After the Mid-Autumn Festival, under Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo’s supervision, the general’s mansion held a wedding celebration for Zhao Song and Bitao.

Bitao was a year older than Wei Rao. Though marrying in her early twenties was somewhat late compared to fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls, the early twenties were the best age for a woman – her figure and appearance had fully developed, and she understood what she needed to understand. Marrying a man she was mutually attracted to was like dry kindling meeting fierce fire; her joy impossible to hide.

Northwest winds howled outside the window, but the inner room was very warm. Wei Rao sat reading while Liu Ya and Bitao held needlework, making fitted undergarments for Wei Rao. Now that Wei Rao was beginning to show, her previous inner garments had become too tight.

“Bitao, you should make a few for yourself, too. You might have good news soon,” Liu Ya bit off the thread and smiled as she teased Bitao.

Bitao had grown accustomed to being teased recently. Looking at the silk fabric in her hands, she said, “I don’t need to make any. Even if I do get pregnant, by the time my belly grows large, the Princess will have already given birth. The Princess loves me so much – I’ll ask her for her old clothes.”

Wei Rao laughed at her: “You dare to say anything! What, now that you’re married, has your face grown thicker?”

Bitao grinned cheekily.

Wei Rao turned to ask Liu Ya, “Bitao picked herself a good husband. What about you? Do you fancy anyone?”

Bitao joined in: “Zhao Bai is still single. Want me to help arrange a match?”

Liu Ya glared at her: “Who wants to be sisters-in-law with you? Right now, I only want to serve the Princess and the little master. I’m not interested in men.”

The two maids bickered for a while before breaking into laughter and resuming their joking.

In private, Wei Rao asked Liu Ya’s opinion individually. After all, at this age, if Liu Ya had someone she fancied or knew what kind of man she wanted to marry but couldn’t find one, Wei Rao would certainly make plans for her.

Liu Ya did want to marry. Seeing how loving the Princess and Young Master were, and how Bitao had married Zhao Song in wedded bliss, Liu Ya was truly envious.

Knowing the Princess cared for her, Liu Ya said with a red face: “I want to marry someone fair-skinned who likes to smile.”

Wei Rao’s thoughts turned, and she asked softly: “Someone like A’Gui?”

Liu Ya was shocked, her face immediately turning red. She had never coveted A’Gui – she simply liked fair-skinned, gentle-looking men. As the Princess’s maid, she would very likely be matched with one of the Princess’s stewards. When Liu Ya spoke, she had assumed the Princess would choose from among the young stewards.

She never expected the Princess to think of A’Gui!

A’Gui was the head steward of Song Yue Hall’s front residence. When the Young Master became head of the family, A’Gui would be the head steward of the entire Duke’s mansion. How could she dare to reach so high?

“Princess, please don’t mention this to A’Gui. I… I’m not worthy of him,” Liu Ya said shamefully. She feared A’Gui might agree to the marriage reluctantly out of respect for the Princess, and even more feared he might politely refuse – how could she face going to the front residence afterward?

Wei Rao understood Liu Ya’s meaning and decided not to worry about her for now. If A’Gui notices Liu Ya over the next two years and actively proposes marriage, that would be best. If A’Gui had no eyes for Liu Ya, then after returning to the capital, she would choose a suitable shop steward for Liu Ya.

Ganzhou’s summer was short, and autumn wasn’t long either. By the end of September, heavy snow had already fallen.

Wei Rao lived in comfort and luxury. Except for going out to visit or personally supervising the monthly competitions of her five hundred household troops, she stayed in the general’s mansion to nurture her pregnancy. Lu Zhuo had it harder – even with charcoal fires lit in the military camp tents, they weren’t very warm. Especially when he rode back from camp, his face would be stiff from the wind, pale and rough to the touch.

“Use some of this.”

Before sleep, after the maids had withdrawn, Wei Rao took out the palace beauty cream her mother had sent and generously offered it to Lu Zhuo.

Lu Zhuo remembered the last time he returned, Wei Rao had touched his face several times, not in an affectionate way, but as if examining something.

“What does this do?” Lu Zhuo asked.

Wei Rao sat beside him and smiled: “It moisturizes the skin. Look how dry you are now – if this continues, the capital’s number one noble young master will need to be replaced.”

Lu Zhuo didn’t want to apply it: “It gets rougher in autumn and winter, but returns to normal after spring warms up.”

Wei Rao knew that men didn’t like applying such things, but if he used it secretly, who would know?

Smelling the light fragrance of the beauty cream, Wei Rao capped it and said: “Use it or don’t – it’s up to you. But if your face gets rough, I won’t kiss you. When it returns to normal, I’ll kiss you again.”

Lu Zhuo’s expression changed slightly.

After the lamp was extinguished and he held her for light kisses, feeling her tender, smooth cheeks, Lu Zhuo’s mind turned over several thoughts.

So when this rest period ended and Lu Zhuo returned to the military camp, he not only brought the cloaks and thick quilts Wei Rao had prepared for him, but also secretly took a box of beauty cream from Wei Rao’s jewelry box.

Wei Rao wasn’t sure of the exact quantity of beauty cream, but when Liu Ya organized the jewelry, she noticed one box was missing.

Hearing her muttering, Wei Rao instantly understood. That Lu Zhuo – what an actor!

When Lu Zhuo returned, he acted as if nothing had happened, but his face had regained its jade-like texture. Wei Rao enjoyed touching it and kissed him several more times. After all, with her belly growing larger, they could only kiss faces now.

Winter was severely cold – the Central Plains were cold, but the north was even colder. The grasslands had changeable weather with possible snowstorms, so the entire winter would be the safest time for the frontier. The western and northern border countries wouldn’t launch sneak attacks at this time, as that would risk their troops.

