Chapter 4 Pregnancy
Pei Jingchuan also glanced at Xu Qingyan without showing any expression. His inner surprise was definitely no less than that of his parents.
If he was not sick but poisoned, then the matter behind this is really terrifying. Who on earth could have poisoned him quietly and without him knowing?
He used to be very healthy, and even followed his father to the battlefield. It was mainly because he was betrayed by his subordinates during the battle with the southwestern bandits last year, and was hit by a sword and fell into the flood. After being rescued, his body was very weak. Even the imperial physician in the palace said that it was because of this that he got the root of the disease and became like this.
Now, it is still unclear whether what Xu Qingyan said is true or false?
"Brother, this dowry is Qingyue and the others' personal property." Pei Jingyuan couldn't help but get anxious, and looked at Pei Jingchuan unwillingly.
The dowry of the Xu family's legitimate daughter is extremely rich. If he can get it back, it can help him, a bastard, a lot. Although he is a bastard of the Duke's Mansion, his monthly salary is limited, not to mention that he still needs money in many places.
Xu Qingyue was also anxious and unwilling at this time. Why should her dowry be given to a concubine's daughter?
"Brother, this dowry was prepared for me by my parents. I am the legitimate daughter of the Xu family. If you do this, it may be against the rules." Xu Qingyue said bluntly.
[Heh! You are here to bully me again, right? I am not a concubine's daughter. If you really want to investigate, I am the legitimate daughter. You, Xu Qingyue, are a concubine's daughter. It was your grandfather who forced your father to demote his wife to a concubine and remarry her. Later, you sent people to find me in order to marry Pei Jingyuan in exchange for marriage. You also said that I am a concubine's daughter. Dad has treated me badly for so many years, and this dowry is what I deserve! ]
What? Lord Xu was forced to remarry after demoting his wife? It turns out that Xu Qingyan is actually a legitimate daughter! In this case, her status is not unworthy of Jingchuan. In fact, this girl's life story sounds a bit pitiful. She actually encountered such a thing.
Suddenly, the Duke and the others began to sympathize with Xu Qingyan, and the look they showed towards Xu Qingyue also became unfriendly.
Especially at this time, they thought of what Xu Qingyan had said before, that Xu Qingyue was pregnant. Now they just thought that Xu Qingyue and Pei Jingyuan had bad intentions, and they didn't know what they were planning behind the scenes.
So, the Duke's wife said with a stern face: "You two didn't think there was anything wrong with getting married by mistake, so don't change the dowry, just think of it as compensation and apology to the prince."
After being lectured by the Duke's wife, Xu Qingyue pursed her lips unwillingly and said, "Yes, mother."
Later, a maid presented Xu Qingyan and Xu Qingyue with their round handkerchiefs respectively. When the wife of the Duke saw Xu Qingyan's round handkerchief, she nodded with satisfaction.
The Duke's wife and the Duke looked at each other and said, "Master, I would like to ask the court doctor to examine the bodies of my two daughters-in-law and give them some treatment. The issue of having children is what I am most worried about after getting married."
When the Duke heard this, he thought that this method would be a good way to see if Xu Qingyue was pregnant. He also thought that this method was feasible, so he said to the Duke's wife, "Madam, please arrange it."
Xu Qingyue immediately became nervous when she heard this and looked anxiously at Pei Jingyuan beside her.
Pei Jingyuan gave her a reassuring look and then said, "Mother, Qingyue is fine. Before she got married, someone from the Xu residence checked her out and said she has a physique that's easy to get pregnant. I guess you'll be able to hold your grandson soon."
"Oh my... they are feeling guilty! They don't dare to let the doctor check, hahaha!" Xu Qingyan couldn't help but laugh in her heart when she saw the hidden nervousness on the faces of Pei Jingyuan and the other two.
The Duke's wife's face changed when she heard this, and she said unhappily: "It's just another inspection, there won't be any loss. This Xu Mansion is the Xu Mansion, and now it's the Duke's Mansion. Are you afraid of something?"
"Mother, you misunderstood." Pei Jingyuan became nervous.
[It’s over… It’s over… There’s no way to escape this time. I guess Xu Qingyue will definitely pretend to faint. Oh! No, she’s pretending to have a stomachache. She will definitely not let the doctor check her out.] Xu Qingyan said happily in her heart.
The Duke's wife frowned slightly, and before she could speak, she really saw it. Xu Qingyue covered her stomach and said in pain: "Mother, I think I ate too much this morning, and I want to go to the bathroom now."
Upon hearing this, the Duke's wife thought to herself: Guilty! She must be guilty!
The Duke and Pei Jingchuan also frowned, and in their hearts they also believed Xu Qingyan's inner complaints.
It seems that Xu Qingyue had been having an affair with Pei Jingyuan before marriage, and this marriage exchange might be their conspiracy!
They have been with Pei Jingyuan for so many years, and he has always been a very filial and polite person in front of them, but they didn't expect him to be such a person! Why did he do this? What is he planning?
Especially Pei Jingchuan, who was more suspicious of Pei Jingyuan than the Duke. His suspicious character even made him wonder if his poisoning was also related to Pei Jingyuan. After all, if he died, Pei Jingyuan would be the only heir to the Duke's Mansion.
Things had already come to this point, so the Duke's wife naturally did not try to force Xu Qingyue to stay. Anyway, she was already very sure in her heart that Xu Qingyue was pregnant before marriage.
After Pei Jingyuan and Xu Qingyue left, the Duke's wife called Pei Jingchuan aside.
"Chuan'er, your second brother is not a simple-minded person. You must pay more attention to him in the future. Don't worry too much about your health. Mother will definitely find a miracle doctor for you. You will definitely live a long life."
"Mother, do you...know something?" Hearing this, Pei Jingchuan looked at the Duke's wife in confusion. Could she also hear Xu Qingyan's thoughts?
The Duke's wife met Pei Jingchuan's eyes, and the two of them soon understood each other.
"You could hear it too?" the Duchess's wife asked with her eyes wide open.
"Well, but let's not say it out loud." Pei Jingchuan nodded.
"Since you could hear it, then I think the Duke must have heard it as well. There was something wrong with his expression just now." The Duke's wife said as she thought of the Duke's expression just now.
"My father is not just my father. He would probably be in a difficult situation. I will definitely not bother him about these things."
"Hmph! If he hadn't given birth to a bastard, this wouldn't have happened today." The Duke's wife snorted angrily.
Originally, she and the Duke had a harmonious relationship, and they were a rare couple in Great Xia who would be together for life. But then, the Duke drank some celebratory wine on his way back, and after drinking, he had sex with a woman, and that's how he had a bastard son.
Over the years, the woman had been staying in the backyard very honestly and not competing for favor, so she didn't care about it anymore. Pei Jingyuan, the illegitimate son, had been well-behaved since he was a child, and she was also very responsible to him without any bias, but she didn't expect that he would actually plot against his own son like this!
"Mother, don't worry, I will handle it well." Pei Jingchuan comforted the Duke's wife.
At the same time, after Xu Qingyue and Pei Jingyuan returned to the house, their expressions immediately became gloomy.
"I never expected this! I can't even get my dowry back. My parents are obviously partial to Pei Jingchuan! No, that dowry was prepared by my mother for me, I can't let that country girl Xu Qingyan get it for free!"
"Since mother has said so, we naturally cannot ask them for anything anymore. The most important thing now is not the dowry, but to prevent eldest brother from giving birth to a legitimate son. I heard from the servants that they did consummate their marriage yesterday, and they asked for water three times tonight!"
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