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The messenger delivering the letter was Shu Ying, a guard under Xiao Jinyan’s command, who stood upright outside the tent, reporting respectfully.

Weichi had been guarding the entrance, and it was because of his reminder that Shu Ying didn’t rashly barge in.

Lying on the bed inside the tent, Xiao Jinyan had just fallen asleep when he heard of the letter from the Imperial Palace, and his eyes snapped open.

A single oil lamp left inside the tent made the top of the tent visible.

Before leaving, Xiao Jinyan had instructed that he be informed immediately of any matters concerning Shen Chuwei.

Now, hearing of the letter from the palace, he couldn’t help but worry if something had happened to Shen Chuwei?

Was his father making things difficult for Xiao Jiu again?

Xiao Jinyan threw off the blanket and got out of bed, ordering, "Come in."

With the command given, Shu Ying lifted the tent’s curtain and walked in.

Weichi also entered, lighting six more oil lamps.

The interior of the tent, originally dark, instantly became brightly lit.

Xiao Jinyan’s stern phoenix eyes swept toward Shu Ying, "The letter? Bring it here for me to see."

Shu Ying moved forward two steps, presenting the letter with both hands.

Xiao Jinyan’s lips pressed tightly, he took the letter from Shu Ying’s hands, his slender fingers swiftly opening it and pulling out the inside letter, and then he flicked it open.

There were only five words on the letter, "Lady Shen is pregnant!"

It was these five words that Xiao Jinyan read over and over for a long time.

He went through each character, afraid he might have missed something.

Xiao Jiu is pregnant!

Even after confirming that he had not read incorrectly, Xiao Jinyan still stared at those five words, reading them again and again.

Xiao Jiu is pregnant.

It brought him more joy than winning a battle.

Xiao Jinyan looked at the letter for a long time, then raised his phoenix eyes towards Shu Ying, "Who wrote this letter?"

Shu Ying replied respectfully, "Master, it’s Little Rabbit."

Little Rabbit had been with Shen Chuwei for a long time, so if he sent the letter, it had to be true.

Xiao Jinyan looked down at the letter again.

Weichi watched as his master kept staring at the letter, this was the first time he had ever seen his master repeatedly scrutinize a letter. He had glanced at it, and there weren’t many words on it.

Xiao Jinyan couldn’t control the excitement in his heart, walking back and forth with the letter in hand inside the tent.

Weichi, watching his master’s actions, couldn’t help but ask, "Master, what’s happened?"

Xiao Jinyan lifted his eyes to scan over Weichi.

Weichi was startled and quickly bowed his head in deference.

"Good news, great news," Xiao Jinyan said, still unable to contain his excited emotions as he paced back and forth.

Weichi hadn’t expected his master to respond, and seeing that his master was in a good mood, he mustered the courage to ask, "Master, what is this great joy?"

Xiao Jinyan shared his elation generously, "I am going to be a father."

Xiao Jinyan thought he was sharing his joy, but to Weichi, it sounded like blatant bragging.

Weichi and Shu Ying congratulated him in unison.

"Congratulations, Master, our warmest felicitations."

At that moment, Xiao Jinyan was overwhelmed with excitement, as if the fatigue from before had never existed.

After Weichi and Shu Ying had left, Xiao Jinyan lay on the bed, too excited to sleep.

Xiao Jiu is pregnant!

Amidst his excitement, he also felt guilt that he couldn’t be by Xiao Jiu’s side all the time.

He simply couldn’t leave now. Leaving would destabilize the army’s morale.

The next day, Xiao Jinyan wrote a reply, folded it neatly into an envelope, and had Shu Ying take it back.

Holding the letter, Shu Ying mounted a tall horse and left the military camp.

Xiao Jinyan, clad in Kirin armor, watched as Shu Ying swiftly rode away. With a Fangtian halberd in hand, he mounted his tall warhorse and once again led his troops to meet the enemy in battle.

