Qi Yuning heard this and said, "Died in the water?"
How could he die in the water again?
Princess Pingrou said, "My mother was already quite old when she gave birth to my brother. Nanny Qin was also middle-aged and had a son. She was recuperating at home, but who knew she would be so bold as to exchange her own daughter for my mother's son? Later, perhaps because she was too ashamed to face my mother, she drowned herself in the river with her daughter in her arms."
When this happened, both Qi Yuning and Lu Ze were not born yet. Since it concerned the royal dignity, no one would have known about it if Princess Pingrou hadn't mentioned it.
Lu Ze's eyes dimmed slightly, and he hid his guess. This guess was too unbelievable, but it could explain everything Lingling said.
After the roasted lamb was ready, Lu Ze sliced the lamb with a dagger and handed it to Qi Yuning.
Qi Yuning took over and fed Lingling first. Lingling's mouth was greasy from eating so much. She smiled at Qi Yuning and said, "Lingling is full!"
Seeing that Lingling was full, Qi Yuning started to eat the meat.
Lingling ran outside to play in the snow. For children, playing in the snow is much more important than the cold.
Lingling played for a while, then trotted in and said to Qi Yuning, "Mom, Lingling's little house is back."
Qi Yuning didn't understand what Lingling meant, but Lingling pulled Qi Yuning to Lu Ze's courtyard.
There were a lot of wood and stones piled outside Lu Ze's courtyard, and it was obvious that it was being renovated.
The small side room that Lingling had been to last time had become a child's residence. Lingling smiled and said, "This is Lingling's room!"
Princess Pingrou came over and smiled, "Yes, this is prepared for Lingling. Does Lingling like it?"
Lingling kept nodding, "I like it very much! Where's the nanny? Mommy, dear. Lingling hasn't seen the nanny for a long time. Lingling wants to sleep in Lingling's room with the nanny."
Qi Yuning said with a hint of aversion: "Isn't it good to sleep with mother?"
Lingling said: "It's also good to sleep together with mom and dad, but Lingling likes it here. This is Lingling's home."
Lu Ze stepped forward and said, "This place has not been repaired yet. When it is repaired, would you like Lingling to move in?"
Lingling nodded and said, "Okay!"
Qi Yuning bowed to Princess Pingrou and said, "Princess, it's getting late. Lingling and I will go back home first."
Princess Pingrou nodded slightly and said, "It's cold on this road, let Ze'er take you there."
It was only over an hour, but the snow on the road had indeed become much thicker, and Qi Yuning was shivering from the cold.
After returning to her room in the palace, she hurriedly ordered someone to bring a hot water bottle and a charcoal brazier to warm her hands and feet.
After Lu Ze put Ling Ling down from his arms, he saw Qi Yuning was afraid of the cold and said, "No wonder you don't want to go to North City. The winter in North City must be even colder, right?"
Qi Yuning sighed: "It's not only cold over there, but also very dry. When the cold wind blows on my face, it feels like the skin is about to be cracked. But even so, the people in the Dasheng Dynasty are still tampering with the military rations and military uniforms..."
Qi Yuning raised her eyes to look at Lu Ze again and said, "Lu Ze, what do you think about what Your Highness just said about the Crown Prince being almost replaced?
Lingling said that the Crown Prince didn’t ascend the throne but was still alive, and his aunt was the Princess, so could it be that the Crown Prince was not really the Crown Prince…”
Lu Ze said slowly: "Princess, I believe in my grandmother. She will never abandon her own daughter for the sake of a male fetus to consolidate her power for the crown prince."
Qi Yuning added: "Lingling said that her cousin looks like her, but Lingling looks like you. If her cousin looks like you, it is very likely that her cousin's mother is your sister or aunt..."
Lu Ze said, "Princess, don't speak carelessly about this matter. After all, there is no evidence. If you are not careful, the whole world will be in chaos, and the princess's mansion will not be immune to being implicated."
Qi Yuning thought about it and it made sense. Now they were just making wild guesses based on Lingling's few words. It was indeed not appropriate to say more without any basis.
Moreover, for Qi Yuning, the Queen Mother had been very kind to her since she was a child and loved her like a grandmother, so she really didn't want to make malicious assumptions about the Queen Mother.
Lu Ze said, "Princess, you don't have to take my mother's words about getting married early to heart. I will never marry just to get promoted. Princess, don't feel embarrassed. Just refuse it directly. My mother won't care."
