Chapter 48: Completely Belongs to His Wife
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but I would never dare to use public resources for private purposes."
Prince An hurriedly put down his chess piece, rose to express his gratitude, and declined, saying, "This Dharma assembly was originally decided by my family on our own initiative, and we dare not trouble the officials of the Ministry of Rites. Furthermore, please forgive my boldness in speaking frankly, but Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and should treat all schools of thought, such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, equally. You should not show excessive favoritism towards any particular sect, lest the consequences set by those above lead to those below, and the lessons of the Southern Dynasty are not far off."
"Very well, I won't interfere anymore. You've just given me this long speech."
Emperor Qingxi gestured for Prince An to come over and continue playing chess, and then advised him, "Your family's piety is so great that it will surely move Heaven. Even if there is no other way in the end... I have plenty of children and grandchildren. You can choose whichever one you like, and I can even adopt one of them."
Prince An's lips twitched slightly; he didn't want to continue the topic. He picked up his teacup to cover it up, only touching his lips to the tea before putting it down.
"By the way, I think I just saw two young men from the Marquis of Changning's family leave the palace, but did Your Majesty assign them some tasks?"
Emperor Qingxi's attention was entirely focused on the chess game in front of him. He said casually, "Nothing much. I just suddenly thought of Qinghe this morning and wanted to summon Yunzhao and Huaizhou to the palace for a few words."
Prince An then revealed a look of nostalgia, saying, "Sister Qinghe has been gone for more than twenty years. I have almost forgotten what she looked like. I only remember that she was an extremely beautiful and kind woman."
"Yes, Qinghe is unfortunate, leaving only Yunzhao as his heir. I will take extra care of him for the sake of my Uncle Gong."
Emperor Qingxi waved his hand and chuckled twice. "That's why I say the Consort did a good job as a matchmaker. Yunzhao and Huaizhou got married and are living a very comfortable life. They even went outside the city to catch foxes to raise and named them 'Scarf.' Isn't that shameless? Hahaha!"
Prince An listened patiently as Emperor Qingxi rambled on about these mundane family matters, which eased his mind somewhat.
He laughed and said, "Everyone outside says that the two legitimate sons of the Marquis of Changning are fighting fiercely over the title, which shows that rumors are not always true."
Emperor Qingxi said calmly, "Yes, everyone loves to watch the spectacle of brothers fighting amongst themselves. To judge a gentleman by one's own petty standards is truly foolish and ignorant."
He placed a piece in the center and gave Prince An a hearty laugh.
"Isn't it good to be as harmonious as we brothers are?"
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. I only hope to live a carefree and leisurely life under Your Majesty's protection."
Prince An's main purpose in entering the palace this time was to prepare for the Buddhist ceremony on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month. He played two games of chess with Emperor Qingxi and then took his leave.
"Your Majesty is busy with many affairs of state, so you must take care of your health and balance work with rest."
Prince An said sincerely, "On the day of Guanyin's birthday, your humble brother will also sincerely pray for Your Majesty's long life and prosperity, and for the peace and well-being of our Great Ye Kingdom."
Emperor Qingxi was delighted by these words and ordered his private treasury to be opened. He then took out a top-quality white jade Guanyin statue and bestowed it upon Consort Li, who was about to return to the capital.
As Prince An exited the palace gates and boarded his carriage, he seemingly casually gave a brief instruction to his attendants.
"Tell the princess that the bed curtains prepared for the dowager are too fancy. Change them to something simple and plain. Hurry up and don't delay the important matter."
...
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Emperor Qingxi looked at Yang Han kneeling below with a stern face and spoke in a chilling tone.
"The contact person we caught was a retainer of the Prince Heng's mansion?"
Yang Han lowered his head even further. "Yes, this man is named Peng Ding. He was a Juren (successful candidate in the imperial examination) in the 23rd year of the Qingxi reign. He is from Huguang and joined the Heng Prince's household last year. However, the Heng Prince's household has many retainers, and Peng Ding is not particularly prominent among them. He has not been given any important position by the Heng Prince on the surface..."
