Pregnant?
Ming Tan’s mind went blank for a moment.
Although she had suspected this possibility when she was vomiting earlier, hearing the news directly from the imperial physician still left her stunned. She sat on the soft couch, motionless for a long while, her fair wrist adorned with the cyan lotus bracelet resting on the pulse pillow, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Everyone in the room was overjoyed, not knowing what to say. They surrounded Ming Tan, exclaiming and marveling for a while. Zhou Jingwan was the first to regain her senses, immediately ordering people to bring blankets and hand warmers. Bai Minmin followed suit, hurriedly sending someone to inform Jiang Xu at the military camp. The room suddenly became busy, with newly cooked warm porridge and thick blankets soon piled in front of Ming Tan.
The news came so suddenly, and everyone was too shocked and delighted to remember to keep it secret at first. Before long, the news grew wings and flew throughout the Northern Frontier Prince’s Mansion, to spread beyond its walls.
Upon hearing the joyous news, Uncle Fu first leaned back, his eyes rolling up, and fainted from happiness. After regaining consciousness, he wiped his tears and rushed to the ancestral hall. It was said that he knelt outside the hall, praying and muttering for a full half hour.
Jiang Xu was handling military affairs at the capital’s camp that day. Two of his subordinate generals had gotten into a conflict, even coming to blows, and both ended up injured, causing quite an embarrassment.
Just as he finished dealing with the two men, someone from the mansion came to report.
“What?” Jiang Xu looked up. “Say that again.”
“Your Highness, the Princess is with child! Imperial Physician Feng is still at the mansion. It’s true!”
Jiang Xu’s face showed no expression, his emotions unreadable. He paused for only a moment before swiftly rising and leaving the tent.
Shen Yu was about to seek him out to ask for leave, but Jiang Xu didn’t even glance at him. He mounted his horse directly and rode straight out of the camp. The night wind was cool, but it couldn’t chill his burning chest.
“Your Highness! Your Highness!” Shen Yu called out twice from behind, with no response.
Well, that leave request wasn’t going to happen.
Shen Yu shook his head, feeling helpless and frustrated.
…
When Jiang Xu returned to the prince’s mansion, Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan had already left. Ming Tan was alone in the inner chamber, not allowing anyone to attend to her, saying she needed some time alone. Imperial Physician Feng was still in the mansion’s flower hall drinking tea, lest he be called back for questioning after leaving.
Sure enough, even the war god who could command wind and rain was concerned about the same things as ordinary people when it came to his beloved wife’s pregnancy: how many months along, whether the fetus was stable, and what precautions needed to be taken. Imperial Physician Feng was prepared and answered fluently.
After seeing off Imperial Physician Feng, Jiang Xu strode into the inner chamber.
Seeing Jiang Xu enter, Ming Tan instinctively stood up. For some reason, with such big news of her pregnancy dropping on her, she felt it was somewhat unreal and felt a bit lost.
“Don’t move around carelessly.” Seeing her stand up, walking less steadily than usual, Jiang Xu came forward, picked her up horizontally, and placed her on the bed.
Ming Tan half-leaned against the edge of the bed, holding onto his neck and not letting go. Unable to stand straight, he simply sat down.
“What should we do… I’m pregnant,” Ming Tan asked absent-mindedly after a long silence.
“What do you mean ‘what should we do’? Haven’t you always been hoping to get pregnant?”
In the past, when others were pregnant and she had no news, she was indeed anxious and worried. But now that it had happened, she felt quite at a loss.
“Are you scared?”
Ming Tan didn’t respond.
“Don’t worry, I’m here. Ah Tan doesn’t need to be afraid,” Jiang Xu rubbed her head and promised in a low voice, pressing his forehead against hers.
Ming Tan wasn’t scared, just a bit confused.
After her thoughts wandered for a while, she suddenly hit Jiang Xu: “Imperial Physician Feng said it’s been over a month. It must have been that time we soaked in the hot springs at Wujin Mountain. It’s all your fault!” She complained about how he had insisted on doing it twice even though she said no, and now she wasn’t prepared to be a mother!
Jiang Xu was extremely agreeable at this moment. He didn’t argue about how passionate she had been in the hot spring, only responding in a low, coaxing voice, “Mm, it’s all my fault.”
Ming Tan wasn’t in the mood to tease him further. She looked down, timidly and hesitantly touching her little belly, finding it hard to believe that their child was already growing inside.
Ming Tan’s reaction seemed a bit delayed. After they had settled in for the night and Jiang Xu had fallen into a deep sleep, her heart gradually filled with joy amidst the confusion.
She suddenly sat up in bed, even shaking Jiang Xu awake.
“What’s wrong, Ah Tan?” Jiang Xu rubbed his brow, his voice hoarse.
“We’re having a baby.”
Jiang Xu made an “Mm” sound, waiting for her to continue.
But after saying this, Ming Tan puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction: “Why do you look like you’re not happy at all?”
“…”
“When did I say I wasn’t happy?”
“Just now. Go look at your sour face in the bronze mirror.”
Just then, the sound of the night watchman’s clapper rang out from outside the mansion, slow once and quickly thrice. Jiang Xu was silent for a moment: “It’s the fourth watch. How… should I express my happiness now?”
“…”
It was the fourth watch. It would indeed be rather unusual to be beaming with joy at this hour.
Ming Tan let him off for now and curled back under the covers, facing inward. Thinking about how she and her husband might have a well-behaved son like Cousin Hua’s little Yin, or an adorable daughter like the little Long from the Prince of Yu’s mansion, she couldn’t help but smile, hiding her giggles under the blanket.
