Chapter 200 : Lu Xiu Is Pregnant

After the first lunar month, the weather started to warm up.

Yuxi was reading a book in her study when Zisu announced from outside, “Miss, Er Nainai has come to see you.”

Yuxi put down the book in her hand and said with a smile, “I’ll be right out.” If she had to say, her family had made the right decision to marry this Er Sao.

Ever since Lu Xiu married into the family, she talked and chatted with Qiu Shi every day, making Qiu Shi happy. Moreover, several times when Yuxi went to the Master Courtyard, she heard Qiu Shi’s cheerful laughter. In this regard, Yuxi expressed that it was also a skill to coax people to be happy. At least she had no such talent. And Lu Xiu was not only filial to Qiu Shi as if she were her mother, but she was also kind to Yuxi. Of course, Yuxi knew that Lu Xiu was kind to her for Han Jianye’s sake, but as long as she was sincere, Yuxi accepted this kindness.

Yuxi walked out the door and looked at the maid beside Lu Xiu, Youlan, holding a small basket in her hand. She smiled and said, “Er Sao, if you want to come over, then just come. No need to bring things too.”

Lu Xiu said with a smile, “My mother sent some oranges. I know that you like to eat fruits, so I picked some and sent them to you.”

Yuxi said with some embarrassment, “Er Sao, don’t send anything over again. I don’t even dare to eat them now.” She had only been to Han Jianye’s yard once because she was rather busy. Lu Xiu, on the contrary, had come over twice, plus this time it was three times. Every time she came over, her hand was never empty.

Lu Xiu responded with a smile, “What does it matter? I’m just idling around in the courtyard anyway, so I’ll just walk around more. Er Sao didn’t disturb you from reading, did she?”

Yuxi smiled and shook her head, saying, “No, no. Er Sao, come in and sit down!”

Types Of Oranges

きつね: I don’t know that they are many types of oranges.

Image Credit | OnlyFoods (13 of the Popular Types of Sweet and Bitter Oranges)

Lu Xiu didn’t stay long either, leaving after a quarter of an hour or so. Yuxi personally escorted her out the door. Then she turned to look at the mandarin oranges on the table and smiled. “Peel one and bring it to the study.”

On the way back, Youlan said, “I heard that the Third Miss and the Fourth Miss study from morning to evening every day. Er Nainai, what do you think they study every day? It’s not like they have to take the exam to be zhuangyuan. So what’s the point of them studying so much.” Not only was Yuxi very busy, but Yuchen was also very busy. And because there was a Yuchen at the front, Yuxi did not look so conspicuous.

Lu Xiu smiled a little and said, “It’s always good to learn something.” In fact, she couldn’t understand it either, but it wasn’t her place to ask about such things.

That very afternoon, Zhou Shiya came over.

Yuxi was shocked to see Zhou Shiya’s red eyes. “What happened? Who bullied you?”

Zhou Shiya curled her lips and replied, “No one bullied me. The marriage fell through. My mother is not happy, so I cried on purpose and then ran to you to hide and relax. ”

Yuxi asked, “Lady Taining didn’t like you? Is it?” Zhou Shiya’s figure, coupled with her generous nature, made her the favourite of the ladies in charge of their households.

Zhou Shiya waved her hand and said, “No, it’s because Second Master Chen didn’t like me. It’s a good thing he didn’t. Otherwise, if I married him, what’s our life have been like?”

Hearing this, Yuxi smiled and asked, “What do you mean?”

Zhou Shiya took a mandarin orange, plucked it open and ate half of it before saying, “Apart from a greeting at the beginning, afterwards, he didn’t speak a single word for more than half an hour. If I married such a person, and he did not say a word to me for three to five days, I would go crazy!”

Zhou Shiya was the type of person who enjoyed eating, being overactive and playful. Once people started to chat with her, she could talk all day long with that small mouth of hers. It would be unbearable for her if she were being put up with a person with a few words.

