I meet all the requirements for becoming a god in this world!

Chapter 265 I'm going to have a son?!

The Regent's Office, Laiyun Hall.

Cheng Laiyun was sitting at his desk, holding a vermilion pen in his hand, with the official document on the implementation of the land tax reform, which had just been presented by Qingzhou Prefecture, spread out in front of him.

The official document detailed the progress of land surveying in various counties of Qingzhou, the number of hidden lands investigated and dealt with, and the total autumn tax revenue estimated according to the new tax regulations. The data was comprehensive and well-organized.

However, the annotation by the prefect of Qingzhou in the "Local Resistance" section is quite intriguing.

"A few local gentry had some reservations about the land survey, but the overall situation was already settled, and they dared not act rashly."

Upon seeing this sentence, Cheng Laiyun's lips curved slightly, and he picked up his pen to add a line of comments at the end of the official document.

"Since they dare not act rashly, let them continue to hold back. The autumn tax collection is imminent; if there is any delay, they will be dealt with according to the law."

I had just put down my pen and taken a sip of the now-cold tea on my desk when I heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

The footsteps were hurried and heavy, as if someone was running, and even the clerks under the corridor were startled and looked up.

Cheng Laiyun frowned slightly, put down his teacup and looked towards the door, where he saw Hai Wuyai burst in, his fat face trembling.

His official hat was askew, tilted to the side, but he didn't bother to adjust it. He even tripped on the threshold as he entered, stumbling a couple of steps before regaining his balance. "Boss! Something terrible has happened! Someone from the manor reports—Madam Xu…she…she's fainted!"

Cheng Laiyun's vermilion pen slammed down on the table, the ink spreading into a small dark red blot on the golden official paper.

He sprang up from the chair, the chair legs scraping against the blue brick floor with a piercing shriek.

Xu Miaozhen is a third-rank Mo cultivator. Looking across the entire Great Yuan Dynasty, there are very few people who can injure her, and even fewer who can make her faint without even being able to fight back.

He grabbed Hai Wuyai's shoulder, his fingers tightening involuntarily, his voice sounding like it was being squeezed from his throat:

"Explain clearly: Why did she faint? When? Where? Who found her?"

Hai Wuyai was gripped so tightly he winced, but he didn't dare struggle and quickly said:

"It was Xiao He, a maid from the Cheng household, who came to report. She's waiting outside the door!"

Cheng Laiyun released his grip and strode out the door. Sure enough, a maid was kneeling under the eaves, her hair disheveled from running, and her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, clearly having run for her life.

She saw Cheng Laiyun come out and quickly kowtowed, her voice still panting:

"My lord! Madam...she was pruning the flowers in the backyard when she suddenly fainted!"

"Fortunately, Madam Gao and Madam Xu happened to be in the courtyard. Madam Gao helped her up and carried her back to the house, while Madam Xu sent someone to fetch an elder from the medical sect. I ran to the yamen to report the news!" "How long has she been unconscious?"

"I had just fainted when I left. Madam's face was very pale, but her breathing was still steady."

"Madam Gao said that the master should not panic and should first invite the elder of the Medical Sect to examine him before making any decisions."

When Cheng Laiyun heard the words "his breathing is still relatively steady," his heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled down a little.

He took a deep breath, turned back to his desk, pushed aside the unfinished Qingzhou document, and instructed Hai Wuyai:

"All official documents will be held back for now. Urgent documents will be sent to Inspector Liu for handling. Let him keep an eye on the implementation of the new policies. If there are any uncertainties, we'll decide when I return."

Without waiting for Hai Wuyai's reply, he picked up his outer robe draped over the back of the chair and strode towards the gate of the mansion.

He had walked this road from the Imperial Household Department to the Cheng residence countless times, but he had never felt it was so long.

The carriage rolled over the bluestone slabs, and every rut felt like it was crushing his heart.

He kept thinking about Xu Miaozhen's appearance these past few days—she was always calm and composed, drinking tea, meditating, pruning flowers in the courtyard, occasionally guiding Xu Jiayin in her inscription studies, and always wearing that gentle smile on her lips.

