Chapter 64: Pregnancy

Chapter 64: Pregnancy

Outside the window, heavy snowflakes were falling. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the younger generation came to the manor to pay their New Year respects to the matriarch.

The Rongshou Hall was bustling with activity both inside and out.

Ladies, young maidens, maids, and even sisters-in-law and nieces from neighboring households had arrived.

Madame Wei and Lady Xiao, both of whom had been through similar experiences, were present. When they heard that Ying Shi had fainted while preparing tea in the back room, they had an inkling of what might be happening.

The matriarch promptly ordered Ying Shi to be taken to her east warm chamber and sent someone to fetch a doctor, emphasizing the urgency with three "quick" commands, showing her anxiety.

However, such private matters should not be discussed openly. Fortunately, the sisters-in-law from the neighboring rooms were well-mannered and did not interfere in others' family affairs, quickly finding excuses to leave.

"Matriarch, we shall return to our homes now and bring them to chat with you another day."

The matriarch smiled kindly, suppressing her emotions as she handed out thick red envelopes to the younger generation, granting their leave.

Once the guests had left, Dr. Sun was invited in. He was led by the maids into the warm chamber to examine Third Madam.

Madame Wei was so anxious that she couldn't wait a moment longer. She followed them out, standing at the entrance of the warm chamber to catch the breeze, and called over the clever little maid who always accompanied Ying Shi, directly asking, "Has your lady's monthly cycle been regular this month?"

Xiang Yao, being young, didn't understand her meaning.

Although she disliked Madame Wei, who often troubled their lady, she could only obediently reply, "My lady's cycle is not very regular, sometimes a month, sometimes a month and a half..."

Madame Wei, still unsatisfied, continued to press, "Has her appetite changed compared to before? Does she crave sour foods? Does she feel uncomfortable in the morning?"

Before Xiang Yao could respond, the matriarch, supported by Lady Xiao, came out. The elderly matriarch, with her graying hair, was also anxiously waiting in the corridor, braving the cold wind.

She glanced at Madame Wei and advised, "What's the use of being so anxious? Let's wait for the doctor's diagnosis before jumping to conclusions, lest we get our hopes up for nothing."

Madame Wei had no choice but to remain silent.

Seeing the matriarch come out, the maids quickly followed, draping a cloak over her to shield her from the cold wind. Only then did Xiang Yao find an opportunity to slip through the crowd and enter the room.

Amidst the eager anticipation, Dr. Sun stepped out of the room with his medicine box.

Madame Wei was the first to lose patience, stepping forward to ask, "How is it? Is A Ruan pregnant?"

Even the matriarch looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Under the intense gaze of everyone, Dr. Sun dared not be evasive and quickly replied, "Third Madam's pulse shows signs of a rolling bead, indeed indicating a slippery pulse."

Upon hearing this, the group of maids in the corridor outside, as if they had been prepped, burst into a chorus of congratulations.

The matriarch was overjoyed and asked him, "How is Third Madam?"

"Nothing serious, nothing serious. It's common for pregnant women to feel weak. Do not move Third Madam; let her wake up on her own. I will prescribe some tonics for her to take. In the future, make sure Third Madam doesn't overexert herself, eats and sleeps well, and takes walks. She must always have maids by her side, both in public and private."

These instructions were common knowledge and didn't need to be said by the doctor.

Madame Wei pressed further, "Can you tell how many months along she is?"

Dr. Sun stroked his beard, somewhat troubled, "The pulse is still faint; she is less than two months pregnant, likely between one and two months..."

The two young ladies, soon to be aunts, were naturally all smiles, unable to contain their joy, and said to Madame Wei, "Aunt, don't worry, by the end of this year, your little nephew will surely be born!"

The maids and matrons stepped forward again at the opportune moment, offering their congratulations.

Indeed, they had pleased the Old Madam, who generously rewarded them: "Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and it’s also a joyous occasion as we’re adding a new member to the family. Later, the household will issue a reward, and I’ll personally add another. I’ll reward Dr. Sun with twenty taels of silver, and all the maids and matrons serving in the various courtyards today will each receive two taels."

In Duke Mu’s residence today, there were at least two or three hundred servants working in various rooms. With such casual rewards, the Old Madam’s private treasury alone spent over five hundred taels of silver.

It was just a pregnancy, yet such lavish rewards were truly extravagant.

Upon hearing this, the maids inside and outside the room all kowtowed in gratitude, understanding the significance of the unborn young master in the Third Madam’s womb.

