Chapter 206 – A repeated rumor becomes a fact (1)
Two months after only being favored once, Muxu was diagnosed with pregnancy.
Jiman felt very surprised. Back when she used to read light novels where a woman got pregnant after only one night of joy, she thought that although it was possible for that to happen, the chances were minimal. However, this was the second time that this had happened in Marquis Moyu’s household. The first time had been Mu Shuiqing’s pregnancy.
Sitting by the bedside with an unhappy expression, Doctor Li told them this news. He left right after writing out a pregnancy medicine prescription.
Looking at his back figure, Ji Man thought; perhaps, Doctor Li hadn’t been able to let go of his feelings for Muxu yet.
When a man was very gentle and thoughtful towards a woman, it was very easy for a woman to develop feelings. When a woman was very considerate towards a man and even went to take care of his mother, wasn’t it even more likely for the man to feel touched by the woman’s actions? And yet, Muxu had become Marquis Moyu’s concubine and was now pregnant with his baby.
Ji Man shook her head. It was a pity that their relationship had been doomed to fall apart.
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Shortly after Muxu’s pregnancy was announced, there was suddenly a parade of expectant mothers in the estate. Liu Hanyun was diagnosed with pregnancy two days after Muxu. Even Wen Wan, who had been unwilling to leave Qiangwei Courtyard after her wound had healed, had become pregnant once again and practically returned to her previous position and attitude of being a wife. She had servants waiting on her hand and foot.
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Although Jiman was only seven months pregnant, her belly was big enough to scare people. By now, Gancao and Dengxin would stay stationed on either side of her to support her. If she even moved slightly, the two servants would become overcome with worry.
“The baby won’t be coming for a while, there’s no need for the two of you to be so anxious,” Ji Man said with a smile.
Gancao frowned and said, “But Master, your belly really looks too big. It looks more like you’re nine months pregnant. This servant is really scared it’s going to fall.”
Ji Man went straight to laughing. Belly-size varied from person to person. Some people would have more amniotic fluid, and their bellies would be bigger. Or perhaps, she was having twins.
Lately, Marquis Moyu’s mood had been pretty good too. Ji Man faintly thought that he would allow her baby to live. That must be why he was allowing the other women in this household to become pregnant too. By doing this, the importance of her pregnancy was minimized. Thinking of it like that, she felt a lot less worried.
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Wen Wan’s fetus seemed very finicky. It tormented her with nausea and vomiting during the day and insomnia at night. She became quite withered as result.
Ning Yuxuan squeezed out free time to keep her company today. Sitting by her bedside, he softly said, “If I known you would have to suffer so much, then I would have let someone else have a baby for you.”
Wen Wen playfully pouted, “What are you saying? Wan-er naturally has to be the one giving birth to her baby.”
Marquis Moyu faintly smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Lying submissively in his embrace, Wen Wen quietly said, “I went to the garden yesterday and saw Madam and Young Master talking together. They really have a good relationship.”
For a reason unknown to others, Ning Mingjie rarely came over to the marquis’s residence now. Two months ago, Marquis Jingwen had left the capital and returned to his fiefdom. After his father left, Ning Mingjie set up a separate residence for himself and received a plaque from the emperor that named his new home as Ning Residence. It could be considered a major accomplishment. The distance between Ning Residence and Marquis Moyu’s residence wasn’t far. However, Ning Mingjie rarely came over to visit. The two times that he came over, it was always when Marquis Moyu wasn’t home. Each time, he only stayed for a short visit. After paying respects to Old Madame and talking with Nie Sangyu for a bit, he would leave.
However, Wen Wan and Qi Siling had happened to see him talking to Nie Sangyu on both occasions. In addition, Nie Sangyu’s belly really looked too big for her to be only seven months pregnancy. And so, an idea popped up in Wen Wan’s mind to spread a rumor about her.
Rumors had always been the best at damaging other people’s reputations. Wen Wan’s lips curved up. She wasn’t anything bad about Nie Sangyu. After all, she had been behaving magnanimous for so long, and this was an indisputable fact in people’s hearts. She was only saying that Nie Sangyu’s relationship with Young Master was out of the ordinary.
Ning Yuxuan’s expression sunk. He stared at Wen Wan and said, “You should be focused on caring for your health. Don’t concern with yourself with other people’s business.”
Wen Wan acted cutely spoiled and said, “Wasn’t it just because Wan-er was feeling bored, so Wan-er strolled around the residence? How could Wan-er have known that I would see them together both times? Wan-er used to think that Madam was very stern, but she smiles so gently at Young Master. Wan-er even feels kind of jealous. How come Madam never smiles so gently at Wan-er?”
These words were a bit facetiously jokey, but Wen Wan knew that Marquis Moyu wouldn’t hear these words as a joke.
Ning Yuxuan was silent for a while, then he stood up and said, “You should rest early tonight. I’m going to Jiyue Courtyard to visit Ling-er. I heard that she caught a cold.”
“Alright.” Wen Wan continued to smile and didn’t try to get him to stay. Instead, she generously had Tanxiang escort the marquis out.
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Ning Yuxuan’s face was very gloomy. Nie Sangyu gently smiled at Mingjie? Did that person even know what gentleness meant? When she smiled at him, it was always guarded and devious. How could she know how to smile gently?
In a bad mood, he went to Jiyue Courtyard. Qi Siling was currently lying in her bed and talking to her servant. Just as Ning Yuxuan walked to the partition between the inner room and outer room, he heard Songlan say, “Master, it’s not that this servant has loose lips. This servant can’t help thinking that Madam’s belly is too big. It looks more like she’s nine month’s pregnant. Master, do you remember that about nine months ago, this servant mentioned to you that I saw Madam coming out of the Southern Courtyard early in the morning? She was still a concubine then.”
On the bed, Qi Siling coughed twice and chided her, “What is Madam’s status? Know your place and don’t gossip about her.”
“This servant already had the other servants go back to their rooms to sleep, that’s why this servant dares to freely say these words,” Songlan sighed and said, “In the end, this will be the marquis’s oldest child. What will happen if the bloodlines get mixed up?”
Qi Siling was silent for a while, then she pursed her lips and said, “I happened to recently see Young Master and Madam talking together. But, perhaps they have something they need to discuss in private. Madam is so virtuous and magnanimous. How could she possibly do something to wrong the marquis?”
“The heart is unpredictable. Who knows what’s really going on?” Songlan shook her head and quickly glanced at the partition. Then she stood up, tucked the quilt around her master, and said, “Master, you’re still sick. You should go to sleep early.”
Marquis Moyu silently left Jiyue courtyard.
