SGEIRS -Chapter 420 Jingxi’s Letter

After hearing this, Madam Dong immediately objected. “Husband, our eldest daughter is pregnant now. How can she go out and walk around so casually?”

Meng Dongyuan replied indifferently, “Rural women can still work in the fields even when they’re seven or eight months pregnant. Not to mention women from other families—after getting pregnant, they still attend banquets. She’s only been pregnant for a little over a month. Her belly hasn’t even started showing yet. Why can’t she go out? Even imperial consorts aren’t treated this delicately.”

Madam Dong said, “Husband, how can others be compared to our eldest daughter? The child in her womb is the grandson the Gu family has waited for many years, and the child her husband has longed for. This child didn’t come easily. The entire Gu household is being extremely careful. If something happens to her outside, can our Meng family afford to take responsibility?”

Her words instantly sobered Meng Dongyuan. If something happened to the child, the Gu family would surely hate the Meng family. From then on, they wouldn’t be in-laws anymore, but enemies.

Seeing him fall silent, Madam Dong worried he might become unhappy, so she added gently, “Husband, I know you want to ease your relationship with our eldest daughter, and it’s also for the sake of the Meng family. But these things can’t be rushed. The more anxious you are, the more likely things will backfire.”

Meng Dongyuan felt anxious yet helpless. There was currently a vacant official position. If his eldest daughter could say a few good words for him in front of her husband and ask him to help smooth things over, the post would most likely fall to him.

Madam Dong comforted him, “The timing isn’t right this time. Her husband isn’t even in the capital. Talking to her now won’t help. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future.”

Meng Dongyuan was extremely frustrated. It had taken great effort to get this chance. Just when his eldest daughter was pregnant, her husband, who had gained a child late in life, would surely be more accommodating for the sake of the child. All it would take was for her to say a word. Even if he wasn’t in the capital, couldn’t she write him a letter?

Madam Dong exchanged a glance with him, unwilling to continue the topic. Instead, she said, “Husband, let’s eat dinner first.”

Meng Dongyuan was about to speak, but her words blocked him. He felt resentful, yet he liked Madam Dong’s gentle, refined, and beautiful temperament, so he didn’t vent his anger on her.

Two days later, news came from the Meng family: Meng Jinyu had been engaged to a wealthy merchant surnamed Deng from Yangzhou. They would marry in October this year and move to Yangzhou after the wedding.

Meng Jinyao felt no ripples in her heart. To her, it would only mean returning to her natal home to attend the banquet and give a bridal gift.

Many people secretly mocked the Meng family for marrying into a merchant family. They said Meng Dongyuan was selling his daughter—how could a noble household fall so low as to marry into a family reeking of money? Wasn’t it all for silver?

Others thought differently. They believed that marrying a daughter with a poor reputation to a rich merchant and gaining tangible benefits was better than marrying her to a low-status scholar. Even if such a scholar became an official in the future, he might only be a minor one, poor for life. Not only would the daughter suffer, but he wouldn’t help his wife’s family either—he might even need support from them. What use was that? It was better to marry into wealth and live in luxury.

Days passed quietly.

Meng Jinyao stayed at home nurturing her pregnancy and rarely went out.

Half a month later, Chan’er and Qingqiu returned.

After suffering such serious injuries, Chan’er had lost much weight. Qingqiu, though not physically exhausted from caring for her, had also grown thin from worrying about her mistress.

Seeing how much weight they had both lost, Meng Jinyao felt distressed. After exchanging a few words and learning that their journey had been hard, she asked them to wash up and rest properly.

By evening, Qingqiu woke up and got dressed to serve her mistress at dinner. While talking with Chunliu, she learned that her mistress was pregnant. She was both shocked and delighted.

“Madam is pregnant?”

“Yes,” Chunliu replied. “She was diagnosed on the second day after returning.”

Qingqiu clasped her hands together. “Amitabha. Thank the Buddha for His blessing. Luckily, everything went smoothly on the way back.”

Chunliu found her reaction puzzling and laughed. “Why are you acting so superstitious? With the Marquis accompanying her, Madam was bound to return safely.”

Qingqiu smiled and said nothing. “Let’s go. It’s time to serve Madam.”

Chunliu agreed.

After becoming pregnant, Meng Jinyao had hardly any morning sickness, and her appetite was good. With attentive servants, her life was comfortable. The only thing was that she often missed the child’s father.

To pass the time, she made clothes for the baby and for him. Since she didn’t know whether it would be a boy or girl, she used red fabric for the baby clothes—suitable for either and festive as well.

Seeing her doing needlework so often, Ningdong advised, “Madam, you’ve been doing embroidery every day. Be careful not to strain your eyes. The weather is nice today. How about I accompany you to the back garden for a walk?”

Meng Jinyao put down her sewing, stretched slowly, and followed Ningdong outside.

In the back garden, they met Madam Jiang, Xiuyuan’s wife, who was playing with her child.

Gu Yunxin had been born in March and was only a few months old. He was fair, adorable, well-behaved, and loved to smile—extremely lovable.

Meng Jinyao had always liked children. Now that she was about to become a mother herself, her affection grew even stronger. Seeing the little one babbling happily, she subconsciously touched her belly.

Madam Jiang hurriedly curtsied. “Third Aunt.”

Meng Jinyao smiled and nodded, her eyes never leaving the child. She walked over and gently touched his head.

“He’s getting cuter and cuter.”

Madam Jiang replied, “Third Aunt, Yunxin’s little uncle will be very cute too in the future.”

His little uncle?

Meng Jinyao didn’t react at first. After a moment, she laughed. “Maybe it’ll be a little aunt instead.”

Madam Jiang smiled sweetly. “Even if it’s a little aunt, she’ll be adorable. Third Uncle and Third Aunt are both good-looking. Whether boy or girl, the child will surely be beautiful.”

Meng Jinyao glanced at her teasingly. “You sure know how to flatter.”

“I’m only telling the truth,” Madam Jiang said.

“Let me hold him,” Meng Jinyao said gently. “I haven’t held him in a long time.”

Madam Jiang dared not burden her. “Third Aunt, he’s quite heavy now. You’re pregnant—you shouldn’t tire yourself. And his legs are restless. If he kicks your baby, that wouldn’t be good.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao gave up and instead chatted with Madam Jiang about childcare.

Though Madam Jiang was usually quiet and gentle, once the topic touched something she knew well, she became very talkative, sharing everything she knew.

They talked happily, and Meng Jinyao learned many useful experiences from her.

After parting, Meng Jinyao returned to Weirui Pavilion.

She had just sat down when Qingqiu entered with a letter.

“Madam, the Marquis has sent a letter home.”

Meng Jinyao was stunned.

From the capital to Hangzhou, it took more than half a month. By now, he should just have arrived. How could a letter already be delivered?

She asked doubtfully, “Are you sure it’s from the Marquis?”

Qingqiu smiled. “Of course. How could it be fake? Take a look and you’ll know. He also sent one to Old Madam. It was written on the way to Hangzhou and mailed back.”