Chapter 972: Chapter 822, Plotting Chapter 972: Chapter 822, Plotting “Today, I found remnants of the absolute medicine at Luo Qiong’s place!”

Xiao Yeyang returned from his duties, and as Daohua helped him change his clothes, she spoke of the discovery of the absolute medicine remnants in the flower pot.

“I had Ping Ji’s wife inquire about it, and none of Xiao Yechen’s concubines or servants have taken any medicine lately.”

“The remnants were discarded in the flower pot that Luo Qiong usually enjoys, indicating that the medicine was either prepared by Luo Qiong for herself or for someone else.”

Xiao Yeyang was stunned and looked at Daohua in shock, “Are you saying Luo Qiong administered the absolute medicine to Xiao Yechen?”

Daohua retorted, “Otherwise, what? Is she going to take it herself?” The idea of denying oneself an heir, I guess not many people would have the courage to do that to themselves.

Xiao Yeyang, incredulous, asked Daohua, “Why would she do that? Even if her relationship with Xiao Yechen isn’t good, there’s no need to go this far, right?” Moreover, once such a matter is discovered, even if Luo Qiong is the legitimate daughter of the Duke Residence, she wouldn’t escape with her life.

Daohua continued, “At dinner today, I observed some changes in Luo Qiong, and I feel that she…might very well be pregnant.”

At that, Xiao Yeyang immediately thought of the possibility that Luo Qiong could have been unfaithful outside, and his brow furrowed in anger.

His anger wasn’t for Xiao Yechen but for the dishonor Luo Qiong brought to his Prince Residence.

Xiao Yeyang snickered repeatedly, “I’ve really overestimated Xiao Yechen all these years, how could he be so foolish?” Not realizing he’s been given the absolute medicine, nor knowing his wife is carrying someone else’s child!

Daohua said, “…It’s not about stupidity, it’s about expectation.”

A married couple as one, how could Xiao Yechen ever suspect that Luo Qiong would administer absolute medicine to him? If he had no heir, Luo Qiong wouldn’t benefit either.

Xiao Yeyang, expression grim, said, “So Luo Qiong wants to raise some bastard she had outside as an heir of the Prince Residence?” Speaking of which, the licentious deeds within the Duke Residence came to mind, making him feel disgusted.

“Luo Qiong truly lives up to the Duke Residence, her mother and her own father had an illicit affair, gave birth to Luo Honghao without any regard for decency, and now she’s being unfaithful outside, even thinking of passing off her child as a descendent of the Imperial Family, those mother and daughter truly follow in each other’s footsteps!”

Daohua poured a cup of tea and handed it to Xiao Yeyang, “Don’t get so worked up. If things are as we suspect, you know everything now, and the final say on how to handle it still lies with you.”

After drinking the tea, Xiao Yeyang gradually calmed down, “I’m just angry. What does Luo Qiong take my Prince Residence for, allowing her to muddy the lineage so carelessly!”

Daohua said, “Let’s just wait and see. I don’t think it will be long before we receive good news from the Chen Courtyard.”

…

Chen Courtyard.

Luo Qiong, holding back nausea and feigning coquettish resistance, pushed away Xiao Yechen’s face as it drew near, her eyes anxiously watching the skies outside.

It wasn’t dark yet, too early to switch with Xue Qiao, Luo Qiong could only allow Xiao Yechen to hold her and be both handsy and affectionate.

“What’s the matter, your body is so stiff, yet in bed at night you’re not like this?” Xiao Yechen’s lips hovered near Luo Qiong’s ear, his face bearing a smile as he looked at her.

Luo Qiong, the epitome of a refined lady, always carried herself with gravity, which he found exceedingly dull.

It seemed that after experiencing being neglected these past few days, she had learned to comply with her husband, and had lately been indulging him every night.

Luo Qiong clenched her teeth in secret, simply hoping for the night to darken sooner.

While Luo Qiong was desperately wishing for early darkness, Xue Qiao outside was praying for the opposite, for the day to not fade too quickly.

To avoid detection, the young mistress would let her light confusing incense in the room at night.

Under the influence of the spices, the master was especially vigorous, leaving her in severe discomfort after each encounter, wishing fervently for these unbearable days to end.

Watching as darkness slowly set in, Xue Qiao resigned herself to enter the room, light the confusing incense, then change places with Luo Qiong in the Clean Room.

Once Luo Qiong left the room, she collapsed beside the wall and began to retch violently.

Ever since her encounter with her true love, she has been unable to tolerate even the slightest closeness from Xiao Yechen.

