Chapter 114: The Sisters' Visit

A few days later, the scar on Su Wanrou's forehead had faded to almost invisible, and the drowsiness and nausea she experienced in early pregnancy had also lessened considerably. However, following the imperial physician's advice of "absolute rest," she still spent most of her time reclining on the couch.

Just past noon that day, a light snowflake began to fall, covering the bare branches and rockery in the courtyard with a thin layer of silver. Su Wanrou, accompanied by Qingdai, was slowly pacing and stretching in the warm pavilion when she heard a maid outside happily announce, "Madam, Princess Anyang has come to visit you!"

Upon hearing this, Su Wanrou's face immediately broke into a genuine smile. Princess Anyang was the only daughter of the late Princess, known for her forthright and spirited nature. She was about the same age as Su Wanrou, and they had become close friends after a friendly gathering at a palace banquet, becoming one of Su Wanrou's few confidantes in the capital. During her time recuperating, aside from her mother visiting once, Princess Anyang had only sent a few invitations, which Su Wanrou had politely declined due to severe morning sickness.

"Quickly invite the princess to the warm pavilion; it's warm here," Su Wanrou hurriedly instructed. She herself, supported by Qingdai, walked to the chaise lounge by the window in the warm pavilion and sat down.

As soon as the words were spoken, the curtain was lifted by a hand painted with bright red nail polish. Accompanied by a series of clear, bell-like laughs, a bright and beautiful figure wearing a pomegranate-red silk jacket and skirt with lotus patterns and a white fox fur cloak rushed in, bringing with her a cool breeze and a rich rose fragrance.

"Oh my, Duchess! You've finally shown yourself! Let me see, has your face gotten thinner?" Princess Anyang took off her cloak and handed it to the maid behind her, then rushed to the couch, sat down next to Su Wanrou without any ceremony, took her hand, and looked her up and down carefully.

Su Wanrou was dressed in a soft, moon-white brocade jacket with cloud patterns. She wore no makeup, and her black hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin. Although her face was still a little pale, her eyes were bright and her breathing was steady. She looked much better than she had imagined.

"Thank goodness, you look alright, just a bit thinner." Princess Anyang patted her chest, as if relieved. "You have no idea what people are saying about you! Some say you had a miscarriage and are bedridden; others say you damaged your health and the baby is in danger! It terrified me. The last few times I came here, your steward was vague, only saying you needed to rest, which made me so anxious!"

Su Wanrou felt a warmth in her heart, knowing that her concern was genuine. She smiled and grasped her hand in return, saying, "Thank you for your concern, sister. It was just that the imperial physician instructed me to be extra careful during the first three months, which is why I closed my doors to visitors. But that has caused some gossip outside. Look at me, I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"

"It's good that you're alright! It's good that you're alright!" Princess Anyang was straightforward. Seeing that Su Wanrou was indeed unharmed, she immediately beamed and leaned closer, lowering her voice with a hint of mischief, "I say, isn't this a blessing in disguise? Judging from the Duke of Zhenguo's cold face, he probably wants to hold you in the palm of his hand and cherish you now, right? I heard that these days, apart from going to court, he's been almost inseparable from you? Even the ladies in the palace are joking that the iron tree has blossomed, and our cold-faced Duke of Zhenguo has learned to care for someone!"

Su Wanrou blushed at her teasing and glared at her reproachfully: "Sister, you're just talking nonsense! My husband is just... just following the imperial physician's instructions."

"Oh, oh, oh, you're even shy now!" Princess Anyang laughed heartily. "Following the imperial physician's instructions, you can return to the manor early every day? You can even move your study to the outer room of your Guiyan Residence? Wanrou, you have no idea how many ladies and young women in the capital are so envious of you that their eyes are practically popping out of their sockets! Everyone says that this delicate young lady of the Yongchang Marquis's mansion has truly fallen into a lucky nest. So what if she's remarried? With such a loving husband and getting pregnant so quickly, her position as the Duchess is definitely secure!"

