Chapter 105 Difficulty Conceiving
My sister-in-law gave birth smoothly, bringing joy to the Bai family. Bai Hua now has another adorable little nephew.
Looking at the little pink bundle in the wet nurse's arms, Bai Hua's heart softened. She wanted to reach out and hug him, but she didn't dare. So she just raised her finger and gently poked the little pink face. It felt so soft.
Withdrawing her hand, Bai Hua couldn't help but lower her eyes and stare at her lower abdomen, then seemed to be lost in thought.
She and Ning Jue have tried so many times, but she has never conceived. Could it be because she is physically weak and has difficulty getting pregnant?
Their first sexual encounter took place at Jiang Shen'er's private estate in Guocheng, Southern Fujian. Although they had already gone through a wedding ceremony, it was not formal, as it was not arranged by their parents. If Bai Hua were pregnant, she would not be able to explain it to her family, causing her considerable anxiety. In the rush afterward, she did not take any contraceptive medicine, leaving her trembling with fear and unease. Fortunately, she did not become pregnant that time.
After that, upon returning to the capital, her affair with Ning Jue was no longer a secret. The two fabricated a story of a hero rescuing a beauty and accidentally having physical intimacy, successfully establishing a relationship and agreeing to a marriage contract. As a result, Bai Hua stopped insisting on taking the medicine and decided to let nature take its course. If she became pregnant, she would get married as soon as possible; if she did not become pregnant, she would take it one step at a time.
However, even after the two went through their second formal wedding ceremony, consummated their marriage, and even during the period after their marriage when they were as sweet as honey and shamelessly made love every day, she still did not conceive.
Bai Hua pondered this matter, feeling uneasy about it, and wondered if she should secretly find a female doctor to take her pulse and give her a diagnosis.
...
A month later, the Bai family held a lively full-moon celebration. Bai Hua helped her sister-in-law with the arrangements. After being busy for several days, she suddenly found herself with nothing to do and was quite unaccustomed to it.
Bai Hua returned to Duyuan Garden, with nothing to do. Her mind went blank, and she couldn't help but miss Ning Jue again, feeling melancholy.
The two had been separated for a month, and she had received three letters from Ning Jue. As the southern tour was still on its way and getting further and further away from Jingqi, the intervals between the letters she received naturally lengthened as the tour progressed.
In the afternoon, Bai Hua sat in the covered walkway of Duyuan Garden, leaning against the carved pillars, resting with her eyes closed, without anyone accompanying her.
She wore an elegant light yellow Shu brocade pleated skirt, holding a round fan in one hand and a letter in the other, occasionally gently shaking the fan handle, seemingly half asleep.
After Qingming Festival and before Grain Rain, the current season is one of blooming flowers and gentle spring breezes, making it the most pleasant time of year.
Bai Hua couldn't help but think that the meadows on the outskirts of the city were already lush and green. If Ning Jue were in the capital, the two of them could go on a spring outing or boat trip in the coming days.
Unfortunately, by the time he returned, the crabapple blossoms had faded, the pear blossoms had fallen, and the flowering season was long over.
Bai Hua sighed sadly. At this moment, Xiao You suddenly ran to the corridor, stood in front of her, and before she could speak, she bowed and took a breath to catch her breath.
Bai Hua scolded, "What's the rush? You're acting so recklessly. Do you think there's a leopard chasing you?"
After reprimanding her, he gestured for Xiao You to go to the wooden table in the pavilion and pour herself a glass of water to soothe her throat.
Xiao You waved her hand and refused to drink, her eyes shining brightly, clearly showing more joy.
She couldn't wait to tell Bai Hua, "Miss, there's good news. Today, the eldest young master received an imperial decree and will soon be traveling to Jiangnan with his colleagues from the Ministry of Works."
My sister-in-law has just finished her postpartum confinement, and my brother is about to embark on a long journey. What kind of happy event is this?
Bai Hua patiently suppressed her doubts and asked, "What exactly happened? Tell me slowly."