Gazing at the now darkened main room and hearing the coarse panting noises from inside, Luo Qiong’s stomach churned again, and she bent over to throw up once more.

“No more. I can’t keep this up!”

The time for morning sickness had passed, and now Xiao Yechen’s proximity caused her to vomit everything she ate – a worrying situation for the child in her womb.

Luo Qiong looked at Xue Ling, “Tomorrow, you’ll go and invite the doctor to come into the residence.”

Originally, she had planned to announce her pregnancy after a while, but she couldn’t endure Xiao Yechen any longer.

…

Luo Qiong was pregnant!

On the tenth of April, it just so happened to be Xiao Yeyang’s day off. He woke up in the morning and was sitting at the dressing table drawing Daohua’s eyebrows when he heard Wang Manman come in and share the news.

Daohua and Xiao Yeyang exchanged glances, both raising their eyebrows simultaneously.

Daohua, “This soon? I thought we would have to wait a few more days.” Seeing Xiao Yeyang’s brows tightly furrowed, she couldn’t help but reach out to smooth them over, “What are you thinking about?”

Xiao Yeyang, “I’m wondering who is Luo Qiong’s lover?”

Daohua nodded, “I’m quite curious too. You think, did Luo Qiong give Xiao Yechen the ‘absolute medicine’ because of that man? Is he her true love, so she went as far as to harm her own husband?”

Xiao Yeyang, “I don’t care whether Luo Qiong and that lover are true love or not, I just want to know what role the Duke Residence played in all of this? In these past few months, the only unusual behavior from Luo Qiong was her frequent visits to the Duke Residence. If she was having an affair with the lover, it could only have been there.”

If it had been outside, the Hidden Guard would have discovered it without a doubt.

Daohua also fell into thought, “The Duke Residence indeed meddles a lot. They haven’t even settled the matter with the barbarians, and now here’s Luo Qiong pregnant with another man’s child.”

The speaker might be unintentional, but the listener could take significant meaning.

Xiao Yeyang suddenly turned to Daohua, “Did Luo Qiong’s unusual behavior start around the new year?”

Daohua nodded.

Xiao Yeyang narrowed his eyes, “Sun Changze said that it was during the new year period that they followed the Duke Residence and the barbarians back to the capital.”

Daohua gasped, “Luo Qiong likes barbarians?”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yeyang knocked on Daohua’s head without a word, “Didn’t Sun Changze say it? Some of the barbarians were disguised as Daxia people.”

Barbarians, Daxia people…

Something flashed through Xiao Yeyang’s mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp it.

“Don’t let the word out about Luo Qiong’s affair for now. I need to figure out a way to find her lover who’s been hiding behind her.”

…

Luo Qiong’s pregnancy truly delighted the Princess Consort, and even the Prince was extremely happy, sending many fine gifts to Chen Courtyard, with the explicit message that the Prince Residence’s things should be prioritized for her.

The Duchess came to visit Luo Qiong and happened to meet Huai En and others who came to deliver gifts. Looking at the array of gifts in her daughter’s room, she smiled and said, “Thank heaven, you’re finally pregnant. As your mother, I won’t have to worry about you all the time.”

Seeing her mother’s obvious joy, a flicker of unease crossed Luo Qiong’s eyes. Her continuation with that man was done in secret from her family.

The Duchess glanced at the items in the box and took Luo Qiong’s hand, “Us women, we really need to have children to stand firm. Look, you’re just pregnant, and your in-laws are already valuing you more than before.”

Luo Qiong wasn’t particularly interested in these gifts. What made her happy was that she could finally use her pregnancy as an excuse to stay away from Xiao Yechen, “Mother, is there anything you like? Feel free to take what you want.”

The Duchess glanced at Luo Qiong sideways, “Should I even take things from you?” Saying this, she glanced at the maids in the room.

Seeing this, Luo Qiong waved her hand to dismiss them. Once they left, she asked, “Mother, is there something on your mind?”

The Duchess touched Luo Qiong’s belly, “Now that you’re a mother-to-be, you really need to plan well for the child inside you.”

Luo Qiong stiffened for a moment.

The Duchess looked at her daughter with some frustration, “I know you don’t think highly of Xiao Yechen, and after Xiao Yeyang returned, he didn’t help them mother and son against Pingxi Hall much.”

“But now that you’re having a child, for the sake of the child, you need to think more about the future. Do you really want to just hand over the Prince Residence’s title to someone else?”

Luo Qiong touched her belly, falling silent for a while before responding, “Mother is right, it’s time to plan ahead properly.”