Chapter 193 – Double Rebirth 3

 

When choosing to die at Baihe Ridge, Chen Jingzong had thought whether she would shed tears for him.

Now Hua Yang was in his arms, not only did she drop a lot of golden beads for him, but she also admitted that she regretted not treating him better.

Chen Jingzong felt that his death in the previous life was not in vain.

But because his mouth was not covered and had to mentions that one quarter of an hour’s matter, Hua Yang also came out of the heavy sadness of the previous life.

The two were still hugging each other, and his chest was wet with her tears.

Hua Yang could also imagine her embarrassed look, so she pushed him away and said with lowered eyes: “I want to wipe my face.”

Chen Jingzong immediately went to get her a towel.

Hua Yang unfolded the warm towel and applied it to her face, only then she felt her swollen eyes felt comfortable, and her face was refreshed.

She wiped for a while before returning the towel to Chen Jingzong.

Chen Jingzong wiped it on himself.

Hua Yang couldn’t help but reveal a trace of disgust.

Chen Jingzong raised his eyebrows: “Why? I didn’t mind using your used towel, but you’re complaining that I am not particular?”

Hua Yang had quarrelled with him not long ago, and now she was not in the mood for another one. She got out of bed, walked to the dressing table, picked up the comb and combed her hair.

Chen Jingzong stood behind her chair and looked at her through the mirror.

The princess’s black hair was like clouds, with a few strands dampened near her temples. The corners of her eyes were slightly red, yet it seemed as if they had been carefully applied with rouge, exuding a bit of pitiful and delicate look.

Chen Jingzong smiled and put one hand on her shoulder: “You look pretty even after crying.”

Hua Yang glared at him.

Chen Jingzong went to the washstand to put the towel, then returned to the screen and untied his outer robe.

Hua Yang had been combing her hair slowly, and Chen Jingzong went to the bed to wait for her.

Last night, the bridal chamber was lit with two dragon and phoenix candles, but today it was already removed. Hua Yang turned off the lights and came to the bed.

Chen Jingzong took her into his arms, kissed her on the lips, and began to be dishonest with his hands.

Hua Yang: “Not tonight, I’m tired.”

Chen Jingzong thought of last night and knew that he had to be considerate of her body, so he just asked in her ear: “Now that you have tasted it, do you regret not understanding the romance in the past?”

Hua Yang sneered: “If you say one more word, tomorrow night, I also don’t want it.”

Chen Jingzong immediately shut up.

But to let him wait until tomorrow night, Chen Jingzong didn’t have the patience. At dawn the next day, thinking that she had rested well all night, Chen Jingzong was ready to move again.

This time Hua Yang refused to agree no matter what.

Chen Jingzong was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He held her hand with a resentful look in his eyes: “You said last night that you regretted not treating me better. Why, now that I am not dead, you deny it again?”

Hua Yang: “It has nothing to do with that. I just don’t want to get pregnant too early.”

Chen Jingzong: “I also don’t want to be a father right after getting married, so I’ll do it outside.”

Hua Yang: “That’s not foolproof enough. My aunt also gave me something. It should be soaked during the day and use it at night.”

Chen Jingzong sat up curiously: “What is it?”

Hua Yang pointed to a drawer under the dressing table.

Chen Jingzong pulled out a brocade box, and there was an exquisite lotus bowl inside the brocade box.

As a man, Chen Jingzong quickly understood how to use this thing. After the novelty wore off, he wondered, “Why didn’t you take it out the night before? Don’t underestimate my ability. I might make you pregnant overnight.”

Hua Yang lowered her eyes and said lightly, “I took a contraceptive pill yesterday morning.”

On their wedding night, she didn’t know he was also reborn. If she asked him to wear that thing right away, saying that she didn’t want to get pregnant too early, he probably suspected that she disliked him.

Chen Jingzong’s smile was frozen, then he understood what she meant.

She said she would treat him better, and she did so.

He sat back on the bed, hugged her and said, “If you treat me better, I will treat you ten thousand times better. When we are seventy or eighty years old, we can settle the accounts, and you still owe me in this life.”

Hua Yang: “That depends on how long you can hold on. Maybe in a few years you’ll start thinking of fooling around, and if I catch you, I’ll beat you up and we will be done with each other.”

Chen Jingzong: “Fooling around? In two lifetimes, I only want to fool around with you.”

Hua Yang smiled. She then asked the maids to come in and serve.

Hua Yang invited an imperial doctor from the palace to take the pulse of the old lady of the Chen family.

