Chapter 44: Pregnant
“Go! Fetch the doctor from He Nian Tang!” Feng Gao ordered the eunuchs beside him.
He Nian Tang, built in the third year of the Yongle reign of the Great Ming by the renowned scholar Ding He Nian, derived its name from the meaning in the *Huainanzi*: “A crane’s lifespan is a thousand years, allowing it to roam freely.” He Nian Tang was always bustling with people, many of whom were from noble households and royal residences. The doctors on duty were exceptionally busy.
“Eunuch, what if the doctors at He Nian Tang are not available…” the eunuch asked cautiously.
“Are you deaf! My elder sister is ill!” he roared.
“Yes.” The eunuch, terrified, ran off.
Before long, the eunuch returned with an old man with white eyebrows and a white beard. Because he had run so fast, the lid of the old man’s medicine box had flown open. Feng Gao settled me in the inner room of the Eastern Depot. I slowly regained my composure, but the nausea in my stomach did not subside; instead, it grew worse.
The old man took my pulse, and Feng Gao watched him nervously.
Seeing the old man frown, Feng Gao’s palms trembled: “How is my elder sister? Is she in any serious danger?”
I gently patted him, signaling him not to panic.
The old man said, “Has this Madam been stung by bee venom before?”
“Yes,” I replied.
The old man nodded: “Most of the venom has been cleared. Madam has a strong constitution and is not in serious danger. However, Madam is not alone at the moment; there are two. I worry that while the adult is fine, the little one might be harmed.”
Feng Gao did not understand for a moment and asked, “What adult and little one? Just tell me, is my elder sister in any grave danger?”
I slowly grasped the old man’s meaning, a mix of surprise, joy, and disbelief: “You mean, I…”
The old man nodded: “Madam is with child.”
“Ah,” I sighed softly, placing my hand on my abdomen. The feeling was incredibly wondrous. My life had been solitary, and now, in this world, there was suddenly someone connected to me by blood.
In a flash, I asked again, “Doctor, when you said harmed, what did you mean? Can this child be safely brought into the world?”
The old man said solemnly, “I felt Madam’s pulse, sometimes rapid, sometimes weak. The fetus is still viable. If well cared for, it can be safely delivered. However, whether there will be any defects depends on fate. I will prescribe a few doses of medicine for Madam to try my best to preserve it.”
I said blankly, “Thank you, Doctor.”
Long after the old man left, Feng Gao finally came to his senses. He stared at my belly, placed his hand on it, then quickly withdrew it, as if afraid he might hurt the child with his lack of gentleness. He looked up at me, his narrow eyes filled with innocent joy: “Elder sister has a child. I will have family too.”
A pang of sadness struck me.
He was already a rootless person, destined never to have his own children. So sincerely, so naturally, he regarded my unborn child as his own family.
He stood up and declared, “Elder sister, don’t believe the old man’s nonsense. What do you mean, defects depend on fate? Elder sister is an excellent person, and the child will naturally be an excellent child. With me protecting elder sister, nothing will happen to elder sister and the child. Elder sister, just believe me.”
I smiled faintly: “Okay, I believe you.”
“I want to name elder sister’s child—” he thought seriously.
I said, “It’s still early. According to the months, it’s due next spring. And we don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl yet.”
He paced around the room a few times and said, “I’ve thought of it. Let’s call it Pea. Elder sister calls me Bean Sprout, and the child Pea, it’s most fitting. It works for both boys and girls. Peas are sweet and refreshing, and fertile. Elder sister will surely have many descendants in the future.”
I couldn’t help but laugh: “Alright, alright, as you wish. A Song Dynasty poet once wrote, ‘Peas are cut with new green, cherries are ripe and red.’ Let’s call it Pea.”
He was overjoyed.
Peas are cut with new green, cherries are ripe and red. A year of spring has passed, mostly amidst the sound of rain. Later, whenever I read this poem, I would close the book and ponder. The sunlight today was so bright and beautiful. This was perhaps the beginning of all destiny.
Feng Gao helped me up and said, “Elder sister, what delicious food do you want? I’ll make it.”
“I’m not a child. How can I be so greedy?”
He thought for a moment and said, “I’ll make pancakes for elder sister. I’m very good at making pancakes now. I won’t burn them anymore.”
I grabbed him: “No, elder sister can’t stand greasy food right now. When I want to eat it, I’ll ask you to make it. Please invite Madam Qin out. Elder sister wants to take her with me.”
This decision had been on my mind for a long time. If I settled Madam Qin elsewhere, I feared that if something happened again, he might capture her again. She would be safer by my side.
Feng Gao hesitated.
I gazed at him: “You promised elder sister, and you cannot go back on your word.”
He gritted his teeth, waved to a eunuch, who came over, and he whispered a few instructions.
After a moment, he said to me, “I’ve sent the person to elder sister’s horse carriage. But elder sister promised me not to send her back to Yangzhou. I’m afraid that if she dies under unclear circumstances, everyone will blame me. At that point, mud in the trousers, even if it’s not feces, will be considered feces.”
