My daughter-in-law is pregnant
"call!"
The wind rustled past.
Lin Huaiyin turned her head to the side, while Shen Lanyan took a moment to look away.
Old Mo was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat—if he really won the lottery and someone saw or heard it, the three Lin father and sons would come to his house and tear it down tomorrow!
In a flash, Old Mo nearly fainted. Regaining his senses, he immediately gave his three servants a meaningful look: If the madam uses this as an excuse to make a scene for outsiders, no matter what, yell "Madam, what's wrong?" and carry her inside immediately! We absolutely cannot give outsiders any ammunition!!!
The servant understood and slowly approached Lin Huaiyin.
Lin Huaiyin was incredibly perceptive. She saw everything, pretending not to notice Shen Lanyan's actions. With a warm smile, she took Shen Lanyan's frantic little hand and said softly, "Lanyan, come too. Your sister-in-law has planned a happy occasion for you."
With her small hand being held, Shen Lanyan barely managed to steady herself, which had almost been knocked over by her own strength. She stared blankly at Lin Huaiyin's face, somewhat dazed.
In her eyes, Lin Huaiyin's smiling face, humble and obsequious, was exactly the same as her usual servile and obsequious manner, using expensive clothes, jewelry, rouge and powder to please her.
However, something seems subtly off.
What exactly is wrong? Shen Lanyan couldn't figure it out.
Lin Huaiyin looked at her as if she were a fool waiting to be slaughtered. Glancing at the plaque above her head bearing the words "Shen Residence," a thousand thoughts surged through her mind, recalling her experiences in the Shen family mansion over the past six months—
On the night she married into the Shen family, Shen Congyun used the excuse that Shen Lanyan was heartbroken after being jilted and should not be too affectionate with her so as not to upset her younger sister. Thus, she naturally refused to consummate their marriage.
On their wedding night, the groom was not in the bridal chamber. Lin Huaiyin, fully clothed, lay awake all night, unable to sleep. She stared at the bed curtains all night, telling herself that Cong Yun had no choice and that she should understand his predicament. Unexpectedly, at the crack of dawn the next day, Xie Ao brought back gossip from the inner quarters, saying that she had been trapped by thieves for half a month, had soiled her body, and that the master refused to touch her.
For a moment, Lin Huaiyin was completely stunned.
Her innocence was taken away by Shen Congyun himself, and Shen Congyun himself demanded to take responsibility for this marriage.
He said he wasn't a casual person, and he believed she wasn't either. Even though there were no feelings involved, their physical intimacy was a fact, and he was determined to marry her. Otherwise, he couldn't live with himself; his dignity wouldn't allow him to indulge himself.
He kept repeating these words, as if she had defiled him, and as if she would truly become a promiscuous woman if she married someone else.
He saved her, but she ruined his reputation; she should take responsibility. Lin Huaiyin thought to herself: He is a good man, innocent and pure. She ruined his reputation. Even though she, a daughter of the Lin family, does not value chastity above all else, Shen Congyun is someone she can entrust her life to. She will love him, respect him, and be his wife.
She also wanted to love and care for Shen Lanyan, to make up for the innocent suffering caused by her.
So on the day after her wedding, when Shen Lanyan barged into Qingyin Pavilion, dragged her to the ancestral hall, and beat and humiliated her, and when Old Madam Shen and Shen Congyun tried to persuade her to no avail, she chose to silently endure it.
Lin Huaiyin understood Shen Lanyan's humiliation and anger, because she knew better than anyone how hurtful the rumors in the capital could be.
Although she and Shen Lanyan were both fifteen years old, and although she herself was kidnapped by the White Lotus Sect and her fate was far more tragic than Shen Lanyan's, Lin Huaiyin chose to back down, just like protecting her younger sister Lin Mianfeng. She wanted to care for this poor little aunt, but this concession resulted in her losing all dignity in the Shen family.
At first, Shen Congyun used the excuse that it wasn't appropriate to defend her too much in public and asked her to bear with it. But gradually, he began to complain about being ostracized in court, how he was depressed and ignored everyone, and how his career was not going well. Now, half a year later, Shen Congyun doesn't even give her a kind look in private.
All of this, Lin Huaiyin, who was once involved, felt that it was all her fault and that she had to endure it no matter how bitter it was, and tried every means to please the Shen family.
Looking back now, the White Lotus Sect's abduction of her was the starting point of Shen Congyun's conspiracy. Every step after that was a trap, every step was aimed at removing her Lin family bones and turning her into a puppet.
