Chapter 333 I’m Having a Child

In the end, Su Wan made a decision: she would select a few capable people to accompany Cao Wanqing on her journey. Together, they would inspect and purchase land. After Cao Wanqing left with Xie Wuya, one person would remain behind to serve as the steward, organizing locals to plant medicinal herbs, while the rest would continue on with Xie Wuya and Cao Wanqing to the next location.

Xie Wuya was a chess fanatic. If he made friends through chess, he might linger in one place for quite some time. The shortest stay might be a month?

With travel time on top of that, they would likely purchase property in about six locations.

By that point, after spending more than half a year together, would Cao Wanqing and Xie Wuya have grown close?

Even without the excuse of purchasing land, he couldn’t simply leave Cao Wanqing behind.

Su Wan planned to return to the residence and select personnel immediately.

Just as she stepped out of the private room, she happened to run into Zhao Wei and Tang Nuan, who were exiting a private room across the corridor.

“General Zhao, Young Lady Tang,” Su Wan greeted with a smile. “What a coincidence.”

Tang Nuan looked slightly embarrassed. “Commandery Princess.” 

County Princess Lin’an and the Empress Dowager were no longer in power, so she had returned from the palace to the Marquis of Guangyuan’s residence. Zhao Wei had invited her out today to discuss the matter of marriage.

The engagement had been a verbal one, agreed upon out of necessity. Tang Nuan had no intention of taking advantage of the situation and going along with it just to marry Zhao Wei.

Tang Nuan had taken the initiative to say that the engagement should no longer count.

But Zhao Wei had a different view. Though the engagement had been made under duress at the time, the two of them had publicly acknowledged their “mutual affection” in front of the capital’s noble circles. If the engagement were to be voided now, it would damage her reputation. After careful thought, Zhao Wei believed it was his responsibility to see it through to the end.

Tang Nuan didn’t want to marry into the Defender Duke’s residence. Not only were there too many rules, but she would also lose her freedom.

Zhao Wei had ordered a full table of Zuixiang Pavilion’s signature dishes, which made her mouth water. Then she heard him say in a calm voice, “If you marry into the Defender Duke’s residence, I won’t make you follow strict rules. Whatever you want to eat, you’ll have it every day. In six months, I’ll be stationed at the border. If by then you still feel I’m not the right person, I’ll take you there with me and let you go along the way.”

Tang Nuan hesitated.

Zhao Wei added, “My second brother is a gourmet. Our residence keeps more than a dozen chefs, all well-versed in various regional cuisines.”

Tang Nuan was moved. Without a second thought, she agreed. After all, she was marrying up—the one making the concession wasn’t her.

The two of them came to an agreement and enjoyed a hearty meal. Tang Nuan was in high spirits.

She hadn’t expected to run into Su Wan, and it brought back everything that had happened at the Defender Duke’s residence. Her dark, glossy eyes blinked, and she pointed toward the stairway. “Um… I’ll be going now, alright?”

Zhao Wei gave a slight nod. “Go on ahead. I have something to discuss with Madam Gu.”

Tang Nuan breathed a sigh of relief and, like a lucky cat, waved at Su Wan before darting off.

Su Wan waved back. In just a moment, the girl had vanished down the staircase. Su Wan let out a soft laugh. “What a sweet and lovable young lady.”

Zhao Wei gave a quiet “Mm.” “You’re planning to take over the military’s medicinal supply? And also establish Baishantang? If you have time, let’s go inside and discuss the matter of medicinal supplies for the army.”

“I do! I was actually planning to seek you out in a few days to ask about it.” Su Wan led Zhao Wei back into the Penglai Pavilion.

——

Inside the palace, at the Qinzheng Hall.

Jingyun wore a dragon robe, with a golden-threaded winged crown upon his head. He knelt cross-legged atop a woven rug, his small figure upright and still, staring expressionlessly at the memorial in his hands.

Tingyuan sat at his side, checking over the memorials that Jingyun had already reviewed. Having trained under Grand Master Jiang, Tingyuan had developed refined and vigorous calligraphy. His brushwork carried the elegant yet forceful style befitting an emperor’s demeanor—though unfortunately, due to his young age, he lacked the wrist strength to fully command the brush.

The content of the memorials opposed the establishment of Baishantang, and even more strongly objected to Su Wan monopolizing the medicinal supply for both the palace and the military. Jingyun had already issued a scathing rebuke in response.