I pushed him: “Stop talking nonsense! Elder sister promises you.”
He quickly said, “Elder sister, stand firm, don’t bump into anything. If you damage Pea, I will be angry.”
I left the Eastern Depot and got into the horse carriage. Indeed, Madam Qin was inside.
Her face was still as fair and beautiful as ever. Having recently recovered from a serious injury, she was a bit paler than before. At first glance, she resembled a white peony under the vast sky in the Zhang Manor’s garden.
She leaned weakly, her manners still impeccable. Upon seeing me, she intended to perform a grand bow of gratitude.
I supported her: “Please don’t be so formal. Young Master Mingxu has been very kind and has helped the Cheng Family greatly. As a junior, I should do my best for you.”
We talked along the way.
She was a very gentle and amiable person. Because Qin Mingxu often mentioned me to her, she treated me with more closeness than she did others.
She hesitated several times to ask about Minister Zhang, finding it difficult to speak. I knew her thoughts and said, “Minister Zhang misses you dearly. His illness has improved slightly compared to before, so please don’t worry.”
She nodded and suddenly asked, “Sang Yu, do you know that Eunuch of the Eastern Depot?”
I nodded.
She pondered: “I don’t know if I’m mistaken, but that Eunuch always seems like someone I’ve seen somewhere when I was young. There’s a very peculiar feeling.”
I swallowed the words that were about to escape my lips and smiled: “People with good looks in the world often bear some resemblance. It’s nothing unusual.”
She lowered her head.
Upon returning to the Cheng Residence, I settled Madam Qin in the west wing of the East Courtyard and sent someone to inform Qin Mingxu so he could be at ease.
I went to the Main Courtyard to report the pregnancy to the Old Madam.
The Old Madam continuously fingered her prayer beads, chanting “Amitabha.” While helping a maidservant light incense before the Master’s portrait, she murmured, “May Buddha bless us, may our ancestors bless us. Sang Yu is carrying our bloodline, and the prosperity of the Cheng Family will soon be within reach…”
After offering incense, she held my hand and said, “Sang Yu, from now on, don’t overexert yourself. Let your Third Sister learn to manage household affairs. You must not have any issues. The child is most important.”
Third Miss said, “Second Sister-in-law, I’ve recently read the *Zhu Zi’s Family Instructions* and gained quite a bit of insight. ‘Listen lightly to words spoken, how do you know they are not slanderous accusations? You must endure and think thrice; if you argue over matters, how do you know it is not your fault? You must calmly reflect. Do not dwell on favors bestowed, and never forget kindness received. In all things, leave room for maneuver; do not press your advantage when successful.’ These words are truly excellent. I now realize how difficult it is for Second Sister-in-law to manage such a large household since she entered the family, handling finances, accounts, meals, social obligations, and overseeing over a hundred servants.”
I smiled: “Qing Shi has improved a lot recently.”
The Old Madam said, “I only have this one daughter. I had her late in life, and I’ve doted on her for years. Her father, before he died, loved her as if she were his own eyes. Holding my hand as he was dying, he said he couldn’t rest easy about his old daughter. Sometimes, I truly can’t bear to marry her off. If we could take in a son-in-law, it wouldn’t be impossible.”
A thought flickered in my mind. Taking in a son-in-law is not the same as marrying off a daughter; the family’s status is not as important. The Old Madam had opened half her mouth.
Third Miss pouted: “Mother—”
The Old Madam laughed: “Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore, won’t say anymore.”
“Sang Yu is with child, the entire household celebrates,” the Old Madam declared. She then ordered that all servants in the manor be rewarded with three months’ monthly silver.
Joy filled the entire manor, from top to bottom.
However, in the evening, dire news arrived from the Imperial Palace.
Miss Sun had been sent to the Cold Palace, the reason unknown for now.
Eldest Young Mistress was frantic. She tried every means to find out from Madam Mu Lin of the Brocade Guards. She learned that Miss Sun had served Lady Wang a bowl of soup that morning. Lady Wang suffered severe stomach pain at noon, and despite the efforts of many imperial physicians, her pregnancy was saved. The eunuchs meticulously investigated Lady Wang’s food and discovered that the soup served by Miss Sun was amiss. Empress Dowager Ci Sheng was furious and immediately ordered Miss Sun to be sent to the Cold Palace.
As soon as Eldest Young Mistress entered the Main Courtyard, she began to cry: “Mother, what are we to do? You know our Miss Sun is such an honest child. How could she dare to harm someone?”
The Old Madam was naturally worried. She reprimanded, “Yu Zhen, I told you long ago that entering the palace is not a matter for celebration. You insisted, and now you’ve harmed Shu Er.”
“Mother, this is not the time to blame me. We need to think of a solution. Sang Yu, go and beg the Empress Dowager for mercy. Perhaps she will be lenient…” Eldest Young Mistress looked at me.
The Old Madam sternly said, “The Empress Dowager is furious right now. Going to plead for mercy at this moment, do you want to harm Sang Yu!”