Emperor Qingxi held the vermilion brush and tapped the paperweight repeatedly. Suddenly, he burst out laughing, as if he had just thought of something.
"Great, excellent."
Yang Han tried his best to minimize his presence, fearing that he would be affected by the emperor's wrath.
However, Emperor Qingxi did have reason to be angry—his eldest son was secretly mining in the mountains to make detonators; who would believe he had no rebellious intentions?
Yang Han silently lit a candle for Prince Heng in his heart.
Sure enough, a suppressed, angry command came from above: "Bring that bastard in here now, immediately!"
The second watch of the night.
Prince Heng was dragged out of bed by the Imperial Guards. He didn't even have time to change his clothes. He was gagged and stuffed into a carriage while still wearing his nightgown, and they headed straight for the palace.
As soon as I entered the hall, a teacup was thrown at me.
Emperor Qingxi, seated on the dragon throne, slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Kneel down!"
The body speaks louder than the brain. Prince Heng immediately knelt down, not even bothering to wipe the tea leaves from his face. He crawled forward on his knees, his voice trembling, and said, "Father, please calm your anger. What wrong have I done..."
Prince Heng was in a state of turmoil. Could it be that his father had discovered his recent secret meetings with several court officials, in which he asked them to submit a memorial to establish an heir apparent and to build momentum for him?
He was filled with remorse. He should have known better than to be in such a hurry; he could have waited a few more years. After all, he was the eldest son of the emperor, and he already had the right to rule.
However, the third prince, Prince Yu, has been making frequent moves lately, and he is always good at sweet-talking and pleasing the emperor, so we must be wary of him.
Many thoughts raced through Prince Heng's mind, and he could only keep kowtowing and admitting his mistakes, his forehead quickly turning red.
Emperor Qingxi was too lazy to waste words with him, and simply threw the confession presented by Yang Han at Prince Heng, saying, "See for yourself."
Several pages of paper flew everywhere. Prince Heng reached out to grab them in a flustered manner, but after only a few glances, his face changed drastically. He hurriedly raised his head and shouted, "Your subject is innocent! Your subject has never heard of any cinnabar mine, much less instructed any retainers to make any detonators!"
Emperor Qingxi coldly asked, "Then do you admit that Peng Ding is your disciple?"
Prince Heng was speechless for a moment. He had always cultivated an image of being courteous to the virtuous and learned, and he had recruited many retainers. Some of them were truly capable, while others were simply there to freeload at the palace.
He vaguely remembered this Peng Ding, but he really didn't know him well.
However, Peng Ding's confession repeatedly stated that he was ordered by Prince Heng, and he could not withstand the torture of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so he bit off his tongue and committed suicide. There is no way to verify this now.
Prince Heng cried, tears streaming down his face, "Father, I'm innocent! Someone must have framed me! How could I dare to do such a treasonous thing..."
Emperor Qingxi snorted; of course he knew his eldest son didn't have the guts.
But if he hadn't been so flamboyant and impatient, bringing all sorts of shady people into his mansion, how could he have been framed by the mastermind behind the scenes?
The higher you jump, the harder it hurts when you fall.
Emperor Qingxi's disappointment in his eldest son deepened, and he coldly watched as his son awkwardly tried to defend himself, repeatedly crying out that he was innocent.
"I think you should reflect on why people only wronged you and not the third, fourth, and fifth princes. Flies don't land on eggs without cracks!"
Prince Heng dared not retaliate after being scolded, but he was increasingly resentful—maybe it was the third, fourth, or fifth prince who made him take the blame?
Father is so biased. He's the eldest son, the eldest brother. If the title of heir had been decided early on, would the others dare to cause trouble?
"Alright, I'm not dead yet, you don't need to wail here."
