CHAPTER 531: CHAPTER 531 PREGNANCY

Xique handed the bundle to Xingxing.

Xingxing couldn’t wait to open the old almanac inside the bundle.

Xique and Caiju had pasted it very carefully, much better than what Xingxing could do by herself.

Xingxing noticed that many of the parts she had glued were torn off and reattached, seemingly out of disdain.

Xingxing, "...."

Su Jin was more concerned about Lady Chi’s illness.

She stepped into the room.

Inside, Lady Chi was leaning against a large pillow, her face covered with a veil, obscuring her appearance, but her weakness was palpable.

Seeing Su Jin, Lady Chi propped herself up on the bed, but lacked the strength to do so completely.

Su Jin quickly walked over and sat by the bedside, "If you’re unwell, don’t move around."

Lady Chi managed a faint smile.

Su Jin took her hand and began to feel her pulse.

Xingxing and several maids stood by and watched.

Seeing Su Jin’s deeply furrowed brows, the hearts of the maids leaped into their throats.

The look on the Heir’s wife indicated that Lady Chi’s illness was severe.

With her exceptional medical skills, for her to show such expression meant Lady Chi’s condition was indeed difficult to treat.

Could it be beyond cure?

Xique felt a pang in her chest, tears welling up.

Su Jin adjusted slightly and took Lady Chi’s pulse again.

This time, the frown deepened.

Xingxing’s heart raced nervously.

Lady Chi was a good person.

She didn’t want Lady Chi to die.

Even Lady Chi was startled, gazing at Su Jin, using her eyes to ask: Am I... very ill?

Su Jin looked at her.

Lady Chi’s eyes were beautiful.

At this moment, those beautiful eyes were filled with fear.

No one is unafraid of death.

Especially Lady Chi, who had survived despite scars and a ruined appearance.

She must have cherished people and matters in her heart.

Su Jin wanted to see through Lady Chi’s heart through her eyes, but she couldn’t discern anything.

She furrowed her brows and said, "It’s a pregnancy pulse."

Su Jin’s voice was a bit ethereal.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Then it erupted with joy.

Xique and Caiju were so delighted they danced with glee.

"It’s a pregnancy pulse, Madam is pregnant!" Lu Qiao exclaimed excitedly.

Su Jin was a bit bewildered.

Lady Chi felt her abdomen through the quilt, tears glistening in her eyes.

Xingxing looked at Xique, "Is Lady Chi carrying the Prince’s child?"

"If not the Prince’s, then whose else?" Xique replied blankly.

Xingxing, "...."

Su Jin, "...."

"But doesn’t the Prince never visit Qingqiu Garden?" Xingxing asked.

After saying that, Xingxing felt her words weren’t precise enough.

The Prince didn’t openly come.

But the Prince had sneaked in.

He even left his purse on a tree in Qingqiu Garden.

She had climbed up to get it and returned it to the Prince.

The Prince must have secretly watched Lady Chi.

Xique remembered she hadn’t told Xingxing about the Prince spending the night in Qingqiu Garden.

She intended to, but the day the Emperor rewarded the Heir’s wife with lychees, she was interrupted midway when Xingxing ran off.

Although she’d met Xingxing later, she forgot to mention it because the Prince hadn’t returned.

If she weren’t familiar with Xingxing, she might’ve fought with her over her implied suspicion that Lady Chi was unfaithful.

Xique hastily explained, "That day, Lady Chi was playing the zither in the pavilion, and the Prince came in upon hearing the music, later gifting her an ancient zither."

Su Jin suddenly understood.

She thought it strange for the Prince, who rarely visited Qingqiu Garden, to suddenly gift Lady Chi a zither.

So that’s why.

"Is my Madam alright?" Xique asked worriedly.

"No major issues, just some disturbance to the fetus," Su Jin replied.

"I’ll have Xingxing bring some fetus-preserving medicine later."

Caiju added, "Should we tell the Prince this good news?"

The Heir’s wife’s medical skills had been advised to be kept secret.

Caiju didn’t dare report it carelessly.

Xingxing looked at her, "This is a happy event, of course we should report it."

Lady Chi shook her head at Caiju, signaling not to speak.

Xique said, "I heard from the kitchen mama that in the first three months of pregnancy, it’s unstable and better not to announce it."

"No one comes to Qingqiu Garden anyway; we can wait until Madam’s condition stabilizes."

Su Jin looked at Lady Chi, "Still can’t speak?"

Lady Chi didn’t answer.

Xique said, "Madam can say a word or two now, but they’re not clear, and she never talks in front of others."

Not even to Su Jin or Xique and the others, Lady Chi remained silent.

Only alone would she try practicing speech.

"It’s good she can speak," Su Jin said.

"She’ll be alright after some time."

Su Jin was relieved that Lady Chi’s toxins were cleared.

Otherwise, even if pregnant, she couldn’t have kept the child.

Lady Chi’s disturbance lasted two days and shouldn’t be delayed further; Su Jin needed to go back to prepare medicine, so she stood up.

In the study.

Xie Jingchen was still reading.

The Hidden Guard jumped in through the window.

Xie Jingchen looked at him, "Is Lady Chi very ill?"

"Lady Chi is pregnant with the Prince’s child," the Hidden Guard replied.

Xie Jingchen, "...."

Xie Jingchen was still stunned by the revelation.

The sound of Su Jin’s footsteps approached.

The Hidden Guard quickly disappeared.

Su Jin pushed the door open and entered.

Xie Jingchen picked up the book from the table, expecting Su Jin to discuss Lady Chi’s pregnancy.

But Su Jin only glanced at him before heading to the backyard through the side door.

The matter of Lady Chi’s pregnancy could be discussed at any time; getting the medicine was priority.

Xie Jingchen’s brows were knitted tightly.

After a moment of silence, he put down the book and got up to leave.

Xie Jingchen went to the front yard.

In the study, the Prince was writing a memorial.

Xie Jingchen pushed open the door and entered.

The Prince glanced at him, "What brings you here?"

Xie Jingchen looked at the Prince with a complicated expression.

Lady Chi’s facial condition, which Su Jin described in detail, was frightening even with some recovery.

His father...

"What’s the matter that you can’t speak about?" the Prince grumbled.

"Lady Chi had a disturbance to her pregnancy," Xie Jingchen responded.

"...."

The Prince had just dipped his brush in ink to sign his name.

Upon hearing Xie Jingchen’s words, his hand paused, and ink dripped from the tip of the brush.

The document he had just written was ruined.

The Prince’s brow furrowed tightly, "Pregnant?"

"Father is so surprised; could the child not be yours?" Xie Jingchen queried.

The Prince’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly.

The Prince Zhenbei Mansion was heavily guarded, and apart from the likes of Prince NanAn who regularly scaled the walls, it was nearly impossible for anyone else to get in.

Lady Chi’s child was undoubtedly his.

He simply hadn’t expected that from just one encounter, she’d become pregnant.

He was careless.

"I know now; you may leave," the Prince said.

Xie Jingchen extended his hand towards the Prince, "Shouldn’t you return my item, Father?"

"What item?" the Prince frowned.

"The Jade Pendant," Xie Jingchen said.

The Prince looked at him, and Xie Jingchen explained, "This time, on our way back to the Capital, someone intercepted me, claiming to have sent a Jade Pendant to the Prince Mansion for me."

"That Jade Pendant is related to my birth, and I asked the Hidden Guard, who said you took it, Father."

"Aren’t you willing to tell me who my mother is, or allow me to investigate?" Xie Jingchen asked.