Manly Lady ✓

71.

Expectations

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ONE time when Yan Gen was visiting Noble Consort Su, she seems like dropping a hint somewhere and Yan Gen couldn't quite catch up to it as they drank tea in front of her garden.

"How many weeks has it been since Li-er marched out of the capital?"

"It's been a few weeks your highness" he said as he picked up the cup of tea and slowly sipped from it, acting all graceful as he tried to cover up his mistake. Yan Gen couldn't tell how many days or weeks since Zhu Mingli had gone out, all he knows is that it's been a few weeks.

Honestly, he is yet to miss Zhu Mingli since he was kept busy by managing the large estate of the wangfu and socializing with the madames of noble families. It was necessary for him to do it now that he's a wangfei, in addition, he also has to visit the Noble Consort every now and then.

"Are you feeling well? Do you feel anything weird this past few days?" Yan Gen blinked at her questions, unable to comprehend why is she asking for his health when he's perfectly fine right in front of her. "Yes, I've been feeling well, your highness"

Noble Consort Su put down her cup of tea with a serious expression "Lan-er, do you not know what ¹bengong is trying to ask of you or are you playing ignorant of it?" Yan Gen blinked again, giving her an innocent look.

"Bengong is getting old, naturally, bengong wanted to hold a grandchild" Yan Gen almost choke on the tea he's sipping. It's bad to eat and drink while making a conversation, he thought, immediately putting down the cup of tea he's holding before it slipped out of his hand.

A grandchild?

When one gets married, getting a child is what they're expecting next. However, it isn't easy for women to give birth to a child, carrying it for nine months is also hard. That's what Yan Gen heard whenever his aunts and older female cousins talk about it during their get together with the family.

He shuddered when he thought of himself getting pregnant and then giving birth to a child. Yan Gen can't just accept everything at once, he needs time to understand his new self. He mentally shook his head and made a joke "Life is unpredictable. Who knows? Zhu Mingli might come back with a child already" following it was his laugher however it soon stopped when he noticed that Noble Consort Su isn't laughing with him so his laugher became awkward at the end. He cleared his throat and tried to display an elegant smile.

"A mother knows her son well, Xiao Wu is stubborn and sometimes rash but he is sure about you. He wouldn't deliberately do something that will hurt your feelings though the Empire look down on men who indulge their women too much to the point of overlording their husbands. Xiao Wu treasure you the most and bengong hope that you'll treasure him too"

Silence reign over them for a while. This talk again... Yan Gen can only nod his head and agree with whatever Noble Consort Su is saying. He had accept that he would get turned on by a man and that he's married to Zhu Mingli. But love? Too early for him to say. Everything just came rushing to him right after he had accepted himself.

What he's afraid the most is getting pregnant so soon. Can't it wait for a year or two before he decided to carry a child or not?

Noble Consort Su seems to noticed that her daughter-in-law is getting uncomfortable so she immediately changed the subject to make the atmosphere light, getting back to their pleasant talk.

"Your highness, this one has been meaning to ask... about the Wei" he paused for a moment and observed his mother-in-law's face. "is it okay for me to visit them?" Yan Gen wanted to visit the Wei for a long time now, but he can't visit them just because he wanted to. They've been the talk of the Empire for their evil deeds and was dismissed in the court not long ago. Moreover, they were accused of many crimes though it wasn't officially recorded in the Ministry of Justice after they were granted of pardon.

If he visited them without a thought, not asking for any of the imperial family's consent, not only will he put himself in danger, the people's suspicion on the Wei clan will be re-ignited and that will definitely come right back in the imperial family.

Noble Consort Su seems to expect his request "Of course, a daughter has to visit her own family every now and then. Bengong had asked the Emperor about this. If ever the Wangfei of Li-er will try to visit her family after all her clan have gone through? and his majesty didn't deny you of meeting your clan. Wouldn't it be more inappropriate if a daughter didn't care about her own clan after getting married? In any case, your clan is out of the imperial court now. They have nothing to do with the politics, aside from you who's already married to the imperial family of course"

Yan Gen immediately stood up to kowtow "There's no need for that, we're a family after all" she said, grabbing his arm to stop his action.

The following day, Yan Gen visited his clan. He especially wants to see Wei Furen who has always dotted on him and see how his shu siblings are faring. He heard from Meigui when the Wei clan's crimes were pardoned that the members has been dispersed in the commoner's houses. Most of them have started a small business for a living. Yan Gen figured they would rather die than serve someone who was once below them. A servant life is never easy.

He was only able to locate Wei Furen along with her husband and other Shu siblings. Wei Tao's concubines left, they weren't that committed to him in the first place. What they want is shelter and riches. They can be someone else concubines again and Wei Tao was totally fine with it.

Sometimes, Yan Gen couldn't understand the men in this era.

Concubines are treated like a total playthings here that could be played again by another noble, while the legal wife is treated with respect. There are also some cases when the husband love and treasured the concubine more than his legal wife.

If Yan Gen was still a man, he wouldn't dare to sleep with someone else if he's already with someone he love. Lust and Love are different.

As for Wei Yuu, he still doesn't know his current location. Nothing was heard from him ever since the Wei was raided in their own home. Yan Gen would like to think that he's working behind the scene instead of thinking that he had turned his back on their clan because he's a coward.

It would be better if he had informed him of his well being. At least he knows that he's safe and sound. Not like this, he is not the only worrying about him but the other clan members as well.

They knew Wei Yuu well, he's no coward. He must have something up in his sleeve, doing something behind their backs.

¹Bengong- I, used by females of the imperial family. Consorts that attained the rank of concubine and above would be honoured with a residence in the main section of a palace and be able to self-title themselves as 'bengong'

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