The journey from Nanzhou to Duanjing was long and bumpy, but fortunately, they traveled by water, avoiding any jolts.
Wang Qingyao paid no mind, continuing with her usual activities, eating what she should, and even engaging in marital intimacy without restraint. Last night, she and Xiao Yun had been quite passionate.
If this child were any more fragile, she wouldn't have survived this long.
Wang Qingyao couldn't help but feel a chill of fear as she remembered. She glanced at Xiao Yun, who likely had the same thought. His face flushed and paled, and he coughed nervously.
The Old Imperial Concubine immediately grew alert. "What's wrong with your throat? Did you catch a cold? If you have a cold, go sleep somewhere else, don't infect Yao Yao."
Xiao Yun looked dejected. "I don't have a cold, my throat is just itchy."
As someone with experience, the Old Imperial Concubine lectured Wang Qingyao for a while longer before leaving Kangping Courtyard.
Wang Qingyao felt as if she were dreaming, still a bit dazed.
She was going to be a mother?
She grinned foolishly for a moment, then asked Xiao Yun, who was also grinning foolishly, "Should we tell Mother?"
Xiao Yun had sent someone to inform the Old Imperial Concubine, and the Old Imperial Concubine would certainly not have spread the news. There were only a few masters in Ding'an Prince's Mansion. Although Consort Fang lived a secluded life, being the only one left out of the loop felt like deliberate targeting. Moreover, she was Xiao Yun's biological mother and Wang Qingyao's mother-in-law. She should have been informed.
Xiao Yun nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's too late today. I'll tell her myself tomorrow morning."
Wang Qingyao nodded.
"By the way," Xiao Yun asked, "don't you have the ability to sense if someone is pregnant? Why didn't you sense your own? Fortunately, Grandmother sent Imperial Physician Lu, otherwise, you wouldn't have known you were pregnant. We've always been so... fierce..."
Wang Qingyao blushed and coughed lightly, fabricating a lie. "I don't know. Perhaps my sensing ability weakened after becoming pregnant, or maybe it's the 'light under a lamp' phenomenon. It's my first time experiencing this, I don't have much experience."
Xiao Yun, of course, didn't probe further. The matter was glossed over.
In fact, in ancient times, there were no full-length mirrors, and she had never thought of using her clairvoyance to scan herself.
However, after this incident, she began to consider getting a full-length mirror someday, like an ultrasound, to constantly monitor the baby in her womb.
Thinking this, she voiced it to Xiao Yun.
Xiao Yun laughed. "What's so difficult about that?"
As she lay down on the bed, Wang Qingyao thought of another issue.
According to ancient customs, now that she, the main wife, was pregnant, she should arrange for a concubine to serve her husband. Preferably, this concubine would be from her own courtyard, so that when she couldn't serve Xiao Yun, he could still stay in her room.
If it were before, she would have kicked him off to the West Garden. There were four beautiful concubines in the West Garden, and Xiao Yun could sleep with whomever he pleased. She wouldn't have cared.
But now...
She turned over, gazing at Xiao Yun's sleeping face, a sweetness she had never felt before welling up in her heart.
Xiao Yun was not yet fast asleep. Hearing her turn, he mumbled groggily, "What's wrong? Can't you sleep well?"
Wang Qingyao half-jokingly said, "I'm pregnant and can't serve you anymore. Should I find you a concubine? Tell me who you fancy, and I'll arrange it tomorrow."
Xiao Yun turned over and hugged her, his voice slurred. "What nonsense are you talking about? Go to sleep."
"Or should I let Bian Siyue serve you? Jiang Jing and the others are also options."
Xiao Yun sobered up a little, his hazy eyes glancing at her. "I'm not... I can't live without women... I'll sleep here with you. Even if we do nothing, it's fine. I'm happy just holding you while I sleep."
Wang Qingyao's lips curved slightly. "Others will gossip."
"Let them. I'm not afraid of them. Go to sleep."
Xiao Yun gently patted her chest. She closed her eyes, feeling an indescribable warmth and peace in her heart.
The next day was New Year's Eve.
The entire mansion began the process of ushering out the old and welcoming the new, taking down the old couplets and replacing them with new ones. This was done in every courtyard.
In Kangping Courtyard, Jiang Jing, Qian Yu, and Yin Zhu were responsible for this task.
Jiang Jing and Qian Yu, possessing martial arts skills, climbed up and down with ease. Yin Zhu insisted on classifying herself as someone with "martial arts skills" and helped by brushing paste and holding ladders, working enthusiastically.
Xiao Yun had left early. Officials in the Great Sheng Dynasty had holidays on New Year's Eve, and Xiao Yun was off to do something unknown.
After he left, Huang Shiyu and the other three dared to come out and wander around.
They had learned of Wang Qingyao's pregnancy yesterday. However, fearing that Wang Qingyao might overthink things, they hadn't come out to socialize while Xiao Yun was present.
As soon as Xiao Yun left, the four of them came to congratulate Wang Qingyao.
"Congratulations, Consort. Congratulations, Consort."
Thinking of the little life that would soon be born in Kangping Courtyard, the four of them also beamed with joy.
Wang Qingyao happily gave them red envelopes and lucky money. Not just them, but everyone in Kangping Courtyard received lucky money.
Yin Zhu was a little worried. Although these four concubines had been well-behaved before, now that Wang Qingyao was pregnant, it was only natural for concubines to serve the prince. She noticed a renewed hostility in their eyes.
Wang Qingyao also intended to test them. She smiled and said, "Now that I'm pregnant, it's inconvenient for me to serve the Prince. You four..."
Before she could finish, Bian Siyue was the first to interrupt her. "Consort, what a coincidence. I've recently contracted a gynecological illness, so it's quite inconvenient."
Damn it, Wang Qingyao knew Bian Siyue was straightforward, but she hadn't expected her to be so blunt.
Was a gynecological illness something one could just casually mention?
"Have you seen a doctor?"
"I have," Bian Siyue said indifferently. "It's quite serious. It'll probably take a year or a half to recover."
Wang Qingyao: "..."
She had been hoping Bian Siyue would act as a shield, to ward off Consort Fang for a while.
After all, Bian Siyue was the only one among the four concubines who had received "favor."
So unprofessional!
Wang Qingyao thought with exasperation.
Huang Shiyu was stunned for a moment, then said, "Consort, I eat and live with Bian Siyue, and I caught it from her, so I'm also..."
Jiang Jing: "Consort, Xiao Yu and I were sparring, and we both got injured. It's also inconvenient..."
Qian Yu nodded vigorously to prove the credibility of Jiang Jing's words.
Wang Qingyao: "..."
She had been overthinking. Not every woman wanted to climb into a man's bed.
She couldn't look down on other women in ancient times just because she was a transmigrator. They had their own aspirations.