Chapter 69 Waiting
"Young master, get up."
At Liu Fu's call, Zhuang Dongqing slowly opened her eyes.
Hmm.
Zhuang Dongqing blinked and tried to close his eyes again, but Liu Fu firmly stopped him, "Young Master, you can't sleep anymore, you won't be able to sleep at night like this. Get up, if you feel uncomfortable, get up and rest for a while."
As soon as Zhuang Dongqing moved, the presence of her stomach preceded that of her hands and feet.
Oh, the pregnancy is more advanced.
It's normal for your belly to swell up and for you to suffer a little.
Zhuang Dongqing was still sleepy, but Liu Fu resolutely followed the doctor's orders and helped his young master up to wake him up.
In the short time that followed, Liu Fu brought in hot water. When the hot towel was placed on his face, Zhuang Dongqing jolted awake.
After washing up and going out for breakfast, Zhuang Dongqing realized that she was no longer in the capital when she walked into the courtyard.
I rubbed my eyes, still feeling a bit groggy, as if I were still in the Prince's Palace.
Perhaps it was because he had lived in the Prince's mansion for a long time.
They still ate in the courtyard as usual. The food in Jiangnan was exquisite. In addition to the two chefs from the Prince's Mansion, they also found a local chef, a head chef from Jiangnan. Before the head chef arrived at the residence, Cen Yan had given prior notice to the head chef to keep an eye on the servants who were making purchases.
"Here, try this."
If there's anything good about it, it's probably that now that Cen Yan is gone, Zhuang Dongqing can eat at the same table with Liu Fu again.
When Cen Yan was around, he didn't dare to do so because Hao San, Xu Si, and Liu Qi had followed Cen Yan for so many years, and unless there were special circumstances, they had never dined at the same table with Cen Yan. He felt that the rules of the Prince's Mansion still existed, and he didn't dare to let Liu Fu bypass the elders and make special arrangements.
Afterwards, Liu Fu decided to stay... He was even more eager for the future of him becoming the steward of the Prince's mansion.
Eating at the same table has become a trivial matter.
As his body grew increasingly heavy, those around him became more cautious, fearing that he might stumble or fall. It was more appropriate and reasonable for Liu Fu to take care of him after he had eaten his fill.
Liu Fu took a bite of the crystal shrimp dumpling and nodded, saying, "Very fresh, young master."
Zhuang Dongqing smiled and slowly chewed her millet porridge.
When he first became pregnant, Master Zhao started controlling his diet. At the time, he was worried that he might become very craving and not be able to eat what he wanted. Now it seems that he was just overthinking it.
As the fetus developed, it put pressure on his stomach, causing his appetite to decrease significantly.
I want to eat, but I can't.
Master Zhao came to take a look, and after he finished, he only left one sentence: it's fine if he wants to eat, let him eat as much as he can.
Even so, Zhuang Dongqing didn't eat as much as before. Fortunately, her body had recovered, and with only a few months left in her pregnancy, she could get through it.
After finishing their meal, they sat on the recliners for a while to aid digestion, each with a palm-leaf fan in their hand.
In the height of summer, the Jiangnan region is unbearably hot and humid.
However, the population density in ancient times was not so high, and the heat would dissipate as soon as the sun set, unlike modern times where there are high-rise buildings and the heat is concentrated and does not dissipate.
"Young Master, let's go for a walk." After sitting for a while, Liu Fu got up and urged Zhuang Dongqing to leave.
Zhuang Dongqing sighed and reluctantly got up.
Actually, the scenery inside the mansion is very beautiful, and it's extremely large.
Suzhou people love building gardens. This garden covers a large area and has pavilions, towers, bridges, streams, strange rocks, lotus ponds, as well as the most basic flowers, birds, and trees. It is no exaggeration to say that it has everything.
It's not cheap either.
But it still can't compare to the imperial residences in the capital city where every inch of land is incredibly valuable.
With this in mind, Zhuang Dongqing felt quite at ease living there again.
"Here, give me one."
Upon reaching the pond, one finds it filled with various koi carp, tended by skilled craftsmen. Zhuang Dongqing's only responsibility is to feed them a certain amount of fish food each day.
