Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

Three years into their marriage, Jiang Sese still hadn't conceived.

Although Princess Anning did not speak, it was clear from the continuous stream of various tonics that she was anxious.

If Jiang Sese is unable to conceive, wouldn't Xie Jue be left without an heir?

However, Princess Anning never considered having Xie Jue take a concubine. Putting herself in his shoes, she would never want her mother-in-law to force a woman into her husband's life. Besides, Xie Jue's household was not a place where she could simply force women into his life.

So Princess Anning could only worry helplessly.

When Xie Jue saw that Hongdou was counting the tonics sent by Princess Anning, he knew what was going on. He went into the inner room and sure enough, he saw Jiang Sese looking depressed.

Xie Jue sat down next to her, took the book from her hand and placed it on the table, saying, "I'll talk to Mother tomorrow and tell her to stop sending tonics."

Jiang Sese snapped out of her daze and gave him a speechless look.

Is she worried about supplements?

She was worried about why she wasn't pregnant yet.

In the second year of their marriage, she and Xie Jue consulted the imperial physician. Both of them were fine, their bodies were in harmony, and their blood and energy were abundant. The physician said that the couple were both in good health and that it was only a matter of time before they conceived.

But it's been three years already, isn't this a bit too late?

Xie Jue put his arm around her shoulder and said casually, "It's just that we don't have children, it's not a big deal."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Sese couldn't help but chuckle.

I feel like I've become even more feudal than Xie Jue, but there's nothing I can do about it. Not having children isn't really a big deal in modern times; many couples choose to be childless and live very well.

In this era, a woman's greatest fault was being childless. She could disregard the opinions of others, but she couldn't disregard Xie Jue. He was the eldest son of the Xie family's main branch; if she caused him to lose his lineage, how could she face him?

Xie Jue kissed Jiang Sese's cheek and said, "I'll talk to Mother about it tomorrow. As for the child—"

"Perhaps it's just that our time hasn't come yet. Even if it never comes, we still have each other, and that's enough."

Jiang Sese was about to speak when Xie Jue added, "If you really want a child, we can adopt one. There are several promising young children in the Xie family's collateral branches who have been raised by our parents since childhood, and they are no different from our own children."

Jiang Sese glanced at Xie Jue in surprise.

He spoke of adoption as something very casual.

Although this was a rule set by the Xie family patriarch, the rule didn't apply to Xie Jue. If he said he would be adopted, it must be his own choice.

Jiang Sese hesitated for a moment, then gently shook her head: "We are still young, and it's not time for us to go through the process of adoption."

Once the child is adopted, if they have their own children in the future, Jiang Sese is unsure if she can treat them equally. If she can't, then it would be unfair to the adopted child.

We don't want the child to harbor resentment later.

Xie Jue had no objections: "Fine, whatever you say."

Actually, Xie Jue was happy that Jiang Sese wasn't pregnant. For a woman, childbirth is like stepping into the gates of hell with one foot. When he heard that Imperial Censor Liu's wife had died in childbirth, Xie Jue's heart sank.

But seeing Jiang Sese's worried expression, Xie Jue couldn't show too much joy.

Jiang Sese leaned against him, suddenly remembering the recent rumors, and casually asked, "By the way, how's Xie Yao doing lately? I heard you two had a big argument in court because of differing political views?"

Xie Jue replied calmly, "It's just a difference in political views."

Xie Yao has now been serving as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue for half a year.

He rose rapidly through the ranks in those three years, from compiler in the Hanlin Academy to vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and then to vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Emperor Jingyuan made no secret of his appreciation for him, and gradually some people in the court began to say that the Xie family was about to produce a second Grand Secretary.

However, his political views diverged more and more with Xie Jue. Xie Jue advocated protecting the imperial clan. In Emperor Jingyuan's complex game of both attacking and appeasing the imperial clan, someone was needed to maintain the balance, and Xie Jue was that person.

Xie Jue shielded members of the imperial clan from numerous impeachments because he knew that Emperor Jingyuan did not want to touch these people for the time being.

But Xie Yao didn't think so.

When Xie Yao was serving as the Vice Minister of Revenue, the knife always fell on the heads of members of the imperial clan.

Jiang Sese naturally understood that Xie Yao's radical proposals touched upon too many interests, and she also understood Xie Jue's considerations behind choosing to maintain the stability of the imperial clan. The two brothers, one as vigorous as a bamboo shoot breaking through the soil in early spring, and the other as steady as a tree rooted in late autumn, had different stances and divergent paths, which was the norm in the court.

It's still somewhat saddening that blood-related brothers have come to the point of being almost strangers.

Jiang Sese said, "But you two are too eye-catching. One is the top scholar, and the other is the third-ranked scholar. You're brothers serving in the same court. You don't know, the whole city is watching you two like gossip every day. I even heard an outrageous rumor today. Do you want to hear it?"

Xie Jue looked down at her: "What rumors?"

Jiang Sese suppressed a laugh and said, "There are rumors circulating that your relationship with Xie Yao is complicated, and that the reason you're always at odds isn't because of court politics, but because of a romantic entanglement between a man and a woman..."

To be fair, the ancients had quite the imagination, and homosexuality wasn't exactly a niche phenomenon.

Xie Jue's face darkened, wanting to lash out but unable to: "Where did you hear this nonsense?"

Of course, she couldn't say that she was the one who interrogated Hongdou. Jiang Sese explained somewhat guiltily, "That rumor has spread far and wide. Some even say that I'm just a cover-up for the two of you, otherwise why haven't I gotten pregnant for three years..."

Xie Jue raised an eyebrow: "In that case, we can't waste any more time."

After saying that, he picked Jiang Sese up and carried her horizontally.

Before Jiang Sese could struggle, Xie Jue said seriously, "Don't you want a child? How can we not try?"

Jiang Sese pouted.

Well, child, Xie Jue has found her Achilles' heel.