Emperor Qingxi, his head throbbing from the noise, pressed his temples hard and issued an order without emotion: "Take Prince Heng back to his residence and confine him for six months to reflect on his actions."
After Prince Heng was dragged away, he secretly summoned Lu Sheng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and also his confidant.
"Continue to investigate Peng Ding's line closely, quietly, without alerting him."
...
The news of Prince Heng's confinement spread throughout the capital as soon as it was light of day.
The Prince's mansion was surrounded by a ring of Imperial Guards, making the entire mansion as impenetrable as an iron barrel. Except for servants who went to buy vegetables and empty chamber pots, who were allowed to enter and exit through the back door, no one else was allowed to leave, let alone approach the mansion.
When Princess Heng learned of this early in the morning, she was terrified and rushed to find Prince Heng.
She was unaware that Prince Heng had been brought into the palace in the middle of the night and given a scolding. As soon as she entered the room, she shook his shoulders and asked, "Your Highness, what exactly happened?"
Prince Heng was still wearing his nightgown, the brown stains left by the tea were particularly noticeable. He sat blankly on the edge of the bed, the Princess Heng's noisy and shrill shouts in his ears. Finally, he could not bear it any longer and pushed her away.
"How should I know! I'm being wrongly accused!"
Prince Heng's eyes were bloodshot, and he clenched his fists. "Don't let me find out who framed me behind my back... I won't let him get away with this!"
Princess Heng was pushed to the ground and it took her a long time to utter a single sentence.
"Our whole family is under house arrest, so what about Rongcheng's wedding?"
...
"Take it or leave it."
The maid rushed into the room and reported that the Prince's mansion had been surrounded by the Imperial Guards.
The Princess of Rongcheng was not afraid at all; on the contrary, she clapped her hands with joy and said, "Well done, wonderfully encircled! It would be best if you locked me up for life!"
She would rather be locked up in the palace until she dies than marry that ugly man.
*
"The Prince of Heng is under house arrest. Could it be that he ordered the mining of that mine behind Xiaowangzhuang?"
Shen Lingyue stroked her chin and analyzed, "No wonder he dared to lead troops to force the emperor to abdicate later; it turns out he had a firepower advantage."
But has Prince Heng started preparing for a palace coup so early? The Eighth Prince has not yet been born, and as the eldest son of the emperor, Prince Heng has a strong voice in the court supporting him to the throne.
Shen Lingyue spread her hands at Yan Yi, "Now Prince Heng is completely out of luck, isn't he?"
Did their early exposure of Prince Heng's firearms plot change the course of the future?
Yan Yi did not immediately agree with her, but calmly asked, "His Majesty only said that Prince Heng would be confined to his quarters for six months. If he really has the intention to rebel, isn't this punishment too lenient?"
"Well, he's his own son, and the eldest son at that. The old emperor can't just kill him, can he?"
Shen Lingyue shook her head, "Never mind, we've already received His Majesty's reward, so we don't have to worry about the truth coming out and implicating the Marquis's mansion..."
Before the words were even finished, two fluffy balls rushed in one after the other, accompanied by meowing and giggling. Cat and fox fur flew up in the room like snowflakes.
"Scarf, you're bullying Fluffy again!"
Shen Lingyue screamed and rushed over to break up the fight, separating the two little ones who were kicking each other while clutching their heads. She then picked up the fluffy little one who was meowing and cursing and kept comforting her.
This is my mother-in-law's darling, with a beautiful coat of long orange and white fur, which has almost been plucked bald by her scarf.
Ever since Wei Bo'er entered the Marquis's mansion, it's been incredibly lively every day with "cats flying and foxes leaping".
Originally, Shen Lingyue kept Weibo'er in Danyue Pavilion to prevent it from running away and causing trouble. But it's strange that a fox can be kept in a stable place.
It was obedient and didn't harm the live chickens and ducks in the kitchen, but somehow it wandered into Tanghua Garden and headed straight for the "cat cafe" in the cat café, where it "fought" with the cats there—literally.
