Chapter 78

Chapter 78

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the mansion hosted a moon-viewing and flower-admiring banquet in the courtyard.

Despite her illness, the elderly lady still enjoyed the festive atmosphere, so she asked Madame Wei and Lady Xiao to set up the banquet outside the Rongshou Hall.

Everything had been meticulously prepared well in advance, with carpets and brocade cushions laid on the ground. Everyone set up square tables under the eaves, arranged by seniority.

That night, the moonlight was bright. The moon's glow draped like a silver veil over the blue bricks and black tiles, and the pavilions and towers were all bathed in a layer of white frost.

Bamboo swayed gently beside the secluded path, its shadows dancing in the moonlight. The moonlight reflected in it, resembling scattered and chaotic pieces of jade, creating a scene of serene beauty wherever one looked.

Plump autumn crabs were served, each one larger than a bowl or plate. The Liang family had selected the biggest and fattest ones. The steamed crab and crab-stuffed orange were culinary masterpieces.

In previous years, Ying Shi had always been particularly fond of this dish, but unfortunately, this year she was pregnant and had to adhere to many dietary restrictions, with crabs being the first to avoid due to their cold nature.

Fortunately, there were plenty of other delicacies to savor, even without the crabs.

Ying Shi sipped the velvety bamboo shoot soup, with the flavors of ham and fresh bamboo shoots fully dissolved in the soup. The sweetness made her close her eyes in delight, feeling utterly content.

Since this was a family banquet with no outsiders, men and women mingled freely.

Some of the ladies went to pay homage to the moon, while the men went to burn incense and light candles, offering melon cakes and assorted fruits to the deities.

Later, the mansion hosted a lantern riddle game.

It seemed Madame Wei and Lady Xiao had gone out of their way to create a festive atmosphere, hoping to bring joy to the elderly lady inside.

But guessing lantern riddles was quite a challenge for the usually high-ranking, rigid, and inarticulate gentlemen. Neither Liang Zhi nor Liang Ting seemed likely to excel at this.

Fortunately, the ladies were adept at it, and ignoring the men's opinions, they filled the lanterns with riddles. Many maids and matrons joined in, adding to the lively atmosphere.

Soon, many lanterns were hung high.

The Second Master had stayed out of writing the riddles, but when it came to guessing, he was full of energy. Well-read, he strolled over with his hands behind his back and solved nearly every riddle he encountered.

In no time, he had cracked over a dozen lantern riddles.

Xiao Qiongyu came over and asked Ying Shi, "Do you want to go and take a look?"

Ying Shi, being young, also joined in the fun, but she arrived late. The easy ones had already been guessed, and she could only solve two of the remaining ones before giving up.

Being heavily pregnant, she soon felt exhausted. It was not appropriate to leave early on such a lively occasion, so she quietly returned to her seat to rest and conserve her energy.

At that moment, a sound suddenly came from the corridor. While the front was bustling with people coming and going, Ying Shi had been sitting alone at the table, surrounded by silence.

Now, she was the first to notice the sound and turned to look towards the corridor.

A few strands of moonlight spilled into the corridor, illuminating the old paintings on the walls and the nearby flower branches. The figure in the dark robe appeared elegant and solitary in the moonlight.

His outline always carried a mature and steady aura that could put people at ease, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

The two of them exchanged restrained glances through the crowd.

He saw that she was still the same as when she left, wearing a jade-colored embroidered skirt with stacked flower branches and a light purple orchid embroidered jacket, holding a silk fan with ivory handle and eight immortals design.

She sat alone at the table, her face glowing in the moonlight.

She was just sitting there, calmly talking to the maid behind her, and Liang Yun felt his heart, which had been hanging all the way, gradually relax.

But he couldn’t shake off the ache in his heart.

Was she exhausted? Why wasn’t anyone talking to her?

“Is the Duke back?” The ladies lit up when they saw Liang Yun return and greeted him.