I pondered for a moment and said, “Our Miss Sun is definitely being framed. There are hidden circumstances surrounding this matter. The Empress Dowager likely intends to use this incident to deter the imperial harem. For now, no matter who pleads, she will not release Miss Sun. We must wait for the storm to pass, investigate slowly, and perhaps Miss Sun can be cleared. In any case, she is still alive, and there is still hope.”
Eldest Young Mistress wailed, “Shu Er is frail and has never suffered hardship. Who knows what the Cold Palace is like? If anything were to happen to her, I would have wasted a lifetime of effort…”
The Old Madam glared at her: “I think you are not crying for your daughter, but for your own future wealth and status!”
She pursed her lips and sobbed aggrievedly.
A short while later, I returned to the East Courtyard. A servant boy came in to report that Young Master Qin had arrived.
I quickly said, “Please invite him in at once.”
Madam Qin was overjoyed to hear her son had arrived. Mother and son embraced, and Madam Qin held him tightly: “My son, Mother thought she would never see you again.”
Qin Mingxu said with heartache, “Mother, you have suffered.”
Watching this scene of “filial piety and maternal love,” I felt a sense of daze.
Twenty years have passed, and the truth has long since scabbed over. If it were torn open, it would surely take flesh with it. It would be a shock to everyone. Living in ignorance is a blessing. Minister Zhang’s considerations were more thorough than mine.
Qin Mingxu wanted to take Madam Qin away. I quietly told him about bringing Madam Qin out of the Eastern Depot. Madam Qin was safer with me. Qin Mingxu pondered for a moment and said, “In that case, I will have to trouble you to take care of her.”
I smiled: “Don’t mention it. Haven’t I troubled you enough before? It’s time I repaid you.”
He smiled: “You repay me, I repay you, we can never finish repaying each other in a lifetime.”
I took the mother and son to the Main Courtyard to meet the Old Madam.
Qin Mingxu was very polite and said to the Old Madam, “Aunt, my mother has just arrived in the Capital City, and I’ve been busy with business, unable to attend to her. She will stay at your esteemed residence for a few days. Once I find a suitable courtyard, I will come to pick her up.”
The Cheng Family and the Qin Family had a prior connection, and the Cheng Family was known for its hospitality. The Old Madam did not think much of it and engaged in pleasantries, urging Madam Qin to stay longer.
I ordered the small kitchen to prepare over a dozen Yangzhou dishes, and we all sat together for dinner.
The dishes were delicious.
However, everyone had their own worries and barely touched their food.
After dinner, Qin Mingxu left, and I took Madam Qin back to the East Courtyard. Madam Qin looked tired and went to her room to sleep early.
The summer night was stifling.
The rain refused to fall. A thick haze of heat permeated the air.
I sat under the eaves, waiting for Cheng Huaishi. Everyone knew about the pregnancy, except him.
Xiao Yin fanned me.
I was flipping through a copy of *Yu Tang Chun’s Misfortune Meets Her Husband*, a popular leisure read in the marketplace recently.
“A young master roamed the willow lanes in his early years, and upon seeing Yu Tang Chun in the Jade Hall, they became inseparable. Tens of thousands of gold were spent, and her rosy eyes flowed with tears. Goods were confiscated, servants and horses seized, and he was imprisoned for breaking the law. The injustice of the camel and horse carriage made him think of escape, but their destined marriage would last a hundred years.”
Yu Tang Chun in the book was truly a woman of integrity. Even when imprisoned, she did not change her original intentions.
At a quarter past the hour of Hai, Cheng Huaishi returned.
I got up to greet him and asked Xiao Yin to bring warm water for him to wash his face.
He said, “The heavens are strange. It doesn’t rain where it should, and it rains incessantly where it shouldn’t. Madam, do you know that Shulu City, not far from the Capital, has been flooded? A flood has washed away all the villagers’ houses and fields. The Ministry of Revenue, which handles fund allocation, was busy discussing disaster relief today until this hour.”
“Second Master, please rest,” I said.
He sighed: “His Majesty has recently spent a huge sum on building Taoist temples. There are actually some despicable individuals in the Imperial Court who say that the national treasury’s funds should be prioritized for temple construction, and disaster victims should come later. I argued forcefully, and the matter became deadlocked. I have requested permission from His Majesty to rush to the disaster area tomorrow to oversee the affected households and calculate the necessary funds.”
Once on the bed, I softly said, “Second Master, the doctor said today that I am pregnant.”
He turned around, and a smile appeared on his tired face: “Really?”
“Yes.”
He embraced me: “Excellent. Excellent. It’s just that I…”
“Second Master, please go and attend to your important matters. The disaster victims are more important.”
“Madam—” he said, tears streaming down his face, “When I think of the indifferent faces of those people upon hearing of the disaster, my heart chills. If the people’s livelihood is unstable, what is the use of building more temples and monasteries? Are the flesh and blood of countless common people worth less than clay statues of deities?”
