13 WORD TO WORD

"Lady Ding," Bian called waking up Lady Ding for the warm bath. Lady Ding wakes up, "so early," she complains like always. "After your warm bath, I'll come to get you for breakfast," Bian informed her like usual. "Wait, Consort Bian," Lady Ding said. "Yes," Bian responded. "My body hurts," Lady Ding said and moaned at her legs stretching. "You must have been sore from yesterday market trip," Bian said. Bian massages Lady Ding's legs, soothing her muscles. "It feels better," Lady Ding sighs at the relief. "Let me add another oil to your warm bath to help relax your muscles," Bian suggested. "Yes," Lady Ding said as she laid back down. Bian left to the bath room to add a muscle relaxing oil and stir the warm water. "Your warm bath is completely ready," Bian notify Lady Ding, who is fast asleep again. "Please wake up," Bian shook Lady Ding. "Ugh," Lady Ding complained and dragged herself towards the bath room.

"Were you able to eat the peaches yesterday?" The consort asked Bian. "Yes, I did, thank you very much," Bian said. "Are you still craving for more?" The consort asked. "I am fine," Bian said. "Consort Bian, I have a secret to tell you," the consort said. "Tell me later," Bian said wanting to avoid the topic, since she didn't like gossiping and wanted to finish cooking. "It's a secret from my home town," the consort said. "What is it?" Bian finally asked after the consort pestered her. "The elders in my home town said when you are craving for seed fruits, you will bore a son," the consort said looking for a reaction of Bian. Bian shrugged, "that is good, therefore Lady Ding can keep this baby," Bian said as she continues cooking. The consort looked at Bian, "do you know that your stomach is showing ?" The consort said. Bian got insecure and look at her own body, noticing it herself.

"Lady Ding" Bian said while helping her brush her hair before eating breakfast, "do you think my stomach is showing?" Lady Ding looked at her and shocked, "already?" Lady Ding exclaimed. Lady Ding stop Bian's actions in helping her. She quickly looks around, grab a dress and stuff it inside her stomach. "What are you doing?" Bian asked. "I need to look pregnant too," Lady Ding said. "Why?" Bian was confused. "You are going to give the baby to me, I cannot just have a baby without ever being pregnant," Lady Ding telling Bian the idea. "What about my bump?" Bian asked. "You are going to return home, no one will ever ask what happened to you," Lady Ding assured her. It was true, Bian knew Lady Ding would solve the problem. "Does it look similar?" Lady Ding asked Bian, in comparing to Bian's baby bump. Bian nodded. "Let's go eat," Lady Ding said walking out to the dining manor.

Mother Yan and Meng De saw Lady Ding's stomach. "You were pregnant?" Mother Yan asked Lady Ding. Lady Ding nodded and smiled at her mother in law, "yes, I am tired lately," Lady Ding said. "How come you did not tell me?" Meng De said caring for Lady Ding. Lady Ding faked a sad face. Mother Yan and Meng De knew Lady Ding's reaction referred to her past miscarriage and thinking Lady Ding did not want to tell them about it until it is right time to tell them. "It is fine," Mother Yan interrupted, "now we know, just take good care of yourself," Mother Yan said. "Thank you, mother," Lady Ding said smiling. "You may be tired," Meng De said to Lady Ding. Lady Ding nodded sweetly. "After eating, I will tell the consort to brewed the medicine to help your tiredness," Mother Yan said. "Thank you," Lady Ding look at Mother Yan sweetly.

Bian heard a knock on the door. Bian opened the door to find Cao Song have come. "Minister Cao Song," Bian greeted him. He examined her up and down, as if he hasn't seen her in such a long time. "Where is Lady Yan?" He asked. "I can take you there," Bian said leading him and servant to the living room. In the living room, Mother Yan and Meng De are conversing. "Minister Cao Song is here," Bian notifies the room. Mother Yan and Meng De stands up immediately to greet Cao Song. "Father," Meng De said. "Cao Song," Mother Yan smiles accepting her husband to sit in a chair. Meng De turns to see Bian and looks over her to tell another consort, "go fetch Lady Ding, Father is here," he ordered. Cao Song sat down and Mother Yan and Meng De follows. "How are you?" Mother Yan asked. "I am visiting for a reason," Cao Song looking at Meng De. "I got the message this morning," Meng De said nodding at Cao Song. "That is good," Cao Song. "What is the reason?" Mother Yan asked.

