Chapter 6: Two Months? Four Months?
I spent two chaotic months with Song Xiyuan like that. My appetite grew worse yet I didn’t know why. Until one day, I had no appetite, but when I drank a sip of tea, my stomach heaved. I didn’t even have a chance to find a basin before I threw up.
Song Xiyuan supported me and anxiously ordered the servants to summon a doctor.
After taking my pulse, the doctor immediately stood up to bow toward Song Xiyuan, “Congratulations, Third Young Master! Madame is expecting!”
“Really?” Song Xiyuan grabbed the doctor’s cuffs. His eyes were shining so brightly that they put the stars in the sky to shame.
The doctor stroked his beard and smiled, “I have practiced medicine for many years so would not mistake this pulse. Madame has been pregnant for four months.”
Hah?!
If the old man’s first sentence left me speechless, then the last sentence left me brainless.
Four months… Four months? Four months!
Song Xiyuan cooled, and with a fling of his sleeves, said, “Servants, send the doctor out!”
With an indescribable expression, the doctor was sent out of the residence by two Song guards.
Song Xiyuan sat beside me, hugging my shoulder and caressing still my flat belly. He gently said, “Wife, don’t be afraid. That doctor must have been a spy sent by Pei Yanzhen. I will invite a genuine doctor to come.”
In a little while, another doctor came, trembling with fear. He shakenly took my pulse, and said, faltering, “Con… Congratulations, Third Young Master. Madame is with… With child… Two months… Two months pregnant.”
Pleased, Song Xiyuan embraced my shoulder with a smile and said, “Haha! Doctor Jiang is a genius doctor! Thank you for your trouble.” Then he boldly instructed the servants, “Take a hundred liang from the safe to thank the doctor. By the way, go make a signboard for Doctor Jiang, with the words “Genius Doctor!”
Once everyone left, Song Xiyuan carefully sat by the bed and poured me a cup of tea. He hugged me like a cat holding a fish, which scared me to death.
At night, a servant hurriedly came in, “Third Young Master, Master Pei is here to pay a visit.”
Song Xiyuan narrowed his eyes, “Oh~ Then I’ll have to properly meet him.” He repeatedly warned me to rest and to stay in the bedroom.
Afterward, I found out that Pei Yanzhen was aware of my pregnancy that day… The two families then opposed each other because of my pregnancy. Pei Yanzhen wanted a doctor to check my pulse again, while Song Xiyuan disapproved.
Even Daddy couldn’t continue to watch. He let the Shen family’s doctors check my pulse. In the end, one said it was four months and another said it was two months. Thus, Daddy was also confused. I have never brooded over my period, so I wasn’t clear when it stopped. So this matter became a riddle.
Whenever Pei Yanzhen was brought up, Song Xiyuan always gritted his teeth, “He must be jealous that I married a beauty so he’s here to snatch my unborn daughter!”
I remained silent. Those words were incorrect. Firstly, Pei Yanzhen had no need to be jealous. I heard that the day after I was kicked out of the Pei residence, matchmakers swarmed to his front door. Many of the Yangzhou young ladies were waiting to marry into his family. Secondly, why was Song Xiyuan so determined that I was carrying a girl? What if it was a son?
Good news stays at home while bad news travels a thousand miles. This matter unexpectedly spread to the Emperor. He then sent a prestigious imperial physician over from the capital.
It was fine when the Emperor didn’t mix in. Once he did… Everyone was alarmed…
With a flourish, the physician said, “Three months pregnant.”
Although I strive for a fair result and felt a compromise is good, this compromise was a bit ruthless. If I was four months pregnant, then it was conceived in the Pei’s literary family home. If I was two months pregnant, then it was from the wealthy Song family’s seventy-eighth descendant. Either way, there would be a logical answer. Now I was diagnosed as three months pregnant… Three months ago, I already left the Pei family but haven’t married into the Song family…
I wanted to cry but no tears came out.
Yet, all doors were closed. Who was the physician? Behind the imperial physician was the Emperor. If the physician determined three months, which brave doctor would step in with a different diagnosis?