The more he thought about it, the more guilty he felt. He had been too busy lately.

He hadn't spent much time with her at the manor for several days. Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop at the entrance of the Cheng residence, Cheng Laiyun had already lifted the curtain and jumped down.

Old Liu, the gatekeeper, was standing at the door looking around. When he saw his master return, he quickly stepped forward and bowed.

Cheng Laiyun waved his hand to indicate that he didn't need to be so polite, and continued walking inside.

As he passed the screen wall, several servants who were sweeping the courtyard saw him return, bowed and stepped aside. He nodded to them and walked straight through the front yard.

Several stewards were gathered together in the front hall corridor, whispering about something. When they saw him coming, they immediately fell silent and stood up straight. He glanced at them but didn't say anything, continuing on his way.

To be honest, Cheng Laiyun didn't care about these rules.

He didn't like people bowing down to him or being trembling with fear in his presence, but at that moment he didn't have the energy to correct those things.

He just wanted to get to the backyard as soon as possible, to Xu Miaozhen's yard, and see with his own eyes how she was doing.

Several people had already gathered at the entrance of the east wing courtyard.

Xu Jiayin was squatting on the steps, her hands clasped together, her eyes red, clearly having just cried.

Gao Heyun stood next to her with the same cold expression, but her hands were clenched tightly.

Several disciples of the Medical Sect were still standing in the courtyard. "Elder Zheng has arrived; he's taking Master's pulse inside!"

As soon as Cheng Laiyun stepped into the courtyard, Xu Jiayin stood up and said urgently.

Cheng Laiyun nodded to her, then glanced at Gao Heyun.

Gao Heyun met his gaze and shook her head slightly, indicating that the situation was still unclear.

Cheng Laiyun took a deep breath and went into the house.

Upon opening the door, one sees Elder Zheng Yun of the Medical Sect solemnly taking Xu Miaozhen's pulse.

He closed the door quietly.

He walked up to Zheng Yun and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Elder Zheng, how is my wife? She has profound cultivation and has never fainted for no reason before. Could she have suffered some internal injury?"

Zheng Yun slowly raised his head, his deep gaze falling on Cheng Laiyun's face. He then stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Cheng Laiyun, and said:

"Lord Cheng, I have practiced medicine for most of my life and have examined countless pulses, but today's pulse... I don't know whether I should speak of it or not."

"Elder Zheng, please speak freely." "Congratulations, Commander Cheng."

Zheng Yun cleared his throat and spoke slowly and deliberately, in a solemn yet respectful tone:

"Madam Xu is pregnant."

……

Cheng Laiyun stood there, mouth agape, his mind blank.

He had considered countless possibilities on the way—his hidden injuries had recurred, his cultivation had gone awry, he had been poisoned by some strange poison—but he hadn't considered this one.

"Is there good news?" He finally found his voice again.

"Elder Zheng, my wife is a third-grade cultivator who has cultivated for decades. Her body has long been integrated with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. How could she faint because of pregnancy? This doesn't make sense."

"An ordinary pregnant woman would not faint, but Lord Cheng, your wife is a third-rank Grand Master."

"The higher one's cultivation level, the stronger the talent of one's offspring—this is not a bad thing."

"But pregnancy also places a far greater burden on the mother's body than on an average person."

"The lady's spiritual energy and blood are rapidly converging into the womb, putting immense pressure on her meridians in a short period, which caused her temporary fainting." "This isn't an illness; it's the fetus demanding nutrients from the mother. In other words—this child, even before it's fully formed, already knows how to eat, just like its father."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Laiyun finally relaxed, the tension that had been building up inside him for so long.

He let out a long breath, leaned back in his chair, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he frowned and muttered to himself:

"It's all my fault, I didn't take proper precautions..."

Zheng Yun's expression became even stranger. After hesitating for a moment, he said in a tone that was as tactful as possible:

"Lord Cheng, at the level of the lady, her control over her own qi and blood and meridians has reached a state of perfection. Every change in her body cannot escape her perception."

"Having cultivated to this level, if she didn't want to get pregnant, any precautions would be superfluous. In other words—this child is something the lady herself wanted."

