Little Crybaby

After they left the Duke's residence, the dozen or so chests of things were naturally carried away as well.

"My lord, what are we to do?"

Chen Shi slumped to the ground, so anxious that tears streamed from her eyes. Sobbing, she said, "Those things were either sold or given away. How are we supposed to get them back? Prince Anbei and that little bitch are clearly making things difficult for us on purpose."

"Shut up! Stop crying." Duke Yan was anxious too. It was bad enough that he couldn't think of a solution; having to listen to Chen Shi wail like a ghost only made him more upset.

"Even if they are making things difficult, we can only do as they say. If we really can't find the things, we'll repay them in silver," Duke Yan said wearily.

Hearing this, Chen Shi tried to calculate the sum, but could not work it out no matter how she tried. With a miserable look, she said, "Then... how much silver would that take?"

In the carriage, Yan Wanning sat in Si Yunqi's arms, her head nuzzling against his chest as though silently acting coquettish. Si Yunxi had not touched her for many days and missed her terribly. His desire flared at the slightest spark, yet he could do nothing about the woman in his arms.

He sighed softly, lifted her chin and kissed her hard on the lips. A little helplessly, he said, "My lady, please stop tempting your husband."

Seeing how he was holding himself back, Yan Wanning blushed and said softly, "I... I wasn't."

Si Yunqi smiled and planted another kiss on her cheek. "Of course, my lady wasn't. It's simply that your husband has too little self-control around you."

Yan Wanning knew he was teasing her on purpose, but she was still embarrassed. Suddenly, she sniffled, and her eyes reddened as little pearls of tears fell.

Si Yunqi panicked a little at the sight and took an embroidered handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Since becoming pregnant, she had been more prone to crying. She cried when she was sad and when she was happy, though she would be all right once he coaxed her for a while. But he had heard that crying too much during pregnancy was not good, so he tried to find ways to make her cry less.

The woman in his arms buried her face against his chest and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Husband, my chest feels a little uncomfortable."

"Your chest feels uncomfortable?" Si Yunqi panicked again. "I'll take you to a doctor right away."

Yan Wanning wrapped both arms around him, stopping him from moving. Her soft voice came from his embrace. "When Father and Mother were still here, they loved me dearly. They loved each other very much too. Although Father was busy, whenever he had time, he always thought of every way to make Mother and me happy. Mother was always making all kinds of delicious food for Father and me too. Back then, the three of us were very happy together."

"But after Father passed away, Mother never smiled again. She spent her days gazing at his portrait, washing her face with tears. Later, grief made her ill, and she was confined to her sickbed, drinking bitter medicine every day. Although Mother didn't show it on her face when she was with me, her eyes were full of sorrow. Then Mother passed away too, and I became a child without a father or mother."

"Although Second Uncle and Second Aunt promised Mother they would take good care of me, they said one thing and did another. They threw me into a remote courtyard and left only a few maids and old servants to look after me. Yan Wanwen often came to make trouble for me, and Second Aunt looked at me with disgust."

"When Father and Mother were here, I was the treasure in their palms. Once they were gone, I became a blade of grass that no one wanted."

Si Yunxi lifted her head from his chest and said gently, "There, A-Ning. You weren't just the treasure in your parents' palms. Now you're also the treasure in your husband's hands and in his heart, and you always will be."

"Be good and don't cry anymore, all right?"

Si Yunqi lowered his head and kissed the tears from her cheeks, gently soothing her.

"My lady cries so easily. Could the baby in your belly be a little crybaby too?"

Yan Wanning stopped sobbing and gently held her still-flat belly with her fair little hands. "Could... that be true?" she asked uncertainly.

"I was teasing you, my lady. But if the baby really is a little crybaby, it would be nice if the baby were as adorable as you." Yan Wanning heard him, but she did not breathe a sigh of relief.

"What... if it's a boy?"

Si Yunqi was taken aback for a moment, then said, "You needn't worry, my lady. If it's a boy, with me here, could he still cry so easily?"

Yan Wanning was speechless. Along with a faint worry for the child in her belly, whose sex was still unknown, she also felt sympathy.

"Husband, once the baby is three months along, let's tell Grandmother." Thinking of the Old Princess Dowager, Yan Wanning missed her. "If Grandmother knew she was going to have a great-grandson to hold, she would surely be very happy."

"All right. Whatever you say, my lady."

It had been almost two months since she discovered she was pregnant, so it would not be long before they could send word back. The old lady had been looking forward to this day for a long time and would surely be overjoyed.

The thought brought a smile to Si Yunqi's face. "How about I take you to the palace tomorrow to pay our respects to the emperor and empress, my lady?"

"The palace?" Yan Wanning's heart skipped a beat. The thought of going to the palace frightened her, but she knew she could not avoid it. "Mm, then let's go."

The next day, the weather in the Capital turned sharply colder. Snow had begun falling the previous night, and when the doors were opened that morning, everything outside was covered in white. Early that morning, Xiao He had organized the servants to clear the snow from the paths, so their masters would not slip and fall.

Since the snow had not been falling for long, clearing it did not take much effort.

The two masters were going to the palace that morning, so the servants had risen early and were busy with their respective tasks. When Xiao He came in carrying hot water, Si Yunqi was already out of the room, and Yan Wanning had only just woken up.

Her clothes had slipped halfway down, leaving her fragrant shoulders exposed to the air, covered in suggestive red marks. Xiao He blushed as she stepped forward and pulled her clothes back into place. "Princess, it snowed outside."