Chapter 68: Pregnant?

Xie Yao froze for a moment.

She felt that Xiao Ji’s words sounded a little strange.

She should be at ease?

At ease about what?

She hesitated, and then said, “If Your Highness is at ease, then I am at ease.”

Xiao Ji had not eaten all day, but under Xie Yao’s persuasion, he finally took in a simple meal.

By midnight, Si-nan finally received a carrier pigeon, but the one who sent it… was not the person they had been waiting for.

“Your Highness.” Si-nan glanced at Xie Yao and said in a low voice, “It’s Si-xi.”

Xiao Ji took the message, and when he read the contents on the paper, his brows actually eased a little.

“Si-xi sent word that today someone hired them to assassinate Pei Chen.”

Si-nan: “…”

And His Highness could still smile at that?

Xie Yao said, “That proves the Marquis of Zhenbei is still safe today.”

Xiao Ji nodded. “Let’s wait for more news.”

These past days, the two of them had rarely managed to get a proper night’s sleep.

But just as they lay down, Xiao Ji’s hand fell on Xie Yao’s lower abdomen, his warm palm gently massaging her.

It felt very comfortable.

As if endless warmth flowed into her belly, though Xie Yao felt a little puzzled. “Your Highness?”

“Does it still hurt?” Xiao Ji asked.

Xie Yao’s movement stalled. That was it… she had forgotten something.

Her cycle had always been regular. Today should have been the day it came.

But this month… it hadn’t!

Xie Yao’s heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. “Your High…”

She turned her head toward Xiao Ji, only to find that he had already fallen asleep, though his palm still rested on her abdomen, sending waves of warmth into her.

Xie Yao’s voice grew hoarse as her eyes lowered, and she slowly placed her hand atop his.

Your Highness…

Xie Yao had the best night’s sleep she had had in days. When she woke, Xiao Ji was already gone.

On the breakfast table, however, there were several dishes that replenished qi and blood. Zhuqing beamed as she said, “Crown Princess, His Highness specifically instructed these to be prepared to nourish your qi and blood.”

Xie Yao: “…”

But she had simply missed her period.

“Where is His Highness?”

Zhuqing hurriedly replied, “His Highness is in the study. He said you should finish breakfast before going to him.”

Xie Yao ate a little, then rose and made her way toward the study.

Along the way, she kept thinking about how to tell His Highness.

Would he… suspect her?

A single man like him already wore her out, and she really couldn’t endure much more.

“Your Highness.”

As soon as Xie Yao called out, Xiao Ji stood up and walked over, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze as though testing her temperature.

“Come with me.”

Xie Yao could not refuse and was led by Xiao Ji out of the residence and straight onto a carriage.

Very soon, the carriage stopped.

Xiao Ji got down first, and then extended his hand toward Xie Yao. “Crown Princess, look and see, where are we?”

Xie Yao took his hand and stepped down from the carriage. The sight before her left her frozen in place.

It was the Zhao family.

Standing by the carriage, eagerly waiting, were her relatives.

Facing their caring gazes, Xie Yao’s eyes immediately reddened, her voice choked, “Grandfather, Grandmother.”

“Uncle, Aunt.” Finally, her gaze fell on a refined young scholar. “Cousin Hao.”

The Zhao family members were about to kneel and salute, but Xie Yao and Xiao Ji quickly supported them first.

Xiao Ji did his best to wear a gentle expression. “We are all family. No need for such formalities.”

The Zhao residence had already been repaired on Zhao Ying’s orders before she left the capital, so it was ready for immediate use.

Everyone went into the main hall.

The two elders sat at the head, their eyes brimming with tears as they gazed at Xie Yao. “So alike, far too alike!”

Xie Yao stepped forward and knelt directly on the floor. “Unfilial granddaughter greets Grandfather and Grandmother.”

How could the two of them bear that?

They hurriedly helped her up.

The family caught up on old times, Madam Zhao nearly fainting from joy.

While they were talking, the steward suddenly came to report, “Old Master, Madam, Master Xie has brought the young master of the household to visit.”

The warm atmosphere instantly turned cold.

If it had been before, they might have let it be. But just last year they had uncovered the truth of Xie Yao’s mother’s death.

They would gladly tear out Master Xie’s heart if they could!

“We won’t see him! Tell him to get out!” Madam Zhao slapped the table furiously.

The steward looked troubled.

He wanted to, but that man was an official of the court…

“Si-nan.” Xiao Ji gave a single command, and Si-nan immediately went to deliver the order.

With the Crown Prince’s stance made clear, Master Xie dared not insist.

Seeing this, Madam Zhao’s face filled with relief, and she patted Xie Yao’s hand repeatedly, praising her endlessly.

Xie Yao and Xiao Ji stayed for dinner at the Zhao residence, and when they left, they carried away three carriage-loads of gifts.

All of it had been prepared for Xie Yao. Though not as much as Zhao Ying had brought previously, but the value was no less.

Sitting in the carriage, Xie Yao’s eyes reddened again.

In a slightly hoarse voice, she looked at Xiao Ji. “Thank you, Your Highness. Grandmother told me it was Your Highness who arranged to have them brought into the capital early.”

It made sense.

Now that Elder Sister Ying had appeared in Nanzhou, Xiao Hong and the others might lash out at the Zhao family in anger.

Xiao Ji’s hand fell on Xie Yao’s cheek, the callused pads of his fingers brushing away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

That touch brought a flush to her pale skin, making her red-rimmed rabbit-like eyes look even more delicate and pitiable.

Xiao Ji’s throat tightened.

Yet he still remembered this was no ordinary day, and said softly, “Between you and me, there’s no need for thanks.”

“If you really must thank me…” Xiao Ji lowered his head and kissed the corner of her eye. “There are other ways.”

“Yao-yao knows.”

This time, not only were Xie Yao’s eyes red, her face and neck were too. She bit her lip lightly and glared at Xiao Ji.

“Don’t tempt me.” Xiao Ji’s hand rested on her abdomen again, naturally massaging it. “I’ll add all of this to the account.”

And later, he would collect it all with interest.

“Your Highness.”

Xie Yao caught his large hand, lifted her face to look at him. “My cycle hasn’t come.”

Xiao Ji frowned.

When Xie Yao had suffered pain during her cycle last month, he had already asked Zhuqing and the imperial female physician. He knew a woman’s period came once a month, and Xie Yao’s was always particularly regular.

But now…

The carriage stopped.

Before Xie Yao could say more, Xiao Ji’s face darkened. He lifted her into his arms and swiftly stepped down from the carriage.

With a sweep of his cloak, he shielded her figure and strode quickly back toward the residence. “Summon the court physician…”

“Your Highness.” Xie Yao hurriedly gripped his hand, her voice urgent. “I’m not sick!”

Xiao Ji frowned, speaking with absolute seriousness. “This is not normal.”

Xie Yao felt it was most likely that she was pregnant, but right now the physicians could not confirm it. Telling His Highness now would not be convincing.

If her estimate was wrong, it would only give him false joy.

It would be better to wait ten days or half a month, until the physicians could diagnose it clearly, before telling him.

Xie Yao bit her lip lightly. “I’m fine, Your Highness, you don’t need to worry.”

Xiao Ji was still uneasy.

He ordered the court physician to take her pulse, and only when it was confirmed that nothing was wrong did he relax. Still, he thought to himself, if in a few days her cycle still had not come, then he would summon every physician Si-nan and Si-bei could find, to examine the Crown Princess thoroughly.