Translator – Xiao He Lian
This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.
Chapter 132 Extra 5
Two months flew by, and Shen Zhen’s pregnancy nausea still hadn’t eased.
Just like Princess Jing’an back then, she couldn’t tolerate even the faintest scent of meat or fish.
Sure enough, she barely managed a few bites of food before clutching her chest, bending over, and running off. Her body trembled with the effort, and moments later she collapsed weakly onto the couch.
The exertion brought tears to her eyes.
Even Qingxi, who had seen much, couldn’t help but feel pity.
While Shen Zhen was suffering, Lu Yan wasn’t doing any better.
That evening, at the Jingzhao Prefecture—
Lu Yan’s brow furrowed suddenly. He dropped his brush and clutched his chest.
After a while, he withdrew his hand and tapped his desk with his fingertip, silently thinking, This is the fourth time today.
He had watched Shen Zhen grow thinner by the day.
If this vomiting continued, her body might give out before the child was even born.
Sun Xu glanced at Lu Yan and asked, “Has Lord Lu been feeling unwell lately?”
Lu Yan raised his brows, puzzled by the question.
“Could it be the summer heat causing shortness of breath?” Sun Xu lifted his hands and moved them up and down near his chest. “Shall I fetch a physician to take a look?”
Lu Yan sighed, “No need.”
Sun Xu said with concern, “Oh, don’t say that! Lord Lu works so hard—he really should rest more. Think about Lord Zheng…” Didn’t he also develop a heart condition?
Lu Yan replied irritably, “I’m not the same as him.”
As soon as the end-of-shift bell rang, Lu Yan stood and left Jingzhao Prefecture without delay.
Sun Xu watched his departing figure and shook his head. “Other men are overjoyed when their wives are pregnant. Why does Lord Lu always look so gloomy?”
Lieutenant Lu, who already had two sons, leaned in and said, “He must be heartbroken for his wife.” He knew all too well how much suffering childbirth brought a woman. One of his concubines vomited for three months; his wife for seven.
Watching a delicate body tortured by a growing belly—what man could remain indifferent?
Sun Xu recalled Lu Yan clutching his chest and chuckled, “Could he be literally heartbroken?”
Back at the Duke Zhenguo’s residence, Lu Yan headed straight for Su Ning Hall.
As he entered the courtyard, he saw Qingxi carrying a lacquer tray into the inner chamber. Spotting the extra teacups on the tray, he asked, “Who’s inside?”
Physicians had been frequenting Su Ning Hall every day. Though it hadn’t yet been three months, news of Shen Zhen’s pregnancy couldn’t be kept under wraps.
Currently, Shen Man, Lu Heng, and Lu Jin were all inside.
The women were chatting, so Lu Yan didn’t go in. Instead, he turned toward his study.
Shen Zhen was resting weakly on the couch. Shen Man tried to comfort her, “Once the first three months pass, it gets better. I was the same way when I was pregnant with Yuan Zhi. I wished I could sleep through the entire pregnancy. Still, no matter how bad it gets, you must eat.”
Shen Zhen nodded. “But I truly have no appetite.”
“That won’t do,” Shen Man said. “Look how thin you’ve gotten.”
Shen Zhen touched her belly and whispered, “I wonder how long you plan to torment me…”
Shen Man laughed. “Once you give birth and hold the baby in your arms, you’ll feel it was all worth it.”
Lu Jin murmured, staring at Shen Zhen’s stomach, “Third sister-in-law and third brother’s child is bound to be beautiful!”
Speaking of the baby’s appearance, Lu Heng—who couldn’t hold her tongue—suddenly sighed deeply…
Shen Zhen asked, “Why the sigh?”
Lu Heng lowered her voice, “Speaking of a child’s looks reminded me of something. My aunt visited two days ago and cried all day in my mother’s room.”
“Why?” Shen Zhen asked.
“What else? Of course, it was about my cousin who entered the palace.”
At this, both Shen Man and Lu Jin sighed as well.
Lu Heng’s cousin was none other than Concubine Meng—Meng Suxi.
Her story was too outrageous for even a storyteller’s script.
Meng Suxi was young and became pregnant soon after entering the palace, earning Emperor Chengyuan’s affection.
The emperor had no shortage of sons but deeply hoped for a daughter. Meng Suxi’s belly did not disappoint. When she gave birth to a daughter, the emperor beamed with joy and granted the child the title Princess Anle.
At the beginning of the year, Empress Xu was deposed, and not long after, Emperor Chengyuan gave the position of Empress to Imperial Concubine Duan, the mother of the tenth prince. However, this left one of the four imperial concubines vacant, and everyone thought that Emperor Chengyuan would give Meng Suxi an imperial concubines position.
Even Meng Suxi believed it.
But fate had other plans. At Princess Anle’s hundred-day banquet, someone foolishly praised the princess’s face, saying she looked incredibly auspicious and resembled the late emperor.
