Chapter 57: Chapter 57 (Two Chapters Combined)

Chapter 57: Two Chapters Combined

Since Li Ju returned, he hadn't been sleeping in the study at the front courtyard. She Niang naturally hadn't arranged any bedmaids or concubines for him—that would only make things harder for herself.

Even if you do not deeply love your husband, it does not mean you should let other women near him.

As for Li Ju, he did not show impatience or coldness; instead, he was being very dutiful.

In truth, it was not that Li Ju was naturally well-behaved; he knew all too well from his past life the methods of Empress Dowager Pei. Figures like the once briefly favored Noble Consort Liu and Esteemed Consort Guan ended up meeting terrible ends. On one hand, he now cherished She Niang and was gradually changing his view of her; on the other hand, he feared that bringing those women in might stir her gentle nature into developing malicious intentions—who could tell whether that would bring fortune or disaster?

She Niang was due to deliver in one or two months. Yu Shi arrived early, bringing along her little brother Pang-ge.

Naturally, She Niang was thrilled to see her family. She first took them to stay at the Listening Rain Pavilion and said, "The weather is warm now; you can take little brother for walks in the bamboo grove."

"Don’t worry about us. Your husband just mentioned having someone teach Pang-ge horseback riding—he’ll be busy enough. I’ll stay here with you. Bless Buddha, I see your belly is pointed—that’s an excellent sign," Yu Shi said, looking at her daughter’s belly with great satisfaction.

After Yu Shi arrived, the Dowager Consort and the Princess naturally held a banquet in her honor. Yu Shi was treated with great respect, and both the Dowager Consort and the Princess of Qing liked her gentle and peaceful nature. Even the princess enjoyed her company.

However, Yu Shi did not see Wang Zhenzhu and asked She Niang privately, "Where is that Miss Wang?"

"She went back home," She Niang replied, explaining the Dowager Consort’s interpretation of the dream.

Upon hearing this, Yu Shi exclaimed, "You’ve really married into a good family."

She Niang responded, "It’s not exactly that. The Dowager Consort sees things clearly. Their family has had only one heir for three generations—the most important issue is the succession. If the principal wife cannot bear children, those born to concubines may not be of much use. The imperial clans are already vulnerable. Take the Prince of Huai, for example—because he had no legitimate children, the old emperor directly had his own son adopted as heir to him and took over all of the Prince of Huai’s property."

"So that’s how it is," Yu Shi said, unaware of these matters.

She Niang thought of how, in her past life, the Princess of Jin died precisely because the Prince of Jin wanted a legitimate heir, and the pressure led to frequent miscarriages. She added, "We used to think it was easy to appoint a concubine, but after asking the heir, I learned that even appointing a secondary wife is difficult. Someone like Sister Guo, once appointed as a concubine, would only be half a rank below the principal wife, and the title might even be inherited. But if the children are born to a lesser consort, once the emperor adopts an imperial prince, it’s all over."

These matters were quite complex, and Yu Shi only grasped the general idea, but she felt it was good for her daughter: "Whether it’s for the sake of the Prince of Qing’s household or for you, this is the best possible outcome."

"Who's to say it isn't?" She Niang said, lowering her head as she recalled something strange. In her past life, she remembered that around this time, the emperor seemed to be nearing his end, yet now he was perfectly fine, and it was said that concubines in the palace were even pregnant.

As mother and daughter chatted about family matters, they inevitably brought up Li Niang. She Niang did not pay her much mind, but for Yu Shi’s sake, she said, "I have more tonics than I can finish here—gifts from people. I’ll share some with sister-in-law and older sister later."

"Your sister hasn’t visited for many days. I sent Cui Lan to check on her, and she said she wasn’t feeling well. She isn’t one to hide her thoughts, and later I found out it was because she heard that young master Shao had topped the imperial examinations," Yu Shi said, shaking her head.

She Niang replied, "It’s like that Mama Chen who was always by her side before, egging her on to go to the old madam. But back then, the status of the Marquis of Dingbei’s household was indeed better than the Shao family’s. What’s done is done—why dwell on it? Even if the third-ranked scholar received an official post, his future in the bureaucracy might not be smooth."