The old lady was sixty-eight years old, which was not too old, but some illnesses were unavoidable. Not to mention she met a useless second son and a vicious second daughter-in-law Qi. She had been taking fake medicine for the past few years, and her body was completely ruined. The imperial doctor shook his head and tactfully told everyone in the Chen family that the old lady might only have three to five months left to live.

The imperial doctor only saw that the old lady was dying, but could not determine that she had taken fake medicine, so naturally they did not find out the problem of the second branch’s couple.

Hua Yang mentioned the bad debts of the second branch to Chen Jingzong alone.

“This is because after you died, your second aunt embezzled a large sum of money, and was exposed and reported to the court. Fortunately, Father placed righteousness before his family, so he did not give other officials the opportunity to attack the Chen family.”

When Chen Jingzong heard that the reason his grandmother would die soon was because Qi shi dared to feed her fake ginseng, he was so angry that he wanted to kill Qi shi immediately.

Hua Yang stopped him: “Now it’s most important to let Grandma spend the last few months comfortably. Everything else can be dealt after returning to Lingzhou.”

Chen Jingzong thought about it and agreed. Why should he make the old lady sad again?

He wanted to cherish his time and be filial to the old lady, but there was no place for him by her side. From the old man to eldest and third brother, from his mother to eldest and third sisters-in-law, the men and women took turns to serve the old lady, including the children. There was no shortage of people around her.

Chen Jingzong didn’t know how to be filial in a new way.

Hua Yang directly booked the four best opera troupes in the capital, one troupe a day, and they took turns to come to the Chen family to set up the stage and perform.

The old lady loved to listen to this. She wore a fox fur cloak given by her granddaughter-in-law princess, and covered her legs with a warm blanket. While listening to the opera with her family, she said to Chen Tingjian and Sun shi: “The Old Four is still the most promising. He married me such a good granddaughter-in-law, who treats me better than all of you.”

Chen Tingjian dared to manage his sons and grandsons, even the crown prince in the palace, but he would not contradict his old mother. Even if the old mother praised her son, he would listen silently.

Moreover, this time Chen Tingjian really wanted to thank his own fourth son. If it weren’t for the Old Four insisting on bringing his mother to the capital, he, this unfilial son, would not even see his mother for the last time.

He couldn’t even think about it. Chen Tingjian’s eyes would turn red when he thought about it.

Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong sat at another table. While looking at the harmonious scene over there, Chen Jingzong secretly held Hua Yang’s hand.

Hua Yang didn’t hide, even if it might be discovered by others.

Someone did discover it.

At night, Luo Yuyan leaned in Chen Xiaozong’s arms and whispered, “None of you were optimistic about Fourth Brother and the princess before. Look, their relationship is so good that they even hold hands when watching the play.”

Chen Xiaozong: “If you envy them, just say it.”

Luo Yuyan hit him: “I’m envious, you’ve never been romantic with me in public.”

Chen Xiaozong: “You are so unreasonable. Once it was raining and we came out of Chunhe Hall. You insisted on sharing one umbrella with me. Did I not hold your arm and hold the umbrella for you? Eldest brother and sister-in-law have never done that.”

Luo Yuyan snorted.

Two days later, Luo Yuyan was sour again: “Today I went to the garden and saw Fourth Brother and the princess taking the old lady for a walk, and they slid to a rockery. Fourth Brother first carried the old lady, and then carried the Princess, making your old lady laugh.”

Chen Xiaozong: “Do you envy the Fourth Brother for being filial to the old lady, or for his strength?”

Luo Yuyan: “I don’t care, you have to carry me once.”

Chen Xiaozong: “I’m afraid we will roll down the mountain together and become a pair of cripples.”

After several similar incidents, Chen Xiaozong went to talk to his fourth brother.

Chen Xiaozong: “I know you and the princess are in love, but can you be more restrained outside?”

Chen Jingzong: “When we’re not restrained?”

Chen Xiaozong talked about the times his wife saw him.

Chen Jingzong: “Eldest Brother can talk to me anout these things, but you are not qualified. At least I didn’t kiss the princess suddenly while walking, and I didn’t sneakily pull the princess to the rockery to do something unknown.”

Chen Xiaozong: …

Chen Jingzong: “If you don’t want others to know, then don’t do it. I gave you face before and didn’t mention it.”

Chen Xiaozong left embarrassedly.

Chen Jingzong returned to the backyard.

Hua Yang: “What does Third Brother want to talk to you about?”

Chen Jingzong: “It’s all improper things, it’s better not to talk about it.”

Hua Yang showed a questioning expression, not believing that Chen Xiaozong, the gentle and elegant Tanhua, could say anything improper.

