Chapter 103 Do you like Wei Zhang? Even a little bit...
Xue Lanyi opened her mouth, trying to find a way to make amends.
Knock knock!
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. "My lord, the Xiefang Palace is ready."
A moment of silence fell over the room.
Wei Zhang raised his head, grunted in response, and said to the outsiders, "You may leave now."
The two looked at each other closely, and Xue Lanyi did not see anything unusual on his face.
Is she seeing things?
As she was wondering, Wei Zhang grabbed her hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. "One more time?"
Xue Lanyi felt his muscular build and abruptly withdrew her hand.
He was still in the mood to do this, which suggests he didn't take her joke to heart.
Is Xue Lanyi overthinking things?
With this commotion, she had no mood to do anything else, so she shook her head.
Wei Zhang didn't force her, and took out a dress for her, saying, "Don't always stay in the room. I'll take you to the Xiefang Palace; there's something for you to see."
This was Wei Zhang's real purpose for returning to his room after court. Why was it that his plans always went out of control when he was with her? He ended up messing around in the room for a whole hour.
Wei Zhang shook his head inwardly.
Even after Xue Lanyi finished dressing, her legs were still weak.
Wei Zhang simply carried her to the Xiefang Palace.
In the later stages of her pregnancy, her legs and feet became swollen, making it difficult for her to move around.
Whenever they left the palace, Wei Zhang would always hold her like this.
Over time, Xue Lanyi also grew thick-skinned, becoming accustomed to the gazes of the palace servants coming and going.
Upon arriving at Xiefang Palace, the palace was completely renovated.
As early as eight months ago, Wei Zhang had ordered the site to be renovated.
Now, a month has passed since the repairs were completed, and the dust and odor in the hall have dissipated.
It was early summer, when all kinds of flowers were in full bloom. The palace corridors were filled with all sorts of flowers, in all colors, like a rainbow.
This is not the style that Wei Zhang likes.
Walking into the large open space in the backyard, Xue Lanyi saw that the yard was equipped with swings, rocking horses, and seesaws, and that candied hawthorn lanterns, which Xue Lanyi invented, were hanging from the branches.
These are clearly meant for their children.
The toy is exquisite, with rounded corners and wrapped in cotton cloth; ordinary craftsmen wouldn't be so meticulous.
Xue Lanyi looked at Wei Zhang in surprise.
For the past few months, he had been making a fuss in the backyard of Xi Cui Palace until midnight, all because he was preparing toys for the children.
A slight ripple appeared in Xue Lanyi's eyes.
Wei Zhang, oblivious to her gaze, lifted her onto the swing and earnestly asked her, "Take a look and see if there's anything else we need to add?"
Xue Lanyi looked around.
He arranged everything very well and meticulously, but...
"Children won't play with these toys you've prepared until they're three years old. Right now, you need to prepare a cradle, a cloth tiger, and..."
Halfway through her sentence, Xue Lanyi saw the emptiness in his eyes.
The old lady was so focused on nurturing Wei Xuan that she probably never made toys for Wei Zhang.
It's common for him not to know what children at different stages play with.
He probably hasn't played it before.
Xue Lanyi pursed her lips, then changed the subject, "The main problem is that the items you prepared are too bulky. We will eventually return to the Duke's Mansion, and the things will be difficult to move."
Wei Zhang glanced at her but did not answer the question.
Xue Lanyi's heart skipped a beat. A thought that had been lingering in her mind seemed to have come true—Wei Zhang did not intend to leave the palace.
The palace he chose for their children was the Xiefang Palace, the residence of princes, and his intentions were quite clear.
Coincidentally, Yue Niang is also about to give birth, around the same time as Xue Lanyi, and it's obvious what Wei Zhang is planning.
Xue Lanyi opened her mouth, wanting to persuade him.
"Master!"
At that moment, Shadow Seven arrived.
