Chapter 52: I’m Pregnant with His Highness’s Child

Chapter 52: I Am Carrying His Highness's Child

In the dim, damp underground prison, Song Yuanzhou stared at the suspended Zhou Chiye, his voice quivering slightly: "Where is it?"

Finding this ledger would solve all their predicaments! Lady Qin, the Prince of Southern Pacification, even the Crown Prince faction—all would be buried in disgrace, never to lift their heads again!

Hearing Song Yuanzhou's words, the suspended Zhou Chiye bared his teeth at him, as if silently mocking.

Zhou Chiye was acutely aware of Song Yuanzhou's loathing for him, so even in dire straits, he couldn't resist provoking him—because he knew he was about to endure through this. Once he survived this ordeal, the Second Prince would surely pull him out, and in the future, he would earn the Second Prince's trust.

The thought of the smooth path ahead made Zhou Chiye's heart burn with anticipation, and he grew even more arrogant and confident.

Though he was the one hanging from the rack, in that moment, it was as if he held the upper hand.

Song Yuanzhou, too, could feel his disdain. As the lead investigator, he was being led around by a mere suspect, which infuriated him.

After days in prison, Zhou Chiye had remained silent until now, suddenly speaking up—was he toying with him for fun? Did he think Song Yuanzhou was some useless fool?

Song Yuanzhou instinctively wanted to order the use of torture. With 206 bones in the human body, breaking two would make him talk.

But before Song Yuanzhou could speak, Zhou Chiye opened his mouth first.

He said, "The ledger is hidden in a secret compartment beneath the dressing table in Lady Qin's chamber. Go look, and you'll find it."

Previously, though Song Yuanzhou had had Qin Chanyue confined to the pagoda and taken the marquis's household into custody, he hadn't conducted a search of the estate. Firstly, the situation hadn't escalated to that point—the evidence wasn't conclusive, and he didn't want to offend Qin Chanyue or indirectly provoke the Prince of Southern Pacification, leaving himself some wiggle room. Secondly, he assumed such incriminating evidence wouldn't be foolishly left in the marquis's residence, so he held back from immediate action to save face.

But he never expected Zhou Chiye to reveal the exact location outright.

Song Yuanzhou studied him with suspicion.

At this point, Song Yuanzhou even doubted whether Zhou Chiye was truly the marquis's own son. What kind of child would betray their own family so viciously? What benefit could Zhou Chiye possibly gain from this?

With the marquis's current crimes, even the most distinguished military service couldn't save them. The entire household might be sentenced to exile, and as the marquis's legitimate son, how could Zhou Chiye be exempt? He would surely be exiled to the frontier—where the Prince of Southern Pacification's troops dominated. By betraying his own family like this, Zhou Chiye would never survive in the southern frontier.

Why would he do this? Just to drag his family down with him?

So bizarre it made Song Yuanzhou question the truth of the matter.

Could such a son truly exist?

But after uttering those words, Zhou Chiye fell silent again, hanging from the wooden frame as if he were already dead.

By now, he had completed all his tasks assigned by the Second Prince. Whatever happened next was no longer his concern.

After a moment of silence, Song Yuanzhou decided to conduct a search of the marquis's residence.

Regardless of Zhou Chiye's motives for betraying his family, Song Yuanzhou had to pursue this lead.

When it came to evidence, it was better to believe it existed than to dismiss it.

However, Song Yuanzhou still didn't want to escalate the situation, so he avoided a full-scale raid that would destroy the household. Instead, he sent a small team covertly to infiltrate the residence.

The marquis's estate was already under investigation. Though no official seals had been posted, the servants and maids had all been taken into custody by the Ministry of Justice, leaving the place nearly deserted, guarded only by a few officials. Sending a small team in for a search would be effortless.

First, they would retrieve the evidence and determine its importance. Moreover, this process had to be kept secret from the Ministry of Punishments and the Imperial Guards to prevent a conflict over seizing the evidence.

The moment the Ministry of Justice's covert operatives stepped out, the news reached the Crown Prince at the opera house.

——

It was just noon.

The teahouse opera had droned on intermittently, yet only two ledger pages had been turned in the private room. The Crown Prince still sat upright behind the desk, but the diligent girl beside him, who had been calculating accounts, had already slumped over the table, propping her head up as if drifting in and out of sleep.

The Crown Prince turned a page of the ledger in his hand and glanced at Liu Yandai beside him.

He marveled at how Lady Qin raised her to have such an innocent temperament.

The more he looked at her, the more his fingers twitched with the urge to pinch her cheeks, to hold her in his arms.

Just then, Liu Yandai suddenly stirred.

Thinking she was about to wake, the Crown Prince immediately averted his gaze.