These were words of comfort, but Yu Shi waved them off: "The Shao family is so wealthy—greasing the wheels of officialdom would be effortless for them. Even if the Marquis’s residence is good, there are too many people, and what’s left to distribute wouldn’t be much."

"Even if it’s not much, it’s still plenty. Don’t always compare with those extremely wealthy families," She Niang felt that the priority should be for Wang Pan to establish himself quickly.

In the expedition against the Tatars, Wang Pan was not seen fighting on the front lines, nor did he capture any feudal princes. Wealth and honor come through risk—even noble figures like Li Ju and the Prince of Qing had to go to the battlefield.

But she could not say these things. If Wang Pan were to die in battle and her sister became a widow, they would all blame her.

Yu Shi sighed, "Enough, enough. She’s better off than some and worse off than others, but she always compares herself to you."

"If not for a twist of fate, I would have married an ordinary official’s son too," She Niang said.

Mother and daughter did not mention Li Niang further, but Li Niang had returned to her mother's home. When she arrived, she found her mother had gone to She Niang’s place. She took a deep breath and said to Huang Shi, "Really, mother—how could she stay at the prince's household for so long? Is the prince's household that wonderful?"

Huang Shi thought to herself that the prince's household was indeed wonderful, and not just any prince's household—it was the Prince of Qing’s residence, large and beautiful.

But she did not want to provoke Li Niang and simply said, "Young madam, you can tell me if there’s anything you need."

"It’s nothing, I just came back to visit," Li Niang said. She had returned for a conception remedy. After taking it for several months without results, she was losing hope.

Though she said this, Huang Shi could not avoid preparing a meal, even though she knew Li Niang often had no appetite. Last time, despite such well-prepared pigeon, she only took a bite, and even the lighter coconut chicken soup—she only ate the vegetables.

Sure enough, with a table full of dishes, Li Niang only ate a few quail eggs and some eggplant, took two spoonfuls of rice, and insisted she had eaten too much.

Huang Shi served her some soup: "Young madam, this is ginseng-infused chicken broth—very nourishing."

"Don’t you think chicken has a gamey taste?" Li Niang covered her nose, refusing to eat.

Huang Shi was not her mother, so she did not press further—pushing too much would only cause offense.

Not seeing Yu Shi, Li Niang was filled with anger. She then saw the carriage from the Marquis of Xinan’s household return, with Shun Niang surrounded by attendants, her hair elegantly styled, speaking with the air of someone in authority.

Thinking of this, she resented that vicious old Old Madam Pei.

As a child, she was the most favored in the family—her younger sister received no attention from the old madam, and their parents liked her the most. But later, everything changed.

It was all because of that vicious old Old Madam Pei.

Shun Niang did not notice Li Niang. She had returned specifically for a married woman's home visit. Seeing Old Madam Pei and Meng-shi, she brought many gifts for them and said with some pride, "Yesterday, the keys to several storerooms were all handed over to me. The Marquis’s private funds were given to me at marriage, and now I manage the entire household."

Old Madam Pei was delighted, and even Meng-shi said, "Your fifth sister may have married well, but her mother-in-law holds all the power. The Princess of Qing is still young and will likely manage the household for another ten or twenty years—nothing like your situation."

"I entered the household only a month after fifth sister, not only without conceiving but also with irregular cycles," Shun Niang said, touching her belly with a somber expression.

Old Madam Pei said, "When you were at home, I specially hired a doctor to regulate your system—you were in such good condition then. Now, you have to attend to your in-laws and manage such a large household. With so many responsibilities, it’s draining your energy. Since you’re back today, I’ll have a trusted doctor come take a look—this won’t spread to the Marquis’s residence."

Shun Niang had been thinking the same thing. But when the doctor arrived, they discovered she was pregnant.

Old Madam Pei and the others were overjoyed and immediately sent word to the Marquis’s residence. Xiao Tang was also ecstatic and even came personally to fetch her. Within a few days, She Niang found out and sent some tonic herbs to the Marquis of Xinan’s household.

At noon, Yu Shi ate with She Niang and said, "We hadn’t been considerate enough. I heard that before Shun Niang married, the old madam was constantly finding doctors to regulate her health. I thought it wasn’t good for a healthy person to take too much medicine, but it seems it really worked."

As parents, they could not bear to see their children suffer and often blamed themselves.

