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Ruyi Rouge Shop
"The Luo family's Young Lady is finally pregnant!"
This news spread rapidly through the Yun family village as if it had grown wings.
At the time she heard this news, Xing Ruyi was planning to enter seclusion with the fox. According to the fox, although the elixir had been successfully refined, no one could guarantee what might happen during its consumption. Therefore, the fox intended to watch over her from start to finish.
The place chosen for their seclusion was a cave far away from Yun family village. Inside the cave, the fox and Yin Yuan kept watch, while outside, Deer Lady and Old Beggar stood guard. Even Chang Tai borrowed some soldiers from the Yamen to guard the essential path leading to the cave, preventing any unforeseen complications.
As for the business of Ruyi Rouge shop, it was entrusted to A Niu.
After receiving the gifts brought by Luo Ping and Yun Xi's Ming Xuan, Xing Ruyi and her companions set off. Since they used magic, they did not disturb anyone in Yun family village.
After Ming Xuan delivered the gifts to the Rouge shop, Yun Xi returned to bed with Luo Ping's assistance. As it was her first pregnancy and also the first child conceived after she joined the Luo family, everyone in the Luo family, whether genuinely pleased or feigning joy, showed great importance to it.
Luo Ping had suggested inviting Doctor Yun for a check-up, but Yun Xi found an excuse to refuse. The doctor currently attending to her was also recommended by Xing Ruyi. Although he wasn't well-known in Yun family village, he was quite knowledgeable about women's ailments and was a Female Doctor like Xing Ruyi. Being a few years older and having raised a pair of children, having him come to their home was certainly more convenient than having Doctor Yun visit.
Due to Yun Xi's insistence, Luo Ping naturally did not oppose it. Even the Luo family's Matriarch, who usually looked down on Yun Xi, did not voice any objections but instructed those in the courtyard to take good care of her.
However, the more indifferent Matriarch acted, the more uneasy Yun Xi felt. With ten months of pregnancy culminating in childbirth, if her mother-in-law wanted to harm her, she certainly wouldn’t mind waiting for this moment. Thus, ever since she learned of her pregnancy, Yun Xi's heart had been hanging in suspense without settling down.
Luo Ping was not unaware of Yun Xi's concerns. Since he returned from outside, Yun Xi had occasionally tried to pry information from him and even inquired about the origins of the Agarwood Bracelet. Luo Ping repeatedly concealed its source, claiming he bought it from outside and had shown it to a friend who liked collecting rare woods; it was high-quality Agarwood beneficial for health, which was why he purchased it to please Yun Xi.
This lie was undoubtedly a lie; as he spoke these words, Luo Ping felt somewhat guilty looking into Yun Xi's eyes.
His mother disliked Yun Xi and worried that matters concerning the Yun family would implicate the Luo family and him. He tried hard to persuade her, but his mother remained stubborn and refused to relent. In desperation, he had no choice but to vow never to marry again and live as a monk until his mother finally gave in.
On their wedding day, his mother called him over and took out that Agarwood Bracelet from a brocade box as a gift for Yun Xi. She repeatedly urged him to present it to her. At that time, he harbored doubts about his mother's intentions behind gifting this bracelet; however, she explained that since Yun Xi had entered their home as their daughter-in-law, regardless of how much she disliked her in her heart, she should consider his feelings. The purpose of gifting this bracelet was merely to improve the relationship between Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law.
When he took out the Agarwood Bracelet to give it to Yun Xi later on, unsure whether it stemmed from distrust towards his mother or inner anxiety, he did not mention his mother nor tell Yun Xi that this bracelet was a gift from her.
Years after their marriage without any children born to them, his mother used this as an excuse to repeatedly urge him to divorce Yun Xi and remarry. Even though he valued their marital bond deeply over many years, at least he needed to take in two Concubines for continuing the Luo family lineage.
He looked at Yunxi, who cared for the Agarwood Bracelet every day, and his unease grew heavier. One deep night, while Yunxi was asleep, he secretly took the bracelet to show Father. Outsiders only knew that Master Luo was good at business, but they did not realize that Master Luo was well-informed and had considerable knowledge about pearls, rare stones, calligraphy, paintings, and precious woods.
Father examined the Agarwood Bracelet for a while before confirming that his Mother had tampered with it, adding something to several of the beads. As for what that substance was, Father did not know at the time, but Luo Ping had already vaguely guessed that it must be related to Yunxi's inability to conceive.
He initially intended to confront Mother with the Agarwood Bracelet, but Father stopped him and then shared an even more astonishing story.
