Pregnant Salted Fish Chapter 14

No update recently because I’ve been really sick 😓
More chapter will be coming once I feel better 🥺🫶

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Lady Su nodded gravely, then saw Doctor Qi out of the marquis’s residence. Doctor Qi was a discerning and understanding person, so Lady Su naturally didn’t need to give him any further instructions.

When Lady Su returned to her youngest son’s bedroom, she saw Xu Yanqing sitting on the bed, staring blankly at his own belly.

“Ah Qing, let’s keep this child!” Lady Su’s voice was very gentle. She took Xu Yanqing’s hand and placed it in her own palm: “When I gave birth to you, it was difficult. I nearly exhausted all my strength to keep you. If something were to happen to you, what would Mother do?”

Xu Yanqing, who had been silently lost in thought, finally reacted, moving his fingers. His heart was very conflicted. Male pregnancy made him somewhat embarrassed. As someone who cherished his life, the child certainly couldn’t be aborted now, but the thought of actually giving birth to the child made him feel somewhat overwhelmed.

“Mother, I understand all this; you don’t need to worry.” As he spoke, he snuggled closer, like a child longing for his mother, gently leaning into Lady Su’s embrace.

Lady Su rubbed her youngest son’s plump earlobe: “Then tell Mother now, who is the other father of this child?” Although she knew her son hadn’t lost his virginity to Su Hanfeng, she still wanted to understand.

Lady Su’s direct question instantly made Xu Yanqing think of the Taoist priest’s handsome and refined face. Now that he had accepted that the child in his belly had to be born, he found himself with some idle curiosity to ponder what the child would look like after birth.

The Taoist priest was so strikingly handsome, and his own face was also presentable, so the child would certainly not be ugly.

Rescuing his earlobe from Lady Su’s hand, Xu Yanqing chuckled, “Mother, our Marquis Wu’an’ mansion certainly doesn’t lack the money to feed and care for a child. Even if my elder brother marries a wife in the future, he certainly won’t drive me or this little bean in my belly out of the mansion. Why must we insist on knowing his other father?”

Xu Yanqing had no intention of involving the Taoist priest. He was inherently someone who preferred to avoid trouble. Even when he became good friends with Princess Jing’an, he never once asked about the Taoist priest’s identity, so why bother now?

“Mother, that person and I were just a chance encounter, a one-night fling. Forcing someone to be responsible for a man is too much to ask.” Seeing Lady Su’s somewhat complicated expression, Xu Yanqing quickly smiled and reassured her.

Fortunately, Lady Su listened to her son’s words: “Alright, I’ll listen to you. Our family can certainly afford to raise a child. If your future sister-in-law feels uncomfortable, then we’ll divide the family. Then, Father and Mother will help you raise the child.”

“Mother, what you’re saying is too biased; it truly makes your son’s heart ache.” Xu Xianzhi had finished his matters and returned to Marquis Wu’an’s residence ahead of time. Just as he reached his brother’s bedroom, he heard his mother and brother “slandering” him behind his back. How could he possibly endure it? So, he couldn’t help but retort.

Xu Yanqing climbed out of Lady Su’s embrace, his previously pale face now looking much better. Seeing his brother, who was covered in sweat, he quickly told him to sit down and rest: “Brother, you’re not a child anymore; why are you still competing with me, your younger brother, for Mother’s favor? Aren’t you ashamed!”

“You ungrateful little wretch, your brother has spoiled you for nothing all these years.” Xu Xianzhi feigned a fierce glare at Xu Yanqing, which made the young master point at his fierce expression and complain to Lady Su.

Afterward, Marquis Wu’an’s residence settled into a calm state. Mu Yu was the only servant who knew about Xu Yanqing’s pregnancy, and now, he kept an eye on his young master with extreme nervousness.

It’s unknown where he had learned a plethora of pregnancy precautions. He watched Xu Yanqing all day, forbidding him from eating this and drinking that. His overall state was even more cautious than Xu Yanqing, the pregnant man himself.

Xu Yanqing felt somewhat exhausted, but the Marquis and Madam of Wu’an were very pleased with Mu Yu. Lady Su even called Mu Yu over and gave him another round of instructions.

It was late spring, and the weather was getting warmer. Soon after Xu Yanqing returned to his residence, Lady Su brought the shopkeeper of Jinxian Pavilion to make spring clothes for him.

Xu Yanqing had fair skin and delicate features. Lady Su looked over the fabrics and felt that every single one would suit her son perfectly. So, she pulled the shopkeeper of Jinxian Pavilion aside to talk.

In the end, she ordered seven or eight spring outfits for Xu Yanqing and also custom-ordered some looser summer clothing.

When the shopkeeper of Jinxian Pavilion left the Marquis of Wu’an’s residence, he couldn’t stop smiling. Everyone in the capital knew that the Marquis and his wife doted on Young Master Xu, so they all eagerly hoped that Lady Su would visit their shop to purchase things for him.

This was the first time Jinxian Pavilion had received an order from the Marquis of Wu’an’s residence, and they witnessed firsthand the doting affection the usually gentle madam had for her youngest son.

Indeed, when the spring clothes were delivered today, the Jinxian Pavilion shopkeeper brought some extra comfortable fabric: “These are a few bolts of fabric our Jinxian Pavilion just received. They are the finest cotton and linen blended with silk, woven to be soft and delicate to the touch, fitting the body without clinging, perfect for sleepwear.”