“Yun Er, you’re back just in time. Mother was just talking about you. Since you’re here, go in and speak with her,” Liang Ting said, stroking his beard.

From the inner chamber, faint coughs of the elderly lady drifted through the window.

Liang Yun didn’t linger. He lifted his robe, his wide sleeves brushing past her as he entered the inner chamber to sit with the elderly lady.

To Liang Yun, his grandmother was a figure of stern authority.

She was strict, forbidding the young men from being coddled, the men from taking concubines, and the girls from neglecting their studies. Yet, she’d worry he’d be cold in winter and personally make clothes for him.

In her younger days, she was strong, but time takes its toll. She never burdened her descendants with worries, fearing it might distract them from their court duties.

Before he knew it, the old lady on the bed was weathered, her hair silver, her face lined with wrinkles.

When Liang Yun left, she hadn’t been this weak. In just two weeks, she’d grown so ill she could barely sit up.

Seeing this, Liang Yun’s guilt deepened...

He held back his emotions, sitting by her bed, personally feeding her the medicine.

“Grandmother, I’m back.”

He remembered how she’d been upset with him, thinking he’d grown careless and foolish. But now, with death approaching, she’d begun to see things differently.

What else could she do but accept it?

He’d always been independent.

He was quiet, seeming easygoing, but it was really just indifference. Indifferent, detached, uninterested. Everything was expendable, disposable, controllable.

But when he cared about something, nothing could stop him.

She knew him better than anyone.

She took his hand and said, “You’ve lost weight. I heard you were sick. Were you thinking about that again?”

Liang Yun’s voice cracked as he looked down, silent.

“Ah... I’ve been looking the other way, but you should stay home more. Childbirth is no small thing...”

Outside the window, the sky was dim, the night dark.

A few osmanthus trees bloomed by the window, filling the room with fragrance.

Ying Shi, heavy with pregnancy, left early for the Day Garden.

She sat quietly by the collapsed edge, lost in thought, and then, finding time dragging on, she picked up the half-finished embroidery frame and began to embroider flowers by the candlelight.

Before she finished embroidering a single petal, Ying Shi saw his tall figure enter the room.

Though they had only been apart for half a month, it felt like years had passed.

The young woman, in her prime, was radiant and charming, yet here she was, sitting in the dimly lit room, embroidering by lamplight.

She still looked slender, unlike most expectant mothers who often swell. In fact, her complexion glowed exceptionally due to her pregnancy, and the candlelight on her flawless face gave her an indescribable allure.

Liang Yun couldn’t bear to look at her endearing, pitiful appearance.

Nor could he stand to see her delicate curves and the swell of her belly.

Desire and jealousy are the most insatiable emotions in the world. They fuel endless possessiveness and a relentless sense of dissatisfaction.

She had always been his, heart and soul, and she was even carrying his child, their child was about to be born... but it always felt just a little off.

It was a little off before, and now it’s even more so...

There was always something missing... always a little short.

She... was also a little distant with him.

The room was quiet, and Ying Shi broke the silence first. She sat there smiling at him, "Why are you standing there? Come sit with me. Come and see the handkerchief I embroidered for the baby, isn’t it cute?"

As if drawn, he stepped forward.

He was so tall he had to bend down to her level, just to make her comfortable.

After being apart for so long, people lose their sense of reason. Being apart feels insufficient, far from enough. Being close, every breath is filled with the other’s scent, leaving the mind in a daze.

Ying Shi wrapped her arms around his waist, her fair cheeks lifting with a smile. Seeing her lips so temptingly lush, his scorching lips descended upon hers.

It was a kiss of conquest, of claiming, even a declaration of ownership. Clearly, it was too much for her fragile body, and she was already breathless after just a few kisses.

Her lips were wet, leaving her feeling breathless.

Her body couldn’t take it now.

Liang Yun realized too late that he’d gone too far and slowly released her.

His eyes were calmer than ever as he gently soothed her back and stroked her soft hair, and he said with guilt, "I’m sorry, I forgot for a moment..."

