Good Ending: She Swears She Will Not Let Him Die!

Chapter 216: Chapter 215: Trembling

Yunuo shouted loudly, ”Second Young Master, the County Princess is really unwell.”

Huo Ziming saw Princess An Ran limp on the ground, his face turned pale, and he rushed over in three steps, crouched down, and cradled his wife in his arms, ”An Ran? An Ran?”

With slender fingers clutching Huo Ziming’s sleeve tightly, Princess An Ran said tremulously, ”I didn’t refuse to kneel to the Duchess, I really couldn’t endure...”

”I know, I know,” Huo Ziming consoled her repeatedly and picked An Ran up horizontally. He said to the Old Duke’s wife, ”Old Madam, let’s have the doctor check on An Ran first. If there is any kneeling to do in the mourning hall, I’ll do it.”

The Old Duke’s wife’s face turned beet red, and she tapped her cane, ”How is that the same? An Ran is not yet old and frail, she was not sickly at all when young, and now she says she can’t kneel after just a short while? She’s only been married for three months, and now her health is failing? I must ask, how is your Enrong Bo Mansion tormenting An Ran.”

Huo Ziming was stunned on the spot. He really did not expect the Old Duke’s wife to say such words.

He was not someone with a sharp tongue, so being struck by the words of an elder, he didn’t know how to counter, and listening to this, An Ran, in his arms, was trembling with anger.

Du Yunnuo bit her lower lip tightly. She had ten or twenty harsh words that could shut the Old Duke’s wife’s mouth, but unfortunately, she couldn’t say them. She had neither the standing nor the status to talk back to the Old Duke’s wife.

Suddenly, she remembered what Mrs. Xia had said—that if she could climb higher, she would not be stopped when she smashed back the river lantern.

Du Yunnuo clenched her fists. If she were already highly placed, she would certainly retort.

A light chuckle came from not far away, followed by a low laugh.

Du Yunnuo looked towards the sound, spotting a middle-aged woman under the veranda.

The woman’s appearance was glamorous, her figure slender, looking much younger than her age, and even in plain clothing, her elegance was undeniable.

This was Duchess Rong, who had a close friendship with Madam Cheng Yi, Du Yunying’s future mother-in-law. Because of this relationship, Du Yunnuo had taken a few more glances at Duchess Rong and remembered her.

With her status, Duchess Rong spoke without much care, ”Look at what the Old Madam is saying. I had some interaction with Zhuyu in our maiden days, and I remember she wasn’t frail either. But after marrying into your mansion, she was bedridden within a few years, sick for over a decade, and now she’s gone. Truly a beauty with a fragile fate. Didn’t An Ran’s concubine just have to go back to rest also? When both the wife and concubine turn into invalids, oh, right, Old Madam, your health isn’t well either, otherwise, why would a concubine run the house? Tsk tsk, I’m curious to see how Duke Jing Mansion torments its people.”

The Old Duke’s wife trembled all over, pointing at Duchess Rong, ”You, you, you,” she stammered three times without saying another word, again interrupted by Duchess Rong.

”Why are we standing around? Quickly let An Ran lie down first.”

Huo Ziming came to his senses, saluted Duchess Rong. Since marrying An Ran, he hadn’t been to the Duke Mansion often, so he didn’t know the way in the back courtyard. Du Yunnuo noticed this and quickly led the way to Princess An Ran’s former boudoir.

Duchess Rong turned to instruct her maid, ”Go invite a doctor, don’t dawdle.”

After she finished the instructions, she glanced at the weak Princess An Ran and shook her head slowly.

She didn’t like Princess An Ran’s spoiled temper, but she looked even less favorably at Duke Jing Mansion’s actions.

Out of selfish motives, they favored An Ran for more than ten years, spoiling the child’s temper. When she was no longer useful, they wanted to kick her out.

And not just to anyone, but to Chengyi Bo Mansion, while trying to leverage past favors. Duchess Rong, close with Madam Cheng Yi, was almost infuriated when she found out.

Though the marriage didn’t happen, Duchess Rong had a very poor impression of Duke Jing Mansion.

She came to offer incense today, partly out of propriety and partly because she was friendly with the Young Master’s wife. Who knew she’d witness this scene?

At this point, the Old Duke’s wife was still making things difficult for An Ran, really thinking everyone coming to pay respects was blind and stupid?

Others might have been held back by propriety but she had no need to cater to the Old Duke’s wife.

One could bully, but not like this.

The Liao Family was still in charge of the household, and Princess An Ran’s boudoir was kept very clean.

Huo Ziming laid An Ran on the bed, sat down on the side, frowning at his heavily breathing wife.

Du Yunnuo stayed in the courtyard waiting, the doctor hadn’t arrived yet, but Aunt Liao and the Liao family came upon hearing the news.

Aunt Liao entered the room, seeing the situation, she exclaimed, ”Are they trying to kill me?”

The doctor arrived with An Ran’s brother.

The young man was so anxious his eyes were red, though he still had to calmly comfort Aunt Liao.

The doctor took the pulse and said, ”The County Princess is pregnant.”

At his words, everyone froze.

Huo Ziming was the first to react, eyes wide, ”Pregnant? I’m going to have a child? Is the child okay? Is An Ran okay?”

Remembering to ask about An Ran showed just a bit of conscience.

After some consideration, the doctor said, ”Not quite two months along, the fetus is unstable, it’s best to rest more, don’t kneel like before.”

With these words, everyone understood what it meant.

Huo Ziming’s face turned livid, asking Aunt Liao to care for An Ran, he turned and went to the front.

Aunt Liao understood his thoughts, quickly having her son and Du Yunnuo follow. This matter couldn’t be settled quietly but should not be blown out of proportion either, pulling back at the key moment would suffice.

Du Yunnuo jogged to catch up.

The Old Duke’s wife had already returned to the Flower Hall, angrily telling the Old Duke about Princess An Ran’s shortcomings and complaining about Duchess Rong’s bullying.

The Old Duke, holding a tea cup, became impatient and said, ”You really should have just had a doctor look at An Ran when she collapsed. Whether sick or not, the doctor would know. Now, someone else has brought the doctor and if they throw some silver around and make up stories, what will we do?”

”Make up stories? How?” Huo Ziming happened to hear this as he stepped outside the Flower Hall, and he fumed instantly. Before, as a junior, he had to be forbearing, not being one to engage in verbal sparring. But now knowing An Ran was pregnant, he couldn’t restrain himself.

”Is this how you talk to your elders?” the Old Duke’s wife slammed the table, ”Well, tell me, what’s up with An Ran? If not clear, with the way you two behaved today, I’ll have your father and mother come and have a talk with me!”

Huo Ziming stiffened his neck, ”An Ran couldn’t kneel because she’s pregnant. The doctor said she just conceived, and it’s unstable. Kneeling so long almost caused an incident. Old Madam, if you don’t want to invite my parents for tea, they’ll be coming to visit anyway.”

Pregnant?

The Old Duke’s wife gasped, knowing An Ran’s character, she raised her eyebrows, ”How could it be such a coincidence? Was she plotting against me?”