Not long after Nanny Zhou left, the wind chimes under the eaves rang out.
It was Shadow, arriving unannounced, still holding his little notebook in his arms.
"What's the matter? Is something wrong?" Chu Ruoyan asked with a smile. The young man hesitated for a moment, then opened his notebook to show her: Why doesn't she acknowledge me?
This 'she' naturally referred to the Countess of Jianan, Madame Mei.
Chu Ruoyan pondered for a moment before asking in return, "Then what do you think, why did she leave you back then?"
This time, Shadow didn't hesitate, quickly writing a line: Because of my father. He drank heavily every day and hurt her feelings.
"Your father is your father, and you are you. If she truly loved you, she should have taken you with her when it was within her power." The woman's voice was gentle and persuasive. "Shadow, not every mother in this world loves her child. You must understand, she has her own life, and you have yours. Since heaven did not grant you the bond of mother and child, don't cling to it. Move forward."
Shadow seemed lost in thought, made a gesture of thanks, and flew away.
Yulu came in carrying a fruit platter and asked curiously, "Miss, why didn't you just tell him that his mother simply didn't recognize him?"
"What good would that do?" Chu Ruoyan said calmly. "After all, Madame Mei is his birth mother. Besides pain and anger, he can do nothing about it. So why spell it out and make him live in torment?"
Yulu let out an understanding "oh." "So that's it. Then let's hope that Countess of Jianan can behave herself and not cause any more trouble!"
Chu Ruoyan thought to herself that this was unlikely; Madame Mei was not one for peace and quiet, and her son was even more troublesome.
However, there was no need to rack her brains over this mother and son pair. She picked up a piece of sour jujube and put it in her mouth. "Ah, so sour!"
Even as she said this, she ate a few more pieces. Yulu watched with amusement. "Miss, you never used to like sour things before. How come you've changed so much lately?"
Chu Ruoyan was taken aback. At that moment, Nanny Zhou led Chief Physician Zhang in.
The head of the Imperial Hospital said upon seeing her, "It's fortunate the County Mistress invited this old man over, otherwise I would have had to make a special trip here today!"
Chu Ruoyan narrowed her eyes slightly. "Chief Zhang, please have a seat... Yulu, tea."
After tea was served, Chief Physician Zhang took a small sip and said, "These words should have been said to both of you yesterday, but you were delayed by urgent matters. However, it's not too late to say them now. County Mistress, congratulations to you and the Chief Counselor on your impending arrival."
It was like a thunderclap from a clear sky.
Chu Ruoyan's eyes widened slightly. Nanny Zhou exclaimed excitedly, "Chief Physician Zhang, what are you saying? Are you saying our young lady is... is truly with child?"
Over the years, she had been frail and sickly, spending nine out of ten days steeped in medicine. So Nanny Zhou had never imagined such a constitution could conceive!
Chief Physician Zhang covered one ear. "It's true... Originally, following the Chief Counselor's instructions, I was to say 'yes' regardless. But yesterday, as soon as I felt your pulse, I sensed something was off. After repeated confirmation, it is indeed a pregnancy pulse, no doubt about it! So there's no need for pretense anymore! It's just that it might have been too coincidental; the Chief Counselor and the County Mistress thought this old man was lying, which is why you chased after me to clarify."
Nanny Zhou was overjoyed, and Yulu also clapped her hands happily. "Wonderful, wonderful!"
Chu Ruoyan instinctively placed a hand on her abdomen. "Then this child..."
Chief Physician Zhang knew what she was going to ask and said with a smile, "County Mistress, rest assured. Judging from the pulse, this pregnancy is quite healthy. However, it's only just over a month along, so you must still avoid marital relations until the pregnancy is more stable."
The woman was slightly surprised. "Already over a month?"
She hadn't even considered this possibility at all!
Chief Physician Zhang said with a laugh, "This is the County Mistress's first pregnancy; it's perfectly normal to have no experience. However, now that you know, you must not continue as before. Certain things must be avoided, and it's best to take the miscarriage-preventing medicine I gave you yesterday. To be frank with you, County Mistress, due to your frail constitution, the reactions from this pregnancy will be somewhat stronger than for others, and childbirth will be particularly difficult. Therefore, you must be extremely careful!"
Since ancient times, childbirth has been a woman's gate of hell, especially with Chief Physician Zhang saying such things.