Cheng Laiyun suddenly raised his head and looked at Xu Miaozhen lying on the bed.

She was still asleep, her face serene, with even a very faint smile on her lips, as if she were having a beautiful dream.

He stood up, walked to the bedside, gently sat down on the edge of the bed, and took her hand.

The hand was still slightly cool, but it had a faint warmth that seemed to have increased slightly compared to usual. He lowered his head and placed her hand on his forehead.

Xu Miaozhen was still unconscious, but her breathing was more steady and long than before, and the paleness on her face was gradually fading, replaced by a gentle, almost luminous softness.

He looked down at her face, at the faint smile on her lips, and suddenly realized that this woman was more composed than him in everything she did.

Even something as simple as having a child was something she thought through, calculated carefully, and did quietly on her own, then lay there patiently waiting for him to come back and find out.

He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. When his lips touched her cool skin, her eyelashes seemed to flutter, but she ultimately did not open her eyes.

He gently placed her hand back under the covers, tucked the blanket in, then stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked towards the door.

……

When I opened the door, the moonlight in the courtyard was dazzling.

Xu Jiayin was still squatting on the steps, her hands clasped together on her knees, when she heard the door open and suddenly looked up.

Her eyes were still red, and there were still tear stains at the corners of her eyes. As soon as she saw Cheng Laiyun come out.

She jumped up, rushed to him in three strides, grabbed his sleeve, and asked urgently:

"How is she? What happened to Master?" Cheng Laiyun looked down at her anxious and stubborn appearance, reached out and pulled her into his arms, giving her a gentle hug.

"It's not a problem. Ah Zhen is pregnant."

Xu Jiayin froze in his arms, her grip on his sleeve slowly loosening.

She broke free from his embrace, looked up into his eyes, her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, and tears rolled down her cheeks without warning.

"You're pregnant? Master is pregnant? Really? You're not kidding me?"

She shoved him away, turned and ran two steps into the house, then suddenly stopped—probably remembering that Xu Miaozhen was still sleeping and she couldn't disturb her—and then tiptoed back.

He stood awkwardly in front of Cheng Laiyun, half-squatting, his voice low but unable to suppress the excitement in his tone:

"So Master isn't sick! She's pregnant! Cheng Laiyun, you're going to be a father! And I'm going to be a mother! No, wait, I've always been her disciple, and her grand-disciple is still her disciple—oh well, never mind!!"

"Anyway, I'm going to make a cradle for my baby that can rock itself—the latest inscription-patterned cradle from Momen! I'm going to draw up the blueprints right now!"

After saying that, she turned and ran towards the west wing, muttering to herself as she ran, "How big should the cradle be, and what kind of psionic conduit should be used for the inscription?"

Cheng Laiyun watched her figure disappear behind the moon gate and smiled.

He turned his head, and Gao Heyun was still leaning against that pillar, arms crossed, back straight. Her expression remained as indifferent as ever, but when Cheng Laiyun walked up to her, he noticed that the corners of her mouth clearly curved slightly.

Did you hear that?

"Hmm." Gao Heyun's tone remained the same calm and even when reporting on cases to the Regent's Office:

"A third-grade cultivator is pregnant, and the fetus absorbs the mother's spiritual energy and blood, causing temporary fainting."

"I saw this situation once when I was a child in the North. A female general of the fourth rank was pregnant and had to stay in bed from the third month until she gave birth."

"What happened to her after that?"

"Mother and child are safe."

"The child was born with exceptional talent and is now the youngest seventh-rank captain in the Northern Army."

Gao Heyun paused, looked into Cheng Laiyun's eyes, and her tone suddenly softened:

"Sister Zhen's physical foundation is much better than that female general's. As long as she worries less and rests more, it is not impossible for her to recover to her peak condition before giving birth."

Cheng Laiyun paused for a moment, then looked at Gao Heyun very seriously and said:

"Ah Yun, the implementation of the new policies and the affairs of the Regent's Office are all piled up at the end of the year, so I may be busier than usual." "You and Jia Yin should help out more with the affairs of the manor, especially Ah Zhen—if she wants to get out of bed to prune the flowers, you stop her for me."

