Hong Yingrong and Xue Zhongfu returned to the Marquis' Mansion together. In the Xiangyun Hall, she carefully re-treated and bandaged the injured palm of Xue Zhongfu's right hand.
"You must be extra careful these days. Never let the wound get wet." Hong Yingrong repeatedly warned in a serious tone, "The servants who serve the Second Young Master must pay extra attention to his wound."
The servants in Xue Zhongfu's yard responded one after another, showing extreme caution.
Madam Zhao also solemnly promised: "Please rest assured, old lady. I will take good care of the Second Young Master and will not let any harm happen to his wound."
Hong Yingrong nodded slightly, expressing her satisfaction, and then suggested, "Zhongfu, you should take a few days off from your work at the Ministry of Works and say you're recuperating at home. The weather is getting hot now, and it would be troublesome if your wound gets soaked with sweat. Besides..."
Before she finished speaking, Madam Zhao understood her meaning and quietly retreated with the other servants.
"It seems that meeting the Grand Concubine Shu and the Princess at Xiangguo Temple today was no accident," Hong Yingrong said solemnly. "It's clear that the Grand Concubine Shu specifically inquired about your regular habit of visiting Xiangguo Temple."
She paused for a moment and continued, "It's best for you to stay in the mansion for the next few days, stay out of the spotlight, and be careful."
Xue Zhongfu nodded in agreement and expressed his thoughts frankly, "A son always listens to his mother... Mother, I'm not one to curry favor with the rich and powerful. The reason I rode so hard to rescue the princess today was purely because I was worried that she might get into trouble and cause unnecessary trouble."
Hong Yingrong sighed softly, a glint of understanding flashing in her eyes. "Mother is naturally well aware of your character and personality. Zhongfu, if the eldest princess truly loves you deeply and insists on marrying you, what are your plans?"
She knew very well that her son's emotional self-restraint and forbearance over the years were largely due to his deep guilt for Shen Yunniang's death in childbirth.
However, she was also worried that Xue Zhongfu's long-term self-isolation and indulgence in the past was not a true remembrance of Chen Yunniang, but rather more like an excessive punishment for himself.
She was afraid that her son would miss out on the perfect marriage that might come his way.
Hong Yingrong's words made Xue Zhongfu fall into deep thought. He was silent for a moment, then slowly raised his head, with a determined light flashing in his eyes.
"Mother, if the princess is really interested in me, I will treat her with courtesy, but I cannot hastily decide my lifelong affairs because of her status or feelings." Xue Zhongfu's voice was steady and powerful.
"Besides, if my son really marries the eldest princess, it may not be a good thing for the Marquisate in the long run."
Hong Yingrong understood immediately after hearing this, "Are you considering the feelings of your eldest brother and sister-in-law?"
"That's right. If my eldest brother can regain his fighting spirit and return to the Marquisate, Mother will petition the court to restore his title. However, if I marry the princess and become her husband, Concubine Shu, out of love for her daughter, might suggest that I inherit the title. Or perhaps someone in the court, seeking to stir up trouble, would also take advantage of the situation and make such a suggestion. Such a situation would probably chill the hearts of my eldest brother and his wife, and the stability of our family would be difficult to maintain."
After hearing this, Hong Yingrong's eyes flashed with admiration. "The fact that you can think of this shows that you have truly matured. Our mansion may seem extremely glorious to outsiders, but it also has many complexities and conflicts that are difficult to understand. I am very pleased that you have begun to consider this."
Xue Zhongfu looked at Hong Yingrong gratefully and said, "Thank you for your understanding, mother. I will handle this matter well and will not let the Marquis' Mansion fall into unnecessary disputes."
Hong Yingrong whispered a few words to Xue Zhongfu, asking him to go back to his room and rest early. She then moved to Lanyue Pavilion, intending to visit her daughter-in-law Jiang Shuxiu.
Jiang Shuxiu's pregnant belly is now bulging, and her movements are clumsy, but her face is rosy and she is in good spirits.
As soon as Hong Yingrong stepped into the house, she felt a warm atmosphere coming towards her. Jiang Shuxiu was sitting beside the couch, embroidering a tiger-head hat in her hands.
Seeing Hong Yingrong coming in, Jiang Shuxiu was about to stand up and salute, but Hong Yingrong quickly stepped forward and gently held her down, "Shuxiu, you are heavy now, so let's skip these formalities."
Jiang Shuxiu smiled slightly and nodded gratefully, "Thank you, mother, for your understanding."
She walked over to Jiang Shuxiu, gently held her hand, and asked with concern, "Shuxiu, are you feeling well these days? Is the baby making any noises?"
Jiang Shuxiu smiled slightly and responded softly, "Thank you for your concern, mother. The child is doing well. I have been taking the pregnancy-maintaining medicine prescribed by Doctor Hong on time, and now I am not as weak as before."
Hong Yingrong nodded in relief, her eyes falling on the tiger-head hat in her hand, and she exclaimed in admiration: "This tiger-head hat is really exquisite. It seems that our little grandson will definitely be a brave little tiger in the future."
Jiang Shuxiu gently stroked the tiger-head hat, her eyes revealing the tenderness of maternal love. "Mom, you are too kind. I just wanted to make something for my child with my own hands. I hope he can feel my love."
Hong Yingrong felt relieved upon hearing this. She still felt a lingering fear when she recalled the dangerous situation she had experienced when Jiang Shuxiu was first pregnant. Fortunately, Hong Zhengxuan, a skilled doctor, intervened in time to ensure the safety of both mother and child.
"Shuxiu, you are pregnant now, so you must take good care of yourself. Leave those trivial matters to the servants, and don't work too hard." Hong Yingrong reminded again.
Jiang Shuxiu nodded gently and smiled, "Don't worry, mother. I know what I'm doing. Actually, I haven't been overly busy these days. Planning Huichun's wedding is complicated, but thankfully the servants are helping out, and I've only asked a few questions occasionally. Besides, I'm very happy to be able to help Huichun with her wedding."
For her, arranging Xue Huichun's wedding was not only her duty as the eldest sister-in-law, but also a special joy.
The sister-in-law is about to marry her cousin from her mother's side. Such a union is undoubtedly a closer relationship. It not only deepens the relationship between the Xue and Jiang families, but is also a great thing that brings double happiness.
When her husband Xue Yuanchu was not around, she stayed at home every day to take care of her pregnancy. The preparations for this marriage undoubtedly added a lot of fun to her life and relieved many of the boredom during pregnancy.
The days were peaceful and quiet in Lanyue Pavilion. Jiang Shuxiu dismissed the attendants around him, leaving only Fang'er by his side. Then he slowly spoke to Hong Yingrong: "Mother, Yuanchu mentioned an important matter in the letter home a few days ago..."
Hong Yingrong nodded slightly to show her understanding. Among Xue Yuanchu's family letters, there was one letter specifically written to his wife Jiang Shuxiu. She knew very well that there were always some private conversations between husband and wife that were inconvenient for others to know, so she did not ask any more questions.
Jiang Shuxiu continued, "Yuanchu said in the letter that if he couldn't get back from the border in time, he hoped that I could go to Xiguan Town to reunite with him after giving birth safely. As for the throne of the crown prince, he has decided to let my second brother inherit it..."
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