That comment quickly reached Emperor Chengyuan’s ears.
Historians wrote that Chengyuan respected his late brother and valued filial piety. But the palace veterans knew—their relationship had been far from good. In fact, it was downright terrible.
The late emperor tormented Emperor Chengyuan far more than Emperor Chengyuan now tormented the crown prince.
From that moment, when the emperor looked at Princess Anle again, his gaze turned cold.
She truly did resemble him.
The more he looked, the more it angered him.
And so, after the banquet, Meng Suxi immediately fell from favor.
Giving birth one day and losing favor the next—such things were nearly unheard of.
Princess Anle had her title and would be well taken care of, but in the palace, there was a world of difference between being favored and being ignored.
The Lu family knew nothing of how Meng Suxi had once tried to push Shen Zhen into the Qu River. Listening to the tale, Shen Zhen could only sigh, unable to say much else.
After a bit more conversation, Lu Heng and Lu Jin were called away. Only Shen Man remained.
Shen Zhen was momentarily surprised and asked, “Sister-in-law, is there something you wish to say to me?”
Shen Man nodded. “You saw through me at once.”
“Please speak freely,” Shen Zhen said.
In a low voice, Shen Man said, “Once your belly gets bigger, it won’t be appropriate to share a bed with Lu Yan. Let me give you a piece of advice: if you plan to bring another woman into his courtyard, don’t pick a maid from your own side. Have a reputable matchmaker arrange it. Whether he accepts her or not, that’s up to him.”
Shen Zhen knew Shen Man meant well, but her heart still tightened at the suggestion.
Bring someone into his courtyard?
Shen Man continued, “I gave one of my own maids to my husband. Looking back, I regret it. A maid who’s been with you for years—there’s real affection there. You’ll feel too restrained to manage her properly.”
Shen Zhen pressed a hand to her chest. “Thank you for the reminder, sister-in-law. I had nearly forgotten about this matter.”
Shen Man said, “If not for the reputation of being a ‘virtuous wife,’ I wouldn’t have brought it up.”
After reminding her of a few more things, Shen Man left.
As soon as she was gone, Lu Yan entered the room.
Wearing a white jade crown and a deep purple official robe, he sat beside her and tapped her nose. “Feeling any better?”
Shen Zhen stared at him without moving.
Silently, she thought of his rank.
According to Jin law, a third-rank official could take up to four concubines.
Lu Yan slipped a hand under the covers, lifted her inner robe, and rested his palm on her belly.
Still flat.
The warmth of his touch lingered like fire, and Shen Zhen’s heart thudded in her chest.
Pregnancy had stirred hidden thoughts in her heart. “Husband…”
He smiled and looked up at her. “Hmm?”
The words circled her lips, but she swallowed them. Instead, she leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her head on his shoulder.
Shen Zhen had clearly become more clingy since becoming pregnant.
Lu Yan looked down at the top of her head and said gently, “What is it? Just say it.”
Shen Zhen silently shoved aside any thought of being the “virtuous wife” and whispered, “I threw up four times today.” I’ve had a hard time.
Lu Yan murmured, “Mm.” It really had been four times.
Shen Zhen still felt it wasn’t enough and added, “My head feels dizzy too.”
Lu Yan gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Then get some rest early tonight.”
It had to be said, ever since their marriage, Lu Yan had changed significantly. From the Old Lady, to Princess Jing’an, to the women of the second and third branches—everyone whispered how Lu Yan had become a different man.
But had he really changed?
Not quite.
A man’s nature doesn’t shift overnight.
Rather than say he had changed, it was more accurate to say he had willingly reined in his temper. Lu Yan, a man who could hold his ground in the court, could clearly see through Shen Zhen’s little thoughts.
Shen Zhen, a heavy sleeper, awoke the next day to find the man long gone. During lunch, Qingxi whispered, “Madam, did you bring up the matter of taking a concubine with the heir apparent yesterday?”
Shen Zhen’s head shot up. “Where did you hear that?” She hadn’t even said anything!
Qingxi said, “From one of the maids serving the Princess.”
Shen Zhen frowned. “What did she say?”
Qingxi replied, “The heir told the Princess this morning that you brought up the matter of bringing someone new into his courtyard.”
Shen Zhen’s heart pounded. “And what did Mother say?”
Qingxi said, “The Princess said that if the heir apparent doesn’t want to, then madam shouldn’t trouble herself with such things again.”
Shen Zhen gripped her chopsticks tightly.
By the end of the day, the news had reached the Old lady’s ears. The old lady patted Shen Zhen’s hand and hinted to Lu Yan, “Lu Yan, don’t you bully her. She’s pregnant and still thinking about you.”
Lu Yan, seated nearby, raised his cup and took a sip of tea. He glanced at the girl whose cheeks were now bright red.
His eyes carried an unreadable smile—part mocking, part amused.
And in a low voice, he said, “Grandmother, I understand.”