Father could not be sure whether the Old Beggar's words were true or false, but his sister Luofu's eyes had indeed improved, and he had been married for many years without any children. With the ten-year agreement approaching, regardless of why Yunxi could not bear children, it was best not to complicate matters further; everything could wait until after the ten years were up.
On one side was his beloved sister, and on the other was his cherished wife. Luo Ping did not lack in comparison; he felt troubled. However, if what Father said was true—that Yunxi could not conceive because of Father's previous agreement—then what was hidden in the bracelet became unimportant. When the time came, he would find an opportunity to dispose of it.
As for children, he did not care much. After all these years of waiting, he did not mind waiting a little longer. But when he escorted his sister back and saw that Yunxi's bracelet was missing, he understood. Fortunately, his sister's issues were behind her; her eyes were fine now, and she had found a good husband. As an older brother, he could finally put his mind at ease and treat Yunxi well.
The deliberate concealment was not meant to deceive Yunxi but rather because a mother-in-law would always be a mother-in-law; a daughter-in-law would always be a daughter-in-law. He would rather have Yunxi resent him than let their relationship as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law become strained with hatred.
When Yunxi learned that Lady Luo was coming to visit her, she felt her body tense up instantly, even her gaze toward her husband held a hint of coldness. The maid Xuan, who knew everything, instinctively stood beside Yunxi in a protective stance. This scene made Luo Ping feel both heartbroken and resentful toward himself.
He found an excuse to step out first. When Mother arrived with the maid, he said to her: "Regardless of whether you like it or not, Yunxi is my wife and will always be my only wife. I know you have never liked her, but she carries my child—the child of the Luo family. I hope you will refrain from doing anything that harms Yunxi or our unborn child. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee that I won't resent you or seek justice for my wife and child."
"Ping'er, is this how a son should speak to his own mother?"
"I know my attitude is poor, but you should also understand my feelings. Lying in that room is my wife; the child she has yet to bear is mine. Soon enough, I will be a father. Do you want me to be someone who cannot even take care of my own wife and children?"
Lady Luo's expression darkened; even her face turned somewhat pale: "For Yunxi and for that child in her womb, are you unwilling to call me 'mother'? You keep addressing me as 'Mother' so coldly; how do you think that makes me feel? You know that as a father you must protect your wife and children; do you understand that as a mother I also want to protect my husband and my children? Ping'er, you truly disappoint me."
Luo Ping knelt before Lady Luo with a thud, bowing his head in silence for a long time.
In the end, Lady Luo compromised slightly; her voice was somewhat hoarse: "Rest assured; since they are my Luo family's children, I will ensure they are born safely."
With that said, she led the maid past Luo Ping without another word. As they brushed past each other, there was an added bitterness in Lady Luo's eyes.
In the bedroom, Lady Luo rarely showed any smile at all; however, when she smiled at Yunxi now, it only made Yunxi feel more alarmed. With extreme caution in her posture, she watched as her mother-in-law placed her cold hand on her abdomen and spoke in an extremely calm voice: "Indeed! You have finally conceived."
"You have finally conceived?"
What does this mean? Did she evade her scheme, or is she warning her that this child, Yunxi, absolutely cannot be born?
Thinking of this, Yunxi could no longer care about anything else and swept Lady Luo's hand away from her abdomen.
"It is the daughter-in-law's unfilial behavior that has disappointed my mother-in-law. Please rest assured, I have always kept my cousin's matters in mind. If you think the time is right, please feel free to let my cousin move in. From now on, my condition will become increasingly inconvenient. Having someone to serve my husband will allow me to focus on nurturing the baby and ensure that the Luo Family has a healthy child."
Lady Luo curled her lips and looked at Yunxi's abdomen, saying, "Since you are already pregnant, you can give birth to an heir for the Luo Family. The matter of Ping'er taking a concubine can be set aside for now."
Set aside?
For a moment, Yunxi couldn't tell whether her mother-in-law's words had another meaning or were just taken literally.
She glanced resentfully at her husband, Luo Ping, who was standing at the door, but her eyes flashed with a barely perceptible fear and unease. That hint of fear tugged at Luo Ping's heart, making it ache.
After Lady Luo left, Luo Ping finally sat by the bed and gently embraced Yunxi.
"I know what you're worried about and what you're afraid of. Don't worry; no matter what happens, I will protect you and our child. Yunxi, once our baby is born, I will take you away from the Luo Family and leave the Yun Family Gathering. How about that? We can go see the mountains and rivers outside and explore more of the prosperity beyond the Yun Family Gathering in the Golden Tang Dynasty."
Yunxi remained silent, gently pushing Luo Ping away with her hand before wrapping herself tightly in the quilt and closing her eyes without saying a word.
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