TFS – Chapter 91 Pregnancy Matters

A huge thank you to Paprika!💖 for your continuous support—it truly means a lot! As a token of appreciation, today’s extra chapter is for you. Hope you enjoy it! 😊✨

Originally, Ah Sen had become more well-behaved due to his father’s departure. But now, he was back to his lively self. Tang Chunming had no choice but to comply with everyone’s insistence that he rest in bed. All household matters were handed over to Chen Mama and his stepmother, and with Li Feng gone, they were being even more cautious.

At that moment, Ah Sen was happily lying next to him, frequently reaching out to touch his belly.

“Mother, when will my little brother come out and play with me?” It was no wonder that people in the village thought Ah Sen was smart—despite his young age, he was already able to articulate his thoughts so clearly.

Tang Chunming, however, was feeling extremely exasperated. He wanted to spank this little rascal a hundred times! For the past few days, Ah Sen had been repeating the same question over and over, asking again and again despite receiving the same answer. His expression even seemed to say that his Mother was all-powerful and could make the baby appear instantly if he wanted to.

“Where’s Treading Cloud? Treading Cloud, hurry and take this kid out!” Tang Chunming called out toward the outside of the house.

Before long, the sound of horse hooves rang out clearly. Soon after, Treading Cloud’s white head appeared inside the room, its two jet-black eyes full of spirit. Treading Cloud nudged Tang Chunming’s hand affectionately before following the direction of his pointing finger, opening its mouth and once again grabbing Ah Sen, slowly lowering its head as it trotted outside.

Only after they exited the house did Ah Sen’s sharp cries finally ring out. He had been repeatedly told not to disturb his mother. Of course, in Ah Sen’s understanding, simply asking questions wasn’t considered disturbing.

“Bad Xiao Yun! Bad Xiao Yun! I want my mother~~~”

Finally, the little troublemaker was taken away. Tang Chunming collapsed onto the heated brick bed and covered his head with the quilt. That damn Ah Feng—he left, yet he left such a… nuisance behind for him.

However, perhaps because he had already gone through this once before, he gradually came to terms with it over the past few days. The little troublemaker left behind by the original owner had already been born, so how could he hesitate now when the child in his belly was Ah Feng’s? This one was of far greater significance.

He wasn’t completely clueless. He could more or less guess the thoughts of the Li family villagers. Even though Ah Lin and especially Ah Sen had been added to the Li family’s genealogy records, in their eyes, they weren’t truly Li family blood. On top of that, Ah Feng had willingly treated the two children as his own. Since Ah Feng had gone to such lengths for him, was it really such a big deal for him to endure this once more?

Still, thinking about enduring another six months of this while that troublemaker was away made Tang Chunming seethe with resentment. He really wanted to drag the man back and beat him up.

Especially when he thought about how embarrassing the whole situation was. According to Elder He’s calculations, the timing lined up precisely with that time the two of them had indulged in pleasure in broad daylight. The thought made Tang Chunming feel like all his dignity had been stripped away. He could see the knowing look in Elder He’s eyes even now.

“Mother…” Ah Lin entered the room carrying a bowl of warm goat milk prepared by Chen Mama. He walked steadily, visibly relieved that Ah Sen wasn’t there. He, too, was exhausted from answering his little brother’s endless questions.

Tang Chunming sat up with a sigh of relief, took the bowl, and drank the milk in one go. He wiped his mouth boldly and scoffed—so what if he was pregnant again? So what if he had to manage on his own? It was no big deal. Had he ever failed to overcome any obstacle before?

Seeing Ah Lin eyeing his belly expectantly, Tang Chunming’s mouth twitched. He patted Ah Lin’s head and said, “You’re still the best-behaved one. Go play. Mother is fine.”

After Ah Lin left, Wang Ying entered. Since Li Feng had left, he had been visiting his stepson often. He had been at home that day and hadn’t gone with the others. Not long after, though, his stepson had been sent back—but at least it was for good news. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to face his son-in-law out there.

Tang Chunming had been planning to sneak off the bed to stretch his legs. Lying down for days had made his bones ache. But as soon as he saw his stepmother appear, his movements froze. Slowly turning his head, he forced a dry laugh. “Mother, I was just thinking the house was a bit messy and wanted to tidy up a little.”