This confirmed that the role of the Emperor not only lacked a sense of security, but it turned leisure into anxiety. He even had to control someone else’s baby.
Once the decree came down, my impure reputation was completely exposed and a green hat was securely tied on top of Song Xiyuan.
Although Song Xiyuan matured early, had strange reasoning… Uh, and was a bit unique, I felt he was still a pretty good young man. This truth was unfair to him. He was from the dazzling and prominent Song family as well and couldn’t accept this stain. So I took the initiative to get an annulment. Never thought that he would forcibly refuse. He scolded the physician as a quack, a selfish and ruthless quack.
Those admirers of Song Xiyuan returned to curse me in private. I didn’t dare to leave the house.
One day, taking advantage that Song Xiyuan was inspecting goods at the docks, I cautiously made my way into the Song family’s study. In one corner, I finally found a book on womanly virtues and seven abandonments and copied the divorce declaration. Then I took out Song Xiyuan’s personal seal and sealed the statement.
Seven Outs/Abandonment are the seven reasons a husband can divorce a wife: unfilial, no heir, lascivious, jealousy, diseased, talkative, and thievery
I put away that piece of paper and brought my dowry back to the Shen family. Daddy had been through great upheavals and had seen many things. He acted as if everything was normal and told me and my brother to eat dinner. That night, my aunts were gambling as before, my little brother was meditating over account books, and my youngest brother was telling me another ghost story… I couldn’t help being deeply moved. My parent’s family was the best!
Later, Song Xiyuan squandered many days staying in front of my home. I stayed behind closed doors. If it wasn’t Daddy replying to him, it was my Eldest Aunt receiving him.
That red seal can’t be fake, right? But, as long as Old Master Pei in the government office breaks the seal, that statement would be set in stone.
So far, I have changed from a maiden to Pei Shenshi, from Pei Shenshi to Pei family’s niece-in-law, and from Pei’s niece-in-law to Song Shenshi. Finally, I returned to Shen Miao. This complicated farce could be considered finalized.
For a moment, I was known by everyone, from the aristocratic families above to the servants and street vendors below.
Chapter 6: Two Months? Four Months?
I spent two chaotic months with Song Xiyuan like that. My appetite grew worse yet I didn’t know why. Until one day, I had no appetite, but when I drank a sip of tea, my stomach heaved. I didn’t even have a chance to find a basin before I threw up.
Song Xiyuan supported me and anxiously ordered the servants to summon a doctor.
After taking my pulse, the doctor immediately stood up to bow toward Song Xiyuan, “Congratulations, Third Young Master! Madame is expecting!”
“Really?” Song Xiyuan grabbed the doctor’s cuffs. His eyes were shining so brightly that they put the stars in the sky to shame.
The doctor stroked his beard and smiled, “I have practiced medicine for many years so would not mistake this pulse. Madame has been pregnant for four months.”
Hah?!
If the old man’s first sentence left me speechless, then the last sentence left me brainless.
Four months… Four months? Four months!
Song Xiyuan cooled, and with a fling of his sleeves, said, “Servants, send the doctor out!”
With an indescribable expression, the doctor was sent out of the residence by two Song guards.
Song Xiyuan sat beside me, hugging my shoulder and caressing still my flat belly. He gently said, “Wife, don’t be afraid. That doctor must have been a spy sent by Pei Yanzhen. I will invite a genuine doctor to come.”
In a little while, another doctor came, trembling with fear. He shakenly took my pulse, and said, faltering, “Con… Congratulations, Third Young Master. Madame is with… With child… Two months… Two months pregnant.”
Pleased, Song Xiyuan embraced my shoulder with a smile and said, “Haha! Doctor Jiang is a genius doctor! Thank you for your trouble.” Then he boldly instructed the servants, “Take a hundred liang from the safe to thank the doctor. By the way, go make a signboard for Doctor Jiang, with the words “Genius Doctor!”
Once everyone left, Song Xiyuan carefully sat by the bed and poured me a cup of tea. He hugged me like a cat holding a fish, which scared me to death.
At night, a servant hurriedly came in, “Third Young Master, Master Pei is here to pay a visit.”