Ying Qi smelled of blood and seemed to want to say something. Wei Zhang gave him an ambiguous look.
He quickly fell silent and stood aside with his head down.
Wei Zhangfang patted Xue Lanyi's head and said, "I have something to take care of. Wait for me."
Having said that, he walked down the corridor ten steps away with his hands behind his back.
Xue Lanyi still watched his departing figure with a heavy heart.
Wei Zhang was walking and talking with Ying Qi when he turned around, perhaps sensing something, and his eyes met the girl's clear, watery gaze.
He turned back, lifted the back of her head, and leaned down to kiss her lips.
"ah!"
Xue Lanyi was startled and quickly put her hands on his shoulders, glancing over his shoulder into the distance.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War were still standing in the corridor, and everyone's eyes were focused on this spot.
Xue Lanyi blushed and avoided his kiss, saying, "Don't let people laugh at you, the Grand Secretary, for losing your decorum."
"In this world, who talks about manners and rules with their own wife?"
He remained bent over, his hand on the back of her head, his thumb gently stroking her bright red, delicate earlobe.
"Take care of yourself during your delivery, I'll take care of everything."
His voice was gentle yet firm, as if he had everything under control.
Clearly, he knew what Xue Lanyi was worried about.
He wasn't afraid to reveal his ambitions to her.
He currently controls the entire court of Dayong, and it would be as easy for him to make the world belong to the Wei family.
Xue Lanyi had considered that one day he would declare himself emperor.
However, the facts before him told Xue Lanyi that he planned to stage a "switcheroo" scenario, exchanging the child in Yue Niang's womb with her own child.
At that time, his child, who carries his blood, will naturally become the crown prince and then the emperor.
He clearly had the ability to become emperor himself, so why didn't he?
Xue Lanyi couldn't think of a second possibility: that he wanted her child to continue being a puppet and a shield.
Therefore, Xue Lanyi's concern was not whether he could obtain the throne, but rather the future of her child.
This child is her own flesh and blood; she doesn't want him to become a victim of Wei Zhang's ambition.
Xue Lanyi stroked her round belly, "Wei Zhang, can we just let it go?"
"never mind?"
Of course it can't be counted.
He had to help his wife and son rise to high positions and sit in the halls of power before the poison took effect.
Since he had taken her and the child, he naturally wanted to ensure they had a smooth future.
Even if something happens to him, they can rest easy and be free from any humiliation.
Wei Zhang looked deeply into the girl in his arms and gently pecked her earlobe. "Be good and trust me."
He remained stubbornly opinionated, leaving Xue Lanyi no room for rebuttal.
He turned and left.
Xue Lanyi sat on the swing, looking up at the inescapable world around her, somewhat lost in thought.
An umbrella was placed over her head.
Pregnant women should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
A hoarse male voice came from behind. The hand holding the umbrella handle was gloved and had fake fingers.
"Zhou Yu?"
Xue Lanyi's thoughts were pulled back, and she turned to look at the man with a full beard. "Why are you in the palace at this time?"
"The Duke of Wei summoned me to the palace so that I could take your pulse again."
Zhou Yu, hunched over, placed the oil-paper umbrella on the back of the swing, then moved a small table next to Xue Lanyi and placed a pulse pillow there.
Xue Lanyi reached out her hand, but her gaze lingered on the squatting man.
He wore a bright purple robe, the kind of athletic outfit he wore in his youth, which was completely at odds with his haggard appearance.
A glimpse of white linen clothing was faintly visible inside the collar.
“Su Yin…”
As soon as Xue Lanyi uttered two words, Zhou Yu's pulse-taking motion suddenly tightened.
Xue Lanyi gasped, but still had to ask, "Has Su Yin's tomb been moved to the capital?"
Zhou Yu's eyes grew even more confused, and he shook his head helplessly.
Last year, Xue Lanyi and Wei Xuan held their wedding in Peach Blossom Valley.