Wang Ying rolled his eyes at him. “Alright, alright. Elder He said you’re fine as long as you don’t overwork yourself. Go on, get up, before I start looking like the villain here.”

Finally! Freedom! Tang Chunming nearly threw himself into his stepmother’s arms with joy, but one look at his expression made him hesitate. The memory of what Wang Ying had said the day he found out about the pregnancy made his face darken.

That day, Wang Ying had stared at his belly for a long time before finally saying, “Looks like your body is just naturally fertile. This is already the third one.”

That was the second bolt of lightning to strike him that day. It meant that from now on, he and Ah Feng couldn’t just roll around in bed carelessly anymore—his chances of ‘winning the lottery’ were too high! Weren’t people always saying ‘two kids in three years’? That was exactly what was happening to him! Even after several days had passed, Tang Chunming still wanted to bury his face in shame whenever he thought about it.

A few days later, Rong Yue arrived to discuss the matter of the liquor business.

Since this was their first time selling alcohol, it had to be handled with extra care. Accompanying him were professional wine tasters who would evaluate the quality of the liquor and help determine its price. After all, Pingshan Village lacked such experts, and they would need time to cultivate their own.

“I knew you’d be lonely with Brother Li Feng gone, so I made a special trip to keep you company.” The first thing Rong Yue said when he saw Tang Chunming was this. Then he playfully tapped his folding fan against his palm while scanning him up and down with a mischievous smile. “I must say, Brother Li Feng is quite something. Tell me, what do you think his reaction will be when he comes back and finds out there’s another mouth to feed at home?”

Tang Chunming had gradually come to understand Rong Yue’s wicked sense of humor. Without hesitation, he shot back, “Scram!”

Rong Yue burst into laughter.

“Are you jealous? Why don’t you go have one of your own?” Tang Chunming suggested with a smirk. “You’re the head of the Rong family now. Shouldn’t you be recruiting a husband to join your household? Found anyone suitable yet?”

Tang Chunming didn’t treat Rong Yue as a “ge’er” but as a fellow man, so he spoke freely.

That jab hit Rong Yue’s sore spot. In this era, finding an ideal live-in husband wasn’t easy. It wasn’t that no one wanted him—plenty of men were eager to marry into the Rong family for its wealth and status—but those suitors were all unattractive, scheming, or downright unsuitable. As a result, he had been dragging his feet on the matter, which had made him a late-marriage ge’er in the eyes of others.

Hearing this, Rong Yue sighed and confided, “Finding a satisfactory husband isn’t that simple. My family elders have been pushing their own sons in front of me, hoping I’ll pick one as my heir. They’ve even spread nasty rumors about me to sabotage any potential matches outside the clan.”

Tang Chunming patted his arm with zero sympathy. “Take your time. Not all men are that narrow-minded.”

“Why don’t I just adopt your son as my godson?” Rong Yue suggested.

“Absolutely not!” Tang Chunming shook his head frantically. “I don’t want to attract the attention of your scheming family members. I’ll raise my son myself.”

Even a godson was out of the question. He had no desire to get involved in the politics of a powerful clan. Though an adopted son wouldn’t bear the Rong surname and had no claim to the family inheritance, who knew if some schemer would try to use the child as a pawn to get close to Rong Yue? No way—he wouldn’t take the risk!

Rong Yue couldn’t help but chuckle. It was rare to see someone treating the idea of becoming his adopted son as something to be feared. After all, Brother Li Feng was highly skilled in martial arts and would undoubtedly earn great merit in this war. If he continued to rise in the military, his status—and that of his children—would far surpass anything Rong Yue could offer.

Tang Chunming accompanied Rong Yue to the distillery to assess the quality of the wine. Rong Yue had brought two wine tasters—one was an elderly man with a full head of white hair, while the other was a middle-aged man. Both treated Rong Yue with great respect and extended the same courtesy to Tang Chunming. The reason was simple—they had already tasted the wine that Tang Chunming had brewed last year and knew that a new renowned liquor was about to emerge in the Da Qing Dynasty. As wine appraisers, they took great pride in being part of this process.

Elder He also tagged along, as he was highly interested in the wine tasting process. Back in the capital, he had often discussed and evaluated different wines with others during his leisure time. Wine tasting, much like appreciating calligraphy or paintings, had become an art form among scholars and nobility.

