Chapter 67 The Princess Consort of Zhenbei is Pregnant
Bai Xuerou remained unfazed by his gaze, merely smiling at him, though a pang of regret stirred within her, and her heart began to race.
The two had never discussed what husband and wife should call each other. Ling Xun naturally called her "sister," while she would call him by his name, Liu Lang, or his childhood nickname, or "Your Highness," depending on her mood.
She had initially teased him by calling him "husband" in a playful way, but Ling Xun's reaction was unexpectedly strong; he was even quite excited. It was clear that he really liked the term and always looked for opportunities to have her say it a few more times.
Bai Xuerou didn't think much of the nickname at first, but since he cared so much about it, she felt a little embarrassed and stopped saying it so often.
She only uses it occasionally to coax Ling Xun when she is moved by him.
Ling Xun stared at Bai Xuerou for several moments before accepting the tea and drinking it.
That night, in the tent, he tried every means to coax Bai Xuerou to call him "husband" again.
...This is also one of the reasons why Bai Xuerou doesn't like to call him that.
This person gets especially excited every time I call them; they're fairly well-behaved during the day, but they always like to cause trouble at night.
She was getting heavier and heavier, carrying a big belly, and she herself felt that she didn't look good, but Ling Xun didn't notice at all, and was as passionate as when they were newlyweds.
The two of them are now being more and more careful when they do it, which makes it even more tedious.
Bai Xuerou leaned against Ling Xun's chest, her body swaying gently as he supported her. She had long since lost all her strength and was limply resting against him.
"It's not ready yet."
"Almost done."
Inside the tent, the two whispered to each other. Upon hearing Ling Xun's reply, Bai Xuerou might have believed it when they were newly married, but she was no longer the newlywed she once was. She pursed her lips but dared not say anything, lest she expose him and he become even more presumptuous. She could only inhale and say, "Then hurry up." After a slight pause, she added, "Husband."
Bai Xuerou could feel the chest against her back tighten instantly, and Ling Xun became excited almost immediately.
"I'm tired," Bai Xuerou said again.
Ling Xun's voice was a little hoarse. He placed several kisses on her neck and shoulders, whispered "okay," and began to exert force.
When the long and arduous lovemaking finally came to an end, Bai Xuerou had no strength left and wished she could just lie down, but she couldn't.
Ling Xun carried her to wash up, changed her into clean clothes, and then put her into a neat and soft bed.
Almost instantly, Bai Xuerou fell into a deep sleep.
Ling Xun was still awake, and patiently massaged Bai Xuerou's muscles and bones.
She feels heavy now, gets tired easily with the slightest movement, and also gets cramps. He asked the doctor, who said that massaging her muscles and bones would help a lot, so he massages Bai Xuerou several times a day.
On her first morning at the palace, Bai Xuerou woke up to the delicate fragrance of camellias.
She lingered in bed for a while, feeling limp and unwilling to move.
After a while, she called in a maid to wash and dress.
"Where is the prince?" Bai Xuerou asked.
"The Prince has gone to handle some business. He said there was a report from the south. Would the Princess like to see the Prince?" Jin Tao said with a smile. Although she was getting older, she was still quite lively.
Bai Xuerou smiled, not answering whether she would see him or not, but instead asking, "But what did he say before he left?"
"The prince said that if the princess wishes to see him, she should send a message immediately."
Bai Xuerou chuckled.
"Has Your Highness had breakfast yet?" She glanced at the sky. The weather was nice today, and judging by the sun, it was well past breakfast time.
"Not yet," Jin Tao said.
"Not used yet?" Bai Xuerou frowned slightly.
Jin Tao hummed in agreement and said, "His Highness said he wanted to wait for you to use it together."
"Nonsense, what time is it?" Bai Xuerou shook her head, told someone to quickly prepare the meal, and then sent someone to call Ling Xun.
She wouldn't want to bother Ling Xun if there was nothing else to do, but how could she not eat?
The maidservant immediately obeyed.
After washing up, Bai Xuerou got up and walked to the window to look at the place where she would be living for a long time to come.
Although it was a temporary palace, it was extremely luxurious and magnificent. Looking out, one could see endless pavilions and towers, and magnificent palaces. In particular, there was a hot spring here, so even in the cold winter, it was as warm as spring. The air was filled with a humid and warm atmosphere, which made people feel much more comfortable in the dry and cold winter.
Outside the window, under the eaves, stand two camellia trees, hundreds of years old, which have grown extremely tall. One is red and the other is white, growing side by side, their flowers and leaves intertwined, the red and white flowers complementing each other beautifully.
This is the source of the camellia fragrance she smelled.
Bai Xuerou liked it very much, and on a whim, she took some people out to cut two branches, and when she came back, she found a vase and kept them in water.
