Chapter 97
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"Is Azi pregnant with my child?"
Xue Lingyu was proficient in almost everything that a young master from a prominent family should learn, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. He had watched his father manage the household affairs since he was a child, and after arriving at the Jiang family, he managed them very well without making a single mistake. Jiang He didn't need to worry about him at all, and Jiang's father was very satisfied with him.
Jiang He even suspected that he was pretending not to know.
Xue Lingyu quickly explained, "I learned it before, but I was afraid of forgetting it, so..."
Jiang He saw through his thoughts and chuckled softly, "So that's why you keep bothering me with questions every day, and even sit on my lap when I'm looking at the account books?"
"That's not true, you're just talking nonsense!" Xue Lingyu refused to admit it; he hid his thoughts very well, otherwise they would have been exposed.
He was shy, so it was already quite an achievement that he took the initiative. Jiang He didn't continue teasing him. She was already blessed by heaven to have such a capable and virtuous husband and a lovely daughter.
She took Xue Lingyu's hand, but he suddenly frowned and covered his mouth with his hand.
Jiang He quickly looked him over and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Xue Lingyu felt nauseous. He had been eating too much greasy food lately—spicy chicken, sweet and sour pork, braised pork... He didn't know why, but he had suddenly developed a craving for meat and didn't want to eat any vegetables at all.
The discomfort passed quickly. Xue Lingyu clutched her stomach and looked up, saying, "I must have eaten something bad."
He indicated to Jiang He that he was fine, probably just from eating too much meat, and that eating some vegetables or drinking some light soup in the evening should help him recover.
Jiang He touched his slightly chubby face. "You seem to have gained a lot of weight recently. You really can't eat meat anymore."
Xue Lingyu's flesh was all in the right places, and it felt extremely comfortable to touch. However, his chin was a bit rounder than before. Now that Jiang He said that, he was so angry that he wanted to hit someone.
His waist is still so thin, could it be that Jiang He is disgusted with him?
Jiang He was still a little worried. She felt that Xue Lingyu's reaction was very familiar. She had severe morning sickness when she was pregnant with Mian'er.
"Let's send Doctor Ji into the manor to take a look; perhaps it's..."
Seeing Jiang He's upturned lips, Xue Lingyu clutched her stomach in surprise and said, "How could it be so fast?"
If it happened on their wedding night, it would be at least two months, and he had only given birth to Mian'er less than a year ago. If he were to get pregnant so quickly, wouldn't he be highly fertile?
Seeing him lost in thought, Jiang He immediately ordered Yuan Ge to invite Doctor Ji to the mansion. Whether it was an upset stomach or pregnancy, they could find out after examining his pulse.
Doctor Ji quickly entered the mansion with his medicine box. Upon hearing the news, Father Jiang also came to Liushui Xiaozhu. He held Mian'er in his arms and looked more nervous than anyone else present. If Xue Lingyu was really pregnant, it would be a major event for the entire Jiang family, and he would have another granddaughter.
Mian'er stared at her father with her big, round eyes, full of curiosity.
After examining Xue Lingyu's pulse, Doctor Ji said to Jiang He in a relaxed tone, "Congratulations, Miss, the young master is two months pregnant."
Jiang He's face lit up with joy. "Thank you so much, Dr. Ji. It's kind of you to come all this way. Is there anything wrong with his pregnancy?"
When she was pregnant with Mian'er, Xue Lingyu didn't experience morning sickness so early. She was afraid that the weight he had worked so hard to gain would be wasted again, and that he would become so thin that it would break people's hearts.
Doctor Ji said, "Young Master's pregnancy is very healthy. Moreover, it is much easier for men to have a second child after giving birth to their first. Miss, you don't need to worry too much."
Hearing that the second pregnancy would be much easier, Xue Lingyu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She had suffered greatly when she gave birth to Mian'er, and hoped that she would suffer less when she gave birth to her second child.
Jiang's father's gaze towards Xue Lingyu changed. He hadn't expected her to be so fertile, getting pregnant so soon after the wedding. Whether the baby was a girl or a boy, it would still bring offspring to the Jiang family.
This is good news to tell our ancestors.
Jiang He walked to Xue Lingyu's side, took his hand, and asked softly, "What would you like to eat tonight? I'll cook it for you myself."
When Xue Lingyu was pregnant with Mian'er, she couldn't take care of her the whole time. She must take good care of this second child to make up for the regret of the past.
Xue Lingyu didn't know what to eat for a moment, so she just said candied hawthorn. This stumped Jiang He. She knew how to make a few common dishes, and even if she didn't, she could learn them at Ruyi Restaurant.
However, making this candied hawthorn took too long.
Jiang He had no choice but to go outside and buy a few skewers, then made tofu and fish head soup, stir-fried potatoes, green peppers, and eggplant, and braised eggplant.
Xue Lingyu ate a string of candied hawthorns first. Hawthorns really do whet the appetite. He finished a whole bowl of rice and drank all the soup. This was also thanks to Jiang He's excellent cooking skills.
I thought she was born into a merchant family and would be waited on hand and foot, never lifting a finger to cook. I never expected her to be able to cook such delicious food.
After swallowing the hot food, Xue Lingyu felt a warm feeling in her stomach, and the child didn't cause her much trouble afterward.
There were still several skewers of candied hawthorn left. Jiang He had never eaten this before. She had heard that it was sweet and sour. She didn't like sweets very much, so this was her first time trying it. Unexpectedly, after eating one, she was so sour that she grimaced.
