The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 749 - 711: Pregnant Again (First Update)

This year’s autumn hunt seems livelier than previous years, with the Duke Mansion receiving several additional spots. Since Su Yi went to Suzhou, the slots fell to Mrs. Xiao Liu. She came with Lu Yanbin, and when she got out of the carriage, she looked quite spirited.

The servants were busy setting up tents. She caught sight of Wen Wan and walked over.

Wen Wan smiled at her and asked how she had been recently.

Mrs. Xiao Liu lowered her gaze and replied that everything was fine.

Wen Wan asked again, "He hasn’t bullied you again, has he?"

"I..." Mrs. Xiao Liu stuttered, as if she had something she wished to say.

Just as she started speaking, Lu Yanbin came over from the side.

"What secrets are you two sharing? Let me hear as well."

Wen Wan looked up and her gaze fell on him.

Lu Yanbin was still the same as ever, wearing a light blue gown, genteel and handsome, but the way he looked at Mrs. Xiao Liu no longer carried his usual animosity. He was smiling amiably.

Wen Wan glanced at him and said, "There are so many noble sons at the hunting ground today. Why do you prefer to mingle among the ladies?"

Lu Yanbin laughed awkwardly twice. Last time when Mrs. Xiao Liu "ran away from home," he learned how formidable this cousin was and dared not cross Wen Wan, so he changed the topic.

"Several members of the Qi Family have shown up, yet the Empress did not. Do you know why, dear Sister?"

Wen Wan’s almond eyes flickered.

On the way here, she had noticed that three or four direct descendants of the Qi Family had arrived, while Empress Qi was specifically asked to stay in the palace.

Her source of information had always been Song Wei, and since Song Wei hadn’t mentioned any reasons, she did not inquire further.

After a few words to send Lu Yanbin away, Wen Wan took Mrs. Xiao Liu to her family’s tent.

It was Jinbao’s first time at the Royal Hunting Ground, and he was too excited to sit still, so Song Yuanbao had already taken him out to see the world.

Song Wei, along with his colleagues, had gone to the Emperor’s tent, leaving only two young servants and two maidservants in the Song family tent.

When Wen Wan and Mrs. Xiao Liu entered, they heard the servants sitting around discussing Qi Xuan, the girl who was supposed to be the Crown Prince’s fiancée but whose fate changed dramatically after she accidentally fell into the water and was saved by an outsider during the Yang Family banquet. She was then granted marriage to the Yang family’s eldest grandson, Yang Huan, by Empress Qi.

The marriage between the Qi and Yang Families was ongoing, but Qi Xuan had already caused several disturbances.

"She even came today,"

the servant Ruirui curled his lips and said, "I heard that as soon as she arrived at the hunting ground, she ran over to the Crown Prince, disregarding her image, insisting on proclaiming her innocence and asking His Highness to believe her. How amusing, with all that happened, what innocence could remain?"

Linglong remained silent, not speaking a word. On the day of Yang Xueru’s birthday banquet, she had accompanied Wen Wan and witnessed Qi Xuan being carried out of the water by Yang Huan. At that time, she only felt that the girl was quite innocent.

Yun Cai chimed in, "A maiden’s reputation is greater than the heavens. She should consider who she was supposed to marry. How could the Royal Family allow a girl with a tarnished reputation into the palace? Not only for a concubine to be listed on the Imperial Jade Disc, but even without any status as a concubine or concubine, someone like her wouldn’t have a chance."

The servant Kankan, sharp-eyed, noticed Wen Wan and Mrs. Xiao Liu entering and quickly said, "Our master dislikes us gossiping behind people’s backs, so let’s shut our mouths."

Understanding the cue, they all turned around to meet Wen Wan’s somewhat reproachful gaze, rushing to their feet to apologize and plead.

In such a setting, Wen Wan did not want to cause too much fuss to attract criticism, so she only scolded coldly, "It’s been a while since the young masters left, yet you don’t know how to go find them. Gather around here gossiping, you had better watch your skin!"

Their faces turned pale from fright, and they hurriedly bowed and withdrew, some tending to the stove to boil water, while others went looking for the young masters.

Silence returned to the tent, causing Wen Wan to sigh softly in her heart.

If it were to be said, the matter concerning Qi Xuan was slightly related to her, but she hoped the other party could move on soon.

Once the two sat down, Wen Wan, recalling Mrs. Xiao Liu’s previously hesitant demeanor, looked at her curiously, "Do you have something to say?"

Mrs. Xiao Liu twisted her handkerchief, a hint of distress lingering between her brows.

Wen Wan said, "With the relationship we have, there’s nothing we can’t talk about. If he really hasn’t changed his ways, feel free to tell me, and I’ll teach him a lesson for you."

