Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha Playboy in Ancient Times - Chapter 127

With Shen Xingyue and her companions returning victorious, and the newly appointed officials from the imperial examination having replaced the resigned members of the Cui family, the political situation in court gradually began to stabilize. By mid-month, Shen Kaiyuan started making preparations for Shen Yining’s wedding.

She had the ceremonial officials choose an auspicious date and ordered wedding supplies to be prepared from all directions. For a time, the entire palace was busy beyond measure.

Over the past two weeks, Shen Xingyue had been spending every day with her beloved “little kitten.” However, her kitten hadn’t been eating well lately—just a few bites and she would say she was full.

It happened again at lunch. Shen Xingyue had barely started eating when Su Muyu, sitting beside her, took only a few bites before putting down her chopsticks and saying she was full, wanting to go lie down.

Shen Xingyue looked at her, clearly lacking energy, and asked gently, “Yu’er, what’s been going on with you these past few days? You’ve had no appetite, and you’re always tired?”

“I don’t really know,” Su Muyu replied weakly, leaning back against the bed without much energy.

Shen Xingyue walked over and pulled the blanket up for her, then rang the bell. When Cui Zhu arrived quickly, she said, “Go call Physician Zhou. Constantly having no appetite isn’t something we should ignore.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Cui Zhu responded, hurrying off.

Not long after, Cui Zhu returned with Zhou Miao and two of her apprentices.

Before Zhou Miao could even bow in greeting, Shen Xingyue said, “The Princess Consort hasn’t had much appetite these past few days, and she’s always drowsy. Please take a look at her. If needed, prescribe something to help with digestion.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Zhou Miao replied, immediately sitting down on a round stool by the bed to take Su Muyu’s pulse.

After a moment, she stood up, bowed to both Shen Xingyue and Su Muyu, and smiled. “Congratulations, Your Grace. Congratulations, Your Ladyship. The Princess Consort is not ill—she’s pregnant.”

“She’s pregnant?” Shen Xingyue was surprised. Her younger sister’s baby was already seven months along, and now she herself was going to have a child too.

“That’s right,” Zhou Miao said with a warm smile. “I’ll write a few nourishing recipes. There’s no need for strong medicine.”

“That’s great! Is there anything else we should be careful about?” Shen Xingyue asked quickly.

“In the first few months, it’s best to avoid intimacy,” Zhou Miao advised gently. “Other than that, the Princess Consort should get plenty of rest—but light walking now and then will be good for her too.”

“Understood. Thank you, Physician Zhou,” Shen Xingyue said sincerely.

“You honor me, Your Grace. I’ll return to the medical hall and prepare the nourishing remedies.”

“All right, go ahead.”

After Zhou Miao left, Shen Xingyue quickly returned to the bed, wrapped her little kitten in her arms, kissed the corner of Su Muyu’s lips, and softly asked, “Yu’er, do you feel anything yet?”

Su Muyu gently tapped her and smiled, “It doesn’t happen that fast, does it? Are we really going to have a baby of our own?”

“Yes, we’re going to have an adorable little one—definitely as cute as you,” Shen Xingyue said, her heart melting just at the thought. She hugged Su Muyu tighter and kissed her a few more times.

Leaning into Shen Xingyue’s embrace, Su Muyu let out a soft hum and said in a delicate voice, “Do you think we can take good care of the baby?”

Shen Xingyue chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Of course we can. Our baby will be sweet and well-behaved.”

That afternoon, Zhou Yunqing came rushing over as soon as she heard the news. She brought plenty of nourishing supplements and sat on the round stool beside Su Muyu, giving her all kinds of advice. She told her not to tire herself with household matters and to take care of her health.

Su Muyu listened carefully and made sure to remember everything. Later that day, she drank the digestive tea Zhou Miao had prescribed, and her appetite improved slightly, though she still didn’t eat much.

Shen Xingyue quickly asked, “Are you still feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”

“I’m fine. I haven’t moved around much today, so I’m not really hungry. You go ahead and eat—I’ll walk around the room a bit,” Su Muyu said, slowly pacing the room.

Outside, the snow was falling heavily and the weather was bitterly cold. No matter what, Shen Xingyue wouldn’t let her go out in such weather.

After dinner, Su Muyu read a light book for a while and eventually fell asleep holding the travel journal in her arms.

