Ye Yaming sighed, “I don’t like socializing. Putting on a smile and exchanging pleasantries is exhausting. But one can’t be too aloof, otherwise when something happens, people won’t speak well of you, and might even give you a push from behind.”

She held Lu Guanyi’s hand, her voice extremely soft: “We will inevitably have a confrontation with Madam Shi and her son, as well as the Chu siblings. When that time comes, which way public opinion leans will depend on how well we’ve established ourselves in the Capital. So no matter how tiring it is, we must muster our spirits during this period and earn a good reputation.”

Lu Guanyi gripped her hand in return, pulling her into his embrace, and took a deep breath: “Thank you.”

Busy days passed quickly, and soon the Lantern Festival had quietly arrived. The day when Lu Guanyi would leave for the border was approaching.

Ye Yaming, like other wives, personally packed his luggage, reminding him to take good care of his health and stay safe.

Finally, she put down what she was holding, sat down in front of Lu Guanyi, and said seriously: “Although father-in-law’s actions will be kept from Lu Guanyu, when Duke Wei’s household fell, father-in-law emerged unscathed and even acquired all of Duke Wei’s military power. Lu Guanyu is not a fool; he must have thought of this point. Even if he hasn’t, Madam Shi will remind him.”

After Madam Shi’s divorce, Lu Guanyu had escorted her back to her family home. He had also visited her before going to the border.

Someone like Madam Shi had the mentality of “I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me.” She would not let Lu Zhongyong and Lu Guanyi live well. And the only strength she could borrow from the outside world was Lu Guanyu.

“Madam Shi has her thoughts, and Lu Guanyu has his. His official career is hopeless, and the only person he can rely on in his life is his father-in-law. Once something happens to your father-in-law and you inherit the title, his days won’t be easy.”

“So I believe he will vent all his resentment on you. If you meet with an accident, he becomes the father-in-law’s only son. Regardless of his father-in-law’s thoughts about him, he will consider this point and be unwilling to kill him. This matter only benefits him with no drawbacks.”

“I know you’re aware of all this, but I still want to remind you to be extremely careful of Lu Guanyu. It’s best not to undertake the same mission with him, and also pay attention to those around you, be careful with your food and drink.”

Looking at Ye Yaming’s worried face, Lu Guanyi reached out his large hand, comfortingly stroking her cheek, and tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” his deep voice was gentle. “If he doesn’t make a move, so be it, but once he takes any action against me, I’ll let my father know.”

His father hadn’t spent much time with him, nor with Lu Guanyu. But he knew that compared to himself, a child who was expected at birth, his father harbored much resentment toward Lu Guanyu, a child who was forced into existence.

However, even a vicious tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. No matter how much his father despised him, he couldn’t harm a son who hadn’t done anything wrong yet. Last time he brought Lu Guanyu to the border, it was only because his father didn’t want Lu Guanyu to stay in the Capital and ruin his eldest son’s marriage, disturbing his newlywed bliss.

This time, going to the border, if Lu Guanyu did nothing, then fine. But once he made a move, what awaited him would not only be his elder brother’s counterattack but also his father’s fury.

“My only worry is that once Lu Guanyu acts and is punished by his father, Madam Shi, unable to do anything to me, will take revenge on you.” Lu Guanyi’s voice was full of concern.

“It’s the same for me. If she doesn’t act, then fine, but once she does, regardless of who makes the move, I will break their hand and uproot Madam Shi completely,” Ye Yaming’s words were forceful.

They looked at each other, both seeing a slight relaxation in the other’s eyes.

They had confidence in each other’s abilities.

Ye Yaming not only packed luggage for Lu Guanyi but also for herself.

Tomorrow they would leave the Capital together, then separate at a fork in the road outside the city, one heading north, the other south.

Although it was only mid-January, not yet time for tea processing, Ye Yaming planned to return to Lin’an first, rest there for a while, and then go up the mountain to make tea.

Taking advantage of Lu Guanyi’s bath, Nanny Xia worriedly asked Ye Yaming: “Miss, are you sure you don’t want to call a physician or tell the Young Master?”

Ye Yaming touched her abdomen and shook her head: “Don’t let anyone know about this, not even Bai Rui or Lu’E. It’s not that I don’t trust them, but I’m worried someone might overhear them talking in private.”

Now Nanny Xia managed everything in her chamber, personally washing her undergarments. Her menstrual cycle always came on the tenth of each month, very punctually. But now it was already the sixteenth of the first month, and her period still hadn’t come.

Both she and Lu Guanyi were healthy and had a loving relationship as husband and wife; it would be normal to conceive even on their wedding night.

But Lu Guanyi would be stationed at the border for years to come, with little time to return home. She didn’t want to discover a pregnancy just a month into their marriage, affecting their newlywed life. She cherished these three months together.

So initially, she had taken measures to avoid pregnancy during ovulation, trying to prevent conception in the first two months, only relaxing these precautions at the beginning of last month.

She didn’t know if Lu Guanyi would encounter dangers at the border, nor did she know how their relationship would develop in the future. Whatever happened, she wanted to conceive a child now, just in case, and to have the child arrive when they were most in love.

“As for the Young Master…” she pondered for a long time before saying softly, “I’ll tell him tonight.”

“But if you are pregnant, tomorrow’s journey by carriage will be taxing, and then you’ll go up the mountain to make tea… The first three months of pregnancy require extreme caution. If something happens, how will we answer to the Young Master and the Marquis’ household?” Nanny Xia said anxiously.

“With the Young Master gone, I won’t be safe in the Capital,” Ye Yaming said. “The carriage has been modified, we’ll travel slowly and arrange a comfortable journey; it will be fine. As for going to Lin’an, when it’s time to go up the mountain, I’ll be careful not to tire myself, don’t worry.”

As she spoke, she looked at Nanny Xia: “Nanny, I know what I’m doing.”

Nanny Xia met her confident gaze and felt reassured, nodding.

Her young miss always had a composure that suggested “everything is under control,” which gave people a strange sense of security.

When Lu Guanyi came out of the bathroom, Nanny Xia withdrew.

“Ming’er…” Thinking that this trip to the border meant he wouldn’t return until at least the New Year, Lu Guanyi felt he was already missing her, even before they had parted.

Tonight he wanted passionate intimacy, to melt Ye Yaming into his heart and take her with him.

A pair of soft hands pressed against his chest.

“Ah Yi…” Ye Yaming looked at the handsome face before her in the candlelight, her gaze tracing his features. “My monthly visitor hasn’t come this month. I might be pregnant.”