"Father," Lady Ding enters and greeted Cao Song. "Sit down," Cao Song tells Lady Ding. "Thank you," Lady Ding said sitting down next to Meng De. Bian follows and sit behind Lady Ding. "What is the reason, Father?" Meng De asked. "I heard many gossip of this household," Cao Song said looking at Meng De then to Bian. "I heard that Consort Bian is with child of the Cao," he said. "Yes, she is," Mother Yan answered. Cao Song is a wise man, not displaying his anger, but is straightforward, he stared at Mother Yan and said, "how much more are you going to hide when you can see that she is not married and already showing," Cao Song lectured Mother Yan. Mother Yan lowered her head. "I have already said this for Meng De to get a concubine because Lady Ding cannot bore a son," Cao Song said, "since Consort Bian is with child of Cao, prepare her." "Is that all you heard?" Meng De asked trying to be careful of the prophecy. "Is there something else that I missed?" Cao Song asked. Mother Yan looked at Meng De in fear for all their lives. Meng De drank his tea and looked his father, "that is fine, Consort Bian will become a concubine in this household," Meng De said continuing to hide the secrets that did not reach his father yet.

Cao Song looked at his suspicious son but ignored it. He looked at Mother Yan, "the wedding will take place 7 days from now," he demanded. "Yes," everyone answered him. Meng De looked at Lady Ding who looked at him, seeing sadness in her eyes. He had broken his promise to her. Anger grew in Lady Ding seeing Meng De not being able to do anything and excused herself and returned to her manor. Bian was going to follow but Cao Song called her, "Consort Bian," he said. "Yes, Minister Cao Song," she said. Cao Song looked at Bian and can see the difference in her physically. This is the closest he ever observed her and understood why Meng De would fall for her beauty. "You are going to be a Lady in the Cao household, it does not matter what background you have come from, either servant, consort, or a princess, you still have to learn how to behave as a wife of General Cao Cao," Cao Song said and continued, "for the next 7 days, learn from Mother Yan and Lady Ding, the importance of tending your future husband." "Yes," Bian said as the orders went from one ear to another. She is only worried about Lady Ding at the moment and wanted to run away. "Prepare the guest manor for Consort Bian since Meng De requested her to stay in this household," Cao Song ordered the consorts and servants. "No," Meng De said, "my manor will be Consort Bian's manor." Bian looked at Meng De shock to hear that she will be with Meng De all the time. Meng De ignored Bian's look at him knowing he had won over her and said to his father, "shall we discuss further about the message?" Cao Song nodded and waved for everyone to leave.

Bian left hurriedly to go to Lady Ding's manor. "Get out!" Lady Ding yelled everyone in her manor. Bian can hear Lady Guo and Lady Mei crying and afraid of their mother's anger. Bian quickly entered the manor and instructed the consorts to take Lady Guo and Lady Mei away. "I hate you!" Lady Ding grabbed her pillow and started hitting Bian on the side. Bian put her hands together and kneeled, "Lady Ding, I am sorry, please do whatever you want with me," Bian said crying. "General Meng De is mine only," Lady Ding pushes Bian on the forehead, "do you think you are better than me?" Lady Ding said sternly as she faces Bian. "I will never take him away from you, I promise," Bian said sobbing. Lady Ding scoffed and stood up straight. She looked at Bian with hatred and disgust. Mother Yan words flashed her mind, those words that made her forced Bian to give the child to her, "at least she is capable of carrying an heir for Meng De". What makes Lady Ding incapable? Lady Ding balled her fists and spit out, "how can you betray me," as a rhetorical question knowing Bian will never betray her. "I will never betray you," Bian said. Lady Ding looked at her and grabbed onto her shoulders, "good," she said squeezing her grip, "even if you become a concubine in this household, you will still give me your son." Bian nodded fast enduring the pain on her shoulders, "I promise you and I will not go back on my words," Bian told Lady Ding, "if I go back on my words, may the gods punish me." Lady Ding let go of Bian slightly pushing her away at as she let go. Bian fell onto the ground breathing in and out hard.

