Huangfu Zedan heard Moji’s message and walked into the bedroom. He saw his wife hitting her head on the bed and was startled, quickly rushing forward to hold her head: “My dear, what are you thinking? Don’t take it out on my son, he can’t handle such treatment.”
Ye Hui stared blankly: “Husband, my son is here…” She placed his hand on her abdomen, almost crying as she explained: “Not in the head, please be normal.”
Huangfu Zedan’s rough large hand explored her smooth, delicate belly: “Of course I know the son is here, but I know every part of your body is closely related to the child’s life. If something happens to you, he will definitely feel it. Do you know how Wang Dequan’s wife died?”
Wang Xiaoyan’s father, the local magistrate! She shook her head: “I don’t know, how did she die?”
“Three years ago, when Wang Dequan’s wife was pregnant, she tripped while crossing a threshold, lost the child, and couldn’t survive for a few days, following the child.”
Huangfu Zedan carefully laid his wife on the bed and covered her: “My dear, you must be careful, rest peacefully. If you need anything, just ask me to do it. If I’m not home, you can ask Moji. In short, you cannot be left alone for a moment.”
Ye Hui broke out in a cold sweat, feeling like a scale was pressing on her chest: “I might not be pregnant, I’m just guessing. Even if I am pregnant, I don’t need to lie in bed all day. I still need to use the bathroom, take a bath, and… read and practice calligraphy.”
Huangfu Zedan’s expression was serious: “If you want to move, I’ll support you. I’ll help you with the bathroom and bathing, along with Moji. If that’s not enough, we’ll buy two concubines. Reading and practicing calligraphy can wait until after the child is born.”
Ye Hui waved her hands: “Fine, I’ll listen to you, but we don’t need to buy concubines. Moji is already good enough. I don’t want anyone else.” Moji smiled: “Miss, please be assured. I will definitely take care of you and the young master with all my heart.”
Ye Hui exclaimed, holding her head: “I don’t even know if I’m pregnant. What’s wrong with you all?”
But the two men in the room looked serious, not taking her words seriously.
Ye Hui’s tears instantly welled up in the corners of her eyes, sighing inwardly that being a woman was not easy, and being a pregnant woman was even harder! However, she was certain that this child was undoubtedly Huangfu Zeduan’s, since Qin Yuhang had been gone for two months. The men of Yingtang Kingdom had an extraordinary belief in contraceptive pills, and she preferred to prove things with facts.
Huangfu Zeduan was somewhat disappointed: “How long will it take to diagnose?”
The old doctor thought for a moment: “In a few days, we can determine if it’s twins, but the gender can only be known when the child is born.”
“Mochi, take the doctor to the outer hall to prescribe some supplements for the madam, and then bring him to my study after you’re done.”
Huangfu Zeduan wanted to inquire about foods that pregnant women should avoid, as this was his first child in thirty years, and he couldn’t be careless.
Mochi and the old doctor withdrew, and Zhou Xun entered, holding a plate of washed dried fruits: “These are what the master asked his disciple to buy for the mistress to eat. It’s hard to find sour fruits in the middle of winter, so these are dried fruits, but they’re all sour.”
“You’ve worked hard, go rest!” Huangfu Zeduan took the fruit plate, waved his hand, and said to his wife with raised eyebrows: “This morning I went to the kitchen to see what was being prepared for you. I heard from Aunt Zhang that pregnant women should eat sour things, so I sent Zhou Xun to the street to buy some. Do you like them?”
“Husband, you’re so thoughtful,” Ye Hui was feeling nauseous, and she picked up a dried sour plum and put it in her mouth. The sour taste spread, and the feeling of nausea improved significantly.
Huangfu was still regretful: “If only it were summer or autumn, when we could have any fruit. Now my wife has to suffer like this.”
Ye Hui didn’t think she was suffering; she had gained so much since her transmigration.
“Grandmaster, Grandmaster, Second Uncle has returned!” Facai’s voice loudly came from outside the door.
Ye Hui sat up from the bed, her eyes filled with a mix of joy and sorrow: “Let him come in quickly.”
“I ran ahead to announce it, to make Grandma happy,” he said.
Ye Hui got out of bed, barefoot on the soft carpet, wanting to run out regardless of everything, but Huangfu Zeduan wrapped his arms around her waist and placed her back on the bed: “Wife, be good, your body is important. Is my second junior brother, a grown man, unable to enter the room without you guiding him?”
Almost simultaneously, the curtain leading to the bedroom was lifted, and a tall, upright man covered in white snowflakes, bringing in a burst of cold air, was Qin Yuhang, who had traveled a long way in the cold.
Ye Hui felt heartache, kneeling at the head of the bed, not caring about his frost-covered body, tightly embracing him. Huangfu Zeduan was anxious beside her, repeatedly saying: “Enough, enough. Hug for a moment, he’s covered in snow, wife, be careful not to catch a cold.” In his heart, he was thinking: My son is still small, don’t let him get cold.
Ye Hui, hearing this, felt unhappy and complained to Huangfu Zeduan: “Do you think the local officials have water in their brains? They only know how to collect taxes and benefits from the common people, and when critical moments come, it’s always the common people who suffer.”
Huangfu Zeduan laughed and patted her back, as if soothing her: “Officials follow the imperial court’s orders. They have too many things to manage. How can they care about the death of one or two common people?”
If someone had said this in her previous life, they would have been drowned in public saliva! Ye Hui showed a disapproving expression: “People are people. Everyone is equal in the face of life. How can you say that common people deserve to die?”
Huangfu Zeduan paused: “Isn’t life divided into noble and lowly? How can it be equal?”
Ye Hui felt discouraged. What was the point of discussing this with him? With different beliefs, how could they possibly argue to a conclusion? Still unwilling to concede, she said: “I remember the sages’ words. Only a court that implements benevolent governance is a good court. When people receive benefits, they will be grateful with all their heart, even willing to sacrifice their lives.”
The common people of ancient times were different from those of later generations. Here, people would be grateful for even a small benefit from the court and think about repaying it. They didn’t understand that this was their due, a responsibility the state must provide. Compared to later generations, who would receive state relief and still complain, finding it insufficient or not high-end enough.
“The city officials are doing something, but they lack manpower. It’s unavoidable that some people have frozen to death.”
“Aren’t there thousands of troops stationed outside the city?” Ye Hui, who originally didn’t want to continue this topic, had her emotions stirred again, and her voice unconsciously rose: “Don’t tell me the army is only for defending against foreign invaders, sacred and inviolable, and that helping the people would be shameful. The army is supported by the state, and where does the state’s money come from? It’s from the hard-earned money of the people. The people support the army, so the army has a responsibility to protect the people.”
