Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

The emperor came back to the capital at the end of July.

Li Zhi and Shen Qingqing naturally returned as well.

When Li Zhi and his wife arrived at the Li Mansion, Old Lady Zhu and others were already in the main courtyard waiting for them. 

When a servant announced that the carriage had entered the alley, Old Lady Zhu’s face lit up, and she stood up with the help of her cane.

Jiang Yiyue was there to support her.

It was nearly noon, but the sky was overcast, so Old Lady Zhu let Jiang Yiyue step outside.

Everyone gathered at the main gate of the Marquis’ Mansion.

Just then, two carriages arrived one after the other. In the first carriage, Li Zhi lifted the curtain and spotted his family. He grinned, hopped out, and immediately bowed to Old Lady Zhu. “Grandma, I’ve been away from Beijing for three months. How have you been?”

Old Lady Zhu beamed and replied, “All is well, all is well. But look at you, why are you so tanned?”

Li Zhi chuckled, and replied, “The sun on the grasslands is intense; it’s hard not to get a bit of colour.”

After that, he paid his respects to Second Master Li and Second Madam. The Third Master Li was away on business and wasn’t home.

Inside the carriage, Shen Qingqing leaned out.

Seeing her, Li Zhi quickly rushed back to the carriage. He wrapped one arm around her waist and held her hand with the other.

He made quite a scene in front of everyone, causing Shen Qingqing to blush. “Let Yu Chan help me,” she whispered.

Li Zhi just smiled and didn’t respond.

When Old Lady Zhu noticed her eldest grandson being so careful with his wife, her expression shifted instantly, and she fixed her gaze on Shen Qingqing.

Feeling shy, Shen Qingqing couldn’t bring herself to meet anyone’s eyes.

It was clear Shen Qingqing was not feeling well.

In response to Old Lady Zhu and Second Madam Li’s curious looks, Li Zhi grinned and said, “Grandma, Second Aunt, the imperial physician checked Qingqing a few days ago and confirmed she has been pregnant for over a month. This is our first time being parents, so we hope you both can guide us as we navigate this journey.” 

Old Lady Zhu’s face lit up with joy. She took Shen Qingqing’s hand and exclaimed, “Is it true? Qingqing is carrying my great-grandson! I’m very happy!”

Shen Qingqing blushed and looked down.

Old Lady Zhu, with a hint of concern, said again, “Alright, go rest in your room. You need to take it easy during the first three months of your pregnancy, so don’t wear yourself out.”

Shen Qingqing nodded, looking obedient.

Old Lady Zhu then asked Yu Chan to help Shen Qingqing back to her room.

Li Zhi lingered for a bit to chat with his family.

Once the excitement settled, Old Lady Zhu turned to Li Zhi with a serious face. “Zhongchang, now that Qingqing is pregnant, you both need to be extra careful. You should move back to the front yard for now, and wait until next year when Qingqing has given  birth and completed her confinement before you two can be intimate again.”

Li Zhi hesitated, saying, “Is that really necessary?”

Old Lady Zhu shot him a stern look. “If you stay in the backyard, can you honestly promise not to touch Qingqing?”

Li Zhi did not answer.

“It’s decided. You got married later in life, and now I finally have a great-grandson. I won’t let you act foolishly,” Old Lady Zhu said seriously.

Realising his grandmother was on the verge of getting angry,  Li Zhi just smiled and replied, “Alright, I’ll do what you say.”

Old Lady Zhu reminded him of several important things before letting him head back to his own place.

Once Li Zhi was gone, Jiang Yiyue came over, beaming as she congratulated Old Lady Zhu. “Sister-in-law is expecting! Congrats on your dream coming true.” 

The girl looked lovely in her white dress, like a blooming pear blossom. Old Lady Zhu smiled and started to think about other matters.

“Grandma wanted to talk to you. What did she say?” Shen Qingqing asked curiously when Li Zhi returned.

Li Zhi glanced at his young wife’s flushed cheeks and sighed. “Grandma is worried about my self-control, so she suggested I sleep in a different room to keep you and the baby safe.”

Shen Qingqing quickly recalled how he had gotten a bit handsy when he hugged her last night.

As a new mom, she didn’t want to risk anything happening to her child, so she agreed, saying, “Let’s follow Grandma’s advice and you can sleep in the front yard for now.”

Li Zhi pulled her close and asked playfully, “Are you going to have trouble sleeping without me?”

Shen Qingqing shot him a playful glare and replied, “I sleep better when you’re not around.”

He playfully nibbled on her ear, saying, “You’re so cold-hearted.”

Despite the teasing, Li Zhi did end up sleeping in the front yard that night.

That night, Shen Qingqing slept soundly.

Li Zhi, who was kicked out of the couple’s room, sprawled out on the big bed he had used for years.  He couldn’t fall asleep for a long time because he kept thinking about his wife.

