Chapter 56: Awaiting Childbirth
Fu Yue covered his mouth and laughed lightly: “It seems you two young spouses have a harmonious relationship. My worries were unnecessary.” After saying this, he reached out to help Chi Mei support Jiang Yang onto the bed.
Chi Mei’s eyes were clear and bright, as beautiful as spring sunlight, with an indescribable charm: “Of course, Yang treats me so well. Coming to land with Yang was truly the most correct choice I’ve made in my life.”
Watching Chi Mei gently remove the shoes and socks of the sleeping Jiang Yang, Fu Yue’s eyes were filled with uncontrollable envy. His Qingzhou was also very good to him, but he had appeared too late in her life. She had her career and her primary husband, leaving little love for him. Unlike Jiang Yang who could love her partner wholeheartedly.
Moreover, Chi Mei was fortunate enough to be pregnant with twin daughters, unlike him who had only given birth to two sons.
Fu Yue couldn’t help but think, if he had given birth to two daughters back then, perhaps he would have already been elevated to the position of side husband by Jiang Qingzhou. Although he would always be one step below the Qin family, at least he would have had a respectable identity, not like now, where even his status was lowly.
It was all his own fault for not meeting her earlier.
Fu Yue felt sad and regretful. Not wanting to watch Chi Mei and Jiang Yang’s sweet interactions any longer, and not wanting to disturb them, he quietly left with his child in his arms.
*
News of a great victory came from the front. The allied forces had successfully captured Zhili, and the great army was marching grandly towards the imperial capital. The old emperor had already fled in panic with the last of her personal guards.
The Jiang household was elated, sweeping away the previous gloom. Some branch families with good relations to the Jiang family had even taken the initiative to come forward and propose marriage.
Because once Jiang Shuiping achieved her great cause, even the illegitimate sons of the Jiang family could be granted the title of prince in the future. Marrying a prince was equivalent to becoming royal in-laws, living a life free from worries about food and drink, relying on the emperor, and even having the chance to become nobility.
This calculation was clear as a bell, and Liu naturally knew it too. He had previously been hoping to marry off these illegitimate young masters to quiet the back courtyard, but now he was unwilling.
After Jiang Shuiping ascended the throne, she would need to appease various forces within the country and stabilize the barbarian tribes outside the Central Plains. These princes would be of great use in the future, so how could they be casually married off now?
After politely refusing the marriage proposals with some excuse, Liu asked Zhang Steward: “What was the name of that little attendant in Yang’er’s courtyard?”
Zhang Steward smiled and said: “My lord, that attendant’s name is Chi Mei.”
“Oh~” Liu held his forehead: “Look at me, I always forget his name.”
“He’s just a minor attendant, it’s normal for my lord not to remember.”
Liu pursed his lips and said: “But he’s carrying our Jiang family’s seed in his belly, that I remember clearly. Has he been running around? Is the fetal position stable?”
Zhang Steward said: “Please rest assured, my lord. The second young miss has good taste. I see this attendant is a well-behaved one. He stays in Huixue Residence all day, not going out the main gate or the second gate, and rarely interacts with the young masters and misses in the courtyard.”
Liu nodded with satisfaction: “It’s good that he’s staying put and nurturing the fetus. Go pick some tonics from the storehouse for him. The child in that attendant’s belly is our Jiang family’s first granddaughter. We must ensure he has a smooth and safe delivery.”
“Yes.” Zhang Steward accepted the order and picked some fine tonics from the storehouse to send to Huixue Residence. He recalled that previously, the lord had promised that if Chi Mei could successfully give birth to two daughters, he would be promoted to the position of side chamber.
The family head was just one step away from the throne, and as the second daughter of the main wife, the second young miss would certainly be granted a royal title in the future. If Chi Mei became a side chamber, he would at least become a side prince consort. From a country boy of unknown origin to a side prince consort was truly a meteoric rise. Zhang Steward secretly envied him as he carried the tonics into the courtyard of Huixue Residence.