She Niang said, "But I didn’t undergo any regimen either. Actually, it doesn’t have much to do with that. Before, Xia Mama brewed many tonics for me, but I didn’t take well to them. Even the conception tonic from the household—I took it inconsistently. In my opinion, good food is more nourishing than anything."

"True," Yu Shi said, feeling a bit inadequate.

After lunch, She Niang urged Yu Shi to rest for a while. Over the years, her mother had been busy with many things. Since she rarely visited, she should take the opportunity to rest.

Unexpectedly, Li Ju arrived at that moment, holding a string of beads: "This was awarded to me by the emperor—he often wore it himself. I’m giving it to you."

"I don’t want it. I thought it was yours," She Niang disliked wearing something others had used and firmly refused.

Li Ju sat by the bed, looking at her: "You—I really don’t know what to do with you."

She Niang just smiled. She felt she was gradually daring to be cross with him—an experience she never had in her past life. "Since you received a reward, the emperor must think highly of you."

This lifetime, the matters with the Tatars and the feudal princes were resolved smoothly, and the emperor did not fall ill because of it. Li Ju was very pleased and did not deny She Niang’s words, adding, "The Prince of Jin will soon arrive in the capital. Once his residence is built, he’ll come."

"Mm, you always remember others’ affairs. Don’t forget, younger sister is getting married this year," She Niang said with a smile.

Li Ju tweaked her nose: "Don’t worry about others. After you give birth, the empress and the empress dowager both want to see you. Before, during our wedding, the emperor’s efforts to reduce the feudal princes' power weren’t going well, and he wasn’t in the mood. Today at the palace, they said they want you to come for a chat."

Regarding his sister’s marriage, Li Ju was not worried. He knew Wu Ting—a man who keeps his word, reliable and good-natured, even better than Xiao Tang, the Marquis of Xinan. His sister did not care for calligraphy and painting but preferred riding and archery—this marriage might truly be better than in their past life.

Men have one perspective, women another. For instance, a man might enjoy riding and archery himself, but his expectations for women may not be the same.

But no matter what, the husband chosen by the palace for the commandery princess was already considered a rare find in the secular sense, so how could the Prince of Qing's household dare to raise any objections?

She Niang rubbed her belly and said, "When I first got pregnant, I was like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers—I thought as long as I was careful, everything would be fine. But after hearing about so many childbirth complications, I can't help but feel anxious."

If it were anything else, Li Ju might have been able to help her, but when it came to childbirth, there was nothing he could do. He could only comfort her, saying, "The doctors and midwives all say your pregnancy is going well. Don’t worry, I’ll be right by your side when the time comes."

"You mustn’t leave then," She Niang said, holding his hand.

In a marital relationship, if one is completely insincere and only offers empty gestures, the other person isn’t foolish. She Niang had been quite satisfied with Li Ju even before marriage, and now that they were married, with her husband’s eyes only on her, how could she not notice? So she began to act coquettishly with him.

Rarely seeing his wife in such a charming manner, Li Ju held her hand and said, "Of course I’ll stay with you. By the way, Old Yuan invited me for drinks tonight. You should rest early."

The "Old Yuan" Li Ju referred to was the empress’s nephew. The two had grown up together, and after serving together in the campaign this time, their bond had grown stronger. She Niang naturally didn’t object and even said, "You can have a drink with Brother Yuan, but don’t overdo it. Too much alcohol is bad for your health, and you have court early tomorrow."

"I know my limits. To be honest, Old Yuan can’t hold his liquor—he’s drunk after three cups but boasts about being able to drink a thousand without getting drunk." Li Ju said this just to make She Niang laugh.

She Niang indeed covered her mouth and chuckled, then added, "Just like how Ouyang Xiu called himself the 'Old Drunkard'?"

Li Ju found this amusing as well.

He waited until She Niang had fallen asleep for her nap before leaving. However, as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, he was summoned by the Princess of Qing. Li Ju went immediately, thinking something urgent had come up, but it turned out to be about Bao Ying.

"I’m really worried. Your sister still acts so immature—I have no idea how she’ll manage after marrying into the Wu family," the Princess of Qing said anxiously after her son returned. With the commandery princess unable to visit her daughter-in-law easily, her concerns were genuine.

