Cut the lotus root into pieces and stew it with the spareribs. Add a handful of lotus seeds, some soy sauce and sesame oil. It tastes especially good when stewed.

Undergarments were something next to the skin, so Yi Ning would never make one for him. But as dusk fell outside, she couldn't truly be heartless. She asked the maid to put the stewed lotus root and pork ribs in a food basket, along with a few plates of pastries, and send it over to him.

The servant guarding outside his study was particularly happy to see Luo Yining coming.

Every time his wife came to deliver dinner, the Marquis would be in an especially good mood. This could last for several days in a row, so the servants also liked to see her.

"Please sit inside and wait," the servant said, bowing. "It's windy outside, be careful not to get too windy!"

The maid helped her sit on the armchair outside the study. After all, she was almost full-term, so her movements had to be extremely cautious. Yining heard someone inside: "The Minister of Works retired two weeks ago. Due to the lack of a suitable replacement, and with Wang Yuan's strong support... Luo Shenyuan succeeded him. The news has only just arrived. This man is very cunning and had kept it a secret until now. No one knew... Duke Ying has been inquiring about your whereabouts, but due to the resurgence of the Tatars, the Emperor has ordered him to garrison Xuanfu."

"He doesn't need to worry about it," Lu Jiaxue said. "Where's Cheng Lang?" He left the capital only after speaking with the emperor. It was a confidential conversation. No one knew the specific content. But he also received an imperial decree.

"Lord Cheng and Lord Luo plotted against each other to the point of death, but Luo Shenyuan was on good terms with Ge Hongnian, the Chief Censor of the Metropolitan Censorate, so they were powerless."

Lu Jiaxue sneered, "Becoming the Emperor's confidant has given him a lot of publicity. He publicly expressed his support for the eldest prince in court last time, right? Didn't the Qingliu Party scold him to death?"

The third prince was adopted as the legitimate son. In addition, the third prince was smart, studious, and gentle in character, so he has always been supported by the Qingliu Party.

The man quickly replied, "After Luo Shenyuan expressed his support for the eldest prince, many members of Wang Yuan's faction followed his lead. Memorials from the Qingliu faction accusing him of sacrificing the country poured in like snowflakes. But the emperor, who favors the eldest prince, summoned Lord Luo for a long, all-night talk. I suspect that within a few months, Lord Luo might be able to enter the cabinet..."

Luo Shenyuan would naturally support the eldest prince to please the emperor. He dared to do something that even Wang Yuan turned a blind eye to. The emperor was so pleased that he couldn't wait.

Lu Jiaxue added, "We can't let him manipulate us unscrupulously. The Qingliu Party is completely useless. Write a letter to the Queen and ask her to find Xie Yi. Although this old sly guy hasn't expressed his stance, he has always supported the Third Prince."

The man took the order and left.

Lu Jiaxue opened the study door and saw Luo Yining standing outside. Without even looking up, he said, "Did you hear that? Your third brother is really good at guessing the emperor's intentions. He's become a chancellor."

"I'll bring you some soup." Yining picked up the food basket.

Beneath the candlesticks, Lu Jiaxue sipped his soup slowly. The lotus root soup was sweet, and no amount of cooking could compare to its flavor. It was the same flavor she'd had when she'd held it in her hands and placed a small bowl on his long table.

Seeing that he had almost finished drinking, Yining picked up the basket and was about to go out. Lu Jiaxue suddenly grabbed her hand and said, "Luo Yining, where is my underwear?"

Luo Yining wanted to throw the lunch box at him. He had so many underwear in his own closet, couldn't he wear them?

Lu Jiaxue asked the servant to bring in a tape measure: "After so many years, you must have forgotten my size. Come, measure it."

After saying that, he stood up, opened his arms, and hooked his finger, motioning her to measure him.

The tape measure uncurled, Luo Yining measured his arm length. She watched him from behind. She thought it might be possible to wrap the tape around him and strangle him. She swallowed her anger and said, "Lower it!" He was capable of anything, so she went ahead and measured him. She'd ask Xuezhi to help her later.

When she measured her waist, Lu Jiaxue looked down at her hair. She was wearing a pink and white jacket, and the faint fragrance kept drifting into his nose. He smiled. In fact, he could just reach out and hold her in his arms, but he would wait until she was closer, otherwise she would be scared. After measuring, he shook her hand and said, "Thank you, make it look better."

A few days later, Lu Jiaxue received the underwear and felt much better. Of course, he didn't know it was made by Xuezhi, and Xuezhi didn't dare to tell him. Anyway, the stitching was smooth and the material was very comfortable.

Lu Jiaxue likes it very much and wears it often.

That afternoon the Jinling prefect came to see him, and they drank some wine together. He got drunk and came to her place to look for her.

Luo Yining was leaning against her pillow, tapping her swollen legs with a small back hammer. Pregnancy had been tough, and in the last few days, she'd barely been able to move around, unable to go anywhere.

Lu Jiaxue received a letter from his subordinate at the door. He unfolded it and felt a chill all over his body.

The border is in crisis. Wei Ling was originally holding the line, but now he can no longer.

The Oirat and Tatars conspired to break through Xuanfu and Datong, and at one point forced their way to Yanmen Pass. The emperor ordered him to go to Datong and lead the troops to fight.

He handed the letter to his subordinates and said, "Ask the commander to come here tomorrow."

He entered the room and walked to the side of the Arhat's bed. Seeing him coming, the maids and servants all retreated.

"You're quite cool." Lu Jiaxue said, "Are you not in a hurry to go back?"

She was pregnant, and she was about to die. Luo Yining knew that she was young, so she needed to be more careful. She hammered her leg and suddenly asked, "Lu Jiaxue, have you found Xuezhi's son?"

"He's been missing for two years, how can there be any news in a short time?" Lu Jiaxue said.

Luo Yining leaned against the pillow and closed his eyes: "...How did you bribe her?"

When Lu Jiaxue heard this, he laughed and said, "You've never believed Xuezhi's words?"

"I used to believe it, but later I stopped believing it. Now think about it, how could it be so coincidental? If her child wasn't lost, there would be no need to look for him..." Luo Yining said, "I wouldn't have to worry about him anymore."

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