Chen Jingzong looked at her for a few seconds, and suddenly asked: “You said you remarried a Zhuangyuan, what’s his name, where is he from?”

Hua Yang: …

She wanted to go to the main hall, but Chen Jingzong grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the wardrobe, and kept asking her all kinds of questions: “Is the Zhuangyuan as good-looking as me?”

“Is the Zhuangyuan as tall as me?”

“Can the Zhuangyuan served you as well as I do?”

Hua Yang was speechless, and only scratched his broad back a few times.

.

The old lady enjoyed dozens of days of happiness in the capital, and passed away peacefully on a night in early Second Month.

Chen Tingjian handed in his resignation, and wanted to send the old lady back to Lingzhou for burial, and mourning her over there.

Therefore, the whole family was going back, including Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong.

Chen Jingzong was not very sad, because he had experienced it once in his previous life, and he had already made sufficient preparations in this life. The old lady passed away comfortably, and it was a happy funeral.

In early Fourth Month, everyone arrived in Lingzhou, and after a few busy days, they finally buried the old lady.

At night, Chen Jingzong carefully checked the bed to make sure there was no bug, and then sprinkled insect repellent powder around the outside.

Hua Yang then got on the bed.

Chen Jingzong hugged her while chatting with her: “Why do you say we are reborn?”

Hua Yang: “We both have regrets. We want to live again.”

Chen Jingzong: “What regrets do you have?”

Hua Yang smiled: “Too many, I can’t finish in one breath.”

Chen Jingzong: “… I thought you only had one regret, that you became a widow at a young age.”

Hua Yang: “What’s the regret of being a widow? My aunt is also a widow, and she is living a carefree life now.”

Chen Jingzong: “Don’t envy her. The eldest princess just didn’t meet a suitable one. If she met someone who satisfied her in every way, she wouldn’t have to keep so many lovers. Having so many lovers only means that each one is not good enough.”

Hua Yang didn’t accept this twisted logic and asked him: “What regrets do you have?”

Chen Jingzong kissed her face: “I have a lot of regrets too. Every night you ignored me before is a regret, and I have to make up for it.”

Hua Yang pushed him.

Chen Jingzong smiled: “In addition to that, there are three big regrets.”

“First, I died in Baihe Ridge and failed to bring the brothers of Daxing Left Guard back.”

Hua Yang felt uncomfortable and comforted him: “It won’t happen again in this life. This time you are prepared and you will definitely be able to lead them out of danger.”

Chen Jingzong nodded. Yes, he was prepared and had a target of suspicion. This time, not only would he and his brothers be fine, but he would also ruin that person’s reputation early.

“The second regret is that I died too early and failed to make achievements.”

“This is simple. You live well and live a long life, then you will have no worry about not having the opportunity to make achievements.”

“Well, the last regret…”

Chen Jingzong touched her belly: “I also want to be a father.”

Hua Yang leaned into his arms and promised: “You will be.”

.

Third year of Yuanyou, Twelfth Month.

Chen Jingzong had never forgotten that when he was reborn, Hua Yang said that she died in this twelfth month, dying from a serious cold.

For this reason, he directly asked for leave from the court for the entire twelfth month, and started his annual leave more than 20 days in advance.

Emperor Yuanyou specially called him into the palace to ask what happened.

Chen Jingzong: “At the end of Eleventh Month, this minister had a dream. This minister dreamed that Grand Princess would catch a cold this month and was very sick. That’s why this minister want to ask for leave and take care of Grand Princess in person to feel at ease.”

Emperor Yuanyou:…

If it weren’t for the fact that his brother-in-law had always treated his sister as the sky, he would never believe this bullshit reason, but suspected that his brother-in-law was deliberately lazy.

“Then you take good care of her, and report any news to Zhen in time.”

“This minister obey your order.”

Chen Jingzong returned to grand princess mansion and began an uneasy life where he had to wake up several times every night to check whether the quilt was covering the grand princess.

He was really uneasy.

His death was long gone, and Qi Jin was caught and convicted for collaborating with the enemy. Now the new policy was going well and everything was good, but Hua Yang’s death had not been broken!

If someone wanted to kill Hua Yang, Chen Jingzong could have just caught the person, but it was an invisible cold that killed her!

For this, Chen Jingzong had informed Wu Run early on that anyone with cold symptoms in Grand Princess Mansion would be given leave and only allowed to come back when they were fully recovered.

In addition, Chen Jingzong also asked the in-house doctor in grand princess Mansion to come to check Hua Yang’s pulse every morning and evening.

Prince consort was acting crazy, and Chao Yun and the other three maids were all infected and became nervous.

