Chapter 321: Li Lizhi's Longing

Damn it, stop hitting me, it hurts!

After leaving the Imperial Palace, Gao Yang was still fuming, occasionally landing a hammer blow on Chen Yan, or fiercely pinching his waist.

It made Chen Yan feel like he could barely hold on.

You still know what pain feels like?

Gao Yang shouted angrily, "Listen to the nonsense you spout. Do you know how the Mother Empress just looked at me?"

You despicable bastard, how dare you still cry out in pain!

She gave Chen Yan another hammer blow, huffing, "I'll make you die of pain!"

Gao Yang, now grown, has always been strong‑willed and never cared about others' opinions; she rarely feels embarrassed, and today was the first time she was socially mortified like this.

When Empress Changsun looked at her then, she felt like digging a pit to bury herself.

Gao Yang also wasn't easy; she stubbornly leapt off the soft couch, her belly nearly six months pregnant, delivering a fierce strike to Chen Yan.

Seeing her angry expression, Chen Yan laughed, "Who made you kick a man when he's down?"

You even helped Sizi forge false documents, caring not at all about marital bonds, trying to ruin me.

Both of you, big and small, are heartless; how could I not set you up?

Gao Yang, hearing that, retorted, "Isn't there still Sizi?"

On what grounds do you set me up?

"She can't escape either," Chen Yan snorted. "When she returns, I must make her understand what worldly cruelty is."

"At such a young age, you don't learn properly, always pulling nonsense, trying to deceive, to ambush me, your good older brother,"

"Sizi learned his wickedness from you; he used to be so obedient."

???

Gao Yang heard that, her head full of question marks.

She gave Chen Yan a disdainful look.

Sizi learning wickedness from me too—what a clueless person.

She was too lazy to argue with Chen Yan, beckoning Xiang Lan, who was waiting by the carriage, to help her onto it.

"Hurry, go home, I'm tired."

"You go back first; I have something to do, so I won't go home for now," Chen Yan shook his head, refusing.

Gao Yang turned back, sarcastically saying, "What, now you don't even want to go home with me?"

"Who are you looking for this time?"

"Xu Lianyue? Princess Hengyang? Or the former dynasty's Empress Xiao?"

Chen Yan exclaimed in surprise, "How do you know I previously sought Princess Hengyang and Empress Xiao of the former dynasty?"

"Hmph, I know a lot of things."

Gao Yang haughtily lifted her chin, gave Chen Yan no further explanation, and entered the carriage with Xiang Lan.

Then a command was heard ordering the driver to set the carriage in motion.

Watching the carriage slowly pull away, Chen Yan felt bewildered.

Gao Yang, are you really that well‑informed?

Forget it!

Too lazy to think.

But soon Chen Yan gave up pondering, chose a direction, and sauntered off.

"Lizhi, Zi Anxiong has left the palace; he probably won't come today."

At this moment, in the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian sent the messenger away, gently reminding his seated younger sister below.

Li Lizhi felt a bit disappointed, but couldn't say much.

She had received word long before Chen Yan and Gao Yang entered the palace, but she knew that during this period Li Shimin and Empress Changsun would avoid the two meeting.

Since Chen Yan's entry into the palace guaranteed an audience with Li Shimin and Empress Changsun, she dared not go to Lizheng Hall, and instead came to the Eastern Palace.

She planned to run into Chen Yan here.

But she didn't expect that Chen Yan wouldn't show up at all.

The Crown Princess chuckled, "Lizhi, your marriage to the Marquis of Weinan is less than ten days away; can you really not endure such a short time?"

Li Lizhi's cheeks flushed slightly as she forced out her embarrassment, "Sister‑in‑law, you misunderstand. I have nothing to do today, and since you are pregnant, I just wanted to chat to pass the time, nothing more."

Li Chengqian and his wife laughed silently, didn't expose Li Lizhi, but gave a meaningfully nod.

A young lady about to be married, after all.

They understood.

Li Lizhi's reaction was normal.

Gao Yang was the abnormal one.

Which family's daughter, about to be married, fights her fiancé every day?

Li Lizhi couldn't stand the couple's gaze, quickly changed the subject, "Sister‑in‑law, speaking of it, you aren't much later than Sister Gao Yang in pregnancy; it's almost eight months now, right?"

If she hadn't just said she wanted to chat with the Crown Princess to pass the time, she would have found an excuse to leave now.

But now it's too late; the words are out, so they can only continue talking.

The Crown Princess nodded, "Counting the days, it's already eight months; in two more months the child should be born."

Li Chengqian teased at that moment, "Lizhi, no need to envy your sister‑in‑law; your day will come soon. Isn't Gao Yang already about six months?"

Li Lizhi shot her brother a glare, didn't follow his remark, and instead said:

"Speaking of it, Mother discovered she was pregnant much earlier than Sister‑in‑law; it's already past nine months now, and we expect birth soon, so we'll have another brother or sister."

Speaking of this, Li Chengqian was just as happy; although he didn't have many younger siblings, he was clearly closer to Li Lizhi, who shared the same mother, than to his other younger siblings.

Of course, for him, having a sister would be even better.

The Crown Princess smiled and said, "The last time I chatted with Her Majesty the Empress, she mentioned that she expected to give birth this year, which would be next month."

I'm afraid it won't be until next year for me.

Right now you're about to get married, so I expect you'll become a mother next year as well.

Li Lizhi felt a bit depressed.

What's going on with these two?

Why do they keep bringing it up to her?

Of course, inevitably, Li Lizhi couldn't help but start daydreaming.

She had seen the Empress's reaction when pregnant, and also observed the Crown Princess and Gao Yang showing their feelings over this period.

Let's set aside the Empress and the Crown Princess for now and just talk about Gao Yang.

The few times Li Lizhi had seen Gao Yang lately, she often noticed this formerly indulgent sister frequently touching her own belly, her eyes shining with a happy and gentle light.

The Crown Princess was the same.

She didn't find it strange that the Crown Princess was like that; what she couldn't understand was that Gao Yang would change as well.

So Li Lizhi was curious what it really felt like to be a mother, to the point that even Gao Yang could change like this.

"Sister-in-law, what does getting married feel like?"

Li Lizhi asked curiously, "When you were about to marry my older brother, what were you thinking about?"

"Now that you're about to become a mother, what is that feeling like?"

"Well..." the Crown Princess was about to answer, but then she suddenly remembered Li Chengqian was still nearby, turned her head to stare at him, and gave an apologetic smile.

Li Chengqian instantly understood, realizing the two of them probably wanted to talk about women's matters.

"You two chat; I'll go visit Father Emperor and Mother Empress."

He stood up, said his greetings, and left.

The Crown Princess patted the spot beside her and said, "Lizhi, come sit here."

After Li Lizhi came over, she whispered, "My experience isn't much help, because my situation with your older brother was different; back then I had never even met him before our marriage, so naturally I was nervous beforehand."

"As for the wedding day itself..."