The Ruthless Female Forensic Doctor's Husband-Destroying Story

Chapter 63

Although Grandma Sun was still very worried, she had initially set up her bed there so that it would be convenient to serve her at night. Now that she herself needed to be served, how could she possibly stay there? Helpless, she was helped up and left reluctantly. After everyone was settled into bed, she still held Xiao Que's hand and kept giving her instructions. Xiao Que nodded in agreement to everything before she was finally released, leaving Xiao Die to sleep in the same room with her.

Little Sparrow was still a virgin, how could she be as shameless as Granny Sun to stay in the room next to their bedroom? She had only gone along with her young master's wishes and coaxed her out. Granny Sun thought that it was common for a maidservant of the young mistress to become a concubine of the young master, and seeing Little Sparrow's loud and clear response, she never imagined that Little Sparrow would turn around and go back, and simply stay in the room next door where she used to live to serve.

The lights went out and all was quiet in the backyard of the county government office. Yang Huan lay on the bed, head hunched, silently enduring a scolding from Xu Shirong. He then hurriedly went downstairs to bring her a cup of tea, saying, "My lady's scolding is very well done. I will never dare to be so naughty again, using mice as an excuse. My lady must be thirsty after saying so much; please moisten your throat before continuing." With that, he brought the teacup to her lips.

Xu Shirong, interrupted by him, could no longer continue speaking and sighed, "It's also my fault. If I had stopped you just now, this wouldn't have happened..."

Yang Huan put the teacup back, then came up with a smile, hugged her, and lay down, saying, "I know that Mama Sun is a good person. But she can be quite annoying. Now that this accident has happened, it's good that she can finally get some peace and quiet. She's so old and still guarding against us like we're thieves, ruining her health. Besides, she's not beyond saving. Don't think too much, go to sleep, it's past midnight." With that, he blew out the lamp and lowered the curtains.

The next day, the first thing Madam Sun did after getting up was to go find Xiao Que, her arm in a sling, to ask what had happened. Even though Xiao Que readily agreed, Madam Sun was still somewhat worried and kept giving her instructions. After some time, she secretly observed that the young mistress's complexion was rosy, and her belly was growing bigger day by day, with nothing wrong. Only then did she gradually feel relieved and focus on healing her injured arm.

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Summer had arrived in the blink of an eye, and Xu Shirong was eight months pregnant, her belly swollen like a ball. Sun Mama, whose splint had just been removed, had already moved back to her cubicle to sleep. Yang Huan, having been reprimanded by Xu Shirong last time, hadn't given her a kind look for several days, so he dared not make any trouble this time. Seeing her belly growing more and more swollen each day, even her calves and feet were severely swollen, leaving shallow indentations that took a long time to disappear when pressed, it was heartbreaking to see, and he didn't dare think about that matter anymore. On the contrary, Xu Shirong sometimes couldn't bear to see him like that and would quietly help him a few times, holding her breath.

Yang Huan received an official document stating that the Emperor would be traveling east next month. First, he would perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, and then offer sacrifices to the sea on the shores of the East China Sea, to thank Heaven for its blessings and pray for the well-being of the people. The site for the sea sacrifice was naturally chosen to be Qingmen County in Tongzhou Prefecture, a place known for its auspicious stones. Upon hearing the news, the entire county was in an uproar, and Yang Huan spent every day by the sea dike, sometimes returning home late at night.

As Xu Shirong's belly grew larger, the thought of childbirth sometimes filled her with apprehension. She never mentioned it to Yang Huan, fearing it would only add to his unnecessary worries. Although her movements were not very convenient, she dared not sit still all day. Every morning and evening, she would walk back and forth in the back alley of the county government office, considering it exercise. At first, Granny Sun tried to stop her, but seeing she couldn't, she had no choice but to let her have her way, though she herself would definitely stay close by her side.

Yang Huan went out as usual that day. Xu Shirong felt a little sleepy after lunch. The summer days were long, and she was about to lie down for a nap when two people sent from the capital by the Grand Commandant arrived at the county office. They were said to be the wet nurses selected from the capital. Xu Shirong had received a letter before and knew that the old lady and Jiang would send someone, but she was surprised that they had been sent more than a month in advance. Granny Sun was busy settling the wet nurses and told Xiao Que to help Xu Shirong to rest. Xiao Que seemed not to hear and just stood there without moving. Granny Sun scolded her, and then she seemed to come back to her senses and hurriedly said "Oh" and came over to help her. Xu Shirong saw that she looked listless and different from usual. She asked her about it on the way, but she just shook her head and mumbled something, so she didn't ask again.

Two days later, a matchmaker arrived at the county office, saying she had been asked to propose marriage. Xu Shirong, having heard the news, racked his brains for a long time but couldn't figure out who the suitor was. Since he was bored anyway, he went to see the matchmaker himself. To his astonishment, he learned that the suitor was Shi An, but the woman he wanted to marry was Qingyu.