"I got the message," Meng De told Cao Song, "I am already aware of Yuan Shao's activities." Cao Song nodded, "he has expanded faster than expected, you must take action soon." "Is the Emperor declaring war?" Meng De asked. "The others are advising the Emperor to take it slow since we just came out a war, I had advised it too but with word spreading Yuan Shao ability to be allies with the rebels is bringing stress to the Emperor," Cao Song said. "What else are the rebels doing?" Meng De asked. "They are taking young males from towns to be soldiers and if young males decline, they are executing them," Cao Song said. Meng De nodded, "after the wedding, I will immediately set out soldiers to clear this up and bring Yuan Shao to court," Meng De assured his father who had always trusted him. Meng De have many older and younger brothers who are also generals but his father trusted him the most knowing his capabilities and that he will succeed them. "You know Yuan Shao best, remember to always put your enemies closer," Cao Song told Meng De.

Cao Song sipped the tea and cleared his throat, "lately I have been hearing about the traveling foretelling master," Cao Song said. Meng De slowly sipped his tea trying not to be disturb by what his father is asking about. "What about it?" Meng De purposely asked being curious. "Have you heard of it?" Cao Song asked. Meng De silently sipped his tea again trying to act natural, "Mother talked about it one time," Meng De said. Cao Song nodded, "the Emperor is looking for him," Cao Song said, "word claimed the foretelling master foresees the future accurately." Meng De chuckled, "life should be live by the way you live it, why should a foretelling master foresees your future for you," Meng De tried discrediting the foretelling master. Cao Song cleared his throat, "long live the Emperor, watch what you say," he said with his loyalty burning. Meng De nodded, "shall I look for him too while on my mission?" He asked. "I can bring that upon the Emperor," Cao Song said.

Lady Ding punished Bian to continue kneeling while she calmed herself down. She couldn't even look at Bian or she was going to explode. Lady Ding hated that her husband is now taking a concubine and the concubine is someone closes to her. "Lady Ding?" Meng De entered knowing that she was upset from awhile ago. He walked in seeing Bian kneeled on the ground by Lady Ding, who was brushing her own hair. "General Meng De," Lady Ding whined and pouted as she ran to hug Meng De. Meng De cleared his throat and pushed off Lady Ding. "What is Consort Bian doing?" he asked in concern. Lady Ding looked at Bian and gasped, "Consort Bian get up," she demanded. Bian nodded and tried getting up but her legs were asleep, causing her to falling back down. Meng De quickly walk past Lady Ding to catch Bian. Bian feels someone supporting her up to see Meng De helping her. As soon as she was able to stand up, she pushes and shrug Meng De away, "thank you General Cao Cao," she mumbled. Lady Ding got jealous but wanted to keep her posture. No Lady must show jealously in front of a man or they will be degraded, that is why no woman can ever complain to to their husband about their husband never attending their manors because they would show jealously.

"Consort Bian return to your hall," Lady Ding commanded. "Yes, Lady Ding," Bian quickly left before Meng De can even ask for her well-being. "I was waiting all afternoon for you," Lady Ding said. Meng De looked at her as if she had no remorse for what she had done to Bian kneeling, who knows how long, on the ground. "Father has demanded Consort Bian learned from you before the wedding," Meng De informed her with an upset tone. "I waited so long for you to come and explain or even apologize and that is all you have to say to me," Lady Ding said madly, "you promised me that I will only be your wife, how can you go back on your promise?" Meng De sighed, "that promise was before you offered her to me," he said, "what did you expected." Lady Ding yelled, "I did it all for you." "Do not say it is because of me, I was happy enough with you and my daughters," Meng De said. "See, you are only happy enough, what about being more happy?" Lady Ding nitpick the argument. Meng De short tempered knocked down Lady Ding's table, "how dare you?" he yelled at her, "do not judge my care for you and my daughters." Lady Ding jumped at the table making a loud noise breaking down to the ground and then she dropped to the ground crying.