Chapter 104: You are revealed to be pregnant
Lu Tingwan was thinking about something important and was about to leave when a gentle voice came from behind her: "Miss Liu left midway. The people in the mansion said someone from the palace had come. So it was the Second Madam?"
The two looked at each other. Lu Tingwan naturally took a few steps back, keeping a distance from Cheng Xianzhi. Gongsun Xue walked closer and stood beside Cheng Xianzhi generously, holding his arms with both hands and smiling sweetly.
"Madam." Lu Tingwan bowed, and then she realized that Miss Liu's guest was Gongsun Xue.
So when Miss Liu asked her about leaving Kyoto just now, could it be that Gongsun Xue said something to her, and that's why Miss Liu said those words to her, trying to persuade her to leave Kyoto?
Cheng Xianzhi's eyes casually fell on a bonsai and his gentle expression withdrew.
"My lord, you accompanied me to the Liu family to meet your close friend. I never expected to meet the Second Madam. You haven't been home for quite some time, but have you been busy with things in the palace recently?" Gongsun Xue greeted.
It turned out that Cheng Xianzhi had come with Gongsun Xue. A hint of disappointment flashed across Lu Tingwan's eyes, a feeling he hadn't even noticed. After a moment, he smiled faintly and said, "I'm a little busy."
She was concerned about her official duties and thought she had to get to the next one as soon as possible. She said a few quick words and left. Gongsun Xue wanted to hold her aside to chat for a few more words, but she tried to read something in Lu Tingwan's eyes and held Cheng Xianzhi's arms tightly. Cheng Xianzhi frowned and wanted to pull away but couldn't find a suitable reason.
His palms were slightly clenched in the dark of his sleeves, and the figure in his peripheral vision was Lu Tingwan.
Lu Tingwan hadn't walked a few steps when Gongsun Xue was called away by Miss Liu's maid. Cheng Xianzhi took advantage of the opportunity and caught up with the departing carriage. Lu Tingwan called for a halt, then lifted the curtain, revealing half of her face. "What's the matter?"
"When will you return to the palace?" Cheng Xianzhi stood in front of the carriage window, staring at that half of the face. It seemed that in an instant, all the words in his heart were transferred to this expression. He didn't say anything, but it seemed that he had said everything.
Lu Tingwan's heart was pounding, and he didn't dare to think further. His fingertips clenched the car curtain. After a long moment, he replied, "There are two more."
Cheng Xianzhi also had official business. He did not come just to accompany Gongsun Xue, but used Gongsun Xue's name to avoid being seen and came to the Liu family to lobby. As for what they talked about, only Minister Liu and he knew.
Cheng Xianzhi said, "If you've finished your work, wait for me at Weiyang Tower. I'll rush over after I finish my work here."
Lu Tingwan was puzzled: "Why can't you tell me now?"
Cheng Xianzhi looked determined to say it now. Lu Tingwan lowered his eyes, avoiding his gaze, and agreed, "Okay, I have to hurry back before the palace gates are locked."
She gave him time and agreed to the appointment. It just so happened that her mind had been in a state of flux these past few days, filled with speculation and doubt about herself, making her somewhat uneasy. She wanted to confirm her suspicions, and asking openly was the simplest and most direct way. The look in his eyes just now only confirmed her suspicions.
Cheng Xianzhi is interested in me.
But Gongsun Xue and him were so close, she wanted to cut it off, cut off the feelings that had sprouted between them. Perhaps it was because they had been together for so long that she inexplicably developed this feeling. It was different from how she felt about Luo Yunchu at the beginning. At that time, she wanted to take the initiative to get closer, to admit it generously, and to accept it willingly.
But this time it was different, this feeling came at the wrong time, she didn't want to have any lingering relationship with him, it was different, everything was different.
Previously, she wanted him to agree to a divorce only if she wanted to leave Kyoto. Although she was in Kyoto now and would not leave for a while, if Cheng Xianzhi really had that idea, the divorce must be put on the agenda as soon as possible.
After delivering the remaining rewards to the two families, Lu Tingwan first sent back the accompanying palace maids.
As agreed, she went to Weiyang Tower. It was already dark, and after dusk, the Weiyang Tower was crowded with diners. Lu Tingwan chose a secluded private room, ordered a pot of sake and some snacks. After drinking half a pot of sake, the moonlight climbed up to the top of the tree, and it was almost midnight.
Cheng Xianzhi was still nowhere to be seen. He was not the kind of person who would break an appointment, so he must have been busy with something important. Lu Tingwan was not anxious and waited patiently because she also wanted to take this opportunity to explain things to him.
If she waited another hour, she would miss the time when the palace gates would be locked. She secretly calculated that if he didn't come in half an hour, she would have to go back first.
The door of the wing room was closed all night, and whenever a figure passed by, she thought it was the person she was waiting for.
But there was no more movement, and it was late at night, almost midnight.