Shen Xingyue gently pulled Su Muyu closer and carefully took the travel journal from her arms. Only then did she gather her little kitten into her embrace.

Over the next few days, Su Muyu’s appetite remained poor. Shen Xingyue began taking her out for walks during the warmer hours around noon, hoping the fresh air would help.

Holding her kitten gently in her arms, Shen Xingyue said softly, “If we come out for a little walk every day, you might start eating more. The little troublemaker in your belly seems fine—it’s you I worry about, always with no appetite.”

Su Muyu looked at her still-flat belly and chuckled, shaking her head. She lightly tapped her fingers against it and jokingly said to the baby, “Did you hear that, little one? You’re not even born yet, and your mother’s already complaining about you.”

Shen Xingyue quickly hugged her tighter, soothing her with a soft voice, “That’s not true. Our baby is the cutest of all.”

Seeing that a good amount of snow had piled up on the open ground nearby, Shen Xingyue went over and built a little snowman by hand. She looked back at Su Muyu with a smile and said, “Yu’er, just wait—once the baby is born, I’ll take her out every day to build snowmen with us.”

“You really are something,” Su Muyu laughed, brushing the snow off Shen Xingyue’s clothes. “You’re about to become a mother, and you still love playing so much.”

“That’s the best part,” Shen Xingyue replied with a grin. “That way we can all play together with our baby.”

After a few laps around the courtyard, Su Muyu returned to rest and ended up sleeping through the afternoon. That evening, she finally ate a bit more than usual. Still, she didn’t dare eat too much, as even on light meals, she’d often feel nauseous.

Worried about swelling, Shen Xingyue made sure her kitten soaked her feet every night to relax before going to bed.

Once she had helped Su Muyu wash up and get into bed, Shen Xingyue bathed and joined her. As soon as Shen Xingyue lay down, her kitten snuggled into her arms and weakly murmured, “What do you think we should name the little troublemaker?”

Shen Xingyue chuckled and kissed her lips gently. “The baby’s only about six weeks along—no rush. We’ve got plenty of time to think about it. But honestly, this little rascal is barely the size of a bean and already causing you so much trouble. I ought to be mad at her.”

Su Muyu smiled and lightly tapped Shen Xingyue’s nose. “Who gets mad at their own baby?”

“She’s bullying my wife,” Shen Xingyue pouted, giving Su Muyu another gentle kiss. These days, she’d fully become a devoted and chaste companion—her affection limited to cuddles and kisses.

Looking at her dignified and gentle consort, Su Muyu couldn’t help but shake her head with a laugh.

By the end of November, Shen Yining was finally nearing her long-awaited wedding day. Although there were still three days left, the usually calm and composed “Little Miss Proper” was now anxious and restless. She felt unprepared and uncertain. The matron from the palace who had come to teach her about conjugal matters had been blunt and unhelpfully direct—offering no real advice or technique. Shen Yining had only half-understood what was being taught, and the more she thought about it, the more nervous she became.

She was terrified she would embarrass herself or make Sister Xuan uncomfortable. She was so overwhelmed with worry, she nearly cried from the stress.

After thinking it over, she realized there was only one person she could confide in—Shen Xingyue. She had few close friends, and aside from her mother the Empress and her mother-consort, it was Shen Xingyue with whom she had the closest relationship. Even so, Shen Yining was shy and didn’t know how to bring it up.

Thankfully, she had just learned that Shen Xingyue and Su Muyu were expecting a baby. She hadn’t had the chance to give her congratulations in person yet, and this gave her the perfect excuse. She could bring a gift for her little niece and casually find a chance to ask her questions.

Once she made up her mind, Shen Yining had two sets of jade toy animals made, each one representing a different zodiac sign. They were modeled after the ones she loved playing with when she was younger, and now she had two new sets made—just right for her two little nieces.

With the gifts prepared, Shen Yining had two large boxes packed and headed off to the royal residence.

When she arrived, Shen Xingyue was in the bedchamber keeping Su Muyu company. Seeing her cousin arrive unexpectedly, Shen Xingyue quickly stood to greet her with Su Muyu, but Shen Yining stopped them at once.

“No need for formalities,” she said. “Sister Su is still carrying a baby—you shouldn’t be bowing so often.”

“What brings Your Highness here at this hour?” Shen Xingyue asked, guiding her cousin to sit. “Are all the wedding preparations done?”

