Chapter 206

Qingyun heard this and was even more shocked; he immediately widened his eyes and exclaimed delightedly, "You're pregnant?!"

Shen Shuangning nodded; she too only just learned today that she was pregnant, calculating the days, it was exactly from that encounter half a month ago.

At that moment, Muyu's voice came from outside: "Shout louder, and it'd be best if your bear of a master heard."

Qingyun turned toward the sound and saw Muyu entering with a bowl of medicinal soup, his complexion not looking good.

She brought a fetus‑stabilizing medicine.

Shen Shuangning took it without hesitation, tipped her head back and gulped down the bitter liquid, not even frowning.

For this pregnancy, Muyu is even more nervous than Shen Shuangning.

Logically, he and Shen Shuangning could hardly have a child; now this child has come unexpectedly, and it's unclear whether it's a blessing or a curse.

At present the fetus is still small; Muyu cannot determine its condition, and she cannot say for sure.

If we wait until the fetus grows limbs and we discover a problem, it would be hard to abort then, and Shen Shuangning might be reluctant to do so.

If a malformed child is born, there's no way to push it back in, is there?

Muyu honestly told Shen Shuangning all the possible outcomes, urging her to consider carefully; the worst case would be two deaths.

But Shen Shuangning didn't blink, insisting on giving birth. Muyu could only do his utmost to protect the pregnancy.

After his joy, Qingyun hesitated and asked, "Really not going to look for him? If the master knew you were pregnant, he'd surely return!"

Shen Shuangning could never truly abandon the search for Xiao Jingyuan; her earlier words were just spoken in anger.

She knew he hid to avoid harming her, but the more he withdrew, the more she was determined to drag him out.

Shen Shuangning ordered: "Keep sending people to look for him, but be careful not to leak any news; although he has withdrawn from the court, there are still many enemies lurking in the shadows."

Qingyun understood the stakes, respectfully answered "yes," and withdrew.

Not long after Qingyun left, a servant came to report that the Yan Wangfei had come to pay a visit.

Shen Shuangning's eyes turned slightly cold.

After the palace coup and the eradication of the Holy Heaven Sect's lackeys, the true identity of "Xiao Ze" was exposed to all: he was not the Yan Wangfei's long‑lost son, but a pawn planted by the Holy Heaven Sect.

It is said that when the Embroidered Uniform Guard personally went to the Yan Prince's mansion to make the arrest, the Wangfei brought people to block them, even daring to defy the imperial decree to protect that impostor.

No one knows what love potion "Xiao Ze" gave the Yan Wangfei; even with ironclad evidence before her, she still firmly believes in the false son's identity, and claims that Xiao Jingyuan cannot tolerate "Xiao Ze," deliberately framing him.

In the end, the false "Xiao Ze" was apprehended and, together with other rebels, escorted to the Meridian Gate for beheading. Thereafter the Yan Wangfei fell ill and never appeared again.

In other words, since Xiao Jingyuan returned to the capital, aside from the Yan Prince sending people to visit twice, the woman who raised him for many years has not offered even a greeting—anyone would feel chilled to the bone.

Xiao Jingyuan may not say it, but Shen Shuangning knows he feels terrible inside.

Everyone says the Yan Wangfei is foolish.

What does it matter that he is an adopted son? Xiao Jingyuan excels in both civil and military affairs, and now holds the title of Duke of the State.

Such an outstanding adopted son surpasses many biological sons by a hundred or a thousand fold; other parents would rush to dote on him, yet she, for an unknown‑origin swindler, has utterly wounded his heart—truly foolish beyond remedy.

Nowadays, the fact that Xiao Jingyuan has split from the Yan Prince's mansion is common knowledge throughout Jingcheng. Shen Shuangning had thought that after the false "Xiao Ze" incident, the Yan Wangfei would completely sever ties with them, never to interact again.

But she never expected that the Yan Wangfei would actually show up at her door today.

Shen Shuangning's attitude was cold: "What does she want?"

The servant bowed and replied: "She says she heard the Duke was unwell and specially prepared some tonic soup."

Shen Shuangning slightly raised her eyebrows, wondering if this was another attempt at reconciliation.

"Tell her the Duke of the State is in excellent health and ask her to leave."

Outside the Duke of the State's residence, the Yan Wangfei sat in her carriage, her heart full of apprehension.

Since the false "Xiao Ze" was executed, her husband had scolded her in a letter; after calming down she gradually realized how gravely she had erred, yet she could not bring herself to apologize to Xiao Jingyuan.

But only when she went to the palace for an audience a few days ago did she learn of his condition, and then she personally brewed the soup, hoping to ease tensions.

The grandmother beside her comforted: "The Duke of the State is after all someone you raised; at least call you 'mother consort.' Even if there were misunderstandings, deep down he remembers your nurturing kindness; let's talk it over properly—there's no knot that can't be untied."

The Yan Wangfei nodded slightly; not long after, the messenger hurried out and said: "My lady says the Duke of the State is in good health, no need to trouble yourself, and please… please return to your residence."

The Yan Wangfei's face turned pale.

The grandmother's face filled with shock; she lifted the curtain and scolded: "The Duchess of the State is your daughter‑in‑law—how could a daughter‑in‑law shut her mother‑in‑law out? Do you have any upbringing?"

