SGEIRS -Chapter 486 Unfortunate Miscarriage

Over at Weirui Pavilion, Meng Jinyao had just returned and sat down when her eyelid started twitching again. It had twitched three times today already, leaving her with an inexplicable sense of unease.

Gu Jingxi noticed her frowning and staring off into space, and asked, “A-Yao, what’s the matter?”

Hearing his voice, Meng Jinyao snapped back to reality, shook her head slightly, and replied, “I don’t know why, but my eyelid has twitched three times today. It’s making me feel a bit unsettled.”

Gu Jingxi gently comforted her, “Everything at home is fine. Nothing has happened. Don’t overthink it.”

Meng Jinyao lifted her eyes to look at him and asked, “Husband, you haven’t made any mistakes at work recently, have you?”

Hearing this, Gu Jingxi smiled reassuringly and said firmly, “Don’t worry about that. Your husband has always been careful; nothing will go wrong.”

Meng Jinyao nodded, then asked, “What about the culprit who tried to harm His Highness the Crown Prince? You still haven’t caught them. Did the Emperor react?”

Gu Jingxi replied, “The Emperor hasn’t mentioned it at all this year.”

Meng Jinyao was stunned: “Hasn’t mentioned it?”

Gu Jingxi nodded. “Yes, he hasn’t mentioned it. Perhaps it’s because he feels uneasy about it and doesn’t want to bring it up for now. But that doesn’t mean we can just let the case go.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao let out a sigh of relief. “Then it must have just been my anxiety recently.”

Gu Jingxi noticed her recent emotional instability and gently suggested, “Tomorrow’s my day off. How about we go out and take a walk?”

In the past, Meng Jinyao would have been interested, but now she didn’t want to move much. Her biggest exercise these days was a brief walk, so she refused without hesitation: “I’m in the later months now, my body is heavy. I don’t want to trouble myself. Just stay home with me.”

Gu Jingxi agreed, “Alright, we’ll stay home then.”

After a moment, Meng Jinyao changed her mind. “But there’s nothing to do at home. Maybe we should go out for a bit. I can just sit in the carriage and look around.”

Gu Jingxi agreed to whatever she wanted.

Meng Jinyao continued, “Tomorrow I want to buy a set of jewelry. I haven’t gotten any new jewelry this spring.”

Gu Jingxi responded, “Alright, we’ll buy two sets.”

Meng Jinyao added, “I also want to buy some toys for the child.”

“Alright.”

“And some snacks to take home.”

“Alright.”

“Also, get something for Second Brother, and have someone deliver it to the academy for him.”

“Alright, we’ll get everything.”

…

Everything Meng Jinyao mentioned, Gu Jingxi agreed to and carefully made a note of, so that nothing would be forgotten when they went shopping tomorrow.

That night, when it was time for bed, Meng Jinyao sat on the bed, looking at her swollen legs and then at her belly. Her mind once again drifted into worry and overthinking.

Gu Jingxi, having just finished his bath, returned to the room. Seeing her staring down again, unsure of what she was thinking, he stepped forward, held her in his arms, and gently asked, “A-Yao, what are you thinking about now?”

Meng Jinyao looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, and asked, “Husband, if I were to lose the child on the day of delivery, would you take another wife?”

Without hesitation, Gu Jingxi replied, “I wouldn’t.”

He raised his hand to gently wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes and said softly, “A-Yao, don’t overthink. You will be safe. The imperial physicians examined you and the child, and they said you are both well.”

Meng Jinyao choked back her tears, “But what if I really lost it? You truly wouldn’t take another wife?”

Gu Jingxi looked into her eyes and once again told her without hesitation, “I wouldn’t.”

“Why?” Meng Jinyao asked, her eyes fixed on him, half-believing. “You used to have a hidden illness, so you never married. But now you’ve fully recovered.”

Gu Jingxi held her hand and placed it over his heart. He said solemnly, “Here. Since you came into my life, there’s no room for anyone else.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao’s spirits lifted immediately. The discomfort in her heart vanished as she asked, “Then how will you live in the future?”

Gu Jingxi replied, “Alone.”

Meng Jinyao laughed, “I thought you might die for love.”

“No,” Gu Jingxi responded without hesitation. “If I died for love, what would happen to our child? Although my elder brother and second brother could care for him, they are only uncles, not the father. Our child cannot depend on others or live under someone else’s authority. He should grow up carefree.”

Meng Jinyao was very satisfied. In truth, she had only mentioned it casually. She herself had grown up without anyone’s protection after her grandfather passed, and had suffered greatly. How could she wish the same for her child?

Gu Jingxi continued, “A-Yao, stop overthinking. You’ll grow old together with me. Didn’t you say before that, at my age, I’d need you to help me walk? Without you, who would support me?”

Meng Jinyao chuckled softly, “There are so many servants. Are they just for show?”

Gu Jingxi insisted, “I only want you to support me. Otherwise, I won’t walk at all. I’ll just stay in bed and go nowhere.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao laughed even more, giggling, “Alright, I can’t leave the old man in the servants’ care anyway.” She cupped Gu Jingxi’s face and added, “But don’t get fat, or I won’t have the strength to support you.”

Gu Jingxi smiled, “Alright.”

Meng Jinyao said, “Husband, we will grow old together.”

Gu Jingxi nodded, “Of course.”

The next morning, just as Gu Jingxi was preparing to leave with Meng Jinyao, someone arrived from the Meng household: Xiang Lan, the personal maid of her stepmother, Madam Dong.

Meng Jinyao felt puzzled when Chunliu reported it. Why would her stepmother’s maid come to see her early in the morning, and claim it was urgent? Her eyelid had twitched yesterday, leaving her uneasy. Could something have happened with her family?

Her face darkened as she instructed Chunliu, “Quick, bring her in.”

Chunliu left immediately.

Gu Jingxi held Meng Jinyao’s hand, reassuring her, “A-Yao, don’t worry. It’s probably not serious. The maid may have exaggerated.”

Meng Jinyao’s anxiety lingered—not because she was especially filial or worried about her father or grandmother, but because she worried about her second brother, fearing something might have happened at the academy.

Before long, Xiang Lan was brought into the room by Chunliu.

The moment she entered and saw Meng Jinyao, Xiang Lan seemed to see a savior. She dropped to her knees with a thud, and before Meng Jinyao could ask anything, she choked back her sobs and said, “Miss, please make a decision for our lady!”

Meng Jinyao looked bewildered. Why was her stepmother involved? Madam Dong managed the household and all the servants obeyed her; her father treated her well. What could have happened that required her intervention?

Meng Jinyao spoke gently, “Xiang Lan, get up and tell me. What exactly happened?”

Xiang Lan didn’t rise and sobbed, “Miss… our lady… she… she had a miscarriage.”

Her words fell, and tears streamed down her face as she mourned for her mistress.