It was now a world of biting cold, with a thin layer of snow piled on the treetops, the snowy branches stretching out, lean and elegant.
Jiang Yang wore a white robe tied with a red sash, sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard. That spot of red was as eye-catching as a divine pearl amidst the vast white frost and snow. Light, thin snow fell on her eyelashes, instantly melting into a drop of pure white crystal. Jiang Yang blinked gently, her expression focused on the red paper on the table. Her fingers moved nimbly over the red paper, folding and creasing. Soon, a vivid paper-folded red carp appeared before her.
Chi Mei lay on the table, his head already piled high with snow from watching Jiang Yang’s hands without moving. He wore an elaborate red brocade robe as he sat in the snow, the voluminous garment hiding his now-visible pregnant belly. His bright black eyes gazed at the little carp on the table with curiosity and joy.
“Yang, is this me?” Chi Mei said, holding the little carp in his palm.
“Mm.” Jiang Yang nodded.
“Then can you fold two more tiny carps?” Chi Mei covered his belly, his eyes already showing the gentleness of a father: “Fold them for them. I’m the big carp, they’re the little carps.”
Jiang Yang stared at Chi Mei’s belly, her smile warm and gentle: “Alright.”
Zhang Steward watched and felt they were unlike ordinary nobles. Which noble lady would treat an attendant like a husband rather than a plaything to be toyed with at will? Yet the second young miss and Chi Mei were like this, no different from a normal married couple. Thinking back, since Chi Mei’s arrival, the second young miss not only stopped visiting brothels but even began sharing responsibilities with the family head and eldest young miss. It was clear the second young miss had changed her ways for love.
Love is truly great.
“Second Young Miss, Young Master Chi Mei, these are the tonics the lord instructed me to bring to nourish Young Master Chi Mei’s body,” Zhang Steward stepped forward with a smile.
Jiang Yang greeted him with a smile: “Please thank Father for me when you return.”
“Not at all. Young Master Chi Mei is carrying the Jiang family’s first granddaughter. Of course the lord values this greatly.”
Jiang Yang gently stroked Chi Mei’s belly and said: “Whether it’s the first granddaughter or not, I don’t really care. As long as the child can be born safely, that’s what matters.”
Zhang Steward said: “Second Young Miss can rest assured about this. Since learning of Young Master Chi Mei’s pregnancy, the lord has already invited a midwife to the manor. The children of several concubine-born young masters in the residence were all delivered by this midwife. He is very experienced and will certainly ensure Young Master Chi Mei has a safe delivery.”
Jiang Yang’s expression changed slightly. Speaking of safe delivery, she wasn’t certain whether the child in Chi Mei’s belly was human or merfolk. If it was human, that would be fine, but if it turned out to be a merfolk, wouldn’t the midwife be scared to death? At the same time, the fact that Chi Mei was a merfolk would no longer be a secret.
After seeing off Zhang Steward, Jiang Yang kept pondering this matter. She also invited Fu Yue over to discuss it together.
“When I was pregnant with Yinzhu and Yinyu, we only knew they took after Qingzhou and didn’t have fish tails after they were born. Perhaps it will be the same for Mei’er as it was for me back then. But we can’t guarantee the child in his belly definitely isn’t a merfolk,” Fu Yue’s eyes held hidden worry. “Moreover, I gave birth to my children in a sea trench. It didn’t matter whether they were merfolk or not because no one paid attention. But Mei’er is different. With so many eyes in the Jiang family watching, if he gives birth to a merfolk and the news leaks out, Mei’er certainly won’t survive.”
Chi Mei lowered his eyes, both hands covering his belly, and said with a hint of hope: “What if it’s like my brother, and the child isn’t a merfolk?”
“No, we can’t let you take that risk,” Jiang Yang said firmly. “We need to find a way to keep you away from these prying eyes.”