Situ Sheng saw her like this and suddenly recalled that she had suffered the same nausea when leaving the capital.

Even if it were bad food, this had been going on far too long.

So he set aside what he had been about to discuss with Linlang and asked with a grave expression: “Has a physician been called to look at you?”

But Linlang felt it was not a serious matter — it was only because of the sulfurous smell drifting over from the distant explosion, combined with some vague medicinal odor that was a bit overwhelming, that she felt nauseated. As long as she ate some sour plums to settle her stomach, she would be fine.

Upon hearing this, Situ Sheng was far from satisfied.

But getting Linlang to see a physician was always an ordeal — she was terrified the physician would prescribe bitter medicine for her.

So he waved a hand and called for Guanqi, sending him to find a reliable local physician to come and examine Linlang.

By this time, the site of the explosion had also been identified — it turned out to be the local warehouse used for storing and routing supplies.

The northwest was a region that produced medicinal herbs in abundance.

When Linlang had come here to buy land back then, it was precisely for the local medicinal herbs — good quality, and easy to sell.

With the northern military campaign underway, there was naturally a shortage of medicinal supplies as well. So the herbs collected here were dried and processed locally before being transported north.

Yang Yi had not left empty-handed — having failed to take Wen Shi, he had as a parting gesture blown up the northwest medicine warehouse.

The matter being of military significance, Situ Sheng immediately summoned Prefect Bai to account for it.

This was a facility of military importance, normally kept under heavy guard — so how had someone approached it so effortlessly?

Upon close investigation, it was discovered that Prefect Bai, through negligence of duty, had deployed the warehouse’s guard contingent to the gold mine to maintain order, and had further reassigned a sizable number of men to look after the safety of the Gong Family’s wealthy household.

Thinking of how the frontline soldiers might find themselves in dire straits from a shortage of medicine, Situ Sheng’s anger could no longer be suppressed.

And so Prefect Bai was immediately pressed to the ground on the spot, stripped of his official’s cap, and thrown into prison.

As for Linlang, after obediently submitting to the physician’s pulse examination, she still added an anxious instruction: “Physician, if it is not too serious, is it possible to avoid medicine? I can manage with dietary adjustments.”

The physician’s face lit up with delight, and he raised his hands to offer congratulations: “Dietary adjustments it shall absolutely be! Congratulations, my lady — you are approximately one month with child!”

Ah? Linlang’s first reaction was a desire to laugh.

This northwest was a truly unreliable place — not only did local bullies run rampant, apparently the local physicians were also second-rate amateurs.

She was with child? Surely he had read the pulse wrong!

But when Linlang expressed her doubt, the physician said helplessly: “A happy pulse is all it is — it’s not some difficult or obscure condition. How could an old man like me get that wrong? My lady, if you don’t trust me, find another physician to look.”

Chu Linlang wore a face of utter disbelief and said uncertainly: “But I have had no children in eight years of marriage. The physician told me my body did not seem to be capable of conceiving.”

If she could bear children, she would have conceived long ago — why would she have spent all those years silently enduring her mother-in-law’s whispered insults in the Zhou household?

The physician heard this and raised his hand to take her pulse once more, then said with absolute certainty: “It truly is a happy pulse. And as for married women who go many years without a child but then once it starts cannot stop — there are plenty of such cases. My lady, to be safe, feel free to find someone else to examine you.”

With that, he rose and took his leave.

After Xia He had seen the physician out, she looked back to see her mistress sitting motionless in the chair, stupefied, still unable to collect herself.

After Xia He found two more physicians, both said the same thing as the first — Chu Linlang was indeed with child.

Chu Linlang still felt she couldn’t quite take it in. It was rather like the feeling of being struck senseless by something falling from the sky.

She did not even dare to be happy, for fear the physician had made an error in diagnosis and she would have her hopes raised for nothing.

Just like those times before her first divorce, when she had suspected she might be pregnant only to be mercilessly contradicted by reality — that hollow, stumbling sensation of thin air underfoot.