Chu Ruoyan frowned slightly. Nanny Zhou, treating it as a grave matter, immediately took out paper and pen to write down everything he instructed.
After seeing Chief Physician Zhang off, Nanny Zhou immediately said, "Yulu, go tell Steward Fang to ask for the young master to come back!"
Chu Ruoyan quickly interjected, "Yan Zheng has been very busy lately; don't disturb him. I'll tell him myself when he returns tonight."
Nanny Zhou thought it made sense and turned to pull Yulu away to make preparations.
Chu Ruoyan sat there in a daze, her right hand resting on her abdomen, an indescribable feeling in her heart.
Before, she had never thought of getting married, let alone having children.
But now, there truly was a child inside her, hers and Yan Zheng's child...
At this thought, a warm current flowed through her heart, as if she were soaking in a honey jar.
She planned to tell him the good news herself tonight, but by the hour of the rat (midnight), he still hadn't returned.
"Madam, the young master sent word that he has urgent matters requiring him to stay at the palace tonight. He asks that you not wait for him."
Steward Fang reported. Chu Ruoyan felt disappointed but held it back. "Alright, I understand."
If not today, then tomorrow.
But who knew that Yan Zheng would not return on the second or the third day either.
Nanny Zhou, returning from shopping outside, also mentioned that there seemed to be many more patrolling guards on the main streets, and the curfew appeared to have been moved earlier!
Only then did Chu Ruoyan sense that something had happened, and it must be something major!
At noon on the fourth day, instead of Yan Zheng, it was Xiao Tian who arrived!
This spoiled young master rushed to the gates like a madman, pointing at the Chief Counselor's residence and shouting harshly, "You of the Yan family are utterly shameless! My mother merely offended a servant of your household a few days ago, and it was that person who pestered her first! Yet you hold a grudge and sent people to arrest my mother! Is there no justice, no law left in this world?!"
His cursing outside the gates was extremely vulgar, quickly attracting many commoners to gather and watch.
Steward Fang said, "Should this old servant find a few men to carry him away?"
"No." Chu Ruoyan shook her head. "That would give people grounds for criticism, and who knows what trouble he might stir up. Let's go out and see."
"But your condition..." Nanny Zhou worriedly looked at her abdomen. Chu Ruoyan smiled. "It's fine. This child should also see the ways of the world."
Outside the main gate, Xiao Tian was cursing with flying spittle.
The onlookers formed layers upon layers; many were servants sent by nearby noble families to gather information.
Chu Ruoyan's gaze darkened. "Second Young Master Xiao, what is the meaning of this? Your esteemed mother was invited by the authorities for questioning. Instead of going to the yamen to ask the reason, you come running to the gates of the Chief Counselor's residence to make a scene. Could it be that because the Chief Counselor is absent, you think a mere woman like me is easy to bully?"
The crowd fell silent. Those who initially thought the Chief Counselor's residence was bullying the weak now felt Xiao Tian was in the wrong.
Xiao Tian, his insides burning with anger at being seen through, snapped, "Hmph! Glib talk! My mother couldn't possibly have committed any crime. The people who came to arrest her said they were acting on the Chief Counselor's orders, so it must be you taking revenge under the guise of public duty!"
Chu Ruoyan frowned, not expecting that Madame Mei had actually been arrested.
But what major offense could a woman like her commit to warrant arrest by the authorities...
While she was lost in thought, Xiao Tian's eyes turned sinister, and he suddenly charged forward.
Chu Ruoyan took a half step back. With a dull thud, Xiao Tian's legs gave way, and he lurched forward, collapsing directly onto his knees before her.
"Pfft!" Yulu couldn't hold back a laugh.
Chu Ruoyan said mildly, "Second Young Master Xiao, was such a grand gesture truly necessary?"
Xiao Tian looked up, furious, and saw a youth standing beside her—it was the mute beggar he had seen before! It must have been him who tripped him up. "You damned bastard, you're looking for death!" he roared.
Just then, Jian'an Count rushed over in a panic. "Tian'er, stop! Your mother's situation has nothing to do with the Chief Minister!"
Xiao Tian was stunned. Chu Ruoyan lifted her gaze to see Yan Zheng had returned with Jian'an Count.
He seemed to have gone several nights without sleep, his eyes bloodshot, yet he walked steadily to her side and leaned in to whisper, "There's trouble in the south. The Mei father and son have rebelled. Xiao Pass has been taken."
