Yun Manman chuckled and handed the fruit on the table to the two of them, warmth in her eyes as she looked at them somewhat helplessly.
"Sit down and have some fruit. Don't worry about things over there. Practicing martial arts and studying are your top priorities. Remember, before true strength, all schemes are nothing but illusions!"
With that, Yun Manman rose and walked toward the door, the killing intent in her eyes thick and merciless.
The two heard her clear, languid voice. "Then we'll simply eliminate them one by one, starting with Old Woman Yun!"
Yun Mo and Yuanwei exchanged a glance. The worry in their eyes faded, and they obediently squatted down to eat their fruit.
This fruit was very good for their bodies. They needed to eat more.
But these things belonged to Sister Manman. They never asked where they came from. Sister Manman would never hurt them, and that was enough.
The next day, toward evening,
Yun Manman rode her wild horse out of Red Star Village and headed for the county town.
All the villagers saw her leave the village. Only Yuanwei knew that this trip to the county town was probably to visit the Ten Cold Gate.
Although she was endlessly worried, there was nothing she could do to help. She could only practice martial arts even harder and strive to be able to help her sooner.
No one knew that the person who had left the village had circled back into the mountain woods.
Yun Manman stayed in the county town for three days before returning to the village with bundles large and small loaded on her horse.
Yuanwei and the others were doing their running training. When they saw Yun Manman, they hurried over eagerly to help carry her things.
Yun Manman handed the things to them and returned to her own courtyard first to change.
Yuanwei followed close behind. Only after checking that no one remained behind them did she draw close to Yun Manman and whisper,
"The night you left, Old Hag Yun got up to use the privy, missed her footing, and fell into the cesspit. Nobody found her until the next morning.
"They say she spent the whole night covered in shit.
"They brought in several doctors, but none of them could help. She still hasn't woken up."
Yun Manman's hands did not pause at all as she straightened her clothes. A vicious glint flashed through her pale purple eyes. She had only left the village that night after taking action herself. As for the remaining two, she might as well deal with them together in the coming days.
Yun Manman studied her figure in the mirror.
I exercise every day. Why does my figure look pear-shaped?
Yun Manman had originally been the unattached leader of an ancient martial arts sect. Usually, she merely stretched out her arms to be dressed and opened her mouth to be fed, and the people she interacted with were always the same.
After transmigrating here, she had been busy earning money to support her family while also adapting to the people and affairs around her. Her mind had been taut all day long.
She had never considered why her period had never come!
As for what had happened in the cave, with Manman's carefree, aloof disposition, she had long since tossed it to the back of her mind. It had never occurred to her that there might be more to follow.
"Let's go. We're increasing the training load today. I'm going to check whether you've been slacking off."
"Check all you like, Sister Manman. We've definitely been training seriously!"
For several days in a row,
early in the morning,
the villagers could see Yun Manman in a fitted white martial outfit, followed by three rows of half-grown children dressed in the same kind of white outfits,
running nonstop around the Yun Family's courtyard.
Stranger still, everyone had sandbags strapped to their legs,
and they chanted in perfect unison the numbers used by accounting clerks.
"One, two, one! One, two, one..."
The villagers were utterly baffled, but that did not stop them from enjoying the spectacle. After all, such orderly ranks were pleasing to the eye.
At the beginning of the seventh month,
one morning,
Yun Manman had just gotten up and finished getting ready when her steps faltered as she walked out of her room. Her face instantly paled somewhat, and she turned back to her bed to rest some more.
Yuanwei came in carrying breakfast. Seeing her still in bed, she looked somewhat helpless.
"Sister Manman, time to eat. We made your favorite beef congee today."
By now, Yun Manman had recovered, leaving only a slight stabbing pain.
"Yuanwei, I might have eaten something bad. I'm feeling a little unwell. Train properly this morning. I won't be joining you."
