The doctor's words and the bright smile on Rui'er's face that was hard to conceal were naturally self-explanatory.
Hong Yingrong couldn't wait to tell Mother Han to prepare a generous medical fee. At this moment, she didn't care that there were many things to be arranged after Xue Huichun returned home. She happily went to Tingyuxuan with Mother Zhao.
Mother Han stayed where she was, first respectfully seeing the doctor off from the mansion, and then directing the servants to unload the luggage from the carriage one by one. The front of the mansion was suddenly filled with a busy and noisy atmosphere.
During this busy break, Jiang Lun walked over to Xue Huichun and said with a smile, "Last time, my aunt went to ask for divination, and the words said, 'Three flowers gather at the top of the head, and a happy event is approaching.' I've been wondering what those three happy events will be. Now it seems that they are all about to come true."
Xue Huichun smiled faintly upon hearing this and asked curiously, "If my eldest sister-in-law is pregnant, that's one thing. If my third brother graduates from high school, that's another thing. So what's the other happy event?"
Seeing his beloved asking knowingly and smiling sweetly, Jiang Lun couldn't help but smile softly. He replied mysteriously, "As for the last happy event, I'm afraid I'll have to ask Yue Lao."
When Jinxia, the personal maid standing beside her, heard this, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh secretly.
Servants were bustling around, so Jiang Lun didn't say much. He nodded to Xue Huichun, retracting his joking expression. He said seriously, "I'll go back and tell my aunt about this. She'll be happy to know my cousin is pregnant."
Xue Huichun nodded slightly in response.
As she and Jinxia slowly walked into the inner courtyard, Jiang Lun's gaze always followed her, gently protecting her.
It was not until the door leading to the inner courtyard gradually closed, blocking the figure of his beloved, that he reluctantly withdrew his gaze, jumped on his horse, and galloped away.
In Tingyu Pavilion, the younger sister Xue Shanqiu sat beside the couch and told the maid Lai Xi to fetch a cushion. She also asked Xiao He to rush to the kitchen and asked her to stew a bowl of nourishing bird's nest. Her every word and action revealed her meticulous care for Jiang Shuxiu.
"The doctor has already said that you will be fine as long as you rest well." Jiang Shuxiu looked at her sister-in-law's worried expression and comforted her softly.
Xue Shanqiu cautiously reached out his hand and gently stroked his sister-in-law's abdomen, his tone still holding a hint of fear: "You really scared me."
Originally, she was going to stay at the mansion today, waiting for her mother to pick up her fourth sister.
With nothing to do, he went to the silk shop in the West Market with his sister-in-law Jiang Shuxiu to inspect it. At first, everything was calm, but when they were about to return home for lunch, Jiang Shuxiu suddenly fainted in the carriage.
At that moment, Xue Shanqiu asked Rui'er and found out that his sister-in-law had been in this condition for some time.
However, Jiang Shuxiu always used tiredness as an excuse to refuse to see a doctor. Even the regular consultations by the palace doctor Zhang in the past two months were dismissed by her with various reasons, and the prescriptions he prescribed had not been taken for a long time.
Xue Shanqiu was very worried about the situation when his sister-in-law fainted. He felt that this matter should not be taken lightly, so as soon as he returned home, he decisively asked Mother Han to invite a doctor to treat the disease.
At this moment, Hong Yingrong had already walked into Tingyuxuan, her face filled with joy that was hard to conceal.
"With the blessing of our ancestors, the Marquis' Mansion has an heir!" Her voice revealed immense excitement. She came to Jiang Shuxiu's side and held her daughter-in-law's hand tightly.
"Thanks to my little sister, if she hadn't insisted on asking a doctor to come and treat me, I'm afraid I would have continued to procrastinate like this."
Jiang Shuxiu said softly, her eyes revealing gratitude to her sister-in-law, and she was also annoyed that she had not realized that she was already pregnant with the long-awaited baby.
Counting the days, it should be the few days before I moved out of Lanyue Pavilion. Everything is so unexpected.
Xiaohe carefully brought the stewed bird's nest from the kitchen. After Xue Shanqiu took it, he blew gently to remove the hot air and then handed it to Jiang Shuxiu.
In Tingyuxuan, Hong Yingrong instructed the maids in detail to take good care of her daughter-in-law's daily diet and daily life, and specially dispatched two experienced maids to assist.
Although Rui'er and Lai Xi are loyal to Jiang Shuxiu, they are both unmarried girls and it is inevitable that they don't understand some things.
After arranging all matters, Hong Yingrong returned to the Prajna Hall and finally had a belated lunch. Although she was happy about the news that her daughter-in-law was pregnant, her thoughts drifted to her previous life.
At that time, Jiang Shuxiu became pregnant a year later than she is now, and Hong Yingrong never persuaded her to stop taking the pregnancy-maintaining medicine prescribed by Doctor Zhang.
However, at that time Xue Yuanchu was addicted to brothels and had a rift with Jiang Shuxiu, so she stopped taking the pregnancy medicine out of despair.
Later, Hong Yingrong came forward to persuade the couple, and they reconciled. After sleeping together for a while, Jiang Shuxiu became pregnant.
"It's all after I stopped taking the medicine..." Hong Yingrong said to herself.
When Aunt Zhao, who was serving her food, heard this, she couldn't help but ask, "Madam, what medicine is that?"
"...It's the prescription that Imperial Physician Zhang used to write for Shuxiu every month. Do we still have it in our house?"
Madam Zhao shook her head. "No, every time Imperial Physician Zhang comes to the mansion and takes Ping'an's pulse, he'll directly prescribe a prescription, and then a few days later, the Imperial Hospital will prepare the herbs and send them over. The mansion doesn't keep any records."
"Are there any medicinal herbs left?" Hong Yingrong continued to ask.
"Those medicinal herbs used to be kept in Lanyue Pavilion. You have to ask the young lady for details." Nanny Zhao replied.
"You should... go ask Rui'er about this, but don't alarm Shuxiu. Her pregnancy is still unstable, so don't let her worry about these things."
"Yes, I've made note of it."
The good news of the young lady's pregnancy spread throughout the mansion like a spring breeze. Hong Yingrong was very happy and generously rewarded everyone in the mansion with a month's share of silver to celebrate.
The second son, Xue Zhongfu, also learned the good news after returning from the Ministry of Works meeting hall. He went back to the courtyard to change out of his court clothes and went to the Prajna Hall to pay his respects to his mother.
As soon as he passed through the corridor leading to the backyard, he saw his elder brother Xue Yuanchu standing in the high viewing pavilion, looking in the direction of Tingyuxuan, without any servants accompanying him.
"Brother!" Xue Zhongfu stepped forward and greeted respectfully with some trepidation.
Ever since the eldest brother Xue Yuanchu broke his leg, every meeting between the two brothers was filled with embarrassment and unhappiness. Xue Yuanchu's sarcasm was like an invisible sharp blade, always making the two of them part ways on bad terms.
"If it's a boy, he'll learn horseback riding and archery in the future. I won't be able to teach him like this, and I'll have to trouble you, my uncle, to take care of it."
Xue Zhongfu was stunned. He had already prepared himself and could endure even harsher words, but what rang in his ears was his elder brother's calm voice.
He raised his head and what caught his eye was Xue Yuanchu's slightly gray face and his back as he limped out of the corridor.
The sky darkened, but Xue Zhongfu was completely unaware. He only felt an inexplicable sadness welling up in his heart, which made him choke up for a moment.
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