The Jinxian Pavilion shopkeeper was a sensible and tactful person. For aristocratic families like the Marquis’s residence, they had their own seamstresses. Ordering clothes from a shop was already an exception, and they would certainly not buy intimate sleepwear from a shop. That’s why he eagerly brought the fabric.

Lady Su was genuinely happy. She felt the fabric, and it was indeed very soft. So, she accepted it and had the steward pay the Jinxian Pavilion shopkeeper. Only then did she have her servants carry the spring clothes and walk towards Xu Yanqing’s courtyard.

Xu Yanqing was nestled in a reclining chair, gently swaying. Lately, perhaps because the baby was a bit older, he finally started experiencing pregnancy reactions. He’d eaten a little in the morning, and just moving around a bit made him vomit everything.

Doctor Qi visited to check his pulse and prescribed a new regimen for pregnancy care, but the effect was poor; after all, vomiting was a normal pregnancy reaction, and no one could do anything about it.

So Lady Su had her servants set up a small kitchen specifically in Xu Yanqing’s courtyard, ensuring that meals were always ready so her son could rest a little after throwing up and then eat a bit more.

Having just vomited, a sickly flush lingered on Xu Yanqing’s pale face. Mu Yu served him a cup of warm water, and only then did he feel a bit more comfortable.

The reclining chair creaked as Xu Yanqing rocked it. The sky was high, the clouds were light, and the scenery was perfect today. The listless salted fish nestled in the reclining chair, staring at the sky. In fact, apart from these minor issues caused by his pregnancy, Xu Yanqing was quite content with his current state, feeling a sense of tranquil leisure.

However, his unique leisure didn’t last long. Xu Yanqing saw his mother entering his courtyard with a group of young maids, each carrying a lacquered tray.

“Ah Qing, come and try these! The spring clothes we ordered before have arrived,” Lady Su said with a smile as she walked in. Seeing her lazy son nestled in the reclining chair, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

In the past, her youngest son was the most impatient, running out every few days. Now, she wondered if it was because of the baby in his belly that he could finally stay obediently at home.

But staying in the reclining chair all day was not beneficial, so Lady Su tried to find ways to make Xu Yanqing stand up and walk around a bit.

“Mother, you don’t mean I have to try on all these clothes, do you?!” The salted fish widened his round, grape-like eyes in disbelief, looking at the seven or eight spring outfits, feeling a surge of despair.

Lady Su helped Xu Yanqing stand up: “You don’t have to try them all. The Jinxian Pavilion’s tailors are famous for their precise work. Just pick one and try it on now. Tomorrow is your eldest cousin’s second daughter’s third-day wash ceremony[mfn]A traditional Chinese postnatal ritual performed on the third day after a baby’s birth. It symbolizes purification, protection, and the formal welcome of the newborn into the family.[/mfn] and they specifically invited us over for a banquet.”

“Eldest cousin?” Lady Su’s maiden family was a large clan with many people coming and going. The original owner had a bad temper and was always impatient with these social interactions, so at the mention of “eldest cousin,” Xu Yanqing had no impression in his mind at all.

The Su family was a scholarly lineage with many civil officials. Lady Su’s father was the most obscure legitimate second son of the Su family, holding a minor fifth-rank official position in court. He had a gentle and kind nature and never competed with his elder brother or his other younger siblings for anything.

Xu Yanqing’s “eldest cousin” was the legitimate eldest grandson of Lady Su’s paternal uncle. After Old Master Su passed away, the Su mansion divided the family, and the person in power naturally became Lady Su’s paternal uncle, which means Xu Yanqing’s great-uncle on his mother’s side.

In reality, the Marquis of Wu’an’s residence and Xu Yanqing’s great-uncle’s family had little contact, but they were still relatives, and even with little contact, they couldn’t truly have no contact at all.

Now that the Su mansion had sent an invitation, Lady Su, as Su Yanjiang’s aunt, naturally couldn’t refuse. However, it wasn’t a big deal anyway, but Lady Su thought it would be a good opportunity to take her youngest son out for a walk, so she agreed.

However, the listless salted fish felt a headache coming on just thinking about the bustling crowds. He didn’t even want to try on clothes anymore. He obediently hugged Lady Su’s arm and whined, “Mother, I’m not familiar with Uncle’s family at all. Why don’t you take my brother instead?”

“Don’t try to pull these tricks.” Pushing away her youngest son, who was cuddling on her shoulder and whining, Lady Su then waved to the maids: “Come quickly, let the young master choose his clothes.”

Seeing that this task had fallen to him, Xu Yanqing pulled a long face and could only obediently go to choose clothes. But the thought of the noisy banquet made him lose all interest, so he very casually pointed to a light aquamarine round-collared robe.

“It’s a joyful banquet. If you dare to show up tomorrow with that face, watch out, Mother will pull off your ears.” Seeing her son’s listless and weak appearance, Lady Su affectionately reached out and poked his chubby cheek.

Xu Yanqing immediately grinned: “Your son wouldn’t dare. Your son will definitely be beaming with joy tomorrow, making Mother happy to see him.”

…

In the Imperial Palace, Wen Jing put away the cool tea on the desk and replaced it with a fresh pot.

Yin Yanjun was sitting at his desk, flipping through the memorials. Wen Jing dared not disturb him. Only after he was free did he speak: “Your Majesty, Princess Qingzhu has given birth to a daughter. The prince invites you to attend the third-day wash ceremony tomorrow.”

Yin Yanjun picked up the teacup and took a sip of hot tea, his expression cool, but he did not respond as to whether he would go or not.

Wen Jing bowed his head and quietly withdrew.

 

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