When Situ Sheng finished attending to his official business and returned, he saw Chu Linlang sitting stupefied with a face full of private thoughts. He sensed something was off and waved Xia He over, asking quietly: “What is the matter with your mistress? Was a physician called? What did he say?”

Xia He herself had been struck rather dumb by the physician’s words.

Her first reaction was happiness on her mistress’s behalf — after all, having a child was something her mistress had long wished for. But she could not help feeling worried for her mistress at the same time.

After all, Minister Situ had continued to delay in marrying her.

Now that Minister Situ’s rank and power were growing ever greater, who could say whether in the future he might change his mind and instead take a wife from some distinguished and illustrious family?

So she felt it was not her place to be the one to tell him, and could only hesitate and say: “Your Honor… you had better ask my mistress yourself. It would not be appropriate coming from me.”

Having said this, Xia He gave a curtsy and went downstairs.

Situ Sheng saw that this maidservant was keeping something back from him, which meant the matter was not a simple one.

He looked grave as he turned and entered the room, asking Linlang who was still in a daze: “Did the physician say what illness it is exactly?”

Only at this moment did Linlang realize he had come in. She spoke with the same hesitation and reluctance to say it all as Xia He had: “The local physicians in a small place like this are not necessarily accurate. Perhaps… perhaps we should wait until we’re back in the capital and find a physician there.”

Situ Sheng grew a little anxious and reached out to put his arm around her shoulders: “What exactly is it? You’re being so evasive — are you trying to worry me to death?”

For Minister Situ, who was mature beyond his years and always projected an air of serene detachment in public, to show this hint of unease in his voice was actually quite rare.

All that afternoon, Linlang had in fact been thinking through a great many things. Including what Situ Sheng’s attitude might be if she truly were pregnant.

His experiences were nothing like those of an ordinary person, and not a trace of sweetness touched his childhood years.

He had said he did not know how to be a father, and did not wish to bring a child into this world to suffer.

That was not a simple word of comfort to a woman who could not conceive — those were Situ Sheng’s genuine thoughts from the heart.

Growing up, apart from time spent with his grandfather, he had almost no cherished memories of being with his own parents.

More than once he had said he would not know how to be a father — and did not wish to be one.

Linlang was not certain whether Situ Sheng would feel joy or sorrow upon hearing the physician’s words.

But this was not something she should hide from him, so after some thought, Linlang told him plainly: “The physician said… I am with child.”

Sure enough, it was nothing like the joy of an ordinary man hearing he would become a father.

The man before her, upon hearing her words, went visibly blank — clearly struck speechless and unable to gather himself.

If before telling him, Linlang had still felt some apprehension, seeing that his expression was not one of great joy, her anxiety suddenly and completely dissolved.

For one brief moment, Linlang had even thought through how she might raise a child on her own in the future.

When faced with trouble, Chu Linlang had never had the habit of avoiding or retreating.

She said calmly: “If there truly is a child, I am certainly keeping it.”

Situ Sheng slowly nodded and still said nothing.

His reaction, however, made Linlang’s temper flare to the surface. She suppressed her anger and said: “I know you don’t want to be a father, and I won’t force you. In the future the child can just call you… Uncle Situ — after all, you’d still be an elder to the child. Just give a red envelope during the New Year and festivals, for appearances’ sake, that’ll do…”

Upon hearing such aggravating words, Situ Sheng still nodded, wearing the absent-minded expression of someone whose thoughts were elsewhere.

Chu Linlang had stumbled right into the pit she herself had dug.

This was acceptable to him? He truly intended to be a hands-off father!

With that thought, Chu Linlang leapt to her feet and turned in circles, then said: “Or perhaps… we should simply part ways. That way you won’t have to feel awkward looking at the child in the future. I, Chu Linlang, may not have many talents, but finding a few suitable men to serve as the child’s father — I have more than enough options, so please don’t trouble yourself!”

This time Situ Sheng finally heard what she was saying.

He frowned: “Say that again — what exactly do you have the ability to do?”

