“What is your opinion on this?”
“What is there to think about, mom? As I have mentioned from the beginning, I have no intention of becoming a bride. Please do not be concerned with it.”
Qin Shi was on the verge of losing her temper at Su Jin’s apathetic behaviour, but she didn’t get a chance to flare up because matchmaker Lin intervened and started persuading Su Jin with a smile.
“This scholar from the Xu family is a promising young lad with great potential for a bright future. Do not make impulsive decisions, girlie from the Su family. There might not be another opportunity like this in the village if you pass it up today.”
(Who gives a damn about getting married to the only scholar in this village? You are speaking to the future owner of a chain restaurant!)
Su Jin began to grow tired of the conversation, so she forced out a fake smile and retired to her room for some rest.
Seeing that Su Jin had displayed no inclination towards the proposal, Qin Shi politely declined matchmaker Lin on Su Jin’s behalf.
But there was no way the reputable matchmaker would back down without putting up a good struggle. She intended to make another attempt to convince Su Jin but the person in question had already left. Left with no other choice, matchmaker Lin worked on the mother’s route instead. However, Qin Shi would only engage in non-committal conversation without making any promises.
It was not until evening that matchmaker Lin finally departed without any results.
“Tsk… two taels of silver that was within reach just slipped from my grasp. That Su Jin is totally unappreciative and clueless about what is beneficial for her.” There was nothing more she could do other than to complain.
Qin Shi’s throat was parched from being forced to engage in the lengthy conversation. She chugged an entire jug of water to quench her thirst.
Seeing that her daughter-in-law had finished preparations for dinner, she proceeded straight to Su Jin’s room where she found her lying flat on the bed in an unusual sleeping position. She was unsure whether to be angry or amused.
“What kind of sleeping position is this? Are you trying to be funny? It is almost time for dinner, wake up.” She reached out and woke her daughter up with a pat while continuing to nag at her. “What’s going on in your mind? A girl will eventually have to get married sooner or later. If you do not choose a life partner seriously while you are in your prime, you’ll end up with undesirable leftover candidates in the future.”
Su Jin had no intention of being comical. Ever since learning that she was pregnant, she had been acutely mindful of any posture that might potentially harm the foetus. After a series of tossing and turning around, she ultimately decided that lying flat on her back was the optimal position.
System: “…”
System#2250 felt at a loss and perplexed. It had provided Su Jin with comprehensive knowledge on pregnancy and childbirth, but she was still struggling with it. For someone who lacked prior interest in having children just a few moments ago, she was now exhibiting greater concern and consideration than anyone else.
“Mom… I am expecting…”
Su Jin was not fond of concealing information from her family. Had there been no strangers present when she returned, she would have divulged it immediately the moment she entered the house. She saw no reason to feel ashamed or be embarrassed about.
Qin Shi felt as though a bolt of lightning had stuck her. Her legs went limp and her body almost wobbled to the ground, if not for Su Jin preventing it in time with her quick reactions.
Was her mother overwhelmed with joy by the unexpected pleasant surprise?
System: “…”
(How clueless can my host possibly be!?!?)
“Jin-er, mom did not catch what you just said? My ears must have gone bad.”
Qin Shi tightly held Su Jin’s hands with hopeful eyes, wishing that her ears had played a trick on her.
Although Su Jin hesitated slightly, she ultimately chose to be honest. After all, she could not conceal it forever. It was better to quickly get it over with than prolong the agony.
She maintained a serious demeanour as she repeated herself, “Mom, it is not a misinterpretation on your part. I am pregnant. The physician at the medical hall verified it after examining my pulse today.”
It felt as though the sky came crashing down and Qin Shi’s breathing started to become irregular. Her lips were quivering, but words did not come out from her mouth. Her throat felt like it had been obstructed by unknown lumps of mass. After struggling for some time, she finally exhaled a deep sigh.
Qin Shi gazed at the daughter she had raised and felt a profound melancholy weighing down upon her heart. She covered her face with her pair of coarse palms and contemplated on how to deal with this situation.
Su Jin felt terrible after witnessing her mother in a state of distress. A tinge of remorse crept into her heart for having acted impulsively. Considering the fact that she now existed in an ancient era that embraced conservative practices, pregnancy before marriage was something that would be frowned upon by the society.
