Qi Yuning and Lu Ze looked at each other, and she didn't know how to explain.

She would definitely not want to tell anyone that Lingling had died young, but Lingling couldn't have disappeared for no reason, so there had to be an explanation.

Lu Ze said, "Let's say Lingling has a connection with Taoism and was led by a Taoist priest to become a monk."

Qi Yuning nodded. This might be the best explanation.

Lingling passed away. Although Princess Pingrou was also disappointed, she was mostly happy: "Lingling was born on the ninth day of the ninth month. She passed away yesterday. Was it because Ningning was pregnant with her?"

Princess Pingrou walked over to Qi Yuning and helped her sit down. "You must take good care of yourself these few days."

Lu Baozhu also walked over to Qi Yuning and reached out to touch her flat belly. "Is Lingling already inside?"

Qi Yuning shook his head lightly, "I'm not sure."

She didn't want to have too many expectations and end up being disappointed.

Lu Ze said, "Your period has always come before the 20th for the past few months. It's already the 24th, and your period hasn't come yet. If it doesn't come by the end of the month, then Lingling must be pregnant with you."

Qi Yuning stretched out her hand and held her lower abdomen. It was true that the truth would be revealed in a few days.

Duke Lu said, "Let's eat. If Lingling is really born, Yuning, you must eat well."

Qi Yuning should be.

Lu Ze sat next to Qi Yuning and picked up some mutton for her. However, Qi Yuning lost interest in the mutton she always loved.

Her eyes were fixed on the dish of braised soft-shelled turtle in rock sugar in front of her. It was the dish that Qi Yuning disliked the most, but it was the dish that Lingling liked very much.

Qi Yuning gestured to the maid serving the dishes to pick up some candied soft-shelled turtle for her. Guyu didn't react for a moment. After all, her princess had always been afraid of soft-shelled turtles and tortoises.

Seeing Qi Yuning's strange behavior, Lu Ze gave Qi Yuning a piece of turtle leg.

If Qi Yuning hadn't seen Lingling eat it, she wouldn't have known how to eat turtle legs. Not to mention that she had always disliked turtle legs, but now they didn't taste unpalatable at all, but rather delicious.

After dinner.

Qi Yuning and Lu Ze were called to a nearby room by Princess Pingrou.

Princess Pingrou said to Lu Ze, "Can't you sleep with Yuning these days?"

"Why?" Lu Ze frowned.

Princess Pingrou asked, "Why do you think so? What if Yuning is already pregnant with Lingling? You can't sleep with Qi Yuning for the next ten months."

Lu Ze finally realized that this was not the same room as the other. Although they were newlyweds, Lu Ze would not joke about Qi Yuning's body. He nodded and said, "Yes."

Princess Pingrou instructed Qi Yuning carefully on the things she should pay attention to when she was pregnant, and Qi Yuning wrote them down one by one.

On the way back to their courtyard, Qi Yuning's hand rested on her lower abdomen intentionally or unintentionally.

Qi Yuning looked up at Lu Ze and said, "I still don't know if Lingling is in my belly. From what I see, my mother is so sure that I'm pregnant with Lingling. If I'm not, she'll be so disappointed."

Lu Ze knew that if Lingling really didn't exist, Qi Yuning would be the most disappointed.

Lu Ze held Qi Yuning's hand tightly and said, "Why don't you trust your husband's ability? You and I have been making love day and night, so why can't we get Lingling pregnant?"

Qi Yuning pinched Lu Ze's waist shyly.

Lu Ze held Qi Yuning's hand tightly, held her in his arms, and bent down to kiss Qi Yuning's forehead.

"You should be happier. Lingling is most afraid that you will be unhappy."

Qi Yuning agreed: "Yes."

The days of confirming pregnancy are hard to bear, but I can’t really have free time at the end of the year.

His Majesty's condition in the palace is getting worse and worse. Princess Pingrou, as His Majesty's most beloved eldest daughter, goes to the palace almost every day.

