Zhang, my love

Jian Zhang: "..."

He was, after all, a Principal Third Rank official of the court. A little storm like this was nothing to him. He could regain his composure in an instant... like hell he could.

Go on, then!

What kind of hero leaves half his story untold?!

All the maidservants in the room were waiting for him to question them, and another woman lay on the Arhat Bed. Jian Zhang took a deep breath and pointed at someone at random. "You. Tell me what happened."

The maid he pointed at said loudly, "The Fourth Miss heard that Concubine Wei had killed Snowball. She was furious and argued with Concubine Wei. In the pushing and shoving, Concubine Wei lost her balance and fell to the floor."

Jian Chuxue was the fourth child in the household and was addressed as the Fourth Miss. "Father, I didn't mean to push her. Her maid said Snowball was just an animal, that it didn't matter if an animal died, and that an animal's life couldn't compare to a person's. I lost my temper and only gave her one push. How was I supposed to know she'd fall over so easily..."

Jian Chuxue was Min's youngest daughter and dearly loved by her. When Min had first married into the family, she had needed to learn to manage the household and arrange the daily lives of an entire family. Her first two children had mostly been looked after by wet nurses.

After her youngest daughter was born, Min had much more time to spare and raised her herself. Jian Zhang had been promoted around that time. Believing his youngest daughter was a lucky carp who brought good fortune, he had doted on her all the more.

With an older brother and sister above her and loving parents to support her, Jian Chuxue had practically grown up steeped in indulgence. Inevitably, she was rather spoiled and headstrong, saying whatever came to mind without much restraint.

Besides, Wei was only a concubine. Her status had never been as high as that of a legitimate daughter.

"Father, Concubine Wei must have killed Snowball on purpose! Snowball was such a picky eater and never ate things at random. Why would Snowball have eaten those cakes?!" Jian Chuxue tugged at Jian Zhang's sleeve, wheedling. "Father, you must investigate this properly. You have to find whoever poisoned Snowball and punish them severely!"

Still holding Jian Zhang's sleeve, Jian Chuxue shot Wei a defiant glare.

Wei paid Jian Chuxue no mind at all. Her eyes remained fixed on Jian Zhang, brimming with affection.

The more Jian Zhang looked at Jian Chuxue, the more she resembled Madam Zhou. Growing impatient, he shook her hand off. "Enough. Fetch a physician to examine her. Where did Wei hurt herself?"

"Wei, where does it hurt?"

Seeing that Jian Zhang was finally looking at her, Wei sobbed. "My stomach hurts. It keeps cramping."

Jian Chuxue protested indignantly, "Father, she's definitely pretending!"

The serving woman beside Wei said, "Concubine Wei hasn't had her monthly courses for almost three months. We had a physician examine her, and he said she was with child."

Jian Zhang was delighted. Wei had borne him no children all these years. For her to be pregnant now was wonderful news.

The serving woman continued, "But the physician said the pregnancy was unstable and prescribed medicine to strengthen it. Concubine Wei intended to tell you and Madam once the pregnancy was secure. After that fall just now, I'm afraid..."

The serving woman dared not finish. The air in the room suddenly froze.

The servants lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

Even the spoiled Jian Chuxue shut her mouth and stopped arguing.

The marquis's descendants were a matter of great importance.

Jian Zhang's heart softened for a moment, and he roared toward the door, "Where's the physician? Why isn't he here yet?!"

He walked over and rested his hand on Wei's belly. "Don't worry. It should be all right."

With tears pooling in her eyes, Wei clasped Jian Zhang's hand and sobbed softly. "Zhang, my love, I've failed you. I'm so useless."

[Pfft-]

[What did Wei call him? A cockroach??!!!]

[Hahahaha, I'm dying!!!]

[My father is such a handsome, distinguished middle-aged man, and she calls him a cockroach?!!]

Min: "..."

Holding back her laughter was agonizing.

She turned away and covered her mouth with her handkerchief. Only after clenching her teeth several times did she manage to recover.

Jian Xilu finally lost her battle as well. Turning away, she hid her mouth behind her handkerchief and snickered quietly.

With her back turned, Jian Ruonan covered her face with both hands, her whole body trembling as she suppressed her laughter.

[Hahaha, cockroach!!! How does she even get that out of her mouth?!]

[My father is clearly a handsome middle-aged man, but calling him a cockroach sends his class plummeting in an instant.]

[Cockroach! I can't even look at him now!!]

Jian Zhang: "..."

He and Wei had known each other since their youth. In the throes of their sweet romance, Wei had always loved calling him that in her coquettish voice.

He had once found Wei considerate and charming, and had thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, after hearing that mockery, he found the endearment utterly revolting.

Jian Zhang shook off Wei's hand and returned to his seat. "Don't call me that again."

Wei: ??

Hadn't he always liked that pet name before?

He'd even asked me to call him that!

Now that I'm old and faded, I'm not allowed to say it anymore?

Not a single man is worth a damn!!

Before long, the physician arrived. After examining her, he said, "I'm afraid Concubine Wei's pregnancy cannot be saved."

"Boohoo-" Clutching her chest, Wei looked at Jian Zhang through tear-filled eyes. "Zhang... Master, I... boohoo..."

Jian Chuxue panicked too. She threw herself into Min's arms and pleaded, "Father, Mother, I didn't mean to! If I'd known she was pregnant, I never would have pushed her!!"

In Great Xia, many children were considered a blessing, and miscarriage was regarded as inauspicious. Jian Zhang felt irritated, and his gaze toward Jian Chuxue was displeased.

Wei sobbed. "I don't blame the Fourth Miss, nor do I blame Madam. I can only blame my own ill fortune for not being able to bear you a fine son, Master..."

Wei had lost the child in her womb. Yet even as the victim, she did not blame anyone and instead spoke up for them. She truly was his dear, sweet Lian.

Jian Zhang looked at Wei tenderly. "Take good care of yourself. There will be other chances."

Then he turned to Jian Chuxue. "From today onward, the Fourth Miss will be confined to her quarters for one month."

Wei gazed at him lovingly. "I truly don't blame the Fourth Miss, Master. Nor do I blame Madam..."

With that reminder from Wei, Jian Zhang finally recalled that the concubine had been pregnant for nearly three months, yet Min had known nothing about it. Min had been negligent as well.

If Min had known about Wei's pregnancy earlier and paid a little attention, things would never have reached this point.

Jian Zhang looked at Min. "This concerns the marquis's descendants. Min, copy the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Fundamental Vows Sutra one hundred times to deliver my unborn child's soul and pray for its blessings."

[What? What the hell does this have to do with my mother? Why should she be punished too? Wei was the one who deliberately hid her pregnancy!]

[Her pregnancy was unstable to begin with, and the child wasn't even Father's!!]

[I was just thinking my father was brilliant and formidable at judging cases, but it turns out this is all he amounts to. No wonder someone brought him down after only a week as Minister of Justice.]

[System, my father is about as useless as you are.]

System: [I'm much better than your father!!]

Jian Zhang: !!

Min: "..." Well said!

[The dregs of the miscarriage medicine Wei drank before coming here are buried under the peach tree in her courtyard. I'll find a way to get Mother to investigate later.]

[Good thing she lost this child. Otherwise, my idiot father would have ended up raising some other man's child!]

Jian Ruonan cast a sidelong glance at Jian Zhang. [The cuckold's green on his head is practically glowing.]

Jian Zhang: "..."

Jian Ruonan sighed, lifted her Lu'an Guapian tea, and took a sip. Then she looked up-

[Huh? Where's my father?]

Where did that whole big father of mine go?