Chapter 181 He couldn't bear to leave
“He’s awake and moving around inside,” Qingling said.
Lin Shiyuan only felt the wonder of life.
He exerted a little force, interacting with the hand or small foot inside.
He looked up and asked, "Does it hurt?"
He couldn't imagine what it felt like to have such a big, moving little thing inside his belly, moving its arms and legs.
All he could imagine was being stabbed in the stomach by a knife or spear on the battlefield, his intestines sticking out...
He dared not think any further.
Looking at his expression of curiosity and awe, Yao Qingling knew that this man was no mistake.
She said, "The child is very energetic, and when he kicks hard, it hurts. Sometimes when I'm sleeping, he wakes up inside and kicks me awake."
Lin Shiyuan looked up at her, his eyes filled with tenderness.
He gently stroked her belly: "Be gentle."
Qingling's lips curled up high: "But most of the time he's very quiet and well-behaved."
Lin Shiyuan's tense expression eased a little, but his palm was still pressed against her stomach.
The tiny hand or foot inside was still pressed against his palm.
He couldn't bear to leave.
"Miss—" Xia Chan came in carrying the finished children's clothes. When she saw Lin Shiyuan, her voice stopped abruptly as she stared at his large hand that was on Yao Qingling's stomach.
Lin Shiyuan glanced at her, calmly withdrew his hand, and sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
Xia Chan handed the child's clothes to Qing Ling for a look: "Miss, do you think this style is good?"
Since she wouldn't listen, she had no choice but to ignore it.
Qingling lifted the clothes and unfolded them. The fabric was soft and silky. To prevent it from rubbing against the baby's delicate skin, there was no embroidery. The seams of the sleeves and collar were made particularly exquisitely.
Qingling said, "It looks really good."
Xia Chan said, "It's just that I'm working too slowly. I don't trust the people in the embroidery workshop enough, so I ordered another batch of ready-made clothes from Hua Man Lou. We'll compare the two and use whichever one is better."
Qingling felt a little embarrassed.
She was busy with this and that, and as a mother, she didn't make a single piece of clothing for her child.
She nodded: "I trust you to do things."
The cicada left its little clothes behind and went out again.
She wanted to finish a few more things before the baby was born.
I don't have time during the day, so I stay up late at night to do it.
After being treated like an invisible man for a while, Lin Shiyuan took out a pair of small silver bracelets from his pocket: "For him."
He originally wanted to give the baby a longevity lock, but after asking the jewelry shop owner, he was told that babies are not gentle and could strangle themselves if not carefully watched.
The shopkeeper recommended a bracelet, specifically a silver bracelet.
"Wearing silver will make your skin whiter. Children look best when they are fair and tender. Besides, silver can be used to test for poison."
It was the words "testing for poison" that reminded Lin Shiyuan.
Having given birth to a child does not mean that things will be peaceful in the Marquis's mansion.
Her children are the same.
Being more vigilant means being safer.
Qingling held the small bracelet and examined it closely.
The simplest design has the two small characters "平安" (peace) engraved on one and "健康" (health) engraved on the other.
The font is strong and bold, unlike the workmanship of a jewelry shop.
Yao Qingling: "You carved it?"
Lin Shiyuan nodded, and their gazes both fell on the bracelet.
He made this bracelet himself.
He hasn't learned to make more intricate designs yet. Once he's mastered them, he'll make her a pair of gold bracelets.
"I really like it." Qingling accepted it with a smile.
Lin Shiyuan left after Yao Qingling fell asleep.
Before leaving, he instructed Nie Yun: "When Yao Qingling gives birth, things will likely not be peaceful in the manor. Make sure to protect her."
Nie Yun glanced at him, her lips moved slightly, but she didn't say anything and just nodded.
There are so many beautiful women in the Southern Territory, even the commander's daughter is interested in him, but the general doesn't fancy any of them.
This Yao Qingling is not only a married woman, but she is also pregnant with another man's child. Why does the general still like her so much?
Even in terms of appearance, she wasn't the most beautiful. In Nie Yun's opinion, Yao Qingling's beauty was not as good as the general's.
