Chapter 168 Both Ashamed and Embarrassed
"Oh..." Qingling lazily propped herself up, her clothes slipping off her body, revealing most of her plump shoulders.
She turned her head to look at herself, then looked down at herself.
Just now, He Yin applied medicine to her, and to prevent the ointment from being rubbed off by the cloth, Qing Ling casually put on a loose outer garment without tying the belt.
When she was asleep, her clothes must have been wide open... Didn't he see everything?
Qingling's breath hitched, and she stared at the figure in front of her. No wonder he was sitting with his back to her.
Although Qingling was already a woman, there was still a difference between men and women, and during this time, along with her belly, her breasts also swelled up.
He wasn't close to her, how could he see her like this!
Qingling was both embarrassed and ashamed, her face flushed crimson, and even her body turned as red as a shrimp.
She suddenly felt sad again.
Compared to a slender woman, she was almost like a fat frog.
Women love beauty, and she was no exception.
He saw her at her worst.
Lin Shiyuan sat for a while, and after she said "Oh", she fell silent.
He had calmed down by now.
But he dared not turn around to look at her.
He frowned: "Why aren't you saying anything? Are you feeling unwell?"
Qingling glanced at him, feeling both embarrassed and angry. She abandoned her coyness and said directly, "Do you have eyes in the back of your head? Why are you asking others like that?"
After pulling her clothes tighter and putting them on, she moved slightly, her legs dangling over the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and she regained her former dignified demeanor.
Lin Shiyuan could tell she was angry, but she didn't know she wasn't dressed properly.
This question sounds more like a complaint than an interrogation.
When Lin Shiyuan was promoted from gatekeeper to centurion, a local gentry sent a beautiful singing girl to his room.
The songstress was bold and skilled at seducing men. She stripped naked, wearing only a red bodice, and lay sprawled on his bed.
At that time, Lin Shiyuan was still very young, just a greenhorn.
He was still a shy young man. He grabbed a piece of clothing and threw it over, completely covering the woman.
The woman was unmoved and giggled, "Sir, why are you looking at me with your back to me? Turn around and look at me!"
At this moment, Lin Shiyuan felt that although Yao Qingling's tone was stiff, it was as if she were telling him to turn around and look at her, just like that songstress.
The word "temptation" suddenly entered his mind, his head buzzed and he clenched his fists, becoming somewhat restless.
But now he is a general who once commanded 100,000 troops, and his past romantic affairs have been tested countless times. He shouldn't be so frivolous.
Lin Shiyuan took a deep breath, picked up a cup of cold tea from the table, drank it, and turned to look over.
But Yao Qingling was dressed neatly, not even a single hair was out of place, and she sat there upright, looking at him calmly.
Lin Shiyuan: "..."
He moved his leg and turned to face her directly.
Qingling asked, "What did you see just now?"
Lin Shiyuan: "What you look like when you wake up is what I will see."
Yao Qingling's cheeks burned, and she scolded herself for asking a pointless question.
Her throat bobbed slightly as she tried to remain calm: "How many times have I told you not to enter my room without permission... How can you be like this?"
As I was talking, I realized that my words had taken on a different tone, sounding like I was being coquettish.
She simply stopped talking.
Lin Shiyuan was also direct. He said, "Last time you were unable to move around easily, I carried you to bed."
Yao Qingling: "..."
The atmosphere suddenly became both awkward and ambiguous.
Qingling lowered her eyes and glanced elsewhere.
She paused for a moment before getting back to the point: "My pregnancy has been made public within the Marquis's residence—"
Before she could finish speaking, Lin Shiyuan tensed up: "How did you find out? Who betrayed you?"
He subconsciously thought of the few people who had gathered in the side room that day, and then thought that they might also be people from her courtyard.
She had only been back at the Marquis's residence for less than a year, and it was not certain that both mistress and servants were of one mind.