Li Ju replied, "Sister has four governesses, and she presents herself adequately on the surface. You’re worrying too much."

Even though Li Ju was relatively considerate for a man, he still didn’t fully understand the Princess of Qing’s worries.

The Princess of Qing said, "I just hope your sister can be more steady and capable. Even though she’s a commandery princess, once she marries, she’ll have to be the mistress of the household and take on the responsibilities of a clan matriarch. The burden is no small matter."

"Won’t she manage once she’s married? With you managing things at home now, she has nothing to worry about. When the time comes, she’ll have capable servants as part of her dowry. Isn’t that enough?" Li Ju thought that since the wedding was still over half a year away, worrying wouldn’t change the fact that she had to marry.

The Princess of Qing nodded. "Originally, I wanted your wife to teach her, but your wife is heavily pregnant now, and I don’t want to burden her. What do you think we should do?"

Li Ju thought to himself that it was too late to bring this up now—these things couldn’t be learned in just a few days. After a moment’s thought, he said, "There’s no better solution at the moment. Perhaps you should teach her yourself."

The Princess of Qing spread her hands. "I’d like to, but I’m swamped with tasks every day. Look at all these invitations—even if I try to decline as many as I can, I can’t avoid palace matters."

Suddenly, the Princess of Qing seemed busier than anyone. Li Ju rubbed his temples and said, "How about this—I’ll go ask She Niang."

"Alright. Not just your wife, but even the wife of the Marquis of Xinan's heir is praised by many for her dignity and virtue," the Princess of Qing said, relieved.

The next day, Li Ju brought the matter up with She Niang: "My dear, you’ve always been resourceful. What do you think?"

She Niang wondered what solution she could possibly have. She still had Li Niang at home, who was causing their parents headaches.

So she said, "I don’t have any good ideas either. I think Her Highness is worrying too much. As a daughter-in-law, it’s not like she’ll have to run the household right away. She can learn by observing, listening, and studying in the future."

Li Ju sighed. "You have a point. My mother is busy, and you’re pregnant. There’s not much we can do about this."

Seeing that he was genuinely worried, She Niang said, "Actually, Her Highness is just anxious because her daughter is getting married. There’s no need for you to worry along with her. Just see what your sister lacks or needs and help her out—that’s the best thing to do."

Hearing this, Li Ju smiled again. "If we’re this worried about my sister’s marriage, imagine how we’d fret if we had a daughter someday."

She Niang touched her belly. "The baby isn’t even born yet, and you’re already making plans. Really."

"Each day feels both fast and slow. There’s always something to do, so time flies. But when I think about our child being born in just over a month or two, it feels painfully slow." Li Ju lay his head on She Niang’s lap, feeling that after being reborn, the initial excitement had faded, and he was now more accepting of things as they came.

In his previous life, he had been cold-shouldered, and any attempt to make himself noticeable only drew unwanted attention. Eventually, he ended up spending his days like his grandmother, listening to operas to pass the time.

If it hadn’t been for Emperor Jianchang’s death and the Pei family taking power, leading to a change of dynasty, he wouldn’t have been so resentful.

She Niang touched his forehead. "I also can’t wait for the baby to be born and have it over with. Carrying this big belly every day is truly uncomfortable."

Her discomfort in the late stages of pregnancy was inevitable. Yu Shi and Pang Geer, however, had settled in quite comfortably. Yu Shi spent her days keeping her daughter company without much else to do. Pang Geer was beginning to learn horsemanship and archery, showing promise, and his cleverness in studies made him well-liked by everyone in the Prince of Qing's household. Even the Prince of Qing said not to restrict him too much.

But She Niang thought differently—too much freedom could lead to problems. Since he wasn’t yet of age, he needed to be taught discipline.

So, even with her large belly, she said to him, "I’ve already asked your brother-in-law to have Master Kongye teach you. He’s a renowned scholar, and even the prince and your brother-in-law greatly admire his knowledge. You must not slack off, understand?"

"But I’ve only been playing for a few days, sister," Pang Geer said, his mind still wandering to fun and games.

She Niang said, "That’s enough. It’s not like you have to study all day—just half a day for lessons, and you can still go horseback riding and practice archery in the afternoon."

Pang Geer clapped his hands in agreement, and She Niang gave him a kiss on the cheek.