At that moment, the candles in the private room of the opera house burned quietly, the brazier behind the screen hissed warm steam. The little girl at the desk tilted her head and finally slumped fully onto the table, fast asleep.

The Crown Prince chuckled softly.

Just seeing her lifted the oppressive tension that had weighed on his heart these past few days. It was as if a warm tenderness filled his chest, relaxing his entire body.

His fingers slowly rubbed the jade ring on his thumb, and his gaze softened as he watched her.

What a dopey little kitten.

While the Crown Prince quietly observed her, someone approached outside and knocked on the door.

The Crown Prince first glanced at the still-sleeping Liu Yandai, then signaled wordlessly to the imperial guards behind the screen.

One of the guards slipped out to confer with the messenger outside the private room. After a brief exchange, he returned and whispered to the Crown Prince about the Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review sending men to search Lady Qin’s chamber—a sign that danger loomed ahead.

After delivering the message, the guard dipped his head, awaiting the Crown Prince’s orders.

The Crown Prince’s expression turned grave as he pondered for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "Tell the imperial kitchen to prepare some food—something suitable for a pregnant woman."

The guard: "...Understood."

——

Liu Yandai didn't wake until food smells roused her.

She'd dozed for two hours, and hunger roused her from her half-asleep state.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the scattered books and the botched accounting work.

But it really wasn’t her fault!

The books must have been laced with sleeping powder—the moment she opened them, her eyelids drooped. After skimming a few lines, the words seemed to leap out and thump her thrice on the head. Caught off guard, it left her dizzy, slumped onto the table, and fell asleep, forgetting all the calculations she had done earlier.

Good grief.

She had worked for so long, yet gotten nowhere.

Liu Yandai blinked dumbly at the ledger in her hands, then glanced at the Crown Prince.

He was still going over the accounts in his hands, but before him were tidy ledger stacks—clearly, he had plowed through them single-handedly in the meantime.

What about her?

Ah, she was also diligent... in sleeping for two hours.

Liu Yandai thought that sometimes it was easier to be a pet. Being a useful person was just too exhausting.

She even had thoughts she couldn’t say out loud.

Couldn’t she just effortlessly be someone useful without having to do anything? Why can’t money just fall into her lap?

While she was lost in thought, she heard a knock at the door. The Crown Prince called out, “Enter,” and the royal guards outside brought in the food.

The Crown Prince said, “Has the Manor Lady awakened? Perfect, it’s time for lunch.”

The moment Liu Yandai heard the word “lunch,” her stomach began to growl. But she was still reluctant to put down the ledger, guiltily murmuring, “I haven’t finished calculating yet.”

She had only… napped for a tiny while, right? Surely the Crown Prince hadn’t noticed?

“It’s fine,” the Crown Prince said gently. “The Manor Lady is with child yet still so diligent. If Lady Qin were to find out, she would surely be moved. Besides, for the sake of the baby, you should eat something.”

The weight in Liu Yandai’s chest eased a little.

Wow, this Crown Prince is so thoughtful!

Who on earth said he was cruel? This Crown Prince was wonderful! Those rumors were totally fake!

So Liu Yandai happily joined the Crown Prince for lunch.

The meal prepared by the Crown Prince was even more exquisite than those in the Prince of Southern Pacification’s residence—a pot of braised beef, a bowl of spicy tendon, a bowl of edible bird’s nest soup, a bowl of steamed duck, two plates of flaky pastries, and a bowl of tangy bamboo shoot soup.

Liu Yandai ate everything up, even sipping the tangy bamboo shoot soup clean to the last drop. Her pink tongue swiped the spoon, gathering every last bit of the golden broth. After finishing, she squinted happily.

The candlelight in the dining room cast a glistening glow on her face, making her cheeks appear dewy and radiant, even the tiny peach fuzz shimmering softly.

Soft and warm—she looked downright huggable.

Watching Liu Yandai eat filled the Crown Prince with a strange satisfaction.

Seeing his little charge so full gave him the illusion that he, too, was “full.”

It was different from the satisfaction he derived from power struggles and defeating rivals—those were a rush, a thrill. But the contentment Liu Yandai gave him was like a warm blanket in deep winter, enveloping him in complete comfort.

He really wanted to keep her close, carry her around at all times.

Just then, Liu Yandai had finished eating and was carefully wiping her lips with her handkerchief before folding it neatly with her ten chubby fingers.

She did this with total concentration, lips slightly pursed, her rosy cheeks puffing a bit. After folding it, she inspected it carefully, smoothing the edges with her fingers before tucking it properly back into her pocket.

Those chubby fingers—if only they could hold his—

The Crown Prince closed his eyes. He couldn’t keep looking.

Once Liu Yandai finished, she returned to the ledger.