Qi Yuning said: "I don't feel embarrassed. In fact, I have to get married sooner or later. In fact, I don't mind getting married sooner. Since Master Lu doesn't want to marry me, then forget it. Let's take our time."
Lu Ze asked in a deep voice: "Are you really willing to marry me?"
Qi Yuning said calmly: "Well, after all, I would rather be the wife of the Temple Minister than the wife of the Shao Qing. With Lingling here, we will get married sooner or later. It's much better to be the wife of the Temple Minister instead of the wife of the Shao Qing."
Lu Ze lowered his eyes and chuckled, "But I want the princess to agree to the marriage because we love each other, not because Lingling's father is relying on his daughter for status, nor for the position of temple minister, but just because we love each other..."
Qi Yuning touched Lu Ze's peach blossom eyes, looked at the sky outside and said, "My Lord, it's getting late outside, you should go back. If it snows heavily later, you won't be able to leave."
Qi Yuning handed the hot water bottle in her hand to Lu Ze and said, "Take good care of your hands. Don't let such beautiful hands get frostbite."
Lu Ze took the hot water bottle, smiled and said, "Okay."
After Lu Ze left, Qi Yuning secretly hated herself for being so unrestrained. She had said that she was willing to marry Lu Ze early, but she didn't expect that Lu Ze would be so gentlemanly and said that they would only get married if they loved each other.
Even Lingling didn't care about him, but he didn't want to think about it. With his usual unromantic appearance and only occasionally showing his affection, when will they be able to fall in love with each other?
…
North city.
The cold wind was as sharp as a sword, whistling loudly enough to break a person's skin.
Qi Yuan had long been accustomed to such days, but in winter he became a little lazy and always wanted to indulge in some soft and fragrant things.
When I entered Ah Ping's room, I saw her embroidering a black round-necked robe with a lifelike tiger on it.
"Your Highness." Ah Ping stood up and saluted.
Qi Yu'an hugged Ah Ping into his arms and chuckled softly, "You have become much plumper since the beginning of winter."
When Ping first came, it was during the time of famine. She was very skinny and had little flesh. Later, she finally gained some flesh, but after losing her child, she lost weight again. Now she is getting plumper.
Ah Ping's face is like a silver moon, and she would look better if she was plumper.
Ah Ping said in Qi Yu'an's arms: "I don't know why, but I've been sleepy and hungry lately, and my stomach is uncomfortable..."
Hearing about being sleepy and gluttonous, Qi Yu'an's eyes lit up, "Are you pregnant?"
Ah Ping looked at Qi Yu'an in surprise. She counted the days and it seemed like her period had already passed for a few days. Ah Ping didn't know whether to be happy or sad. Qi Yu'an was going to marry a princess. Would the princess tolerate a bastard's son before the marriage?
Qi Yu'an repeatedly said to the outside: "Please ask for a doctor."
When the old doctor came, he felt Ah Ping's pulse, stroked his beard and said to Qi Yu'an: "Your Highness, I am only good at treating injuries caused by falls, swords and knives. I feel Miss Ping's pulse, it seems to be slippery, but I can't be sure, maybe it's because she was pregnant for a short time..."
When Ping heard what the old doctor said, she didn't know whether she was looking forward to the arrival of the child or not.
Qi Yu'an will marry a princess soon. When the new princess marries him, her concubine is pregnant. Is this something the new princess can accept?
Qi Yuan'an was extremely happy. There were only him and his sister in the Qi family, and he had long been looking forward to having a child for the family.
Regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl, at least the Qi family is no longer just him and his sister.
Qi Yu'an instructed the auntie that Ping brought with her, "Please trouble Auntie to take good care of Ping. This baby must be well protected."
When the nanny heard that Ping might be pregnant, her eyes were filled with relief, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will take good care of Madam."
Qi Yu'an reached out and gently stroked A Ping's belly, "A Ping, do you like a daughter or a son?"
Ah Ping said softly, "Let's have a daughter. If we give birth to a bastard son, it will not be fair to the prince's future princess. No woman can willingly endure her husband having a bastard son before marriage..."
Qi Yu'an frowned slightly, "Yes, my daughter is fine. You are so spoiled, your son can't be like you. You should have a good rest. I will rest in the front yard today."
Ah Ping looked at Qi Yu'an's back and sighed, "Aunt, is the prince angry again? He said I was spoiled, isn't he angry every day?"
Mammy sighed and said, "Pingping, you shouldn't have mentioned the future princess just now."
Ah Ping laughed at herself and said, "There will always be a princess."
(End of this chapter)
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