When Xu Lanyin was three months pregnant, her belly was only slightly bulging, and even with her clothes on, you couldn't tell she was pregnant. But this time, not only was her belly bigger, but her waist was also thicker, like she was four months pregnant.
Xu Lanyin didn't think much of it, thinking that maybe she had taken too good care of the baby this time, so the fetus was a little big. She decided to control her diet and exercise, not wanting the baby to grow too big and difficult to deliver.
On this day, Xu Lanyin took Wen Mingxi into the palace to meet the Queen Mother. This was her first time entering the palace after she became pregnant.
Liu Zhaohou happened to be there too.
Liu Zhaohou said happily, "Sister Xu, I have a wife now. I heard that she looks a lot like you and also likes playing chess. Her name also contains the character 'Lan'. I like her very much."
Xu Lanyin already knew that Empress Dowager Pu had arranged a marriage for him. The girl was the daughter of a fourth-rank official named Bai Lan, who was fifteen years old. They were scheduled to get married in May of next year.
Both Empress Dowager Pu and the Emperor felt sorry for Liu Zhaohou and took great pains to find a wife for him. It was said that the girl was gentle, kind, virtuous and well-mannered.
Xu Lanyin congratulated him with a smile.
Liu Zhaohou added, "The Empress Dowager said that once I marry a wife, I can be crowned a king and leave the palace. When the time comes, I will bring my wife to your house every day to play."
Queen Mother Pu laughed and said, "Monkey, you have a wife now, and you will have children in the future. You will be an adult now. How can you think about visiting guests every day?"
Liu Zhaohou was also looking forward to that beautiful day. He smiled and said, "Let my wife give birth to a son as beautiful and lovable as Xixi, and give him to the Empress Dowager. Let the Empress Dowager be happy to see him every day."
Everyone laughed.
Empress Dowager Pu was even more delighted and said with a smile, "Monkey, I know your filial piety, and I appreciate it. When you have children, you will know how much you miss them."
Empress Dowager Pu found an excuse to send Liu Zhaohou away and whispered to Xu Lanyin, "Invite Miss Bai to your home often. Let her learn how to dress from you, and then teach her how to play chess and military chess... Zhaohou is a good boy. Although a little naive, he is kind and simple, without any bad intentions. Any girl who marries him will be blessed. However, I also hope that they can live in harmony, and that his wife will take good care of him and take care of the family in the future."
Xu Lanyin knew that Empress Dowager Pu wanted her to teach Bai Yu a lesson and bring her closer to her. She also wanted Liu Zhaohou to be happy, so she agreed. However, while she could be taught how to dress and how to play chess, her character was something no one could change. She hoped that the girl would truly be as gentle, kind, virtuous, and polite as the rumors said.
Empress Dowager Pu looked at Xu Lanyin's belly, a cloud of worry on her face. She dismissed the servants and said, "You're only three months pregnant, how come your waist has grown so much? Are you pregnant with twins?"
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "This time the baby is indeed bigger than last time. At first I thought it was because I ate more and moved less, so the baby grew bigger. Now that the Empress Dowager said so, it's really possible that I'm pregnant with twins."
She liked twins, and unconsciously her face showed even more joy, but when she saw the gloomy face of the Queen Mother, she quickly restrained her smile.
She desperately wanted to say, "If I'm pregnant with twins, I won't give one away, I'll raise both myself..." The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she forced them back. The old lady in front of her was the most powerful woman in the world. She couldn't lie. Impulse is the devil. If she said that, it would only make the Queen Mother look more selfish, caring only about her and her son, not her daughter's life or death.
There are some things that her grandson may be able to say, but she herself must never say them.
Empress Dowager Pu's mind was now filled with her daughter's short and difficult life, as well as her own frustrations. She sighed deeply and said, "I'm a little tired. You should go back."
It was almost noon, but they were not invited to have lunch.
Xu Lanyin took her child out of the palace and returned home.
Returning to Hexuan, she said to Wei Mama, "Have someone send some food over. I haven't had lunch yet."
Nanny Wei was stunned for a moment and quickly sent someone to the kitchen.
Xu Lanyin rubbed her belly and sighed deeply, feeling helpless. In her past life, carrying twins was such a joyous occasion, but in this era, it wasn't a popular thing, especially not among the royal family. Being close to the royal family was a double-edged sword: they would grant you unlimited favors, but being with the emperor was like being with a tiger; a single careless move could anger them...
In the evening, Wen Zhuoan came back.
Xu Lanyin told him about the Queen Mother's reaction, and then she said stubbornly, "If I really gave birth to twins, I wouldn't give the children away. I can't bear to do that."
Wen Zhuoan said, "Of course we can't give our children away." He pondered for a moment, then added, "The Imperial Grandmother knows best how hard my mother's life was and how pitiful her death was. I think, even for my mother's sake, she wouldn't let us follow her path. If you really are pregnant with twins, let's not say those things for now. Let her think it through and speak out..."
Yes, it was only when the empress dowager took the initiative to say it that she appeared kind, compassionate to the younger generation, and felt guilty towards her daughter... It was just like the saying in the previous life, a woman becomes stupid for three years after pregnancy. It took me a long time to figure out such a simple truth.
Xu Lanyin laughed, lifted her ears which had not been lifted for a long time and said, "Zhuo An, you are becoming more and more cunning."
Wen Zhuoan kissed her and said with a smile, "Then you must comfort your husband well today."
Two days later, Xu Lanyin asked someone to bring Chai Zixiao and Xu Lanyue to Wen Mansion, and Li sent a note, asking her to bring Min Jia to play, and at the same time sent a note to Bai Lan in Bai Mansion.
Ma and Xu Lanyin were both due around the same time, about three months into their pregnancy. However, the Nanyang Princess's family had few children, so Xu Lanyin didn't dare invite her.
Li came to the Wen Mansion first and asked the children to go to another room to play. Xu Lanyin asked her about Bai Lan's situation.
Li whispered, "I know Miss Bai too. She has a very good relationship with my third sister. She's good-looking and has a rather generous personality. As the eldest daughter in the family and her mother passed away early, she has to shoulder many responsibilities. I heard that the Bai family is overjoyed at this marriage. Given her family's status, it would have been difficult for her to become a concubine to the prince. Now, not only is she the principal wife, but she is also the prince's favorite, favored by both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. As soon as the girl marries in, she will be able to be the head of the household, with no worries about food and drink, and no one will dare to mess with her..."
Xu Lanyin believed Li's words very much and was quite satisfied with Bai Lan's status as the eldest daughter. Liu Zhaohou's wife needed to be not only gentle and kind, but also responsible and caring.
As they were talking, Miss Bai arrived. Behind her followed a maid who looked very smart and capable, probably someone assigned to her by the palace.
Bai Lan is petite, fair-skinned, with delicate features, and is of above-average appearance.
Xu Lanyin smiled and took her hand to sit on the Luohan bed, saying, "What a lovely girl, come to my house more often in the future, and we can get closer."
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