Xiao You explained the whole story: "Last month, Jiangnan experienced several days of torrential rain, causing the collapse of two imperial bridges connecting the royal palace to major towns in Jiangnan. The bridges were in ruins and scattered ruins. His Majesty felt that the collapse of the imperial bridges was detrimental to the royal dignity and took it very seriously. Therefore, he specially ordered the elite craftsmen directly under the Ministry of Works, as well as relevant officials, to go south to repair and maintain them. The eldest son was among them."
At this point, Xiao You paused, deliberately lowering her voice, and continued, "According to the Emperor's decree, there was also a letter from the young master, which he asked the eldest son to help him arrange to secretly bring the young lady along when he goes to Jiangnan."
Bai Hua was startled. Only Ning Jue would dare to do something so audacious.
She hurriedly asked, "Will my brother agree?"
Xiao You nodded, seeing her young mistress's excited expression, she couldn't keep her in suspense any longer: "I heard that the young master first obtained the General's permission before sending the letter to the eldest son. Now that the Emperor has arrived in Jiangnan and is nearing the end of his journey, the guard duties along the way have been relaxed. The young master took the opportunity to make his request, and although I don't know what he said, the General Wang did indeed grant it in the end. In any case, if you can really go with him, you can reunite with the young master and travel to Jiangnan together. These past few days, you've missed the young master so much that you haven't been able to eat or drink, and you look thinner."
Even when Bai Hua was happy, she wouldn't allow the maid to tease her.
"I've grown thin and haggard for her sake..." If she were to show this kind of emotion on her face, wouldn't she just become a laughing stock?
Bai Hua denied it, saying, "Why would I lose my appetite? It's just that the food prepared in the kitchen lately doesn't suit my taste. Besides, the weather is getting warmer, and all sorts of spring clothes and dresses are being sold. How can I, being so plump, try on new dresses?"
Xiao You saw through their scheme but didn't say anything. She suppressed a laugh and honestly replied, "Yes, Xiao You will go to the kitchen later to give the cooks a good talking-to and tell them to improve their skills. However, the young master sent word that he will be leaving the city the day after tomorrow. If you intend to go, Miss, you should hurry up and make preparations."
"The day after tomorrow, so soon?" Bai Hua couldn't sit still any longer. She stood up and called to Xiao You, "Come with me to the east of the city right away. The dresses we had made at the tailor shop should have been finished by now. I plan to take them all to Jiangnan. The climate there is warm, I wonder if the new clothes will be too hot... Should we also bring a few summer dresses from last year? Oh, and Bao Cui Zhai has recently added a lot of new hairpins and jewelry. Let's go check it out when we have time and add some new items to our dressing table, and..."
A woman dresses up for the man she loves.
Bai Hua's preparations were undoubtedly aimed at making herself look like a beautiful flower. However, she was already bright and eye-catching enough without makeup. If she were to dress up carefully, she would probably rival a goddess or fairy.
Xiao You smiled and replied, "If the young lady is like this, the young master will definitely like her very much."
Bai Hua felt a little embarrassed, then belatedly realized that she had been too overjoyed. She coughed lightly, trying to cover it up, and said, "I'm just happy for myself."
Xiao You reacted quickly and said even more sweetly, "Yes, yes, yes, if the young lady is happy for herself, the young master will naturally be happy too."
Bai Hua glanced at Xiao You, scolding her for her inappropriate chatter, but she was secretly pleased.
...
After a long and arduous journey of half a month, the carriage finally arrived in Jiangnan.
Because the emperor's carriage traveled with frequent stops and starts, and Bai Hua, disguised as a man, followed the Ministry of Works' people along shortcuts without stopping, they arrived in Manzhou in Jiangnan in just half a month.
Unable to immediately go to the palace to meet Ning Jue, she was placed in an inn in Manzhou City by her brother and waited patiently alone.
