SGEIRS -Chapter 415 It’s His Child

Madam Zhang saw how tense she looked and said gently, “Third Sister-in-law, don’t worry. The child is fine. It’s just that you’ve been overly exhausted, so the fetus is a little unstable. You need to rest well and recuperate.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao instantly let out a sigh of relief. As long as the child was fine, that was all that mattered. She truly hadn’t felt anything unusual herself. If she had known she was pregnant, she would definitely have rested properly yesterday afternoon after returning home. Last night, she wouldn’t have indulged in lingering affection with her husband either—she would have gone straight to sleep so as not to affect the baby.

Old Madam Gu spoke kindly, her tone gentle. “A-Yao, in the first three months of pregnancy, you must pay special attention to nurturing the fetus. After three months, it will become stable. The doctor has prescribed miscarriage-preventing medicine. Just take it on time.”

Meng Jinyao nodded lightly, her face filled with a smile. “Mother, I’ll take good care of myself.”

Seeing that she wasn’t flustered at all, Old Madam Gu felt even more reassured. She was eighty percent convinced that this child belonged to Yaoling. Otherwise, A-Yao would surely be panicking right now. Still, Yaoling’s illness had shown no improvement for so many years—how could it suddenly be cured? Could it really be that the ancestors had shown their blessing?

No matter what, Old Madam Gu was very happy. As long as her son had a child of his own bloodline, that was enough. Whether it was a boy or a girl didn’t matter.

Feeling no particular discomfort, Meng Jinyao asked, “Mother, is it alright for me to get out of bed now?”

Old Madam Gu didn’t answer, only turning to look at the household physician.

The physician replied honestly, “Madam, you may get out of bed, but you must rest well and avoid overexertion. You also need to keep a cheerful mood. If your emotions are unstable, it will affect the fetus.”

After that, the physician picked up his medicine box and left Shou’an Hall.

Meng Jinyao stood up as well. She didn’t want to continue sleeping in her mother-in-law’s place. Although her mother-in-law was kind, she still felt more comfortable in her own courtyard. So she asked permission to return.

Old Madam Gu didn’t try to keep her, only reminded her of a few precautions and told her to rest well and not tire herself.

Madam Zhang and her daughter, as well as Madam Chen, also left after Meng Jinyao.

Madam Zhang told her daughter to return to her own courtyard first, then said softly to Madam Chen, “Second Sister-in-law, do you think the child in Third Sister-in-law’s belly is really Third Brother’s?”

Madam Chen paused, then smiled. “Eldest Sister-in-law, didn’t you hear Mother say it was the ancestors’ blessing? If Mother says so, then it is.”

Madam Zhang was left speechless. It was precisely because of her mother-in-law’s attitude that she hadn’t dared to show anything. Otherwise, she would definitely have said that given Third Brother’s condition, it was impossible for him to have children. This child might even be some illegitimate offspring from an affair with a servant.

Madam Chen glanced at her and said calmly, “Eldest Sister-in-law, since Third Sister-in-law is so composed, the child is probably Third Brother’s. Otherwise, upon learning she was pregnant, she would have panicked long ago, accused the physician of misdiagnosis, and worried about her reputation. How could she still be thinking about the baby’s health? Even if she were pretending to be calm, Third Brother would expose her when he returns this afternoon. She’s a smart person—wouldn’t she know that?”

Madam Zhang found it unbelievable. “But Third Brother, he…”

Madam Chen shook her head indifferently. “Third Sister-in-law is extraordinarily beautiful. Having such a stunning beauty sleeping beside him every night, it wouldn’t be strange if his illness were cured. Besides, that Xiuming who was expelled from the clan was such a person. Now that Third Brother has a wife, he might want a child of his own and secretly seek treatment. That’s not impossible.”

Madam Zhang still felt it was hard to believe. If beauty could cure illness, then all those pretty maids in Third Brother’s courtyard—carefully selected by Mother—should have had some effect long ago. Why had there been no improvement for over ten years, yet it worked as soon as Third Sister-in-law married in?

