Chapter 44：Childhood

Fu Yanqing was satisfied with the turn of events. He knew his mother would be like this. How long has she waited for this day to happen? Fu Yanqing had already planned on marrying his little woman and was determined to bind her to him.

Anyone who dares to stop him, even if that person was his mother, he would show no mercy.

"Yan'er, girl, how far along is your pregnancy? You must be hungry after traveling a long time. Come, come. Sit and let us eat before the food gets cold. Xiao Lang, this child, take care of your little bride. Look at how small and thin she is!"

Zhao Yan glanced at Fu Yanqing but he merely gave her a mysterious smile without revealing anything.

He walked to her and placed an arm around her waist. His sudden action to initiate intimacy made her slightly uncomfortable but she calmed her heart down.

"Yanyan is four months into her pregnancy. Are you happy, mother? Your son is going to get married after two and a half decades of waiting." Fu Yanqing said with a sharp gaze. Zhao Yan ignored his intense gaze and was busy minding the hand on her side that was rubbing her stomach.

How could he be so direct and unashamed while doing this? Zhao Yan discreetly grabbed his hand, urging him to stop.

"Yes, yes. You win. This mother of yours will not stop you. Now...Yan'er, girl, this Dowager will take care of your wedding and dowry before you get married. No need to worry anymore. Xiao Lang explained everything to me."

Zhao Yan smiled cheerfully. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Zhao Yan is very happy. "

The Empress Dowager became excited after seeing such a kind and beautiful face. The tone was soft and the words filled with gratitude. The Empress Dowager was very satisfied with this daughter-in-law.

The three sat down to eat at the table. The food was reheated while the servants busied themselves to attend to them. Jae Ha and Chun Lan were watching Zhao Yan like a pair of hawks. Their young lady was so naughty. What if she did something and had an accident?

She was a doctor but she could be so careless, ah!

The Empress Dowager kept talking to Zhao Yan and was very interested in how Zhao Yan met her son. She also asked about Zhao Yan's family and if they knew she was getting married.

Both the two were sensitive topics that made Zhao Yan uncomfortable.

Fu Yanqing saw this and answered for her.

"Imperial Mother, do you remember that your son disappeared and was gone for one and a half month?"

The Empress Dowager nodded. How could she not remember? The b ▪ t c h her dead husband favored and the ungrateful white eyed wolf his son had raised stabbed his son on the back and poisoned him!

The Empress Dowager thought she had lost her only son because of that! Her son disappeared for one and a half month. Almost everyone thought he was dead.

She didn't care much anymore about what happened when he disappeared because when the Empress Dowager saw her son was back and was alive, she was too happy to ask. The important thing was that he was alive.

"When I was gone, it was Yanyan who saved me. She knows medicine and acupuncture." Fu Yanqing explained while gazing at his little woman with a proud look.

So her son was saved because of this little girl? The Empress Dowager smiled even wider. "Yan'er, good child. This old one is very grateful to you for saving Xiao Lang." This was good. Her daughter-in-law knows medicine so she wouldn't be totally defenseless.

But the Empress Dowager was a bit worried. Zhao Yan was pregnant and was very vulnerable. What if those ministry officials got wind of this and used this against his son?

Her fist clenched angrily. This was her fat grandson just waiting to be held by her. She would not let those snakes get away with it if something were to happen.

With this in mind, she began to talk yet again with Zhao Yan, reminding her what needs to be done and what things should be avoided now that she was pregnant.

Zhao Yan blinked and stared at her mother-in-law. She forgot that Zhao Yan was a doctor and already has an idea on this kind of stuff...

Well, anyway, Zhao Yan herself only knows the things she had learned from her grandfather. It was still different having another woman's opinion and one who has gone through the same thing.

This was the first time Fu Yanqing had felt jealous and it was over his own mother. How could his little woman just ignore him when Fu Yanqing was so close to her?

Naturally, the servants who had seen his expression were sweating bullets out of nervousness. They dare not say anything and was determined not to make any mistakes, in fear that Prince Jing would take his anger out on them.

"Yan'er, if my son dares to bully you, just tell mother and I will scold him for you. Don't let yourself suffer any grievances. Now that you are pregnant, you must pay special attention to your health. "

Zhao Yan laughed. The Empress Dowager was moving a little too fast. Zhao Yan wasn't married just yet to Fu Yanqing. That was still three days from now but she indulged the older woman who was obviously very happy at the moment.

Because Zhao Yan has never had a proper conversation with a woman much older than her, she was very patient and listened attentively to the Empress Dowager. Zhao Yan especially listened when she talked about Fu Yanqing and shared memories of Fu Yanqing's childhood.

How he was a very quiet child who preferred to read books than play outside. That he was already training his martial arts and rarely went out to attend banquets or feast. That even though he might seem cold and indifferent, he was a very deep person at heart and was kind to people who were kind to him and ruthless to those who had wronged him.

At the age of fifteen, he went to the battlefield and fought in the frontlines for the sake of the country. He sacrificed his youthful years to lead the country to victory. Even when he came back, it was to fight with the court officials and ministers in order to rid the throne from corruption.

It wasn't an easy task and he had suffered greatly, always maintaining his guard and never trusting anyone. He especially has a grudge against women in general because of what happened when he was young.

The Empress Dowager feared that he would never get married which is why she made a careless move.

Though Zhao Yan acted like it wasn't a big deal but deep inside her, she still hasn't forgiven Fu Yanqing from what he did. Still, she was more than ready to forget about the past as long as he was willing to treat her and her child with care.

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