RWNEFE -Chapter 454 Shen Yuantang Is Pregnant and Wants to Move Back Home

Zhou Ruyuan’s expression stiffened, his gaze darkening as he looked at Shen Lanxi.

“I’m concerned about you.”

Shen Lanxi replied calmly, “Then thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I have my own ways of dealing with things. You should think instead about how to handle the two envoys of the rebel princes.”

Emperor Renxiao naturally did not want to let those envoys go, but killing them would make it hard to answer to public opinion across the realm.

Whether Zhou Ruyuan chose to kill them or release them, he would be in the wrong either way.

He still had plenty of troubles of his own to sort out, yet he had the leisure to worry about others—he really didn’t know how to mind his own business.

…

In the blink of an eye, more than three or four months had passed since Shen Lanxi had last set foot in her home.

When she returned to the Duke Protector’s residence, the envoys from the Yue Kingdom were gone.

The entire residence was unusually quiet.

“My lady, today the Tenth Princess suddenly fainted. Everyone has gone to her courtyard,” a subordinate reported.

Shen Lanxi asked, “What happened?”

The subordinate replied, “A few days ago they secretly called a physician from outside. It’s probably a pregnancy.”

Shen Lanxi’s voice turned cold. “Whose child is it?”

The subordinate hesitated. “Hard to say.” Several men had been involved with Zhou Yunsui—four or five of them frequently slipped into her room and only left hours later. He truly didn’t know.

Shen Lanxi gave a cold laugh. “Then it certainly isn’t of the Shen family bloodline. Since it isn’t, there’s no need to keep it.”

The subordinate asked, “Should it be handled quietly, or…?”

“She has done something so disgraceful. The Shen family will not cover for her.”

“I understand. I’ll make the arrangements at once.”

News of Shen Lanxi’s return quickly spread through the residence.

Before long, the Old Madam sent someone to summon her.

“Lanxi, the princess is pregnant.”

Shen Lanxi showed no emotion and even smiled faintly. “That’s good news. The whole household must have relied on Grandmother’s management.”

The Old Madam hesitated before saying, “The princess says there are too many people in the residence, which is not good for nurturing the pregnancy. She wants to move out and live elsewhere.”

Shen Lanxi replied easily, “That’s fine. Grandmother may arrange it as you see fit.”

The Old Madam suppressed her irritation, restrained by Zhou Yunsui’s status as a princess, and said darkly, “She also means to take some property with her.”

“Divide the family, then?” Shen Lanxi raised her lips in a faint smile.

The Old Madam said angrily, “When parents are alive, the family does not divide. Even if she is a princess, she married into this household and must follow the ancestral rules.”

Shen Lanxi gave a cold laugh. “Grandmother, what does Shen Yuanxin say?”

The Old Madam’s face darkened. “How could he control a princess? If he hadn’t married her, he would still be a concubine-born son. Naturally he clings to her and listens to everything she says.”

“And Father?”

The Old Madam sighed heavily. “Your father doesn’t concern himself with anything now. He says to let Yuanxin handle it.”

Shen Lanxi sneered. “Does our residence even have any property to divide?”

“Of course not,” said the Old Madam. “But since the princess has asked, we can’t simply give her nothing and drive her out.”

After a moment, she added, “Lanxi, do you think we could ask His Majesty to grant the princess a residence of her own? Then we could give her some things to keep appearances. At least we wouldn’t have to prepare a house for her ourselves.”

A thought flashed in Shen Lanxi’s eyes, and she reassured her, “Grandmother, don’t be anxious. Several of the new daughters-in-law in the household are about to give birth. If the princess wishes to divide the family, tell her to wait until after the births.”

“Since we’re dividing, we might as well do it thoroughly and split the other branches of the family as well.”

The Old Madam became anxious. “Lanxi, your Second Uncle and the others don’t want to divide the family. Must they also separate?”

“Grandmother, I’m asking you to say this for Zhou Yunsui to hear. Who knows—after some time, she may no longer wish to divide the family at all.”

The Old Madam pressed her temples. “I need to think this through carefully.”

After leaving, Shen Lanxi went to visit her mother. Shen Yuantang was there as well.

“Elder Sister, I have good news to tell you.”

“Go on,” said Shen Lanxi.

Shen Yuantang held her belly happily. “I’m pregnant. I came today to tell Mother the good news.”

Shen Lanxi looked at her calmly. After everything she had said before, it seemed Shen Yuantang had only heard the words bearing children.

“Congratulations.”

Shen Yuantang’s face was full of sweetness. “His Highness cherishes this child, and Consort Shu also values it. They’ve both sent me many tonics and gifts.”

Shen Lanxi thought of the nonsense Zhou Ruyuan had said before and almost laughed.

“Yes. Take good care of yourself,” she said lightly. After all, the principal wife Bai Qingling was still there.

Shen Yuantang’s smile stiffened slightly. Then she sat beside Zhou Xinrou.

“Mother, I want to move here and stay for a few days, until the pregnancy is more stable, and then return.” If she weren’t worried about growing distant from the prince, she would have liked to stay until the child was born.

Zhou Xinrou glanced at Shen Lanxi and gently refused.

“You are already married into the Prince of Zhen’nan’s residence. How can you come back to your natal home to nurture your pregnancy? If court officials hear of it, they will surely criticize our family.”

Shen Yuantang had expected resistance and had already prepared her response.

“Mother, what if the prince agrees?”

Zhou Xinrou shook her head. “Then it would be even more inappropriate. The relationship between our two families is already delicate.”

“Yuantang, don’t make things difficult for your elder sister.”

Again it was her elder sister. Everyone only cared about her elder sister—did no one care about her?

“Elder Sister, didn’t you say you would protect me and my child? Now that I’m pregnant, Bai Qingling will surely try to make me lose the baby. I won’t be safe in the prince’s residence. Elder Sister, you must protect me and my child—you promised before!”

Relying on Shen Lanxi’s earlier words, Shen Yuantang spoke with confidence.

Shen Lanxi replied, “I did say that, but I never said you could move back here. I will go speak with Zhou Ruyuan and have him discipline the inner household. The prince’s words carry more weight in his residence than mine.”

Shen Yuantang frowned anxiously. “That’s not the same. If something happens to me in the prince’s residence and no one can find the culprit, won’t I just suffer in silence?”

“Elder Sister, you keep saying you’ll protect me and my child, but you won’t even let me stay at home. How is that protection?”

Shen Lanxi said calmly, “There are women in this household about to give birth, others newly pregnant, and so many people living here. If something happens to you in the Duke Protector’s residence, will the prince’s household hold the Shen family responsible?”

Shen Yuantang’s eyes flickered. Reluctantly she said, “How could anything happen to me in my own home?”

Shen Lanxi smiled faintly. “Many people meet with accidents in their own homes. If you, the Prince of Zhen’nan’s residence, and the palace can all guarantee that if anything happens to you here, the Shen family will not be blamed, then I will let you stay in Mother’s courtyard.”

How could such a guarantee be made?

What if someone deliberately harmed her because of that promise?

“Mother, I only want to stay at home for a few days. Elder Sister keeps bringing up so many reasons—she clearly doesn’t want me here. I would live in your courtyard and serve you. Wouldn’t that be good?”

If she hadn’t already known what her mother was like, she might truly have believed those words could move her.

What pure filial devotion it sounded like.