Chapter 109: Two Daughters

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When Qin Yi returned, Chu Jinyao was sitting under the lamp, dressed in a soft light-yellow gown, reading a book.

 

Seeing her, Qin Yi instinctively frowned: “Why did you come out?”

 

Hearing his voice, Chu Jinyao immediately closed the book and walked toward Qin Yi. As she quickened her steps, Qin Yi, alarmed, rushed to support her: “You’re pregnant now, don’t move around recklessly.”

 

“How can this be called reckless?” Chu Jinyao said helplessly. “I’m not made of porcelain. I’m just walking normally.”

 

However, Qin Yi insisted, carefully placing her back on the soft couch. In his eyes, Chu Jinyao was now as delicate as a fragile piece of porcelain, and anything in the palace could pose a danger to her.

 

Having just returned from outside, Qin Yi’s clothes were already damp from the rain, so Chu Jinyao immediately instructed the servants to bring him dry clothes. Normally, Chu Jinyao would insist on personally helping Qin Yi change, but now no one dared let her do such things. She could only sigh and wait. After Qin Yi changed his clothes, they both sat together on the soft couch.

 

Outside, the rain fell steadily, but inside, the room was warm and filled with the soft glow of lamps. It was often said that beauties looked their best under lamplight, and Chu Jinyao, with her snow-white skin and radiant features, looked especially enchanting today in her light-yellow dress, almost glowing in the candlelight. As this beauty sat close by, Qin Yi finally felt a sense of reality. His gaze naturally drifted toward her abdomen, still flat as usual, with no sign yet of the new life growing inside. But in eight months, a new life—one that belonged to both of them—would enter the world.

 

Back when Qin Yi married, the courtiers had openly and subtly mentioned his heirs, with some even pressing the matter. At the time, Qin Yi had felt nothing; it seemed no different from being asked to attend a meeting at Wenhua Hall—just another duty. But now that the moment was actually here, he realized how different it truly was. This was an entirely new feeling, as if something deep inside him had been softly plucked, and now, every action he took had a new meaning.

 

Chu Jinyao noticed that since sitting down, Qin Yi’s eyes kept glancing subtly at her belly, though he didn’t touch it. She silently sighed—he was overthinking how fragile pregnancy was.

 

“Did he cause you any trouble today?” Qin Yi asked. He had heard that pregnancy could be very uncomfortable for women, with things like morning sickness.

 

“No,” Chu Jinyao laughed. “It’s only been a little over a month; I can’t feel anything yet.”

 

But Qin Yi’s expression gradually grew more serious, as if thinking about something: “We need to be prepared. Tomorrow, I’ll have them send a few experienced servants here, and we’ll hire the best midwife right away.”

 

Chu Jinyao was exasperated: “I’m only a month along, and you’re already talking about a midwife?”

 

“We should be ready early. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.” Qin Yi, used to commanding everything and always being ahead, saw no issue with this. Chu Jinyao knew she couldn’t argue with him, so she let him have his way.

 

Thinking about what had happened earlier that day, a dark glint flashed in Qin Yi’s eyes. As if talking about something completely ordinary, he said, “Starting tomorrow, you can focus on your pregnancy and won’t need to go pay respects to the Empress anymore.”

 

Chu Jinyao paused for a moment. She had already suspected this after hearing that Qin Yi had gone out, and now it was confirmed: he had indeed gone to confront the Empress.

 

Pregnancies were most vulnerable in the first three months, when miscarriages were common. After learning she was pregnant, Chu Jinyao had reflected on the events of the day with growing fear. She had stood in a kitchen full of sharp objects for so long and then endured cold winds. While this time had passed without incident, if the Empress kept using the excuse of filial duty to deliberately make things difficult, this pregnancy would be at great risk.

 

Being excused from paying respects and staying in her palace to rest would be ideal, but quitting such duties just because she was pregnant might lead others to criticize her as being arrogant. If Chu Jinyao were just an ordinary woman, she could afford to ignore her reputation, but she was also the Crown Princess.

 

“Your Highness…” she began.

 

“It’s fine,” Qin Yi cut her off. “Just focus on your pregnancy. I’ll handle everything else.”

 

Knowing the Empress’s personality, once she learned that Chu Jinyao was pregnant, she would certainly find ways to make things difficult. Expecting the Empress to have a change of heart was as unlikely as expecting the sun to rise in the west. That the Empress had agreed to let Chu Jinyao off this time showed Qin Yi had likely done something during his visit. Chu Jinyao’s emotions were conflicted. The Emperor had only recently become wary of Qin Yi, and this wasn’t the time for him to draw attention with such bold actions. She sighed inwardly, reaching across the small table to hold Qin Yi’s arm tightly. “Your Highness, you will make a wonderful father.”

 

Qin Yi smiled at that and asked, “Why do you say that?”

 

“There’s no special reason, just a feeling,” Chu Jinyao said, her eyes softening at the thought of their future child. “Do you prefer a boy or a girl?”

 

“Both are fine,” Qin Yi replied.

