[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son":3,"chapter-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-9":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Am the Xu Family's Son",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2307787,4510,"Chapter 9: Night Talk at the Duke Mansion","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-9",9,"\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing and Xu Zaihang were debating who had better horsemanship at today’s polo match; both had been taught early, and though they didn’t need to pass the imperial exams to secure their futures, holding the status of a scholar still earned them greater respect in the Great Zhou Dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two carts behind carried Xiao Zhu and the other personal maidservants of Sun Shi, while the last cart held the accompanying servants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About halfway through the journey, the convoy stopped; the maids in the middle cart brought warm soup tea to the front cart, while others carried steaming tea to the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid who came to the rear was a personal attendant named Xiao Dan; she glanced nervously at the driver and whispered, “Madam instructed that the afternoon is still chilly, so please have some tea to warm yourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The household servants naturally thanked her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The driver poured some hot tea into his bamboo flask but didn’t thank her; Xiao Dan’s eyes flickered to his throat, wrapped in a cloth—she remembered a scar there, a knife wound across his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, the driver had survived a scar on his throat, despite whatever he’d endured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Hou Fu didn’t enforce rigid discipline, household matters were never to be casually discussed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Dan could only privately wonder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After resting, they resumed their journey home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time the Xu family entered through the main gate, the sky had darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After washing up, the family sat at the dining table, with several maids standing by to serve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing, accustomed now to the diet of this world, ate like a little pig.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In ancient times, a strong body was essential to survival—he didn’t want to die from a simple cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hearty eating stirred appetite in his older siblings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When night fully fell, a boy from the outer courtyard arrived at the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Madam, Master has returned—he just dismounted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?” Sun Shi was startled, for her husband always sent word a month in advance before returning—why had there been no notice this time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the Xu children’s eyes lit up with joy, for whenever their father returned, he always brought gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon Xu Minghua washed off the dust of travel, and seeing his family gathered in the hall, his stern expression softened into a genuine smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, his personal steward held several leather bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi rose but asked no questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaiend and the other children stared eagerly at the leather bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xu family’s joy needed no words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xingguo Lane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Pingning returned to her residence; the Duke was among the highest nobles of the Great Zhou, his duties immense, and the old Duke still lived, while the princess’s husband already held an official post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After bathing and changing, the princess went to her in-laws’ courtyard; though her status was exalted, she would not neglect the proper conduct of a daughter-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, the Duke’s lady would never require the princess to perform actual service or stand in rigid etiquette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the maids placed a fish soup on the table, Princess Pingning’s expression changed abruptly; she quickly pressed a handkerchief to her mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady-in-waiting beside her hurried over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?” the Duke’s lady asked at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The princess lowered the handkerchief and shook her head, but before she could speak, another wave of nausea rose to her throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Duke’s face showed concern, then he glanced at his wife and a spark of joy appeared in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to his son and said, “Go fetch the Taiyi physician at once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke’s second son blinked in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the princess, still feeling unwell, hadn’t yet realized what it meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady-in-waiting said nothing; if she were truly pregnant, the physician would confirm it—but if she jumped to a conclusion and caused false joy, she’d face severe consequences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Zaijing was unpacking his gifts, a loud *boom* echoed through the city sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone outside reported fireworks being set off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Minghua glanced up and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whose household has good fortune?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His children barely glanced up—they were too absorbed in their gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing’s gift was a small bow with twelve miniature feathered arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His older siblings received fur garments and writing tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing behind his youngest son, Xu Minghua corrected his bow-drawing posture while explaining key techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi, daughter of a military family, added from beside him,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Husband, be careful—don’t let the bowstring cut Zaijing’s hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to worry; this bow isn’t that strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing, in his arms, carefully pulled the bow—he’d noticed that even with the faintest effort, the bow was nearly snapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing clenched his lips in careful exertion; Xu Minghua mistook it for gritting his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Snap.*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrow struck the back of a nearby chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Minghua laughed happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zaijing, again! Again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a lively evening, everyone retired to their quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing was still young and had no separate courtyard; he was lulled to sleep and carried off by his nurse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi didn’t ask why her husband returned so suddenly—if there was a reason, he’d tell her; but if it involved secrets, he couldn’t speak openly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xingguo Lane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Taiyi physician had just confirmed: Princess Pingning was pregnant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Duke and his lady sighed with joy and immediately notified the authorities, setting off fireworks to celebrate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also sent messengers to the palace to inform the Emperor and Empress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, everyone returned to their own courtyards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Princess Pingning prepared for bed, she suddenly recalled something from the polo field that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled, amused at her cautious husband.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took his hand and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Husband, something strange happened at the polo field today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young duke stared at his wife in surprise—she, a princess raised in the palace, had seen countless things, yet found something strange?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? What could possibly astonish you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Etiquette was for outsiders; in their private chambers, husband and wife were tender and relaxed, just like any ordinary couple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Pingning said, “Today, on a whim, I spoke with the madam of the Yongyi Marquis’s household. Her youngest son, Zaijing, wanted to set his teacup back on the table himself. The lady-in-waiting cried out, ‘Slowly, slowly!’—can you guess what Zaijing said?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘I can do it myself?’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Mind your own business?’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could he be so rude?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Pingning playfully tapped her husband.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Please ask the nurse to help me?’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I truly can’t guess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of Xu Zaijing, Princess Pingning felt genuine delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her so amused, the young duke grew even more curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me, tell me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This little Zaijing said—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The princess looked at her husband’s wide eyes,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That little Zaijing said: ‘Mama, the nurse says to go slow because Princess Auntie and Wu Auntie both have babies?’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? That’s extraordinary!” The young duke’s face showed astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now I recall—the blue robe he wore was embroidered with a cute qilin,” the princess said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The qilin bringing children—this has been said since ancient times. Could it be you’re carrying—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop, stop! Don’t jump to conclusions!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Pingning hurriedly said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she bore a son, the mountain of wealth from the Xiangyang Marquis’s household would have an heir, and the future of the Duke Mansion would have hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would also mean the Hou Fu and Duke Mansion could continue their alliance through a shared successor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, fine—we’ve unknowingly received their blessing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly—we must find a chance to repay them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In two years, His Majesty’s birthday will be a full-ten-year celebration. Though Father and Mother will surely prepare something, we’ve married now—we must have our own gift.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—I’ve already begun preparations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dear readers, if you feel anything is tedious, awkward, or contains typos, please point it out promptly, thanks (ω)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1311,"2026-06-20T10:32:38.675Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9975476f411c1bc8a134813561083fec221238dc5ecc34b85bfe59363a47430d","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-10","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-8",790,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-the-xu-family-s-son-cover.jpg"]