However, since the child had come into existence, abortion was no longer an option for her either. It was meant to be, and she would raise the baby with love.
While Su Jin was pondering on methods to console her mother, Qin Shi wiped away her tears. After letting out a sigh that sounded to be less agonizing than the earlier one, she asked Su Jin, “What do you intend to do with the child? Who is the child’s father?”
Su Jin paused briefly, as she wondered how much detail she should include in explaining the circumstances surrounding her child. In the face of her mother who had tears welling up in her eyes, she could not bring herself to fabricate any falsehoods. Su Jin confessed everything honestly to Qin Shi, except for her transmigration into Su Jin’s body, including the father of the child.
After listening attentively to the entire story, Qin Shi ceased shedding tears. For a while, she stared at Su Jin with a complex expression, displaying a jumbled up mesh of conflicting emotions. She was uncertain about the appropriate emotion to display here, whether to weep or to feel relieved and glad.
Her daughter had violated the innocence of a man… It was an awkward way of thinking for someone who was deeply entrenched with conventional beliefs and values.
Nevertheless, she was extremely relieved that Xiao Jin had managed to return home safely despite facing numerous ordeals. It was a silver lining in her misfortunate journey. Qin Shi clasped her palms together and bowed towards the sky, expressing her gratitude to the gods for their protection.
Compared to her daughter’s struggles, getting pregnant before marriage no longer seemed like a big issue. As long as her daughter was safe and sound, it was all that mattered to Qin Shi.
“Alright… Now that things have unfolded like this, you should pay extra attention to your body and ensure the safe delivery of the baby. Mother will assist you with raising the child.”
Qin Shi sighed as she came to terms with the situation. At worst, she could take care of her grandchild round-the-clock. Since the child already had three uncles, the upbringing and exposure would not differ significantly from a typical family.
After composing her thoughts, she continued speaking, “Regarding the child’s father… If anyone raises that question in the future, let’s stick with the narrative that you have gotten married while you were away from home, but unfortunately, your husband succumbed to an illness and you had to return alone. It would be helpful to minimize harmful speculations from spreading in the future since that could have adverse impact on the child.”
While some people might not be convinced of the story, it served as a feasible backstory to avoid immediate societal discrimination.
Su Jin was not bothered by it at all, but she understood that her mother was doing it for her sake and obediently complied with it.
“Now that you have made the decision to give birth to this child, it is important to mentally prepare yourself for the possibility of remaining single for life, since it would be difficult to find a partner willing to take in a wife who had kids. Do not hold the child responsible for the choices you have made.”
Qin Shi gently patted Su Jin’s hand and comforted her. “Well, get some proper rest and refrain from moving around unnecessarily from now onwards. If there is any particular dish you crave for, let mom know and I’ll be sure to prepare it for you.”
Su Jin caressed her belly gently and made a strong commitment. “Do not worry, mom. I will safely give birth to and raise the child with lots of love. I will never regret it!”
After all, it was the first gift she had received in this world.
Meanwhile, within the Qingping Temple on the outskirts of the capital city, a Taoist priest donned in white robe and with a flowing beard that seemed to suggest he was in his sixties, abruptly rose up from his tuffet. He glanced up in awe from the constellation tower and observed the stars that began to illuminate the sky with their brilliance.
He grabbed a compass from his pockets with trembling hands, all the while concentrating on deciphering the divination.
“Quickly get my carriage ready, I must inform His Majesty about this immediately…”
The young disciples were taken aback, but swiftly responded and started making preparations for his departure.
Emperor Ming Yuan was seated upright with a frown at his desk inside Taihe hall. With a fixated gaze, he focused intently on the report before him, his facial expression revealing a hint of frustration.
After perusing the contents of the report, which pertained to the appointment of the crown prince to the throne, he slammed it on the table with a resounding thud.
He tapped on his desk lightly and a guard dressed in black appeared instantly out of nowhere like a phantom, kneeling respectfully below him.
In a commanding tone, he gave an order, “Go and investigate the recent activities of the first prince, including those he had been in contact with. Report back immediately once you make any new findings.”