 

He meant it. From the age of five, he had lost his mother, and his relationship with his father was practically non-existent. The thought of watching a child grow up was a completely new experience for him. He imagined, if it were a boy, teaching him strategy, archery, and horsemanship. If it were a girl… if it were a girl, wouldn’t she be just like Chu Jinyao? The thought of a smaller version of Chu Jinyao made him smile.

 

Chu Jinyao, browsing through the Book of Songs and the Songs of Chu, was eagerly searching for names with good meanings. Qin Yi knew that if their firstborn were a boy, his name would be a matter for the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Inner Cabinet to decide—it wouldn’t be up to them. But even so, Qin Yi didn’t interrupt Chu Jinyao’s enthusiasm for flipping through books. He even sat by her side to offer his opinions, something he’d never have bothered with before.

 

This must be the feeling of becoming a parent.

 

—

 

The news of the Crown Princess fainting in the Empress’s palace was not a secret. But even so, when Chu Jinyao didn’t go to pay her respects the next day, it still surprised everyone in the harem.

 

If it were merely fatigue, she wouldn’t skip paying respects to her mother-in-law. No daughter-in-law would dare act so high and mighty. When a young woman suddenly closes her doors, there’s usually only one explanation.

 

Could the Crown Princess be pregnant?

 

This guess exploded like thunder in a clear sky. Suddenly, everyone realized there were many clues to support this. The third day after Chu Jinyao stopped paying respects, the women of Changxing Marquis Mansion went to the Qide Palace to visit her.

 

After being led to the west sitting room, the matriarch, Old Madam Chu, quickly lowered her voice and asked, “Crown Princess, are you with child?”

 

Chu Jinyao gently nodded. After spending all night speculating, Old Madam Chu pressed a hand to her chest, her joy so overwhelming that she felt her heart skip a beat.

 

Since pregnancies were delicate in the first three months and bringing bad luck to the child was feared, it wasn’t something that could be announced openly. But those close to the family could easily guess. Old Madam Chu had been anxiously hoping for Chu Jinyao to conceive. When she suddenly received a message from the Crown Prince asking them to visit the palace often in the coming days, she and the Marquis had discussed it all night. Given the unusual circumstances, they had guessed that Chu Jinyao was pregnant.

 

Now that Chu Jinyao had confirmed it herself, Old Madam Chu chanted Buddha’s name repeatedly in gratitude. “Amitabha, the Bodhisattva has truly blessed us. First Xian’er gave birth to a son, and now the Crown Princess is with child. I’ll have to go to the temple to give thanks once we return to the capital.”

 

The other women of the Marquis household were also overjoyed. Fifth Young Lady had truly married well—her good fortune had elevated the entire Changxing Marquis family into the upper echelon of nobility. Because of Chu Jinyao, the marriage prospects of her unmarried cousins had improved greatly, and those already married found their standing in their husbands’ families strengthened. As for her own siblings, they were even more blessed. Didn’t you see how the Zhao family treated Chu Jinxian so well, and how her brother’s wife, Duan Yinghua, was now envied by all her relatives for being the sister-in-law of the Crown Princess? Everyone in the family sincerely wished for Chu Jinyao’s continued good fortune. Old Madam Chu had secretly prayed for her at every temple, begging for the safe birth of an heir, even if it were only a princess.

 

Now that their prayers had been answered, the Marquis family was even happier than Chu Jinyao herself.

Old Madam Chu asked some details about the pregnancy, such as how far along she was and her recent dietary habits, then began to share advice for the early stages of pregnancy. Although Chu Jinyao had already heard plenty of such advice from various people, she still listened attentively, making a mental note of the new details that Old Madam Chu shared.

It wasn’t necessarily that Old Madam Chu was deeply concerned about Chu Jinyao as a person; rather, the family’s interests were intertwined with hers, and there was no need to distinguish between genuine care and shared benefits. Chu Jinyao hadn’t grown up under Old Madam Chu’s care, so there wasn’t much affection between them as grandmother and granddaughter. Instead, their relationship was a practical one, free of emotional entanglements, which made it efficient.

After giving her advice for a while, Old Madam Chu subtly brought up another matter: “Crown Princess, you and Xian’er both have cold constitutions, which makes the first three months of pregnancy more difficult than for others. You must be careful with your diet, avoid anything cold, and, most importantly, protect your belly from being jostled.”

Chu Jinyao instantly understood what Old Madam Chu was hinting at. The palace’s political landscape was treacherous. Both Prince Su and Prince Lu were already grown men, and neither Noble Consort Shu nor the Empress were easy opponents. With enemies on all sides, even though the Crown Prince’s position was currently stable, he could not afford to be complacent. And her unborn child, in particular, would be a target.

Even a relatively insignificant prince like Consort Lian’s son had been harmed, causing her to miscarry. How much more so for her, who was carrying the first legitimate child of the Crown Prince? This child would be the first grandchild of the royal family. If it was a boy, the stakes would be even higher—the Crown Prince’s eldest legitimate son.

