Now, Qiu Su's belly was bulging on one side and completely sunken on the other. Pei Yuan pressed the empty side with a puzzled look, then moved to the other side and gently pressed the hard side. He was very curious, but held back from asking.
Qiu Su let him touch her all over, finding his furrowed brows amusing. Thinking it wouldn't be appropriate to strike up a conversation, she simply closed her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips. Pei Yuan pondered for a long time, waiting for the hard, fleshy part to disappear instantly. He then frowned and touched it for a while longer before getting up and leaving the room, puzzled.
Qiu Su watched the cotton curtain open and close again, then raised her hand to touch her belly and laughed.
Pei Yuan went to Rongyuan Hospital. Pei Xiang, who was feigning illness at home, was completely unrefined. He was wearing a cotton-padded coat, without even a robe, and was sitting on one leg propped up by the charcoal brazier, roasting peanuts. Seeing Pei Yuan enter, he tossed him a peanut, then threw a handful more into the hot ashes, before asking, "What is it?"
"No, I just came to see you. Where is your wife?"
"Preparations for tonight are underway." Prime Minister Pei gestured for the servants to leave, then, while tending to the charcoal brazier, said, "I'll bring up my resignation a few days later."
"Fifth Brother will not agree."
"Disagreement is fine, it just shows my attitude of not getting involved in politics. What I find strange is that Your Highness seems to have slowed down again."
"Accident."
Prime Minister Pei shook his head. "The sooner the better. What about General Ji's matter?"
"Actually, it doesn't necessarily have to be someone with the surname Ji who starts the uprising, right?" Pei Yuan said casually, playing with the chestnut in his hand.
"Since Your Highness has made up your mind, then go ahead and do it."
Pei Yuan sighed, "As for Madam..."
"She doesn't know yet. I'll explain things once Your Highness takes action."
"It might be more difficult. She raised me for so many years, and then suddenly she's told that Pei Yuan is gone..."
Pei Xiang smiled, his eyes narrowed. "Who said Yuan'er is gone?"
Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow.
"I am not so noble as to be said to be. Even tigers do not eat their cubs."
Pei Yuan rolled his eyes. "That would be even better."
"However, I must say that Ji Yan will most likely be going to the battlefield. Putting everything else aside, her face alone is more than enough to outshine Your Highness's many schemes."
Pei Yuan smiled, his eyes narrowed. "Even tigers don't eat their cubs, let alone the mother of my son. How could my wife go to such a dangerous place?"
Pei Xiang smiled, half his face beaming, and clicked his tongue smugly, giving off a "you just wait and see" vibe.
At this moment, Pei Yuan was also full of confidence, but he didn't know that he was just an ordinary person with too many things he was powerless to do. He couldn't foresee the separation a few months later. When he saw Qiu Su again, it was in the army. But by then, she was already General Ji, while he was a wet nurse carrying his child to his chest, searching for his wife for thousands of miles, if that was the title.
The author has something to say: I think I labeled it as lighthearted in the synopsis, but the writing actually feels quite depressing.
Everyone can smoke if they want. It's really closely related to your mood. I've only been depressed a few times, and that's it~~
*Plop! Splat!* Ouch! Go easy on me!
New novel, this time definitely lighthearted: "The Difficult Life of a Transmigrated Princess" (Click to read)
39
39. The Emperor has arrived...
The evening was quite lively. Qiu Su had never celebrated the Kitchen God Festival so grandly before. Back in Qingyuan Mountain, they would only have salty soup in the morning, a few more stir-fried dishes for lunch, and a group of people eating sesame candy in the evening. Such a grand celebration was quite rare.
When Lingling came to the courtyard to call Qiusu, firecrackers were already going off in the distance. Qiusu hadn't really wanted to dress up, but she couldn't resist Huangtao's insistence. Huangtao not only picked out a pinkish-purple satin cotton vest and paired it with a yellow floral cotton skirt, but also styled Qiusu's hair into an elaborate updo. The updo was adorned with pearl flowers, and pinkish-purple silk flowers were inserted on either side. A small hair ornament was also attached above each ear, swaying gently against her earlobes as she walked. There was also a small pearl string on her forehead, pulled from one side to the other, the largest pearl just reaching her brow, but Qiusu pulled it off when she looked in the mirror. She looked like a spider demon!
When Qiu Su and Lingling arrived at the front courtyard, the opera was already underway on the stage. A large number of servants sat below, with the main table prominently displayed. It faced the stage directly and was laden with food, with a charcoal brazier at its base. The two elders sat facing the stage, with Pei Yuan on one side, and surprisingly, Zhu Yuan sitting next to him.
Qiu Su pouted and sat down on Pei's side at her mother's invitation. Pei's mother took Qiu Su's hand and looked her up and down, then smiled and said to Pei Yuan, "Your wife always dresses casually, but dressed like this, she really is a beauty in the making."
