Chapter 1692 – Hua Yuan’s Conclusion (Part One)
“In the mountains without a tiger, the monkey calls itself king.”
This probably describes the recent state of Xichang Princess.
Ever since the Young Master took his own life in fear of punishment, Hua Yuan rarely sought out the Xichang Princess, busily preoccupied with some mysterious matters of his own.
With Hua Yuan’s interference gone, the days of the Xichang Princess nurturing her pregnancy were incredibly pleasant. The servants in the residence treated her like the most precious treasure, and those old ministers would often send their own wives to visit her, bringing rare and precious gifts.
Being catered to like a queen was reminiscent of better times, back before the fall of the Xichang State.
The Xichang Princess had almost forgotten the unpleasantness and hardships she once faced, finding herself once again feeling superior.
However, her joy didn’t last long; the delayed pregnancy symptoms tortured her to the brink of losing her sanity.
Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, excessive sleepiness…
One by one, these symptoms depleted her energy.
Just when she finally started to adjust, the swelling in her legs and the ugly marks on her belly filled her with disgust.
When she first felt the baby move, this sense of disgust peaked.
Looking at the balloon-like protrusion of her belly, the Xichang Princess often woke from nightmares, dreaming she had given birth to a monster with three heads and six arms. This creature had three eyes, four mouths, and only two toes on each foot, able to speak human language right from birth…
In every nightmare, this monster would burst forth from her belly, grinning wickedly as it devoured her insides.
Each time, she would wake up screaming, only to find herself drenched in cold sweat and feeling a dull pain in her abdomen.
Due to the preciousness of the baby inside her, the physician dared not use strong medicine to alleviate her suffering, opting instead for a gentle calming tonic to assist her sleep.
After several days of recuperation, the frequency of her nightmares and excessive sweating reduced significantly.
Her Maidservant cautiously inquired about her feelings, “Lady, the weather is splendid today, would you like to take a walk in the courtyard?”
The Xichang Princess, having finally managed to sleep through the night before, found her irritability significantly improved, much to the relief of those attending her.
If this continued, they would go mad before the Xichang Princess even gave birth.
After enjoying a delicate breakfast, the Xichang Princess felt in good spirits. She looked up at the golden sunlight spilling outside and felt a burst of enthusiasm.
Supporting her waist with one hand and her round belly with the other, she strolled slowly with the maidservant’s help.
However, the weight of her body soon tired her out, so she returned to her room and lazily leaned against the table.
To pass the time, she purposely struck up a conversation with the maidservant.
“Have there been any interesting news outside lately?”
The Maidservant thought carefully and replied, “I haven’t heard of anything special lately.”
“And what of Hua, the Military Adviser?” Perhaps feeling too abrupt in her inquiry, the Xichang Princess feigned nonchalance and explained, “He is after all the Lord’s most valued minister, and with the Lord fighting in the frontlines, he has entrusted our wellbeing to him, which is why I ask. Recently, I’ve been feeling a bit anxious, and my nightmares seem to suggest something dreadful…”
Of course, the Xichang Princess would never admit that she dreamed of birthing a monster; instead, she feigned concern over An Huan.
The Maidservant believed her, saying, “As for Hua, I have indeed heard some things. It’s said he hasn’t been himself lately…”
The Xichang Princess’s brows furrowed.
“What do you mean, ‘not himself’?”
“Usually, Hua is gentle and polite, but ever since the Young Master passed away, it’s as if he’s transformed into a different person—irritable and even… even went so far as to whip a servant to death for mistakes,” the uninformed Maidservant sighed. “It’s understandable; after all, he and the Young Master had been teacher and student for many years, and with the Young Master’s tragic end… it’s bound to affect him.”
The Maidservant spoke too candidly, nearly revealing the delicate matter of the Young Master’s suicide, a taboo that could cost her life if not careful. Fortunately, she stopped herself in time, and the Xichang Princess didn’t fault her for talking too much, allowing her to escape unscathed.
The Xichang Princess offered a trace of mockery.
An Huan’s adopted Young Master had died at Hua Yuan’s hands; he wasn’t even awake enough to laugh at night, so how could he possibly be sad?
As for the Maidservant’s remarks about “irritable” and “whipping to death”… those changes, in the eyes of the Xichang Princess, weren’t signs of a drastic personality shift; it was essentially Hua Yuan finally shedding the façade of the “gentleman” and revealing his true nature.
“Is that all? Nothing else?”
The Xichang Princess absentmindedly rubbed her belly, feeling more drowsy.
Seeing the Maidservant’s troubled expression, the Xichang Princess caught on quickly and said, “If there’s something to say, just say it! No need to dance around the topic. It’s better you tell me now than for me to find out later and startle this little ancestor inside me.”
The Maidservant gritted her teeth. “Lady, a couple of days ago I heard some bad news—there are troubling reports from the frontlines.”
The Xichang Princess’s heart tightened. “Troubling? In what way troublesome?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” the Maidservant replied. “I only heard it from a martial artist with some connections. The details aren’t clear.” After saying this, she implored, “Lady, please don’t let this spread. If the housekeeper finds out, my life will be forfeit.”
The Xichang Princess casually reassured her, “I understand. I won’t expose you.”
She thought to herself that if the frontlines were not going well, it must be part of Hua Yuan’s plan, so she felt little concern.
Little did she know, Hua Yuan had become a complete madman, and no one could predict his next move; it was all a mystery.
When news of An Huan’s death at the hands of Jiang Pengji reached her, the Xichang Princess was still in a state of bewilderment.
“You say… who died?”
Struggling to support her belly with one hand, she gripped the Maidservant’s hand tightly with the other, her long nails digging into the flesh.
The Maidservant winced in pain but dared not cry out or shake off the Xichang Princess’s grip, forcing herself to endure.
The messenger paused, lowering his voice even further.
“Your Lord has passed away.”
Passed away?
An Huan has passed away?
Even though the Xichang Princess had mentally prepared herself, hearing the news still struck her with shock.
No matter how bad An Huan was, he was her biggest support at the moment.
With her support crumbling, and as a sensitive and overly thoughtful pregnant woman, her mindset was naturally different from others.
“How did he pass away?”
The messenger didn’t seem keen on answering but ultimately had to.
After all, the manner of An Huan’s death was far too humiliating for a dignified noble.
He gestured for the Xichang Princess to dismiss the others before he subtly revealed the truth.