Of course, professional wine tasters who served merchants were considered craftsmen rather than connoisseurs.

The distillery was spacious, with numerous wine jars neatly arranged. The organization was meticulous—wine from the same batch was stored together, and the first and second distilled batches were clearly labeled with paper tags. Everything was in perfect order, with no confusion despite this being the first large-scale brewing operation.

Because of this, evaluating the quality of the wine did not require opening every single jar—sampling just one from each batch was sufficient.

As soon as a jar was opened, a rich and mellow aroma filled the air. This was the result of the wine starter that Tang Chunming had provided. The fragrance alone was intoxicating.

“What a fine wine! Truly excellent! If stored for a few years, its aroma could spread for miles,” the elder wine taster praised.

“Please, master, have a taste and determine its grade,” Rong Yue invited. The village chief and others watched eagerly. Among those who had accompanied them, some were focused on observing the wine tasters’ actions, while others strained their ears to catch every word. If even one of them could grasp a fraction of this knowledge, it would be a great asset for future endeavors.

Special tools were used to extract the wine, ensuring that different jars were not mixed. The two wine tasters each took a small sip, savoring the taste in their mouths before swallowing. They then proceeded to give their evaluations.

Tang Chunming, standing to the side, found the whole process utterly incomprehensible. And considering how long it would take to taste and assess each batch, he quickly lost patience and decided to step outside for some fresh air. The strong scent of alcohol was beginning to make him feel a little queasy.

Shen Fulang and Zhang Xiu followed him out. They had no illusions about their ability to master wine tasting—being able to brew the wine was good enough.

“I told you not to come, but you wouldn’t listen,” Shen Fulang teased. “I bet this child in your belly is going to be a little wine lover, given how much wine aroma it’s been exposed to.”

Zhang Xiu burst into laughter. “You know, that actually makes sense. Just wait until Ah Feng gets back—Ming Ge’er will have given him a little wine-drinking companion.”

Wang Mo also wandered over. His own belly was already showing, and upon learning that Tang Chunming was also expecting, he had thought they’d have plenty to talk about. But much to his disappointment, Tang Chunming wasn’t interested in discussing it at all. Hearing the joke, though, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

Tang Chunming, however, was less amused, his face darkening as he gritted his teeth.

The next day, the results of the wine evaluations were finalized. Rong Yue handed a list to Tang Chunming.

Skimming through it, Tang Chunming was pleased with the outcome. Rong Yue explained, “The grading is based on your brewed wine as the top-tier benchmark, so it’s not directly comparable to what’s available elsewhere. Now, the first-class wines here include…”

This year’s sorghum harvest had been abundant, with over ten thousand catties stored. Ever since the sorghum had arrived at the distillery, production had been nonstop. Even now, not all of it had been turned into wine. The limited space, reliance on manual labor, and the fact that Tang Chunming alone was responsible for overseeing the brewing process had all slowed down production. However, the wine produced so far was of outstanding quality.

Each jar contained ten catties of wine, and currently, there were over two hundred jars stored in the cellar. More than half of them were classified as first-class. Only a few batches had been deemed third-class due to brewing errors, while the rest were second-class. This meant that the majority of the wine was of premium quality—an achievement largely credited to Tang Chunming.

At the bottom of the list, provisional purchase prices were listed:

• First-class wine: 50 taels of silver per jar
• Second-class wine: 10 taels per jar
• Third-class wine: 5 taels per jar

These were extremely high prices.

But when Tang Chunming quickly did the math, he realized that once all the grain was converted into wine, the distillery’s revenue would exceed ten thousand taels of silver. He immediately started coughing in shock. He had never imagined it would be this lucrative—this was real profit! Compared to this, the whole-sheep restaurant and the mountain enterprises were nothing.

Rong Yue, grinning, poured him a cup of warm water and patted his back. In his hands, these wines would be worth even more—easily double or triple the listed prices. Ming Ge’er really had nothing to be so astonished about.

Then, Tang Chunming snapped back to reality and asked, “So how much is my top-tier wine per jar? No, wait—how much per catty?”