Ying Shi, with her good temper, shook her head, not blaming him.

Her gentle breath brushed his face as she spoke words that could melt one’s heart, "I know, I know you just missed me too much."

Missed too much, couldn’t help it.

Liang Yun’s heart indeed softened completely, and he quietly handed her the wooden box he had been carrying.

His hands were thin, with long fingers. They looked like the hands of a scholar, with neatly trimmed and rounded nails.

Ying Shi took it and quietly opened a corner, catching a glimpse of a thick stack of deeds and banknotes inside.

She looked up at him in shock, belatedly understanding, and pointed to her belly, "Are these for him?"

Liang Yun lowered his eyelids, clearly this being the first time he had ever given a gift.

Though the gift’s recipient was misunderstood, it was close enough, and he could only press his lips together and reply, "Yes."

The gift was too extravagant, and Ying Shi didn't even dare to tally it up.

After some thought, she still said seriously, "It's too valuable. Is it meant for a boy? Then I can't accept it... What if it's a girl?"

Her words were so naive.

So naive that Liang Yun couldn't help but pinch her soft cheek, causing her to wrinkle her nose and squirm. Only then did he laugh and say to the little one in her belly, "If it's a girl, she will be just as precious as a pearl."

...

Ever since Ying Shi became pregnant, everyone in Zhujin Garden started making preparations.

To welcome the new life growing inside her.

All sorts of baby essentials were prepared ahead of time. Clothes were also washed and starched well in advance.

The wet nurses, female doctors, and even two midwives summoned from the palace had arrived at Zhujin Garden long ago to be on standby.

Perhaps the baby in her womb sensed that the father had returned.

Initially quiet, but just a few days after Liang Yun's return, Ying Shi began to feel uneasy.

Giving birth for the first time was no easy feat. Ying Shi experienced false labor pains several times, each time throwing the household into chaos, but in the end, it was just a false alarm.

Just the pains leading up to childbirth.

Later, Ying Shi felt a bit embarrassed for causing a fuss all day and preventing the maids from getting a good night's sleep.

That night, when Ying Shi's belly ached briefly again, she could only bear it. Liang Yun was the first to notice something was amiss. He touched her face and said, "If you're in pain, you must tell me."

Ying Shi nodded vaguely but still held back, fearing it was another false alarm.

But that night, the pain was odd, coming and going without being too severe, yet it kept her awake.

Liang Yun thought it was just the baby dropping into the pelvis, the usual discomfort before childbirth. He pressed his nose against hers and, as always, soothed her by gently stroking her back.

"Close your eyes and rest. Sleep will make it better."

Her eyes were dark and sunken after just a few days, and she hadn't had a decent night's sleep. If this kept up for a few more days, they would need to find a solution.

Liang Yun was a very composed man, and his voice seemed to have a calming effect. Ying Shi could always be soothed by his gentle words. After enduring a wave of pain, she gradually stopped feeling it. Closing her eyes, she thought it was indeed another false alarm, and she finally drifted into a deep sleep.

In her dream, she even dreamed of a beautiful scene of children and grandchildren around her knees. She smiled in her dream but suddenly felt a warm wetness on the quilt, as if something was flowing down.

Ying Shi woke up abruptly from her dream, feeling the pain coming again, more and more intense. She was truly scared now.

She couldn't control the trembling of her hands and feet, couldn't stop sobbing.

Liang Yun woke up quickly in his sleep. He reached out and touched her face, full of tears.

Liang Yun remained calm and said to her, "Don't be afraid, I'll call the doctor."

Such a calm man was also in chaos and at a loss when the moment really came.

He remembered the books he had read and hurriedly called for someone.

But Ying Shi grabbed his sleeve, and in just a short while, her hand was already covered in a layer of fine sweat.

She still remembered to remind him, "Not the doctor, call the midwife..."

Liang Yun rang the silver bell, and in an instant, the maids waiting outside came rushing in.