Nie Yun had heard some stories about Yao Qingling and Lin Shiyuan from Lin Qiao, but there were also quite a few women who had risked their lives for him.
Nie Yun couldn't understand it.
But this shouldn't be her concern. She hasn't been here long enough to know Yao Qingling well.
I think I'll be able to understand it in the future.
Nie Yun watched Lin Shiyuan leave, and only after he left did a hint of loneliness appear in her eyes.
For the next few days, Yao Qingling stayed indoors.
Even when they move around, they only walk around in the yard.
She was afraid that she might suddenly go into labor and not have time to get back to the mansion.
Lou Yue and Xia Chan had prepared all the necessary items for production well in advance. He Yin had checked them repeatedly, even touching every inch of the quilt to make sure there were no needles hidden inside.
On this day, the Imperial Censor's wife sent an invitation and brought gifts to visit Qingling.
The two had not seen each other for a long time, and the censor's wife was still as straightforward and loud as ever.
She pointed to Qingling's figure, then looked at herself, and said with a laugh, "I've lost weight, you've gained weight."
Qingling glared at her: "You really know how to hit a nerve. I'll lose weight after I give birth, just you wait and see."
The censor's wife smiled and said, "I've lost weight from being busy, while you've gained weight from being happy in this blessed place."
She seemed to remember something, and squeezed Qingling's hand, saying, "It's a good thing you didn't stay and make do with Zhan Xingzhuo. Sister, you made the right decision to divorce him."
Living under the same roof as a woman like Zhou Zhining would be a nightmare; you'd be bullied to death.
The Zhou family is vicious, both when they are in power and when they are down on their luck; they haven't changed their nature. What's most terrifying is that this woman is like a poisonous insect—she just won't die.
Qingling looked puzzled: "What happened?"
She stayed in the mansion, leaving the shop's affairs to her capable maids.
Now, besides He Yin and Nie Yun, there are a few other young maids in her courtyard who were recently bought into the household.
Lou Yue and Xia Chan only talked about things at the shop, and didn't mention any other major events in the outside world, for fear of upsetting her.
The Censor's wife waved her hand: "It's nothing serious. It's just that Zhou Zhining, I heard she was poisoned at the Ministry of Agriculture and almost died. She got out of the Ministry of Agriculture and is now living in the new mansion. Isn't that ridiculous?"
The censor's wife disliked Zhou Zhining so much that she rolled her eyes after saying this.
Even a fool knows that the claim that Zhou Zhining was poisoned is just a pretext.
They also knew that given the Zhou family's sins, Zhou Zhining doing odd jobs at the Sinong Temple wouldn't quell public anger, so they fabricated another reason—"poisoning"—to make her seem more pitiful.
Coupled with her delicate and pitiful acting skills, her pretty face always manages to garner some pity and sympathy.
The misled people would say, "She has been poisoned. Her father is the one who is corrupt. What does it have to do with her? Besides, she is still a government slave and is still of low social status."
Yao Qingling's eyes twitched slightly.
Zhou Zhining had already left the Ministry of Agriculture, so she knew about this.
Even outsiders know... that Zhou Zhining is no longer planning to hide?
It seems that the eldest princess wanted to deal with her, which forced her to come out.
The Grand Princess's intention was probably to use the pretext that Zhou Zhining had secretly left the Ministry of Agriculture to avoid punishment, and then imprison her again to perform hard labor, so as to prevent her from causing trouble.
But Zhou Zhining was one step ahead, daring to poison herself.
Although Zhou Zhining was a government slave, she was also the daughter of an important official in the court and a wanted criminal. The officials of the Ministry of Agriculture were afraid that she would die inside, so they dared not take her in.
With Prince Xin and other nobles like Tao Wu Gongzi backing her up, Zhou Zhining had nothing to fear!
But why is Zhou Zhining going back to the new mansion to live?
Although Hengwu Villa was just a villa, it was much more grand than the new mansion, and had many more servants. She actually didn't want that luxurious haven?
At this point, the Censor's wife had a complicated expression. She said, "His Majesty has issued an edict that Zhan Xingzhuo must return to the capital."
This time, he's not back to report on his duties; he's back to serve as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