Zhou Yu had actually anticipated that Wei Zhang would not let go of anyone who attended the wedding.
He tried to persuade Xie Qingyun and Lu Lin not to go, but they wouldn't listen.
Zhou Yu then traveled a long distance to Zhangjia Village, the hometown of Su Yin and her husband, hoping to persuade Su Yin not to go to Peach Blossom Valley.
This only earned him a scolding from Su Yin, who repeatedly called him a "good-for-nothing."
The two had a falling out and then went into a cold war for a few days.
When Zhou Yu caught her breath and tried to persuade Su Yin again, the Zhang family had hung white banners and were holding a funeral.
The neighbors who were crowding at the door to watch the commotion said: Dr. Zhang discovered that his wife was having an affair with her lover, and that very night he had her drowned in the pond.
They also said that Madam Zhang had never been a virtuous woman and that she only married Doctor Zhang in exchange for medicinal herbs to treat her lover's tendons and ligaments.
Unexpectedly, after the marriage, Madam Zhang continued to have an affair with her lover. Despite Dr. Zhang's repeated admonitions, he did not change his ways and, in his grief, developed a drinking problem.
Unexpectedly, when they returned to the old house, that shameless lover followed them and committed adultery with Madam Zhang in the woods.
Many villagers heard the sound of the gunshot.
Dr. Zhang could no longer endure it and resorted to family discipline.
Zhou Yu will always remember the image of Dr. Zhang, reeking of alcohol, throwing himself onto Su Yin's corpse and wailing under the white-on-black character for "sacrifice".
He rushed into the crowd to try to rescue the body, but was pelted with vegetable leaves and eggs, and cursed as an adulterer.
Zhou Yu then realized that Su Yin had spent all these years living under the shadow of her husband's paranoia.
No one knows how many times the alcoholic, paranoid man, had disciplined Su Yin.
In the past, it was always Xue Lanyi who complained to Su Yin; Xue Lanyi had never heard Su Yin mention even a hint of her suffering.
Xue Lanyi felt guilty, but now she had nowhere to say "I'm sorry".
"I'm sorry," Xue Lanyi said to Zhou Yu.
It seems that all the tragedies started with that wedding in Peach Blossom Valley.
Xue Lanyi felt a tightness in her chest.
Zhou Yu was also feeling bad.
When he was released from prison after his fingers were cut off, Su Yin was with him.
That shy girl mustered up her courage and confessed to him, saying, "Even if I lose my finger, I can continue practicing medicine with a prosthesis. I will stay with you for the rest of my life."
He was too timid and rejected her feelings, leaving her heartbroken and bewildered, which led her to enter the Tiger's Den.
It was because he was afraid of trouble that he traveled all the way to Zhangjia Village to find her, which led to Qingqing's death.
Now, he doesn't even have the right to wear mourning clothes for Su Yin.
Zhou Yu looked dazed and muttered to herself, "I just didn't want her to be troubled by Shen Jinglan, I just didn't want her to suffer with me..."
The beauty is gone; what's the use of further regret?
Xue Lanyi couldn't tell who was right and who was wrong between them, but no matter how difficult things are, you have to try to know if it will work.
Retreating without a fight, like Zhou Yu did, is ultimately a regrettable situation.
"I only hope that you will act like a man from now on, so that you can be worthy of your deceased friend in the afterlife."
Xue Lanyi's words were meant to comfort him, to encourage him to live a good life, to live with his head held high, and not to be restrained anymore.
She patted Zhou Yu on the shoulder, "I'll find an opportunity to talk to Wei Zhang and have him make that Zhang guy write a divorce agreement. Then Zhang guy won't have the right to stop you from moving the grave."
Su Yin has no family, and presumably she would not want to be buried in the ancestral grave of that murderer surnamed Zhang.
