After Marrying the Heirless Crown Prince, I Gave Birth to Three Children - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Husband, Do You Not Like Me?

The carriage swayed gently forward. Wrapped tightly in the cloak, Xie Yao sat properly inside…

“Achoo!”

Her nose tickled, and she couldn’t help sneezing, the sound especially sharp in the otherwise quiet carriage.

Xiao Ji instinctively looked over. He saw her small face flushed red, her slender pale fingers rubbing at her nose tip, and when she sensed his gaze, she lifted her head a beat too late. Her eyes, hazy with lingering mist, were filled with confusion.

Xiao Ji was silent for a moment before saying, “Next time, don’t be so foolish. Xiao Ning fell in the water, and the palace naturally has people to save her.” He thought: you don’t even know how to swim, and yet you try to rescue someone?

Xie Yao lowered her gaze to hide the guilt in her eyes, her voice soft. “It was my fault.”

Her obedience made him feel as if his punch had landed on cotton.

“I was not scolding you.”

“I know.” She lifted her head and gave a dazzling smile. “Your Highness is the best.”

Xiao Ji: “…”

He promptly shut his mouth.

The carriage rolled on unhurriedly. Again he felt that familiar scent from Xie Yao growing stronger and closer. With last time’s experience in mind, he did not reach out rashly but instead raised his eyes to look.

She was extremely close.

Her bright eyes burned into his.

Before he could speak, the woman brazenly stretched out her hand to stroke the space between his brows.

“Husband.”

Xie Yao’s soft, sticky voice made his heart tremble. This was the first time she had ever referred to him as her husband.

So much so that he forgot to brush away her hand as she squeezed and kneaded his face without restraint.

She spoke slowly, her tone syrupy sweet. “Frowning makes you age faster, and it doesn’t look good either.”

Xiao Ji caught her restless hand. Soft. Smooth. And burning hot.

He frowned, realizing something was wrong. Her whole face was flushed red.

“Crown Princess…”

“Don’t call me Crown Princess,” she mumbled. “Call me Yao-yao, won’t you?”

Xiao Ji: “…”

He wanted to move away, but she leaned in against him completely. Through the thin spring clothes, he could feel the burning heat radiating from her body.

Thinking of her frailty, he dared not push her roughly aside. He had just raised a hand to move her when she wrapped both arms tightly around his.

Her entire body pressed into his.

When she pushed his cloak aside, her full, rounded chest pressed straight against his hard chest, the distance between them closer than ever before.

Her warm breath fanned against his jaw, tickling inexplicably.

“Xie Yao…” His heart skipped twice and then sped wildly. He felt a stab of guilt. It was his fault that he had walked too quickly earlier and not noticed that she had already burned up with fever.

“Husband,” she interrupted again, lifting her eyes to him. “Do you not like me? But I, I…”

Her lips curved faintly upward. Then she closed her eyes in relief.

But I… what?

Xiao Ji waited, but no more words came. Looking down, he saw that she had slumped against him, unconscious.

Xiao Ji: “…”

He thought he too was burning, especially his ears, which felt on fire. With a light cough, he called toward the outside of the carriage, “Faster.”

The horses picked up speed.

But even the finest carriage jolted at such a pace. With Xie Yao already clinging to him, each bump made it unbearably awkward. Yet since she had fainted, he could not shove her away. His body remained stiff as he held her.

In his heart, he both longed for the carriage to be faster and cursed the torture of every bump…

At last, the carriage stopped.

Si-nan’s voice rang like music to his ears. “Your Highness, we have arrived.”

Xiao Ji lifted Xie Yao out of the carriage and strode quickly toward the main courtyard. “Summon the manor physician!”

…

At the Song residence, in the main courtyard.

Madam Zhang had not slept well the night before, and her face looked drawn. She had just finished breakfast when Momo Chen came hurrying in, her expression grim. “Madam…”

At a glance at her face, Madam Zhang already knew.

Her hand clenched into a fist. Rage boiled within, but she still drew a steadying breath. “Speak.”

“This old servant investigated. The master indeed goes to the house in Sweetwater Alley often. There truly lives a mother and her two children. A boy and a girl. The girl is said to be reaching her coming-of-age ceremony this year. The boy is fourteen and is currently studying at the Imperial Academy.”

Bang!

Madam Zhang slammed a palm on the table, her expression twisted.

The Imperial Academy?!

For a widow and her children to gain entrance there, what kind of strings had been pulled? For that “son,” her husband had truly racked his brains.

“When I gave birth to Jiao-jiao and was left frail, he swore before me never to take a concubine. And yet he already had a whore outside!”

How could she not hate?

All these years, Master Xie had seemed nearly flawless before her. She had been born a concubine’s daughter herself, yet with his steady promotions and his devotion to her alone, she had been the envy of all.

Which woman around them had not looked upon her with envy?

“Madam, don’t be so sad,” Momo Chen said with pity. “Miss Yujiao is only sixteen this year. That means that woman outside was already pregnant soon after you gave birth. Still, these years the master has treated you well, and he has hidden it so completely you never knew. That shows he does care for you.”

The affection between husband and wife these years had been real. The more Madam Zhang thought, the more wronged she felt. She broke down crying on Momo’s shoulder.

“Mother!”

Xie Yujiao’s delighted voice rang out as she hurried in, carrying a black and gold-embossed invitation. “Guess what this is!”

Madam Zhang quickly turned her face aside, wiping away tears. “What is it?”

Lost in joy, Yujiao paid no mind to her mother’s reddened eyes. She spoke brightly, “It’s an invitation from Master Qingshan’s residence. Seven days from now he is holding an apprenticeship ceremony, and Father and you are specially invited to attend!”

She was full of pride.

Madam Zhang steadied her heart and took the invitation. Indeed, it was for a master-apprenticeship ceremony.

“Is he truly taking your husband as his disciple?” Madam Zhang asked.

“Of course!” Yujiao’s tone brimmed with confidence. “I told you yesterday, my husband is brilliant, with boundless prospects. Who else could Master Qingshan accept?”

She thought to herself, this time seemed earlier than in her previous life, but perhaps that was the good fortune brought by her rebirth.

Seeing her daughter’s certainty, Madam Zhang assumed the news came from Song Wenbo’s own mouth. She nodded. “Very well. Rest assured, your father and I will dress in our finest and attend to give you face.”

“Momo,” she instructed, “prepare a generous gift. This is a joyous occasion for our family.”

The Momo also smiled, bowing in agreement.

Yujiao’s eyes gleamed. “Mother, such wonderful news must also be shared with Elder Sister!”

Let Xie Yao know exactly what she had lost!

She could hardly wait to see Xie Yao weeping with regret.

Cultural Notes:

• Imperial Academy: The highest educational institution in imperial China, reserved for sons of nobility or those with powerful backing. A commoner’s son entering implies heavy influence or patronage.
• Apprenticeship Ceremony: where a student formally acknowledges a master. In historical fiction, being accepted by a prestigious teacher like “Master Qingshan” suggests immense future prospects.