Hua Yang had to tell Chen Jingzong the truth, she was not reborn after she died, but she just fell asleep after drinking medicine, and returned to this world in her dream.

Chen Jingzong looked at her as if she was a fool.

Hua Yang:…

She said no more.

On the morning of the ninth day of Twelfth Month, the doctor came to check the pulse again.

This time, the doctor took a while to check, then called Chao Yun and the other maids aside and asked a few questions individually.

Chen Jingzong’s face changed immediately.

Hua Yang lowered her eyes and looked at her still flat belly. She had guessed it in her mind.

As expected, when the doctor came back, he smiled and said, “Congratulations, Grand Princess, you are pregnant.”

Hua Yang smiled back.

Chen Jingzong fell off the chair.

Hua Yang: …

Grand princess only looked over with disdain, while the four maids laughed one after another.

Chen Jingzong came back to his senses amidst the laughter, his throat rolling. He looked at grand princess’s ordinary belly, and then looked at the doctor: “Is it true?”

The doctor smiled and said, “It’s true. In fact, this old man suspected that Grand Princess was pregnant a few days ago, but the pulse was still weak, so this old man dares not say for sure.”

Chen Jingzong nodded, asked the maids to send the doctor and give him a reward.

After the irrelevant people left, Chen Jingzong carefully picked up Hua Yang and went to the inner room.

Let Hua Yang lie flat on the bed, Chen Jingzong stared at her belly in a daze.

Hua Yang: “It’s just a pregnancy, do you have to be like this? After all, you have five nephews and nieces at home.”

Chen Jingzong: “Can nephews and nieces be the same as my own children? I have planted the land for two lifetimes and only got this one fruit, of course I am very happy.”

Hua Yang: …

She covered her belly with a quilt and warned him: “Now the child is not born yet, I will allow you to speak nonsense for another year. When the child is born, if you are still so frivolous, you can move to Liuyun Hall by yourself, and don’t think of corrupting my child.”

Chen Jingzong: “What, you want to kill the father and keep the child?”

Hua Yang glared.

Chen Jingzong: “Okay, okay, the child is in your belly, you are the boss, and what you say is what counts.”

Hua Yang then withdrew her glare.

Chen Jingzong: “If it’s a daughter, we’ll raise her with your method. If she can develop a temper like yours, she won’t be bullied in the future. If it’s a son, he has to listen to me, he should be rough skinned and thick flesh, and not afraid of being bullied by anyone.”

Hua Yang: “My children have to listen to me.”

She would never let Chen Jingzong raise her child to be like him, speaking without filter and deliberately provoking people as he pleases.

Chen Jingzong looked at her with complicated eyes: “After so many years, you still despise me.”

Hua Yang: “I always despise you.”

Chen Jingzong suddenly smiled: “You’re being stubborn again. If you really despise me, how did you get the child?”

Hua Yang: …

The next day, Chen Jingzong took the grand princess back to Chen Mansion to show off, and then went to the palace to also show off.

Empress Dowager Qi was very happy, and Emperor Yuanyou was also very excited. He finally going to be an uncle!

“Mother Empress, the conditions outside the palace are too simple. Why don’t you let Sister move to the palace to take care of the baby?”

Empress Dowager Qi smiled and looked at her son-in-law.

Chen Jingzong’s face turned black, and he couldn’t hide it.

Emperor Yuanyou: “Why, Prince Consort doesn’t want to?”

Chen Jingzong openly rejected the emperor: “This minister doesn’t want to. Every time this minister went to the palace to announce good news, Your Majesty will keep Grand Princess for a while. If you do this again, this minister will not bring Grand Princess to the palace next time.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “That’s Zhen’s sister, and also Zhen’s nephew or niece!”

Chen Jingzong: “You will get married next year, then wait until then to spoil your own wife and children.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “You are so bold!”

Hua Yang: “Shut up.”

Chen Jingzong, Emperor Yuanyou: …

That afternoon, Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong left the palace.

In the carriage, Chen Jingzong hugged her and said: “You really can’t bear to leave me.”

Hua Yang: “Of course, my brother can only care about me verbally, but you have to serve me tea and water at night.”

Chen Jingzong bit her lips.

.

Hua Yang’s due date was on Ninth Month.

She let Chen Jingzong take good care of her for the first nine months, but when she was near the labor time, Hua Yang still entered the palace.

Because her mother empress was in the palace.

If it was on a mountain road in heavy rain, Chen Jingzong’s company would make her feel more at ease. But for matters like childbirth, Hua Yang relied more on her mother.

