The first to react was Princess Consort, who sat beside Ren Yaoqi.
When Ren Yaoqi was covering her mouth and dry-heaving, Princess Consort immediately put down her wine cup and supported her. She was about to ask if she was ill when something suddenly occurred to her. Her body couldn’t help but stiffen, then she stared at Ren Yaoqi’s abdomen with some incredulous joy on her face.
“Qi’er, are you…?” Princess Consort looked at Ren Yaoqi with hopeful eyes, but halfway through her words, she realized the entire hall had quieted down. Old Princess Consort and Su Shi at the same table were also staring at Ren Yaoqi with very complex expressions.
After retching several times without vomiting anything, Ren Yaoqi noticed everyone’s gazes fixed on her and smiled apologetically.
Princess Consort grasped Ren Yaoqi’s hand tightly, her expression and tone relatively calm as she said: “Since you’re feeling unwell, go back and rest first.”
Ren Yaoqi noticed Princess Consort’s hand holding hers was trembling slightly, so she squeezed back reassuringly.
Ren Yaoqi wasn’t foolish. She had already been somewhat suspicious of her recent condition but hadn’t had time to confirm it. Now seeing Princess Consort so nervous and joyful, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but feel some anticipation herself.
Old Princess Consort put down her chopsticks with a “clap,” breaking the hall’s eerie silence: “If you’re with child, then stay properly in your room. What are you doing here, causing trouble? Who attends someone else’s wedding banquet with a big belly?”
Upon hearing this, Princess Consort’s eyes turned cold.
Ren Yaoqi quickly said: “It’s not confirmed yet…”
Princess Consort gently interrupted Ren Yaoqi’s words: “You’re young and inexperienced, so it’s natural to be like this. It’s fine—everyone has a first time. Once unfamiliar, twice familiar.”
Just as Princess Consort finished speaking, the middle-aged woman who had come to toast her laughed: “Princess Consort is right. When I was pregnant with my eldest, I thought I had just eaten too much and gained weight. By the time I had my second, I had experience.”
Others smiled and chimed in, saying everyone was like this the first time.
Hearing the perfunctory responses around her, the Old Princess Consort’s expression was rather ugly. Did she no longer even have the right to lecture a junior?
Seeing everyone’s reactions, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Everyone was talking as if they had confirmed she was truly pregnant, when she wasn’t even certain yet.
Ren Yaoqi recalled that her monthly cycle hadn’t come last month, but she had insufficient blood qi and sometimes was irregular, so this wasn’t enough evidence. If it were just physical discomfort rather than pregnancy, how could she ever show her face again?
Princess Consort seemed to guess her thoughts and patted her hand with a smile: “Go back first. I’ll have someone take your pulse. Even if we’re wrong, it’s my mistake for thinking so. They’re just joining in the commotion—it has nothing to do with you.”
Everyone couldn’t help but laugh.
Under the Princess Consort’s insistence, Ren Yaoqi could only rise and leave first.
Princess Consort didn’t forget to quietly instruct her: “I’ll come right away. Don’t be afraid, and don’t feel burdened.”
Ren Yaoqi felt warmth in her heart, nodded, and withdrew first.
But just as she walked out of the banquet hall, she saw a familiar figure approaching from afar and couldn’t help but stop. When the person came closer, she looked at him and smiled: “How did you come here?”
Xiao Jingxi had rushed over from somewhere, his eyes bright and shining with joyful light as he looked at her.
As soon as he approached, he grasped Ren Yaoqi’s hand: “You…”
Ren Yaoqi discovered that Second Young Master Xiao’s palm was damp. She smiled and stopped his words: “It’s not confirmed yet. Let’s go back first and talk.”
Without another word, Second Young Master Xiao bent down and swept Ren Yaoqi up in his arms.
With her feet off the ground, Ren Yaoqi was startled and quickly wrapped her arms around Xiao Jingxi’s neck to steady herself: “What are you doing? Put me down quickly!” Looking around, fortunately, there were no outsiders here except her maids, but she still felt very embarrassed and ashamed.
Xiao Jingxi held her tightly and said in a low voice: “I’ll carry you back.”
Ren Yaoqi pinched him: “No! Put me down quickly! What would people think if they saw us!”
Xiao Jingxi carried her forward while willfully saying: “Let them see—who dares gossip?”
Ren Yaoqi said angrily: “Xiao Jingxi! Are you putting me down or not!”
Xiao Jingxi’s steps immediately stopped. Ren Yaoqi only called Xiao Jingxi by his full name when she was truly angry. After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Jingxi finally gently set Ren Yaoqi down, though his hands remained on her waist, unwilling to move away.
“Then I’ll support you as we walk…” Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi hopefully.
