CHAPTER 556: CHAPTER 545: THE MARCHIONESS’S MAID

Upon Receiving Your Letter:

My dear husband, how are you doing at the border? Things are well back home. Yesterday, our child kicked me again, grandma was thrilled and said it must be a healthy and playful child. She even mentioned that no matter the gender, she would personally teach them sword practice, hoping they would become a great hero like their father...

In a harsh cold area at the border, Duan Rongjing received another letter from home. As he read, a tender look appeared in his eyes, as if he could see through the words his young wife enduringly carrying their child.

He thought, if it is a girl, he hoped she would be gentle and serene like her mother, and he would protect his daughter for a lifetime; if it were a boy, he would personally teach him martial arts, to be a man who protects his mother.

"General, the Turkic Army looted a village again today. By the time we got there, the village had already been massacred." Duan Rongjing was about to reply to the letter when an aide came in to report.

He put down his pen and picked up his helmet: "Notify General Wang and the others to assemble."

"Yes, sir."

"Lady, isn’t your belly getting too big?" Ye Qiu was quite certain that Zhong Lan was carrying twins, but others only knew that she recently started studying medical skills, not realizing how proficient she was, so she merely dropped a subtle hint.

"Too big?" Zhong Lan didn’t really understand these matters, except that she had been feeling especially hungry these days.

"I will go ask Doctor Wang to come and check."

"Is that necessary? Doctor Wang comes once a month, and it has only been twenty days since his last visit. Didn’t Doctor Wang say everything was normal?"

"But last time it was only three months; it’s normal that Doctor Wang couldn’t tell. Now it’s almost four months, and, my Lady, your belly is already so pronounced. I am genuinely worried."

"Let’s still not bother, Doctor Wang will be here in ten days anyway."

Although Zhong Lan refused, during her visit to Luoying Courtyard, the Old Marquis also noticed the abnormality.

"Isn’t her belly too large?"

An old nanny beside her said: "Old servant thinks it looks like twins; otherwise, a belly wouldn’t show this much at four months."

"Really? Twins?" The Old Marquis was ecstatic, "In the past, the Old Marquis had a twin sister, but alas, she died young. People say twins run in the family, but both my children were single births. Could this possibly have been passed down to Rong Jing?"

"It’s very likely, why don’t we invite Doctor Wang to have a look?"

No one ever doubted that this child wasn’t Marquis Weiyuan’s, for everyone had seen the original handkerchief from the wedding night, and Weiyuan Marquis wasn’t foolish enough to let himself be cuckolded. Plus, before the wedding everything had been thoroughly investigated; Zhong Lan was indeed the most suitable and virtuous person chosen by the Old Marquis, making it impossible and nonsensical for her to commit such folly.

Thus, the only possibility was that she was indeed carrying twins, and if the pulse diagnosis confirms it, that would be truly wonderful.

Doctor Wang soon arrived, and accompanying him, having heard the news, was Second Mrs. Shen, waiting alongside the Old Marquis for the news.

This time, Doctor Wang took longer than usual to feel the pulse, making the Old Marquis and Zhong Lan quite anxious, while Ye Qiu remained calm as ever.

After a long while, Doctor Wang finally withdrew his hand.

"How is it? Are they twins?" Second Mrs. Shen asked on behalf of her mother-in-law.

"Yes, they are twins," Doctor Wang nodded with a smile, "but one of the fetuses is weaker, so it wasn’t detected in the previous checks."

As soon as she heard this, the Old Marquis Lady anxiously asked, "Weak? Could there be a problem?"

Zhong Lan also became nervous, her hands involuntarily caressing her belly.

"There’s no major issue. Since it’s early in the pregnancy, it’s normal for growth to be slow. I will prescribe medicine for both fetuses, but remember, Marchioness, you must not blindly take supplements. If the twins grow too large, it could lead to complications during birth, which is bad for both you and the babies." Doctor Wang explained carefully.

He specializes in gynecology, and he’s seen such cases often in noble families. Some families, in their desperation for heirs, disregard whether the pregnant woman might have a difficult labor, not knowing that difficult labor is also bad for the fetuses. If the delivery takes too long, it can cause fetal asphyxia, and if born by chance, the child might be affected mentally.

He’s not a particularly noble person but knows that Marquis Weiyuan is currently defending the country at the border, and he cannot let anything happen to his wife and children.

"Thank you, Doctor Wang, we will remember this."

After sending off Doctor Wang, the Old Marquis Lady took extra care with Zhong Lan, instructing her based on the doctor’s advice: "Do as the doctor said, eat when you’re hungry but don’t overeat. You are also excused from regular greetings. I want you and the babies to be safe after six months."

"Thank you, Grandmother."

"Lanlan, hurry and write another letter to Rong Jing, let him be happy about it. Suddenly, there are two kids on the way; it would be best if it’s one boy and one girl," Second Mrs. Shen said happily.

The Old Marquis Lady also followed up, "Indeed, write a letter to tell him, and make him some winter clothes. It’s cold at the border, and I don’t know if he’s taking good care of himself. Lanlan, you’re his wife, and these matters will be yours from now on. Don’t worry about other things; manage the Marquis Mansion after you safely deliver the babies."

These words from the Old Marquis Lady settled Zhong Lan’s heart, and from that day, she rested peacefully in Qingfeng Courtyard, occasionally visiting Luoying Courtyard, as the doctor had said that more movement is better as the pregnancy progresses, facilitating an easier labor.

"General, the army is ready; when do we strike?" At the harsh, borderline where both countries meet, the situation was becoming increasingly severe.

"In three days at noon, all forces will follow my command," Duan Rongjing instructed everyone.

"Yes!"

Once everyone had left the tent, several men in black entered unnoticed: "Marquis, everything has been prepared as you instructed."

"Mhm, notify General Li and his men that the official battle date is tomorrow evening, and have them ready."

"But Marquis, this will significantly reduce our forces!"

"I would rather have fewer soldiers than face attacks from both inside and outside."

Hearing this, the man’s face showed unresolved anger, "Marquis, those people have already colluded with the Turkic army, do we still have to endure this? They don’t regard the people at the border as humans at all!"

"What can we do if we can’t bear it? Do we have evidence? Moreover, they are the Eldest Prince’s men, and the Eldest Prince is deeply trusted and favored by the Holy Emperor. Tell me, would he believe me, his minister, or his most beloved son? Go, no more words, I have my plans."

"Yes."