Lying languidly on the chaise lounge, her mind felt weary.
The manor physician hurried in and, seeing her in such a state, had a general idea of what was happening.
After respectfully taking her pulse, he confirmed his suspicions.
"Congratulations, young madam, congratulations! You are nearly three months pregnant."
"What!"
Everyone found it hard to believe!
Especially Wei Lanxuan. Her menstrual cycle was irregular, so she had been taking tonifying medicine since she got married, fearing a poor foundation for future pregnancies. Who knew she was already pregnant?
Calculating the dates, she must have conceived right after getting married!
It was both a shock and a joy!
Upon hearing the good news, Liang Luo grinned from ear to ear. She grabbed Wei Lanxuan's hand and said,
"Good sister-in-law, you are truly a lucky star for our Liang family. I'll have a little nephew so soon!"
The most crucial first three months of pregnancy, which required the utmost caution, had somehow passed by her in a haze.
Touching her still-flat stomach, Wei Lanxuan felt a sense of wonder for the first time. Was this what it felt like to be a mother?
"Physician, I've been taking medicine to regulate my body. Will it affect the baby?"
The physician smiled, "Young madam, please rest assured. The prescription is gentle and beneficial to both mother and child. See how well he's been doing for these three months; it shows the baby is very healthy!"
Hearing the physician's words, Wei Lanxuan's worried heart finally relaxed.
She then said to the physician again, "In that case, please prescribe some excellent tonifying medicine for me to ensure the child comes into this world healthy and strong!"
"Young madam, rest assured. Your health has always been well-maintained. The young master will surely be born safely!"
Everyone present was overjoyed by Wei Lanxuan's pregnancy, and the news was quickly sent to the Wei family and Liang Pan.
Upon hearing the news, Liang Pan rushed back in a flurry, afraid of missing even a moment.
Seeing Wei Lanxuan lying on the bed, chatting and laughing with Liang Luo, he felt that heaven had indeed been kind to him!
"Lan'er, how are you?"
"Husband, why are you back?"
Wei Lanxuan was a little surprised. Wasn't he supposed to be busy with official matters at the Ministry of Rites at this hour?
"My sister sent word, and I couldn't sit still. So, I requested leave to come and see how you are."
"Don't worry, the physician says the baby is perfectly fine!"
With that, she placed his hand on her belly. Although she couldn't feel fetal movement yet, she truly felt that the three of them were one, a family sharing honor and disgrace, bound by a lifelong blood connection.
Liang Luo watched her elder brother and sister-in-law's affectionate intimacy and couldn't help but feel envious.
If only the Ninth Prince treated her the same way.
Thinking of the Ninth Prince, she couldn't help but recall their arranged marriage, her eyes showing disdain for Princess Huaran.
However, her sister-in-law was right. Knowing oneself and one's enemy ensures victory in every battle. She would have to learn more about this Princess Huaran, otherwise, living under the same roof in the future, and as a concubine, she would inevitably suffer.
It would be best if she could find some leverage against her, then she could lord it over the Ninth Prince's harem.
With this thought, Liang Luo's clenched heart began to loosen.
Upon receiving the news, the Wei family also sent many tonics. Old Madam Wei personally came to visit Wei Lanxuan.
Seeing that her complexion was good, her pregnancy was smooth, and she could eat and sleep well, she finally felt at ease.
She pointed to the four elderly women standing nearby and said,
"These are all experienced servants from our household, and they have experience in childbirth. Keep them by your side to look after you, so the family can rest assured."
"Thank you, Grandmother, for your concern. Your granddaughter understands."
"You, I had hoped you would rest well and conceive a year or so later for a more stable pregnancy. Who knew your belly was so eager? You conceived just days after marrying. If you had married the Ninth Prince, the noble consort would have been overjoyed by now."
"Grandmother..."
Wei Lanxuan frowned and called out playfully.
Her relationship with the Ninth Prince was a matter of the past. No amount of words now would be useful, especially here in the Liang manor, where it could cause trouble if overheard by the wrong people.
Old Madam Wei also realized she had spoken out of turn and quickly changed the subject.
"I heard from your grandfather that son-in-law is doing well at the Ministry of Rites. If there's an opportunity at the end of the year, he might be promoted."
"Really?"
At the end of the year, considering her pregnancy, wouldn't that be a double celebration?
Thinking of this, she felt even more that this child was a lucky star, and a motherly affection began to surface in her eyes.
Old Madam Wei looked at her granddaughter and couldn't help but sigh at the passage of time. In the blink of an eye, the little girl who once clung to her and acted spoiled was now about to become a mother. Time truly flew by.
The grandmother and granddaughter talked for the entire afternoon, leaving only as dinner time approached.
Wei Lanxuan's life in the Liang family was already very comfortable, and now she was being doted on by the entire family. Even Liang Pan dared not speak loudly in front of her.
Wei Lanxuan felt increasingly at ease. Few people in the capital city could live as comfortably as she did.
On the dowry estate outside the city, Yue Jian's belly had grown large.
Peasant women who had given birth said that her baby must be a boy, so A Li was exceptionally attentive in taking care of her.
However, Yue Jian was a little unhappy. She had been hoping for a daughter this time, so she could send her to be a maidservant to Wei Lanxuan's child in the future, thus allowing their family to be more closely tied to Wei Lanxuan.
Perhaps it was her good constitution, but despite her large belly, she didn't show any swelling. Her nose had become a bit larger, but no spots had appeared, and she hadn't become uglier than before, so A Li would often tease her.
Their marital relationship was also quite good.
The only downside was that since they had arrived at the estate, it had rained three out of five days.
The outskirts of the city were unlike the capital with its stone-paved roads. Rain would only dampen shoes and socks. Here, it was difficult to even step out of the house without stepping into mud.
Looking at the sky as if it had a hole in it, Yue Jian's temper flared.
"It rains every day, every night. This weather is going to make people moldy. It's truly annoying!"
"Cough, you're staying at home anyway and don't have to work in the fields. What are you afraid of?"
"A few days ago, I heard from the farmers that this year's harvest might not be good. With the continuous rain, the fields are flooded. I don't know if the planted grains will yield a harvest!"
Having followed Wei Lanxuan for many years, Yue Jian's upbringing made her more alert than others.
"And those farmers next to us, many families have switched to planting lotus roots. I inquired, and they are all Feng family lands. I heard their third young lady ordered them to plant lotus roots. Do you think she knew the weather was going to change?"