She subconsciously touched her lower abdomen. After giving birth to the third princess, she had never been pregnant again.
Firstly, her health was damaged during childbirth, and secondly, the Emperor visited less frequently.
Why did the Emperor visit less often? Because every time they met, she would mention her family, plead for their favor, and scheme for her cousin to marry the Marquis of Xinting…
In that sense, she really has put the cart before the horse.
As long as she gives birth to a legitimate son, the Wu family will naturally rise in status and wealth through the son's birth...
"Yes, Granny is right. Find the imperial physician for me. I need to recuperate!" she immediately ordered, feeling a sense of relief.
The old woman breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "It's already this late. If we call the imperial physician, outsiders will think you're unwell, and they'll say some really nasty things."
"Your Majesty, get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is the day for your pulse diagnosis. It would be best to have the imperial physician examine you together then!"
"Alright, let's arrange it this way." The Empress didn't insist any further and quickly washed up and went to bed with the help of her nanny.
At this time, everyone in the Jiangning Marquis's residence was still wondering if the Empress could persuade the Emperor to change his mind.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor didn't change his mind, but the Empress did...
As the sun rises and sets, the days pass by, and the seasons quietly change.
Although the sun during the day still makes one's scalp burn, the morning breeze carries a coolness.
Needless to say, autumn is just around the corner.
And Jiayin's birthday is coming soon!
Before that, there's the Ghost Festival to prepare for.
Farmers are very busy at this time of year, so when they want to worship their ancestors, they can only keep everything simple.
Since returning from the campaign, Li Laosi hadn't been to Xiankelai yet, let alone visited his third brother's family and nephews. So he told his mother that he was going out for a walk and would bring back some incense, candles, and paper money to offer to their ancestors on the Ghost Festival tomorrow.
Grandma Li, of course, wouldn't stop him. She simply let him bring Tao Hongying along, and the couple treated it as a trip to relax.
What if she's in a good mood and comes back to give her a grandchild?!
Jiayin didn't want to be a follower, but she just couldn't resist joining in the fun.
Going shopping with my parents was a chance I never had in my past life, so I can't let it slip by in this one!
Fortunately, Li Laosi doted on his daughter. Before leaving, he simply hoisted her onto his shoulders, then held his wife's hand in one hand, and cheerfully called out, "Let's go!"
Jiayin danced with joy, prompting Tao Hongying to reach out and steady her, playfully scolding, "Be careful not to fall, or I won't take you into the city."
Jiayin immediately hugged her father's neck, behaving obediently and very well-behavedly.
Before Old Lady Li could say anything more, the three little foxes had already run out from the backyard and jumped onto Old Man Li's other shoulder...
Left with no other option, Old Lady Li could only wave her hand and say, "Go quickly, let's keep the house quiet for a couple of days."
The family of three, plus the little fox, went out to have some fun.
Li Laosi sat on the carriage shaft, cracking his whip, listening to his wife and daughter teasing the little fox in the carriage, and a smile never left his lips.
Along the roadside in the fields, the crops, soon to be ripe, are nodding gently in the breeze, creating a beautiful pastoral scene.
He took a deep breath of the earthy and grassy scent in the air and suddenly felt that all the fighting and danger on the battlefield were worth it!
What he was protecting was the joyful days of his family, and the peace and happiness of the world...
The carriage entered the city and stopped at the back gate of Cyclamen.
Jia Huan was overjoyed to see his fourth uncle's family arrive. He brought out a ton of snacks and drinks and then excitedly came to share the good news.
"Fourth Aunt, the two new dishes you taught me are very popular. Many old customers have come back and brought new customers with them. Business is much better than before."
Tao Hongying was also pleased and whispered, "These two dishes are fine in every way except for the final batter coating, which is the key. The starch used is made from potatoes, and this must be kept secret."
Jia Huan quickly lowered her voice and replied, "I know, Fourth Aunt. I cook myself and don't let anyone else do it."
Jiayin, wanting to join in the fun, squeezed in and hugged her second brother's neck, saying, "Second brother, the potato harvest is about to begin. We don't sell our village's potatoes to outsiders; we're saving them all for you. I'll teach you a few good dishes later, and I guarantee the restaurant's doorstep will be worn out!"
Jia Huan beamed with joy, hugged his little sister and rocked her back and forth, "Great! Second brother has earned some money, I'll buy you gems!"
When the gemstone was mentioned, everyone thought of Jia'an and Jiaxi who had gone out. Although Li Zhensheng was with them, and Jiayi and Liu Yang were also with them, they couldn't help but worry.
"Judging by the days, our fleet should be heading back by now, right? I wonder if we'll be able to make it back in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival?" Tao Hongying asked.
Jia Huan replied, "I'll definitely make it in time. When I'm not out, I want to go out, but once I'm out, I start to miss home. I'm afraid my uncle and the others are anxious to go back."
Jiayin said with a grin, "It's so hot in the south. Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother are already dark-skinned. I'm afraid when they come back, they'll be so dark they'll be lost even if you threw them into a pile of coals!"
Everyone laughed and said no more.
After sitting for a short while, it was almost lunchtime, and the kitchen started to get busy. The family of three sent Jia Huan to help with the work and then left.
Li Laosi didn't receive much pay on this expedition, but he led his men to raid many of the barbarian camps and collected a lot of spoils.
After returning, they handed all of these over to the head steward of the Marquis's mansion to be sold secretly, earning a total of more than seven hundred taels of silver.
He insisted on giving half to his family, leaving himself with nearly four hundred taels.
Money is a man's most valuable asset. With his wallet bulging, he planned to treat his wife and daughter to a good time.
So even though Tao Hongying tried to stop him, he still led his daughter into the largest jewelry store in Xindu.
The family of three wasn't dressed particularly conspicuously today; Jiayin wasn't even wearing any expensive jewelry, only her usual necklace.
The three of them looked like ordinary wealthy people.
But those who work in the jewelry store rely entirely on their keen eye for detail.
Almost as soon as they entered the room, the shopkeeper set his sights on Jiayin's necklace. The workmanship and craftsmanship were definitely from the palace!
So he had the waiter go up and lead the family of three to the second floor for tea.
Tao Hongying was initially reluctant to spend money, after all, she had come from a poor background and frugality was ingrained in her bones.
But her husband and daughter were in high spirits, and she genuinely liked all the jewelry in the display case.
So she decided to join in and buy to her heart's content.
But even so, she couldn't bring herself to spend a hundred or so taels of silver on a set of jewelry.
So, in the end, she chose a set of four silver hairpins, shaped like plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums. They were very exquisite and not expensive, costing a total of thirty taels of silver.
Li Laosi chose a pair of silver bracelets for his mother. The patterns were very simple and antique, which should be the style that the old lady liked.
Jiayin held the little fox and looked it over from left to right, trying to find some special little gadgets.
At this moment, several people came up from downstairs. The woman in the lead looked very bad and started shouting, "Where are the people? They're all dead! Don't you know to come and serve them?"
My darlings, it's almost the end of the month! Please shower Hua Hua with your "must-read" votes! I'm begging you! A few positive reviews (five stars or "likes") and requests for more updates would be even better! Maybe there will be four chapters tomorrow! Let's go!
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