“Most of it is taken care of,” Shen Yining replied. “But I’ve just been feeling nervous. Oh, and Cousin, Sister Su—you’re expecting a baby and I haven’t even offered my congratulations yet! I brought a gift for your little one.”

She waved her hand, and her attendant stepped forward to place one of the large boxes on the table.

Shen Yining opened the box, and Shen Xingyue saw twelve chubby jade figurines arranged neatly inside. They looked absolutely adorable.

“These are really cute,” Shen Xingyue said with a smile.

“Of course,” Shen Yining replied seriously. “I used to love playing with these when I was little. Babies like to grab things, so these will be perfect for her to play with.”

Shen Xingyue picked up a little plump jade rabbit and examined it. The jade was crystal clear, obviously carved from high-quality stone. Only a family like Yining’s could afford to let their children play with something so precious. A baby’s hands weren’t steady, and something this delicate could easily be broken if dropped.

“Well then, on behalf of the baby, thank you, Your Highness,” Shen Xingyue said with a laugh.

Shen Yining glanced at her, hesitated for a while, then said, “Sister Su, I have something I’d like to speak with my cousin about privately. We’ll go to the study for a bit.”

Su Muyu looked at the two of them, surprised they had a secret between them, but smiled and nodded. “Alright, go ahead.”

With her permission, Shen Yining reached out and tugged on Shen Xingyue’s sleeve gently, looking sweet and slightly nervous.

Shen Xingyue had no idea what she wanted to talk about. She smiled, shook her head, and stood up, leading Yining to the study. She had Yi Liu light a brazier inside, and once Yi Liu left, she saw Yining’s ears turn red. She was staring at her, clearly wanting to say something but not quite able to.

Shen Xingyue was amused and said, “What’s wrong? It’s just the two of us now. What could be so hard to talk about?”

Yining rubbed her hands together, took a deep breath, and said through clenched teeth, “Cousin, my wedding is in a few days. The palace instructor didn’t explain things clearly, and I was too embarrassed to ask again. So I came to you.”

Shen Xingyue didn’t expect this. She pulled a chair closer to Yining, intrigued. “Which part didn’t you understand?”

Yining’s face turned bright red. The truth was, she didn’t understand most of it. The illustrated guide wasn’t very clear either. She hadn’t understood anything from the bonding part on.

Looking a little pitiful, Yining whispered, “I didn’t even understand the bonding ritual.”

“I know that part really well,” Shen Xingyue said, smiling. “I think I still have an illustrated guide around. I’ll let you borrow it.”

She stood up, pulled a round stool over to the bookshelf, climbed on it, and reached to the highest shelf. After a moment, she pulled out a thin booklet and brought it back to Yining.

“Take a look at this. It has a lot of positions, but since this will be your first time, I don’t recommend doing anything too complicated. Just remember one thing. When you do the bonding, make sure your bite is gentle. Slowly guide the incense stick in. A Kunze’s body is delicate, so if you’re too rough, it’ll hurt. Also, you can gently massage her chest, it’ll help her feel more comfortable.”

Yining opened the first page and instantly turned scarlet. The drawings were incredibly detailed, far better than anything she had seen in the palace. But with Shen Xingyue sitting right next to her, she was too embarrassed to keep looking.

Seeing her cousin’s shyness, Shen Xingyue laughed softly. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. You and Zhou Zixuan will get used to it after a few times. Just take your time.”

“I just don’t want to hurt Sister Xuan,” Yining muttered under her breath.

“Then kiss her more, comfort her. That’ll help a lot. Don’t be nervous. This book explains everything really well. Oh, and one more thing…” Shen Xingyue leaned in close and whispered more tips into her ear.

When she finished, she looked at Yining and asked, “Did you get all that?”

Yining nodded, her face red as a tomato. Then she glanced down at the book and said awkwardly, “Cousin, do you have something I can wrap this in? I’m afraid someone might find it.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Shen Xingyue said with a grin. “Look at the cover. What do you think it says?”

Shen Yining closed the booklet and saw the cover was labeled with just two characters: “Book of Songs” (Shijing). She froze in surprise.

Shen Xingyue laughed and explained, “The owner of that little shop is very thoughtful. They know customers might feel awkward, so they disguise the covers. Don’t worry, it’s safe to take it back with you.”

