Chapter 20: The Eldest Princess is Pregnant
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Night fell upon the Virtue and Kindness Hall.
Madam Xu was summoned by the Old Madam, who requested her to probe the intentions of Gu Ling, the newly appointed Top Scholar. Though the Old Madam was Lu Wan Yi’s birth mother, her advancing years had diminished her influence. With Madam Xu now holding the rank of Third-Rank Imperial Title, her involvement could naturally elevate Lu Wan Yi’s prestige.
Madam Xu was blunt in her disapproval. “Mother, while Gu Ling may be talented, he is unfit as a match. Wan Yi deserves far better!” she declared, her voice resolute. “If she marries him, she’ll only regret it! I’ve raised Wan Yi since she was a child. How could I harm her?” she insisted vehemently, her protests loud enough to be overheard by many in the Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor.
The Old Madam retorted sharply, “You may have raised her, but she didn’t come from your womb. Is this about the broken engagement with Yan Shu? Do you begrudge her happiness?” Their quarrel ended in discord, a conflict witnessed by all within the household.
This, however, was precisely the effect Madam Xu intended—to distance herself from the matter.
The next day, the Old Madam sent envoys to sound out Gu Ling’s stance. The response came swiftly; with no wealth or power to his name, marrying a legitimate daughter of the Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor was already a significant advantage for him. By the month’s end, betrothal tokens were exchanged, and the marriage was set for three months hence.
At nineteen, Lu Wan Yi would soon turn twenty, and the haste of the arrangement reflected the Lu Family’s urgency. The household was abuzz with laughter and joy—everyone except Madam Xu, whose cold demeanor led others to assume her dissatisfaction with the match. Only Lu Chao Chao knew the truth: her mother was so thrilled she laughed herself awake every night.
Seasons passed, and Lu Chao Chao had grown to five months old. She shed her thick winter clothes for a thin little dress, revealing arms as tender as lotus roots, soft and pale like dough. A touch of red adorned her brow, making her look like a celestial child.
[Today is the Qixi Festival. I really want to see the lanterns…] she thought wistfully. [I’ve never been outside. How I long to go!]
Through the window, she could hear the maids chatting, and her mind was abuzz with her longing. She had discovered she could make faint sounds now, though her words were unclear. Her body was sturdy—nurtured well in the womb and well-fed since birth. She could sit steadily and even crawl short distances.
“Madam! Madam! The Eldest Princess has sent word—she’s pregnant!” Deng Zhi rushed in with a face full of excitement.
Madam Xu bolted upright from the couch. “Is it true?” she exclaimed, clasping her hands in a gesture of prayer. “Bodhisattva bless us! Yu’er has done so many good deeds over the years, offering porridge and clothing to the needy. After fourteen years of marriage, she’s finally pregnant!” Tears of joy streamed down her face.
Her father, the Grand Tutor, had often brought her to the palace, and over time, she and the Eldest Princess had developed a deep bond from childhood.
“Quick, send over congratulatory gifts!” Madam Xu ordered. “Has news reached the palace?” she inquired with a bright smile.
“Yes, Madam. The Princess’s pregnancy has just reached three months. After ensuring the stability of the fetus, her first message was sent to us, and only the second to the palace.” Deng Zhi seemed puzzled by the Eldest Princess’s preference for the Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor.
Madam Xu froze briefly. “How long has she been pregnant?”
“Exactly three months as of today,” Deng Zhi replied, recalling the precise timing. Madam Xu’s gaze shifted sharply to Lu Chao Chao, who was happily sucking her fingers on the bed. Her mouth opened slightly in realization. Three months ago, the Eldest Princess had requested a child from Chao Chao!
“Oh, the Princess also mentioned she’d send a grand gift to thank the little mistress.”
Deng Zhi, curious, asked, “Why would the Princess send such a grand gift to her?”
Madam Xu’s eyelid twitched, an unexplainable reluctance rising within her. She didn’t want Chao Chao’s name to spread beyond the manor.
At the very least, not yet.
