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墨書 Inktalez
Li Cu felt quite angry upon hearing this. What was wrong with the woman? Was she not considered a descendant just because she had no children?
The old man chuckled and said, "Don't be upset, young lady. Dingzhou is different from other places; it is home to military families. If a household has no male heirs, they will eventually have no one to serve in the army. After a few years, they will receive a settlement and be cleared out of Dingzhou."
"Our emperor is quite generous; the settlement is substantial, and no one dares to pocket it."
However, for the military families in Dingzhou, it is an honor to serve, but being forced to leave due to lack of descendants means they would have no face to meet their ancestors after death.
"Can't women also take in suitors?" Li Cu asked.
The old man replied, "In the end, they are still considered inferior. The men they attract are from outside, and how can they compare to the military men who have lived here for generations? The locals don’t think much of them."
Li Cu wanted to say more when Sang Qingxiao pulled her back. "Old man, how many months along is that woman's child?"
"Six months," he replied. "The baby is doing well, lively as can be. I can feel it kicking through her belly with great strength."
After chatting with the old man for a while longer, they learned the address of the family seeking children and their usual route.
"Look, we’ve run into them!"
The woman was surrounded by many people who were touching her belly, claiming it was for good luck. She seemed pleased to show off and recounted her experience of seeking a child over and over again, with everyone listening intently.
"Aunt Liu thought you had already prayed for this child last time you met," someone said. "You’ve been kneeling every day for over forty days before your wish came true! Oh dear, you must have suffered greatly!"
"It’s all unreasonable demands," she replied. "Even if I knelt for another year, it would still be deserved. My husband and I plan to take our child back to thank the deity once he’s born."
"Why did we have to go all the way to Capital City?"
"Isn't Capital City closer to Dingzhou?"
"I'm just afraid the emperor won't let us into Stargazing Tower."
Someone nearby reassured her, "We in Dingzhou guard the national borders for the emperor; he surely thinks differently of us. Every year he summons a few military families. When your boy grows up a bit more, that slot could be yours. If you meet the emperor and make a request, he might agree."
"That’s all we can hope for," she sighed. Suddenly she gasped, her face pale but still smiling as she bit her lip. "The baby kicked me again!"
The onlookers praised, "This little one has some strength! I've never seen a child kick so hard; Chen Niangzi, your son will surely grow up to be a great general!"
In stark contrast to the joyful atmosphere across the street, Sang Qingxiao and her companions watched with growing concern.
Li Cu couldn’t help but ask Old Vine urgently, "Is that fetus normal? The height it's pushing against her belly seems as long as my arm! And that frequency—five kicks in the blink of an eye! Can fetuses move that quickly?"
Old Vine looked surprised as well. "I'm not skilled in treating pregnant women and haven't done extensive research on this matter. While there are many strange things in this world, I think this isn't quite normal."
Huo Qi scoffed quietly, his gaze warily fixed on Chen Niangzi's belly. "Most likely it's a Demon Fetus."
Sang Qingxiao hurriedly asked him if he had sensed the Magic Breath. The fetus was still weak, and the feeling was vague; it was hard to grasp. Ultimately, it depended on what kind of child would be born.
During my time in the demon clan, I had seen many pregnant women, including those human women who had been captured. Their appearances were strikingly similar to Chen Niangzi's. Besides the noticeable bulge of their bellies, it was also reflected in the abnormal flush on their faces. It looked like they were in good health, but in reality, they were exhausting their lives.
In other words, was this pregnant woman close to death? It depended on whether the child in her womb had any conscience.
Sang Qingxiao asked him if it was possible to induce an abortion early. Not to mention that the Demon Fetus was aware early on and wouldn’t let us have our way easily; just look at Chen Niangzi—after years of longing, even if she gave birth to a demon child, as long as it was a boy, she would surely be willing.
Moreover, the source of the Demon Fetus was likely that giant stone. Disturbing it would alert the stone, and I was more worried about A Mian; I didn’t want to complicate matters further. Let’s rest for a night and leave at dawn.
You’re right. Seeking benevolence leads to benevolence; for Chen Niangzi, her obsession was more important than her life. Helping her out of kindness would only ruin her obsession. In the end, not only would she harbor resentment, but her life would also be forfeit. Let her be.
Knowing Huo Qi was anxious, we skipped resting and hurried on our way. With the speed-enhancing talisman activated, by dawn we could see Dayu Kingdom and Shengjing City.
The Great Yu Emperor valued martial prowess and had built the city impressively grand and towering. The walls seemed twice as high as Jingjing City; while not as beautiful as Jingjing City, it exuded practicality with minimal decoration.
Old Vine went into the city to gather information. When he returned, his gaze toward Huo Qi was filled with malice. Xiaoxiao, this father-son duo is full of lies—one deceives you with sweet words while the other indulges himself in pleasure and will soon become a Consort!
We came here intending to help them; what a disgrace!
Huo Qi immediately retorted, "You’re talking nonsense! A Mian is absolutely not that kind of person! What exactly did you see? Don’t use vague information to wrong someone!"
"I saw it with my own eyes! You dare deny it? Truly not shedding tears until seeing the coffin! Fine, let’s go into the city now! Shengjing City is filled with red decorations; everyone is smiling and discussing Huayang Princess and her Lover's romance!"
At that moment, some noise came from behind a nearby large tree.
Old Vine turned around and shouted, "Heartless man! Who allowed you to follow us!"
Qi Xiaomian stepped out from behind the tree with a helpless smile. "If I hadn’t followed you, I would truly become the heartless man you speak of."
The truth is that there are celebrations happening in the city. But where does this notion of indulgence come from? Did you see it with your own eyes?
"Everyone is saying so!"
"That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. You hit me quite hard!" Qi Xiaomian rolled up his sleeves to reveal a swollen arm. "But when you hit me, I was alone in my room going through those tedious official documents."
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