Unable to wait any longer, Lu Tingwan stood up, paid the silver, sighed, and left Weiyang Tower, only to see an anxious figure rushing towards this side.
Cang Zhu was out of breath and his breathing was still not steady. He supported himself on his knees with his hands to calm down. Lu Tingwan stared at him in a daze, not understanding what was going on.
Cang Zhu swallowed hard, and a few words came out of his dry mouth: "But, I finally caught up..."
Lu Tingwan said succinctly, "Where's Cheng Xianzhi?"
Cang Zhu stared at the person on the steps. At this moment, Lu Tingwan was solemn and dignified, even more dignified and majestic than the mistress of the Shangshu Mansion, and his pressure was no less than that of his master. Is this the person who was trained in Jinhua Palace?
Cang Zhu shook his head, collected his thoughts, and picked up the important things and said, "Since the master can't come, he asked me to come and tell Madam that she won't have to wait too long..."
Lu Tingwan just found it funny and couldn't help but sneered twice: "Waiting for a long time? I waited for two hours, and he just said he wasn't coming."
She didn't mean to embarrass Cang Shu, but she was genuinely angry. Cang Shu explained, "Second Madam, don't be angry. There's an emergency at the mansion. My Lord finished his work at the Six Ministries, but before he even left, he received an urgent letter from the mansion. It said that the First Madam had a sudden illness, and Yingyue Pavilion was in chaos. There was no one in charge at the mansion. My Lord remembered his appointment with the Second Madam and couldn't get away, so he specifically asked Cang Shu to deliver the message."
Gongsun Xue suddenly developed an old illness?
Today, Liu Mansion saw that she was fine, and had not heard that Gongsun Xue had any serious illness. However, the matter was of great importance, and this excuse would not be used to shirk it.
Even if Gongsun Xue knew that Cheng Xianzhi had an appointment with her, if she had any ideas, it was not impossible for her to stage a self-torture scheme. She had been married to the Cheng family for a year, and although she had never had any jealousy with him, she had been in the palace for a long time and had heard a lot of these tricks in the harem.
In this case, whether it is true or not, she doesn't want to care. If he can't handle this relationship well, there is no need for her to get entangled with him.
"Got it. Give my regards to the Madam for me."
Seeing her expression soften, Cang Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said hurriedly, "My Lord is concerned about the Second Madam. Her situation in the palace is not as good as you might think. I saw you worrying about it late at night a few times before, and you even asked Lord Han Zhou to have someone in the palace take care of the Second Madam. But my Lord doesn't like to talk about it."
Lu Tingwan found it strange. After walking a few steps, he turned back and couldn't help asking, "What do you mean by asking someone to take care of my situation in the palace?"
She realized that this was not that simple. Cangshu hesitated and was secretly surprised that she had talked too much.
Cang Shu looked around. The guests at Weiyang Tower had dispersed, and the streets were becoming less crowded. He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear, and said, "Palace Master Hong is not ill. The Master said that if you want to gain a foothold in Jinhua Palace, you must gain the Queen Mother's trust."
"Hong Zhanggong is the Queen Mother's confidant..."
If she was not removed, Queen Mother Jiang would not reuse anyone, let alone someone with a special status like Lu Tingwan. She took the opportunity to manage palace affairs for the Queen Mother and gained initial trust, but the Queen Mother still did not let her manage the accounts of Yaoxin and Jinhua Palace except for daily expenses, which was the best proof.
Cheng Xianzhi knew this, which was why he went to such great lengths to bribe people in the palace and quietly get rid of Hong Zhanggong. This move was dangerous. If he was discovered by someone, he would be doomed. He...
"Won't Cheng Xianzhi blame you for telling me all this?" Lu Tingwan looked up at the sky. The moonlight passed through the hazy sky, leaving a few strands of silver light on her cheeks, which was incredibly beautiful.
"This..." Cang Zhu was embarrassed. The sweat on his forehead had not yet dried due to the long journey. He was not familiar with Lu Tingwan, but he felt that she was different from anyone else in the mansion.
Lu Tingwan pondered the entire journey back to the palace. Had Cheng Xianzhi secretly sent someone to poison Palace Master Hong? Was this truly his sole act? If he simply wanted to establish himself in Jinhua Palace and uncover evidence that the Jiang family was behind the Lu family's murder, there was no need to take such a risk.
She couldn't figure it out. If she met Cheng Xianzhi tonight and confirmed her guess, she would dare to further infer the connection between the two matters.
But she didn't know that there was an unknown deal between Cheng Xianzhi and Li Tingfeng.
No matter how powerful Cheng Xian's supernatural powers were, how could he poison a female official in the harem without leaving any trace? This would definitely not be possible without the emperor's permission.
Gongsun Xue was indeed ill, and asked the imperial physician from the Imperial Hospital to diagnose her, but her pulse did not indicate any illness.