Yuxi laughed a little as she advised, “You’ll have to tell your mother what you want too! That way, your mother won’t choose one that’s not to your liking.”

Zhou Shiya continued to eat the mandarin oranges. “These are so sweet. Where did you get them?” She knew that such things would usually be given away and could not be bought outside.

Yuxi said, “It’s from my Er Sao’s family. She brought six for me. If you like it, take some back later.”

Zhou Shiya said coldly, “I’m planning to stay with you for a few days, and now you want to kick me out!”

Yuxi responded with amusement, “I have no problem with that, but will your mother let you stay with me for a few days?” How could Second Lady Zhou be willing to let her daughter stay overnight with her here?

Sure enough, at ten that evening, Second Lady Zhou’s trusted old woman servant came to pick Zhou Shiya up, and Zhou Shiya reluctantly went back.

Yuxi sent Zhou Shiya away and returned to Taoran House. When she saw Bingmei look so happy, she smiled and inquired, “What’s the happy event?”

Bingmei told her, “Er Nainai is pregnant for more than a month. The Lady is so happy that she has just sent a maid over to inform Miss.”

Yuxi’s face was also full of smiles. Lu Xiu had only been married for over a month, and she was already pregnant for that long. She probably conceived the child on the day of the wedding. Uh-huh, Eldest Aunt did have a good eye. Er Sao was indeed a person who could easily bear children.

Qiu Shi’s face was smiling like a blossoming chrysanthemum as she called Mama Li and instructed, “Go to the storehouse and send the new boxes of bird’s nest and other tonic products I have to Ah Xiu.” She didn’t have to wait for next year anymore since she would have a big fat grandson this year.

When Yuxi came over, she saw Qiu Shi asking her maid to go through the fabric in the box, saying that she wanted to make tiny clothes and hats for the baby. Yuxi spoke with amusement, “Eldest Aunt, the unborn child is only a month old! There’s still a long way to go before the baby is born. So there’s no hurry. We’ll take our time in preparing the things.”

Qiu Shi countered, “You don’t know that. You have to prepare the baby’s things early. Otherwise, it will be too late when it’s time to give birth.”

Yuxi looked at Qiu Shi’s cheerful nature. It was the first time that Yuxi had seen her so happy. So she did not persuade her and just let her get busy while she went to Xiuchun Courtyard.

When Ye Shi returned to Songxiang Courtyard, she complained to Old Woman Hua, “Why didn’t I see her that happy when I was pregnant with Qiqi?” She couldn’t even see any sign of soft fabric for shoes and hats from her mother-in-law.

Ye Shi didn’t even take time to think clearly about it. At that time, her foetus was unstable, and she could miscarry at any time. So, how could Qiu Shi be in any mood to make clothes, hats and other things for her baby? Moreover, when her baby was finally stable, Qiu Shi had to face the Palace Rebellion, where she was in a constant state of anxiety after that. Hence, how could Qiu Shi be in the mood to think about these things?

Old Woman Hua also felt that Lu Xiu’s body was too good that she could have gotten pregnant after a month or so. She had defeated Da Nainai in this aspect. “Da Nainai, have you told the Lady about Ye Yin?” Lu Xiu was already pregnant, and the matter of the second room would soon be on the agenda. Rather than waiting for the Lady to bring the issue forward to Master Shizi, it would be better for Da Nainai to mention it herself. At least she could take the initiative.

Ye Shi also knew that she could not delay this matter and stated, “I will talk to Mother (Qiu Shi) about this tomorrow.” When Lu Xiu beat her this once, Ye Shi was unwilling to accept. But it was useless since her body was not up to the task.

When Han Jianye came back from his work, he was informed that he would be a father. He was so happy that he rushed back to Xiuchun Courtyard. When he saw Lu Xiu, he asked loudly, “Ah Xiu, I’m going to be a father? Is this true?”

