The Second Year of Zhenghe, mid-January.
Chen Mo issued a decree, granting marriage to the two couples, Chang En and Zhang Zhu, Zhao Yao and Chai Ling.
In early February, during the Dragon Raising Head Festival, Chang En and Zhang Zhu married.
Late February.
Princess Consort Shu, Yi Shiyin, gave birth to a girl.
The name had long been decided by Yi Shiyin.
It would be Chen Nian Mo.
The day after Yi Shiyin gave birth, a piece of news that was neither good nor bad reached Chen Mo’s ears.
Yue Ruyan was pregnant.
This left Chen Mo both joyful and worried.
The joy was that Ru Yan had finally conceived his child.
The worry was that, now that Ru Yan was pregnant, Chen Mo could no longer practice the Esoteric Dual Refining Technique.
In Yue Ruyan’s bedchamber, winter had long passed, the weather was warming, and early spring was beginning.
The beauties in the backyard all changed out of their slightly bulky jackets and skirts into the more lightweight palace skirts.
Yue Ruyan was no exception.
Yue Ruyan wore a red horse face skirt with gold floral patterns woven throughout, and a white brocade garment on top, with gold thread patterns decorating the neck, exuding nobility and elegance with a hint of heroic spirit of a female knight.
She was practicing with her broadsword in the courtyard that morning, when she suddenly felt a wave of nausea and fatigue, so she took her own pulse. After all, a pregnancy pulse wasn’t hard to detect; Wu Mi had taught her back when Yi Shiyin got pregnant.
And with that check, she really did find a pregnancy pulse.
Startled, she lost any interest in practicing with her sword and hurriedly instructed a servant to summon the female doctor for confirmation.
After multiple diagnoses by the female doctor, Yue Ruyan finally confirmed her pregnancy.
"Alas, how did I get pregnant?" At this, Chen Mo, seated beside Yue Ruyan, couldn’t help but sigh.
"You mess around with me almost every day without any contraceptive measures, how could I not get pregnant?" Yue Ruyan glared at Chen Mo as he sighed, "What, are you very disappointed that I’m carrying your child?"
"That’s not what I meant. I was just thinking, Xiaolu and Zhi Ning found it so difficult to conceive that they had to stop cultivating for a while, yet Ru Yan, you almost cultivated every day and still got pregnant." Chen Mo said.
"The State Preceptor merely said that stopping cultivation makes it easier to conceive; he didn’t say that if you don’t stop, you definitely won’t conceive. You yourself said that getting pregnant relies on pregnancy luck." Yue Ruyan retorted exasperatedly.
After all, which pregnant woman, upon seeing their better half express disbelief instead of joy upon learning of her pregnancy, wouldn’t get angry.
"Alright, alright, Ru Yan, don’t be angry. It’s not that I don’t want you to have it." Chen Mo drew Yue Ruyan into his arms, seating her on his lap, holding her delicate hand. After these months of "home nurturing," Yue Ruyan’s skin had become even fairer.
Chen Mo kissed her lips softly and murmured, "It’s just that I was thinking, in the coming months, we won’t be able to continue our dual cultivation."
But in the heat of the moment, he forgot a few times. After all, who thinks of other things at such a crucial time?
With time, Chen Mo became negligent, thinking it’s so difficult to conceive; even without contraceptive measures, it shouldn’t happen. Based on that mindset, Chen Mo continued with reckless abandon.
Now look, it really happened.
"This is good too, it saves me from you coming to my palace every day causing envy among the other sisters, and I can properly rest for a while."
Although Yue Ruyan also quite enjoyed such intimate moments, doing it too frequently was another matter.
"If Xiaolu heard your words, she’d say you’re playing the victim while gaining benefits." Chen Mo caressed Yue Ruyan’s cheek.
Yue Ruyan threw Chen Mo a playful glare, then reached a hand towards her hip, annoyed, "Don’t move around."
Yue Ruyan didn’t want to sit on Chen Mo’s lap as that mischief-maker kept teasing her, making her body heat up.
Chen Mo stroked Yue Ruyan’s shoulder, meeting her flustered and annoyed beautiful eyes, "It’s not something I can control. Who told you to be so captivating, Ru Yan?"
"Enough already. Now that I’m carrying your child, you mustn’t touch me anymore." Yue Ruyan pushed Chen Mo away.
"I know. Come, let’s kiss; kissing won’t hurt."
Saying this, before Yue Ruyan could say more, Chen Mo leaned in and kissed her.
Yue Ruyan raised her eyebrows, her proud nose snorting softly. Seeing the young man trying to kiss further down, Yue Ruyan quickly stopped him: "Okay, you should leave now."
Chen Mo: "..."
Ru Yan had learned to send him away.
"Ru Yan, how about letting me attend to you for a bit?"
"Scram." Yue Ruyan said.
"Fine, fine." Chen Mo bit Yue Ruyan’s cheek playfully before leaving.
...
With Ru Yan pregnant, yet no news from Yiren, Chen Mo felt troubled.
Ever since making a snowman last year and stealing her bellyband, Nalan Yiren had been cautious around Chen Mo.
To what extent?
As soon as Chen Mo’s words carried any hint of innuendo, Nalan Yiren would instantly distance herself by over ten feet. Chen Mo couldn’t even hold her hand as she refused.
Of course, if Chen Mo forced it, he could easily take Nalan Yiren anytime.
But Chen Mo understood that Nalan Yiren was different from Madam Gan and Madam Xiao.
If he forced her, she would surely hate him.
She might not kill him, but she certainly wouldn’t continue as the State Preceptor in Great Wei, leaving immediately, and it might be that he’d never find her again.
Furthermore, Chen Mo had real feelings for her, desiring both heart and body.
After leaving Yue Ruyan’s palace, Chen Mo headed towards the Observatory.
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