In the front hall, where the meeting place had been chosen, Ling Xun was discussing matters with officials from the Prince's residence.
During the time of his marriage, the world was far from as peaceful as Chang'an, and even the peace in Chang'an was only superficial.
The Prince of Chen in the west was eager to make a move, not to mention the state of Wu.
However, Ling Xun had already sat down and made arrangements, successfully intercepting both sides—
Chen Wang reigned for nearly ten years. In his early years, he had some ambition, but he was stopped by the Zhenbei Army several times. Later, he gradually indulged in pleasure. When Ling Zheng and Ling Xun succeeded him, he felt he had a chance and also tested the waters.
However, Chen State was situated between Tibet and the Turks, and it had to guard against attacks from both sides. It couldn't spare many troops to begin with. After Ling Xun easily subdued it, it lost all interest in defense and focused solely on defense.
The most troublesome place is actually the Wu region.
The Wu region was a land of plenty, naturally prosperous. Having grain meant having money, especially with the secret assistance of powerful families. This time, the three generals of the Zhenbei Army, despite their strict defenses, caused quite a bit of trouble.
This is what Ling Xun was talking about with others.
After two years of recuperation, he felt it was time to take action against the Wu region.
However, taking action is not a simple matter. Chen, Wu, and Qi Sicheng, the military governor of Jiannan Circuit, are all extremely loyal to the Great Qi. The reason they are currently quiet is simply because Ling Xun still submits to the Great Qi.
Then there's Chang'an.
Ling Xun never lowered his guard because of the obedience shown by the emperor and his ministers in Chang'an. He believed that if these people were given an opportunity, they would not hesitate to take action.
Chang'an, along with Qi Sicheng, is enough to become an obstacle.
Especially those powerful families who support Wu; if Wu is defeated, Ling Xun believes these people will not hesitate to join forces with Chang'an.
All of these things can be described as a chain reaction, where a single move can have far-reaching consequences.
So Lang Cheng truly lived up to his reputation as a cunning old fox. When he opened the city gates to welcome the Zhenbei Army into Chang'an, he actually managed to give the crumbling Qi Dynasty a glimmer of hope.
Since we're going to take action against the Wu region, we naturally need to make preparations first.
Ling Xun's gaze swept across the map, finally settling on Jiannan Road in the distance.
However, compared to Wu, Qi Sicheng of Jiannan Road was more of a nuisance.
With him around, a lot of things will be delayed.
Ling Xun was thinking to himself, but he remained outwardly calm as he discussed the arrangements for the front lines with his subordinates. It was at this time that the maid arrived.
"Your Highness, the Princess knows you haven't had breakfast yet, so she's already ordered someone to prepare a meal. She sent me to ask how much longer you'll be busy?" Yin Gui lowered her eyes and spoke according to her mistress's instructions.
Bai Xuerou specifically instructed that she should make things clear and not let outsiders speculate that she was taking advantage of Ling Xun's favor to delay his affairs.
Since it concerned the princess, the officials in the room dared not speculate or comment too much, but it was impossible to say that they had no reservations about the maid coming to the study to call for her so abruptly.
But after hearing the maid's words, all that remained was concern and worry.
"Your Highness's health is of utmost importance; please return home for your meal," they said.
Ling Xun hummed in agreement, then walked away, his eyes thoughtful as he went outside.
It seemed his sister was still upset by the rumors circulating outside; he frowned slightly. These people who spread rumors so wantonly were like weeds—no matter how cleaned up, they would always revive with a gust of wind.
It's incredibly annoying.
"Your Highness." Bai Xuerou greeted Ling Xun at the door after receiving the news, and Ling Xun quickly stepped forward to help her.
"Sister, didn't you say you didn't need to pick me up?" Ling Xun asked helplessly. "Has the little guy been behaving himself?"
"It's just a few steps, and the doctor said I should walk more." Bai Xuerou chuckled, but she wasn't swayed by him. She said, "Next time, don't wait for me to have breakfast. It's already past 9 AM and you haven't eaten yet. Are you hungry?"
"It's alright, I want to dine with my sister." Seeing that she couldn't avoid it, Ling Xun resorted to sweet talk, "I want to be with my sister all the time."
“But you can’t skip breakfast, or you’ll starve.” It would be a lie to say that Bai Xuerou wasn’t happy, but she was also annoyed. So she said, “Why don’t you wake me up and I’ll go back to sleep after I have breakfast?”
Ling Xun was about to speak when Bai Xuerou interrupted him, saying, "Anyway, you can't skip breakfast."
“I had some snacks, so I wasn’t really starving,” Ling Xun explained. Bai Xuerou objected, “What good are snacks?”