These people from the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, who live up to the title of "loyal and brave" for nothing, are all selfish and greedy, sucking blood and eating flesh.
He could imagine how people would view Yao Qingling and what they would do to her once they found out she was pregnant!
Seeing the cold glint in his eyes, as if he were about to snap someone's neck, Qingling felt not afraid at all, but rather warmed her heart.
"Let me finish," Qingling told him to relax. "Look, I'm sitting here unharmed, so nothing's wrong."
“I exposed it on my own initiative.” As she spoke, Qingling lowered her eyes, a faint smile tinged with helplessness. “I’m about to give birth, and the midwife and wet nurse need to be arranged to come into the courtyard to wait.”
"If there are too many people, they will find out sooner or later. Rather than passively letting them find out, I'd rather take the initiative to expose the secret myself."
"Moreover, I used this matter to establish a relationship with the Marquis of Xincheng's mansion. The Marquis of Xincheng's wife agreed to be my patron."
Lin Shiyuan frowned.
Yao Qingling had not discussed this matter with him.
However, she chose to tell him, which can be considered a form of honesty.
The man's eyebrows relaxed again.
He said, "The Lady of Xincheng Marquis can't possibly give you nothing and become your support for nothing."
Qingling nodded: "Yes, it is indeed a bit difficult."
Now everyone in the Marquis's mansion knows that the Lady of Xincheng is Yao Qingling's friend.
But they didn't know how Qingling did it, or what she used to build a "bridge of friendship."
Qingling told Lin Shiyuan about how she used the information network to exchange for the Marquis's protection.
Lin Shiyuan thought for a while.
He had been in the capital for more than half a year, and during that time he had not wasted his time aimlessly.
He had roughly figured out the general layout of the capital.
At least, this situation is something that can be seen on the surface and that he can guess about.
As the Empress's maternal family, the Marquis of Xincheng's mansion was powerful and needed assistance to strengthen itself.
Yao Qingling has chosen a good backer.
Lin Shiyuan nodded: "Not bad."
Qingling glanced at him and said, "Regarding the iron ore beneath Yongning Temple, we'll find out after we investigate..."
The two began to discuss it in hushed tones.
To facilitate the discussion, Lin Shiyuan moved from the chair to the other side of the kang (a heated brick bed), where he was separated from Yao Qingling by only a low table.
A lamp was lit on the table. The light was not very bright, and the dim light could only illuminate an area of about two feet, like a hazy and invisible light shield, enclosing the two people in a small space, where neither of them could enter.
Xia Chan saw that it was almost time, so she pushed the door open to see if Qing Ling had woken up. As soon as she entered, she sensed that there were other people inside besides Yao Qing Ling.
She asked, "Who's in the house?"
The voice interrupted him, and Lin Shiyuan stood up, lifted the beaded curtain and came out: "Miss Xia Chan, it's me."
Xia Chan was taken aback: "Commander Lin?"
Her gaze swept past the man and peered inside: "Is the young lady awake?"
Lin Shiyuan nodded.
Xia Chan said, "Miss must be tired today and hasn't had dinner yet. I'll go and get dinner for you right away."
She remained calm, suppressing all her doubts, and steadily turned and walked out of the room.
My heart was pounding.
At this moment, Lou Yue also came to see if Qing Ling had woken up, and happened to bump into Xia Chan who had just stepped out of the door.
Xia Chan grabbed Lou Yue's wrist and pulled her away.
She lowered her voice: "Commander Lin is inside."
Lou Yue was used to Qing Ling discussing things with Lin Shiyuan, so he didn't find anything wrong with appearing in Qing Ling's room at night.
Xia Chan poked her forehead speechlessly: "Besides thinking about food, can't you think about anything else?"
She lowered her voice: "You forgot, Miss Qingling's clothes were open when she was asleep."
Lou Yue: "..."
She stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening. Yes, the young lady was disheveled back then!
"Then, then..."
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