Although the two cousins hadn’t completely torn face with each other, their relationship could never return to what it had been back in the Su family.
Su Qingwan actually wanted very much to ask her when exactly she had hooked up with Gu Yunrui. But since she now regarded Gu Yunrui as dead, when exactly those two had carried out their secret affair no longer mattered so much.
There was no need to argue with a dead man.
Su Qingwan shook her head, “No need. You’re in the morning sickness phase now, vomiting at every turn. It’s rather disgusting.”
Su Xiyue: “Elder sister, why must you say such things? You’re also pregnant and will soon become a mother yourself!”
Su Qingwan: “Oh, then I simply don’t want to pretend cordiality with you.”
After saying this, she turned and returned to Linglong Yuan, arranging for the steward to purchase summer clothes before reviewing other account books.
Since Su Qingwan became pregnant, the expenses of Linglong Yuan had increased significantly. However, besides the fixed monthly withdrawals from the accounts, Su Qingwan had the pension the Emperor granted when Gu Yunrui was “killed in battle,” plus her own substantial dowry.
She lived comfortably and freely.
Meanwhile, Su Xiyue had always enjoyed competing with her. Now that she was also pregnant, she probably wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
Su Qingwan called for Qinxin, “Go have Granny Zhang from the kitchen leak my monthly food expenses to Haitang Courtyard. No need to hide it.”
Qinxin: “Yes. By the way, miss, you previously asked me to watch the brokerage for anyone who resembles Third Young Lady. We actually found one who looks about sixty to seventy percent similar, though she’s quite thin and weak.”
A slight smile touched Su Qingwan’s lips, “Bring her in. Have her start as a rough work maid, and observe her character.”
Qinxin nodded solemnly.
Just then, Qiyi entered from outside, “Yunlai Medical Clinic has sent over more nourishing treasures. This time there are two century-old ginseng roots alone.”
Su Qingwan slightly furrowed her brows.
This wasn’t the first time Yunlai Medical Clinic had sent gifts. Each time the items weren’t numerous, but they were rare and precious. Among them were ointments specially formulated by Murong Jin himself for pregnant women.
She had later asked Qiyi to investigate and learned that such ointments were priceless treasures throughout the entire capital. When women became pregnant, their bellies would grow larger, and after giving birth, obvious stretch marks like scars would appear on their waists. But this ointment from Yunlai Medical Clinic could perfectly solve this problem.
Su Qingwan had initially refused to accept them, but Murong Jin insisted it was entrusted by an old acquaintance, urging her to accept them and thank that acquaintance later. Yet regarding who this acquaintance was, Murong Jin remained silent, only saying she would know in time.
He revealed nothing, remaining mysterious. Since Su Qingwan didn’t want to antagonize Murong Jin for now, she temporarily accepted the items.
Su Qingwan could only nod, “As before, store those items in my personal treasury first.”
Qiyi: “Yes.”
**
During this period, Gu Yunrui had been keeping a very low profile. Diligent and conscientious at the Ministry of War office, he quickly gained his superior’s appreciation and was getting along quite smoothly.
Entering the Ministry of War had been part of his prior arrangement with His Highness, so taking over A-Ci’s identity had actually killed three birds with one stone for him.
However, the matter of inheriting the peerage had now become Gu Yunrui’s pressing concern. Not wanting to anger his father, he refrained from acting rashly again.
Haste makes waste—after all, there were still several months until the child’s birth.
That day, when he returned to the estate and learned that Su Xiyue was pregnant, he was overjoyed. Upon arriving at Haitang Courtyard, he immediately embraced her.
“Xiyue, you’ve worked hard.”
Over the past two months, Gu Yunrui had been preoccupied with political affairs while worrying about the potential loss of his peerage. Consequently, his relationship with Su Xiyue wasn’t as intimate as during their newlywed days.
Most of the time, Gu Yunrui rested in his study instead of sharing a room with Su Xiyue.
Su Xiyue had been constantly anxious, fearing that Gu Yunrui would return to Su Qingwan’s side.
But now, seeing his affectionate demeanor toward her, her heart finally settled.
She took Gu Yunrui’s hand and placed it on her still-flat abdomen, smiling sweetly. “Husband, if we can have a son, it would be best if sister-in-law only gives birth to daughters.”
Gu Yunrui’s eyes flickered with agreement.
Indeed, if Su Qingwan only bore daughters while Xiyue gave him a son, then the position of Shizi in the Zhongyong Hou Estate would be firmly his. Everything would return to the right track.
In high spirits, Gu Yunrui held Su Xiyue close and kissed her. “Xiyue, how can you be so wonderful!”
Su Xiyue wrapped her arms around his neck and initiated another kiss. “Since I’m so wonderful, you must only look at me and love me from now on.”
Their joy, combined with their long period of abstinence, quickly ignited passions that spiraled out of control.
But at the crucial moment, Gu Yunrui suddenly sensed something amiss. He reached down and touched the bed, only to find sticky blood…
“Ah!”
The incident at Haitang Courtyard caused quite a stir. When the maid came to deliver the message, Su Qingwan was just preparing for dinner.
Qinxin said helplessly, “I heard the second young master and his wife were being reckless and disturbed the fetus, causing bleeding. The Marquis’ Wife was so worried she summoned the Imperial Physician. She just been diagnosed with pregnancy, not even three months along—how could they not restrain themselves? And it’s not even dark yet!”
Su Qingwan leisurely had Qinxin help her change clothes. She chuckled lightly, “A child conceived through medication was never firmly rooted to begin with, but I didn’t expect things to go wrong so quickly.”