Ning Jue was on duty today and could not personally greet her, so he sent a trusted subordinate to deliver a message to her, arranging to meet her in the evening.
As night deepened outside the window, Bai Hua waited anxiously and nervously in the inn room.
For some reason, Ning Jue was delayed and did not arrive. Bai Hua ate dinner alone but still did not see him.
She leaned against the bed, feeling increasingly drowsy. Just as her eyelids were getting heavy, she finally heard two knocks on the door.
I opened my eyes, and all sleepiness vanished instantly.
After confirming that she hadn't misheard, Bai Hua quickly got out of bed and hurried to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, the smell of alcohol rushed in, and then someone forcefully pulled her around the waist, catching Bai Hua off guard and causing her to fall into a thick and strong embrace, making it difficult for her to breathe.
“Hua’er…”
The familiar voice lingered in her ears, and Bai Hua felt a tickle in her ear. Then, the wooden door was kicked shut by the other party and closed tightly.
Bai Hua hugged him back, her longing unbearable, and buried her face in her hands, calling out softly, "Ning Jue."
Ning Jue, displeased, inhaled the fragrance emanating from her neck and tightened his grip on her, asking awkwardly, "What did you call me?"
Bai Hua blushed and understood, clinging to him with her soft and delicate body, murmuring in agreement, "...Husband."
The two couldn't help but embrace tightly for a long time, as if trying to meld each other into one's very being. Because they were so close, Ning Jue's smell of alcohol was even more overpowering.
Bai Hua frowned, gave a soft snort, and raised her hand to hit Ning Jue's chest, complaining, "I arrived a long time ago, but you haven't shown up yet. This is nothing like what you said in your letter, that you missed me so much that you couldn't sleep or eat."
Ning Jue immediately explained, “What you said is all true. After you arrived in Manzhou, I only wanted to be by your side every day, so I was on duty more frequently these past two days so that I would have more free time later. Tonight, the Commander of the Palace Guard hosted a banquet, and I only went to participate so that I could ask for leave while we were drinking. After a few rounds of drinks, I successfully got leave and immediately left the banquet to come here to find you. However, I inevitably smelled of alcohol while attending the banquet, and I didn’t expect Hua’er to dislike me so much.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua instantly became unreasonable, failing to criticize him and instead making him feel wronged.
Bai Hua let him off the hook for now, and asked with a hum to confirm, "You really don't have to be on duty these two days, and you can spend all your time with me?"
Ning Jue gently stroked her hair and said with a smile, "The spring scenery in Jiangnan is beautiful. I don't want to just tell you about it when I get back to the capital. Instead, I want to take you with me to see it, to go boating on the lake and to stroll through the fields. Otherwise, my journey south will be too boring."
Bai Hua said earnestly, "I am alone in Duyuan, and I am just as bored every day. I... miss you so much, so very much."
Their gazes grew increasingly intense, and in the blink of an eye, things quickly escalated beyond control.
Ning Jue picked her up and carried her to the bed, kissing her passionately as he impatiently removed her pink silk robe.
Just as the waves were rolling around, Bai Hua turned her head and nudged him, saying, "You smell a bit like alcohol, why don't you go take a shower first?"
Ning Jue ripped off his robe with one hand, sniffed it, then threw it off the bed and replied, "If you take off your outer robe, there won't be much of a smell. I didn't drink much."
Throwing the coat away seemed to reduce the smell of alcohol somewhat, but it wasn't completely gone.
After all, the alcohol had gone down his throat.
However, it's the middle of the night, and waking the waiter up to boil water would be quite a hassle, and the guests in the rooms on either side probably wouldn't get a good rest either.
With these concerns in mind, Bai Hua had no choice but to give up, but during intimate moments she always avoided him kissing her lips, and he could kiss her anywhere else, since he wouldn't notice the smell of alcohol anyway.
Ning Jue was rejected twice, and then looked up at her.
Bai Hua smiled sheepishly, cupped his face and said coquettishly, "There's still a hint of alcohol on your lips, I don't like that smell, can we not kiss?"