Meeting his eyes, Ren Yaoqi could only look up at the sky and sigh helplessly, ignoring him as she walked forward. Xiao Jingxi quickly followed step by step, his hand still on her lower back.
Fortunately, it was getting somewhat dark, and people were all concentrated at the banquet area, so they only encountered a few palace maids along the way.
After being escorted back to Zhaoning Palace by Xiao Jingxi, Ren Yaoqi discovered Nanny Gong was already sitting in the hall waiting, and couldn’t help but glance at Xiao Jingxi.
Xiao Jingxi said quietly, “I had someone invite Nanny Gong. She’s very accurate at reading pulses.”
Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to speak, she heard someone outside reporting: “Young Master, Physician Zhang has been invited.”
Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jingxi.
Xiao Jingxi had Physician Zhang invited into the hall, then explained to Ren Yaoqi: “If it’s physical discomfort, we’ll have Physician Zhang examine you.”
Ren Yaoqi was at a loss for words.
When Nanny Gong saw the two enter, she tremblingly stood to bow, but was personally supported by Xiao Jingxi: “Please don’t trouble yourself, Nanny. We’re asking you to check her pulse.”
Nanny Gong smiled and patted Xiao Jingxi’s hand, revealing a toothless grin: “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Nanny is here.”
Xiao Jingxi helped Ren Yaoqi sit on the kang, and Nanny Gong’s slightly cool fingers touched Ren Yaoqi’s pulse. During the pulse-taking, the entire inner hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The maids and servants held their breath watching, seemingly trying to read the results from every subtle expression on Nanny Gong’s face. The invited Physician Zhang also sat silently to the side, not daring to make a sound.
Xiao Jingxi sat beside Ren Yaoqi, tightly gripping her other hand. While others’ gazes were fixed on Nanny Gong’s face, he kept watching Ren Yaoqi.
After taking the pulse once, Nanny Gong had Ren Yaoqi switch hands, so Xiao Jingxi released her hand.
After taking the pulse twice like this, Nanny Gong finally opened her eyes and smiled at the roomful of people staring at her: “Young Madam… has a pregnancy pulse.”
As soon as Nanny Gong finished speaking, several maids and servants exclaimed joyfully. Xiao Jingxi gazed at Ren Yaoqi with a smile, and she looked back at him. Neither spoke, but in that moment, their eyes only saw each other.
It wasn’t until someone outside reported that Princess Consort had arrived that Ren Yaoqi looked away and stood up.
Princess Consort hurried in—this was the first time Ren Yaoqi had seen the usually calm and elegant Princess Consort show such an expression containing joy and urgency.
“A pregnancy pulse?” Princess Consort grasped Ren Yaoqi’s hand, staring at her without blinking. She had already heard the laughter and cheers of maids and servants from the courtyard outside, so her heart was already somewhat certain.
Ren Yaoqi blushed and nodded slightly: “Nanny Gong has already taken my pulse.”
Having just finished taking the pulse and now eating some pastries, Nanny Gong said: “Masters, rest assured. The pulse is very stable. Though it’s less than two months, Young Madam’s body has been well-conditioned.”
Princess Consort was so overjoyed she couldn’t speak, only holding Ren Yaoqi’s hand and repeatedly saying: “Good, good…” As she spoke, even her eyes reddened.
Xiao Jingxi said helplessly, “Mother, what are you doing?”
Princess Consort laughed while taking out her handkerchief to cover her eyes: “It’s nothing, I’m just happy.”
Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi exchanged glances, then each took one of the Princess Consort’s arms and helped her sit on the kang.
Princess Consort’s emotions finally stabilized. She asked Nanny Gong specifically about Ren Yaoqi’s pulse condition, then had Nanny Gong personally instruct Ren Yaoqi’s maids about precautions.
“During this time, go out less. You don’t need to visit me and Old Princess Consort every day. The child isn’t yet three months—you need to be more careful. After three months, you can walk around appropriately,” Princess Consort instructed Ren Yaoqi.
There was indeed such a custom in Yanbei—during early pregnancy, one needed to carefully nurture the fetus, especially with the first child requiring special attention. Only after three months, when the fetus was stable, could one go out and about.
Listening to Princess Consort’s instructions, Ren Yaoqi obediently nodded: “I understand, Mother. I’ll be careful.”
Princess Consort was very happy today and stayed in Zhaoning Palace for a long time before leaving. After leaving, she remembered something else she hadn’t explained clearly and sent Nanny Xin over to relay the message.
Because Ren Yaoqi had shown signs of pregnancy in front of everyone the previous day, by the next day, not only people in Yanbei Prince’s Manor but almost everyone in Yunyang City knew that the Young Madam of Yanbei Prince’s Manor was pregnant.