Fast thinker, huh? Rong Yue mused to himself. Indeed, the most valuable wine was Ming Ge’er’s special top-tier brew. Once word got out, it would become something that even the wealthiest nobles might struggle to obtain. “That’s negotiable. If you have any demands, feel free to state them,” he said, wearing his signature cunning merchant’s smile.

“Alright, alright. Just set a fair price so I don’t get ripped off. I don’t have the energy to deal with this right now. Also, I’m keeping some for myself—for year-end gifts and household use. I don’t have much to spare, especially since Ah Feng isn’t here to help this year. We’re short on manpower,” Tang Chunming said, waving a hand dismissively.

Rong Yue clenched his teeth. Was there really someone out there who found too much money to be a problem? Even so, he haggled persistently, using all his sharp business skills to secure half of the stock. He was still dissatisfied, but knowing that Ming Ge’er might be reserving some to gift Prince Zhao at the end of the year, he let it go.

Before long, the distillery’s wine was gradually transported away by Rong Yue’s men. Meanwhile, the village chief and others, responsible for handling the silver transactions, found themselves trembling with excitement, their mouths dry and their hearts pounding. They had to pinch themselves to make sure they weren’t dreaming.

The silver didn’t stay in their hands for long. They immediately called upon the family’s bookkeeper to settle the accounts, ensuring that the money was distributed to every household as soon as possible. The largest share, of course, went to Tang Chunming. Though the amount was astonishing, they all knew that without him, these wines wouldn’t have been brewed, let alone sold. Even the portions each household received were incredibly substantial compared to a year’s worth of their previous earnings. They hurriedly secured their silver and hid it at home. Just imagining that they would have such a large income every year from now on made them smile uncontrollably.

Regardless of how the families who received the money reacted, or how those who didn’t felt, Tang Chunming’s main focus at the moment was resting at home to ensure a stable pregnancy. Fortunately, with the weather turning cold, he, being naturally afraid of the cold, preferred to stay nestled on a heated brick bed. Plus, with plenty of books to read, he didn’t feel the urge to go outside.

The Whole Lamb Restaurant reopened as usual once winter arrived, still bustling with guests. Tang Chunming had completely delegated its management to Zhang Changming and Teng Yu, only reviewing the monthly accounts. The two of them wouldn’t bother him, knowing he was expecting. Similarly, the mountain business was entirely managed by Dashan, just as it had been before Li Feng left.

However, with his increasing free time, Tang Chunming couldn’t help but think about how Li Feng was doing. This made him meticulously read every letter he received, searching for any clues to infer the current situation of the Great Qing Dynasty.

A month after Li Feng’s departure, the foreign tribe that had colluded with Prince Qi finally launched an attack. The Grand General of the Nation was appointed Marshal by the Emperor and led the troops to defend the border. At the same time, Prince Qi raised the flag of rebellion within the country, attempting to storm the capital. The military camp in Dingzhou quickly mobilized to intercept him. Though ancient communication was slow, news of both the border war and Prince Qi’s rebellion had spread even to Pingshan Village, as the battlefield wasn’t far from Dingzhou.

Perhaps Tang Chunming should be grateful that this war appeared to be more manageable than the previous one against the Northern Barbarians. Since the Emperor had strengthened Dingzhou’s defenses after that war, he had likely been preparing for this very conflict. Additionally, after consolidating power and eliminating political rivals in court, the Emperor now had overwhelming support, making this war nearly unstoppable.

As for Prince Qi, who remained ambitious in his fiefdom, Tang Chunming didn’t believe he could succeed like that imperial uncle from Earth’s history who had managed to seize the throne. At least in Pingshan Village, no one supported Prince Qi’s rebellion. Just by looking at the public sentiment, it was clear that he had already lost.

Initially, Li Feng’s letters arrived regularly. But once news of the war spread, his correspondence stopped. Only Rong Yue occasionally mentioned updates about the border in his letters. In fact, Rong Yue had begun sending letters to Pingshan Village more frequently than before, which Tang Chunming recognized as a thoughtful gesture. After all, the only way for him to get information about the battlefield was through Rong Yue.

The court continued to send reports of victories, and Rong Yue’s letters also contained good news—General Yao had annihilated a significant number of enemy forces, and occasionally, Li Feng’s name appeared in the reports sent to the Emperor. Whether he earned merit or not didn’t matter to Tang Chunming; what mattered was that Li Feng’s name appearing meant he was safe. That was all that mattered.