The corners of Tingyuan’s lips lifted ever so slightly. If there was anything Jingyun didn’t understand or couldn’t handle, he would place it in the upper left corner for Tingyuan to review. For the rest, which he could manage himself, his tone remained remarkably gentle.

Jingyun, feeling guilty, couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Tingyuan. Seeing him smile, Jingyun tossed aside the memorial, put down his cinnabar brush, rubbed his sore wrist, and leaned against Tingyuan, acting spoiled.

“Big Brother, let me rest a bit. Every day, if I’m not studying, I’m handling state affairs or sitting in meetings with the ministers. My head feels like it’s going to split in two.”

He exaggeratedly gestured to show the size of his head and pouted. “I already spoke to Mother Empress—we’re bringing Third Sister into the palace tomorrow. Don’t you think that’s nice?”

“In the palace, you and I are ruler and subject.” Tingyuan closed the memorial and said lazily, “Your Majesty barely gets enough sleep as it is. Whether or not she enters the palace makes little difference.”

“In private, we’re family, and I want to call you Big Brother.” Since entering the palace, Jingyun had been holding himself too tightly; today, he allowed himself a moment of petulance. “I have to study for two hours every day. Third Sister can keep me company. Big Brother, bring her into the palace tomorrow. And Mother too—I miss her.”

Tingyuan gave no reply, only glanced at the sky outside. “Time for archery practice.”

“Big Brother!” Jingyun looked at him with pleading eyes, trying to bargain. “I’ll wake up two quarters of an hour earlier each day to study, how about that?”

Tingyuan continued reviewing the memorials, not even raising his head. “Go now.”

Jingyun stomped off in frustration, thinking: if he didn’t see Third Sister and Mother tomorrow, he’d issue a decree himself to summon them into the palace—and his sister-in-law too.

No, no, no!

Big Brother practically lived in the palace. Bringing his sister-in-law in would only help him stay even longer!

If his sister-in-law was going to establish Baishantang, then he would choose a faraway location, make her go in person, and leave his big brother alone in an empty room.

Tingyuan, unaware of Jingyun’s little schemes, finished reviewing the memorials and decided to return to the residence for once today.

It was a rare moment of leisure. Sitting in the carriage, he leaned tiredly against the wall and closed his eyes to rest.

After the carriage had been moving for some time, it suddenly came to a stop.

Mo Li’s voice came from outside. “Master, Young Lady is at Zuixiang Pavilion.”

Tingyuan opened his eyes and lifted the carriage curtain, only to see Su Wan walking out side by side with Zhao Wei, chatting and laughing. Zhao Wei moved a wooden step stool into place and stood politely to the side with the grace of a true gentleman.

Su Wan had just gotten into the carriage when something crossed her mind. She lifted the curtain again, poked her head out, and exchanged a few more words with Zhao Wei. Both of them smiled brightly.

Tingyuan’s gaze darkened. He let the curtain fall. “Return to the residence.”

Mo Li felt as though the air had dropped a few degrees—his master was clearly displeased.

He stole a glance at the Young Lady, then quietly resumed driving the carriage.

Su Wan sensed someone watching her. She turned her head and spotted a familiar carriage. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly said to Zhao Wei, “There’s no rush. We’ll officially start supplying your medicinal herbs in about half a year. I have something else to attend to—I’ll return to the residence first.”

She swiftly let down the curtain and urged, “Qi Fifth, hurry. Take us back to the residence right away.”

The carriage sped back to the residence. As soon as it came to a stop, Su Wan jumped down and rushed straight toward the main courtyard.

“Huaizhi!”

Su Wan hurried into the room, only to be pressed against the door by someone. A searing kiss surged over her, far from the usual tenderness. This time, it was fierce and wild, as if he meant to devour her whole.

She clung to his neck, enduring his forceful assault. When he lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist, she began to struggle—there was still something she needed to discuss with him.

If Gu Huaizhi had his way first, she could forget about getting anything done today. Xie Wuya and Cao Wanqing were leaving the capital tomorrow, and she hadn’t even finished selecting her people yet.

“Wait… wait a moment…”

“I can’t wait. Tell me later.”

“No… I’m pregnant!”

Gu Huaizhi froze instantly, his eyes burning as he stared at her.

Su Wan was dumbfounded. She had only blurted it out in a moment of desperation, but now, facing his intense gaze, she swallowed hard. She had the distinct feeling that if she said it wasn’t true, she’d meet a terrible end.

Bracing herself, she raised her own hand and, pretending to be calm, placed her fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. “I’m not lying to you, I really…”

Uh?

Su Wan’s eyes widened in shock!