Chapter 81, Chapter 81, why is it so... big?
Xue Mingyao looked completely bewildered.
Green Branch explained with a smile, "After you fell asleep at the banquet just now, a lady thought it sounded like pregnancy-related drowsiness and gave me a hint. I also thought that your period hadn't come for a while, so I asked the doctor to take your pulse. I didn't expect it to be true!"
Since marrying Xie Zhuo, the princess's menstrual cycle has become irregular, sometimes early and sometimes late, which is why she didn't discover she was pregnant for a long time.
Xue Mingyao was skeptical. "Isn't it said that pregnancy causes morning sickness and nausea? I haven't changed at all. Where's the doctor? Call him in. I want to ask him myself and see if he made a mistake."
"How could there be a misdiagnosis? The doctor is in a hurry to go home and celebrate the New Year. I'll ask him to come again tomorrow. Princess, several ladies are waiting outside to congratulate you!"
Xue Mingyao went out to keep vigil with the ladies, feeling uneasy, and received a whole basketful of auspicious words. One of the ladies comforted her, saying that pregnant women's constitutions vary, and some women experience an increased appetite after becoming pregnant without any morning sickness.
Xue Mingyao slept fitfully that night, and it wasn't until the next morning when the doctor came to confirm her pregnancy that her heart finally began to boil with joy, sweeping away the gloom that had been lingering between her brows for the past few days.
On the occasion of the New Year, Xue Mingyao generously distributed silver, giving a considerable amount of money as a reward to all the servants in the prefectural government. She also consulted with women who had given birth, and busied herself preparing clothes and toys for infants. She gave hundreds of instructions throughout the day and even went out to observe the children playing in the streets and alleys for a while.
When the night was deep and quiet, Xue Mingyao, who had been up all day, stroked her still flat stomach and still found it unbelievable.
She's actually going to have a child with Xie Zhuo.
If you count the days, she conceived in Xichuan, probably on the night Xie Zhuo left Yuzhou.
Xie Zhuo couldn't become a deity to see her, so he left a minor deity to keep her company.
What name should she give her child? Whether it's a boy or a girl, her child with Xie Zhuo will surely be beautiful, right? But then she thought, maybe not. They say two negatives make a positive; even two people with such striking good looks could have an ugly baby. What if the child really is ugly? How would she accept that?
A series of questions came to mind, but I couldn't come up with any answers.
Fortunately, she had plenty of time to think.
She also has plenty of time to wait.
The waiting has become twofold, as has the anticipation. Xue Mingyao longs for the arrival of spring more than ever before.
Even earlier than spring came the change in the war situation.
Meanwhile, the ambitious King Wuxi had waged war against the Great Zhou several times in the more than thirty years since his ascension to the throne, gradually encroaching on much of the eastern land of Xichuan. His appetite grew ever larger, and he began to plan to seize the entire Xichuan.
He recruited the capable and skilled Cen Zongjing to his service, and persuaded Prince Zhao Jingchen, who had been demoted to Xichuan and had no chance of inheriting the throne, to openly show goodwill to the Great Zhou while secretly training troops for war. Although there were some mishaps in the process, the King of Wuxi still took advantage of the autumn when the grass was lush and the horses were strong, and the Great Zhou was relaxed in its vigilance, and launched an offensive.
He was confident that even if he couldn't take Xichuan in one fell swoop, he could at least capture half of it.
At first, they did win one victory after another, but by the time Da Zhou realized what was happening, things were not as smooth as he had imagined.
He underestimated the determination of the Great Zhou to defend Xichuan.
Emperor Deyuan would never tolerate the loss of the land passed down from his ancestors to foreign tribes. He continuously dispatched troops to reinforce Xichuan. Although the Great Zhou had been at war for years and its military strength was depleted, its foundation was still there and it could not be underestimated.
On the other hand, Wuxi had Cen Zongjing as its main general, but the one who could face Cen Zongjing was Xie Zhuo, a rising star general of the Great Zhou.
Cen Zongjing was a rare and excellent general, and Xie Zhuo's talent and strategy were even better than his.
Since Xie Zhuo took command, the Wuxi army has suffered more defeats than victories, seemingly being suppressed by the Great Zhou. Cen Zongjing is adept at using unorthodox tactics to confuse the enemy, but every meticulously designed marching and deployment strategy he devises is quickly deciphered by Xie Zhuo. No matter how hard he tries to strategize, he cannot gain the upper hand, as if Xie Zhuo can foresee the future.
After suffering several defeats, Cen Zongjing vaguely realized the problem. He had a habit of taking notes in military books, and in his early years, he had compiled his tactical insights into a written document, which he kept in his Xichuan residence. Xie Zhuo claimed that he was Xue Mingyao's lover in Xichuan, which meant that he might have read all of them back then, which was why he understood his tactics so well.
Unfortunately, Cen Zongjing realized this too late. He had already lost most of the advantage that Wuxi had gained in the first round, which aroused subtle doubts among Wuxi's superiors about his loyalty. In the end, Da Zhou and Wuxi were deadlocked in eastern Xichuan.
The Great Zhou's offensive was forceful, Xie Zhuo's military tactics were skillful, while Wu Xi had the advantage of being well-prepared. For several months, he had plundered the people and wealth of Xichuan and replenished his supplies on the spot. For a time, neither side could do anything to the other.
Xie Zhuo was prepared for a protracted battle.