But she was no longer the Lin Huaiyin of the past. She had died once and would never again suffer such a humiliating slap. If Shen Congyun dared to attack the entire Lin family, why would she be afraid to wipe out the entire Shen family?
Hatred raged in her eyes, and Lin Huaiyin's grip on Shen Lanyan gradually became uncontrollable.
Yu Li noticed that Lin Huaiyin was tense, so she coughed lightly and patted her back: "The night wind is harmful, Madam, please take care of yourself. It's important to go back to your room."
This reminder brought Shen Lanyan and Lin Huaiyin back to their senses. They exchanged a glance, and Shen Lanyan tried to pull her hand away to hit her again, but Lin Huaiyin held it tightly and said affectionately, "Lanyan, believe me, your sister-in-law has really brought you a great joy."
When the word "happy event" was mentioned, Lin Huaiyin gave a meaningful look. She knew that Shen Lanyan couldn't stand hearing those two words and would explode at the mere mention of them.
"Pah! Don't try to fool me!"
Shen Lanyan indeed roared, violently pulling his hands and jumping up and down. The neighbors around stretched their necks like snakes, their eyes bulging and gleaming.
The commotion was so great that Shen Lanyan couldn't possibly miss it. Eyes were glued to her, everyone anticipating her performance. She felt an unparalleled sense of satisfaction, pointing at Lin Huaiyin's nose and cursing—"You slut, have you been hanging out with the White Lotus Sect all this time—"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The sound of doors closing echoed from all around.
Shen Lanyan was confused and stunned.
The neighbors were all terrified—to publicly insult a first-rank noblewoman, the daughter of the Lin family, was a death sentence; who would dare listen?!
"Are you asking for death?! Has the Third Miss lost her mind?!" Old Mo was terrified, his eyes practically popping out of their sockets. He frantically tried to signal her, shouting, "Miss, what's wrong?!"
The three servants understood, picked up Shen Lanyan, and ran frantically towards the door.
In the chaos, the servants were reckless and blind. Shen Lanyan, a pampered young lady who had not yet married, was disheveled, her shoes were off, and she was touched and hugged by three men at once.
Having lived for fifteen years, she had never suffered such humiliation. The three men jostled her all the way, and she screamed and cursed, "Put me down! Let me go! You lowly bastards, get your filthy hands off me and let me go!"
A piercing scream tore through the night sky, spreading from the outer courtyard of the Shen family residence to all the surrounding neighborhoods.
Everyone shook their heads in silence. In each mansion and courtyard, families sat together, all saying that although the Shen family had suddenly become wealthy, they had started as lowly tomb guards. Asking them to pretend to be the prime minister was truly asking too much of them...
Deep within the inner courtyard, Old Madam Shen was finally disturbed. Her daughter's screams forced her to move her precious body and come to the outer courtyard to take a look.
At the gate of the mansion, Shen Lanyan's maidservant stood there stunned for a long time before chasing after her.
Old Mo looked deeply at Granny Xu. He had only heard that the Madam and Miss did not get along, but now he realized that the inner quarters were so reckless. If what happened tonight got out, the Shen family would have to keep a low profile for the next few years and would have to constantly be on guard against the Shitai's accusations and trouble from the Lin family.
A huge mess suddenly appeared before him. He was at his wits' end and wanted to ask Granny Xu what had happened, but Granny Xu was in a daze and had no thoughts in her mind.
Old Mo had no choice but to ask the gatekeeper to help Granny Xu away, send someone to light a lamp for Lin Huaiyin, and sincerely apologize.
Lin Huaiyin remained silent, looking aggrieved. She adjusted her long gown and, supported by Yu Li and Xie Ao, stepped into the mansion.
Looking at the three of them from behind, Lao Mo confirmed that Lin Huaiyin's steps were delicate and frail, and she would occasionally touch her chest and pant, appearing genuinely weak and frail.
Gradually, he had a feeling that the lady was really just weak and needed to step on something to calm her down.
But is it really true that a lady from a military family is so frail that she can't withstand the wind?
And why is she covering her head with a long robe? Is it really that chilly on a spring night in March? Could it be that she's trying to hide something...?
Old Mo couldn't figure it out, and his vision wasn't good enough to keep bothering Lin Huaiyin, so he wandered around and turned to the oxcart next to him.
He climbed up with a lantern, hoping to find some clues, but unexpectedly, he left a small bundle inside the carriage.
——
Lin Huaiyin and Xie Ao Yuli walked very slowly.
The lantern-bearing servant led the way to Qingyin Pavilion from a distance. Halfway there, a maid from the inner quarters came to deliver a message, saying, "The old lady wants the lady to go to the ancestral hall to speak."