“As you command…”
Upon acknowledging the order, the guard vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there at all.
Soon after, the Head Eunuch Changde rushed into the hall, out of breath, and quietly conveyed to the emperor, “Your Majesty, Priest Qingyun of the Qingping Temple is outside and wishes to have an audience. He mentioned that he has important information to report to Your Majesty.”
Emperor Ming Yuan Di raised his head in surprise. “Priest Qingyun made a trip here? Let him in immediately… Never mind, I will go see him myself.” As he finished his words, the Emperor flicked the long sleeves of his robe and swiftly left the hall.
When Priest Qingyun saw the arrival of Emperor Ming Yuan, he bowed humbly and performed a Taoist ritual to pay respects to the Emperor. “Dispense with the formalities, Priest Qingyun,” the Emperor uttered as he walked forward and supported the priest. He was delighted by the priest’s visit, “I heard that the priest has important news for me. Could there be some breakthrough in the search for a treatment for Prince Li’s condition?”
The priest ran his hand through his beard as he slowly shook his head with a solemn expression without a word.
With that, the Emperor understood that some other major event must have happened, and instantly transitioned into a serious expression. He promptly ushered the priest into the inner hall and dismissed all the servants within to discuss the issue confidentially.
“You may speak without reservations, Priest Qingyun.”
“While observing the stars today from the constellation tower, this subject had spotted the emergence of three unusual radiant stars. Would Your Majesty like to make a conjecture on the interpretation of the divination? It is the omen for the Star of the Emperor! ”
The news left Emperor Ming Yuan in a state of disbelief and he anxiously inquired, “Have you verified it? Where is the location of the Emperor Star now?”
Taoist Qingyun shook his head and answered, “Had it been just a single star, this priest might have passed it off as my aged vision playing a trick on me. But after cross-checking with another method of divination, I have validated the descent of a pair of binary stars, and a lucky star gleaming brightly to grant its blessings.”
“Not only one, but two Emperor Stars!? What exactly on earth is going on..?”
This was an unprecedented event that had never occurred in the annals of history. Whether the omen was a blessing or a curse remained as an uncertainty. The priest let out a heavy sigh upon finishing his words and he appeared to be troubled from his brows.
What lies ahead for them? Would the world descend into an era of chaos? After a century of serenity and peaceful reign, would the populace be able to adapt…
“Is it possible for the Taoist priest to determine the precise location of the stars from the trajectory of the descent?” Emperor Ming Yuan inquired while pacing back and forth with feelings of unease.
“I am unable to pinpoint their exact location, but these three peculiar stars made their first appearance approximately two months ago, hovering dimly within the cosmos amidst a sea of darkness. Today, they began to emit a brilliant glow without any known explanation. That was how I was able to briefly catch a glimpse of them,” the priest replied softly.
Even Priest Qingyun had been left puzzled by the appearance of the three stars. They had been vague and elusive before, as though they might vanish at any moment. Although he was cautious, he gave little heed to their presence. Little did he know that the three stars would emerge today and rise in prominence in an unyielding manner.
Emperor Ming Yuan felt his heart sinking. If the Emperor Star did not take root within the royal lineage, it would inevitably pose a threat to the current reign in the future.
“Didn’t the priest confirm in the past that Prince Li had received the blessing of the Emperor Star? Why did more of them appear at a timing like this…” Emperor Ming Yuan asked in deep thoughts.
“Prince Li’s star divination was akin to a dragon trapped within shallow waters. After overcoming a life and death tribulation, he would be able to soar freely into the skies. Your Majesty need not worry about him anymore as he had successfully overcome his ordeal. As for these three peculiar stars, please forgive this subject’s inability to establish the connections and implications between them… Heaven’s will remain a mystery.” Priest Qingyun replied calmly.
Upon hearing that Prince Li’s ordeal was over, Emperor Ming Yuan’s mood improved significantly. He no longer concerned himself with the peculiar stars and paced back-and-forth excitedly as he exclaimed, “Fantastic! This is the best piece of news I have received lately.”
TL Corner: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Do let me know in the comments or discord if there are any errors or mistakes.
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Thank you!