Song Xiyuan narrowed his eyes, “Oh~ Then I’ll have to properly meet him.” He repeatedly warned me to rest and to stay in the bedroom.
Afterward, I found out that Pei Yanzhen was aware of my pregnancy that day… The two families then opposed each other because of my pregnancy. Pei Yanzhen wanted a doctor to check my pulse again, while Song Xiyuan disapproved.
Even Daddy couldn’t continue to watch. He let the Shen family’s doctors check my pulse. In the end, one said it was four months and another said it was two months. Thus, Daddy was also confused. I have never brooded over my period, so I wasn’t clear when it stopped. So this matter became a riddle.
Whenever Pei Yanzhen was brought up, Song Xiyuan always gritted his teeth, “He must be jealous that I married a beauty so he’s here to snatch my unborn daughter!”
I remained silent. Those words were incorrect. Firstly, Pei Yanzhen had no need to be jealous. I heard that the day after I was kicked out of the Pei residence, matchmakers swarmed to his front door. Many of the Yangzhou young ladies were waiting to marry into his family. Secondly, why was Song Xiyuan so determined that I was carrying a girl? What if it was a son?
Good news stays at home while bad news travels a thousand miles. This matter unexpectedly spread to the Emperor. He then sent a prestigious imperial physician over from the capital.
It was fine when the Emperor didn’t mix in. Once he did… Everyone was alarmed…
With a flourish, the physician said, “Three months pregnant.”
Although I strive for a fair result and felt a compromise is good, this compromise was a bit ruthless. If I was four months pregnant, then it was conceived in the Pei’s literary family home. If I was two months pregnant, then it was from the wealthy Song family’s seventy-eighth descendant. Either way, there would be a logical answer. Now I was diagnosed as three months pregnant… Three months ago, I already left the Pei family but haven’t married into the Song family…
I wanted to cry but no tears came out.
Yet, all doors were closed. Who was the physician? Behind the imperial physician was the Emperor. If the physician determined three months, which brave doctor would step in with a different diagnosis?
This confirmed that the role of the Emperor not only lacked a sense of security, but it turned leisure into anxiety. He even had to control someone else’s baby.
Once the decree came down, my impure reputation was completely exposed and a green hat was securely tied on top of Song Xiyuan.
Although Song Xiyuan matured early, had strange reasoning… Uh, and was a bit unique, I felt he was still a pretty good young man. This truth was unfair to him. He was from the dazzling and prominent Song family as well and couldn’t accept this stain. So I took the initiative to get an annulment. Never thought that he would forcibly refuse. He scolded the physician as a quack, a selfish and ruthless quack.
Those admirers of Song Xiyuan returned to curse me in private. I didn’t dare to leave the house.
One day, taking advantage that Song Xiyuan was inspecting goods at the docks, I cautiously made my way into the Song family’s study. In one corner, I finally found a book on womanly virtues and seven abandonments and copied the divorce declaration. Then I took out Song Xiyuan’s personal seal and sealed the statement.
Seven Outs/Abandonment are the seven reasons a husband can divorce a wife: unfilial, no heir, lascivious, jealousy, diseased, talkative, and thievery
I put away that piece of paper and brought my dowry back to the Shen family. Daddy had been through great upheavals and had seen many things. He acted as if everything was normal and told me and my brother to eat dinner. That night, my aunts were gambling as before, my little brother was meditating over account books, and my youngest brother was telling me another ghost story… I couldn’t help being deeply moved. My parent’s family was the best!
Later, Song Xiyuan squandered many days staying in front of my home. I stayed behind closed doors. If it wasn’t Daddy replying to him, it was my Eldest Aunt receiving him.
That red seal can’t be fake, right? But, as long as Old Master Pei in the government office breaks the seal, that statement would be set in stone.
So far, I have changed from a maiden to Pei Shenshi, from Pei Shenshi to Pei family’s niece-in-law, and from Pei’s niece-in-law to Song Shenshi. Finally, I returned to Shen Miao. This complicated farce could be considered finalized.
For a moment, I was known by everyone, from the aristocratic families above to the servants and street vendors below.
