"Ah, of course. Congratulations on your sister's engagement, my lady! I know little about Lan-gongzi, but Wei-guniang seemed enthusiastic. I hope it will be an auspicious match."

"...Oh. Ah, it's Lan-guniang. A-Ying has never once in her life felt the need to constrain herself to what's usual." 

"Oh. I - 

Please pardon me, Jiang-guniang. Lan-guniang, then. I... am very glad, if Wei-guniang finds herself happy that way."

"It's an extremely natural assumption to make! There really isn't any need to apologize, you'd have to see them together to be able to guess. A-Ying has a way of turning expectations on their heads."

"How did she convince two major sects to allow such an unconventional engagement?"

"Well, she, uh, accidentally invented a talisman that let her get Lan-guniang pregnant. You're probably the most extreme example of a Wei Ying Incident but the atypicality is only in degree, not kind." 

Surprised blinking!

"...my. How startling that must have been!"

"One assumes! I wasn't there at the time, A-Ying and Lan-guniang had just escaped the enemy's stronghold together. Honestly, though, knowing A-Ying, she would have found some way to push the marriage through regardless, although probably after the war. Convincing A-Cheng wouldn't even be hard, he's just as happy it turned out this way because this way he can campaign for the both of them to come home to Lotus Pier instead of wherever A-Ying's husband was from, if it was a husband." 

"I have never been to Lotus Pier, but I have heard that it is lovely. It sounds like a very nice place for a child to grow up."

She wonders what makes them confident that the baby is Wei-guniang's. Perhaps the talisman is designed to work that way? Or perhaps they just think of it as her baby, since the talisman was her creation? Meng Shi supposes that it would be stranger for the baby not to have any father-equivalent at all.

LITTLE DO EITHER MENG SHI OR JIANG YANLI KNOW. 

"Well, I certainly think so. And A-Ying would agree. I don't know much about Lan-guniang's childhood, though." 

"The Cloud Recesses are beautiful, Mother; I think you would enjoy visiting there when the war is over," says Meng Yao, with absolutely no ulterior motives. "Though I myself am not well versed in the lives of children there. I have never seen Lotus Pier, but A-Ying seems to overflow with positive memories from her youth there. I think the child could be happy in either place, particularly with such attentive parents."

Nod. "I don't know how it's going to turn out; both A-Cheng and Zewu-jun want their sisters to stay with their respective sects. I'm sure however it turns out will be fine, though. Knowing A-Ying, there'll be plenty of traveling to visit either way." 

"It's nice that everyone involved is so invested. I'm sure the child will have a remarkable upbringing."

"Well, A-Ying and Lan-guniang are the first of their generation on both sides to marry and have a child, it's no surprise everyone is excited. And it's nice to have something bright to look forward to even in the middle of a war. When A-Ying loves, she gives her whole heart. This child will never have to doubt that it is cared for."

"When is the baby due?"

"About six months from now, I think. With everything that's been happening I haven't been keeping track of time as precisely as I otherwise might."

She glances at A-Yao. "Is it likely that this war will finish before then? The timing must be frightening."

"A-Ying has expressed confidence that she will see the war finished before the baby is born. As you can imagine, she feels strongly."

"She's very determined. And...somewhat terrifying on the battlefield." She sips contemplatively from her own bowl of soup. "I suppose you have a more direct reason to want the war over sooner rather than later now, too" she adds to Meng Yao. "The sooner Wen Ruohan is brought down the safer you are," to Meng Shi. "He wants the Yin Iron very badly."

Shiver.

"It sounds as though all people will be safer, the sooner Wen Ruohan is brought down," she says softly. "I have heard that he has a way of tracking the Yin Iron. Hopefully, since this is already the front of the war, I have not put anyone here in greater danger."

"You have not done anything wrong."

Pat pat. "I know that, A-Yao. A lack of blame does not mean I should ignore the consequences of my existence."

"The Yin Iron was already being kept here before you existed around it. I can't say for sure that Wen Ruohan would have no interest in the implications of your existence, but I don't think that would put anyone but you in any danger."

"Ah, Jiang-guniang is correct. I should not be so presumptuous!"