A few months ago, after Qingyu was released and became free, she and her younger brother went to the county government office to say goodbye. Xu Shirong saw that her brother was only twelve or thirteen years old, so she asked them about their future plans. They said that their ancestral home in Qingzhou had been confiscated by the government during the raids, and now they had nowhere to stay and no relatives to rely on. They had lived in the capital with their family for a few years before and were quite familiar with the city, so they thought they would go back to the capital together. Xu Shirong saw that although they said this, their expressions were blank, and she wanted to help. She remembered that Xiao Que had mentioned that the Gu family, the second wife of the Grand Commandant, owned a very famous hotel in the capital. If she asked them to help the siblings find temporary work, the Gu family would probably give her face. So she mentioned it to Qingyu, who was naturally overjoyed and thanked her profusely. So the siblings temporarily stayed there, waiting to hitch a ride back to the capital next time.

Xu Shirong was quite surprised to hear the matchmaker say that she had been asked by Shi An to propose marriage to Qingyu. She wondered when Shi An had become interested in Qingyu. Upon reflection, she vaguely understood. It turned out that when she had previously shared her insights with Shi An, Yang Huan, upon learning of it, had become extremely jealous, saying that her handwritten notes shouldn't fall into the hands of outside men. Therefore, she had no choice but to have Qingyu, who also possessed beautiful handwriting, copy the manuscripts and send them to him. Whenever Shi An encountered something he didn't understand, it was through her who relayed the explanations. Could it be that over time, he had gradually become interested? Hearing him propose to Qingyu, she was happy for her, but after a moment's thought, she hesitated and said, "I am naturally happy for such a good thing. But Qingyu is already independent; she is only temporarily staying with me. I really can't make a decision; I must ask her myself."

The matchmaker smiled and said, "Madam, you don't know this. The official Shi wants to marry Miss Qingyu, but she is unwilling. That's why the official Shi sent this old woman to ask for your opinion and request your approval."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shirong was even more surprised to learn that the two of them had discussed it beforehand. There was no reason for her to refuse, so she quickly agreed, saying she would go find Qingyu to discuss it further. Only then did the matchmaker leave.

As they were talking, Xiao Que's expression had already changed several times. Before the matchmaker could take her leave, and disregarding Xu Shirong, her eyes reddened and she ran outside with her head down, wanting nothing more than to find Shi An and get to the bottom of things—when had she secretly hooked up with that slut Qingyu? Just as she ran out of the inner courtyard gate, she bumped into someone head-on, cried out in pain, and said angrily, "Who's blind...?" Looking up, she saw it was Erbao, and her anger only intensified. She raised her hand to strike him.

Erbao covered his head and said, "I know best what's bothering you, sister. If you want to vent your anger by hitting me, just hit me a few more times."

Little Sparrow had already lowered her hand, but upon hearing his words, she withdrew it, stomped her foot, and said, "Who wants to hit you! All you do is bully me!" As she spoke, tears fell down her face.

Erbao saw this and was both heartbroken and angry. She said, "Sister Xiaoque, I just don't understand. Apart from his face being a little whiter than mine, what else is Shi An better than me? His hands can touch dead people during the day. If he were touching you at night, wouldn't you feel creeped out? He doesn't want you, but I do!"

Xiao Que cried out, stomped on his foot, and ran back into the inner courtyard. She usually paid attention to Shi An, but that was limited to glancing at him a few times or sending him food and other necessities under some pretext, assuming no one knew. Sometimes she would fantasize that he was just a coroner, and if she were to gain her freedom with the help of her wife, marrying him would be a perfect match. Just now, suddenly hearing that he and Qing Yu had been secretly seeing each other, and now that a matchmaker had come to propose marriage, she was both shocked and heartbroken. Her dreams shattered, and that's why she impulsively ran out to find Shi An and ask him what was going on. Now, hearing Er Bao's words, she realized that even he knew her feelings. She suddenly wondered if others already knew, secretly laughing at her without her knowledge? Overwhelmed with shame and anger, she couldn't stay any longer, turned and ran back to her room, slammed the door shut, and didn't want to come out for a long time.

Xu Shirong was preoccupied with Qingyu's matter and couldn't worry about Xiaoque for the time being. After returning to her room, she asked Xiaodie to summon Qingyu, dismissed everyone else, and inquired about her thoughts. Upon learning the reason, she sighed and said, "I know you are a kind and intelligent person, but your fate has been unkind, forcing you to do things against your conscience. You must not belittle yourself. I think Shi An is someone you can entrust your life to. If you refuse now, I'm afraid you'll never meet such a good man again."