As the leader of the cats in the Tanuki-kun's quarters, Fluffy Ball naturally stepped forward to defend against the enemy and prevent Scarf from running in and bullying its little brother.
The cat and the fox were constantly fighting in the Marquis's mansion, but neither of them ever tried to kill the other. Their main purpose was to spar, and they would stop when they were about to strike.
Poor Yan Yi, she was easily attacked by cat hair wherever she went, and kept sneezing, so she had to carry a "makeshift mask" with her at all times for protection.
Seeing that Shen Lingyue was only hugging the fluffy ball and ignoring it, the scarf ran to Yan Yi's feet, whimpering and swishing its big tail around her.
She stood up again, grabbed Yan Yi's calves, and used her claws to climb up her skirt.
The skirt, which I wore only a few times, quickly became a fringed version.
Yan Yi had no choice but to pick it up and stroke its head a couple of times, gently persuading it, "Don't fight with the fluffy ball anymore, okay?"
"Chirp!"
"Meow!"
The two furry creatures started hurling insults at each other again.
Shen Lingyue was exasperated and complained to Yan Yi, "I told you I wouldn't raise one, but Pei Jinghuai insisted... Look, cats and foxes clash."
Yan Yi chuckled, "It's too late for you to back out now—Weibo'er is a fox with her name on the emperor's radar."
Shen Lingyue sighed repeatedly, pointing at the fox's head and threatening fiercely, "If you fight again, I'll throw you back into the mountains to catch rats, and you'll never get to eat chicken legs again."
The scarf rolled over on Yan Yi's lap, revealing its white belly: "I don't understand, I don't understand, I want to eat chicken..."
...
Jiusi Academy.
When Pei Jingyi returned from his shift, he deliberately lingered at the courtyard gate for a long time, waiting until Yan Yi came out of her room before pretending to have just entered and walking towards her, naturally taking her hand, "Madam."
Yan Yi lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on his intertwined fingers. A slight smile played on her lips as she looked up at him, teasingly asking, "Aren't you even going to come up with an excuse now?"
Pei Jingyi said calmly, "What reason do I need to hold my wife's hand?"
The two entered the room together. Pei Jingyi stopped in front of the screen and naturally stretched out his hands.
"Please help me change, madam."
Yan Yi glanced at him helplessly, walked up to Pei Jingyi, stood on tiptoe slightly, and reached out to unbutton his collar.
Her slender, white fingertips brushed against his neck, leaving a faint, sweet floral scent.
Pei Jingyi's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he lowered his eyes and watched her every move intently.
His gaze was too close and too intense. Yan Yi's cheeks slowly flushed under his stare, and she could only focus all her attention on the small button in her hand, not daring to meet his eyes.
Pei Jingyi suddenly reached out and gently pinched her earlobe. "It's red."
He asked in a serious tone, "Why are you so shy when your wife helps me change my clothes?"
In her haste, Yan Yi raised her hand to cover his eyes, "...Don't look."
His long, thick eyelashes gently brushed against her palm, rustling as they traveled down the lines of her hand, sending a shiver down her spine.
Pei Jingyi slowly took her hand, bringing it to his lips, half-touching and half-kissing, and mumbled, "Madam...would you like some incense?"
This sentence had practically become an unspoken code between the two of them. Yan Yi felt a sudden pang of heartache as if by reflex, and glared at him with a mixture of shyness and annoyance, "You still dare to say that?"
Pei Jingyi, with the air of a refined and virtuous gentleman, said, "I mean, the one that helps with sleep and calms the nerves."
The sky outside was still bright, and large patches of fiery clouds swept across the west window, reflecting a boundless spring scene inside the room.
The candlelight flickered, and the bed curtains were half-drawn.
Yan Yi clung to his shoulders, gritting her teeth to keep herself from making any more noise, her breath coming in short, intermittent gasps as she pushed against his chest, "Dinner hasn't been set out yet..."
