: "Jiaojiao, are you... pregnant?"
Su Yujiao was taken aback. She reached out to check her own pulse. The pulse was smooth and flowing, like a string of round beads sliding along. This was a typical pregnancy pulse.
The woman suddenly let go of his hand. Was she pregnant?
Based on the time, it must have been that night at the snow mountain!
She fainted that night and didn't take any contraceptive pills. The next day she wanted to take one, but hesitated because her feelings for him had eased.
Unexpectedly, it worked that time!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
