Chapter 195
"You know what happened after that," Cai Damei said, touching the two scars on her neck.
Flashes of Cai Shuyi's screams and Bao Min's despair appeared in her mind.
"Mother, what are your thoughts about him?"
"While I was poisoned, although I couldn't move or speak, I was conscious. I knew everything outsiders did and said to me."
"Perhaps he had unspeakable difficulties."
"Are you pleading for him?"
"No, I just feel... Mother, you need someone to accompany you."
She didn't want Cai Damei to grow old alone.
"Don't I have you and Shushu?"
"It's different." It was only after getting married that Ye Yunniang realized the companionship of children was different from that of a partner.
Cai Damei understood what Ye Yunniang meant.
She didn't need it.
Ye Yunniang understood and promised Cai Damei she wouldn't try to persuade her anymore.
By evening, Jiang Mingzhe returned.
Returning with him was an imperial edict.
Jiang Mingzhe had followed the eunuch into the palace to have an audience with the Emperor.
The Emperor was very satisfied with what Jiang Mingzhe had done in the Yan State and was fulfilling his promise.
He conferred the title of Count Suyan upon Jiang Mingzhe, but there was a condition.
Jiang Mingzhe had to marry Princess Yanping as his primary wife, demoting Ye Yunniang to a noble concubine.
Crash.
The cup slipped from her hand, the tea soaking her clothes.
Ignoring her wet clothes, Ye Yunniang stared at Jiang Mingzhe.
"You agreed?"
Jiang Mingzhe immediately went to Ye Yunniang's side to check if she was scalded.
"Change your clothes first."
"It wasn't hot water," Ye Yunniang stopped Jiang Mingzhe.
Jiang Mingzhe firmly supported Ye Yunniang to the bedroom to change.
After she changed, he helped her lie down on the couch.
"Do you have so little faith in me?"
"That's a Count's title." A title that would allow Jiang Mingzhe to change his family's social standing, ascending to the aristocracy, allowing him to stand tall before others.
Even if it were herself, Ye Yunniang couldn't say she would refuse.
"I signed an agreement, you are the only one for me in this life," Jiang Mingzhe smiled.
"If you hadn't signed the agreement, you would have agreed, wouldn't you?" Ye Yunniang pressed tightly, releasing her grip on Jiang Mingzhe's hand.
"No." Jiang Mingzhe grasped Ye Yunniang's cold hands again.
In the business world, for the sake of profit, Jiang Mingzhe wasn't ruthless enough to ruin a rival's family completely, but he had often driven people out of business and forced them to flee to distant lands.
When traveling and encountering bandits, ruffians, or robbers, he had also done his fair share of wiping them out completely.
"I, Jiang Mingzhe, am a merchant, and I value profit. I will not make a loss-making deal."
"What do you mean?" Ye Yunniang was confused by these words.
Jiang Mingzhe didn't answer immediately. He kissed Ye Yunniang's hand.
Rather than a kiss, it was more like a bite.
Ye Yunniang pulled her hand back; there were teeth marks.
"Were you born in the year of the dog?"
"This is your punishment for not believing in me."
"Anyone knows how to choose between a humble wife and wealth and glory," Ye Yunniang muttered. It was normal for her to be suspicious.
Ye Yunniang turned away, not wanting to talk to Jiang Mingzhe.
Her turning motion was too big, and her stomach hurt a bit. "Ouch."
"What's wrong?" Jiang Mingzhe leaned over to look at Ye Yunniang's belly. "Did Yuanyuan kick you again?"
"Leave me alone." Ye Yunniang pushed Jiang Mingzhe's hand away, holding her belly feeling wronged.
"Go, go marry your wealth and glory." Ye Yunniang felt more heartbroken the more she thought about it, and supported herself on the couch to get up.
She would take her child and mother back to Jiangcheng, so as not to be an eyesore here.
"You are not allowed to go anywhere." Worried, Jiang Mingzhe raised his voice a bit.
"Are you yelling at me?" Ye Yunniang looked at Jiang Mingzhe in disbelief.
Sure enough, her mother was right. Men don't cherish what they've already obtained. Ye Yunniang was even more determined to get off the bed.
"Your stomach is uncomfortable, you can't go anywhere," Jiang Mingzhe explained.