Traditional scholars still upheld the importance of propriety and hierarchy. If Qin Yi had a legitimate firstborn son, it would significantly strengthen his claim to the throne.

This pregnancy was indeed fraught with danger. Risk and reward went hand in hand. Compared to the threats Chu Jinyao now faced, what Consort Lian had experienced seemed trivial in comparison.

Chu Jinyao nodded solemnly. The position of Crown Princess had granted her endless glory and status, but with that came the most brutal competition for survival in the royal family. Enjoying the splendor also meant bearing the risk.

Old Madam Chu observed that Chu Jinyao showed no signs of panic, and she felt a brief moment of surprise before laughing at herself. It seemed she had been worrying unnecessarily. When it came to palace intrigue and the dark side of royal life, Chu Jinyao was probably more adept than this old woman. Indeed, it was the environment that shaped a person. Looking at the graceful, dignified Crown Princess before her, who would believe that this was the same fragile young girl from three years ago?

Old Madam Chu sighed inwardly as Madam Zhao asked, “Then, about not going to pay respects to the Empress…?”

These past few years had been politically tense, and all the officials were privately speculating on the palace’s internal dynamics. Every move made by Qin Yi and Chu Jinyao was scrutinized endlessly. Chu Jinyao had only rested for two days, but her absence from paying respects to the Empress had already become the talk of the inner and outer courts.

Chu Jinyao said, “The Crown Prince has already informed the Emperor, and the Emperor was very pleased. He told me to focus on nurturing the pregnancy, and that everything else could wait.”

The pregnancy couldn’t be publicly announced just yet, but the Emperor couldn’t be kept in the dark either. Qin Yi had personally gone to tell him, and when the Emperor learned that Chu Jinyao had fainted due to pregnancy, he was quite satisfied.

The Empress had mistreated her daughter-in-law, causing the pregnant Crown Princess to faint. Even the Emperor found that embarrassing, so he tacitly approved of Qin Yi’s decision to excuse Chu Jinyao from paying daily respects until after the baby was born.

With the Emperor taking this stance, what could the Empress do? She had no choice but to play the role of the magnanimous figure, formally excusing Chu Jinyao from her daily duties. What she felt in private, however, was anyone’s guess.

The Chu family exchanged glances and understood the situation. Old Madam Chu recalled that before Chu Jinyao’s marriage, she had been concerned that her granddaughter wouldn’t be favored. Chu Jinyao had even threatened her with the prospect of seducing the Crown Prince. Who could have known that her words would turn out to be true? Duan Yinghua cast a glance at Chu Jinyao and then quickly looked down, hiding her bitterness.

Duan Yinghua’s relationship with her husband, the Second Young Master, wasn’t particularly good or bad. However, recently, she had noticed some troubling signs. She wanted to confide in her sister-in-law, but with all the elders present today, there was no opportunity to speak. Besides, she didn’t know how to begin.

Duan Yinghua didn’t envy Chu Jinyao’s lofty position as the Crown Princess; she envied the care and attention Qin Yi showed her. What more could a woman ask for than a devoted husband?

The women chatted quietly with Chu Jinyao for a while longer, discussing various other topics. As Madam Zhao looked at the golden, jade-filled surroundings and the commanding presence of her daughter, she couldn’t help but feel a wave of melancholy. As a mother, she should feel nothing but pride and satisfaction that her daughter was the Crown Princess, deeply loved by the Crown Prince, and now carrying their first child. Yet, her thoughts wandered to her other daughter. Chu Jinyao and Chu Jinxian’s lives were going so well, but what about the daughter who had grown up by her side?

How was Chu Jinmiao staying in the Su family all by herself? She had likely been married by now, but what kind of husband had she found?

After sending off the women of the Changxing Marquis Mansion, Chu Jinyao turned her attention to preparing for their return to the capital. Her pregnancy coincided with the journey back, and the road was bumpy, requiring extra caution. Fortunately, Chu Jinyao’s pregnancy was almost an open secret, and the Emperor’s procession was well-guarded. With Qin Yi taking precautions at every step, Chu Jinyao made it back to the Eastern Palace safely, without incident.

After being away for several months, everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon returning to the capital. The palace was busy welcoming back the royals, while those who had traveled with them were occupied settling back in. The entire capital was bustling with activity.

At the Changxing Marquis Mansion, the Second Young Master grabbed a maid and anxiously asked, “Is my mother inside?”

As Chu Jinyao’s only legitimate brother, the Second Young Master had been granted the title of heir apparent, with the expectation that he would inherit the title of Marquis one day, thanks to the favor shown to the Crown Prince and Princess. Upon receiving confirmation, he hurried inside.

At the same time, in the Imperial Palace, Noble Consort Shu smashed a teacup in fury.

“That wretched Empress!” Noble Consort Shu’s teeth gnashed in anger. “How dare you scheme against me like this? I will not let this go!”

 

Translator’s Note:- I am extremely sorry guys for the very late update but something urgent came up and i was busy whole week working on the stuff. I am uploading the 6 chapters of this week at one go now stay tuned and enjoy your weekend. Thank you for your patience !!❤️❤️