*Hold on, Mother-in-law—Yan Dai’s got this!*

The next ledger left her even more dizzy and confused, but she pushed through without falling asleep again.

*You got this, Yan Dai! You have to learn something!*

As noon gave way to early afternoon, the matrons downstairs began to think it was time to return, so they went up to the second floor to fetch Liu Yandai. Liu Yandai had no choice but to hastily bid farewell to the Crown Prince, agreeing on a time for their next meeting.

The Crown Prince personally escorted Liu Yandai to the door and softly reassured her, "Madam Heir, there’s no need to rush. Lady Qin is under heaven's protection and will be alright. My time is always yours—you may come to me again tomorrow."

After a pause, he added, "I share some blood ties with Lady Qin, which makes us kin. I would never abandon her."

Liu Yandai was moved to tears.

The Crown Prince was truly a good man.

After leaving the teahouse, Liu Yandai returned to the Southern Pacification Prince's manor.

Perhaps because she had done much for Lady Qin that day, she no longer felt like some helpless pet. Her heart felt lighter, and she drifted into a blissful sleep.

However, when Liu Yandai woke the next day, her personal maid brought dreadful news.

It was said that Song Yuanzhou, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, had found an account book that could directly incriminate Lady Qin. He had rushed it to the Emperor overnight.

The account book also implicated many officials under the Southern Pacification Prince. The very next day, Song Yuanzhou began arresting them one by one!

The soldiers under the Southern Pacification Prince were all taken to the Court of Judicial Review for thorough investigation. Though no formal charges had been made yet, only the men in office were taken—spared for now were their families.

But once convicted, the execution of whole households would be the lightest punishment. They might even face the extermination of nine generations!

Even the Southern Pacification Prince's manor was not spared. Early that morning, officials from the Court of Judicial Review had arrived.

However, since the Prince was still unconscious and Liu Yandai was a pregnant woman, the Court did not trouble her. Instead, they took Deputy General Qian away! Now, the manor had no one in charge, only a quickly elevated junior officer to maintain order. Fear gripped everyone.

Even Deputy General Qian had been taken!

In the manor, Deputy General Qian had always acted as the chief administrator, practically the majordomo. He carried the Prince’s authority and was his right-hand man. With him gone, the manor's pillars had been halved.

Liu Yandai saw black spots swimming before her eyes again and again, as if the sky itself had collapsed.

She sat dazed on the bed for a long time, wondering—what could she do now?

What could she possibly do?

Liu Yandai felt as though she had suddenly fallen into a frozen winter pond. The freezing water surged toward her, choking her throat and nostrils. Though she sat on soft brocade quilts, her entire body felt stiff with cold.

She had always believed her uncle was Chang'an's unshakable mountain, towering and unshakable. No one could rival him. As long as he stood firm, she and her mother-in-law could live in peace. She knew her mother-in-law was overbearing, but she never feared anyone bullying her—because her uncle was there.

Her uncle was the Prince of Southern Pacification. All the southern marches answered to him, and half the military officials in court were his men. To say what shouldn't be said—even Emperor Yongchang relied on him.

And then, suddenly, she was told her uncle was finished.

A tsunami of dread swallowed her whole.

If her uncle fell, her mother-in-law would fall too.

Having lived in Chang'an for some time, she had come to understand the ruthless rules lurking beneath the surface—rules even crueler than the battlefield. Death on the battlefield was swift, but in Chang'an, death was never simple.

When they were in power, a thousand doors opened for them. When they fell, countless people would trample them.

They were like dull blades, sawing slowly and painfully. The humiliations would be endless. Once they lost power, even a petty functionary could abuse them—let alone those who despised her mother-in-law.

Liu Yandai couldn’t imagine how her proud mother-in-law could endure such disgrace.

Her mother-in-law would surely die—she'd rather die than endure it.

And Uncle still hasn’t woken up!

Liu Yandai was so frantic in the side chamber she could barely hold back tears. In her haze, she suddenly recalled today’s meeting and hurriedly called for someone to help her dress and prepare. She rushed through her preparations without eating and bolted out the door.

With Uncle unconscious and Mother-in-law imprisoned, the only person she knew and could speak to now was the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince… surely he must have a way, right?

Clutching this last hope, Liu Yandai fled the Prince’s estate.

The estate still assigned a few guards to escort her, though they too seemed uneasy, sighing at every turn. Still, they managed to escort her out safely.

In the carriage, Liu Yandai’s stomach twisted with dread.

The Crown Prince… with everything collapsing, would he even bother?

With these thoughts, she returned to the private room she had visited the day before.

The room was unchanged but empty—no sign of the Crown Prince. A heater burned behind the screen, keeping the room warm.

Liu Yandai realized she had come too early.