Gao Heyun nodded, then reached out and gently patted his shoulder.

Her strength was always precise, and this slap was not heavy, as if she were brushing a fallen leaf off his shoulder.

Then she turned and walked towards the south wing, but stopped after a few steps. Without turning her head, she simply turned her face to the side, the moonlight illuminating half of her cheek.

"My grandfather wrote to me yesterday, hoping that I could get pregnant as soon as possible."

After saying that, she strode into the house, her pale figure quickly disappearing into the lantern light.

It was almost like an escape...

Cheng Laiyun watched her close the door, his expression somewhat astonished.

Are you treating me like a stud?

However, the heavy burden in my heart has been lifted.

Cheng Laiyun then felt a sudden emptiness in his stomach.

Just as he was about to go to the kitchen to see what food he could prepare for Xu Miaozhen, a commotion suddenly arose from the direction of the front yard, though it was hushed but impossible to suppress. He followed the sound and saw the steward, Old Liu, standing under the eaves, surrounded by a group of maids and servants.

Several kitchen maids stood on tiptoe, peering over, still clutching unwashed vegetable leaves in their hands; two young servants squeezed at the back of the crowd, straining their necks to hear what the steward was saying.

Aunt Lan strode in from the kitchen carrying a pot of freshly cooked chicken soup, shouting at the top of her lungs:

"Make way, make way! The chicken soup is here! It's for the lady to nourish her body. Anyone who spills it, I'll smack them on the head with a spatula!"

Seeing Cheng Laiyun standing under the eaves, she quickly shoved the soup pot into the hands of the maid beside her, stepped forward, curtsied, and smiled so much that several wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes:

"My lord, I just heard from Young Madam Xu that Madam Xu is pregnant! This is truly a joyous occasion! I've been in the Cheng household for so long, and this is the first time I've been so happy!"

"Rest assured, my lord, I personally oversaw the preparation of Madam's postpartum meals, guaranteeing they are even more exquisite than those from the imperial kitchen! We'll need to set an extra set of chopsticks and bowls for the Cheng family's New Year's Eve dinner next year!"

After she finished speaking, she hurriedly picked up the soup pot and walked towards the east wing, her steps large and steady, without spilling a single drop of chicken soup.

Old Liu walked up to Cheng Laiyun, straightened his clothes, and gave a proper bow, his voice tinged with a rare excitement:

"My lord, this is the happiest day of my life, having served in the Cheng household for so long."

"My lord need not worry about the matters in the backyard. This old servant has already sent someone to invite the best midwife in the city. During the lady's recuperation, this old servant will personally keep an eye on the courtyard and not let a single stray cat in."

"Furthermore, this old servant dares to ask for a reward on behalf of the servants. Today is a joyous occasion, could you perhaps..." He rubbed his hands together somewhat awkwardly as he spoke. Cheng Laiyun smiled and waved his hand:

"Everyone in the Cheng household will have their monthly salary tripled this month. Go to the accounting office to collect it, and just say that's what I said."

Old Liu chuckled and agreed several times before turning to go to the front yard to deliver the message.

Before long, everyone in the Cheng household knew that the madam was pregnant, and that their monthly allowance had tripled. Several maids in the corridor laughed and shoved each other, Aunt Lan banged her spatula louder in the kitchen, and even Old Liu, the gatekeeper, stood up straighter than usual.

Those who worked in the Cheng household knew that Lord Cheng was usually unpretentious, but when it came to matters concerning his wife, it was a matter of utmost importance.

Today, the lady is pregnant, and Lord Cheng has personally ordered that her monthly allowance be tripled—from now on, if anyone dares to show the slightest disrespect to the lady, without Lord Cheng even having to say a word, everyone in the household will be the first to object.

Cheng Laiyun stood under the porch, watching the lively and joyous scene in the courtyard.

He glanced towards the east wing; the window was still illuminated by warm candlelight, so Xu Miaozhen must still be sleeping soundly.

"I'm...having a son?"