Qingyu lowered her head and remained silent for a long time before saying, "I was once a lowly concubine, and then I did such shameless things. Why would he, an innocent and good man, ruin his reputation for my sake?"

Xu Shirong shook her head and said, "Qingyu, I don't like hearing you say that. Even if you were still a pure and innocent person, now that he has sent someone to propose marriage today, he certainly won't care about these things. If a man like him can do this, why do you see yourself as a piece of mud? Besides, I heard that his parents died early. If you marry into his family, at least there won't be as many rules as in other families."

Qingyu blushed with embarrassment at her words and knelt down, saying, "I am extremely grateful for your kindness, Madam. I truly do not wish to dishonor you."

Xu Shirong observed that she wasn't entirely heartless towards Shi An; she simply felt unworthy of him. After a moment's thought, he smiled and said, "Fine, I can't persuade you. Let Shi An come to you himself. If you still refuse then, you two will truly be destined to be apart."

Qingyu asked in confusion, "Madam, what is this...?"

Xu Shirong smiled and waved his hand, saying, "I will make the arrangements."

Xu Shirong sat in the back hall of the county government office, with Xiaodie by his side. Shi An was brought in and bowed.

Xu Shirong looked at him carefully and saw that he stood respectfully with his eyes on the ground and his forehead seemed to be slightly sweaty. Knowing that he was nervous, she smiled and said, "Shi An, the matchmaker said that she came to propose marriage today at your request. But I can't make the decision. She has to agree herself. But it seems that she is not very willing."

A hint of disappointment flashed across Shi An's face, but he immediately said, "Please put in a good word for me, Madam. She has always admired you the most, and she will surely listen to what you say."

Xu Shirong pondered for a moment and said, "Seeing your sincerity, I will tell you the truth. Qingyu feels unworthy of you and is willing to be your concubine. What do you think?"

Shi An was taken aback and shook his head, saying, "She is well-educated, knowledgeable, and kind-hearted. I have great respect for her. If her family hadn't fallen on hard times, how could someone as lowly as me dare to ask her for marriage? I would never dare to wrong her like that."

Xu Shirong nodded secretly, thinking to herself that Shi An was indeed different from ordinary men. She had used Shi An as a shield before the Emperor, and the Emperor's intention to promote him had not been mentioned to anyone afterward, and Shi An himself was unaware of it. Hearing his words now, she thought for a moment and said, "What you said today is truly moving. You are indeed very different from those pedantic and worldly men. But if one day you rise to prominence, will you still be able to maintain your integrity?"

"Since Madam has said so, I, Shi An, will take this opportunity to speak frankly. I have been engaged in the business of burial with my father since I was a child, and now I am in this profession again. I have long been accustomed to the coming and going of life and death. No matter how rich and powerful one is, when one's fate is sealed, one will die when it is time to die. One cannot take any wealth or status with one's body, and one can only occupy three feet of land after death. Since I was fortunate enough to meet Madam and learned from her that there is such a wonderful art in this world, I have become even more fascinated by it. I only want to study and master it as soon as possible, so as to seek justice for the dead. Not to mention that I have no desire for wealth or status, even if I am fortunate enough to be able to do as Madam says in the future, I will certainly not dare to betray my principles."

When Xu Shirong saw that he no longer had his usual cautious demeanor when he said these words, and that his brows and eyes were full of righteousness, she was really happy. She nodded and said, "With your words, if Qingyu continues to make excuses, even I can't stand it anymore. Go ahead and rest assured, I will definitely fulfill your wish."

Upon hearing her words, Shi An looked up, bowed deeply, and then took his leave, his heart filled with turbulent emotions. He had long been captivated by Xu Shirong, secretly admiring the magistrate's wife, but knew it was all just a mirage. Gradually, he let go of these feelings and focused solely on his studies. Later, through his interactions with Qingyu, he learned of her background and that she wasn't truly Magistrate Yang's concubine, which stirred feelings of pity within him. The more he observed her speech and mannerisms, the more similar she seemed to the magistrate's wife, and the closer he felt to her. He didn't know when, but gradually, a different kind of affection began to blossom within him. After Qingyu did that, he was naturally saddened for a while, but he felt it was quite unlike her usual self. He went to great lengths to learn the reason from her younger brother, feeling both angry and pitying. He wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Qingyu face-to-face, but she kept herself locked up every day, making it impossible to see her. A few days ago, he learned that she and her brother were going back to the capital to make a living, and he couldn't hold back any longer. He asked her brother to express his feelings, but Qingyu rejected him. Left with no other choice, he sought help from a matchmaker and asked Xu Shirong for help.

After Shi An left, Xu Shirong smiled and said to the person behind the door, "You heard everything this time, right? If you try to back out again, I won't let you have your way." Seeing no movement from behind, Xiao Die giggled and pulled Qingyu, who had been hiding there, out. Xu Shirong saw that Qingyu's head was almost touching her chest, her face flushed, but she couldn't hide her joy and shyness. Knowing that things had gone well, Xu Shirong breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly remembering Xiao Que, she smiled and went to find her.