Su Xiyue was so desperate to maintain their relationship through intimacy. It seemed their bond might not be as unbreakable as it appeared.
As the current manager of the household, Su Qingwan had to attend to the matter. When she arrived at Haitang Courtyard, she happened to run into Gu Yunrui.
Gu Yunrui had been shocked by the sight of blood and hadn’t recovered for quite some time. Now that he regained his composure, he was worried about whether Su Xiyue’s child could be saved.
Seeing Su Qingwan at this moment, he felt utterly ashamed and averted his gaze. “Sister-in-law, why are you here?”
Su Qingwan replied, “I heard Xiyue was bleeding, so I came to check on her. What did the Imperial Physician say?”
Gu Yunrui: “The Imperial Physician is still inside and hasn’t come out yet.”
Su Qingwan: “Then I’ll go in and see.”
She remained consistently aloof toward Gu Yunrui, given their relationship as sister and brother-in-law, not to mention the previous carriage accident. Yet, Gu Yunrui felt inexplicably unsettled, his gaze lingering on her, unwilling to look away.
As they walked further away, Qinxin glanced back and whispered, “Miss, he’s still watching you. How unlucky.”
Su Qingwan: “Yes, truly unlucky.”
When Su Qingwan entered the outer chamber of the rear courtyard’s Qinfang, she bowed respectfully to Feng Shi.
Feng Shi was currently extremely anxious and restless. Who could have imagined that just after becoming pregnant, Su Xiyue would recklessly pull A Rui into mischief and even experience bleeding? She desperately wanted to scold Su Xiyue, but the woman was still lying inside, uncertain whether the child could be saved, so she couldn’t vent her anger now.
Scold her son? What fault did her son have? He was merely seduced by Su Xiyue, which led him to lose his composure.
Lifting her head and seeing Su Qingwan enter, Feng Shi snapped irritably, “Qingwan, as the elder sister-in-law with pregnancy experience, why didn’t you teach Xiyue to avoid such recklessness at this time?”
Su Qingwan replied calmly, “Mother, your daughter-in-law lacks the ability to make Second Younger Brother return from duty and share a room with Xiyue before dark.”
Her words were strikingly blunt, yet Su Qingwan’s tone remained utterly serious and composed.
Feng Shi, who had already been somewhat unfairly venting her anger, was momentarily speechless. Still, she couldn’t let it go. “Then after leaving the main courtyard today, when Xiyue sought your advice on pregnancy matters, why did you refuse? If you had patiently instructed her then, how could she have recklessly pulled A-Ci into mischief?”
Su Qingwan responded with neither humility nor arrogance, “Mother, seeing how delighted you were about Xiyue’s pregnancy, I assumed the child in her womb must be extremely precious. If anything were to happen at Linglong Yuan, I wouldn’t be able to explain it clearly, which is why I refused her. However, you are right—she shouldn’t have recklessly involved Second Younger Brother at this time. But Second Younger Brother is still young and vigorous. Usually, in such situations, one could find two steady maids to serve him.”
She had no intention of taking the blame for those two. With a few words, she deftly redirected the conversation elsewhere. Didn’t she see Feng Shi already deep in thought, seriously considering finding a concubine for her son?
Behind the screen, Su Xiyue was already in excruciating abdominal pain when she overheard Su Qingwan’s words. Instantly, fury surged within her: “Su Qingwan, how dare you encourage my husband to take a concubine?”
Beside her, Imperial Physician Li immediately interjected, “Second Young Madam, don’t get agitated—you’re bleeding again!”
Feng Shi grew extremely anxious upon hearing this and, setting everything else aside, urgently said, “Su Xiyue, do you even want this child or not? Behave yourself and cooperate with Imperial Physician Li! As for finding a concubine for A-Ci, I approve of it!”
If she didn’t agree, Su Xiyue’s child would be lost through all this turmoil.
Su Xiyue, already enraged, heard these words and directly fainted, her eyes rolling back.
Despite all the commotion, fortunately, the child in Su Xiyue’s womb was saved, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Now that both she and the child were stable, Feng Shi could no longer hold back and scolded her thoroughly.
“Xiyue, no matter how you acted recklessly before, you are about to become a mother now. Even if you don’t think of yourself, you must consider the child in your womb. Cut out those undignified, concubine-like behaviors! Until the child is born, A-Ci will stay in the front courtyard study!”
Su Xiyue’s face turned deathly pale.
For ten months of pregnancy, she couldn’t be intimate with Gu Yunrui, and now he was to be given a concubine…
Unable to defy Feng Shi, Su Xiyue could only look at Gu Yunrui with red-rimmed eyes. Gu Yunrui felt his heart shatter instantly.
He quickly said, “Mother, this matter isn’t Xi Yue’s fault. It’s mainly because of the pregnancy—we were both overjoyed. Fortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm. From now on, let her rest properly, and I’ll move to the study in the front courtyard. As for finding a concubine, we can discuss that later.”
In truth, the sight of all that blood had also startled Gu Yunrui. Even if Feng Shi hadn’t mentioned it, he had no intention of sharing a room with Su Xiyue for the time being.
His words temporarily placated both Feng Shi and Su Xiyue.
Su Qingwan sat to the side, observing coldly as if she were an outsider. Yet in reality, she was no outsider—she was the legitimate wife whom Gu Yunrui had personally cast aside.
She knew all too well how skilled Gu Yunrui was at sweet-talking.
In the end, the matter was handled according to Gu Yunrui’s wishes. Su Qingwan rose to leave, but after taking a few steps, Gu Yunrui’s voice came from behind her.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, were you the one who asked Mother to find me a concubine?”