Pei Jingyi looked up at her, his peach blossom eyes filled with mist, "Haven't I already enjoyed it?"
Yan Yi: ...This person has completely stopped acting now, right?
Pei Jingyi patiently bent down and said, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder; they won't be that insensitive."
What do you mean by "a short separation"? You mean those few days in Xiaowangzhuang...those few days?
Waves of emotion surged through Yan Yi's brain, leaving her no time to ponder the deeper meaning of his words.
He was so wicked, like a feline that had caught its prey and would torment it relentlessly, with enough patience and time to force her to beg for mercy.
Yan Yi raised her hand to cover her face, but he moved it away without allowing her to refuse.
"I want to watch over you."
Pei Jingyi gazed intently at her somewhat unfocused eyes, her cheeks as pink as peach blossoms in March, and her swan-like white neck arched back, his gaze slowly moving downwards.
He kissed her collarbone, leaving his mark. "So beautiful."
Yan Yi sobbed softly, tears welling up uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes.
"My husband..."
“I’m here.” He leaned in to kiss the corner of her eye, “but I’d rather hear you call my name.”
Yan Yi stared blankly at him, "Yun Zhao?"
Pei Jingyi gently curled the corners of his lips, and the next second he suddenly quickened his pace, no longer holding back, making her completely his.
Yan Yi frowned deeply, gripped his back tightly with her hands, and cried out in pain.
Pei Jingyi had no choice but to stop, gently patting her back as if to comfort her, and coaxing her in the softest tone, "I'm sorry, I'll go slower."
Yan Yi's eyes welled up with tears of grievance. She turned her head away, only to be chased and kissed by him again.
Pei Jingyi said all sorts of sweet words, calling him all sorts of mushy nicknames like "darling," "sweetheart," and "obedient," but he showed no intention of giving up halfway.
He seemed certain that Yan Yi wouldn't refuse, and began to intrude inch by inch.
Brushing aside the sweat-dampened stray hairs on her forehead, Pei Jingyi straightened up slightly and spoke to distract her, "Madam, in private from now on, when we're alone, may I call you 'A-Tan'?"
Yan Yi briefly snapped out of her long blissful reverie and softly murmured, "Hmm?"
Pei Jingyi gently stroked her cheek, his handsome, ethereal face now showing such a look of infatuation, which was deeply reflected in her pupils.
"Because the lady is like the ephemeral flower, blooming only at night before me."
It was a fleeting epiphyllum that belonged only to him.
...
Since it was their first time, Pei Jingyi couldn't be too unrestrained for too long. He coaxed Yan Yi to endure it again and again, and finally stopped just before the limit was reached, and left.
When Yan Yi regained consciousness, she saw him holding a wet cloth and carefully cleaning her.
Her face flushed again, and she instinctively brought her legs together, only to have him grab her ankles again.
"What's there to be shy about? It'll be fine soon." Pei Jingyi's movements were very gentle, and he looked at her apologetically. "It's a little swollen. I'll go find some medicine tomorrow morning."
Yan Yi had no choice but to close her eyes and pretend not to see him. But the more she did so, the clearer the sensation became.
She had no choice but to open her eyes again, trying hard not to look at his movements, and hesitated for a long time before speaking: "You...don't want a child either?"
She thought the entire Pei family wanted her to have a son as soon as possible.
However, Pei Jingyi did not seem to have such plans.
Does he have any other concerns?
A jumble of chaotic thoughts flashed through Yan Yi's mind, and the scales of reason kept tipping to the other side.
She tried to control her thoughts, but her eyes inexplicably welled up with tears.
Pei Jingyi immediately sensed her emotions and hugged her without saying a word, seemingly considering how to speak.
"Don't overthink it. Of course I want a child with you. It's just..."
He breathed softly and looked at her with affection, "But the doctor said you are weak and have blood deficiency, so it's best not to get pregnant until you've fully recovered."