Madam Xu gazed out the window at the Marquis’s resplendent manor, its brilliance undiminished. Yet in her heart, she had begun to guard herself against it. “The Eldest Princess and Chao Chao share a rare connection. This matter must not be publicized,” she said firmly, her thoughts drifting back to Chao Chao’s birth—a moment fraught with peril where the infant had almost lost her life.
Deng Zhi nodded obediently.
After a moment’s contemplation, Madam Xu decided that this pregnancy, so hard-won for Yu’er, warranted her personal visit.
It was at this time that Lu Yuan Xiao finished his lessons. Each day, he would recite his studies in front of his baby sister’s cradle.
“Yuan Xiao, I’ll need your help watching over your sister today,” Madam Xu said with a smile. “She’s started crawling, so be careful she doesn’t fall off the bed. I might return a little late.”
Lu Yuan Xiao’s eyes lit up. “Don’t worry, Mother! I’ll take care of her!”
Puffing out his chest with pride, Yuan Xiao felt a surge of confidence. Although he couldn’t outpace his sister in learning… he was still her elder brother. Ha!
This was the one area where he could hold his head high in front of her.
Alas, after three months of reciting his lessons beside her cradle, he had absorbed them only partially, while his sister… had mastered them completely. He dared not imagine the havoc she would wreak upon entering a classroom. He even felt an odd pang of sympathy for her future classmates.
“Chao Chao, your third brother has come to visit!” Yuan Xiao declared cheerfully as he entered the room.
Even before stepping inside, he caught the sound of her faint, muttering thoughts. Peering around, he saw that the maids were stationed outside the door.
“Do you want to go outside and play? If you kiss your third brother, I might just sneak you out. What do you say?” Yuan Xiao grinned slyly, his eight-year-old face brimming with the mischief of a wolf disguised as a grandmother.
[Brother, brother, brother, beloved Third Brother, I beg you to take me outside!!] Lu Chao Chao’s thoughts practically screamed. She was suffocating with boredom. Today was Qixi Festival, and she desperately wanted to see the young couples—ah, no, she meant the lively festivities of boys and girls.
Stretching out her chubby, lotus-root arms, she reached toward him eagerly.
Scooping her up, Yuan Xiao felt the weight settle in his arms. “Well, well! All that baby fat finally has a purpose—giving your third brother a proper workout!” He chuckled, cradling the soft, fragrant little bundle.
“Mua…” Lu Chao Chao planted a sloppy kiss on his face, leaving behind a trail of saliva.
Yuan Xiao’s eyes curved into crescents as he laughed. His sister was soft, sweet, and utterly adorable.
“Not enough! You’ll have to coax me more,” he teased, pretending to pout.
Chao Chao frowned, sucking on her tiny fingers. After a moment of deliberation, she reluctantly removed her fingers from her mouth, still glistening with drool, and offered them to her brother.
[Here, I grabbed a bowl earlier today, and there’s still a faint meat flavor on my hands. I guess… I can share it with you.] Her wide, protesting eyes glared at him, her face filled with unwillingness. This was a flavor she had worked hard to snatch for herself!
Yuan Xiao doubled over with laughter. “Eat it yourself! I won’t fight you for it!” Tears streamed down his face as he laughed uncontrollably. “Oh heavens, how is my sister this cute?”
Grinning with her toothless mouth, Chao Chao shoved her fingers back into her mouth with satisfaction.
“Chao Chao, you should suck on your fingers less. They’ll shrink and turn pale, you know,” Yuan Xiao advised while preparing her clothes. The weather was warm, so he changed her into something light and replaced her diaper. By now, he had become an expert at such tasks.
Opening the door, he turned to Jue Xia and Ying Xue, the maids stationed outside. “My sister is going to nap, and I’ll stay in the room with her. Don’t disturb us unless necessary.”
The maids nodded in acknowledgment, and Yuan Xiao closed the door.
He then strapped his sister onto his back, opened the window, and leaped out with practiced stealth.
[Ah, the taste of freedom! Let’s go!] Chao Chao cheered inwardly, her large eyes sparkling with excitement.