Ning Jue stared at her rosy lips, nodded lazily, and said casually, "Fine, it's still up to you. If the lips can't be kissed, can't you kiss anywhere else?"
Bai Hua couldn't keep making demands, that would spoil the mood, so she nodded and agreed: "Anything is fine."
Ning Jue leaned down and deliberately rubbed his stubble-covered chin against her fair face and sensitive neck. Bai Hua tried to shrink away, but Ning Jue used his thumb and forefinger to hold her chin and confirmed again, "You said it yourself, anywhere else is fine, don't go back on your word."
After saying that, he let go of her, grabbed a corner of the blanket, covered his head, and moved down.
Bai Hua didn't understand his meaning at first, until the ties of her inner garment were untied and her underpants were pulled down to her ankles. Only then did she belatedly realize the deeper meaning behind Ning Jue's words and his implied meaning.
She clutched the blanket tightly, biting her lip to suppress her noise. The inn rooms were never very soundproof, and she was worried that strange travelers would hear her, and even more afraid that her brother and the others would notice the noise when they returned and checked into the room opposite.
Ning Jue seemed to have a telepathic connection with her, completely understanding her thoughts.
His voice came through the blanket in a muffled tone as he soothed her, "Relax, don't be so tense. Your brothers have been settled in the official residence and won't be back tonight. Hua'er, don't worry about others. Just relax and let me take care of you, okay?"
Bai Hua's cheeks were flushed, and she couldn't respond at all as he devoured her like this. Her ten toes gripped the sheets tightly, her knees were slightly bent, and her breathing rose and fell, sometimes slow and sometimes fast. Torment and pleasure coexisted. She wanted to die but could never die completely.
After a long, long time... Ning Jue finally poked his head out from inside, gently wiping the sweat from her forehead, and then teased her, asking, "Why is it that I'm the one putting in the effort, but Hua'er seems to be working even harder?"
Bai Hua looked at the glistening substance on his lips and felt so ashamed that she had nowhere to hide. She regretted that she was too weak to raise her hand to hit him. Finally, she glared at him playfully, her eyes full of charm.
That night, their brief separation felt like a honeymoon, and things were destined to be anything but peaceful. From the bed to the table by the window, and finally against the wall, Bai Hua begged for mercy countless times, but he wouldn't let her go. Her cries of "Husband!" only fueled his desire. Finally, driven to her wits' end, she leaned down and began to suckle, causing Ning Jue's face to contort in pain. He lost control, his wildness completely over.
Ning Jue pulled her out of the water, panting heavily as he said, "Hua'er has gone astray."
Bai Hua retorted defiantly, "An eye for an eye, just like you treated me a moment ago."
Being a young woman, she couldn't easily utter such foolish words. She had barely finished being stubborn when her face turned uncontrollably red.
Ning Jue smiled, but his eyes were unfathomable: "Oh, so that's how it's supposed to be repaid. There's plenty of time in the future, I'll wait and see."
Bai Hua was truly afraid of his gaze, so she shrank back and hid under the covers.
Ning Jue hugged her tightly and sighed, "Hua'er, it's so good that you came."
Bai Hua was too tired, and her voice was a little weak as she responded: "It was a coincidence that the imperial bridge was washed away by the rainstorm, otherwise His Majesty would not have summoned the Ministry of Works, and we would not have had the chance to meet."
Ning Jue smiled and said, "It's both fate and human intervention. There aren't that many coincidences in this world."
This sentence means...
Bai Hua sensed something was amiss, suddenly threw back the covers, and peeked out to ask Ning Jue, "You mean... the damage to the Imperial Bridge was your doing?"
Ning Jue frankly said, "Not entirely. The Imperial Bridge has been damaged over the years and is already very fragile. It barely survived this storm, and it is unlikely to survive the next one. I just helped to prevent it from collapsing in broad daylight and injuring the people."