“What are you laughing about?”
“Nothing,” Ming Tan turned back, looking at him seriously. “I just thought about how our baby will be as beautiful as me in the future. I’m happy for him. This is a blessing earned from eight lifetimes of good deeds!”
“…”
“Husband, don’t you think I’m right?” She snuggled up to him, nuzzling into Jiang Xu’s embrace.
Jiang Xu was silent for a moment, then said with a straight face and unwavering heart: “Everything Ah Tan says is right.”
Only then was Ming Tan satisfied. She curled up in his arms, found a comfortable spot, and fell asleep peacefully.
However, Ming Tan’s delayed joy didn’t last long, because she soon discovered that after becoming pregnant, she had lost all her freedom!
“This one, this one, and this one too, lock them all up in the storeroom. No incense or spices are allowed in Qi’an Hall except for fresh fruits. Did everyone hear that? If you’ve been exposed to any fragrances elsewhere, you must change your clothes immediately before entering to serve!”
Early in the morning, Lü’e assumed the role of the princess’s chief maid, sternly instructing the others.
Suxin, who was usually gentle with others, was also as authoritative as Lü’e today, giving the little maids a lecture. She didn’t forget to add pressure at the end: “Uncle Fu has already instructed the kitchen not to buy or prepare any of these things that the princess likes but can’t eat now. Even if the princess orders it, you are not allowed to secretly buy it from outside to please her. If we find out later, His Highness will not be lenient. Do you understand?”
The little maids all bowed and agreed.
Ming Tan wasn’t unreasonable. For the sake of the child in her belly, she naturally wouldn’t eat things she shouldn’t.
But the entire household seemed overly nervous. Imperial Physician Feng had only said to eat less raw and cold food, but the mansion implemented a complete ban on raw and cold food. She couldn’t even have half a bowl of almond ice cream no matter how much she wanted it. Summer hadn’t even arrived yet, but she could already imagine how difficult it would be when it did.
The food restrictions were one thing, as Ming Tan wasn’t particularly fond of indulging in food and drink. But while she could tolerate the eating restrictions, the clothing restrictions were unbearable. Her belly was still flat enough to balance a bowl of tea on, yet Suxin and Lü’e had already put away all her clothes with waist ties, leaving only loose garments with no waistline. Her suggestion to just loosen the ties a bit was completely rejected.
Ming Tan was extremely depressed. Unable to wear pretty clothes, she naturally lost the desire to go out.
Stuck in the mansion all day with nothing to do, she could only find ways to tease Jiang Xu, sometimes demanding dumplings from a particular shop, sometimes complaining of sore legs and shoulders that needed massaging. Jiang Xu always patiently indulged her.
Pregnancy often brings many thoughts, and Ming Tan, who was already delicate, became even more sensitive after becoming pregnant. She would get angry at the slightest dissatisfaction, and when things were too good, she would easily become melancholic.
One day, Jiang Xu brought her a piece of hot sugar cake. Halfway through eating it, she tearfully hugged Jiang Xu and choked out, “Husband, am I too difficult to please? Are you getting tired of me?”
After asking, she didn’t give Jiang Xu a chance to answer, instead listing all the ways she thought she was difficult to please.
Jiang Xu comforted her for a long time, repeatedly saying “Ah Tan is very good.” Finally, she stopped crying, still hiccuping, vaguely complaining that all he knew how to say was this one phrase.
Ming Tan had been staying in the mansion since becoming pregnant. The first time she stepped out of the mansion was to attend her own younger brother’s hundred-day celebration.
Lady Pei had given birth. Due to her advanced age, the delivery had been difficult, and she had nearly died before giving birth to a son.
Because of her need for recovery, the third-day and full-month celebrations had been simple affairs with just a meal. Now, for the hundred-day celebration, they were holding a grand event, as Lady Pei was finally able to move about.
In the Ming family, girls’ names included the character of “wood,” while boys’ names included the character of “jade.” Ming Tan gave her brother a single-character name, Lang, meaning “beautiful jade without flaws,” implying preciousness and rarity.
Little Lang didn’t resemble Ming Tingxuan much but looked very much like Ming Tan. Everyone who saw him teased that the boy knew how to be born well, looking just like his fairy-like sister. With his clear brows and bright eyes, they said he would surely grow up to be a handsome talent pursued by many beauties.
Ming Tan was very pleased to hear this, although she couldn’t hold little Lang herself due to her pregnancy.
Having a son in his old age, Ming Tingxuan was naturally very happy. As Lady Pei couldn’t exert herself now and Ming Tan was pregnant, Ming Tingxuan had asked the Marquis of Changguo’s wife and Shen Hua to come and manage this hundred-day celebration.
Joy makes one’s spirits high. There were many well-wishers offering toasts, and Ming Tingxuan accepted them all. Seeing Ming Tan worry about her father-in-law drinking too much, Jiang Xu discreetly stepped forward to intercept the toasts on his behalf.
With the Northern Frontier Prince intercepting toasts, who would dare to offer more? Except for a few who weren’t afraid of death, the others all walked away sheepishly.
The hundred-day celebration was lively and bustling. By the end, Ming Tingxuan hadn’t even had a chance to get drunk. With a face flushed red, he suddenly said he wanted to have a private talk with Ming Tan, perhaps thinking of something.
Come to think of it, it had been a long time since father and daughter had talked privately.
Hearing this, Jiang Xu nodded understandingly and voluntarily withdrew.