Madame Wei, who was usually the most difficult to please in household matters, was unusually generous and kind today, murmuring: "They should indeed be rewarded. Later, I’ll go and reward them again. This year seems truly auspicious, likely due to the efficacy of the incense at Xiangguo Temple. Originally, Mother and I were both worried, but look—after offering incense, such a joyous event has arrived on the very first day of the New Year!"

After speaking, she subtly glanced at Lady Xiao’s expression, hoping to see embarrassment and resentment. After all, when her daughter-in-law was pregnant, the Old Madam hadn’t been so generous with her private treasury, allowing all the servants to benefit.

Madame Wei had long felt that the Old Madam’s favor shown to her unborn grandson was also a favor shown to herself.

She even privately thought, how could the Xiao family’s grandson compare to hers? Could it even compare? Her family was merely a branch of the main family.

Lady Xiao naturally noticed Madame Wei’s gaze. She suppressed her disdain, coldly sighing that this sister-in-law, though not highly ambitious in previous years, had never been as short-sighted and muddle-headed as now. It seemed that now that her husband and son were gone, she clung even more tightly to her small sphere of influence.

The Liang family, a prominent clan, never lacked prestige and connections. Though the Duke’s title was high, the court was an empty shell, and real power was the icing on the cake.

The Liang family of Hedong, close to the heavens, valued not the Duke’s title but the family’s overall reputation. Only with many descendants and capable men could the family’s status endure, and its nobility continue. Especially since their branch lacked descendants.

She naturally wouldn’t argue with her.

Lady Xiao sincerely rejoiced: "If you think about it, A Xiao and A Ruan’s two children were born in the same year, one at the beginning and one at the end. In the future, the brothers will be born one after the other, supporting each other and advancing together in the court—another good story."

The Old Madam, hearing this, was overjoyed, clutching her prayer beads and murmuring incessantly: "Amitabha, it is indeed the blessing of the Bodhisattva. Another day, our family must visit Xiangguo Temple again and donate more incense as a vow of gratitude."

Madame Wei also smiled and said: "I’ll arrange it today, ensuring everything is properly done!"

Just as everyone was in a joyous mood, a maid suddenly announced at the courtyard gate.

"The Duke has arrived—"

At that moment, the joyful expressions on the ladies' faces became somewhat strange.

Until a tall figure in a dark green cloak walked alone through the snow, the man with a straight nose and thin lips, his hair as black as lacquer, his snow-covered boots stepping onto the corridor, the ladies then came to their senses.

Liang Yun's gaze passed over the crowd, his clear eyes falling on the closed door behind the crowd.

The Old Madam's joy surpassed everything, and she, being reasonable, ignored the strange looks from the ladies, saying to Liang Yun: "A Ruan is pregnant. Yun Er, you... you should also go in and see."

As soon as the Old Madam's words fell, Madame Wei's brow slightly furrowed, clearly displeased, but she ultimately held back her words of dissuasion.

Lady Xiao, seeing the scene, felt embarrassed and quickly smiled and said: "It's cold standing outside, we young ones don't mind, but Mother should not stay long. Let's go, let's sit in Mother's room and warm up."

It wouldn't do for the two of them to talk inside while they stood outside.

Madame Wei, though reluctant, had to lead the ladies back into the main room.

Madame Wei hesitated, holding the hot tea, not knowing whether to drink it or not, even forgetting Lady Xiao's presence, and anxiously said: "Mother, it's not that I'm meddling, but A Ruan is also pregnant, and the eldest should now avoid her..."

The Old Madam, seeing her undisguised eagerness to burn bridges, closed her eyes and said: "No matter what, it's his bloodline. Even raising a cat or a dog can foster affection. If Yun Er were truly that ruthless and heartless, what good would it do you?"

Madame Wei, being rebuked, blushed. The Old Madam finally sighed: "Alright, all of you go back. When A Ruan wakes up, I will send her back to her courtyard to rest, and I will also talk to Yun Er. Yun Er has always been sensible and knows what to do."

The north wind howled, biting and cold, while silver-gray clouds loomed high in the sky, layer upon layer, veiling the warm winter sun.

Ying Shi’s last memory was of vast darkness engulfing her vision, followed by a dizzying, disorienting sensation.

She heard her scalding teacup shatter on the ground, the frantic cries of the maids, and then she lost consciousness.

She felt utterly exhausted.

Her body felt weightless, numb, and detached, like a fragile leaf adrift in water, drifting aimlessly, carried by the wind and rain.

