"How do you know it's a little brother?" Yan Zhili was also thinking about this, but she found it amusing that her daughter kept calling him "little brother," so she deliberately asked, "What if it's a little sister?"
Yan Shujin paused for a moment, then said, "I like little girls too, but Grandma likes little boys even more. Grandma says that if I keep calling for little boys, the Goddess of Fertility will hear me and send a boy into her belly."
Yan Zhili was amused and said, "Nonsense."
Yan Shujin wrinkled her nose, somewhat unconvinced, and said in a spoiled tone, "I'm going to tell Grandma."
The maid following behind felt terrified. Thinking of Xu's arrangements, she wished she had eight legs to run and inform Xu, but in front of Yan Shujin, she dared not make the slightest move.
The Orchid Courtyard is very beautiful. Even when it gets dark, the exquisite palace lanterns hanging inside illuminate the courtyard brightly.
Upon hearing that Yan Zhili and Yan Shujin had arrived, Xu Shi's expression changed repeatedly. She exchanged a glance with Granny Sun before biting her lip and going out to greet them.
Yan Shujin noticed that Xu Shi had become much thinner than when she first met her. She was wearing a plain-colored gauze dress, which accentuated her already protruding belly, making her appear even more slender and delicate.
Yan Zhili looked at Xu Shi standing under the palace lantern and softened his tone, saying, "The night breeze is cool, let's go inside first."
Xu's eyes reddened as she gazed intently and affectionately at Yan Zhili. Hearing his words, she managed a weak smile, wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, and said, "I've made you worry, Master."
Yan Shujin's eyes flickered. Back then, Madam Wang's husband was taken away by a woman like this. That woman was not as pretty as Madam Wang, but she always looked pitiful. When she saw Master Wang, she was particularly focused and admiring.
Madam Wang herself couldn't become that kind of woman, but she privately told Yan Shujin that if she ever encountered a woman who always looked pitiful or a so-called straightforward woman, she should try to stay away from them and ignore them. Because you can never guess what they will do next. If you really can't stay away, you should take the initiative and not wait for them to make a move.
We need to be wary of those who are cunning and calculating, but they are good at weighing the pros and cons, so there's no need to worry about them causing a complete disaster.
The most dangerous people are those who think they're clever; their stupidity can be fatal.
Yan Shujin wondered which category Xu belonged to.
Is it pitiful?
It's unlikely. Her pitiful act was just a tactic. Is she really that clever? Or just overconfident?
Regardless of which scenario it was, Yan Shujin already had a plan in mind.
Madam Wang's analysis at that time was correct. However, none of them knew that Yan Zhili would reach her current status. Before she was taken away, Madam Wang only said one thing to her: to make good use of her status and the guilt she felt towards her elders.
When Yan Shujin first arrived in the capital, she did not have a clear understanding of her own identity. However, from her current interactions with the people around her and the methods employed by those aristocratic families, she gradually came to understand.
Yan Shujin followed Yan Zhili into Xu's room. Xu's room was very elegant and had a faint floral fragrance. Had she had a nightmare? Looking at Xu's careful dressing, Yan Shujin 'touched' her fingers. There are some things that women are particularly sensitive about, and this has nothing to do with age.
Yan Zhili asked, "What nightmare did you have? We'll have the imperial physician come and take a look when it's light."
Xu said with some guilt, "It's all my fault for making you worry, Master."
Yan Zhili sighed and said, "Take good care of yourself."
Madam Xu said softly, "In the past, Yunxiang would sing me little songs at night so I could fall asleep, but Yunxiang offended Baojie, so I can't keep her to serve me anymore."
"It's alright, she did something wrong, and I've already punished her." Yan Shujin was already thinking about how to respond, but unexpectedly, Madam Xu took the initiative to speak: "Don't worry, I'm not that petty. I wouldn't hold a grudge against a maid. Besides, the baby in your belly is very important. Even if several maids did something wrong, we can wait until the baby is born to settle things."
Ms. Xu found this difficult to respond to.
Yan Shujin, however, had no intention of letting her off so easily. She said with a worried expression, "You haven't been able to sleep for several days. The people serving you in your room didn't even tell your father. Even if you don't care about your own health, you should care about the baby in your belly. Grandma wants another grandson, Dad. I think the people serving her in her room might not be taking it seriously."
“There should be palace maids in the palace who are very good at taking care of pregnant women. I will talk to my aunt tomorrow and ask her to find a few to take care of Consort Xu.” Yan Shujin said seriously, “It is better to let people who have studied this kind of thing do it. The child is the most important thing.”
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