In the Miao Region.
Sheng Mei's belly was almost nine months pregnant, bulging high. The old women in the stockade told her to take regular walks, which would be beneficial for her delivery in the future.
The maid A Ya supported her as she walked slowly in the yard. Her belly was so big now, and she had lost all her martial arts skills. She had to stop and rest after walking a few steps.
A Ya looked full of pity and said angrily, "Our Holy Lady is about to give birth, but that man hasn't even come to take a look. He's really heartless!"
Sheng Mei took a breath. Thinking of that cold, hard - headed man whom she had tried to warm up for three years without any success, she said, "I used him in the first place. There was no real affection between us. At least he left me a child."
This was her child and also the child of the Miao Region. It had nothing to do with him.
Originally, she thought that although he had a bad temper, he was a decent person and was well - matched with her. It would be okay to continue like this. But the fact proved that he was just too cold to be warmed.
She, Sheng Mei, wasn't so desperate for a man that she had to be with him!
"I just feel sorry for the Holy Lady for having such a hard time during pregnancy. In our Miao Region, a heartless man like him would have been used as fertilizer for the flowers long ago!"
The Miao people didn't intermarry with outsiders. There were few women, and their status was high. This led to the common practice of polyandry in the Miao Region. It was quite normal for a woman to have three or four husbands, so the requirements for men were much higher.
In the Miao Region, abandoning one's wife and children was a serious crime. Once discovered, the man would be buried alive, and all his property would belong to his wife and children.
Their Holy Lady only had him, but he didn't even show any gratitude and made the Holy Lady return to the Miao Region with their child in sadness!
A Ya hated that man so much. If she ever saw him, she would surely kill him!
At this moment, there came a noisy sound from outside.
Sheng Mei looked at A Ya. "Go and see what's going on."
A Ya went out and came back angrily in a short while. "Holy Lady, that man has come and is being blocked outside the stockade by the clansmen."
"He still has the nerve to come!"
Many of the clansmen had gone to war with the Holy Lady and recognized him. Knowing the entanglement between the Holy Lady and him, they immediately blocked him.
Sheng Mei was stunned. Why did he come?
That bastard! She was about to give birth, and what did he want now?
If he came for her, where was he before?
If he came for the child... Don't even think about it!
A sneer appeared on Sheng Mei's extremely beautiful face. "Well done."
"Block him firmly. Don't let him in. If he dares to force his way in, release the insects to bite him!"
"Yes!"
With the order, A Ya was eager to take action. How dare he bully their Holy Lady? She would teach him a lesson!
A Ya led people to surround Zhui Yun. "Heartless man, you still dare to come to our Miao Region. Our Holy Lady doesn't want to see you. Get out of here quickly!"
Zhui Yun tightened his face. "I want to see her."
A Ya got angry. "Can't you understand? Our Holy Lady doesn't want to see you!"
Zhui Yun was attacked.
Although he was highly skilled in martial arts, he couldn't fight against so many people at once. The Miao people could use insects, and he didn't want to really hurt them, so he had to be forced out.
A Ya watched Zhui Yun's back, hands on her hips. "Heartless man. If you dare to come again, I'll throw you to be fertilizer for the flowers!"
Zhui Yun was very confused. Why didn't she want to see him?
After she left, he gradually realized that he had gotten used to her presence. He heard that she had lost all her internal energy, so he immediately came here after finishing his business. But he couldn't even see her.
Zhui Yun didn't understand, but he wasn't a man who would give up easily. At night, he relied on his agile skills and approached Sheng Mei's residence again.
The place where she lived was no different from before. He easily found it and successfully entered the room.
He didn't deliberately hide his presence, but there was still no sound from the room.
She had good martial arts skills and shouldn't be so careless.
Zhui Yun's doubts deepened, and he continued to approach the bed.
Sheng Mei was lying on her side, facing the inside. The night was dim, and he could only vaguely see a back.
Getting a bit closer, Zhui Yun saw the bulge in front of her, and his mind went blank.
At this moment, Sheng Mei woke up.
"Who?"
"Guards!"
Zhui Yun instinctively covered her mouth and unexpectedly found that she didn't resist.
That meant her internal energy and martial arts skills had all disappeared.
His face was full of shock. "You, how could you..."
Sheng Mei was covered by his hand, glaring at him with her beautiful eyes, which made Zhui Yun speechless for a moment.
Sheng Mei's shout had already alerted the guards outside. Hearing someone approaching, Zhui Yun had to let go of Sheng Mei temporarily and jumped out of the window.
As soon as he left, A Ya and the guards rushed over. A Ya lit the lamp. "Holy Lady, are you okay? Where's the assassin?"
Sheng Mei's face was ugly. She had forgotten that the bastard was so good at martial arts that ordinary people couldn't detect him!
"I'm fine. Strengthen the defense of my yard in the future."
Seeing his shocked expression, the bastard didn't even know she was pregnant?
Although she didn't take the initiative to tell him about her situation, she didn't deliberately hide it either. If he had her in his heart, he could have easily found out with a little inquiry.
But then again, how could he ever take the initiative to care about her?
Sheng Mei sneered and told everyone to go back to sleep.
On the way, Zhui Yun frowned all the time.
He wasn't a fool. Sheng Mei's appearance clearly showed that she was about to give birth. Judging from her reaction, the child was most likely his.
Did she lose her martial arts skills because of the pregnancy?
Such an important thing, but she didn't tell him at all.
In the past, if there was a bit of mud on her shoes, she would ask him to clean it for her. If the shoes were really dirty, she would just throw them away, jump on him, and ask him to carry her back.
Her fair feet were always bare outside. He had stopped her many times, but she never cared and would do the same thing next time.
Zhui Yun had an indescribable feeling in his heart. He always felt that something was different from before.
He planned to have a good talk with her the next day, but to his surprise, the number of guards at her residence had increased several times. Even if he managed to get in, she would immediately call for help.
Zhui Yun returned to the inn dejectedly, only to find that his things had been thrown out.
The innkeeper wasn't polite to him at all. "Our Holy Lady said that the Miao Region doesn't welcome you. Leave quickly!"
"You!"
The innkeeper was startled but still straightened his chest. "What, do you want to hit someone?"
Zhui Yun wanted to teach him a lesson, but then he thought better of it. He picked up his baggage and left the inn.
The Miao people around were all pointing at him.
It seemed that he couldn't stay in this town anymore.
Was Sheng Mei determined to drive him away?
The words Shen Qing said flashed through his mind. If he was interested in her, he should strive for her.
But Sheng Mei didn't even want to see him. How could he strive for her?
Zhui Yun was holding his baggage when he suddenly remembered that the emperor had prepared something for him before leaving. He had been too busy on the way to check it.
He found a place and opened the baggage. Inside, besides a few simple clothes, there were... two small books.
Looking at the covers.
"Handbook on Courting Your Wife".
"Ninety - Nine Ways to Win Over a Princess".
Zhui Yun: "..."
Zhui Yun stared at these two books for a long time. He didn't open them or put them back. Instead, he fell into deep doubts.
Could such things... really be useful?