A moment later, the physician stood up. "Congratulations, my lord, congratulations, madam. Madam is with child, already over a month along."
A silence fell upon the room for a moment, but it was Qi Tianming who reacted first.
"Madam is pregnant?" Qi Tianming's voice trembled slightly.
The physician nodded. "Yes. However, madam's constitution is not very strong, and she is not young. This pregnancy appears somewhat weak."
"Is there any serious issue?" Although he had just experienced the joy of Ru Yan's pregnancy, Qi Tianming was still excited. A legitimate son was naturally more important than a concubine's son.
"If she rests well, there should be no serious issues," the physician said with certainty.
"Recently, I used some medicine for the injury on my face. Will it affect the child?" Madam Qin asked worriedly.
"May madam let me examine the medicine used?"
Mother Qin, standing nearby, immediately brought out the internal and external medications Madam Qin had been using.
After careful examination, the physician shook his head. "It's fine, but since you are pregnant, madam should be careful. Do not use this medicine anymore."
Mother Qin, on the side, grew anxious. "Physician Luo specifically instructed that madam must finish using this ointment!"
Madam Qin's voice rose. "Compared to the child, it doesn't matter if my face is ruined. It's almost healed anyway. I heard Physician Luo say that it's fine even if the ointment isn't used up. It's just that the newly grown skin will have a different color from the original skin. Even without the medicine, by next summer, it won't be noticeable."
"Appearance is very important to a woman. Madam, have you thought this through? Although it will eventually heal, there will still be a year where your face..." Mother Qin said urgently. "Are you going to avoid people for over a year?"
"My lord, will you dislike my uneven complexion?" Madam Qin turned to ask Qi Tianming. Before Qi Tianming could answer, Madam Qin continued on her own, "Even if my lord dislikes it, I will not continue to use the medicine. I have a child in my womb, a child I have longed for for many years, a child of my lord and me. I cannot tolerate even the slightest mishap for him."
Qi Tianming was stunned. He knew Madam Qin cherished her beauty. When they were on good terms, they had even joked that if her appearance were ever damaged, it would be fine if it could be healed, but if not, she would never want to live on with a ruined face.
Now, she was choosing not to use the medicine for the sake of the child. This sentiment deeply moved Qi Tianming.
He movedly grasped Madam Qin's hand. "I will never mind. No matter how you look, in my heart, you will always be the most beautiful."
"My lord..." Madam Qin's eyes shimmered, and she leaned into Qi Tianming's embrace, her face filled with emotion.
Soon, everyone in the manor knew of these two joyous occasions. Both the legitimate wife and a concubine were diagnosed with pregnancy. After the spring of next year, two young masters would be born in the manor. This was truly a momentous occasion! Of course, the greatest joy was that their monthly allowance had doubled, and the Old Madam had rewarded each person with two meat dishes, a treatment usually reserved for the New Year.
Ru Yan's handkerchief was twisted into an unrecognizable mess. The legitimate wife's pregnancy had completely overshadowed her. His Lordship had been staying in Jinghua Courtyard these past few days, only visiting her for a short while. She had intended to use her pregnancy to secure his favor, but now...
In Jinghua Courtyard, only Madam Qin and Mother Qin were in the room.
Madam Qin lay lazily on the couch, but she let out sounds of retching.
"Mother, how much longer do we have to act?" Madam Qin asked in a low voice.
"Just another month, then we'll slowly recover," Mother Qin said, serving Madam Qin a plate of peeled lychees.
"Has the physician been taken care of, Mother?" Madam Qin asked, eating the lychees.
"Don't worry, their lips are sealed. We aren't using him for free either. His wife is a chronic invalid, and her condition has worsened recently, requiring aged wild ginseng to sustain her life. This is a huge expense. We promised to cover it, and he will naturally cooperate with us wholeheartedly," Mother Qin said confidently. "This physician is quite devoted. I heard his wife has been ill for over ten years, and they still have no children, yet he has never abandoned her."
"If only all men in the world were so good," Madam Qin murmured.
"Madam, don't think about such things. How many men can achieve this?" Mother Qin comforted her. "Most men in this world are the same in their nature. Our Lord is considered good."
Madam Qin snorted and said no more, focusing on eating her lychees.
"Madam, what about that girl Li Qing...?" Mother Qin asked in a low voice.
Madam Qin paused, her face filled with hatred. "I wish I could take her life! That wretched girl caused me so much suffering."
"She is, after all, the young lady from the Old Madam's maternal family... She has also been punished quite a bit during her time in the manor. If we release her now and don't hold her accountable, it can also earn madam a reputation for kindness and benevolence," Mother Qin advised earnestly.
Madam Qin remained silent for a long time, finally nodding.
The next day, Li Qing was sent back to the Marquis's manor.
She had lost a lot of weight, and her once-fitting clothes now hung loosely. Her eyes were timid and fearful. If not for her familiar appearance, one might have suspected she was a different person.
Madam Lu hugged Li Qing and wept. Perhaps seeing a familiar face, Li Qing, who had been listless, gradually showed expression, though she remained somewhat timid.
There were no marks of injury on her body, and when asked, Li Qing said she had not been beaten.
"She was locked in a room, with no light. Food and water were delivered on time. I heard she even had to relieve herself in the room," Mother Fang whispered to the Old Madam.
"After this experience, perhaps that girl's temperament will change. It can be considered a good thing. You call Madam Bai over later, and I'll give her a few instructions. After all, she is still a child of my Li family!" the Old Madam said.
If she were to truly abandon her, she couldn't bring herself to do it. But if she let Madam Lu raise her, who knew what she would become? She had suffered a bit this time, and thankfully, she was unharmed. But if her temperament didn't change, what about next time? Would she still have such good luck?
"You send some things over to Madam, and tell her I've noted her kindness," the Old Madam instructed again.
Mother Fang agreed and tidied up some tonics to send over.
A little over half an hour later, she returned.
"Madam says she wants the eldest young lady to stay with you and learn about managing the household. The Lu family has sent word that they wish to come for the betrothal," Mother Fang relayed Madam Qin's words to the Old Madam. "Madam says she has been feeling unwell these days and doesn't have the energy to teach her."
The Old Madam had not wanted to manage the marriage between Qi Mingzhu and Lu Chen at all. However, Madam Qin was now pregnant and truly didn't have much energy. If she didn't get involved, it would seem rather ungracious.
"It can only be this way," the Old Madam agreed.