Su Wanrou listened, a sweet feeling rising in her heart, but ultimately she thought more deeply than Princess Anyang. While her husband's affection pleased her, the hidden dangers behind this "blessing" made her uneasy. She changed the subject, saying, "Sister, please stop talking about me. I've been cooped up in the manor these days. Has anything interesting happened outside? Tell me about it, so I can relax."

Seeing that Su Wanrou was reluctant to talk, Princess Anyang assumed she was just shy and readily agreed, starting to recount recent interesting events in the capital. She described the grand celebrations of various matriarchs, the prizes won at poetry gatherings, and how two ladies nearly fought over a piece of brocade in a shop… Her eloquence was remarkable, her descriptions vivid and engaging, making Su Wanrou chuckle softly, and even Qingdai and the maidservant brought by Princess Anyang couldn't help but chuckle.

As they were talking, Princess Anyang seemed to suddenly remember something and said casually, "Oh, right, didn't Princess Qi hold a plum blossom viewing banquet the other day? I went too. Guess what? During the banquet, Princess Qi specifically asked about you, saying that she heard you were frightened and unwell, and was very concerned. She also said that the horse accident that day during the winter hunt, her prince was furious when he returned home, saying that his subordinates were incompetent and had caused the Duchess such a fright, and that he would definitely investigate thoroughly."

Su Wanrou's hand, holding the teacup, paused almost imperceptibly. Princess Qi? She didn't have a deep relationship with Princess Qi, only having met her a few times at palace banquets. This special concern... She recalled Gu Yangui's mention of "power in the court" that night, and her heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm on the surface, only smiling and saying, "Thank you for your concern, Princess Qi. It was just an accident, and His Majesty and Her Majesty have already dealt with it."

Princess Anyang, oblivious to her unease, pursed her lips and said, "That Princess Qi is good at putting on a show. But since she asked, I naturally answered for you, just saying you need to rest and that it's nothing serious. Oh, and the Lady of Anyuan Marquis also went that day. She didn't look well and left after only a short while, saying she had a headache. Speaking of which, things haven't been peaceful at the Anyuan Marquis's residence lately. It seems their good-for-nothing illegitimate son has gotten into trouble again and is drowning in gambling debts..."

The Marquis of Anyuan's residence… Su Wanrou's heart sank again. These were all residences that might be related to her husband. She forced herself to stop thinking about it and drew her attention back to Princess Anyang's words.

After chatting and laughing for a while, Princess Anyang noticed that Su Wanrou looked a little tired, so she considerately got up to take her leave: "Look at me, I can't stop talking once I start. You must be tired. Take good care of yourself. If you need anything or feel bored, just send someone to my residence to let me know. Once you're fully recovered, we can have a proper get-together."

Feeling grateful, Su Wanrou had Qingdai wrap up several exquisite palace pastries and a box of top-quality bird's nest that had been prepared beforehand, and then presented them to Princess Anyang. She personally escorted the princess to the entrance of the warm pavilion, watching her figure disappear at the end of the corridor, before Qingdai helped her slowly walk back.

Back on the couch, the warmth of the room and the lively atmosphere brought by Princess Anyang dissipated, leaving only the soft rustling of snowflakes falling outside the window. Su Wanrou leaned against the pillows, savoring the conversation she had just had.

The arrival of Princess Anyang was like a ray of sunshine, dispelling some of the gloom of the past few days and bringing a fresh atmosphere from the outside world. But the seemingly unintentional revelations were like pebbles thrown into a lake, creating ripples of doubt in her heart.

Princess Qi's "concern," the "unrest" at Marquis Anyuan's residence... are these really just coincidences?

She gently stroked her lower abdomen, feeling the tiny life within. No matter how turbulent the outside world, her most important task now was to protect this child. And her husband was shielding her and their family from those unseen storms.

Trust him, and wait patiently. Su Wanrou closed her eyes, suppressing her chaotic thoughts. Now was not the time for her to worry about these things. She needed to gather her strength, for the sake of her child, and so that she could stand by her husband's side as soon as possible and face everything together.

Snowflakes fell silently, covering the garden and temporarily concealing all traces and conspiracies. Inside Guiyan Residence, it was warm as spring, but a covert battle surrounding this mansion had already quietly unfolded in a corner untouched by the sun.