"You are going to marry the princess and become a Count. There will be plenty of women to bear your children. Why do you still care whether Yuanyuan and I live or die? Move away." Ye Yunniang pushed Jiang Mingzhe.
Since when was he going to marry the princess?
Seeing Ye Yunniang's aggrieved and tearful appearance, Jiang Mingzhe remembered what the doctor had said and instantly lost his temper.
He hugged her with a force that wouldn't hurt her, yet wouldn't let her break free.
"Yunniang, listen to me, okay?"
Ye Yunniang struggled a few times until she was tired, snorted, and turned her head away.
"I did not agree to the Emperor's condition.
I told him that I will only marry Ye Yunniang in this life. I could not agree to his condition and was willing to give up the reward of being Count Suyan."
"You flatly refused him. Did the Emperor punish you?" Ye Yunniang felt Jiang Mingzhe up and down, checking him for injuries.
Jiang Mingzhe held Ye Yunniang's hands. "The Emperor didn't punish me."
"Really?"
"Absolutely true. Do I look like I have injuries on me?"
Ye Yunniang examined Jiang Mingzhe; he didn't look injured.
"The Emperor just accepted your refusal?"
"The Emperor is a wise ruler. He didn't punish me; instead, he gave me an imperial edict." Jiang Mingzhe brought the edict over and handed it to Ye Yunniang.
Ye Yunniang waved her hand; she didn't dare touch it.
This was an imperial edict, not something a lowly woman like her should touch.
"I'll hold it for you to read." Jiang Mingzhe unrolled the edict, letting Ye Yunniang read its contents.
Ye Yunniang carefully looked at the edict, her pupils dilating as she read the words.
"This, this, this..." Ye Yunniang trembled, not knowing what to say.
"The contents of the edict are real. The Emperor did not blame me for refusing. He officially conferred the title of Count Suyan upon me, and you, Ye Yunniang, are the Countess."
Hearing this, Ye Yunniang closed her eyes and lost consciousness.
"Yunniang!"
The doctor came to take her pulse; she had fainted due to excessive stimulation.
Ye Yunniang's emotional reaction was too intense, causing premature labor.
The doctor applied acupuncture to wake Ye Yunniang up and informed her that she was about to give birth.
The delivery room and everything else were already prepared.
The midwife was carried into the courtyard on Qiushuang's shoulder.
Cai Damei received the news and rushed over.
"Why is Yunniang going into premature labor?"
Jiang Mingzhe explained the matter of the imperial edict in a few words.
Cai Damei, who also felt like fainting, said, "Wait until Yunniang gives birth, then I'll settle the score with you."
Cai Damei entered the delivery room and locked Jiang Mingzhe outside.
Listening to Ye Yunniang's cries, Jiang Mingzhe was extremely anxious.
Jiang Mingzhe paced back and forth anxiously outside, bumping into Chen Xiang who was following behind him.
"Go help out, don't be annoying here."
Chen Xiang complied, muttering in his heart that this was all trouble Jiang Mingzhe brought upon himself.
"What did you say?"
Unconsciously, Chen Xiang had spoken his thoughts out loud.
"Your subordinate is happy that we are about to have a little master."
"Go to Manji to buy red date cakes right now, and be back in half an hour."
Manji pastry shop was in the east of the city; it took half an hour just to walk there.
"Master,"
"Go quickly. Madam wants to eat it."
"Yes." Chen Xiang accepted his fate and sprinted away.
Jiang Mingzhe walked to the door and listened closely to the movements inside the room.
Why wasn't Ye Yunniang making a sound?
"Mother, how is Yunniang? Why is there no sound?" Jiang Mingzhe banged on the door.
Ye Yunniang endured the pain, listening to the increasingly urgent banging on the door outside.
She frowned; it was so noisy.
Cai Damei opened the door.
Jiang Mingzhe wanted to go in but was stopped by Cai Damei.
"Why isn't Yunniang crying out anymore? She's not making a sound. Did something happen? Mother, let me in."
At this moment, Jiang Mingzhe had lost all his composure, as anxious and restless as a callow youth.
Cai Damei was speechless. If Yunniang kept screaming, she would use up all her energy, and how would she have the strength when it was time to give birth?
"Is Yunniang alright?"
"She's fine for now. Just stay put and don't cause any trouble."