While Yu Shi was gentle and had low expectations for her children, She Niang was strict, having practically raised her younger brother herself. Pang Geer was naturally afraid of his sister.

The Princess of Qing noticed that She Niang was unwilling to get involved with the commandery princess’s affairs but had no trouble arranging things for her own brother, which she couldn’t help but comment on.

The Prince of Qing, who rarely spoke up, said, "You yourself can’t bring yourself to discipline your son, expecting your daughter-in-law to do it all. Haven’t you read the 'Three Character Classic'? 'If the child is not taught, it is the father’s fault. If the daughter is not taught, it is the mother’s fault.'"

"So you’re blaming me now," the Princess of Qing said, feeling stressed.

The Prince of Qing glanced at her. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Our daughter is a commandery princess, not an ordinary girl. I’ve seen families of much lower status not nearly as worried."

Hearing this, the Princess of Qing finally relaxed.

Before the Dragon Boat Festival, the Prince of Zhao requested Guo Xianzhu be enfeoffed as his concubine. The emperor, considering his filial piety and bravery in battle, agreed. Guo Xianzhu had finally reached the position of prince’s concubine, feeling a moment of joy and hope, but also more melancholy.

Now that she had managed to counter the mistreatment from Lady Guan in the Prince of Zhao's household, she saw more clearly that the Prince of Zhao had made her his concubine not out of marital affection but for the sake of their eldest son.

After all, the bond between mother and son was strong. Although her son hadn’t been close to her before, their relationship had improved.

In the end, it was meeting She Niang that had made the difference. Without her encouragement, Guo Xianzhu might have truly given up on life. She even heard from the Prince of Zhao that during the campaign with the Prince of Qing's son, Li Ju had mentioned their connection, which was one reason the Prince of Zhao had made up his mind.

Therefore, Guo Xianzhu privately sent substantial gifts to She Niang, who showed them to Li Ju: "Actually, the thanks should go to you. If you hadn’t repeatedly helped submit the request for enfeoffment, who knows how long Sister Guo would have had to wait?"

Li Ju smiled. "Anyone you want to help, I’ll help too. Besides, the Prince of Zhao's household hasn’t been behaving properly."

"My husband is a man of excellent character," She Niang said, smiling at him. Li Ju naturally felt proud.

Over a month later, She Niang’s expected date was approaching, and the entire household was on edge. The Dowager Consort and the Princess of Qing sent people to check in on her several times a day, and even the commandery princess came by once.

Even She Niang, who hadn’t been nervous before, began to feel anxious because her expected date had passed, and there were still no signs of labor beginning.

Yu Shi didn’t want to show her nervousness in front of her daughter, so she said to Li Ju, "Son-in-law? What did the chief physician say? There won’t be any problems, right?"

"The chief physician said it’s normal to be a few days late. Don’t worry—the palace even specially sent an imperial physician," Li Ju said, though he was panicking inside. He had to calm his mother-in-law; if one person panicked, everyone would.

As they spoke outside, She Niang inside felt a sudden nervous craving: "I want a bowl of pork trotter noodles."

The kitchen hurried to prepare braised pork trotter noodles. Li Ju, extremely anxious, hurried in. "What else would you like? I’ll have someone buy it."

"I also want some of that sweet and sour pickles. They’re delicious," She Niang said, simply craving it.

After the braised pork trotter noodles were delivered, She Niang ate voraciously. Once finished, she asked Li Ju to take her for a walk in the courtyard. Unexpectedly, during that walk, her labor began.

Li Ju was worried that her delayed delivery might lead to a difficult labor. He thought to himself that he must rush into the delivery room later—he needed to be there for her!

Just as he set down the teacup in his hand, he heard the midwife inside come out with a joyful announcement: "My Lord, your wife has given birth to a son!"

"So... so fast?" Li Ju felt as though he were in a dream.

The midwife said, "Our lady is truly blessed. Although her delivery was a few days late, the birth itself went very smoothly."

Li Ju stood up. "I must go in and see her."

The midwife was about to say something else, but Li Ju rushed past her so quickly that she was nearly knocked off balance by his rush. She thought to herself, "People usually avoid delivery rooms, believing it’s unlucky due to the bloodshed—so why is My Lord rushing in like this?"