The servant said nothing.

The Yan Wangfei gestured for the grandmother to be quiet, forcing a smile uglier than tears: "It's fine; since you don't wish to see me, just leave the soup."

The servant had no choice but to take the soup.

"... Please help me convey a message: tell your Duke of the State that over these years, I have failed him."

The Yan Wangfei said no more; as she lowered the curtain, a clear tear of regret slipped from the corner of her eye.

After hearing the servant's report, Shen Shuangning showed no extra expression, waved her hand to have the servant take the bowl away, and yawned somewhat tiredly.

After becoming pregnant, she always felt drowsy, never getting enough sleep, so she leaned against the couch for a brief rest.

A charcoal brazier burned beside the couch, warm and cozy, and she gradually drifted into sleep.

A cold moon hung in the sky.

In a room of the Third Prince's mansion, doors and windows shut tight, the air was permeated with a cloyingly sweet odor that made one uncomfortable.

On the bed lay several women in disarray, their clothing askew, hair disheveled, faces flushed, bodies covered with wounds—clearly they had just endured a wild debauchery.

Beside the bed, a woman had her ankles shackled, head bowed; upon closer look, one would see her visage bore a seven‑to‑eight‑part resemblance to Shen Shuangning!

This woman was none other than the concubine kept by Zhao Lian'an, the respectable courtesan Miao Miao from the Ru Yi House.

Miao Miao had been sent away from Jingcheng the previous year; first she became a concubine of an official, then that official gave her away to another, a higher‑ranking fifth‑capital official who doted on her immensely, keeping her by his side day and night.

That fifth‑rank capital official, fortunate to have seen Shen Shuangning once, was struck by her heavenly beauty yet felt a chill in his heart, for he discovered that his beloved concubine looked extremely like the Duchess of the State.

This discovery left him utterly stunned.

He knew the Duke of the State's methods of protecting his wife; realizing that keeping Miao Miao would be tantamount to harboring a disaster, he gave her a large sum of silver to pack up and leave at once.

But Miao Miao had tasted the delights of wealth and honor; how could she willingly return to a life of wandering? Consequently, she did not obey her father's injunction and, after various twists, ended up in the Third Prince's mansion.

Miaomiao originally thought that clinging onto a prince would let her live a better life than before, but unexpectedly, this Third Prince's mansion is a den of demons!!

Third Prince Zhai Ji had long become a complete addict, and moreover had very unusual tastes in bed. Zhai Ji especially 'doted' on her.

Miaomiao had tried to escape several times but couldn't bear it; each time she was caught, they would strip off a layer of skin—she might as well be dead.

Just then, the door was pushed open, and a tall figure walked in.

Miaomiao at first thought it was a servant of the Prince's Manor, but upon taking a closer look, she saw that the person was holding a sword that flashed with cold light.

The man's black hair was casually draped over his shoulders, his jade-like side profile coated with a layer of moonlight, making him appear exceptionally clear and bewitchingly alluring.

Miaomiao's heart gave a faint jump, but when the man's icy gaze swept over her, that flutter instantly vanished, replaced by a bone-deep fear that spread through her whole body.

The man had rushed in at night with a sword, surely to seek revenge; Miaomiao was so frightened she couldn't speak, her body trembling like a sieve.

The man went straight to the bedside, while Zhai Ji, lying on the bed, was completely unaware until his arm was chopped off; only then did he wake from his beautiful dream, screaming in pain.

That wail exploded like a thunderclap, and the few half-asleep women on the couch instantly woke up; as soon as they saw what was happening, they were so terrified their souls fled, screaming as they tried to crawl off the bed to escape.

Yet no one could leave alive from under his sword; each sweep of his blade left a corpse lying in a pool of blood.

In just a moment, only Zhai Ji remained alive in the room.

Zhai Ji covered his wound, staring at the ghostly figure before him, both shocked and fearful, and said: 'Xiao Jingyuan, you dare...... break into the Prince's Manor at night—do you still have any regard for the imperial family?!'

Xiao Jingyuan glanced at the woman beside the bed whose neck was bleeding, then placed his sword against Zhai Ji's neck, his expression cold as he said: 'The thing I regret most is not having sent you off to see King of Hell sooner.'

Zhai Ji's pupils shrank sharply; before he could beg for mercy, a fierce pain shot up from his neck.

When Shen Shuangning woke up, she found herself covered with a blanket; having held the same position for too long, her whole body felt sore.

At that moment, she caught sight of a person standing off to the side in her peripheral vision, thinking it was Aheng, and called out for them to come over and rub her shoulders.

That person stepped forward and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder to massage it.

The person's massage technique was so comfortable that Shen Shuangning's previously clear mind began to grow dazed.

Her long, thick eyelashes drooped lightly, her cheek buried in the soft pillow, making her look both obedient and soft.

Xiao Jingyuan lowered his gaze to look at her; his heart felt as if it were soaking in a warm spring, and the hostility from when he had killed Zhai Ji during his poison outbreak completely dissipated at this moment.

He had deliberately changed his clothes before coming over.

Seeing that she seemed to have fallen asleep again, he carefully lifted her and let her rest comfortably in his arms.