It's not for any other reason than that I think koi are auspicious. I don't expect them to have any protective power. Just watching the fish rise to the surface to open their mouths and forage for food, with the colorful fish jumping and leaping in the pond, is also very festive.
I am in a very good mood towards Zhuang Dongqing.
After quickly scattering the fish food, Zhuang Dongqing stood by the pond, resembling a Bodhisattva seated high in a temple, receiving the worship of a swarm of fish.
Zhuang Dongqing chuckled at herself when she thought of this analogy.
"Let's go." After feeding the fish, they strolled towards the garden.
It wasn't too hot in the morning, so he could walk around the large pond that had been dug. Liu Fu and the others were worried about him. The pond for raising koi was shallow, so they didn't restrict him, but the pond was deep, so they only allowed him to walk around it from a distance and didn't allow him to get close, for fear that he might accidentally fall into the water and cause a lot of trouble.
Zhuang Dongqing understood this and simply followed the instructions.
After strolling around for a while, having lunch, and resting, Zhuang Dongqing was reluctant to leave when the sun was at its strongest.
But he didn't dare sit for long. He usually stood up to practice calligraphy for a while, then rested for a while, alternating between the two.
"Young master, the prince's letter has arrived."
The courtyard gate was opened, and Zhuang Dongqing heard Liu Fu shout.
I quickly put down my pen and picked it up to look at.
This letter was short; Zhuang Dongqing read it quickly, then smiled.
Liu Fu: "Is there some good news?"
Zhuang Dongqing: "Let's say that the main part of the flood problem has been dealt with, and the rest should be handed over to the Sixth Prince. That way, it won't be so far-fetched for him to be credited in the future."
"Therefore, Cen Yan and the others set off ahead of time and are on their way now."
Liu Fu: "That's great!"
Liu Fu: "Young Master, do you want to reply? I'll go get you some stationery."
"No need," Zhuang Dongqing said, folding the letter. "They said they were traveling at breakneck speed and there's a high chance they won't receive any more letters, so I don't need to reply."
"I was just about to come and talk to the young master about this, it seems you already know."
Liu Qi entered the main courtyard and overheard the conversation between the master and servant. He smiled and said...
Zhuang Dongqing waved the envelope in her hand sheepishly, "It was from the Prince."
Liu Qi: "Oh, right, the message and the letter came together."
"However, our news is more recent. The day before yesterday, our master and his party entered the Jiangnan region. If we ride horses, they should arrive in about six or seven days."
Zhuang Dongqing then thought of something else, "Should we come directly to Suzhou?"
"Okay, come straight over."
"Aren't you going to your post in the local area first?"
Liu Qi: "That's not necessary. First, not everyone is present. The Sixth Prince is still in the rear. It's obviously inappropriate for him to be received by local officials when he goes to his post alone. Second, the salt inspection is a long and arduous process, and the salt administration has been plagued by problems for a long time. We never intended to rush things. We'll take it slow and get to know the salt administration in the first month or two. Once we have a good understanding, the Sixth Prince will be able to get started. Then we can clean things up slowly. That's a more prudent approach."
Zhuang Dongqing hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
I wanted to ask, but I already had the answer in my heart.
In fact, Liu Qi's words made it very clear that Cen Yan would stay here until after he gave birth, and then slowly begin to handle the salt affairs.
Hmm...that's fine too.
To be honest, in this day and age, he's still a little afraid of using knives.
There are many things to be afraid of. Ancient medicine was not advanced, so excessive bleeding, wound infection, and incomplete cleaning were the most direct sequelae. If we were to mention other things, there would probably be a lot. By the way, is it possible for men to have amniotic fluid embolism during childbirth?
Let's not think about it anymore.
Thinking about it too much always makes me feel a chill down my spine.
All I can say is, I hope it goes well.
If things don't go smoothly, Cen Yanzai can still entrust his orphanage to someone else.
Stop, stop! The more I think about it, the more creepy it gets!
Zhuang Dongqing shook her head, trying to banish the bad thoughts from her mind.