At the same time,
in the central command tent of the northwestern army camp,
Mo Beiyuan, who was discussing plans to attack Beilin, suddenly felt an unbearable stabbing pain in his abdomen. His face immediately went pale, and with a muffled groan, the sword slipped straight from his hand.
Beside him, Qing Yi's expression changed sharply. He stepped forward to support Mo Beiyuan. "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
Mo Beiyuan felt as though his abdomen was cramping, yet also as though it was being stabbed. It actually made his entire body tremble uncontrollably, leaving him unable to speak for a moment.
Qing Yi swept a fierce gaze over everyone in the tent and called in a low voice to those outside,
"Get the army physician here immediately. Seal off the camp. No one is allowed to move about. Bring everyone who had contact with the kitchens this morning."
"Yes!"
Everyone in the tent looked worried. They were all generals of the Black Flame Army. Absolutely nothing could happen to His Highness now.
Only after taking quite some time to recover did Mo Beiyuan speak. "I'm fine. There's no need to panic!"
Just then, the army physician rushed in with his medicine chest.
After paying his respects, he crouched down and began taking Mo Beiyuan's pulse. For a long while, he said nothing, merely frowning continuously.
Qing Yi spoke somewhat impatiently. "Physician, how is he? His Highness was perfectly fine, then suddenly had unbearable abdominal pain. What exactly is wrong?"
Frowning, the army physician switched wrists to take his pulse. After another long while, he stood and bowed to report,
"Your Highness, there is nothing wrong with your health, nor is there any sign of poisoning. You probably just ate something unclean."
The emotions in Mo Beiyuan's blue eyes were unreadable. That pain just now...
Qing Yi and the generals all breathed a sigh of relief.
His Highness was the backbone of their Black Flame Army. Nothing could happen to him.
Yun Manman sat in the courtyard keeping Madam Zhou company as she made clothes.
She felt no discomfort now. Eating a Returning Lotus Fruit, she pondered whether to teach mathematics or philosophy that afternoon.
Returning from training, Yuanwei spotted Yun Manman and hurried over at a jog. "Sister Manman, are you feeling better now?"
Yun Manman rubbed her belly and nodded. "Yes. My lower abdomen feels a little bloated now, but it doesn't hurt anymore."
Yuanwei looked toward Yun Manman's hand, her eyes gradually filling with puzzlement.
"Sister Manman, your appetite really has been getting bigger lately. And why is your belly getting bigger and bigger?"
Yun Manman raised her eyebrows, puzzlement in her eyes as well. Could this body be prone to gaining weight?
With the amount of exercise she did, she should not be getting fat.
Yun Manman's mind was full of questions.
Her hand slowly stroked her belly. Beside her, Madam Zhou, who was sewing clothes, looked at Yun Manman's belly, and her heart lurched. She looked nervously at Yun Manman.
"Manman, have you... have you found someone you love?"
Yun Manman lifted her eyes and saw the panic in Madam Zhou's gaze. Puzzled, she asked, "Mother, has something happened?"
Yuanwei and Madam Zhou exchanged a look. With trembling hands, Madam Zhou gripped Yun Manman's arm. She wanted to ask something, but her lips moved without the question coming out.
Yuanwei looked at Yun Manman, then simply closed her eyes like someone going to her death. She even stopped calling her Sister Manman.
"Master, have you-have you found someone you love? This looks a little like pregnancy!"
Yun Manman's gaze froze on Yuanwei. Vague memories surfaced in her mind of that cave, and that man in white...
At that thought, her expression abruptly darkened, and the aura around her became frightening. She briefly closed her eyes.
Fuck! Looks like I was careless!
Madam Zhou and Yuanwei had not expected Yun Manman to react this way and could not quite make sense of the situation.
"Manman, what's wrong?"
"Sister Manman, you..."
Yun Manman gathered her thoughts and looked at Yuanwei. "Yuanwei, have my father fetch a doctor. I might be pregnant!"
"Preg... Manman, do you know what you're saying?"