"Of course it works, I used it this morning..." Ling Xun said slowly, unknowingly leading Bai Xuerou's thoughts astray. But the next morning, as soon as the person beside her moved, she struggled to wake up as well.
Bai Xuerou was always a light sleeper, and she could feel Ling Xun getting up every day, but she didn't want to move. Now, worried that Ling Xun might be hungry, she forced herself to move.
"Why are you up?" Ling Xun was dressing himself by the bedside when he heard the noise. He pressed his belt with one hand and turned around to lift the bed curtains.
"Finish your meal before you sleep." Bai Xuerou yawned and was about to get up.
Ling Xun knew that she was still thinking about yesterday's events, and he felt helpless yet sweet. He quickly tied his belt, went forward to help Bai Xuerou sit down, and said, "Then you rest in bed. I'll have someone bring the dining table over. Don't get up."
"No." Bai Xuerou immediately objected, thinking that not washing up or doing her hair would be inappropriate.
Ling Xun could persuade Bai Xuerou about other things, but Bai Xuerou was particularly determined about this matter. Ling Xun could only help her get dressed. After she washed up, he simply tied her hair up loosely and changed her clothes without making any special effort to dress her up.
After Ling Xun had breakfast, he went to do his work. Bai Xue Rou originally planned to go to sleep, but she couldn't fall asleep. So she took a walk around the bedroom and took care of a lot of things. She was still not sleepy.
When Ling Xun returned after finishing his work and learned about this, he couldn't help but worry. He specially called a doctor to come and check on him, and only felt relieved after confirming that there was no problem.
But after lunch, he accompanied Bai Xuerou to bed, and she fell asleep in no time.
Ling Xun lay on his side watching her, gently stroking her belly, feeling the rise and fall of his palm, and felt his whole heart soften.
This is his wife and his children, his family, his everything.
For their sake, he must, absolutely must, achieve final victory.
The palace felt no chill of winter, and all worries seemed unable to enter. It was like a paradise, where time flowed as gently as a babbling brook.
It feels like just yesterday that the New Year was almost here.
During this time, Ling Xun used a disguise gu to make his double appear several times.
We'll be spending this year's New Year at the imperial palace.
People in Chang'an had already sent their New Year's gifts, while secretly inquiring about the situation.
Even before Ling Xun arrived at the palace, the Zhenbei Army had been making frequent moves, making many adjustments to its deployments in Wu, and uncovering many spies and disloyal individuals. Anyone would think that after two years of recuperation, he was about to take action against Wu.
This was expected by many; some were looking forward to it, some were watching from the sidelines, and some were worried.
The Prince of Zhenbei is the current hegemon, and his slightest move can affect the situation of the world.
The battle with Wu was crucial to everyone's future plans.
I wonder how many people are watching with bated breath.
Bai Xuerou knew the bloodshed outside; with war raging, how could there possibly be true peace?
She simply kept quiet and did what she could, such as protecting herself and not affecting Ling Xun.
She and Ling Xun had spent many years together, but this time was different; they were husband and wife.
Just thinking about it brings a touch of sweetness to one's heart.
Ling Xun was also in high spirits, and even took over Bai Xuerou's job, personally arranging everything for the New Year.
The eve of the Lunar New Year was very lively.
The lights illuminated the mountainside, and Ling Xun embraced Bai Xue Rou from behind, placing his hands on her stomach.
Bai Xuerou is now six months pregnant, and the baby is becoming more and more active. Rumors have also spread that the Princess of Zhenbei is pregnant.
There has been much speculation during this period—
Back when they were at the Prince of Zhenbei's residence, Ling Xun never hid Bai Xue Rou from going to the study. But after the palace was built, the officials of the residence rarely saw Bai Xue Rou anymore. Apart from going out a few times, this princess seemed to spend the rest of her time in the palace.
Some people think that Ling Xun no longer wants to indulge Bai Xue Rou, while others have come up with other speculations.
Now that everyone knows she might be pregnant, they all suddenly realize what's going on.
If someone is pregnant, then you can't be too careful. However, Bai Xuerou and Ling Zheng had been married for several years without having a child, and now she's pregnant so quickly...
Some people couldn't help but delve deeper.
There was nothing to hide about this matter, so Ling Xun and Bai Xuerou let those people investigate. Under such circumstances, those who were interested quickly found out the answer.
She fell into the water shortly after getting married and has never become pregnant. With a little speculation, everyone knew that it must be related to Ling Zheng and his son.
It seems that Ling Ji'an was dissatisfied with this daughter-in-law and did not want her to bear children. However, due to various events, Ling Ji'an and Ling Zheng died one after another, and the title fell to Ling Xun. Bai Xue Rou remarried and was still the Princess Consort of Zhenbei...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
