[NW] Chapter 10

“Sit. Don’t get up.”

“But……”

“You’re pregnant. Sit.” He commanded. Within his words was an imposing aura that could not be disobeyed.

Mu Huanqing immediately felt displeasure radiating from Fu Yanlin’s body. Concubine Lin who had been commanded not to move by him had a face full of terror as if she had committed a grave crime by not rising and giving the main wife a greeting.

She didn’t feel that it was rare that concubine Lin didn’t salute her. What amused her was that this concubine Lin looked like a strong wind would blow her over but it was all an act. That timid expression was to let people misunderstand that Mu Huanqing would usually treat her harshly. In reality, she had never scolded concubine Lin, never said a heavy word, and dismissed her from giving morning greetings. She didn’t fight for her rights as the main wife but instead let this little concubine make the rules.

She was not blind. The entire Marquis house was protecting Lin Ruoyou. She would rather break her skull before giving concubine Lin any rules to follow. Why would she want to find trouble for herself?

“That’s right. You’re already pregnant so don’t let yourself become exhausted. You are exempted from this etiquette.” She gently agreed. An act needed to be completed properly. This was something she had always been good at.

“Thanking the madam.” Concubine Lin lowered her head, her teeth biting her lips. Her expression was like she was overwhelmed by her favour but also apprehensive and restless.

Mu Huanqing smilingly said, “I have come to congratulate the Marquis and sister Lin. Since sister Lin is with child, you need to rest more.”

“Thanking the madam for her care, this concubine… this concubine will carefully follow the madam’s order.”

“Just let the Marquis accompany you more. If you need anything, just let someone tell me.”

“Thanking the madam.”

Mu Huanqing smilingly nodded. After some small talk, she bid her farewells and left the room. She didn’t want to stay long.

When she left, Lin Rouyou agitatedly grabbed Fu Yanlin’s hands. “Cousin, I’m scared……”

Fu Yanlin frowned. “Scared of what?”

“This concubine had also had a miscarriage. This blessing from the heavens was difficult to get. I’m scared……” Lin Ruoyou rubbed her stomach and looked towards the outside, which just so happened to be in the direction of that retreating silhouette. Although she didn’t say it, her tone implied something.

Fu Yanlin understood with only a little thought and soothed her. “Don’t be afraid. You still have me.”

“I believe in you, cousin.” She snuggled in her cousin’s arms. Her face which was buried in his chest curved with a smug smile.

She knew that she was born beautiful and knew how to display her sorrow. Her cousin already felt guilty. And since he had already forced her to concede, he wouldn’t let her be slighted again. But it wasn’t enough. She not only wanted his heart and his body but now she also wanted his child.

Last time she accidentally had a miscarriage but was able to pass the blame onto the thief making a ruckus in the household and rid herself of the responsibility. She got the sympathy of her mother-in-law and the pity of her cousin. This time she had to carefully protect her child, she must not have another miscarriage.

When Mu Huanqing returned to her courtyard, she lowered her head and touched her small stomach. She didn’t tell Fu Yanlin that she was also pregnant.

A moment ago at concubine Lin’s place, she saw the look on his face and decided not to say anything. Because she knew that the timing was wrong and already determined that Fu Yanlin would not like this child.

She sat down, one hand stroking her abdomen, one hand laying on the table. She used her finger to tap on the tabletop and thought deeply about her future plans.

She wasn’t a young miss raised in the inner courtyard. She could take responsibility for herself and could make her own decisions.

To keep or not to keep this child? If she kept it, how could she raise it?

In the Marquis house, she could see that she couldn't take the role of raising children. Without real power, she could not teach or raise her kid her way so she needed to change the place.

The Mu household was also not suitable. Women that had been married out could not return to their maiden home to raise their child. She needed to find a reason to leave the house and raise her child into an adult.

Now that Mu Huanqing had a new goal, her entire focus was on the child in her stomach. Since the child was conceived in her stomach, she would protect them wholeheartedly. They would not have their father’s care, only their mother’s. Just like her and her birth mother. Her mother who had long made arrangements for her future and helped her pave the way by giving her the ability to be independent. She gave her a pair of wings to say: You must count on yourself to fly to the heavens.

Her mother had always told her that they were daughters of the prairie. They needed to live confidently and at ease. They should stretch and bend like the grasses. Grasses will bend in heavy wind and when it stops, they will once again stand straight. Only by following the trend can they continue to be proud under the sun.

The corners of her lips lifted in a smile. Suddenly she was curious, was the child a male or a female? What would they look like? What about their personality? The only thing she knew was that she would raise her child like herself, with a pair of wings that can fly into the sky.

Very quickly a month went by. Just as Mu Huanqing was busily raising her fetus, terrible news came from concubine Lin’s place.

She had another miscarriage.

When Mu Huanqing heard the news, she was laying on a soft couch eating cakes and drinking tea. Not only was she stunned when she heard the news, but she also had to repeat it.