Lin Huaiyin nodded in agreement and followed her.
The Shen family didn't have much wealth. The two Shen brothers, Shen Congyun and Shen Congyun, served as officials in the court and were known for their integrity and good reputation. Therefore, the Shen residence was not large. Just a few steps away, one could see the brightly lit side room to the east of the ancestral hall.
On the long bench in the outer room, three servants were being slapped on the floor, while inside, Shen Lanyan was sobbing uncontrollably.
When Lin Huaiyin saw this scene, the image of Yu Li and Xie Ao being beaten to death with sticks and bleeding all over the ground flashed through her mind. Her heart clenched, and she was glad that she had woken up in time and prepared in advance. Otherwise, it would probably have been Yu Li and Xie Ao who were suffering here.
It was just a minor incident, a way to avoid immediate disaster, but it was far from time to relax. Lin Huaiyin rallied her spirits, took their hands tightly on either side, and slowly walked towards the side room.
Inside the door, Shen Lanyan was sobbing on Old Madam Shen's lap, tears streaming down her face like a well.
Madam Shen was furious, her chest heaving violently, and she could no longer feign composure.
She made up her mind: as soon as Lin Huaiyin came in, as soon as Lan Yan hummed a few words, she would immediately accuse Lin Huaiyin of disrespecting her mother-in-law and bullying her sister-in-law, and lock her in the ancestral hall.
The ancestral hall has been fumigated. Old Madam Shen went to see it herself. It was filled with thick smoke, and even opening a crack in the door could choke someone to death.
If you just lock Lin Huaiyin in there and fumigate her for half an hour, drag her out and water her, then throw her back in and fumigate her again, she won't live more than half a year!
Her personal servant was trampled on, her own daughter was insulted, and Lin Huaiyin started trouble before she even entered the house. It was clear that she was no longer going to pretend to be obedient and was going to go against her. Old Madam Shen couldn't hold back anymore. She wanted Lin Huaiyin to die, to die quickly. Anyway, her son Congyun was capable and would definitely be able to clean up the mess!
She waited and waited, growing increasingly anxious and annoyed, until Lin Huaiyin and the other two finally appeared, taking their time. Old Madam Shen glanced at them and felt utterly disgusted.
Lin Huaiyin had a long robe over her head, with Yu Li and Xie Ao supporting her forearms on either side. She took small, scattered steps, her hands resting on her left waist in a delicate manner, her knees bent and tilted to one side, as if her waist was weak and she was being affected and pretentious. She wanted to spit at Lin Huaiyin on the spot.
"Pretending to be sick, is that it!" Old Madam Shen saw through Lin Huaiyin's little trick. Before Shen Lanyan could even begin to accuse her, she asked with a forced smile, "Is your daughter-in-law sick? Go to the ancestral hall and pay your respects to the ancestors—"
“It is time to pay our respects.” Lin Huaiyin smiled sweetly, interrupting Madam Shen, and leaned into Yu Li’s arms like a willow branch, as if she had used up all her strength with just one sentence.
When Lin Huaiyin interrupted Madam Shen for the first time, just like Aunt Xu and Shen Lanyan outside the mansion gate earlier, she was not used to it, was furious, and her tongue inexplicably curled up.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Huaiyin "forced" herself to stand up again, slightly bent her knees, and put on a shy smile. She said softly, "Mother-in-law, please don't be offended. To tell you the truth, your daughter-in-law is pregnant and just wanted to tell you the good news."
"What?!"
Madam Shen's eyes widened, and she stood up abruptly, staring at Lin Huaiyin's belly.
Shen Lanyan, who was lying on her lap, fell to the ground with a "plop," and her crying stopped abruptly.
Lin Huaiyin continued shyly, her face flushed, and stammered, "I was raised by my parents in a rough manner and I don't like to be pampered. But Congyun's son is the first direct descendant of our Shen family, so I dare not be negligent in the slightest. That's why I wore a thin shirt to block the wind. Also, when I got out of the carriage just now, I really relied on Xu Mama's help to keep myself steady. I was thinking that I should reward Mama Mama handsomely."
As they were talking, Granny Xu was helped in, followed by a little maid who was holding a small bundle that Lin Huaiyin had left on the oxcart.
However, no one paid attention to them. Shen Lanyan got up, her face wet and covered in tears. She didn't bother to wipe them away and pointed at Lin Huaiyin's nose first - "Stop talking nonsense here. My brother didn't even sleep with you. You're trying to blame our Shen family for the bastard child you conceived?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen's burning gaze shifted upwards, fixing on Lin Huaiyin's face, her expression gradually becoming ferocious.