Afraid that Yan Yi would be upset, he kissed her on the cheek again, as if making a vow, "Your health is the most important thing. No matter how much the elders urge you, just push it onto me."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Yan Yi nervously, but saw her expression relax and she smiled at him.
"Okay, I understand."
Pei Jingyi was still a little dazed. "Aren't you... sad?"
He didn't want to tell Yan Yi what the doctor said, since such words could easily be associated with "infertility," and those three words were a terrible curse for any woman.
But he didn't want her to make wild guesses and affect the hard-won relationship between them.
"I'll be sad if you keep it from me."
Yan Yi looked at him earnestly, "Pei Jingyi, you have to promise me that no matter what happens in the future, we can face it together. Don't be presumptuous and try to solve everything behind my back."
She had watched a few classic romance dramas before, thanks to Xiaoyueliang's strong recommendation, and was annoyed by the male and female leads' refusal to speak up.
What misunderstanding can't be resolved in a single sentence? If not, then two or three sentences will suffice.
Rationally, she knew this was a little trick by the screenwriter to entice the audience, but she just felt annoyed.
Pei Jingyi had previously said he wanted to make a three-point agreement with her, which she agreed to, and she was prepared to treat him with respect for the rest of her life.
But now that he has taken this step and broken the boundary between the two of them, Yan Yi hopes that he can be a real and qualified husband.
The most important thing between husband and wife is mutual trust.
“I allow you to have some little secrets of your own, because I do too,” Yan Yi told him. “But when it comes to issues between us as a couple, I hope we can both be honest with each other.”
She didn't want to become a "bitter woman," spending her days guessing her husband's thoughts and wasting her time being melancholic and self-pitying, which would only waste her emotional awareness and vitality.
Even if love fades one day, she hopes he can tell her honestly, and she will never cling to him; they can part amicably.
Yan Yi earnestly explained her views on relationships to him, but Pei Jingyi only heard the last sentence.
"Who do you want to part ways with amicably?"
He squinted slightly, and the surrounding air pressure suddenly dropped.
"This is just a hypothesis... um..."
Pei Jingyi, somewhat exasperated, kissed him forcefully, and the atmosphere that had just quieted down became heated again.
He gripped her chin tightly and kissed her passionately, with a touch of reckless madness.
"You are mine, A-Tan, and can only be mine. No one can separate us..."
From childhood, Pei Jingyi possessed many things that others envied: a noble birth, the favoritism of his elders, his father's expectations, his stepmother's care, as well as outstanding looks and talent, and martial arts prowess praised by his master…
But these things can be given to him and others, just like the Pei family has more than one child, just like no matter how carefully Meng Wanyin takes care of him, she will only spank him when Huai Zhou is naughty and gets into trouble.
Only his wife, his wife, was the one with whom he shared intimate moments, their bodies and souls intertwined, who shared his glory and disgrace, who would never abandon him in life or death, and who belonged entirely to him.
His Athanasius.
...
As summer arrived, the weather grew hotter day by day.
Shen Lingyue placed a half-person-high iceberg in the room, wishing she could stick her whole body to it, but was pulled back by Qingchan and Shuangxu time and time again.
"My goodness, you'll get sick from the cold."
Qingchan was at her wits' end and turned to her for help, "Young Madam, please do something about her."
Yan Yi gently fanned herself, a bowl of watermelon ice beside her, and slowly said, "A calm mind brings coolness. Come, close your eyes and rest with me..."
Shen Lingyue slumped into a chair, looking deflated. "Ugh, I can't calm down! It's so hot, so hot... I really want to... you know..."
Waaaaah, my dear air conditioner...
Shen Lingyue snatched Yan Yi's ice bowl and, before Qing Chan could react, tilted her head back and swallowed half a bowl of crushed ice, her cheeks bulging as she crunched away.
Qingchan was so anxious she wanted to pry her mouth open. "Heavens above, she'll catch a cold!"