Lu Xiu gently nodded.

Han Jianye happily picked up Lu Xiu and spun her around in circles, scaring Mama Jian and the maids around so much that they nearly lost their souls. When he finally knew that he couldn’t hold his wife in a circle, he put Lu Xiu down. Han Jianye then circled Lu Xiu while saying to himself, I’m going to be a father. Ah Xiu, we’re going to be a father and a mother.

Lu Xiu was very patient. When Han Jianye said something, she would respond gently. As for Mama Jian and the other maids, they had long since retreated outside of the room.

When Ye Shi went to pay her respects to Qiu Shi the following day, she brought up the second room matter. “Mother, Dimei has now gotten pregnant. Since my body fails to live up to the expectations, Master Shizi only has Qiqi in his lineage. So I would like to take a second room for Master Shizi.”

Qiu Shi also had this matter in her mind, and she was about to mention it to Ye Shi. “My idea is not to look for someone from an official family, but from an ordinary family. As long as they are respectable and honest.” Of course, the most important thing was that this person could bear children.

Ye Shi’s face stiffened. Qiu Shi’s words did not precisely deny Ye Yin. So, Ye Shi politely stated that she wanted to choose one of the Ye family’s side branches to be Han Jianming’s second room.

Qiu Shi advised, “Eldest Daughter-in-law, find a girl who is not high-born and honest to be Ming-er’s second room, then there will be fewer disputes in the future. Then, when she gives birth to a son, he will be put under your name, and you will adopt the child. Although the child is not your own, you will be the one who brought him up, and he will be close to you. What’s wrong with that? Why must you choose from the side branches of the Ye family?”

Ye Shi didn’t change her mind. Her attitude was clear: she wanted one of the Ye family’s side branches to be Han Jianming’s second room.

Although Qiu Shi was a little upset, she could understand Ye Shi’s mind. If the second room was from the Ye family’s side branch, there was no fear of the other side causing trouble. After thinking for a while, Qiu Shi said, “Let’s ask Ming-er what he wants to do. If Ming-er agrees, then I’ll see her first.” If the person was a good one, then there was no big problem.

Regarding Han Jianming getting a second room, Yuxi soon learned about it. When she heard that Ye Shi wanted to pick someone from the side branch of the Ye family and her aunt disagreed, the two got into an argument, and in the end, it was Eldest Aunt who had made concessions.

Yuxi shook her head gently. She felt that her Eldest Aunt was already very generous. Like other people’s mothers-in-law, if they knew that their daughters-in-law could not have children, they would make them suffer. Not only did her Eldest Aunt doesn’t make Ye Shi suffer, she even understood and looked out for her. Unfortunately, Ye Shi did not appreciate her good fortune.

Zisu felt that it was very strange that she asked, “Miss, I don’t understand why Da Nainai doesn’t want Master Shizi to take a woman from a respectable family as a concubine? Must he choose from the side branches of the Ye family?”

Bingmei gave her opinion, “Da Nainai should want a child with the Ye family bloodline!” A child with the bloodline of the Ye family would feel a little more affectionate.

Yuxi did not understand Ye Shi’s thinking in her previous life, and she did not understand it in this life either. “Who knows about that?” If Ye Shi had wanted a child with the Ye family bloodline, she would not have allowed Ke Minjie to be the second room for her Dage in her previous life.

Why did Zisu think she could even ask her Miss about this?

Yuxi didn’t say anything more when she noticed Zisu’s expression. Perhaps in Ye Shi’s mind, she only wanted to pick a puppet to give birth to her husband’s children. Since this person would be a puppet, she should have no ideas of her own, and Ye Shi would be the main priority in everything. Ye Shi should have thought that Ke Minjie was easy to control in her previous life, but the outcome was she had made an error in judgment. So, neither Ke Minjie nor Ye Shi was an oil saving lamp. It was just the unlucky Eldest Aunt who somehow got involved in their fight.