Chapter 91
Coercion

The autumn wind blew gently, occasionally lifting the carriage’s silk curtains, making Song Wan feel a bit chilly.

Seeing her shiver slightly, Jiang Xingjian frowned and pulled out a soft blanket from a hidden compartment in the carriage.

“Thank you, husband.” She draped it over her shoulders casually, maintaining her indifferent demeanor.

Jiang Xingjian clenched his hands and turned his face away.

She was always like this, never angry or upset.

She could dismiss her grandmother’s dying wishes and still call him “husband” so calmly. Many times, Jiang Xingjian couldn’t understand what she was thinking.

Song Wan was different from Lin Jiayue. When Lin Jiayue was angry, she would call him out by name, cry, and make a fuss. When they were affectionate, she would act coquettishly and joke with him. But Song Wan never did any of that.

Jiang Xingjian even thought that if he suddenly died in front of Song Wan one day, she would just look at him with those cold, indifferent eyes, neither sad nor happy.

Feeling frustrated, he lifted the carriage curtain to get some fresh air but quickly remembered something and carefully pressed the curtain back down.

When they returned to the Marquis Mansion, Song Wan simply said, “Husband, rest early,” and turned to leave.

After a day in the palace, she felt utterly exhausted. Back in Lan Ting Courtyard, Heng Zhi and Heng Wu helped her remove her makeup and wash up. Song Wan was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open until Heng Zhi wiped her face with a cloth, bringing her back to her senses.

“Miss, there was a problem at Xiu Yan Pavilion today.”

“What happened?”

Heng Zhi said, “During the day, Concubine Lin suddenly ran out, acting crazy and saying she heard drums. She looked really ill.”

“Indeed,” Heng Wu added, frowning. “Miss, you should have seen her. They say she acts like this every night, keeping Nanny Li and Nanny Liu awake all night. When they finally took a nap during the day, this happened.”

“I heard from a maid that everyone at Xiu Yan Pavilion is disturbed by Concubine Lin. Even Nanny Li said she heard strange noises while napping.”

Song Wan frowned. “Nanny Li heard it too?”

Heng Zhi knelt and whispered in Song Wan’s ear, “Miss, do you think it could be Huai Su?”

“No.” Song Wan said, “Huai Su has served the Marquis since she was young and is very loyal. I don’t know if she harbors jealousy, but she would never harm the Marquis’s offspring without Jiang Xingjian’s orders.”

“Could it be the Marquis then…”

Song Wan shook her head. “If Jiang Xingjian didn’t want this child, he could have just sent a bowl of abortifacient. Why make it so complicated?”

“I think Concubine Lin has hysteria.”

As the three of them were talking, they heard another commotion from Xiu Yan Pavilion. Seeing Heng Wu’s eager expression, Song Wan quickly told her to stay in the courtyard and not seek out the excitement.

Lan Ting Courtyard was quiet, with everyone from the master to the servants sleeping peacefully. But Xiu Yan Pavilion was in chaos.

Lin Jiayue clutched her belly, covering her ears and crying in fear. Her emotions were already unstable due to her pregnancy, and the repeated scares only worsened her condition.

When Jiang Xingjian entered, he saw her hollow eyes and emaciated body, with only a small, protruding belly, looking quite frightening. He frowned slightly and carried her back to bed.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“Xingjian, I’m scared.”

Jiang Xingjian said, “It’s just your mind playing tricks on you. Focus on taking care of the baby.”

Gently touching Lin Jiayue’s belly, he asked softly, “Will your poor sleep and appetite affect the baby?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know.”

“Stop asking me. You ask me every day, how would I know?”

Lin Jiayue clutched her belly, feeling anxious. “I’ve been eating well and resting properly. He’ll be fine.”

Crying and gently stroking her belly, she struggled to get up. “I’ll go eat something.”

She called Qian Bi to have the small kitchen prepare some nourishing food.

Lin Jiayue tested it with a silver needle before eating. She had no appetite and could only drink a few sips of soup.

Seeing this, Jiang Xingjian worriedly said, “How can you only eat this little? If you don’t eat more, how can the baby be healthy? If there are any problems when he’s born…”

“Stop it!” Lin Jiayue suddenly overturned the table, spilling the warm soup and slightly scalding her arm.

As if the burn brought her back to her senses, she cried, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I’m just so frustrated… Jiang Xingjian, you keep saying there will be problems with the baby. It’s driving me crazy.”

Jiang Xingjian stood aside, looking down. “I’m just worried about you and our baby.”

“I know, I know, I know.” Lin Jiayue tugged at her hair, causing several strands to fall out. Frustrated, she pushed them away and sat back down, stuffing pastries into her mouth.

Jiang Xingjian watched silently.

When she couldn’t hold it in and started to vomit, he gently patted her back. “Eat slowly. Don’t torture yourself like this. If you collapse, the baby won’t be well either.”

Lin Jiayue shuddered, feeling a mix of anger, frustration, and the urge to go mad.

Looking at her reflection in the bronze mirror, she saw a ghostly figure. Then she glanced at the still-elegant Jiang Xingjian and swallowed her frustration.

But the more she suppressed it, the closer she came to madness. She pushed Jiang Xingjian away, rinsed her mouth, and lay back down.

Jiang Xingjian sat beside her in silence, waiting for her to fall asleep. After a long time, Lin Jiayue, with her back to him, whispered, “Go rest. Don’t worry about me.”

“I’ll stay with you. The night is cool. I’ll leave once you’re asleep.”

Gently stroking her hair, Lin Jiayue slowly closed her eyes in her agitation.

In the dead of night, half-asleep, Lin Jiayue suddenly heard faint drumming outside the window. Terrified, she rushed out of the room in her agitated state.

There was nothing in the darkness, only the cold moonlight. Lin Jiayue couldn’t hold back her tears. “Jiang Jing? I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

Nanny Li and Nanny Liu saw her causing a commotion again and brought her back inside.

After a long, hazy night, Lin Jiayue felt like she had a long dream. When she woke up, Jiang Xingjian was by her bedside, looking at her tenderly. “I heard you went out again last night. Did you catch a cold?”

Lin Jiayue shook her head, eyes red. Jiang Xingjian helped her up. “I had the small kitchen make some meat soup. The physician said eating more will help ensure the baby is born healthy.”

“Jiang Xingjian…” Lin Jiayue’s eyes filled with tears. “Am I in a bad state? Do you think our baby will have problems?”

He kept asking about the baby, and Lin Jiayue felt immense pressure. She knew more than anyone in this era. The baby in her womb might not be very healthy, physically or mentally.

“Do you think there will be any problems?” Without prenatal checkups and not trusting traditional medicine, she felt uncertain.

Touching her belly, Lin Jiayue cried, “Say something.”

Jiang Xingjian lowered his eyelids, hiding his emotions. “People say that a mother knows her child best. As a mother, you should know if the baby is well.”

“Do you think you can’t protect him and ensure he’s born healthy?”