Time passed quickly, and soon snowflakes began to fall. As the New Year approached, Tang Chunming’s belly had also become noticeable. Counting the months, he had conceived in September, meaning he was now three months pregnant. However, the war had yet to end, and those on the battlefield had yet to return. This left Tang Chunming feeling gloomy and listless. Even though Chen Mama and Wang Ying were feeding him as if fattening him up, he still hadn’t gained much weight.

Lying on the heated brick bed, he listened to Ah Lin read aloud. Ah Lin had learned many characters by now, and his ability to learn surprised even Tang Chunming. In modern times, he would be considered a prodigy. Whenever he encountered unfamiliar words, he would point them out for his mother to read aloud. Despite some stumbling, he could manage to read through several pages.

Meanwhile, Ah Sen was outside playing in the snow. That child couldn’t sit still, and he was even healthier than Ah Lin, so Tang Chunming didn’t restrict him. After running wild in the snow, Ah Sen lifted the curtain and rushed inside, bringing in a gust of cold air. His small face and hands were flushed red from the cold, but his excitement remained undiminished.

“Mother! Gege! Snowman! Let’s build a snowman! And… snow sledding!”

Ah Lin’s eyes lit up. Despite his studious nature, he was still a child and enjoyed such activities. Tang Chunming took the book from his hands and said, “Ah Lin, go play with your brother, but keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t run off.”

“Okay, Mother.” Ah Lin sensibly bundled up in warm clothes before taking his younger brother’s hand and running outside. The sound of their laughter filled the air.

Wang Ying entered and asked, “What do you want to eat for lunch? I’ll make it for you.”

Tang Chunming smacked his lips and said, “I want something spicy. Very, very spicy.” His appetite hadn’t been great lately, and he craved strong flavors. However, most of his cravings had been denied.

“Got it, just wait.” With that, Wang Ying turned and left.

Tang Chunming was momentarily stunned. Huh? Did Mother just agree? Wasn’t he the one who had previously refused, saying that Elder He had advised against spicy food because it wasn’t good for the baby? No matter how much he protested, he had been overruled.

He distinctly remembered the old saying, “sour for boys, spicy for girls.” Didn’t that mean pregnant people could eat spicy food? Why was it different here? Then he thought about his own cravings and touched his belly. Could this baby be another little Ge’er like Ah Lin? But he also liked sour food… So what did that mean?

At noon, he finally got to enjoy his long-awaited spicy meal—water-boiled fish. Both Chen Mama and his stepmother had learned how to make this dish. As long as the fish was sliced well and the seasoning was bold, the taste couldn’t go wrong.

Since the whole family had developed a taste for spicy food, they devoured the entire large bowl of water-boiled fish in one meal. Tang Chunming ate so much that he hiccupped.

Chen Mama and Wang Ying exchanged glances. Clearly, Ming ge’er wasn’t unable to eat—he just needed food with strong flavors. Well, if that’s what it took, so be it. Better that than letting him waste away like a cat picking at its food.

Just as they finished cleaning up after the meal, someone arrived. The timing couldn’t have been worse.

Naturally, Tang Chunming didn’t have to go out to greet the guest. Instead, he lifted the curtain and peered into the courtyard. Walking in alongside Wang Ying was none other than Rong Yue.

Why on earth had he come here in this freezing weather?

“You came at this time? It’s the end of the year, you must be busy, right?” Tang Chunming asked while inviting him in. Seeing Rong Yue actually made him quite happy, and since his complexion looked fine, he set aside any worries for now.

Rong Yue entered the room, taking off the fur-lined cloak draped over his shoulders while moving toward the fire basin to warm himself up. This year, since money wasn’t an issue and considering Tang Chunming’s condition, they had specially bought smokeless charcoal. Along with the heated flooring, the inside of the house was a completely different world compared to the outside.

“I came to see you. Also, there are New Year’s gifts from the capital for you. I happened to be delivering them, so I brought them along. They’re all in the carriage outside—gifts from His Highness Prince Zhao and the Zhen Guo General’s Residence. Here, this is the list.” He pulled a list out from his sleeve and handed it to Tang Chunming.

