Chapter 13: If You Want to Have Children

Chapter 13: If You Want to Have Children

"Buy whatever you need, don't deprive yourself."

"I'll bring more things over tomorrow."

"If you need anything else for the wedding preparations, let me know."

"In the capital, noble and official families traditionally give geese as wedding gifts. But now that it's winter and the geese have flown south, I'll owe this for now. When spring arrives next year, I will definitely make up for it."

"Lu Mingchao, thank you."

Unexpectedly, Xie Yan bowed deeply toward Lu Mingchao without any warning.

Lu Mingchao was stunned and confused.

Thank her?

Xie Yan thanking her?

As far as she knew, Xie Yan was purely innocent and dragged into this through no fault of his own.

And her decision to proceed with the marriage, apart from having her eyes on Xie Yan, also included considerations for Lu Yao's future.

The number of successful candidates in the imperial examinations each spring was limited, and the competition outside the examination halls was always fierce, filled with various schemes.

According to the memories of the original owner, there was once a brilliant scholar in the previous dynasty whose poetry and essays were unparalleled. He was expected to pass the imperial examination with flying colors.

However, just as the imperial examination was about to begin, a fellow student pointed out that the character "Jin" in his father's name sounded the same as the "Jin" in "Jinshi" (successful candidate).

According to the tradition of taboo avoidance, which requires avoiding the names of respected, close, or virtuous individuals, he was barred from taking the Jinshi examination.

This absurd accusation completely derailed the talented scholar's chances of becoming an official.

Therefore, Xie Yan's gratitude made her feel undeserving.

"No need to thank me," Lu Mingchao replied, still looking bewildered.

It was a conditioned reflex from years of compulsory education.

Xie Yan looked at the woman in front of him, her eyes bright like stars, and a trace of admiration and respect quietly grew in his heart.

Despite the drastic changes in her life, she didn’t complain or live in fear. Instead, she remained calm and confident, like a towering pine standing tall in the wind and snow, never wilting, and never needing to wait for better times.

Neither of them spoke, and the room fell into an odd silence, where a pin drop could be heard.

The flickering lantern light made the snowy night seem softer in their hearts.

"Chaochao."

Yunniang’s voice broke the silence like a pebble dropped into a still lake, creating ripples.

"Do we have a decision yet?" Yunniang asked, already knowing the answer.

At this moment, she wished Xie Yan would firmly decide to call off the wedding.

Xie Yan didn’t leave Lu Mingchao to face the pressure alone. He stepped forward, bowed his head, and said firmly, "If Mingchao is willing to marry me, I, Xie Yan, will never betray her."

"If Mingchao changes her mind before the wedding, I won’t hold it against her."

At the very least, on this snowy night, Lu Mingchao honestly told him that she did not dislike him.

Yunniang’s expression softened a little.

In Changxi Village, Xie Yan was truly exceptional.

But thinking about how Mingchao would never have children to bring her joy, Yunniang felt uneasy.

People's hearts are unknowable; would Xie Yan's children be wholeheartedly with Mingchao?

Even after raising a child for a hundred years, a parent’s worries never truly end.

"Xie Yan, you’re a good person..." Yunniang trailed off.

Lu Chunsheng imperceptibly tugged at Yunniang’s sleeve, shook his head, and then looked at Lu Mingchao kindly. "Mingchao, put on your cloak and walk Xie Yan to the door."

Lu Mingchao agreed.

The snow reflected enough light that the world outside wasn’t completely shrouded in darkness.

The two of them walked on the snow, their footsteps creaking with each step.

"Let’s stop here," Lu Mingchao said.

"Go back quickly," she added.

Xie Yan stopped, his voice faint and carried by the wind.

"Mingchao, you can discuss it again with your mother," Xie Yan, who had experienced the ups and downs of human emotions, could tell that Lu Mingchao's mother was hesitant.

"Children, children can still be born," Xie Yan turned his head, feeling a bit unnatural. "If you..."

Lu Mingchao waved her hand. "It's fine, your children will be my children."

Xie Yan: ...

A wave of helplessness washed over him. How had things come to this?

"Go back," Lu Mingchao said.

"See you later!" Lu Mingchao waved, wrapped her cloak tighter, and ran back into the yard, the gate locking behind her.

Snowflakes fell on her hair and shoulders; Xie Yan didn’t bother to brush them off, his eyes fixed on the snowy ground.

In the snow lay a delicate yellow velvet flower, surrounded by gently falling snowflakes, like poetic adornments slowly piling up, gradually covering it.

This was the velvet flower that had been in Lu Mingchao's hair.

Xie Yan stepped forward and picked it up, holding it tightly in his palm.

Was this, perhaps, a silver lining for him?

In the lonely, deserted snowy night, Xie Yan silently laughed.

It seemed that marriage wasn’t something he despised after all.

Lu Mingchao hadn’t noticed that the velvet flower in her hair had fallen off. As soon as she entered the room, her family surrounded her.

"Chaochau, you should reconsider this marriage again."

"How can I agree to Xie Yan's unreasonable request? It's hard for us to feel at ease without you having children by your side."

Yunniang held Lu Mingchao's hand, murmuring incessantly.

Lu Mingchao was rendered speechless.

In this world, it was considered one of the greatest acts of filial piety to have descendants, and she had never entertained the idea of challenging these established norms on her own.

How could she explain that not having to bear children was a huge plus for her when it came to Xie Yan?

Lu Mingchao pursed her lips and pondered for a moment. "Mother, actually, it's because I don't want to give birth."

"When I was young and innocent, I played hide-and-seek with a maidservant and hid in the courtyard of one of my father's concubines. I witnessed the concubine of the marquis die while giving birth. All I could hear were endless wails, and all I could see was blood-red."

"I was frightened and, in a daze, fell into the lotus pond, which is how I developed this condition of chronic coldness."

"From that time on, day after day, year after year, I had to endure endless bitter medicine."

"Mother, I'm truly afraid of the bitterness."

"Please, let me be indulgent just this once."

"Xie Yan is a good choice for me."

What she said wasn't entirely fabricated.

In truth, the original owner had indeed consumed a lot of medicine, though it was meant to regulate and nourish her body, helping her conceive and give birth to an heir after marrying into the ducal household, thus securing her position as the wife of the heir.

"Really?" Yunniang was skeptical.

Lu Mingchao nodded hurriedly.

Lu Chunsheng and Yunniang felt a pang of sympathy.

Only Lu Yao's eyes flickered slightly, his lips curving into a smile.

"Mother, I'm hungry," Lu Mingchao whined in a sweet, soft voice.

"Let's eat!"

"We'll eat right away!" Yunniang waved her hand.

In preparation for Lu Mingchao's arrival, the meal was exceptionally lavish.

Yunniang had cooked the family's last bit of fine rice, and to enhance the texture, she added a bit of expensive sugar to the pot, resulting in soft, fragrant rice.

Next to the large stove, there was a small pot, in which a whole chicken was being stewed, emitting a bubbling sound. On the table, neatly arranged slices of cured ham shone, each piece exuding a rich, savory aroma.

The aroma wafted through the air, making one's mouth water.

"Don't dwell on it."