Since returning from the Liu family, Gongsun Xue has felt unbearable pain in her lower abdomen. She sent someone to the palace to invite the imperial physician, but the physician fainted before he arrived. Luzhu was extremely anxious and at a loss, so she had to ask Cangzhu to go to the six departments to find Cheng Xianzhi.
Human life is at stake, and he had to break his promise in an emergency.
After the imperial physician finished the diagnosis, Gongsun Xue was still unconscious. Cheng Xianzhi had been guarding her bedside. Small beads of sweat flowed across Gongsun Xue's plump forehead. Maids were kneeling outside Yingyue Pavilion. Others thought that Cheng Xianzhi was angry and blamed her because she was not taking good care of her mistress.
Only Dew, who was kneeling in front of him, knew the reason. Her shoulders were shaking and she was sobbing miserably. Cheng Xianzhi said nothing. A cold light spread in the room, dispelling the summer heat.
After waiting for half an incense stick, an arm moved slightly beneath the thin quilt, followed by a rustling on the couch. Gongsun Xue awoke, her whole body feeling heavy, and the person before her was doubled, then gradually clearer.
Cheng Xianzhi's eyes were as calm as water, and his voice was as clear as a crystal: "Awake?"
Luzhu timidly looked up at the sound. Gongsun Xue saw someone kneeling not far away and asked in confusion, "Master, what's happening to Xue'er?"
Luzhu knew that a disaster was about to happen, but the person in front of her never showed any anger or resentment from beginning to end, but instead acted extremely calmly.
"You fainted, do you feel better?" Cheng Xianzhi said without showing any emotion.
Gongsun Xue tried hard to recall the scene before she fainted, the pain still lingered in her lower abdomen.
"I..." She was obviously unaware.
"You are pregnant." Cheng Xianzhi finally moved and looked at her.
He wanted to see her expression clearly, from confusion to surprise, gradually panic, and then to the eagerness to explain the reason, feeling guilty. In just a few breaths, Cheng Xianzhi saw the expression he had expected.
Gongsun Xue looked at Luzhu. Seeing this, she was afraid that the truth had been revealed. She always took contraceptive pills after having sex with Jiang Qingsheng. How could this happen? How could this happen?
"Master, I..." Tears suddenly flowed down his face.
"The imperial physician said that your pregnancy is unstable and you shouldn't get too emotional." The room was so quiet that only the sobbing of the master and servant could be heard.
Gongsun Xue looked at the person in front of her, unsure of him, but not being angry made her feel even more helpless.
"Husband..." The voice was soft and aggrieved, and any man who heard it would feel pity.
Cheng Xianzhi remained indifferent and asked quietly, "Whose is it?"
The word "whose" was meant to remind her that they had never been husband and wife, so the fetus was naturally not his.
He knew it all, he knew it all too well.
"I..." Gongsun Xue was so ashamed that she couldn't bring herself to say this. However, she felt wronged in her heart. "Husband, Xue'er knows she was wrong."
Gongsun Xue cried uncontrollably, staggering off the thin blanket, grabbing Cheng Xianzhi's wrist and begging for mercy, "Xue'er was confused for a moment, and that's why I did something that was unfair to my husband. If my husband is willing to forgive me, then I don't want this baby. From now on, I will absolutely obey my husband's orders and never have any second thoughts..."
"Even though it's only been two months, the doctor said there's already a heartbeat. If you don't want to tell me, I won't force you. As for the child," Cheng Xianzhi sighed and paused, "Just rest assured and take care of the baby. After the baby is born in ten months, you and I will sign a divorce letter. From now on, we won't exchange letters. We'll be strangers and there's no need for any further contact."
Gongsun Xue burst into tears, "Husband..."
"Don't worry, I will publicly acknowledge that this child is of my Cheng family bloodline. As for your reputation, only the three of you in this room will know about it tonight. No fourth person will know."
Cheng Xianzhi didn't care whether the child stayed or died, nor did he care who Gongsun Xue was having an affair with, and he didn't care whether she would remarry after the divorce. To preserve her reputation, he agreed to give birth to the baby as a last shred of dignity for her.
"From today on, Yingyue Pavilion will take good care of the Madam. If the fetus in her womb is lost, bring her head to me." The voice echoed in Yingyue Pavilion. This was not only said to the servants, but also to Gongsun Xue. How could the servants dare to neglect it after hearing this? Cheng Xianzhi wanted to save the fetus in her womb.
The person has left, leaving behind Gongsun Xue, who is disheartened and depressed.
Luzhu stood up to help him. The fear in Gongsun Xue's eyes turned into self-mockery, and crazy laughter replaced the sobs at the corners of his mouth. He really didn't care. He ignored such humiliation and didn't even ask who that person was.
Gongsun Xue laughed non-stop, "Divorce... Divorce..."
"What a good divorce..."
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