Now, all Xiao Jinyan could think about was to quickly win the battle so that he could return to the capital as soon as possible.

*

Shen Chuwei had originally thought it would take Chun Xi a long time to ponder and digest the Chapters on the gestation of life.

But Chun Xi had stayed up all night and had figured out the Chapters on childbearing—

She previously lacked any concept of an embryo more than a month old, but now she referred to the embryo as a baby directly.

For example, right now,

Shen Chuwei was lying on a rattan chair eating cherries.

She’d asked the butler’s wife to make ice cream, but because she was sleepy from her pregnancy, feeling heavy, and too lazy to move, her request was denied.

Chun Xi was fanning her with a palm-leaf fan.

"Miss, shall we tell the baby a story?" Chun Xi suggested.

Shen Chuwei, after taking a bite of a cherry, replied, "It’s only the size of a fingertip and can’t hear anything."

Chun Xi was earnest, "Fetal education should start early to develop habits. That way, when the baby is born, it will be as intelligent and wise as Your Highness."

Shen Chuwei, holding back a laugh, said, "You even know about prenatal education?"

"It’s written in the book, prenatal education is very important." Worrying that Shen Chuwei might not believe her, Chun Xi took out the prenatal education book she carried with her and flipped to the relevant Chapter to show her.

When Shen Chuwei casually glanced at the cover of the book in Chun Xi’s hand while biting a cherry, she was momentarily stunned.

The book Chun Xi held was not a biology book, but clearly a prenatal education book.

Although the title was "Prenatal Education," the content was explained in greater detail than biology, precisely describing how a woman becomes pregnant, what she can and cannot eat, what she can and cannot do, and how big the baby should be at various weeks—all very clearly written.

Not only that, but it also included color illustrations to allow for a more intuitive understanding.

The night before, she’d grabbed a book without looking carefully and took the wrong one—

In the early morning, while Shen Chuwei woke up naturally and hadn’t opened her eyes yet, she heard Chun Xi’s extremely gentle voice, "Baby, it’s morning now!"

Slowly opening her eyes, Shen Chuwei saw Chun Xi leaning over the bed, talking to her belly with a voice full of tenderness and eyes even softer—

Having been with Chun Xi for so long, Shen Chuwei had never seen Chun Xi look at her and talk with such tender eyes and tone.

Instead, she was more like a nagging old nursemaid.

Chun Xi embodied the perfect distinction in treatment.

"Miss, let’s get up and have breakfast."

After breakfast, Shen Chuwei lay on the rattan chair and suddenly craved something spicy.

She turned her head towards Chun Xi, who was fanning her, "Let’s have hot pot for lunch."

Chun Xi rejected immediately, "Miss, you can’t have spicy foods now; they can cause heartburn and constipation."

Shen Chuwei sighed, "If I can’t eat this or that, what’s the point of living?"

"Ptui, ptui, ptui!" Chun Xi spat three times, "Miss, how can you say such inauspicious things?"

Shen Chuwei looked at Chun Xi. "I really miss His Highness."

Chun Xi looked at Shen Chuwei with confusion.

Shen Chuwei continued, "If His Highness were here, he certainly wouldn’t forbid me from eating this or that."

Chun Xi: "..."

In the afternoon,

Qin Xiao came in carrying some items and saw Chun Xi. Fearing she would hide from him like last time, he quickly walked over and grabbed Chun Xi’s wrist.

Chun Xi looked up and saw Qin Xiao’s handsome face and those deep, dark eyes staring at her, the gaze resembling that of a predator fixated on its prey.

Qin Xiao couldn’t help but ask, "Why do you always avoid me? Do I look that fierce?"

Defiantly, Chun Xi retorted, "Who’s avoiding you?"

Qin Xiao said, "Last time you saw me and ran away."

"I was busy." Chun Xi’s face betrayed her, flushing red, and her eyes moved to the things in Qin Xiao’s hands, knowing they were for the mistress.