Bai Hua took a breath and said, "You are incredibly audacious. If you slip up, it will be a serious crime of deceiving the emperor."
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow, his face showing no sign of lingering fear: "Since I was going to do it, I was confident that I would do it without leaving a trace. How could I be so stupid as to leave any clues and give others a handle against me? It turns out that a little over a month is the limit for me not to see you. I am so lovesick that I am about to fall ill. If I don't see you again, I'm afraid I will go crazy. I had no choice but to resort to this tactic. However, the completion of the Imperial Bridge has also benefited the local people."
His words warmed her heart, making it impossible for her to continue to criticize or complain harshly.
Bai Hua sighed, nestled against his chest, and said sweetly, "I miss you terribly too. Even that girl Xiao You noticed, and she teased me, saying that I can't eat or drink because of you."
Ning Jue smiled and stroked her slender waist; the thin calluses were so noticeable.
As he touched her, he became frivolous again: "Really? Let me feel if you've lost weight. I can't bear to let my darling go hungry. Did I satisfy you just now?"
Bai Hua snorted and slapped his hand away, her face flushing red and her ears burning, unable to cope.
Ning Jue's palm landed on her stomach again. Bai Hua paused, but didn't knock it away. Instead, she suddenly thought of something.
She lowered her eyelashes, paused for a moment, and then spoke with concern: "We have sex so frequently, and I haven't taken any contraceptive medicine, yet I haven't gotten pregnant. Could it be that I'm too weak to conceive?"
Ning Jue readily admitted, "No, you're fine, I was the one drinking."
"What..." Bai Hua didn't understand for a moment, and was stunned. "What did you drink?"
Ning Jue did not hide anything: "Before informing your family, formally betrothing you, and completing the wedding ceremony, I had already acted outrageously by taking your body. How could I let you get pregnant and cause gossip? So I secretly found a doctor early on and prescribed a medicine that could also prevent pregnancy for men. After taking it regularly, it quickly took effect. Even if our sex was intense, it didn't make you pregnant."
Bai Hua avoided Ning Jue's gaze, feeling embarrassed, and asked nervously, "Is that medicine harmful to the body?"
Ning Jue: "Every medicine has some toxicity, and the damage should be negligible, but it's better for me to drink it than for you to drink it. I don't want you to suffer even the slightest bit because of me."
Bai Hua was certainly moved; she was not only moved, but also touched.
This world is inherently unfair to women, and women have always been valued more by their husbands. This is reflected in family precepts and customs.
Contraceptive medicines were unheard of being suitable for men. It wasn't that the formulas were too complex to research, but rather that very few men were willing to set aside their pride and drink them. As women complied and drank them more often, it became a customary practice, and no one considered that women, being weaker than men, were less able to tolerate the added toxicity.
In fact, Bai Hua herself had never gotten stuck on this point, nor did she intend for Ning Jue to drink it, but he always put her first in everything and treated her exceptionally well.
Bai Hua hugged him and whispered, "Please don't drink anymore. We're already married, and I'm looking forward to having your child."
Ning Jue stroked her back and patted her reassuringly, replying, "Don't worry, Hua'er, the medicine was stopped after the marriage. It's just that your body won't react as quickly as before. It will take a few more months to recover completely before you can carry a baby."
He always speaks with vulgar, street-smart language, like "filling your belly"... How shameful!
Bai Hua refrained from saying anything to him, and only sighed, "I originally thought it was because of my constitution that I had difficulty conceiving, and I was worried about disappointing you. Now I can finally rest assured."
Ning Jue's eyes shone brightly as he followed her words: "How could I be disappointed? So what if you have trouble conceiving? I'll soak you in honey every day, nourishing you thoroughly from head to toe, over and over again. In this way, even the weakest flower bud can be nurtured and grown strong, right, Hua'er?"
"..."
How is she supposed to respond to that?!
She wanted to cover her ears and not listen to a single word of those lewd and inappropriate remarks.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