Seeing her fall silent, Madam Chen thought for a moment, then smiled. “Eldest Sister-in-law, you’re not still thinking about having Xiuwen adopted into the Third Branch, are you? I’d advise you to give up that idea. Now that Third Sister-in-law is pregnant, this child must be Third Brother’s.”

Madam Zhang’s face stiffened. She immediately denied it. “Second Sister-in-law, don’t talk nonsense. I’ve never thought that.”

Madam Chen chuckled. “Whether you have or not, you know best.”

Madam Zhang was once again left speechless.

Madam Chen continued, “Actually, not being able to adopt him into the Third Branch might be a good thing. Xiuwen is already sixteen. After raising him for sixteen years, could you really bear to see him call someone else Father and Mother, and call you Eldest Uncle and Aunt?”

“I already said I don’t have that idea,” Madam Zhang replied darkly.

Even if she did have such thoughts, she disliked others bringing them up openly. She would be reluctant to give up her son, but if he were adopted into the Third Branch, he could inherit the title and have a better future. For her child’s prospects, she would be willing.

Madam Chen didn’t continue the topic. But she was certain that the child must be Third Brother’s—judging from Meng Jinyao’s calm attitude alone.

Who would have thought that at such an age, Third Brother would not only marry but also have a child of his own? Still, it had nothing to do with her. She had only one son, and even if adoption were needed, it wouldn’t be her turn.

Weirui Pavilion

After returning to her courtyard, Meng Jinyao touched her belly. She felt that everything that had happened today was unreal. Without any mental preparation, she had suddenly been told she was going to be a mother.

Ningdong didn’t know that her mistress had already consummated the marriage with the Marquis. When she learned that Meng Jinyao was pregnant, she was greatly shocked. But she never doubted her mistress’s character. There was no way her mistress would have an affair; the child must be the Marquis’s. Still, she asked curiously, “Madam, when did the Marquis’s illness get better?”

“On the way to Huzhou,” Meng Jinyao replied.

Hearing this, Ningdong suddenly thought of something. Even she, as her mistress’s close maid, didn’t know about it—so what about others?

She asked again, “Madam, do the others know about the Marquis’s recovery? Like the First Madam, Second Madam, and Old Madam?”

Meng Jinyao was startled. Indeed, they hadn’t told anyone about her husband’s recovery. Even when they went to pay respects yesterday, they hadn’t mentioned it.

Yet earlier at Shou’an Hall, her two sisters-in-law and her mother-in-law hadn’t shown anything unusual. They had only told her to rest well and were very kind to her, as if there were no misunderstandings.

Something wasn’t right.

If they knew her husband had recovered, they would have arranged a marriage for him long ago. How would it have been her turn?

But if they didn’t know, then with her being pregnant, why weren’t they shocked? Why didn’t they ask what was going on?

Unable to figure it out, she thought of one possibility and asked, “Ningdong, after I fainted, did the Marquis come back?”

Ningdong shook her head. “The Marquis still doesn’t know you fainted. Since we didn’t know how serious it was, we didn’t notify him first. We waited for the doctor’s diagnosis. If it had been serious, we would’ve called him back. But then the doctor discovered you were pregnant.”

Meng Jinyao was stunned. “Then… how did they react when they learned I was pregnant?”

Ningdong answered honestly, “Old Madam was extremely excited. She said the ancestors had blessed us. As for the First and Second Madams, they didn’t say much.”

Meng Jinyao also found it strange, but she didn’t want to dwell on it. The most important thing now was to sleep well. She had fainted today precisely because she hadn’t rested enough. Any issues could wait until her husband returned and explained things to the elders.

She instructed, “Ningdong, I’m going to sleep first. If I’m still not up by noon, wake me. Also, if the Marquis comes back, don’t tell him about my pregnancy yet. I want to tell him myself.”

Ningdong nodded repeatedly. “Don’t worry, Madam. I won’t tell the Marquis, and I won’t tell the other maids either. I’m afraid they might let it slip.”