SGEIRS -Chapter 294 Joyfully Becoming a Grandmother

Weirui Pavilion.

After Meng Jinyao woke up and finished breakfast, she learned from Ningdong that she was about to become a grandmother.

Her status had risen far too quickly. She was completely stunned.

Just last month, she had been hoping that Concubine Li would work harder and get pregnant to crush that rebellious son, Gu Xiuming’s hopes. Who would have thought her wish would come true so soon? Concubine Li was really pregnant.

She hurriedly asked, “Concubine Li is pregnant? How many months is she?”

Ningdong replied, “I heard that the physician couldn’t feel it clearly when taking her pulse. It should be very early.”

Meng Jinyao was stunned and asked in confusion, “He couldn’t detect it? Then is she really pregnant or not? Usually, once someone is pregnant, a doctor can tell from the pulse, right?”

Ningdong explained, “They say that when it’s very early, it’s hard to detect. Usually, it can only be felt when the pregnancy is a bit further along.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao gained some new knowledge. So when it was early, even doctors couldn’t tell. But she still had doubts.

“Then wouldn’t there be misdiagnoses?”

Ningdong replied, “Concubine Li has all the symptoms—morning sickness, poor appetite, and her monthly cycle hasn’t come. The physician also told her what to pay attention to during pregnancy to avoid miscarriage. The news spread throughout Qingyu Pavilion yesterday, and her maid Hongling even went to the kitchen to remind them to be careful with her food. She must be pregnant. Otherwise, why would she announce it?”

Meng Jinyao smiled gently. “That’s good. The child will be born next year. I’ll be seventeen next year and already a grandmother—one step ahead of many people.”

Ningdong continued sharing gossip from Qingyu Pavilion.

“There’s something else that’s quite surprising. Isn’t the Young Master very fond of Concubine Li? He even ran away from marriage before and said he’d only take one out of ‘three thousand waters.’ But today, he took in a bedchamber maid. Those words from before now sound rather ridiculous.”

Meng Jinyao was surprised again. “He accepted a bedchamber maid so quickly?”

“Yes. He even spent the whole night with her last night.”

Seeing her mistress so shocked, Ningdong grew even more enthusiastic.

“I’ve inquired about it. Last night, the Young Lord quarreled with Concubine Li for some reason and left her room. That maid called Yuan’er went to make his bed—and ended up making herself part of it. This morning, when Concubine Li found out, she was furious and went to confront him. She made him angry again, and he stormed off. The servants all saw her crying miserably.”

Hearing this big piece of gossip, Meng Jinyao felt quite pleased.

She wasn’t surprised that Gu Xiuming would have women besides Li Wan’er. After all, he had secretly been looking for potential wives.

As for why he quarreled with Li Wan’er, she could guess the reason.

Li Wan’er had tricked him into drinking those “tonic” soups. In the end, he couldn’t resist and slept with her, resulting in this child.

Gu Xiuming must be furious. This child made his marriage prospects even worse. Fewer and fewer girls would be willing to marry him. His so-called love with Li Wan’er had probably turned into resentment by now.

A carefree, favored heir had met a girl he liked when he first fell in love. He acted impulsively and ignored everything for her. Only after losing his elders’ approval did he realize how foolish he had been. The moonlight in his hand had already turned into frost on the ground.

After a moment, Ningdong suddenly asked, “Madam, I heard the Old Madam sent some supplements to Concubine Li. Should we send something too?”

Meng Jinyao answered without hesitation, “No.”

Ningdong froze for a moment, then understood. “I didn’t think it through. You’re right—not sending anything is better. Otherwise, even if nothing goes wrong, people might say something did.”

Meng Jinyao gave her an approving look.

“Exactly. Gu Xiuming and I have grudges. If his concubine eats something I send and loses the child, wouldn’t I become the murderer of his offspring? When the child is born, I’ll give a jade pendant instead. That’s harder to tamper with.”

Ningdong asked, “But that’s the Young Lord’s child with his beloved woman. Would he really use his own child to scheme against you?”

Meng Jinyao only smiled and said nothing.

Some things were not for servants to know.

Before, Gu Xiuming wouldn’t have harmed this child. But now, he was already losing his composure. He was probably thinking about how to make sure the child wouldn’t be born. How he planned to do it was his own business.

After a moment, she said, “Ningdong, the medicine should be ready. Go bring it.”

Ningdong was surprised that she took the initiative to drink her medicine. Guessing she was in a good mood because of the Qingyu Pavilion affair, she hurried off.

Not long after, Madam Zhang and Madam Chen arrived at Weirui Pavilion one after another to talk about Qingyu Pavilion.

Seeing Meng Jinyao’s bright smile—even though Gu Xiuming wasn’t her biological son—they couldn’t tell whether she was acting well or secretly enjoying Concubine Li’s impending loss of favor.

After thinking for a while, Madam Zhang chose words she thought Meng Jinyao might like.

“Third Sister-in-law, Concubine Li’s pregnancy is still unstable, yet she announced it so early. That’s really careless.”

Meng Jinyao smiled gently. “She’s happy to be a mother for the first time. I understand. I was very happy too when I first became a mother.”

Madam Chen: “…”

Madam Zhang: “…”

No pregnancy, no pain, and she got a “filial son” out of it. No wonder she was so happy.

After a moment, Madam Chen asked, “Mother said Xiuming has become sensible and wants to find him a proper wife. Didn’t you say before that he only wanted Concubine Li and didn’t want to marry? Why did he take in a bedchamber maid now?”

Madam Zhang stared at Meng Jinyao, equally curious.

Meng Jinyao answered calmly, “That’s indeed what he told the Marquis and me. I wouldn’t lie to Mother about this. But now that Concubine Li is pregnant and can’t serve him, it’s normal for him to take a maid. He can’t stay celibate just because she’s pregnant. Since he can accept other women now, he’ll probably be able to accept a proper wife in the future.”

Madam Zhang blurted out, “He hasn’t even married yet and already has a concubine and a child. Who would dare marry him? It’s not whether he accepts others—it’s whether others accept him.”

Meng Jinyao sighed softly. “Young people must take responsibility for their mistakes. But he doesn’t plan to marry yet, so there’s no need to worry for now.”

Since they gained nothing useful, Madam Zhang and Madam Chen chatted for half an hour and then left.

Meng Jinyao gently rubbed her hand warmer, thinking about Qingyu Pavilion.

When a fetus hasn’t stabilized, miscarriage is easiest. Once it’s stable, it’s much harder.

She felt that Gu Xiuming’s next move was coming soon.

But they had Yu Chuan watching him. Whatever he planned, they would know.

The enemy was in the open, while they were in the shadows.

They wouldn’t act first—only wait and strike later.