She had a habit of kicking off the covers when it got warm. Now that it was autumn, he wondered if she would do it again. ‘Yu Chan is in the second room, keeping an eye on things all night. What if Shen Qingqing kicked the covers off and ended up catching a cold?’

With that thought, Li Zhi suddenly sat up, threw on his outer robe, and headed straight to the backyard.

Yu Chan opened the door for him.

Li Zhi glanced at the dark upper room and asked, “Is Madam asleep?”

Yu Chan confirmed Shen Qingqing was sleeping.

Nodding, Li Zhi tiptoed into the inner room, moved around the screen, and spotted her lying on her back behind the gauze curtain. 

Seeing her arms and legs sticking out from the quilt, he felt amused. ‘She is going to be a mother, but still behaving like one.’

With a playful smile on his lips, he carefully climbed into the bed, making sure not to wake her, and gently pulled the quilt over her.

Since it was risky for them to share the same bed, Li Zhi lay down on the outside, fully dressed.

He was such a good husband. 

The next morning, when Shen Qingqing woke up, Yu Chan mentioned it to her.

“The Marquis couldn’t bear to leave you,” Yuchan said cheerfully. “He even asked us to keep it quiet.”

Shen Qingqing felt a warm glow in her heart at how her husband cared for her.

After that, Shen Qingqing and Li Zhi kept sharing the same bed. Sometimes, Li Zhi would come home late and choose to rest in the front yard, not wanting to wake her up.

Before they knew it, October rolled around.

Shen Qingqing, who was almost five months along, finally started to show her bulging belly.

One day, Old Lady Zhu made a visit to the main courtyard, bringing along a young maid that Shen Qingqing had never seen before. She was a beauty with almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks.

“How’s your appetite these days?” Old Lady Zhu asked with genuine concern after settling down.

Shen Qingqing gently patted her growing belly and replied with a smile, “It’s good. I’m getting fatter.”

“Fatter? No way! You still look as slim as ever. Qingqing, you’re carrying a baby, so you need to eat more to ensure your baby’s health,” Old Lady Zhu said.

Shen Qingqing nodded in agreement, but she recalled her grandmother’s advice about not overtaking tonics.

“By the way, Qingqing, this is my new maid, Biyun. What do you think?” Old Lady Zhu gestured for the shy maid to step forward so Shen Qingqing could see her.

Shen Qingqing’s heart raced a bit.

She had a feeling why Old Lady Zhu was really there.

After giving Biyun a good look, Shen Qingqing smiled and said, “She’s really lovely. The girls around you are all so beautiful, it’s like they’re trying to outshine us.”

Old Lady Zhu playfully scolded her, “Nonsense! They can’t hold a candle to you all together.”

Shen Qingqing just smiled and looked down.

Old Lady Zhu let out a sigh and said, “Qingqing, since your mother-in-law passed away early, there are some things I can’t handle for you, and it worries me. You’re pregnant now, and Zhongchang is all alone in the front yard. There’s no one to bring him tea or water at night, so I’m thinking of finding a maid for him. What do you think?”

Shen Qingqing’s expression dimmed a bit, realising the true meaning behind those words.

When she first got married, she wished Li Zhi would take a concubine to avoid bothering her, but now that they were happily together, she didn’t want another woman in the picture. 

However, Old Lady Zhu was an elder and Shen Qingqing couldn’t refuse her words. 

Moreover, it might express that she was a jealous wife. 

She didn’t want to clash with Old Lady Zhu over this. Plus, Li Zhi always claimed he only wanted her. So, she thought it would be better for Li Zhi to do the hard work for her.

‘If he accepted Biyun without a second thought, it would show he isn’t being genuine with me.’

“Can you read?” Shen Qingqing asked, looking at the new maid.

Biyun bowed her head and said politely, “I’ve read a few books and can recognize some of the content.”

Shen Qingqing inquired further, “What about your needlework skills?”

Biyun glanced at Old Lady Zhu, and upon seeing her nod, she pulled out her handkerchief and presented it to Shen Qingqing, saying, “This is a handkerchief I embroidered myself. Please take a look, Madam.”

Shen Qingqing examined the handkerchief and found it was quite pleasing to the eye. As she handed it back to Biyun, she remarked to Old Lady Zhu, “Grandmother has a real talent for picking people. This maid can not only bring some charm to the Marquis but also help him with his clothing repairs. Let her serve him, and I can focus on taking care of my baby without worry.”

She smiled warmly as if she genuinely didn’t mind her husband having a concubine.

If her granddaughter-in-law could accept Biyun, then when she later suggested to her grandson that Jiang Yiyue should be taken as a concubine, the granddaughter-in-law would likely not oppose it.

The old lady thought with relief.

End of chapter 45

Have a nice day!