Shen Lingyue felt so cold that all her teeth went numb, and a surge of intense pleasure rushed to the top of her head, causing her to shiver several times.
She covered her mouth and dodged left and right until the last piece of ice was chewed up and swallowed. Then she opened her mouth to Qingchan and said, "Ah...it's gone."
"Miss!" Qingchan was so angry that she cried, stomped her foot and ran out.
Shen Lingyue blinked and looked at Shuangxu: "Why don't you go take a look?"
"Yes." Shuangxu calmly curtsied to the two of them, and then left as well.
Yan Yi put down her fan and shook her head disapprovingly, "Qing Chan is only doing this for your own good."
Only a personal maid would dare to show disrespect to her mistress.
Knowing she was in the wrong, Shen Lingyue honestly admitted her mistake, "Oh dear, I was just too hot to think straight... I'll go apologize to her in person later."
Yan Yi looked out the window. "I misjudged it too. This summer is really tough. It hasn't rained for more than ten days, has it?"
Shen Lingyue nodded, "Yes, if only a thunderstorm could come quickly and decisively, it wouldn't be so unbearable."
"Be content, at least we can still afford ice." Yan Yi murmured thoughtfully, "I'm just worried that the high temperatures and drought will affect agricultural production... that's the most critical thing."
Small-scale farming relies on the weather; if crops fail, it will inevitably be a disaster from the bottom up.
Shen Lingyue realized what was happening and, shocked, bit her hand. "Are we going to be living out a natural disaster and fleeing famine scenario? Or has the Goddess Xuan Nu given you another prophecy?"
Yan Yi snapped out of her daze and smiled at her, "No, don't overthink it, the situation isn't that bad yet."
Speaking of which, she hasn't been dreaming for a long time. Maybe it's because the weather is too hot and everyone is staying at home to avoid the heat, so there's nothing to dream about?
But if things continue to be so "peaceful," she won't have any gossip to share, her recovery will be slower, and then she and Pei Jingyi won't be able to have a child...
Yan Yi frowned slightly, looking somewhat troubled.
Pei Jingyi thought she was easygoing and didn't take the doctor's words seriously, but in reality, it was because she was confident in her "cheat code" and believed that she would definitely recover her health.
She looked down at her lower abdomen.
In fact, Yan Yi really wants to have a child. She will definitely give the child a childhood that is completely different from her own, full of love, companionship, trust and respect.
She should, perhaps, could be a good mother.
Will Pei Jingyi be a good father?
It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, as long as it's their child, it shouldn't be too bad...
Yan Yi was lost in her own fantasy, a smile unconsciously appearing on her lips. In Shen Lingyue's eyes, she seemed to be suddenly filled with a sacred halo of maternal love.
"Yan Yan?" Shen Lingyue stared at her with wide eyes. "You wouldn't... be pregnant, would you?"
Wow, this green tea b*tch is making rapid progress since he finally figured it out!
Shen Lingyue rubbed her hands excitedly, "How old is she? Is she a boy or a girl?"
"It's an air balloon."
Yan Yi corrected her with a mix of helplessness and amusement, "My body hasn't recovered yet. The doctor said it's not advisable to get pregnant now, so I have to wait a little longer."
They are nominally sisters-in-law now, but anyone with eyes can see that the Pei family hopes she can give birth to the fourth generation of the Marquis's eldest grandson first, so as to further solidify Pei Jingyi's future position as heir.
But objective factors don't allow it now, and Yan Yi doesn't want to hide it from Shen Lingyue. "If you and Pei Jinghuai have a child first, it doesn't matter. You don't need to worry about us."
Shen Lingyue waved her hand, "What? We just haven't had enough fun yet. No baby, no baby. I'll wait for you, I'll definitely wait for you."
A scarf was already enough to exhaust her and Pei Jinghuai. Shen Lingyue couldn't imagine the day when she was heavily pregnant and still had to mediate the conflict between the scarf and the fluffy ball. It was too terrifying.