All the New Year affairs in the princess's mansion had to be handed over to Qi Yuning and Lu Ze. Being busy with New Year affairs also made Qi Yuning less anxious about expecting Lingling.

New Year's Eve.

Qi Yu'an and Zhao Shu invited Qi Yuning and Lu Ze to return to the palace for lunch.

Zhao Shu noticed that the couple didn't bring Lingling with them, "Why didn't Lingling come with them?"

Qi Yuning said, "Lingling met a Taoist priest. The Taoist priest said that she had a destiny with Taoism, so he took her away to practice."

"Ah?" Zhao Shu was stunned. "Lingling is still so young, are you willing to let her go?"

After listening to Qi Yuning's words, Qi Yu'an understood that Lingling, who appeared out of nowhere, might have disappeared out of nowhere.

Qi Yuning said, "Since she has a predestined relationship with the Dao, for her future, we cannot bear to let her go. I want to go back to my room first."

Qi Yuan nodded.

Qi Yuning and Lu Ze held hands and returned to Chunjiang Courtyard. The interior was still decorated as it was on the day of her wedding.

There are still many little toys that Lingling used to play with and the spring and autumn clothes that Lingling wore in her room. Everything bears the traces of Lingling's life.

During the meal, Qi Yuning saw the table full of Lingling's favorite dishes, and he missed Lingling to the extreme.

Qi Yu'an said to Qi Yuning, "I've discussed this with your sister-in-law. When the weather gets warmer on February 2nd, I'll take your nephew back to North City."

Qi Yuning looked at Yuan Ge'er who was held by Zhao Shu. Don't admit that Yuan Ge'er and Lingling really look alike.

Qi Yuning held Yuan Ge'er in his arms, looked at his faint smile, and thought of Lingling.

Qi Yuning remembered Lingling saying that she liked Yuan Ge'er because he looked like Lingling. Qi Yuning thought Lingling must be right.

"Are you leaving so soon? Brother Yuan is still so young, can't he stay in Shengjing City for a few more days?"

Qi Yu'an said, "There are still bandits causing trouble in the North City, and we can't underestimate the surrounding countries. Although more than ten years have passed, the remnants of the North Desert have not been completely eliminated. The North City cannot do without me."

Qi Yuning touched Yuan Ge'er's little face and teased him, feeling reluctant to leave.

…

Your Majesty is not feeling well this year, so there will be no palace banquet on New Year's Eve or the first day of the lunar year.

The noble families in the entire Shengjing City were able to celebrate a reunion during the New Year. In previous years, what Qi Yuning hated most was the New Year's Eve without a palace banquet.

If there were a palace banquet, it would be lively. Without a palace banquet, the Qi family would be very deserted.

The princess's mansion was quite lively.

Lu Baozhu and Lu Yun were both playful people, and they had prepared firecrackers and fireworks early on. They had intended to bring Lingling to play with them, so they prepared quite a lot, but unfortunately Lingling was not there at the moment.

Qi Yuning could only watch Lu Baozhu and Lu Yun playing together.

Lu Ze asked Qi Yuning, "Do you want to set off the fireworks together?"

Qi Yuning said: "No."

Lu Ze said, "Take the incense and light it. I'll protect you. Don't be afraid."

Qi Yuning and Lu Ze held her hand tightly and went to light the fireworks.

Seeing the fireworks blooming in the sky, Qi Yuning touched her belly. She wished she could still hear Lingling's hearty laughter when she saw the fireworks.

Lu Baozhu came close to Qi Yuning and said, "By the way, you said last time that Lingling knew her future aunt would be A Ping and her second uncle would be Zhong Ming. What about her biological uncle? Have you asked her who my future husband will be?"

"And me, and me, and who will my future wife be? Did Lingling tell me?"

Lu Yun also came over and asked, "Isn't my wife beautiful and gentle? Whose daughter is she?"