“Alright… thank you, Cousin,” Shen Yining replied. Still overwhelmed by the flood of unfamiliar knowledge, she obediently expressed her thanks.

Then, as if remembering something, she added, “Oh right, Cousin, I want to go visit Sister Taotao too. I brought a set of jade toys for her baby as well.”

“Sure, let’s go together,” Shen Xingyue said with a smile.

Blushing furiously, Shen Yining tucked the “Book of Songs” securely into the inner pocket of her robe. Her face felt even hotter. She followed behind Shen Xingyue, heading to Shen Taotao’s courtyard.

Shen Taotao was now nearly eight months pregnant, and her belly had grown quite round. When Shen Yining entered the room, she quickly waved her hands to stop anyone from bowing.

“No need to stand on ceremony,” she said quickly.

But as she lifted her gaze, she caught sight of Han Shu—and froze.

Because Shen Yining and Shen Xingyue had come over so suddenly, there had been no time to inform Shen Taotao ahead of time. Han Shu hadn’t had a chance to put on her mask and now, her face had been seen.

Han Shu’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately knelt and said, “Your Highness, I have committed a fault. I should not have hidden my appearance. But I had my reasons, and it was never done out of deceit.”

Shen Yining was only momentarily surprised. She knew the Han family had long served the empire with loyalty and could understand why Han Shu had chosen to wear a mask. She quickly stepped forward to help her up and said kindly, “Don’t be so nervous. I won’t tell anyone, not even the Empress or the Consort Mother. I understand your reasons, and it must have been hard to keep it up all this time.”

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your understanding,” Han Shu said with relief. She trusted Shen Yining’s character and knew she would not break her word.

“No need to thank me. We’re all family here. I only came to see Sister Taotao’s baby, and I brought a small gift,” Shen Yining said. She gestured for her attendant to place the box on the round table and opened it for Shen Taotao to see.

“These are all chubby little zodiac animals. Once the baby is born, she’ll love grabbing them,” she said with a smile, picking up a little jade rooster and handing it to Shen Taotao.

Shen Taotao laughed and said, “Then let us thank Your Highness on her behalf. My due date is getting close, so I may not be able to attend your wedding. But Han Shu will go in my place with a gift from both of us.”

“You should focus on resting and keeping your body healthy. Don’t worry about my wedding,” Shen Yining replied. “I’ll take my leave now.”

“I’ll see Your Highness out,” Han Shu said quickly. She put her mask back on and accompanied Shen Yining to the entrance. Shen Yining stopped her there and told her to go back and keep Shen Taotao company.

As she left the courtyard, Shen Yining suddenly realized that, to most people, she was still first and foremost the Crown Princess of Beichuan. The moment she entered, Han Shu had instinctively knelt in fear. Only her cousins, like Shen Xingyue, treated her as a friend rather than just a royal heir.

Shen Xingyue seemed to sense her mood and smiled. “Your Highness, don’t overthink it. You haven’t spent much time with them yet, so it’s natural for them to be cautious. I used to be a little afraid of you too. But look at us now, chatting and laughing. Once you’re not so busy, we’ll go stay at my country estate for a few days. You’ll see, Han Shu and Taotao are actually very playful and fun once you get to know them.”

“I understand. Thank you, Cousin,” Shen Yining said softly. She didn’t quite know why, but she just felt like thanking her.

“There’s no need for thanks between us,” Shen Xingyue replied with a smile.

After bidding her farewell, Shen Yining hurried back to the Eastern Palace, still thinking about the “Book of Songs” she had hidden in her robes. She immediately asked her attendant to prepare the carriage to take her home.

This picture book was far better than the one taught by the palace matrons. Just in terms of image quality alone, the palace’s copy couldn’t even compare. The illustrations in this one were exquisitely drawn—the characters had elegant features and proportionate figures, and it was in full color. It was leagues more appealing than the clownish-looking figures in the palace’s version.

Xiao Guban began sweating just from looking at the first page. By the second page—depicting the pose that Shen Xingyue had once described when forming a soul bond—she saw two graceful women. Embarrassed, Xiao Guban buried her face in the blanket for a moment before peeking out with just one eye. By the time she flipped to the third page, her nose suddenly felt hot—she had actually gotten a nosebleed.

