Chapter 106 - Pregnant

Translator: Henyee TranslationsEditor: Henyee Translations

It was very late when Qiao Jinniang went back to the Duke Mansion.

Seeing her, Hongling immediately said,

“Congratulations, Miss. The imperial physician came to examine Madam today only to find that she was pregnant! But she has been pregnant for only about a month.”

It was not easy for the doctor to find it out because the Duchess had only been pregnant for a month.

Qiao Jinniang hurriedly went to the main courtyard. Old Madam Qiao was telling the Duchess to take a good rest, fearing what happened to the Duchess recently would affect this child.

The Duchess said, “Mother, I’m pregnant, so I’m afraid I won’t have the time and energy to manage the affairs of the Duke Mansion. I want to hand over the management power to Ruoyi so that she can learn how to manage a big family.”

Old Madam Qiao said, “Ruoyi is not suitable. Let Jinniang do it. After all, she will marry into the East Palace soon.”

Qiao Jinniang smiled and said, “Grandmother, please spare me. I just want to live a leisurely life. I can’t manage the huge Duke Mansion.”

Old Madam Qiao said, “Let me be frank, you’ll have to manage the harem. Why don’t you start getting some experiences now?”

Qiao Jinniang smiled and said, “His Royal Highness has promised me that he won’t take any concubines. So I don’t have to worry about this.”

Old Madam Qiao was shocked. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

Old Madam Qiao almost couldn’t breathe. “What are you talking about, Jinniang? If your husband is a common man, he can say that.

“But he is the Crown Prince! If he doesn’t take concubines, can you bear the accusations of the entire world?”

Qiao Jinniang said weakly, “He has promised me anyway.”

The Duchess smiled with relief. “It seems that His Royal Highness is a man worthy of marrying.”

Old Madam Qiao said worriedly, “Perhaps His Royal Highness is afraid that his position is not that secure after he was away from Chang’an for three years, so he promised that just to get the support of our Qiao family!”

The Duchess said, “But I think His Royal Highness is sincere to Jinniang.”

Old Madam Qiao looked at her innocent daughter-in-law and could only shake her head helplessly.

“Alas, forget it. Just take good care of your baby. You’re not young anymore.

“You had hemorrhage when you gave birth to Lu’er, so you’d better be careful this time.”

Qiao Jinniang thought to herself, ‘The Duchess is already thirty-five.’

It was very dangerous for women to give birth, even for young women.

But at this time, the Duke brought a prostitute home and wanted to take her as a concubine? This was simply disgusting.

After Qiao Jinniang went out, she asked the maid at the door, only to hear that the Duke hadn’t even returned to the Duke Mansion.

The maid said to Qiao Jinniang in a low voice, “Since Concubine Qian passed away, the Duke has rarely returned to the Duke Mansion but lives in the house that he had purchased for Concubine Qian in the past…”

Qiao Jinniang really felt sorry for her mother. She looked at the cold moon in the sky and sighed.

In the Imperial Palace.

Emperor Huilin sighed, and the Queen handed Emperor Huilin a cup of tea. “The Xie family wants to marry a princess. Why do you keep sighing?”

“As for the internal strife of the Xie family, I originally thought that Xie Yun had a greater chance to win.

“But now his uncle is in control of the Xie family and his uncle’s son is proposing to a princess to express their loyalty to the royal family. I think I can agree, but Jinghua may not want to marry into the Xie family.”

The Queen frowned and said, “You have more than one daughter. Why must Jinghua? You know she and Lin Mo are in love with each other.”

“It’s impossible for Lin Mo to marry a princess.” Emperor Huilin said, “And the Xie family’s son only wants to marry Jinghua.”

‘The Queen said, “Now that the Qian family in Lin‘an is loyal to you, why do you have to worry about the Xie family? Why ruin Jinghua’s life?

“Why not grant them a County Mistress or a Prefecture Mistress?”

Emperor Huilin said, “The Xie family is the leader of the literati, and they are very powerful in the South. How can I just ignore them?

“If only Xie Yun could become the crown princess.

“Xie Yun is just a woman. If she marries Chen’er, wouldn’t it be a cinch to win over the Xie family?

“It’s a pity that Chen’er is too stupid. He just wants Qiao Jinniang and even promises her that he will not take any concubines!

“Have I allowed that? As soon as Qiao Jinniang enters the East Palace, I will grant Chen’er seventeen to eighteen concubines. I don’t believe that she dares to defy an imperial decree!”

The Queen snorted. “Don’t ever do that! Didn’t Chen’er tell you that if you force him to take concubines, he will rather not be the crown prince?”

Emperor Huilin blurted out, “Does he think he can threaten me with that? I have plenty of sons who want this position.”

The Queen stood up calmly and said to Eunuch Quan, “Today, His Majesty will sleep in the Hall of Diligent Governance.”

Emperor Huilin:

The punishment on the Zheng family was decided in early September.

Old Madam Zheng murdered a baby and deserved to be executed, but for the sake of her old age, she was sentenced to exile to the frontier.

Although Earl Zheng did not participate in the murder of the child, he failed to manage his family well and indulged his family in evil, so he was dismissed from his official position and his title of earl was withdrawn.

Mrs. Zheng committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor and failed to educate her son well, but for the sake of her father’s contribution to the country, she was exempted from the death penalty and also exiled to the frontier.

In Prince Mediocre Mansion, Qiao Ruoshui had waited for many days, hoping that His Majesty would uphold justice for her, but the result was a complete disappointment.

“Mammy, what should I do? Qiao Jinniang has deceived so many people. How could I not be the daughter of the Qiao family?!”

She couldn’t be the daughter of the Zheng family that she had always despised.

The mammy, who had long known the truth, didn’t know how to comfort Qiao Ruoshui. She just said, “Consort, don’t worry. Although you are not the Duchess’s biological daughter, you are her own niece after all. And you lived together for sixteen years…”

Qiao Ruoshui suddenly screamed, “No, it must be Qiao Jinniang’s trick! I will find some evidence and prove my identity!”

She simply could not accept that she was not the daughter of the Duke!

‘When Qiao Jinniang heard the news from Yuyan, she said, “So the Zheng family will be exiled to the frontier. Old Madam Zheng is used to the comfortable and luxurious life. I don’t think she can make it to the frontier alive.”

In Jinniang’s opinion, His Majesty’s punishment on the Zheng family was mild.

Qiao Jinniang went to the main courtyard, and when she walked in, she saw Qiao Ruoyun and her mother-in-law talking with the Duchess.

Mrs. Qin said proudly, “My naughty daughter has been fighting with County Mistress Fulu and can’t find a suitable husband. Everyone said it’s because our requirements are too high, but which parent doesn’t want their daughter to have a better life?”

“Fortunately, we’ve just found a very excellent young man for her, who is Lin Mo, the son of Prime Minister Lin.”

Qiao Jinniang was stunned. Was this a good choice for Qin Miaomiao? Although she hadn’t inquired about it, she could sense that the relationship between Princess Jinghua and Lin Mo must be unusual.

A maid hurried to the Duchess and reported, “Madam, the one in the Furong Garden was found to be more than three months pregnant, and she suddenly bled just now.

The one in the Furong Garden? That young fragile-looking woman?