Zhou Yu had been trying to bury Su Yin back in the Zhou family, but after months of negotiations, that man surnamed Zhang demanded an exorbitant price, insisting that Zhou Yu hand over a thousand taels of silver before he would release her. Where was Zhou Yu supposed to get the money?
If we could get a single word of advice from Wei Zhang right now, everything would be solved.
Just mentioning Wei Zhang...
Zhou Yu was still hesitant, her gaze darting towards Xue Lanyi. "Wouldn't this be too much trouble for you?"
"No," Xue Lanyi blurted out.
Wei Zhang is a very clear-cut person. He won't bother making things difficult for others unless they are in his way.
As for Su Yin's matter, it was just a matter of him saying a few words.
"Just wait patiently for my good news." Xue Lanyi forced a smile, hesitated for a moment, and then added, "But you also have to do me a favor..."
She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then lowered her voice: "The thing I mentioned to you last time, do you dare to do it?"
Zhou Yu's pupils contracted sharply, her eyes filled with fear, followed by worry.
A few days ago, when Zhou Yu came to check Xue Lanyi's pulse, Xue Lanyi mentioned that she wanted to add a scene of "The Prince Replaced by a Civet Cat".
She was certain that Wei Zhang would make her and Yue Niang give birth on the same day, so she planned to switch babies with Yue Niang in the delivery room beforehand.
At that time, Wei Zhang will send someone to replace the child, which is equivalent to bringing their flesh and blood back to their side.
As for Yue Niang, once the grand ceremony of offering sacrifices at the temple is completed and the birth of the prince is announced in front of the court officials, Wei Zhang's plan to switch children will be beyond saving.
By doing this, Xue Lanyi could keep her child by her side.
But……
By acting first and informing later, thus ruining Wei Zhang's plan, wouldn't Wei Zhang be furious?
At that time, not only the children, but their lives might also be in danger.
Zhou Yu is all alone now, so he has nothing to fear.
But Xue Lanyi was a close friend whom Su Yin still cared about on her deathbed, and also Xuan Ge's source of reassurance.
Zhou Yu didn't want anything to happen to her, so she shook her head. "Yiyi, your life is very important."
"It's alright, Wei Zhang won't take my life."
Xue Lanyi was certain of this and comforted Zhou Yu, saying, "I'll find a way to coax him a bit, and everything will be fine."
"Such a big matter cannot be wiped away with a few words of coaxing."
You must understand that Wei Zhang has been plotting for this throne for almost seven years. You've ruined those seven years of his efforts; how could he possibly forgive you?
Zhou Yu was breathing rapidly, and her voice was much louder than usual due to nervousness.
Xue Lanyi's face remained calm. "It's alright, really alright. At worst, we'll just let him vent his anger a couple more times."
The "he" that Xue Lanyi spoke of sounded so nonchalant, as if he were not the revered Grand Secretary of the court.
It was her husband.
An ordinary couple who occasionally have disagreements, but make up before they get out of bed.
Perhaps their relationship was more harmonious than Zhou Yu had imagined.
In fact, Zhou Yu always thought that she was conserving her strength and preparing to escape from Wei Zhang at any time.
But looking at her fair face and calm expression, she seems to have adapted to this kind of life.
Zhou Yu's Adam's apple bobbed. "So, Yiyi, are you really planning to stay with him?"
"Let's go ahead." Xue Lanyi didn't think about it for long.
She sat on the swing, gazing up at the blue sky and white clouds.
The wind is moving, the clouds are moving, and the swing is moving too.
The sunlight, filtered through the oil-paper umbrella, shone on her face, feeling warm.
Although Wei Zhang couldn't give her the same thrill as Ah Xuan, he was very steady.
Everything she saw, every step she took, was steady and secure.
She had been wandering for many years and had not enjoyed this peaceful life for a long time.
Now, Wei Xuan has repeatedly achieved great feats in the northern border, making his Western Expeditionary Army renowned.
Mu Qinghong and Yue Niang have settled down and can enjoy reunion feasts together during festivals.