Quickly, she shoved the book under her pillow and asked the palace maids to bring her a basin of cold water to stop the bleeding. The maids panicked and were about to summon an imperial physician, but Shen Yining stopped them.

“It’s just a bit of excessive internal heat. No need to call a physician. Tell the kitchen to prepare a lighter dinner.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the maids responded promptly.

Xiao Guban sat on a round stool for a long time before the bleeding stopped. Why was it that her cousin could read the book just fine, while she started bleeding from the nose after only three pages? How was she supposed to please Sister Xuan like this?

She resolved to drink more water and take a break before continuing.

Meanwhile, after returning to her chambers, Shen Xingyue reached out to cuddle the kitten on the soft divan, but Su Muyu pinched her cheek.

“Come on, confess. What secret were you whispering to Her Highness?”

“Oh, just one of those topics Yuan cultivators like to discuss. Her Highness didn’t know much about it, so I lent her a picture book to study,” Shen Xingyue replied hesitantly.

Su Muyu raised an eyebrow and lightly pinched the tip of Shen Xingyue’s ear, asking with a half-smile, “What kind of picture book? How come I’ve never seen it?”

“Yu’er, you’re pregnant now. You should keep a peaceful mind and stay away from such things. It’s not suitable for you, so I didn’t show it to you,” Shen Xingyue leaned over and kissed Su Muyu on the lips with a smile.

“Is that so? Are you misbehaving again?” Su Muyu tugged Shen Xingyue closer, her tone teasing.

“Of course not. I always listen to you,” Shen Xingyue replied with an innocent expression, trying to bluff her way through.

Su Muyu tapped her nose a few times, closed her eyes, and continued resting, choosing not to respond further.

In the Grand Preceptor’s residence, preparations were almost complete. Everything was festively decorated in red. Zhou Zixuan sat in her room, staring at a small jade pendant shaped like a pig. She lightly tapped its head and muttered with a smile, “I wonder if you’re feeling just like me. My heart’s in utter chaos right now.”

The chubby, adorable little pig on the pendant seemed to look back at her. Zhou Zixuan couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head. After staring at it for so long, she couldn’t help but feel that the little pig resembled Shen Yining a bit too much.

“Are you in your room right now, feeling anxious too?” she murmured with a smile.

As it happened, Shen Yining was indeed in her own room. She had just finished dinner and felt eager to take another peek at the picture book. Buried under her covers, she secretly retrieved it. To prevent another nosebleed, she even prepared a handkerchief—though she couldn’t bring herself to use the one Zhou Zixuan had gifted her with the little fox embroidery.

This time, Shen Yining managed to hold her composure. Although the contents of the book were still a bit beyond her level, at least she didn’t bleed again.

Xiao Guban spent the whole night going through the picture book and even reviewed it again the next morning—but still, she remained anxious.

On the third day, early in the morning, the palace attendants began dressing her up. She would personally leave the palace by sedan chair to welcome Zhou Zixuan back to the palace.

The young Crown Princess was so nervous that her hands and feet were ice-cold. Seeing her daughter in this state, Empress Ye Yuran couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ning’er, why are you shaking? Aren’t you going to fetch the person you’ve been dreaming about? Why so bashful now?”

“I’m not—I… I just didn’t get enough sleep,” Xiao Guban replied stiffly, sitting ramrod straight.

“Really? I couldn’t tell,” Ye Yuran chuckled.

Xiao Guban clenched her hands nervously and desperately tried to recall the wedding ceremony steps. She sat like a puppet as the maids applied makeup and wrapped her in a bright red cloak.

When she stood up, she was so flustered she forgot which foot to move first. As she walked out, her steps were awkwardly synchronized—moving her hands and feet on the same side.

Ye Yuran burst out laughing at the sight and reminded her, “Don’t be nervous, Ning’er. Go and bring your Sister Xuan home.”

“Yes, Mother,” Xiao Guban replied, still walking stiffly in unison until she managed to regain her normal stride after a while.

Even after she got into the ceremonial bridal sedan, her heart was racing faster than ever. Though snowflakes fluttered outside in the freezing cold, Shen Yining was drenched in sweat. She thought to herself—even if she were ascending the throne one day, she wouldn’t be this nervous.

She was going to welcome the woman she loved back to the palace—to become her Crown Princess Consort! Shen Yining silently vowed: she would never take another consort. Just her and Sister Xuan, together forever.

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