Unexpectedly, after a stalemate of half a month, a sudden event overturned the entire situation.
King Wuxi, who had been overseeing the battle from the army, was so enraged by the unfavorable situation in Wuxi that he died suddenly in his tent overnight. For more than thirty years, he had kept Wuxi firmly under his control. After news of his death spread, some factions within the Wuxi tribe began to stir.
The newly enthroned prince was eager to summon the Wuxi army to stabilize the political situation. After careful consideration, he decided to negotiate a ceasefire with the Great Zhou. Both sides quickly sent envoys to negotiate. The Great Zhou put forward several demands for the withdrawal of troops. The new Wuxi king weighed the pros and cons, prioritizing the interests of his soldiers, land, and wealth. In the end, he betrayed Cen Zongjing and Zhao Jingchen to the Great Zhou, and the two countries withdrew their troops.
The Uxi people returned home laden with their loot, and the heavy troops that the Great Zhou had gathered in Xichuan also went their separate ways. Cen Zongjing and Zhao Jingchen were put in cages and sent back to the capital.
One country gained wealth, and the other gained dignity—a mere, albeit reluctant, win-win situation.
Zhao Jingchen's interrogation uncovered an old case: the assassination attempt at Beiming Mountain was a conspiracy between him and Wuxi, who framed the people of Southern Xinjiang. This was his way of ingratiating himself with Wuxi, intended to intimidate the court and frame the Crown Prince, who was in charge of the spring hunt, for negligence. Unfortunately, Emperor Deyuan's punishment of the Crown Prince was limited and did not meet Zhao Jingchen's expectations.
But that's a story for later. Right now, the war is over, and the army has withdrawn from the front lines to their camps. It will take some time to settle things before they can retreat to Yuzhou. Xie Zhuo, longing for Xue Mingyao, took a day off, mounted a fast horse, and rode alone to Yuzhou to see her.
He arrived in Yuzhou at midnight. He had to return to camp the next day. Not wanting to disturb anyone, Xie Zhuo tied his horse in a small alley behind the prefectural government office, leaped over the high wall of the office, and went straight to find Xue Mingyao.
When they arrived at the bedroom, the princess was already asleep. The maid on night watch lit a lamp for him and, following his wishes, did not wake her.
Under the soft glow of the candlelight, Xue Mingyao's serene face radiated a gentle light, and her lips, untouched by lipstick, were naturally rosy. Xie Zhuo looked at her again and again, feeling that she was even more beautiful, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
She was covered by a low blanket, and her nightgown was unusually loose, revealing her snow-white shoulders and chest in a half-concealed manner. Compared to before he left, she seemed to have become much fuller.
When Xie Zhuo was a scholar, his aesthetic sense was particularly refined, and he considered women to be delicate and graceful. However, after meeting Xue Mingyao, who was beautiful and ruthless, his appreciation of women was completely changed. From then on, the definition of beauty became Xue Mingyao: voluptuous, alluring, and voluptuous.
Xie Zhuo gently massaged her soft chest with his fingertips, suppressing his impulse, and tucked her in. She was still asleep; he couldn't be too beastly.
He lowered his head and gave her a restrained kiss on her rosy lips.
Unexpectedly, this very light kiss elicited a response.
"Husband..." Xue Mingyao murmured sweetly in her sleep, gently embracing him and kissing him.
Since she welcomed him so readily, Xie Zhuo didn't hold back either. He cupped the back of her head and kissed her forcefully, exploring every inch of her body. Amidst the blushing, heart-pounding sucking sounds, Xue Mingyao opened her eyes, her face flushed, bewildered as she resisted his kisses, "Xie Zhuo... Xie Zhuo?"
Xie Zhuo pulled away from her lips and whispered, "Yaoyao."
Xue Mingyao's dark eyes widened suddenly, and she sat up abruptly. "Is this a dream? Is it really you?"
“It’s me,” Xie Zhuo pinched her cheek. “I was in a hurry to see you, so I rushed back first. I’ll go back tomorrow.”
He gazed at her, wanting to say so much, but unable to utter a single word.
Xue Mingyao was stunned for a moment, then reached out to pull at his clothes, "Let me see if you have any new scars."
She moved quickly and accurately, tearing his collar open in an instant. Xie Zhuo, both amused and exasperated, grabbed her hand and said, "No, I'm not hurt at all, I'm not lying to you."
Xue Mingyao ignored her and commanded, "Take off all your clothes, only by seeing will you know the truth."
Xie Zhuo chuckled, "Do you want to see an injury that doesn't exist, or do you want to do something else?"
Without waiting for Xue Mingyao's reply, he went straight to seal her lips with his. He wanted to do something else, after all.
While kissing her, he reached his hand inside her nightgown and moved it wantonly. The sensation under his hand made Xie Zhuo feel a little dazed. How could it be so... big?
Xue Mingyao, panting, pressed down on his hand and whispered sweetly in his ear, "Be gentle, don't hurt the baby."
Xie Zhuo kissed her neck lightly, saying haltingly, "What child..."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, I'm pregnant."
Like a thunderclap exploding in his ears, Xie Zhuo jumped up in shock, staring at her in disbelief.
"She's pregnant?"
Xue Mingyao nodded frankly, lifted the blanket over herself, revealing her slightly protruding belly, and then chuckled as she admired the lively expression on General Xie's face.
"Xie Qinglang, we're going to have a baby."
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