The candles were relit, and Ying Shi's face turned bright red, with beads of sweat glistening at her temples.

Liang Yun leaned over to wipe the sweat from her temples, asking, "Is the pain unbearable? Try to focus on something happy. Just think, he’ll be here soon, and once he’s born, the suffering will be over. You’ll finally get some restful sleep, and someone will call you ‘Mom.’"

But Ying Shi shook her head. The pain seemed to ease a little, and she could breathe more steadily now. She blushed and whispered, barely audible, "I’m so embarrassed. All these people are watching me, and I don’t even know who they are. I, I..."

Liang Yun comforted her, "This is something every woman goes through. Becoming a mother means enduring this once. Every living thing in this world comes into being the same way. Ying Shi, you’re amazing."

Ying Shi sniffled, "I don’t want to be amazing."

Ying Shi felt completely disheveled, soaked in sweat, her hair plastered to her face. No matter how much he wiped, he couldn't dry her sweat.

She felt like she looked absolutely awful.

But soon, she didn’t even care how she looked. When the pain hit, it felt like her waist and abdomen were being torn apart. She’d managed before, but now, as the pain intensified, she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Up until now, she’d been full of hope—for the child, for the future. But now, the waves of pain brought her back to reality.

It reminded her that nothing was easy—not childbirth, nor what lay ahead.

The calm was just a brief respite... she still had a lot of pain to get through.

Tears welled up in Ying Shi's eyes. She knew that once the others arrived, Liang Yun wouldn't be able to stay in the room with her. After holding back for so long, she couldn't help but choke up, "I'm really scared. I'm scared I'll die..."

Liang Yun, who had been relatively composed, was startled by her words, his brow furrowing.

He held her cold hand, now unable to tell whose hand was colder. Their cold sweat mingled, making them both feel miserable.

"Didn't the midwives check everything beforehand? Everything is fine. Your body is strong, and the baby isn't too big," he said hoarsely.

"If I... if I die, you must love this child dearly. Even if you have other children in the future, even if... could you promise not to leave him alone here? Wherever you go, take him with you, okay?"

She had been brewing these words in her heart for a long time.

She didn't dare to gamble on the distant future, to bet that a man so young and powerful would remain loyal to her for a lifetime.

Moreover, she had no real relationship with him.

If she passed away first, it would be fortunate if he had a conscience. But if he didn't, he could easily start a new family, and he wouldn't be at fault.

Only now did Ying Shi feel panic, realizing she had thought everything was too simple.

She pitied her child, who might be born without a father or a mother.

And in the future? When Liang Ji returned, how awkward and pitiful would his position be?

All she was saying was to make him understand that if she were gone, the child she left behind would be pitiful. Her child would be as pitiful as Liang Yun had been in his youth, perhaps even more so.

Ying Shi wanted him to treat her child with extra care in the future, to plan a little for her child...

"Alright, don't worry," Liang Yun's voice was hoarse, and his grip on Ying Shi's hand trembled slightly. He tried to maintain his composure, "You must be strong. We'll raise him together, watch him grow up, see him start a family, and live happily without worries, becoming the most carefree child in the world. Not like how we were in our childhood, okay—"

...

The commotion in the Daybreak Garden was immense.

In the middle of the night, the entire courtyard was brightly lit.

The midwives quickly examined Ying Shi through the quilt and immediately urged Liang Yun to step outside.

"The baby has dropped, it's about to be born. The birthing room is considered unlucky; it’s best not to bring any bad luck to the Duke!"

Even Gui Niang hurried to set up a screen, pull the curtains, and shoo Liang Yun out: "The other ladies will be here soon, Duke, it's better for you to step outside and avoid being here."

She was subtly reminding Liang Yun to focus solely on Ying Shi’s labor.

Ying Shi nudged him away.

"You... go out!"

Liang Yun, sensing her urgency, kept his calm and said, "I’ll be right outside if you need me."