Mrs. Xiao Liu bit her lip and spoke softly, "It’s not about bullying... It’s about me, I... I’ve gotten pregnant again."

Wen Wan: "...Ah?"

Mrs. Xiao Liu blushed at her reaction, lowering her head even further, "I’ve been feeling tired these past two days, and I had the household doctor check me out yesterday. It’s confirmed."

"Have you told the matriarch?" Wen Wan asked.

"Not yet, I just wanted you to be the first to know, Sister Wan." Mrs. Xiao Liu’s hand instinctively moved to her abdomen.

Wen Wan felt a wave of complexity wash over her, then sighed, "The last one went too suddenly. Since you’re fortunate to become pregnant again, you should tell them sooner to avoid repeating past mistakes."

Mrs. Xiao Liu fell silent.

Wen Wan called out to her twice, asking what was wrong.

Initially, Mrs. Xiao Liu was somewhat embarrassed, but then began to speak openly about how, as the rightful wife, she had the duty to allow her husband to take more concubines. Now with her pregnancy, she couldn’t serve her husband, and the matter of taking a concubine had to be brought to the agenda.

From her voice, Wen Wan could discern a sense of reluctance.

Indeed, Mrs. Xiao Liu was unwilling. Even though she always held a grudge for Lu Yanbin’s past actions, she understood that she could never escape the Lu Family in this life, destined forever to be Lu Yanbin’s wife. That sense of fate induced a subtle change in her psyche. Even though her feelings for Lu Yanbin had worn away, she did not wish for anyone to come between them at times like these.

Any outsider would pose a threat to her and her child.

Yet, how could a man have anything other than multiple wives and concubines?

The matriarch also said it was only natural for a man to have multiple wives and concubines. If she tried to oppose it too much, she would be deemed jealous and inconsiderate.

She just wanted to protect herself and her child.

The topic of "taking a concubine" was something Wen Wan had deep experience with.

Once she fantasized more than once about what she would do if one day another woman appeared beside Song Wei, eating with him, sleeping with him — if his care and gentleness were no longer reserved for her. She would surely turn into a jealous woman, perhaps even a madwoman.

No matter how childish or naive she appeared in front of Song Wei, she would never allow another intelligent and graceful woman to replace her.

"Let’s do this!" Wen Wan remained silent for a long while before saying, "I’ll test his attitude for you."

When she saw Lu Yanbin again, he had just returned from the Duke.

"Dear Sister, what brings you here?"

Seeing Wen Wan, Lu Yanbin was quite surprised. Besides his surprise, there was some anxiety, fearing that Wen Wan had come to lecture him again.

Noticing his tight face, Wen Wan chuckled softly, "I have two clever, bright maidservants under me, and they’re of marriageable age but haven’t found anyone yet. Seeing that your courtyard doesn’t have many people, I thought of sending them to you. They came with me today. Would you like to see them?"

Lu Yanbin immediately put on a pained expression, "Sister, if they were such wonderful people, why not give them to your brother-in-law? Offering them to me is like disgracing me. I worked so hard a few months ago to bring someone back from the Liu Family, and now you’re telling me to take concubines. You might as well just stab me in the heart with a knife."

Wen Wan said, "I wasn’t suggesting you take them home today. You can wait until Shuyuan is pregnant and unable to serve you, then take them back, can’t you?"

"No, no, no!" Lu Yanbin waved his hands repeatedly, "You know how the last child was lost. If she really gets pregnant again, I’m afraid the patriarch, matriarch, my father, and my concubine will all treat her like a treasure. If I dared to take a concubine now, my father’s whip would leave me skinless even if it doesn’t kill me. Dear Sister, please spare me!"

Watching his genuinely fearful demeanor, Wen Wan slightly raised her brows, "Don’t you really want them?"

"I dare not take them now." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"What about in the future?"

"We’ll talk about future matters in the future."

Wen Wan fell silent, no longer speaking.

The harsher the world is on women, the more lenient it is on men.

Lu Yanbin grew up under leniency. To have him say something like Song Wei, that he would never take concubines in his life, would be difficult. It was already rare for him to develop an aversion to the idea of taking concubines.

After returning, Wen Wan relayed Lu Yanbin’s reaction to Mrs. Xiao Liu. Mrs. Xiao Liu seemed quite surprised, "Did he really say he didn’t want them?"

"Do you think I’d lie to you?" Wen Wan took her hand, "Since he has no intention, then don’t mention the concubine matter yourself. Focus on a peaceful pregnancy and deal with bringing the child into the world first."

...

After paying their respects to the Emperor, the ministers dined at the banquet table. Emperor Guangxi, with his golden tongue, made a tempting promise in front of everyone, saying that whoever hunted the most today would have a condition fulfilled, within reasonable limits.