Empress Dowager Qi watched over her daughter gently and patiently.

Emperor Yuanyou was excited about the upcoming child, but at the same time, he still cared about his brother-in-law. He specially asked people to clean out a duty room and allowed his brother-in-law to stay overnight in the palace. In case his sister went into labor at night, it would be convenient for his brother-in-law to rush over at any time.

Chen Jingzong had no complaints, because this was what Hua Yang wanted. As long as she was comfortable and she and the child were safe, he could live anywhere.

On the evening of the eighth day, Chen Jingzong went to Qifeng Palace for dinner again.

Emperor Yuanyou and Empress Dowager Qi were both there.

Emperor Yuanyou took out a piece of red paper and showed it to Chen Jingzong: “This is the names Zhen carefully selected. See if you like it.”

Chen Jingzong refused: “Your Majesty, please keep it for your future child. This minister has also studied and can name the child.”

Emperor Yuanyou: …

Hua Yang: “You two can take a break. I will name the child myself. I have asked the child’s grandfather to help with the name.”

Who’s the child’s grandfather? Of course, it was the chief minister of this dynasty, the dignified imperial teacher, and the former nineteen-year-old Zhuangyuan!

Emperor Yuanyou went silent, while Chen Jingzong glanced at the grand princess several times.

Empress Dowager Qi just smiled.

After dinner, Chen Jingzong sat alone with Hua Yang for a while, and then went to the duty room. Not long after he came back, his child’s grandfather came over.

“You’re not in the cabinet, what are you doing here?” Chen Jingzong lukewarmly invited him in.

Chen Tingjian did not look at his son, but lowered his eyes and asked, “How is Grand Princess?”

Chen Jingzong: “Eat when it’s time to eat drink when it’s time to drink. Niangniang will take care of her personally, and there are a group of imperial doctors around her, so you don’t have to worry.”

Chen Tingjian nodded and took out a piece of red paper from his sleeve: “This is the names I thought of for the child. You can give it to Grand Princess tomorrow morning.”

Chen Jingzong did not comment.

After the old man left, Chen Jingzong picked up the red paper and found that there were names for boys and girls on it, and they were indeed better than what he came up with.

In the middle of the night, a little eunuch was sent from Qifeng Palace to wake up the prince consort in a hurry.

Chen Jingzong had his shoes on the wrong feet and ran all the way to Qifeng Palace. It was Emperor Yuanyou who accidentally discovered it and reminded him.

Chen Jingzong took off and put on his shoes in front of the emperor casually.

Emperor Yuanyou frowned more deeply than his sister. He couldn’t imagine what kind of nephew or niece such a brother-in-law could bring him.

Chen Jingzong wanted to go to the delivery room to have a look.

But Hua Yang would never let him in, and would never let Chen Jingzong see her in such a mess.

Chen Jingzong could only stand outside with Emperor Yuanyou and wait.

Emperor Yuanyou watched him keep circling around in the hall, and the more he circling around, the more upset he became: “Can you sit down?”

Chen Jingzong: “When you’re concerned, you get anxious. Your Majesty is, of course, not too anxious.”

Emperor Yuanyou: …

When Emperor Yuanyou also circling around, Chen Jingzong sat down instead: “Your Majesty is still too young and can’t keep his temper.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “Do you believe that Zhen will ask someone to drive you out of the palace?”

The two of them bickered for a while, and exchanged martial skill note for a while. After staying up all night, both of them had bloodshot eyes.

That day was the ninth day of the month, the day when Emperor Yuanyou would have to go to court.

When the sky was about to break, the grand princess finally gave birth to a little princess.

After seeing his niece who had been washed clean, Emperor Yuanyou went to court in high spirits. He was so happy that all the officials thought that it was the emperor himself who had a child.

Qifeng Palace.

Chen Jingzong held the swaddling baby and sat next to Hua Yang: “She looks like you.”

Hua Yang looked at her sleeping little daughter, then looked at him and whispered: “Looking like you also won’t be ugly.”

Chen Jingzong: “She still looks like you, more beautiful than a fairy.”

Hua Yang glared at him then chatted for a while. When Chen Jingzong leaned over and kissed her, Hua Yang looked at him and asked: “Do you still have any regret?”

He regretted that he couldn’t be a father in his previous life.

Chen Jingzong laughed and rubbed her earlobe: “Can come back and see you again, I have no regrets in this life.”

The child was just the icing on the cake, while she was indispensable.

The author has something to say:

This extra story is also finished, what’s left is the epilogue of the main story and the unfinished love with a ghost, I hope I can finish it in 3 chapters!

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