Tang Chunming was a bit surprised—these were all big figures! Why were they sending New Year’s gifts to his house? Their own gifts had just been sent out as well. Since the distance was far, they had to be sent early, and it would still take some time for them to arrive. When it came to New Year’s gifts, it was always better to be early than late.

“Just take them. You’ve sent them gifts all year round anyway, right?” Rong Yue waved his hand dismissively. This Ming Ge’er was still acting like a small character. The Zhen Guo General’s Residence was sending gifts because of Li Feng, and as for Prince Zhao, it wasn’t for nothing either. Ming Ge’er’s family had been sending things to them all year, so of course, Prince Zhao had to return the favor.

“Uh, that makes sense. Since they sent them, I’ll accept them.” Tang Chunming figured it was reasonable. But looking at the list of gifts, he couldn’t help but be a little shocked. He then asked, “Have you eaten? We just finished—look, the aroma hasn’t even faded yet.”

Rong Yue rolled his eyes—he’d never seen anyone like this before. “Of course not! I was on my way here during mealtime, where would I have eaten? Hurry up and entertain your guest properly.”

Tang Chunming stifled a laugh and called out loudly to Chen Mama at the door, asking hijm to prepare a couple of dishes for Rong Yue. He also instructed him to prepare food for the people who had come with Rong Yue. From the kitchen, Chen Mama responded, “Got it! We’re already on it, you just stay inside and don’t come out.” Apparently, Wang Ying had already asked the visitors beforehand, so he and Chen Mama had started cooking early.

Rong Yue obviously knew what Tang Chunming cared about the most, but he deliberately kept him in suspense and didn’t bring it up. Only after eating his fill, patting his stomach contentedly, and leaning comfortably against the heated brick bed did he finally reveal what Tang Chunming wanted to hear: “Brother Li Feng won’t be back for the New Year. Here, this is a letter he sent from the border. I brought it for you.”

Tang Chunming glared at him—there was a letter? And he only took it out now? This bastard!

He quickly opened the letter and scanned through it. It reported Li Feng’s safety and mentioned that he wouldn’t be able to return, telling him to stay home and take care of himself. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, nobody had told Li Feng about the baby in Tang Chunming’s belly yet, so he still didn’t know he was about to become a father again.

“The weather is so cold now, how are they still fighting this war?” Tang Chunming took a quick glance at the letter before putting it away to read in detail later. Since Li Feng hadn’t mentioned the war situation, he could only ask the person in front of him.

Rong Yue shook his head. “Right now, it’s at a stalemate. Prince Qi is useless—he fled not long after the fighting started, and he ran straight into foreign territory. So, even though the foreign forces have temporarily retreated due to the cold, our troops can’t withdraw. They have to wait until the ice and snow melt in the coming year to continue the attack. The court won’t rest easy until Prince Qi is eliminated.”

That made sense. With an enemy still out there trying to seize the throne, who knew when he might resurface to cause trouble again? His Majesty probably couldn’t even sleep soundly at night.

Tang Chunming sighed and said, “Thanks for the update. But honestly, this Prince Qi… just the fact that he colluded with foreign forces already puts him at a disadvantage. What is he even fighting for? Even if he manages to take the throne, he won’t be able to hold onto it. Raising the ambitions of an outside power isn’t something you can easily put back in its cage. Just look at history—foreign invasions into Central Plains history aren’t rare, especially in that last dynasty with the braided queues.”

Rong Yue scoffed in disdain. “If he had that kind of foresight, he wouldn’t have lost to His Majesty in the first place. But he refuses to admit defeat.”

“Huh? So, at first, he actually had the upper hand? Then why would he rebel now? Isn’t that just asking to be killed?” This guy was seriously dumb. If he couldn’t defeat His Majesty back then, how did he expect to win now that His Majesty had consolidated his power? The more Tang Chunming thought about it, the more he felt Prince Qi was just a fool. Because of him, his Ah Feng had to go to war and couldn’t even come home for the New Year. He had no sympathy for the man at all.

Rong Yue chuckled and said, “Not everyone can see things clearly. The more unreachable something is, the more some people desperately want to grasp it—especially when it’s the throne.”

“Yeah, we ordinary folks really can’t understand how these big figures think,” Tang Chunming nodded in agreement.