Xiao Que initially locked herself in her room, refusing to open the door no matter who knocked. Only when she heard Xu Shirong's voice did she slowly come and open it. Xu Shirong noticed her swollen eyelids, indicating she had been crying. Just as she was about to comfort her, Xiao Que sniffled and interrupted, "Madam, please don't say anymore. Xiao Que has figured it out. Men are all unreliable; they only care about appearances. From now on, as long as Madam doesn't send me away, I won't marry. I'll serve Madam until I'm old, and it's safer to save money for myself."

Xu Shirong had thought that the girl's feelings had been completely crushed and that no amount of persuasion would change her mind, but to her surprise, the girl spoke up herself. Xu Shirong suppressed a smile and said, "Good, good. Your insight is indeed very insightful. I will grant your wish. Starting this month, your monthly allowance will be increased to the same amount as Aunt Sun's."

Upon hearing that her salary had increased by so many months, Xiao Que's eyes widened in surprise. "Madam, you're not lying to me, are you?"

Xu Shirong pinched her chubby cheek and laughed, "When has your wife ever gone back on her word?"

Xiao Que thought to herself that he had gone to see a man with no sense of propriety, but he had returned with so much money. It was a worthwhile deal. She immediately stopped crying and started laughing. She wiped her eyes and helped Xu Shirong back to her own room.

Yang Huan learned of Qingyu and Shi An's affair. Instead of saying much, he breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that he had just resolved two of his worries – a truly wonderful thing. However, Granny Sun was utterly astonished and grumbled about it for days. Since arriving here, she had quickly realized that Qingyu was merely a concubine in name only. Seeing that the young mistress treated her with great respect and had gradually grown fond of her, she hadn't considered going back to tell the old lady, Jiang, about it. She was simply too surprised by the news and, after a few days, the fuss subsided.

Nearly two months passed in the blink of an eye. Although the seawall was not completely finished, the main sections were connected. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, several fierce storms struck, but the seawall remained unmoved, blocking the mighty tides. The entire county was overjoyed. Yang Huan, following Xu Shirong's advice, ordered people to plant trees and grass along the seawall. Their original intention was merely to reinforce the dike, but unexpectedly, years later, the area became a shady spot with lush green grass, a popular place for the county's residents to cool off in spring and summer. Everyone praised Magistrate Yang highly. Of course, that's a story for later.

Counting the days, Xu Shirong should be due to give birth soon. The midwife and all the necessary supplies for the delivery were prepared long ago, just waiting for her to go into labor. Xu Shirong had been somewhat afraid of the moment of childbirth, but now that she was really close to giving birth, she was much calmer, eating and sleeping as usual. On the other hand, Yang Huan, having already prepared for the emperor's sea sacrifice ceremony and awaiting the emperor and his officials' arrival, had some free time these past few days. As soon as he returned, he clung to her side, not saying a word, just staring intently at her belly, looking extremely nervous. This made Xu Shirong laugh non-stop, saying that if people saw him, they would think he was about to give birth. Yang Huan, teased by her, scratched his head and laughed somewhat embarrassedly, but his nervousness remained undiminished. At night, while sleeping, he kept touching her high, protruding belly, muttering to himself. Xu Shirong listened for a while before she could understand what he was saying: "Little one, remember to be quick when you come out, don't be like others who dawdle. If you disobey your father and make your mother suffer, be careful, or I'll spank you when you come out!" She laughed so hard her stomach hurt again, and she kept groaning. Outside, Sun's mother was already used to the two of them flirting and was no longer surprised. She lay there snoring and fell asleep.

Chapter eighty

The next day was a bright and clear day, but Yang Huan received an urgent report from the prefecture that the emperor, leading civil and military officials, was on his way to Qingmen County and ordered him to go to Tongzhou Prefecture to await the emperor's arrival. Yang Huan was worried about Xu Shirong, who was about to give birth, and then he received this order. He was so upset that he jumped up and down as soon as he closed the door.

Seeing that he looked like he was about to burst into a tirade, Xu Shirong quickly stopped him, saying, "Welcoming the Emperor is the most important thing. You can go and do your thing without worry. You don't need to worry about me." Seeing that he still looked unwilling, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "If I'm really about to give birth, it won't be of any use even if you stay by my bedside. You should hurry up and take care of important matters."

Persuaded by her, Yang Huan reluctantly packed his bags and set off. But before leaving, he grabbed Sun Mama and gave her a thousand and one instructions. Seeing Sun Mama pat her chest and promise again and again, he finally headed west of the city, looking back every few steps, his heart heavy with worry.