She had no sense of how long she had been drifting, feeling only exhaustion and a deep, penetrating chill. Faintly, she felt the touch of a hand on her face, a familiar scent and a comforting touch.

The slightly rough, warm touch of fingertips traced her forehead, cheeks, along the small bridge of her nose, and onto her pale, bloodless lips. It felt as though they sought to leave an imprint on every inch of her face.

Ying Shi’s eyelids trembled and fluttered, and after struggling several times, she finally managed to open her eyes.

Heavy curtains tightly covered the room’s windows and doors, blocking the cold wind outside. A dim lamp flickered softly by the bedside.

The prolonged darkness left Ying Shi momentarily blind, a vast, hazy white mist clouded her vision. She blinked repeatedly, waiting for the mist to clear.

In the dim lamplight, she finally made out the calm, focused face before her.

He sat alone by the bed, deep in thought, his long, thick lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. His high nose bridge and brow bone resembled the rugged contours of mountains. In the depths of his eyes, she saw a gentleness and peace she had never noticed.

This Liang Yun was breathtakingly handsome.

"Brother?" Ying Shi’s voice was filled with confusion and the nasal tone of someone just waking up. She called out softly, just like in those intoxicating times before.

Liang Yun hummed softly but said nothing.

His fingers brushed aside the soft hair on her forehead, revealing the swollen wound from her earlier fall against the table. A flicker of emotion she couldn’t understand passed through his deep eyes.

His demeanor made Ying Shi feel somewhat afraid.

Ying Shi sat up on the bed, looking around at the completely unfamiliar surroundings. She looked up at him and asked, "Where am I?"

Liang Yun reached out to steady her shoulders, as if afraid she might accidentally roll off the bed again. After her fainting spell, she had become a fragile porcelain doll in his eyes.

"You fainted in Grandmother’s room earlier."

Ying Shi was frightened by his tone, and seeing his always peculiar expression, she couldn’t help but press further, "What’s wrong with me? Did you call a doctor?"

Most people are like this. When Xiao Qiongyu was pregnant, she could easily guess from the smallest details.

But when it came to herself, she still didn’t suspect that possibility, preferring to think she had an incurable illness rather than consider she might be pregnant.

Ying Shi told him everything that had happened that day: "I only remember talking to someone one moment, and then suddenly everything went white before my eyes, I couldn’t see anything, couldn’t even hear... What’s going on? I didn’t eat anything today, so it couldn’t be poisoning..."

Liang Yun lowered his gaze, looking at her pale, frightened face. He struggled to force a smile and told her in a calm voice, "Ying Shi, you’re not poisoned. You’re going to have a child."

Ying Shi was stunned by his words. She stared at his serious face for a long while before confirming she hadn’t misheard.

Her originally pale cheeks gradually flushed with joy. She took a deep breath twice and looked down at her still flat abdomen.

"I fell earlier... Did I hurt it?"

Liang Yun casually reassured her, "It’s in your belly now. If anything were to happen, you’d be the first to feel it. Look, aside from the bump on your forehead, does anywhere else hurt?"

She carefully examined herself and said there was nothing.

"Except for my head, nothing else hurts..."

Ying Shi tried once more to sense the presence of the little one in her belly, but despite her efforts, she couldn't feel any sign of the child.

Even though she couldn't feel the child's presence, she was still content and smiled, "Brother, you're not just pulling my leg, are you?"

She asked again, as if needing confirmation.

Liang Yun said he wasn't.

"You should have noticed something was off with your body these past few days."

Ying Shi thought about it, and indeed, it was true. So, she really was pregnant? Oh my, it must be a blessing from the heavens...

She carefully recalled all the unusual signs her body had shown lately. When did it all start?

Suddenly, Ying Shi noticed Liang Yun placing a warm, wet cloth on the injury on her forehead. The throbbing pain snapped her back to reality. Her body moved faster than her mind, and she instinctively turned her head away from his hand.

Liang Yun looked down at her.

Ying Shi's body stiffened, and she whispered, "Thank you for everything during this period."

Liang Yun paused slightly, the faint smile on his lips slowly disappearing. He asked her blankly, "Thank me for what?"

Ying Shi turned her head away from his intense gaze, perhaps out of guilt or some other reason, her voice becoming even softer, almost inaudible, "Thank you, Duke, for giving it to me..."

Liang Yun listened to the change in her address, polite yet distant.

His heart skipped a beat momentarily.