Pei's mother had witnessed their cold war. While she hadn't said anything, she had been constantly plotting to reconcile them. She had finally managed to find a time for the Kitchen God Festival, but unexpectedly, Pei Yuan had invited Zhu Yuan over again. Pei's mother had always felt guilty towards Zhu Yuan. Although she had been living in the Pei household for a long time, Pei's mother knew that Zhu Yuan was gentle and would eventually become one of the Pei family's daughters-in-law. However, plans hadn't kept up with changes, and she had delayed Zhu Yuan's life for so many years. Seeing Pei Yuan bring her along, she couldn't say anything. Her deliberate praise of Zhu Yuan was also meant for Pei Yuan's ears.
Qiu Su smiled but didn't say anything. Pei Yuan glanced over, his eyes flickering slightly.
"Clothes make the man," as the saying goes, and that's absolutely true. While he wore fine clothes on Qingyuan Mountain, most were light trousers, making it difficult to tell his gender. Now, dressed like this, he looked quite like a noblewoman. Pei Yuan pursed his lips and turned to watch the performance intently.
Each person on stage had their own thoughts, and after a burst of drumbeats, the play had changed. Qiu Su wasn't much of a fan of opera, but after listening for a couple of lines, she still felt something was amiss. The young master dressed as Jun Sheng on stage was Pei Shao Jun, and the delicate, vine-like female lead was Li Qian Jin. The two were in love and secretly married, living together in the Pei family garden for seven years. Eventually, Pei's father discovered them and kicked Li Qian Jin out. Later, Pei Sheng passed the imperial examination with top honors, and the couple were reunited in happiness.
She'd heard about this play in Pingcheng; wasn't it that one about climbing over the wall? Quite a coincidence, oh, not really. It would be even more perfect if the young lady Li in it were actually the young lady Zhu. Qiu Su glanced at Pei Yuan, seeing him looking at her awkwardly, then casually turned her gaze to the table, picked up a sour plum, and ate it.
Madam Pei stared at the stage for a while, her brows slowly furrowing. She raised her voice to Yu Hua and asked, "What play is this? I don't remember it being played."
Yu Hua glanced at Zhu Yuan, whose head had been drooping since the start of the performance, and said with a smile, "Madam may have forgotten that she said everyone here can request a play."
Pei Xiang nodded and smiled, "Isn't this fine too?"
Zhu Yuan stood up in a panic and whispered, "I...I don't know, Xiao Qing, she..."
Mother Pei waved her hand to interrupt her, "Sit down, she didn't say anything. But let's change the setting, it's a holiday, it should be lively, this whining doesn't feel like a holiday."
Zhu Yuan glanced reproachfully at Xiao Qing, who was standing with her head down to the side, and said with a smirk, "Aunt Pei, please order. I'll have the same thing."
"Then let them sing one of their specialties, something lively will do."
On the stage, another scene unfolded, and before the performance even began, a high-pitched voice announced, "The Emperor has arrived!" The actors on stage immediately gathered in the center and knelt, while the servants dispersed to the sides. Qiu Su, having just managed to get into position with the others, was wondering whether she should touch her head to the ground like the others when Pei Yuan whispered in her ear, "It's alright, this is fine."
Qiu Su glanced at the person who had somehow appeared beside her and felt somewhat relieved.
He was still dressed in that bright yellow robe. He stood before Qiu Su for a moment before walking over, followed by a pair of black boots. Qiu Su looked up in confusion, meeting a pair of probing eyes. Seeing her look up, his gaze flickered, as if he wanted to bend down and say something. Pei Yuan put an arm around Qiu Su's shoulder, smiled, and lowered his voice, saying, "The Prince of An's presence is an honor to the Pei family."
The man withdrew his outstretched hand, straightened his back, and chuckled twice, saying, "Prime Minister Pei has such a daughter-in-law; she really resembles an old friend of mine."
The regent reached out to help Qiu Su up, then glanced at her and said with a smile, "No need for formalities, we're all family, hehe."
Qiu Su withdrew her arm, lowered her head, and slightly bent her knees, feeling a little uneasy.
The man in the bright yellow robes took his seat, and Prime Minister Pei, trembling with fear, was helped to sit down at the lower end of the table by his mother. Pei Yuan, Qiu Su, and Zhu Yuan stood to one side. Qiu Su felt that the Regent Prince's gaze kept sweeping over her every now and then. It didn't mean anything, but it made her feel uncomfortable all over, so she couldn't help but move closer to Pei Yuan's back.
“Prime Minister Pei’s daughter-in-law looks very fortunate; she might even become the most honored woman in the world,” the regent said with a smile.
Prime Minister Pei chuckled twice, reached out and poured him a cup of wine himself. After setting down the wine pot, he said, "Prince An, you are being extremely disrespectful by saying this in front of the Emperor. My daughter-in-law is indeed beautiful, but not quite that beautiful. She is also a bit too gentle. We don't have high expectations. It would be enough if she could keep the Pei family in check in the future."
"Heh, that's just a saying. There are many people with auspicious appearances, but few who truly receive good fortune." The regent took a sip of wine, glanced at the stage that was preparing to start the performance again, and said, "Pei Shangyu, this won't do. How long has it been since you attended court?"