How can it be so sour?
Jiang He suppressed the urge to vomit, her face extremely pale, and forced herself to chew it down.
Xue Lingyu was looking at her and thought the hawthorns had gone bad, so she tasted another one. Finding nothing wrong, she wondered about Jiang He's reaction. The hawthorns were sweet and sour and tasted delicious, so why was Jiang He's face scrunched up like a bitter gourd?
Seeing that Xue Lingyu didn't seem to find the sourness at all and even ate several more, Jiang He couldn't help but think to herself, "Sour for a boy, spicy for a girl, it seems this baby is a son."
Upon learning of Xue Lingyu's pregnancy, Jiang Wanyi immediately summoned someone to the palace and asked him to bring Mian'er along.
"This is a gift I prepared for my future brother-in-law. He'er was already certain of your love back then. Now, after many twists and turns, you are pregnant with the Jiang family's child, so it's only right that it be given to you." Jiang Wanyi smiled and personally handed the box in her hand to Xue Lingyu.
Back when she was still a young lady, Jiang Wanyi often heard the name Xue Lingyu. At that time, it was said that if a woman had a man, a hundred families would want to marry her. Xue Lingyu was also very talented and was known as the most beautiful woman in the capital. When he attended a banquet, so many people would come that they would almost break down the door, just to catch a glimpse of his beautiful face.
Xue Lingyu accepted the box and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Fengjun."
Jiang Wanyi gestured to the servant behind Xue Lingyu, "Let me see my niece quickly."
Jiang Wanyi held Mian'er in her arms. The little one's eyebrows and eyes were very similar to Jiang He's, and her father was a rare beauty. One could foresee how graceful she would be when she grew up, and perhaps she would attract the secret affections of countless men.
Xile is quieter, Ping'an is more lively, and Mian'er is even more mischievous than Ping'an. Once she can walk, she'll probably be a little devil just like Jiang He was when she was a child.
Jiang He looked at Xue Lingyu's belly and said, "If it's a boy in your belly, it will make a perfect family, and Ping An will have a younger brother to keep him company."
Having both a son and a daughter is a blessing that many people yearn for.
Xue Lingyu also wanted a boy, because boys are more considerate.
After Xue Lingyu spoke with Jiang Wanyi for a while in Chaohui Palace, Jiaofang Palace sent someone to fetch Xue Lingyu, saying that the Grand Tutor Xue had not seen his grandnephew for a long time and missed him dearly.
After Xue Lingyu and Jiang Wanyi took their leave, they went to Jiaofang Palace with Mian'er.
After asking Xue Lingyu about what had happened since she married into the Jiang family, and learning that there was no difficult father-in-law, no wicked servants, and that everyone in the Jiang family respected her, he was completely relieved.
Xue Taifu patted his hand and said, "You are a lucky man."
Then she asked with concern, "Have you experienced any symptoms this time you're pregnant?"
Xue Lingyu thought for a moment and slowly said, "I feel a bit heavier, more sleepy, and I crave sour things, and I feel nauseous from time to time."
What he said were all things that ordinary pregnant women experience, nothing special, but Xue Taifu seemed to be in a daze, and the strength in his grip on his hand increased.
Xue Lingyu winced in pain and called out to him, "Doctor? Doctor?"
Empress Xue snapped out of her daze, as if suddenly waking up, and slowly exhaled. She smiled at Xue Lingyu and said, "It's nothing. I just feel that you've really had a hard time all this time."
Xue Lingyu shook her head. "Thank you for your concern, Doctor. I don't really feel it's too hard to give birth to and raise children for the man I love."
Because of his words, Xue Taifu fell into deep thought.
After Xue Lingyu left, Xue Taifu immediately sent a palace servant to invite Physician Jiang over. He looked somewhat flustered and was breathing heavily, afraid that it might really be what he thought.
Just when he was in his most panicked moment, a hand suddenly hugged him from behind, and a wronged female voice rang out.
"Why won't Azi see me?" Su Yawan had been asked to see Xue Taifu for some time, but was refused each time. She didn't know what she had done wrong, so she took advantage of his meeting with Xue Lingyu and sneaked in.
Xue Taifu remained silent, and Su Yawan's hand unconsciously fell to his abdomen as she softly asked, "Azi, did you call for the imperial physician because you are feeling unwell?"
Xue Taifu's body trembled slightly, but he forced himself to maintain a calm demeanor.
Su Yawan overheard his conversation with Xue Lingyu clearly, and then he hurriedly summoned the imperial physician. There is only one possibility.
If she were still the naive and ignorant girl she was three years ago, it would be fine. But now she is a rising star in the court, a confidante of the emperor, and has been climbing the ranks in the officialdom for many years. Even if she appears innocent on the outside, she is ruthless on the inside.
Everyone says she's charming and eloquent, but she's just willing to be clumsy in front of the person she loves.
Su Yawan knew Xue Taifu's sensitive spots very well, and subtly provoked him. Her last sentence made Xue Taifu completely lose his composure.
"Is Azi pregnant with my child?"
◎Latest Comments:
[Keep today's little red flower, author! You can split it into two chapters to post it.]
[I can't accept this, sob sob]
[I'm wondering how to make this complete? Should the imperial physician fake his death?]
【dd】
[Cavani, I'm truly heartbroken]
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