MLMD -Chapter 446 Joint Audience

In primitive times, the average human lifespan was extremely short. Unable to resist natural disasters, diseases, or attacks from wild animals, people often lived only around fifteen years. Even by the Ming dynasty, the average lifespan had only reached thirty-something, not quite forty. This made early marriage and childbirth almost inevitable; it was common for girls to marry and have children at thirteen or fourteen.

Looking at Zhu Meichu, her small hands gently resting on her little belly, a happy smile lighting up her face, Yue Yang sighed inwardly. She was still a child—but she was about to become a mother. There was nothing he could do about it now except ensure the safety of both mother and child.

Seeing her husband lost in thought, Zhu Meichu furrowed her delicate nose, stood, and leaned against him, softly asking, “Husband, what are you thinking? Are you unhappy that I’m pregnant? Why do you look so worried?”

“Happy… of course I’m happy,” Yue Yang quickly forced a smile and hugged her slender waist, coaxing her gently. “How could I not be? I’m overjoyed that you’re pregnant. I was just thinking… since you’re expecting, we should inform the Emperor and your mother, and we also need to find a proper place for you to rest and take care of yourself. That’s what I’ve been worrying about.”

A man’s instinct for coaxing a woman was natural, and Yue Yang’s words flowed smoothly. Zhu Meichu listened, eyes sparkling with delight. She climbed into his arms, hugging his neck, and said happily, “Do you really think so, husband? I also think staying in Jinan to give birth isn’t ideal. Since the Liaodong matter is concluded, why don’t I follow you back to Weihaiwei? That way, you can work and take care of me at the same time. What do you think?”

Yue Yang couldn’t help but smile bitterly to himself. This little girl was truly a descendant of the Zhu family—clever as a fox. He had placed Zhu Meichu in Jinan because her dazzling identity as a Ming princess made it awkward to put her in Shanxi with his family, and placing her in Weihaiwei would make Li Xiangjun and the other two girls from Qinhuai River uneasy. With palace maids and eunuchs attending to her daily needs, Jinan was a safe and suitable place—but now, she wanted to follow him back. That complicated matters.

Zhu Meichu was smart and understood Yue Yang’s reasoning perfectly. She had originally stayed quiet to avoid causing him trouble. Yet, even clever as she was, she was still just a teenage girl. Now pregnant, her emotions were even more sensitive, naturally making her cling to her husband.

She hugged his neck, swaying gently. After Yue Yang’s prolonged “nurturing,” her once small breasts had grown into fuller shapes. Pressed against his chest, she started to rub and move them. Yue Yang, having not been intimate for over two months, reacted involuntarily.

Sensing his reaction, Zhu Meichu giggled, reaching out to grab him, whispering in his ear, “Husband, you’ll promise me, won’t you?”

“Ah…”

Yue Yang shivered involuntarily, biting his teeth as he whispered, “You little girl… do you know what you’re doing? You’re playing with fire!”

“Then promise me first,” Zhu Meichu said resolutely, holding tight and showing a “won’t let go” attitude.

“Fine… okay, we’ll go in a few days,” Yue Yang sighed with a forced smile. After all, she was just thirteen, already married, and would become a mother in a few months. How could he leave her alone in Jinan?

Hearing his agreement, Zhu Meichu’s face lit up with a coquettish smile. She hugged him and teased, “Husband, you’re so good. Tonight, Ziyan and Xiaoyu can accompany you. If that’s not enough, any palace maid you like can sleep with you.” She fully understood how strong her husband’s desires were; previously, she hadn’t allowed maids to attend to him out of selfishness, but now, being pregnant, it was a different matter.

“You little girl seems to be asking for a beating,” Yue Yang said mock-angrily, earning a giggle from her.

The next morning, Yue Yang opened his eyes. He tried to get up but found his arms pinned down. Moving slightly, he realized two soft bodies were still in his arms. His movement woke the two young maids.

“Prince Consort, you’re awake…”

“Your servant will help you dress!”

The two little maids scrambled, but Yue Yang gently pressed them back, saying, “You served me all night and just… lost your virginity, so you must be tired. Lie down and rest. I’ll dress myself.”

“No, Prince Consort!” The girl on the left, Ziyan, blushed and said, “I’m here to serve the princess and the prince consort. How could you dress yourself?”

The maid on the right, Xiaoyu, agreed, “Yes, if the princess knew we let you do it yourself, she’d blame us. Serving the prince consort is our duty—it’s not about seeking your approval.”

Hearing this, Yue Yang felt a wave of comfort. In that old, wicked society, such treatment—being served by two young, tender maids—was unimaginable. They had already served him, and now they continued to help with dressing and meals. In modern times, even a president couldn’t get this.

Seeing their anxious faces, Yue Yang knew refusing would only cause them to overthink. He nodded slowly.

Their faces brightened again, and they hurriedly got out of bed, barely dressing properly before tending to him. They displayed their still-youthful but beautiful, slender bodies without shame, even proudly—after all, they had given themselves to the man in front of them. As the princess’s attendants, their purpose was complete devotion, from dressing and feeding to assisting in intimate matters if required. For girls trained in the palace from childhood, this was their entire existence.

Yue Yang allowed them to dress him and complete morning routines, then held them and kissed their cheeks, saying with a smile, “I’m dressed now. You can continue resting—tonight, you’ll serve your prince consort properly!”

He left the room, leaving the two girls blushing. After a while, Ziyan touched her cheek where he had kissed and whispered, “I didn’t hear wrong… the prince consort said we’ll serve him tonight too…”

Stepping outside, Yue Yang headed to the adjacent courtyard to check on Zhu Meichu. Pregnant women were sensitive and needed frequent comfort. But just as he was about to leave, a palace maid hurried over, bowing respectfully.

“Reporting, Prince Consort: Prefect Ke and Inspector Ma delivered a memorial early this morning requesting an audience. Shall we admit them?”

“Early this morning?” Yue Yang was surprised. He had just returned yesterday, yet these two officials came so early—surely it must be urgent.

“Bring them to the side hall. I’ll meet them there.”

“Yes!”

Fifteen minutes later, Yue Yang received Ke Zhennan and Ma Ke in the side hall. These Shandong officials had fared well over the past year. Since Yue Yang’s sweeping reforms, taxation in Shandong had improved significantly.

By implementing policies that shared benefits fairly, he motivated local officials. Poor tax collection? Sorry, in Shandong, you may fail at many things, but failing to collect taxes or grain meant you were out.

Merchants remembered last year’s massacre vividly—the pile of severed heads deterred any who hoped to cheat. With Yue Yang lifting maritime bans, foreign goods increasingly entered Shandong, from spices to grain and rare commodities, bringing more opportunities to profit. Astute merchants realized land alone wasn’t enough for wealth—they needed trade.

Under this trend, Shandong’s private capital turned overseas, and as the Weihaiwei navy matured, demand became urgent.

As Yue Yang entered the hall, Ke Zhennan and Ma Ke, sipping tea, stood and bowed together. “Your Lordship, we greet you!”

“Sit, please,” Yue Yang said with a smile, taking his seat. “Prefect Ke, Inspector Ma, what brings you here today?”

Exchanging glances, they said, “Your Lordship, we have urgent matters to report. Our merchant ships have been frequently attacked by pirates at sea. Investigation shows it was Zheng Zhilong from Fujian. We dared not act independently and came to request your Lordship’s decision.”

“Hmm…”

Yue Yang’s hand, just reaching for his teacup, froze immediately…