Chu Linlang, not afraid of death, raised her brows and said it again. Situ Sheng was so livid the corner of his mouth curved up slightly, and he said quietly: “Tell me then — which man has the ability to live long enough to be called father by my child?”

That word “live,” was ground out through gritted teeth, wrung out from between the clenched molars.

But watching Linlang all bristling and on guard, looking exactly like a mother cat protecting her young.

Situ Sheng finally understood what Linlang had been turning over in her mind, and why she had said what she had.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms: “What nonsense are you thinking up? How could my child call anyone else father?”

Linlang still felt a heaviness in her chest: “…But when you heard I was with child, you weren’t happy…”

Situ Sheng said in a low voice: “How could I be happy? Though you and I have a betrothal agreement, we have not yet completed the wedding ceremony. The northern campaign is imminent and I cannot step away… yet you are already with child. If I cannot immediately give you a proper status, how will you and our child stand before others in the future?”

And that was the true reason why Situ Sheng had been distracted just now.

The moment Linlang said she was pregnant, Situ Sheng’s mind had immediately and silently reorganized his schedule.

Linlang and the child in her womb could not wait. He needed to marry Linlang before going to the north, so that Linlang could wait for the birth with her name rightfully established.

Upon hearing this, Linlang’s blazing eyes finally grew a little wet, yet she was still hesitant: “But… you’ve said before that you don’t like children!”

Situ Sheng said: “It’s not that I dislike them… I only feared I wouldn’t know how to be a good father… But since it’s a child you’ve carried, as long as the child doesn’t turn out as unruly and mischievous, as willful and temperamental as you were as a little girl, I think I can manage to endure it…”

Now that was truly asking to be hit!

Chu Linlang was laughed into anger, and reached out to pinch his ear: “Nonsense — you loved that unruly little girl at the time! Didn’t you scale the wall to peek at me more than a few times!”

Situ Sheng thought it over and openly admitted it: “Every time I climbed the wall to hand you food, didn’t you also love me madly? Your eyes would light right up and you’d be quietly drooling the whole time?”

Little Chu Linlang had truly been a little glutton back then. Situ Sheng had spent no small amount of time catching crabs, gathering bird’s eggs, and finding food for her.

So much so that whenever she saw him raise up a bowl and climb up on the wall, her mouth would water and she couldn’t stop the drool from flowing…

And in that one fleeting moment, all the uncertainty swirling in Linlang’s heart dissipated completely.

Yes — even though Situ Sheng had said over and over that he didn’t want to be a father. He would absolutely be the most qualified, most caring father in all the world.

With that thought, she finally let go of all her worries and leaned into his embrace, voicing the anxiety she had held all afternoon: “What if the incompetent physician made an error in diagnosis and let me feel joy for nothing — or what if my constitution is too weak and in the end I still can’t keep the child… what then?”

Situ Sheng understood that this child meant far more to her than marriage ever had.

Every time they attended a full-month banquet at someone’s household and she saw a milky-scented little infant, she could barely tear her gaze away and couldn’t seem to move her feet.

She had even gotten as far as planning to raise the child without him — which showed that what she feared most was not his unwillingness to be responsible, but her fear that she might not be able to keep the child in her womb.

But thinking about it this way made him irresistibly want to feel just a touch competitive with a child not yet born into the world.

“Instead of worrying about all that, you might as well think about whether to have the wedding clothes prepared here first. When we return to the capital, we must be married immediately — do you want our child born with the name of a child born out of wedlock?”

Only at this moment did Linlang think of that point. She stared blankly and said: “That’s true!”

She had been thinking of everything else and had simply forgotten that she and Situ Sheng were not yet married.

Situ Sheng had made his decision — he would escort Linlang back and marry her immediately!

But the northwest medicinal herbs had been destroyed, and a way to fill that gap had to be found.