“Another miscarriage?”

“Another miscarriage.” Liu Yun nodded. She carefully studied the young madam’s face when she responded. She saw that the young madam had lowered her head to think. She could not see any sort of gloating expression on her face, rather it was like she was having a real headache.

“Has a doctor been summoned?”

“The old madam has already dispatched people to find a doctor. And also to let the Marquis know.”

Mu Huanqing released a sigh and stood up. “Let’s go. Call your brother. Follow me to concubine Lin.” Liu Yun responded and excited the room to call her brother Liu Mu. She then followed the young madam to concubine Lin’s courtyard.

On the way there, Mu Huanqing suddenly said, “The miscarriage this time cannot be blamed on me right? You two were also watching. I was quite at ease, only staying inside my courtyard, never going outside. I didn’t do anything.”

The siblings stiffened when they heard her. They looked towards the young madam and saw her stop and look at them.

“You will be my witnesses? Concubine Lin miscarried and it had nothing to do with me, right?”

Their mission was to monitor the young madam and didn’t think that the young madam would not keep it a secret and said it out loud.

“My courtyard is full of Marquis’s people. With so many people watching, it would be too unreasonable if I was doubted again.”

So the young madam already knew, Liu Yun and Liu Mu’s hearts were clear. The two smiled with embarrassment.

“Young madam is overly worried.” Liu Yun softly pacified her.

“I am not overly worried. This is the truth. If you didn’t doubt me, then my courtyard wouldn’t be monitored when concubine Lin had her first miscarriage. See, I am very cooperative. I already let you into my inner courtyard so you need to testify for me. Her miscarriage has nothing to do with me.”

“......” Liu Yun and Liu Mu had nothing to say. So the reason the young madam let them into the inner courtyard was to protect herself against suspicion and wanted them to be witnesses. This young madam… uh, how to put it… she was unexpectedly honest.

“She actually should have exercised more. For at least a year. She should have waited until she was sixteen years of age to become pregnant. She can catch a common cold from small winds and begin panting from a few steps. She was already in a fragile state of health and easily harmed her body. If a man cares for a woman, he would think of this. The two of them were too hasty. When you are too anxious…” Mu Huanqing shook her head. The rest of her words were not said but clever people would be able to understand her meaning.

The reason for concubine Lin’s miscarriage was because her body was too weak. Also, her age was too young which is not conducive to childbirth. The chance of a miscarriage would naturally be high and could not be blamed on others. But the Marquis was the one who let her become pregnant, this was not caring for her, but harming her.

The Liu siblings lowered their heads and didn’t dare to speak. The young madam knew that they had been planted by her side but still said those words for them to hear. Did she want them to go back to report to the Marquis? This… this kind of critique, should they report it to the old madam and the Marquis?

This young madam looked like she would show no interest in anything. After marriage, she acted like she had only changed her place of residence.

She had also not cared about the Marquis. According to Nanny Ji, the young madam never took the initiative to mention the Marquis. She would only ask one sentence if something happened in the house, “Have you notified the Marquis?”

Otherwise, she would not say anything unnecessary. She wouldn’t even ask after concubine Lin. She only cared about two people, one was the mute maid Xin Yu, the other was the stupid pageboy Li Yuan.

They could tell that the young madam treated the mute girl Xin Yu and the fool Li Yuan very well. Any delicious snacks will be shared with them. The two of them in the Marquis house were not put in important positions before. Even if they died no one would care. But the young madam brought them to her courtyard and treated them sincerely.

This kind of female was not like someone who would harm concubine Lin. What’s more, in line with the young madam’s reasoning, the siblings had also not found anything peculiar about the young madam in recent days.

The closer they got to concubine Lin’s courtyard, the more clearly the heartbreaking cries could be heard. Mu Huanqing listened to the battle going on and knew that the other women had crowded into concubine Lin’s room to comfort her.

Just like the rest of the crowd, Mu Huanqing persuaded concubine Lin to look ahead. She was still young and would still have children. Whatever the others said, she would repeat once more. She didn’t say anything extra but also didn’t say anything less. Her acting was just right and would let others catch any mistake.

At this time Fu Yanlin had rushed back from the middle of court after receiving the news. He immediately walked in the direction of the courtyard and the moment he entered the room, his expression was sombre and his brows were furrowed. When concubine Lin saw her cousin, her cries became even sadder.

Fu Yanlin held his cousin and his expression was also very poor. He had suddenly lost two children and was also extremely disappointed. But seeing his cousin crying so sorrowfully he could not heavily criticise her.

He called over the waiting doctor and sternly questioned him. “How did this happen?”

Naz's note: Oooh what's going to happen~? You'll have to find out next time!

Thank for you reading the chapters I translated for Novel Wars. Like I said at the end of chapter 6, I would love to continue if I had the time. Which I don't. For at least the next few weeks. Ha ha...

Like always, leave a comment, reaction, or review if you would like to!