Shen Lingyue grabbed the fan and fanned herself vigorously a few more times. "Let's get through this summer first. Nobody's in the mood to cause trouble on such a hot day."
The first, second, and third days without any melons to eat... I miss them, I miss them, I miss them...
It wasn't until the next day when they went to Tanghua Garden that they learned from Meng Wanyin that the Guanyin Dharma Assembly was the day after tomorrow, and that it was to be hosted by Consort Li of the Prince An's Mansion, and that the event would be very grand.
"Have you two forgotten? I recently withdrew some money from the public treasury and sent it to Prince An's residence."
At such a grand event, women from all the families in the capital would contribute money and incense as a token of their appreciation.
"Especially this year's Guanyin Festival, this is the first Dharma assembly that Consort Li will host after returning to the capital after three years of devoted Buddhist practice at Mount Wutai. I will have Yunzhao and Huaizhou take you to see the excitement."
Shen Lingyue took Meng Wanyin's arm and said with a smile, "Mother, tell us, who is Consort Li?"
"Hey, she was the late emperor's favorite concubine when she was young. She was very capable. She also gave birth to the late emperor's youngest son, Prince An. At that time, there were even rumors that the late emperor intended to depose the eldest son and establish the youngest son in his place."
Meng Wanyin shook her head, "But I think those are just rumors. Our Emperor is a legitimate son of the Empress, and has been the Crown Prince for many years without making any mistakes. How can we just replace him like that?"
However, these rumors still had some impact. After the late emperor's death, according to custom, concubines with sons could leave the palace to be cared for by their sons. Consort Li left the palace and went to Prince An's residence. Afterwards, it was said that she devoted herself to Buddhism, ignored worldly affairs, and rarely saw people.
Three years ago, she even went to Mount Wutai for a secluded retreat to pray for blessings, to the point that the capital almost forgot about the existence of this former favorite concubine.
Shen Lingyue asked curiously, "She has been living a low-key life in seclusion for so many years, why would she suddenly hold a grand Dharma assembly this year? It doesn't fit her public image."
Meng Wanyin was already used to her whimsical ideas. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Perhaps it's because the Prince and Princess An haven't had a son or daughter all these years, and the Dowager Consort is anxious and can't care about such things?"
After saying that, she realized her mistake and quickly added, "It was the Dowager Consort who was anxious, not me. I didn't mean to rush you, absolutely not."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi exchanged a glance and laughed together.
My mother-in-law is so adorable!
"Mother, why don't you come with us to see the excitement the day after tomorrow?" Shen Lingyue coaxed her, "Since it's such a grand Buddhist ceremony, wouldn't it be a pity to miss it?"
Meng Wanyin shook her head repeatedly, "The streets will definitely be packed with people that day, I'm not going."
Shen Lingyue suggested, "Why don't we book a private room at a restaurant on the street, eat and drink while watching the commotion below?"
Before Meng Wanyin could refuse, Pei Xian's approving voice rang out from outside the door, "That's a good idea. I'll have the housekeeper arrange it, and our whole family will go."
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Author's Note: Let's congratulate Pei Da on successfully reaching base on the last day of June! [heart emoji] [heart emoji] Yes, all the previous parts were just scraps of meat, because we needed to let my wife gradually get used to it.
Ahhh, it's already been a month since I started this book! To be honest, I never expected it to do so well before I started reading it TAT. Seeing the number of favorites and comments skyrocketing every day is both exciting and nerve-wracking. I'm constantly thinking about how to develop the next plot, how to write it even better, and how not to let down all the darlings who follow the updates every day [crying][crying]
I wrote an extra 2,000 words today, but that doesn't count as making up for lost time; it's more like a little compensation for taking the day off yesterday, hehe. And it also helps round up this month's updates—we've reached 300,000 words! Praising myself! [doge emoji]
Thank you so much for your support! I'm updating an hour early today, and there will be small red envelopes for comments within 24 hours! [heart emoji]
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