When Linlang heard about it, she felt it was quite solvable: “I’ve been in the medicinal herb trade before. Many herbs, unlike grain, can be stored for several years if properly kept. So many herb merchants in the northwest have stockpiles on hand. If this year’s purchase price isn’t good, some would rather wait another two years for a better price before selling. So as long as there’s money to offer, there’s no need to worry about not finding emergency supplies. The only fear is that these scheming merchants will hear about the herb warehouse being blown up and use it to jack up prices. The most urgent task is to get hold of the critical varieties before the news spreads.”

As she spoke, she picked up brush and paper and wrote out the names of several local herb merchants: “These people — Madam He helped me make contact before, and we’ve done a few deals together. They all conduct their business fairly honestly. If I take the lead in purchasing the herbs, the price can be negotiated more reasonably.”

Situ Sheng quickly ran the numbers — the cost of purchasing these medicinal herbs was no small sum. If they waited and went through the standard government procurement channels, it would likely be too late. By the time the herb prices had risen sky-high, they would no longer be retrievable.

But Chu Linlang, upon hearing this, felt it was no great matter: “It’s fine — I’ll cover the cost first. Once you get the funds appropriated from the court, you can reimburse me then.”

Situ Sheng raised an eyebrow: “You can produce that much silver?”

Chu Linlang felt that Situ Sheng did not truly understand her current financial resources — that line about “finding any number of fathers for the child” had not been idle boasting.

So she tapped out a figure on the abacus and asked Situ Sheng: “Do you think what I have now is enough or not? It’s just buying a few batches of herbs — a drop in the bucket! Even if you don’t pay me back, it doesn’t matter. For the soldiers on the northern front to eat and use these herbs is a patriotic donation in service of the nation — as it should be!”

Situ Sheng knew she ran a large business, but had not expected that by now she had quietly amassed such enormous wealth.

If it had been another man, such a staggering figure might have dealt a slight blow to his self-esteem.

But Situ Sheng let out an easy laugh, pulled his little golden-egg-laying hen into his arms and said: “It seems I truly must hurry and get you married into the household — otherwise a wife of such overwhelming fortune, how could I bear to let someone else snatch her away? Only I’m afraid that once my origins are exposed, it may implicate you…”

Chu Linlang knew the reason he had long delayed in marrying her — but now, she felt that reason no longer mattered to her.

“Situ Sheng, if something truly happened to you, do you think I would be relieved that because I hadn’t married you, I could simply walk away? ‘Through life and death alike, I have sworn to you my bond’ — tell me, did I use that line from the old poem correctly?”

She had read that line in her schoolgirl days, and now she could finally show it off to Situ Sheng.

Situ Sheng looked at Linlang’s clear and bright eyes, his heart overflowing with a richness beyond words, and he cradled her face with inexpressible tenderness as he recited the poem’s remaining lines: “I take your hand in mine, to grow old together at your side…”

In the flickering candlelight, Situ Sheng pulled her tightly into his arms.

From now on, perhaps the two of them would no longer be just the two of them.

He still was not certain he would become a qualified father, but he knew that Linlang would absolutely be the finest mother this world had to offer.

And what he needed to do was pour every last effort into protecting the people he held most dear…

With that thought, he felt it was truly time to return to the capital.

With Linlang managing the connections, the herb procurement proceeded very smoothly.

For one thing, the news of the herb warehouse explosion that day, aside from the nearby residents who had heard the great boom, was unknown to everyone else.

For another, the quantities Linlang was purchasing were substantial — if they could hold onto this longstanding customer, accepting a slightly lower price was worth it.

So Linlang was not shy about it and drove the price down to a very reasonable figure.

Once the herbs were in hand, Xia Qingyun used his connections to arrange a number of familiar vessel crews to load the shipment and transport this batch of medicinal herbs north first, to prevent the Jing people from causing further mischief.

Situ Sheng then, together with Linlang, set out without pause and hurried back to the capital.

But before they had yet reached the capital, Situ Sheng received a fire-sealed confidential letter from the Third Prince on the road.

After reading the contents of the letter, Situ Sheng’s expression became grave and sharp-edged, almost savage.

The sight of it made Linlang, standing to one side, genuinely worried: “What happened? What did the Third Prince say?”