Hearing that Cen Yan would be arriving in five or six days, he was naturally delighted.
But despite being happy, getting dressed the next day brought a touch of complexity.
Looking at her belly, which she couldn't hide in the bronze mirror, Zhuang Dongqing felt a little awkward.
So, in this mix of anticipation and trepidation, five or six days passed in a flash, and when the appointed day arrived, Cen Yan and the others were nowhere to be seen.
Liu Qi comforted him, "There's a lot of rain in the height of summer. There was a rainstorm just a few days ago. I heard that some riverbanks around here have been washed away. They must have been delayed on the way."
Zhuang Dongqing simply nodded. After dinner, the pigeons brought news.
We were indeed stopped on the road, and it will take another day.
Looking at the location marked on the signature, Liu Qi estimated the distance and hesitated, wondering if Cen Yan and the others could arrive tomorrow. But seeing Zhuang Dongqing's expectant eyes, she swallowed her words.
The master said he can get there... so there shouldn't be any problem, right?
The next day, I did arrive, but the timing was a bit off.
Zhuang Dongqing woke up early and waited from morning until noon. She slept lightly during her afternoon nap, afraid that Cen Yan and the others might suddenly come. But they didn't. Time flew by, and the sun began to set. The sunset was beautiful that day, dyeing a large part of the sky red. Zhuang Dongqing held her face in her hands and gazed at it, somewhat lost in thought.
After dinner, it was customary to take a walk. While walking, Liu Fu noticed that Zhuang Dongqing was distracted.
When asked.
Zhuang Dongqing hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do you think the Prince and the others will really be able to make it back today?"
"Do we have to go tomorrow?"
"It's hard to say for sure," Liu Fu thought for a moment and could only reply, "It's not completely dark yet. What if they come back in a little while?"
Zhuang Dongqing agreed.
And so they waited until the courtyard lights were turned on, illuminating the entire room.
Zhuang Dongqing was getting drowsy waiting, and Liu Fu advised him to go and rest. After thinking about it, Zhuang Dongqing was also getting impatient and wanted to find something to do to pass the time, so he agreed to wash up first and wash his hair. It would take some time for his hair to dry, so he could wait a little longer.
Liu Qi did send people to ask several times, and the pigeon also went back and forth once, but they were still unsure.
It seemed like he might come back, but I was still a little worried and couldn't be completely sure.
After Zhao Ye set a bottom line, he decided that if no one returned by then, he would persuade Zhuang Dongqing to go to sleep.
Just as Liu Qi and Master Zhao finished their discussion, a servant rushed over and reported, "Manager Liu, the Prince and the others have arrived."
Liu Qi was surprised, but then delighted.
He quickly led his men to greet them.
After thinking about it, the main courtyard was still some distance from the gate. All that was needed was someone to send a message to Zhuang Dongqing, telling her to wait in the courtyard and not to come out.
When she arrived at the door and saw Cen Yan, Liu Qixin finally felt relieved.
Having traveled on horseback all the way, I knew Cen Yan was a clean freak. As soon as I entered the door, servants brought me hot water and towels.
After washing his hands and face, Cen Yan was led down by someone. Cen Yan said, “I thought there was only one place, but there is another river embankment under repair along the way. It doesn’t look very sturdy. The court allocates funds for repairs every year. This shows that the problems in the Jiangnan officialdom are deep-rooted.”
Liu Qi: "I thought I wouldn't be able to wait for my master."
Cen Yan then asked, "Where's Qingqing? Is she asleep?"
"……without."
"?"
Liu Qi lowered his head: "Young Master hasn't been doing well lately. After receiving the news, I saw that he was really looking forward to Master's visit. He's been in better spirits these past two days, so it's really not good to disappoint him."
"I discussed it with Master Zhao. If the master hasn't returned by midnight, we'll go and urge the young master to go to sleep."
Cen Yan said softly, "It's too late."
Instead of blaming her, she asked about other things as they walked, "I've received all the messages. I know you're quite far along in your pregnancy, and it's very bothersome. Have you noticed any other changes in Zhuang Dongqing lately?"
