Becoming the Villain's Discarded Wife
Chapter 439: Rumors

Chapter 439: Chapter 439: Rumors

Looking at his wife’s face that indeed confirmed his speculations, Shen Wenchen couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss her.

"What are you doing! You’re about to take another wife, and yet you still cuddle with me!" Nanzhi cooed in a feigned protest, attempting to struggle out of his embrace, which only provoked Shen Wenchen into more cajoling.

"Nannan, you are my wife, and I don’t want to hear you talk like that in the future," Shen Wenchen said, his eyes sincere as he looked at his wife’s little palm-sized face. Seeing her nod in agreement, he continued, "If we outright tell the people to hoard their grain, I’m afraid it would not only be ineffective but may also cause them to lose faith in us.

But if we approach it a different way, perhaps they would be more proactive."

Nanzhi listened and was somewhat bewildered, but when she saw the humor in his eyes, she understood his words.

As the Lady of the City and a businesswoman, if the people didn’t trust the government’s announcements, then she would act on it herself.

"I understand," Nanzhi said, a smile spreading across her face, as she started to consider her assets.

Apart from what Shen Wenchen had given her, she had earned close to three thousand taels of silver over the past half year.

While it seemed like a lot, it was costly to bring in grain from elsewhere, and even if she spent all her money on grain, it would only amount to six and a half jin per Yan City resident, including both rice and flour.

And that was just for the city folks; if the surrounding villages were included, it would be even less.

Shen Wenchen had already sent people to collect grain, and if she assembled a merchant team now to set out, she could make another round.

It was not until Shen Zhiyu knocked on the door that both of them raised their heads from the desk.

Shen Wenchen had dispatched Liu Jie and another subordinate, each with ten thousand taels of silver notes to buy grain. The surrounding cities were also having problems, so their return could take at least half a month, and Nanzhi would have to send her merchant team further out. It would take at least a month to go and return.

It was already late December, and she could only hope they could return before the New Year...

"Mother! Father! Let’s go!" Little Zhiyu, neatly dressed, stood at the study door, peering inside.

Nanzhi paused, and then slapped her forehead in dismay.

How could she forget that she had promised to go to the Lantern Festival with Zhiyu today?

Seeing Father’s confused face and Mother’s action, Shen Zhiyu pouted, feeling somewhat let down.

Ever since Mother became pregnant, she seemed to forget things more easily, even things she promised.

"Zhiyu, I’m sorry, I forgot..." Nanzhi said guiltily. Talking about the grain situation, she had forgotten her promise.

"It’s okay, Mother, you and Father can carry on. Brother Xiaomi and I can go on our own," the little boy said, forcing a smile. Yet those eyes, so like Nanzhi’s, were already glistening with unshed tears, making him look both stubborn and pitiful.

"Wenchen, let’s go, let’s go see the lanterns," Nanzhi said, tugging at Shen Wenchen’s clothing as she quickly stood up.

Guessing that it was his son’s idea, Shen Wenchen simply got up.

Seeing that Mother and Father were not sending him and Xiaomi to the festival themselves, the little boy’s eyes lit up, "Mother, get ready quickly with Father. Brother Xiaomi and I will go tell the groom to prepare the carriage."

Watching her son run off, Nanzhi could only admonish carefully, "Run slowly! Be careful not to fall!"

"Okay."

The sound of the boy’s joyful call made Nanzhi soften her expression.

"Nannan, can you go?"

Shen Wenchen always remembered his wife’s worry. Now that she had agreed to go to the lantern festival, he felt a little uneasy.

He remembered his wife’s uncannily accurate intuition.

"It’s okay." Nanzhi shook her head, gently patting Shen Wenchen.

Feeling the solid touch under her hand, Nanzhi smirked proudly.

Look at that, this is my man!

This muscular, sturdy physique, undoubtedly belongs to the father of my child!

Observing his wife’s proud expression, Shen Wenchen found it amusing, and simply drew her close to help her put on her cloak.

Since her pregnancy, she had never bothered with makeup. Now, her snow-white fox fur made her small face even more fair, and her lips a faint pink. However, what was most endearing were her dewy almond eyes, twinkling like stars in a galaxy, captivatingly beautiful.

"Alright, it’s time to go. We don’t want to keep Zhiyu waiting," Shen Wenchen said in a light-hearted tone, helping her put on her hat, leaving most of her face obscured. He finally smiled with satisfaction.

That way, Nannan would not catch the wind, nor would she be seen by the public.

His Nannan was for his eyes only.

Ma Po only reminded Shen Wenchen to take care of Nanzhi and not let her eat anything cold.

Upon receiving Shen Wenchen’s assurances, Ma Po finally let them go.

In the carriage, Shen Zhiyu and Xiaomi sat upright, peering out now and then to see if their parents had come out yet, making Xiaomi rather restless.

"Zhiyu, shall I go and check?"

Xiaomi was somewhat helpless, as he had already gotten up to look more than a dozen times in less than a quarter of an hour. The city lord and his wife surely could not have gotten lost inside their own home.

"No need, they’ll come," Shen Zhiyu shook his head, yet he kept his eyes fixed on the grand front entrance.

Only when he saw his parents emerge did he breathe a sigh of relief.

He knew it all along, Mother would not lie to him!

Remembering what his classmates had said, the boy felt a certain sense of pride. He would let them see that his mother was the best!

No way would his parents replace him with a new brother or sister!

The little boy wiped his face, then took the initiative to lift the carriage curtain.

"Father, Mother, over here!"

The city of Yan was brightly lit, with all sorts of lanterns hanging high, inciting gasps of admiration from all who saw them.

Every year, the lantern festival had a highpoint, usually with each of the four major families contributing one piece.

The creations from these families were naturally the most outstanding at each lantern festival.

The city lord’s carriage entered the streets, and the surrounding people naturally stepped aside. The curtains were lifted, revealing those inside.

Nanzhi lowered her cloak, appearing in the public eye for the first time since her pregnancy.

Shen Wenchen was dressed as usual in his black robes, a jade crown atop his head and a cold gaze in his eyes.

There were two young boys sitting between them - one looked like a celestial being from a painting, the other bore the air of a general’s son.

Among the crowd, some sharp-eyed individuals immediately alerted their companions.

Ever since it was rumored three months ago that the city lord’s wife was pregnant, no one had seen her.

Whispers circulated that the city lord’s wife was pregnant and aimed to have a boy to replace the current young master. The grown-ups whispered, yet some children also heard.

From being the offspring of an unremarkable farmer to the city lord’s son, coupled with frequent praise from the teacher, Shen Zhiyu naturally became the target of many from the academy.

Failing to beat him in family affairs or academics, they resorted to spreading idle gossip.

The commencement of the lantern festival and the arrival of Shen Wenchen and Nanzhi put an end to many rumors.