Yesterday, she had arrived around mid-morning, but today it was still early morning. The Crown Prince might not be here yet.

She sat and waited in the private room.

The room was so quiet that only her movements could be heard. Kneeling at the table, she felt like a hollow shell, barely holding herself together to face the current crisis.

Yesterday, she had still been able to sleep, but today she couldn’t rest for even a moment. Her heart sizzled like meat on a hot grill, nearly scorched, yet utterly helpless.

On the table lay the remaining account books she had written the day before. Seeing her own handwriting made her heart ache, and thoughts of Mother-in-law brought a wave of sorrow. Kneeling there, her eyes gradually reddened.

When the Crown Prince pushed the door open and entered, he saw Liu Yandai turned slightly away from the door, tears falling silently.

Hearing the door open, Liu Yandai turned her tear-streaked face toward him, her watery eyes meeting his gaze.

Her nose was pink from crying, her rabbit-like eyes glistening, her lips bitten to a glossy sheen. Tears like pearls streaked her cheeks, her lashes damp and clumped together—she looked utterly pitiful.

One look, and indecent thoughts flooded the Crown Prince’s mind, setting his blood ablaze, a searing heat rising through him until his head spun.

After a moment, he stepped inside, quietly closing the door behind him. He walked to Liu Yandai’s table and slowly knelt on one knee, his weight pressing silently onto the hem of her skirt—a silent claim. Yet his voice was gentle as he asked softly, "Madam Liu, why do you cry?"

His voice was slow, honeyed with false warmth.

Like a spider’s web, it coiled around her unnoticed.

She remained oblivious.

Seeing the Crown Prince was like grasping her last lifeline. Between gasps, she spilled the day’s horrors. At the end, she clutched his robe, her face pale, and asked, "Tell me—will they live?"

The Crown Prince frowned, troubled. "Who can say? This disaster’s out of my hands. I can’t risk it—this could ruin me."

His words iced her veins.

If the Crown Prince withdrew, there would be no one left.

Her fists clenched his robe—if he left, she’d drown. If he disappeared, truly no one would be left to help them.

"Uncle, please—" Liu Yandai lifted her head, tears streaming down her face as she clung desperately to his leg, her voice quivering and uneven. "Uncle, weren’t you and the Crown Prince on good terms? My mother-in-law shares blood ties with the Crown Prince! How can he—how can he abandon Uncle and my mother-in-law like this?"

A shadow of helplessness crossed the Crown Prince’s face.

He replied, "We have already done our part. To intervene further would only bring harm upon ourselves. Though I share an uncle-nephew bond with the Prince of Southern Pacification, at this point, we have gone as far as kinship demands. When the Bai family fell into ruin, the Marquis’s household did not risk their lives to aid them either. You must understand this, Marchioness."

Liu Yandai understood, of course.

When two families lacked deep ties, neither would stake their lives for the other. They had to consider those behind them. Even the Zhous, bound by close blood relations, had turned on each other—how much more so for those without such bonds? Weighing gains and losses was always the right approach.

Just as her mother-in-law had not saved the Bai family back then, now that their own household was in peril, they could not expect outsiders to rescue them. Such was the nature of shallow affection.

As Liu Yandai stood frozen in grief and shock, the Crown Prince seemed to sigh. "The Marchioness must take care of herself—and the child in her womb. What you carry now is the last surviving heir of the Marquis’s household. Please forgive us as well—we, too, cannot stake everything for someone unrelated by blood."

As he spoke, the Crown Prince rose to his feet, pulling his robe free as if preparing to leave.

The moment the fabric slipped from Liu Yandai’s fingers, she jolted as if waking from a trance.

A sudden thought struck her, and a flicker of secret delight crossed her porcelain-pale face. She lunged forward, gripping the Crown Prince’s embroidered robe with all her strength. As he turned, she whispered desperately, lifting her tear-streaked face to declare, "Your Highness cannot abandon us—I, your humble subject’s wife, am carrying your child!"

The Crown Prince froze where he stood. His deep, ink-black phoenix eyes pierced through her for an endless moment before he slowly raised a hand to peel her fingers away one by one.

His sharply defined fingers methodically stripped away her soft, delicate grip until Liu Yandai could only cling desperately to his two fingers with both hands.

Two pale, delicate hands clutching two unyielding fingers—the Crown Prince stared at their entangled grasp as if witnessing some forbidden intimacy, his breath growing uneven.

Then, lowering his lashes, he spoke in an even tone, "The Marchioness should not slander this prince."

He was utterly irredeemable—having cornered Liu Yandai with no escape, yet still wearing an expression of perfect innocence as he said, "This prince and the Marchioness share only the purest relations."

He had lured her, forced her to approach, while he stood aloof on high, looking down with cruel amusement.