Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Meng Miss Has Arrived

“Young Master, the path ahead is blocked by stalls. Could you please wait here for a moment?” called the coachman.

Sheng Zhi Wan gave a slight nod. Drawing aside the carriage curtain, she saw indeed that a large crowd had gathered ahead.

People continued to swarm, craning their necks toward Gathering Worthies Teahouse. The entrance was blocked by servants, barring entry to most of the curious onlookers. Refusing to disperse, they clogged the usually spacious street.

Ting Lan always adored lively scenes and, with Sheng Zhi Wan’s permission, swiftly leaped from the carriage to inquire about the commotion.

Sheng Zhi Wan listened to the faint murmurs and had already guessed something.

However…

[It shouldn’t be happening this soon.]

“Princess!” After a moment, Ting Lan returned with a strange expression. “Guess who these people are watching?”

“Second Young Master Shang and that Bai Miss,” Sheng Zhi Wan replied calmly.

Ting Lan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Princess, you’re amazing! You even guessed this! But I bet you can’t guess what’s happened. That Bai Miss looks so delicate, yet unexpectedly…”

Ting Lan paused dramatically.

An Zhi prodded her impatiently. “Unexpectedly what?”

“Unexpectedly, she’s already pregnant!” Ting Lan announced, thinking it was shocking news.

Indeed, An Zhi was startled enough to bang her head on the carriage beam.

Yet, Sheng Zhi Wan merely raised her eyebrows slightly.

[Things really have moved forward. Could it be due to my rebirth?]

She pondered carefully. She had done nothing significant, aside from matters at Duke Qi’s mansion. Her interaction with Shang Hang Yu had been limited to their brief encounters at Gathering Worthies Teahouse.

[Could such slight contact truly alter events so dramatically?]

“How could Bai Miss be pregnant?” An Zhi wondered aloud. “Isn’t she just about to settle things with Second Young Master Shang? How could she be pregnant already? Second Young Master Shang is far too hasty…”

“Who said the child belongs to Second Young Master Shang?” Ting Lan scoffed. “Bai Miss has been pregnant nearly two months. If she hadn’t eaten a medicinal chicken dish that pregnant women must avoid, Second Young Master Shang would have nearly become a father by accident!”

“Oh, he’s terribly unlucky!”

An Zhi was left utterly bewildered.

Returning to Duke Qi’s residence, Sheng Zhi Wan spent most of her time writing quietly in her study. Only during meals did she have leisure to hear Ting Lan speak of matters inside and outside the manor.

“The three doctors nearly resigned, but the Heir offered each an extra five taels a month to stay.”

“At first, Madam refused her medicine. But after Lord Duke spoke with her privately, she finally agreed.”

“Yet, Madam still hasn’t improved, remaining bedridden…”

After recounting manor gossip, Ting Lan switched to the events outside. Now, Bai Xiao Xiao’s public miscarriage had become the talk of the town.

“That day, Bai Miss insisted on dining at Gathering Worthies Teahouse and ordered only the most expensive dishes. She picked a new medicinal chicken dish, unaware it contained herbs that could cause miscarriage. After half a bowl, she suffered severe pains and bleeding.”

“Second Young Master Shang immediately sought a doctor, but Bai Miss tried to stop him, claiming it was merely her monthly cycle.”

“Fortunately, a doctor dining there recognized her miscarriage symptoms and even scolded Second Young Master Shang harshly.”

“Second Young Master Shang couldn’t swallow that humiliation. Oh, it was a real chaos! Now, Madam Shang is trying to calm him down because she was the one who introduced Bai Miss.”

“And now, there are rumors about Madam Shang. People say she’s cruel-hearted, secretly spoiling Second Young Master Shang to ruin him. Otherwise, why didn’t she properly investigate Bai Miss’s background?”

“Princess, could that really be true?” Ting Lan pondered, disturbed by the complexity of human hearts.

Sheng Zhi Wan listened thoughtfully. “Perhaps.”

Something about the incident felt exceedingly strange. [Could Shang Hang Yu have known about Bai Miss’s pregnancy beforehand? And that medicinal chicken was a new addition to the menu…]

Realization dawned on Sheng Zhi Wan.

[Of course. Shang Hang Yu had always played the fool to deceive others. Without substantial financial backing, how else could he have quickly raised such a formidable army?]

So, Gathering Worthies Teahouse belonged to him?

“Princess, Meng Miss has arrived,” someone announced outside.

Sheng Zhi Wan raised an eyebrow slightly.

[She thought Meng Yang would endure a bit longer. Did she already lose patience?]

Never mind, since Meng Yang had come, she would see what tricks Meng Yang had prepared.

Slowly finishing her meal, Sheng Zhi Wan rose unhurriedly and stepped outside.

Meng Yang had been waiting so long her legs were nearly numb. Hearing footsteps, she took a deep breath and signaled her maidservant, who immediately dashed off.

The gates of Pinglan Residence opened, and Meng Yang dropped directly to her knees, belly prominently forward.