Chapter 402

Gu Ying sighed helplessly, propping up her waist and sitting down. "I'm just worried he won't have enough for a few months away."

Yin Lan put the kneepads embroidered by the mistress herself into the box. "Perhaps he'll be back in a month or two?"

Gu Ying said, "How could it be so fast."

A three thousand mile march would take a long time just on the road alone.

Yin Lan's mouth curled into a smile. "Mistress, don't worry. The Prince said he would come back to accompany you for the birth of little Prince, he will certainly come back early."

Gu Ying gave a lazy smile, the corners of her lips faintly hooked. "Actually, I can give birth myself. Giving birth, I've never eaten pork but I've seen pigs run. Just like that, shout and scream and feel the pain, the child will cry as it drops to the ground."

Yin Lan, who had given birth here, had the most right to speak. "Mistress has the wrong idea, giving birth is not so easy."

Gu Ying licked the corners of her lips, her gaze instantly falling on her own belly. She was also a little afraid.

After all, the formerly flat little belly was growing bigger and bigger...

And strange noises emanated from inside from time to time.

Although she had seen pregnant women, when it came to herself, she was still worried that there would be a naughty little monster inside who would not come out obediently and would torment her to death.

Yin Lan glanced at her mistress' worried look, thinking that it was the mistress' first child, naturally she was afraid, and comforted: "Mistress don't worry, our little Prince will surely be an obedient good baby, he will never torment his mother."

Gu Ying smiled as she stroked her belly. "Let's talk about it when the time comes. Even if the Prince comes back, he will be of no use to me. I’ve seen several women give birth, and in the end they all relied on the midwife to give birth."

The young wife of the lesser mistress had never seen other women give birth, not even when Zhao's wife gave birth to Little Qingqing did she have time to visit.

Yin Lan took it as a joke and didn't care, lowered her head to continue sorting the items and checking the numbers.

Only Gu Ying herself knew that the Prince would probably not see the child's first face.

By the time he and his father returned, Nian would have passed his first month birthday.

But this was nothing, the Prince could still see the child.

She never had high hopes to begin with, only hoping that Nian, who had not been born in her previous life, could safely descend into this world in this life. Gu Ying's mood improved, and she gently stroked her belly with her little hand.

Lately the belly seemed to be growing faster.

She didn't know if it was her illusion, but every time she placed her hand on her belly, she could feel a little fellow frolicking inside.

She had asked the midwives who lived next door, and everyone said she was too nervous and the child still had to grow a lot before he would greet his mother.

She sat under the candlelight, her brows and eyes softened.

Soon, familiar footsteps were heard outside.

"Mistress, this servant will withdraw first." Yin Lan was always tactful, hearing this sound she smiled, took her leave.

Gu Ying looked up to see the Prince walking in, clad in silver armor, his right hand holding a helmet.

The man had deep brows and bright eyes, truly handsome.

Gu Ying looked over with a smile, thinking of getting up to greet him, "Why has the Prince come back so early today?"

"Stay seated."

Zhao Changdu put the helmet on the red sandalwood stand, came over and sat down beside her, his big hand unintentionally placed on her belly, long lashes lowered, and was silent for a while.

The room was unusually quiet, the carved beams and painted rafters, the picturesque windows.

The silver thread embroidered orchid gauze curtains hanging in the gallery swayed gently in the breeze.

After Jiang Yin died, the matter of Imperial Consort Wan was also settled in short order, and Gu Ying had slept more soundly these past two days, her state of mind more peaceful than ever. "Changdu, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Zhao Changdu sighed, pulled her into his arms, "I just can't bear to part with you and the child."

Gu Ying's mouth curled into a faint smile, her head leaning against the man's shoulder. "Then come back early, Nian and I will be waiting for you at home."

Zhao Changdu uttered an "enhm".

Gu Ying took out the embroidered purse and handed it to him.

The man stroked the peace talisman pattern on it, indescribable unease in his heart.

"Ying-"

"I'm here."

"If I die in battle—" "Tsk." Gu Ying hurriedly covered his lips, a flash of panic in her bright eyes, "Don't talk nonsense, Changdu is the God of War of Dong Li, he will never lose this battle."

Zhao Changdu gazed steadily into the shimmering spring water in the girl's eyes, clasped her slender fingertips in his big hand, and gently kissed them.

The atmosphere was gentle and lingering, their eyes met, and countless feelings flowed between them.

Zhao Changdu's mouth curled into a faint smile. "Alright, this time I will definitely return safely from battle."

Gu Ying's eyes curved into crescents, chin tilted up, she leaned in and dropped a light kiss on his lips. "I know, you will surely win."

Zhao Changdu felt warm in his heart, clasped the back of the girl's neck in his big hand, his voice low and hoarse. "Good."

That night, neither of them slept. Gu Ying nestled in the man's arms, listening attentively to his stories of the old Duke, while taking the opportunity to subtly impart to him the key information she knew in her previous life about the Qiang Tribe.

She didn't know much about war, only glimpsing a few key nodes of the Qiang imperial palaces from Jiang Yin's study.

Hopefully it would be useful to him.

Zhao Changdu's gaze was deep and he stared at the girl chattering away the whole night without saying a word.

The next day, Gu Ying woke up to find the man gone.

By the bed was a note he left that read, "Husband has gone ahead, Ying do not fret."

She stared blankly at the canopy above, her heart beating faintly in her chest.

There was an indescribable feeling...faintly lingering in her heart.

She took a deep breath, blinked her sore eyes, reached out a slender jade hand from the golden silk soft canopy, and called out softly, "Yin Lan, come help me wash up."

...

The hundred thousand troops departed from the capital military camp, taking the Prince and Huai'an with them.

After the upheaval in the harem, Bianjing regained its calm.

The twelve frontier cities were engulfed in flaming war, yet Bianjing was a bustling prosperous city.

With no trouble in Bianjing, and old grudges avenged, Gu Ying also began to carefully nurture the fetus.

Now she had no other desires, only wanting to keep this child in her belly safe.

After the Prince left, she was not alone in Bianjing. Firstly, her current status was as a coveted noblewoman in Bianjing, doted on by her mother-in-law and cared for by her aunt.

Secondly, the newly titled Princess Niao was on good terms only with her, so those fickle ladies in the capital all eyed the Duke's Residence, looking for opportunities to curry favor.

Gu Ying shut everyone else out, only Qin came often to the Duke's Residence, always to talk about one thing.