Liu Qi: "There haven't been any major changes. It's still the same. I have a poor appetite, my belly is bigger, and with the hot weather, I can't sleep well. I also have edema. If I don't get enough exercise in a day, I'll definitely have edema the next day."
"Master, you actually arrived just in time, Master Zhao said..."
"The swelling in my calves will probably get worse in a while, and even more activity won't help."
"It needs someone to massage it every day for it to get better."
Cen Yan sighed softly.
I feel sorry for you.
Then he asked, "Are you settling in well?"
Liu Qi: "It's not bad. I haven't heard Liu Fu say anything bad about it. Plus, the garden is big and the outside is bustling. Whether you go out or not, you won't feel bored. The young master has recently taken a liking to strolling around the garden and feeding the koi. He seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit."
Cen Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief, finally putting one of his worries to rest.
They asked their way to the main courtyard gate, where Master Zhao was waiting. After a brief chat, Cen Yan listened to Master Zhao, went to the washroom to change out of his dirty clothes, cleaned his hands and face, and then went to find Zhuang Dongqing.
When I saw Zhuang Dongqing, he was already squinting on the soft couch.
Cen Yan sighed inwardly, wanting to carry Zhuang Dongqing to bed.
But Zhuang Dongqing was not sleeping soundly because he had something on his mind. When he approached and heard the footsteps, Zhuang Dongqing slowly opened his eyes.
Their eyes met, and Zhuang Dongqing was somewhat incredulous.
He rubbed his eyes and hesitated before asking, "Your Highness?"
"Yes, I'm back."
Zhuang Dongqing subconsciously reached out his hand, which was grasped by Cen Yan. The soft couch was very large, and Cen Yan sat down beside Zhuang Dongqing and gently hugged him.
Seeing that her belly was getting bigger but her cheeks were getting thinner, you could tell that she hadn't been living a very stable life lately.
Am I dreaming?
As soon as she finished speaking, Cen Yan pinched her cheek. The slight tickling sensation brought Zhuang Dongqing back to her senses, and she said in a serious tone, "Oh, no."
His silly appearance amused Cen Yan.
After laughing, he said helplessly, "You're so sleepy, why aren't you asleep yet?"
He touched Zhuang Dongqing's clean and soft hair, his tone slightly reproachful, "Didn't Liu Fu and the others remind you?"
Zhuang Dongqing nestled against Cen Yan's neck, buried her face in his hands, shook her head, and muttered, "It has nothing to do with them. They've tried to persuade me several times already. I'll wait."
After a pause, Zhuang Dongqing honestly said, "I miss you a little."
"Oh, it's rare to hear the young master say something like that."
Zhuang Dongqing muttered, "Don't tease me."
His speech was a little slurred, and his dazed look was quite adorable.
Zhuang Dongqing suddenly asked again, "Did you run into trouble on the way? The journey must have been tiring."
Cen Yan felt a warmth in her heart. "It's alright."
Zhuang Dongqing replied confidently, "You missed me too."
Cen Yan teased him, "Oh, how did you figure that out?"
Zhuang Dongqing shook her head, her eyes closed, but she still insisted on talking to Cen Yan, saying, "It's not something I could tell from looking at it."
"You can smell it."
“Ayan, you smell sour.”
Cen Yan: "...Then why are you hugging me so tightly?"
She tried to pry Zhuang Dongqing's hand off, but Zhuang Dongqing shook her head and pulled her closer.
"It doesn't matter."
"hug……"
Her voice was soft and gentle, almost like she was being coquettish, making it impossible for anyone to refuse.
Seeing his resolute movements, Cen Yan was afraid of hurting him by pulling too hard, so she could only say half-jokingly and half-angrily, "Really not going to let go? Let me make this clear first, I won't be responsible if the smell bothers the young master!"
Zhuang Dongqing laughed too, her voice muffled but soft, "I don't mind."
Cen Yan's heart melted upon hearing this.
After a while, he replied softly:
"Yes, I miss our young master too."
Having braved the elements and spent the night without sleep to rush back, how could one not want to?
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