Chapter Nine: Su Baizhi's Pregnancy

Su Lilu stood up straight away, not expecting the jade pendant on her body to suddenly fall to the ground with a hollow thud. She picked up the pendant and tapped lightly on the floor tiles before her. As she suspected, there was emptiness beneath. She tapped two more tiles in succession; each echoed the same hollow sound.

Hurriedly, Su Lilu unpinned the silver hairpin from her head and traced it along the cracks between the tiles. With a gentle application of force, the tile lifted easily. Inside was a cloth bundle. Su Lilu opened it, her eyes lighting up at the sight. "Medical texts and military strategy books—these are treasures indeed."

She was about to thumb through them when footsteps approached. Instantly, she returned the tile to its place, tucked the two books into her clothing, and knelt once more on the prayer mat.

"Young Miss, as long as you put your heart into it, it saves this old woman a lot of trouble." The old maidservant from before spoke with thinly veiled disdain before leaving.

After that, the maid no longer entered. Su Lilu passed the time by occasionally glancing at the books hidden in her embrace, and the days slipped by swiftly.

Three days passed in a blink. As soon as Su Lilu stepped out of the ancestral hall, she saw the manor’s maids clustered together, whispering gossip among themselves.

"Has something significant happened these past few days?" Su Lilu asked Liu Zhu the moment she returned to her courtyard.

"Miss, the Second Miss is pregnant," Liu Zhu whispered into Su Lilu’s ear after a brief stunned pause.

"Truly?" Su Lilu hadn’t expected such explosive news the moment she left the ancestral hall. The child in Su Baizhi’s belly was, in all likelihood, Yun Fengxiao’s.

"I can’t say for certain, Miss. But the rumors are everywhere. Everyone in the manor is speculating how His Highness Prince Yi will deal with the Second Miss once he hears of this." Only at Liu Zhu’s reminder did Su Lilu recall that Su Baizhi was now Yun Yanyi’s fiancée.

That day, when Yun Yanyi had caught Su Baizhi with Yun Fengxiao, he had said nothing. But now, with such gossip spreading so brazenly, would a man simply stand by, humiliated?

Yun Yanyi had just entered the Su manor’s gates when he was met by Su Hong and Yao Ruoshui, who had hurried over and knelt to pay their respects, blocking his path.

"Your humble servant was unaware of your arrival, Your Highness, and failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me," Su Hong recited the words of apology, though his heart was uneasy. The matter of Su Baizhi had already spread. Even if Prince Yi was not favored, he was still of the royal family.

"Prime Minister, please rise. I heard my fiancée was ill and have brought the imperial physician to examine her, so as to quell the rumors." Yun Yanyi coughed lightly as he spoke, his sickly demeanor tinged with a coldness that made fear rise unbidden in the hearts of those around him.

Yao Ruoshui and Su Hong exchanged glances, surprised Yun Yanyi was informed so swiftly. Anxious, Yao Ruoshui stepped forward to reply, "Your Highness overthinks matters. Zhi’er is only suffering minor ailments, there’s no need to trouble you further. She’s simply not in good spirits at the moment—perhaps Your Highness could visit another day?"

Yao Ruoshui tried to bar Prince Yi at the door. As Su Baizhi's fiancé and a royal prince, she dared not overstep, so she spoke gently.

"Madam Su, what are you saying? Zhi’er is my fiancée; it’s only right that I be concerned. Imperial Physician Pang, come with me and give my future princess a thorough examination," Yun Yanyi said, striding in with the physician.

Yao Ruoshui's expression changed, and she hurried after him. "Your Highness, truly, Zhi’er is not seriously ill. Perhaps Your Highness should return to your residence for now—"

"Prime Minister’s wife, though you are Zhi’er’s mother, it is only reasonable for me to visit my fiancée. In both sentiment and reason, you should not stand in the way," Yun Yanyi replied coldly. Yao Ruoshui dared not oppose him further.

As Yao Ruoshui stepped aside, Yun Yanyi and the imperial physician made their way straight to Su Baizhi’s quarters. Before long, they arrived. "Imperial Physician Pang, quickly check Miss Su’s pulse. If you find anything amiss, speak to me directly," Yun Yanyi commanded.

"As you command, Your Highness," replied the physician. Su Baizhi’s maid drew down the curtains. Hearing that Yun Yanyi had brought the imperial physician for her, Su Baizhi trembled. She knew better than anyone what was wrong with her body; how could she let him take her pulse?

Yao Ruoshui understood as well—if the physician examined her, Su Baizhi would be ruined for life. With a thud, she knelt before Yun Yanyi. "Your Highness, I beg you, please wait until Zhi’er has recovered her strength. When she is well, she will visit Your Highness herself. Would that not suffice?"

Yun Yanyi helped Yao Ruoshui up, his tone gentle. "Madam Su, please rise. Such conduct will do me harm. Since Zhi’er’s illness is so grave, let the imperial physician treat her well so she may recover quickly. Surely you wouldn’t wish any harm to befall your daughter, would you?"

As Imperial Physician Pang drew closer to Su Baizhi, Yao Ruoshui’s heart raced with dread. Su Lilu had just been rejected by the crown prince; now, with this scandal involving Su Baizhi, if Yun Yanyi discovered the truth, doom would surely befall the Su family.

Su Baizhi’s lips trembled, sweat beading on her brow and her palms clammy. At last, she steeled herself, disregarding her own weakness, knelt barefoot before Yun Yanyi, and cried, "Your Highness, what do you mean by this? Have you brought the imperial physician because you believe the rumors outside? If Your Highness cannot trust me, I am willing to prove my innocence with my life!"

Seeing Yun Yanyi unmoved, Su Baizhi, as if to prove her sincerity, hurled herself toward a pillar inside the room. Yao Ruoshui cried out, "Zhi’er, don’t do anything foolish!"