Even Zhou Yu and other protégés of the Crown Prince are now beginning to make a name for themselves in the court.
Actually, it's already very good.
No one can have everything.
Moreover, she understood very well that everyone's stable life at the moment was due to her staying by Wei Zhang's side.
Wei Zhang is a very capable person. With her by his side, he can become a very capable and good person.
He'll be a really bad guy when she's not around.
"Fine, I just want to live the life of an ordinary family."
Xue Lanyi stroked her round belly, "My child will be born soon. I want to accompany him on his first birthday celebration and braid his hair into pigtails."
When spring arrives and the flowers bloom, we can go for a spring outing together.
My child will be very happy to be able to spend New Year's Eve and Mid-Autumn Festival with his whole family.
"As for Wei Zhang, he and I have never been able to enjoy our mother's company. I believe he will understand my desire to keep my child by my side."
A gentle smile curved her eyes; perhaps it was because she was about to become a mother, and she had a different understanding of both the child in her womb and the child's father.
Humans are not plants or trees; how can we not feel attached to each other when we live under the same roof year after year?
Zhou Yu could understand this feeling.
Since the parties involved have all let go of the past, Zhou Yu has nothing left to dwell on.
He nodded, indicating his support for Xue Lanyi's decision. "Actually, isn't Yiyi's whole scheme of switching the prince with a cat also an attempt to help the Duke of Wei?"
Xue Lanyi paused slightly as she stroked her belly; she hadn't consciously thought about this issue.
However, on a personal level, she really didn't want the child's father to get more and more entangled in the power struggle.
If Wei Zhang was an ambitious person to begin with, then so be it.
But after so many years together, Xue Lanyi knew very well that what he longed for most was definitely not to stand alone at the top of the world.
He has a deep and large void in his heart, and he is lost and helpless, which is why he keeps trying to reinforce the shell of power.
But things are different now. They have a home and children. What they need to do is work hard to make this home stronger and warmer, and to shelter their children from the wind and rain.
Instead of lifting the child up into a cold, empty castle, leaving him a lonely person unable to love and care for his parents.
If she did that, wouldn't she be repeating the same mistakes she and Wei Zhang made when they were young?
Xue Lanyi continued to gently stroke her belly, soothing the little one kicking mischievously in her arms, "In any case, you can rest assured about the baby swap; he can't do anything about it."
The girl chuckled almost inaudibly, with a touch of girlish charm.
Zhou Yu could almost picture the Duke of Wei, a cold-faced tyrant, pacing back and forth in anger, so angry he wanted to strangle someone, while the girl stood by, playing with a rattle drum to amuse the baby in the cradle.
Isn't this a kind of enjoyment in life?
"That……"
Zhou Yu hesitated for a long time.
He still wanted to know, or rather, he wanted to ask on behalf of Xuan-ge, "Putting aside all considerations, if you only ask yourself, do you like Wei Zhang now? Not even a little bit?"
The air suddenly froze.
The wind stopped, and the swing stopped too.
Only the wooden frame of the swing remained, creaking softly.
"My lord, I have ascertained that the chicken soup delivered to Madam the other day was..."
In the corridor, Shadow Seven was halfway through his story.
Wei Zhang raised his hand, signaling him to be quiet.
He had just finished discussing the matter of the temple ceremony with his court officials when he turned around and saw Xue Lanyi and Zhou Yu facing each other in the distance, their expressions complicated.
When Wei Zhang first entered the court, he learned some basic lip reading.
He saw the question Zhou Yu asked Xue Lanyi.
The air grew still, and he stared intently at the beautiful figure in the sunlight, unconsciously holding his breath.
He felt he didn't need to listen, yet he couldn't help wanting to.
Nine months have passed. Has she changed at all towards him, even in the slightest?
He stood there, his brow furrowed.
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Author's note: It will probably be the ending tomorrow.
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