Lin Huaiyin wasn't angry at all. In fact, she lowered her eyes and frowned with remorse, her voice even softer: "Lanyan, you're right. Congyun is indeed considerate of you and refuses to share a room with me. However, last month, after Princess Pingyang's wedding, Congyun returned from paying his respects, and he probably drank too much. He was in the study..."
She lowered her eyes shyly and turned her face away before saying, "Cong Yun is strong and healthy. He conceived in just one afternoon. If you don't believe me, you can confirm it with him yourself."
Just thinking about that day made Lin Huaiyin unable to suppress the fire in her heart. Everyone in the room saw her face turn red and assumed that the young woman was shy about talking about bedroom matters. In fact, Lin Huaiyin's heart was filled with raging anger.
Throughout the entire affair, she only had two encounters with Shen Congyun. Once was at the White Lotus Rebellion's hideout, where Shen Congyun drugged and plotted against her. The other was at Princess Pingyang's wedding.
Previously, Lin Huaiyin was oblivious, believing that her sacrifices and forbearance had finally been reciprocated, and that her husband had finally shown her affection. Even when she was covered in bruises, she thought it was because Shen Congyun couldn't control himself, and she was even secretly pleased. Now, she has finally woken up from her dream and understands that it was because the woman she loved had married another, and Shen Congyun had lost his mind and gone mad, which was why he tormented her in the study.
At first, he treated her as prey, and later he treated her as a plaything. Thinking that she had always thought Shen Congyun was pure and innocent, and respected him like a god, Lin Huaiyin wanted to slap herself, but then she thought that Shen Congyun and Princess Pingyang had married each other and shared a bed with people they did not love in order to plot to usurp the throne, and Lin Huaiyin felt sorry for them.
A pair of scoundrels, willing to betray anything for ambition. The proud and noble Prime Minister Shen Congyun actually betrayed his wife for love... what a spectacle!
Lin Huaiyin abruptly stopped her anger. Seeing that Old Madam Shen's eyes were gloomy and she still seemed unconvinced, she mustered all her strength and looked at her timidly, expressing her doubt.
"Daughter-in-law." Old Madam Shen sat down slowly, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and smiled, "You said you had sex with her last month, but don't you know that a woman's pregnancy only shows signs after three months? Princess Pingyang's wedding was only about twenty days ago. I think you're so eager for an heir that you've lost your mind."
"Mother-in-law, you are unaware of this," Lin Huaiyin cleverly countered.
"The military doctors of my Lin family are descended from the Xie clan of Hu Shou Lin. Their medical skills can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. Outsiders cannot tell the difference, but they can tell at a glance. If you don't believe me, Mother, I will invite him again tomorrow. Or you can ask Congyun to invite the imperial physician from the palace to examine his pulse. In short, Congyun's son is destined for greatness. Mother said that we should ask Father to ask him to grant this child a title. Do you think a duke or a marquis would be better?"
Lin Huaiyin's eyes lit up, and she became more and more excited as she spoke. Old Madam Shen listened, stunned. At first, she thought, "What kind of ability does a military doctor have? I don't believe it." Then she thought, "We can't invite the imperial physician. If he finds out that I've been mistreating Lin Huaiyin, things will get complicated." Until finally, when she heard that there was a title, a duke, and that she could choose one, her eyes lit up.
"Old hag, all done." Lin Huaiyin's eyes flashed, thinking to herself, "We've taken down a city."
Seeing her smugness, Shen Lanyan chewed her tongue resentfully: "You can just ask for it whenever you want, why should the Emperor give you a title?"
"Of course, it's because my name is Lin Huaiyin, and I'm the most beloved third young lady of the Lin family." Lin Huaiyin answered seriously.
"Lan Yan, let me tell you, the character 'Yin' in my name is taken from my ancestor Lin Qiying. It was changed to 'Yin' because of the taboo. It was even bestowed by the Emperor himself. You can go to Lingyan Pavilion to see for yourself. The lucky mole on my neck is exactly the same as my ancestor's. Otherwise, why would my parents dote on me so much? Of course, most importantly, Cong Yun is capable. Like father, like son. Cong Yun's son is destined to enjoy wealth and honor from birth."
As Lin Huaiyin spoke cheerfully, she glanced at the small bundle, her eyes deliberately darting away. Shen Lanyan immediately seized the opportunity, snatched the bundle, and opened it to find a food box inside.
Lin Huaiyin frowned slightly, revealing a hint of nervousness. Shen Lanyan sneered, thinking, "Gotcha, you little bitch, uncover the truth—"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