Lu Zhuo finally had more time to stay at the general’s mansion with Wei Rao.

Wei Rao learned military strategy and the Wuda language from him, improving a little each day. Before she knew it, she could communicate simply with Lu Zhuo in Wuda.

As the New Year approached, the markets in Ganzhou City were exceptionally lively. Wei Rao wanted to take a look and buy some New Year goods.

Her belly was already very large. The physician predicted she would give birth around the Lantern Festival, still over twenty days away. Lu Zhuo didn’t dare let her go out.

Wei Rao said, “The stone roads in the city are smooth and even. We’ll take a carriage, and when we arrive, you’ll be by my side watching over me. What could happen?”

No matter what Lu Zhuo said, Wei Rao insisted on going.

Since he couldn’t persuade her when she was alone, now with mother and child both depending on her, Lu Zhuo dared even less to go against her wishes.

So the couple went out with their guards.

The carriage moved very steadily. Upon reaching the market, Lu Zhuo stayed close by Wei Rao’s side while eight other guards followed in front, behind, left, and right, ensuring that if anyone suddenly charged from any direction, they would be intercepted.

Wei Rao still wore her veil, but Lu Zhuo showed his face. Seeing the couple’s entourage, passing citizens soon all knew their identities.

With Lu Zhuo accompanying her, Wei Rao didn’t need to worry about safety. She leisurely browsed the stalls they passed, walking closer to examine anything that interested her. Most, she just glanced at it, but occasionally the little one in her belly would kick her. Wei Rao would gently rub her round belly, thinking that next year at this time, they could stroll together as a family of three.

After walking for about two quarters of an hour, just as Wei Rao was feeling tired and wanted to return to the carriage, sudden commotion came from a medical clinic diagonally across. A man was crying, speaking in Wuda, begging the physician to save his daughter.

Wei Rao looked over curiously. Soon, a burly Wuda man was chased out. His face was sallow, his clothes ragged, his cloth shoes and trouser legs covered in mud, as if he had just finished a long trek. His strong arms held a three or four-year-old girl, also dressed in Wuda clothing. The girl’s complexion was even worse, and her eyes were closed. The Wuda man looked down at her as tears the size of beans fell on the girl’s face.

This scene attracted many onlookers.

Seeing them, the Wuda man knelt with his daughter, tears streaming, speaking incoherently.

He spoke quickly and frantically. Wei Rao couldn’t understand clearly, so Lu Zhuo explained beside her.

It turned out that this Wuda man’s daughter was seriously ill. The local Wuda physicians were helpless and told him to prepare for her funeral. Unwilling to let his daughter die like this, the Wuda man heard that Central Plains physicians had superior medical skills, so he trekked for many days to reach Ganzhou. The clinic’s physician had just said there was still hope, but it would require at least thirty taels of silver. The Wuda man had only brought eight taels – his entire savings – so he wanted to borrow money to solve the emergency, promising to repay later.

He had eight taels but still needed over twenty more. Not only could most people not understand his plea for help, but even those who did weren’t willing to lend so much silver to a stranger, especially a foreigner.

Suddenly, the Wuda man noticed Wei Rao and her husband. At this moment, in this area, they were the wealthiest people the Wuda man could see who might help him.

The Wuda man hurried over with his daughter.

Two guards quickly blocked him.

The Wuda man knelt on the ground, pleading desperately. He looked at his daughter, then at Wei Rao’s belly, crying so hard he couldn’t speak, only tears flowed more fiercely.

Wei Rao looked at Lu Zhuo.

Lu Zhuo untied the purse from his waist and threw it entirely to the Wuda man.

The Wuda man held his daughter with one hand and grabbed the purse with the other. With trembling hands, he opened it to find not only loose silver but also bank notes. He suddenly burst into loud sobs, kowtowing to the couple while crying.

Lu Zhuo left one guard to watch over this man and help if needed, then helped Wei Rao into the carriage.

“They say daughters are cheap lives, but he’s willing to leave his homeland for his daughter. He’s a good father,” Wei Rao said softly to Lu Zhuo once settled, her gaze falling on her abdomen. Having lost her father young and about to become a mother herself, Wei Rao couldn’t bear such scenes, feeling sour inside.

Lu Zhuo held her hand and said, “Raorao is kindhearted. Today, you saved that child, which counts as adding fortune for our child.”

Wei Rao smiled and rubbed her belly: “What fortune or not – I only wish for the child to be free from illness and disaster, safe and smooth.”

She had suffered hardship and nearly become a medicine jar. Lu Zhuo had also been wounded in battle and barely saved. Wei Rao only hoped that all the suffering had been endured by them as parents, so when their child was born, it would be forever carefree.

The guard Lu Zhuo helped the Wuda man rent an inn. The physician’s medical skills were superb, and with sufficient payment, he did his utmost to treat the little girl. The girl gradually awakened, drinking medicine while recuperating. By the eighth day of the new year, the little girl was bouncing and jumping again.

The Wuda man brought his daughter Bao Ya to the general’s mansion to express gratitude and bid farewell.

Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo received the father and daughter together.

The Wuda man just kept kowtowing. Bao Ya also knew this god-like couple had saved her life. She took off the moon-shaped red stone pendant from her neck, pointed at Wei Rao’s belly, and shyly offered the pendant to Wei Rao.

Wei Rao smiled and accepted it for the child.

The Wuda man returned the remaining silver to Lu Zhuo, only accepting the travel money the couple gave him, then took Bao Ya and departed.

The next day, with warm sunshine and no wind, Wei Rao safely gave birth to a daughter.