Chapter 26

When it comes to official duties, Hui Lin's head starts buzzing. He also wants to have a husband and children every day, but he also has to support his family, so he has to make a living by "getting up early and returning home late" every day.

Hui Lin looked up at the sky, resigned himself to his fate and left the bed. However, before leaving the house, he approached the man to ask for a reward.

How could Qi Xinglan not understand what he meant? She leaned over and kissed his lips.

"Okay, let's go." Qi Xinglan touched her belly and said to him, "Look, Fucao is also waiting for you to finish your work and come back to accompany it."

I was reluctant to leave the forest.

—

Qi Xinglan had nothing to do but lie on the rocking chair outside the hall, holding Fu Tuan in her arms.

I don’t know if Fu Tuan is really spiritual, but his head was resting on Qi Xinglan’s belly, as if he was listening to something with his ears.

Qi Xinglan saw this strange scene and pulled Fu Wen to watch it together: "Fu Wen, come here and take a look! What do you think this little guy is listening to? Can he really hear the heartbeat of Fu Cao?"

Fu Wen shook her head and said, "Before I entered the royal court, I did hear people at home say that these animals are the most intelligent and may really be able to hear something."

Qi Xinglan touched Fu Tuan's soft and shiny white hair and asked, "Fu Tuan, do you really know whether I am pregnant with a boy or a girl?"

"Is it a boy or not?"

Fu Tuan actually raised his head and meowed at the smiling Qi Xinglan.

It seems like he really understands something.

Fu Wen was stunned for a moment but didn't say anything. Now that she had regarded Qi Xinglan as her master, she didn't care about the rules and regulations. She hesitated and said, "Your Highness, did the king say that he wanted a prince?"

The king doesn't look like that kind of person.

Qi Xinglan knew that Fu Wen thought Hui Lin favored boys over girls. She laughed for a long time before saying, "Fu Wen, I understand your concern, but this is the result I want. Anyway, I don't want to have another child, and he doesn't want to either..."

"If we only have one child, it should be a boy. After all, the Hui family really has a throne to inherit. Besides... I think a simple name like Fucao... doesn't seem to be suitable for a daughter."

After Fu Wen understood what happened, she nodded and agreed, "Well, I hope Your Highness will get what he wants!"

"Thank you for your good words," Qi Xinglan thought that he seemed to have never told Qi Chaoting about this matter, but he felt that Huilin should not have made such an omission.

"Fuwen, hasn't Ting'er been here?"

Fu Wen was about to say something when her eyes stopped at a place not far away. "Fu Wen?"

"Your Highness, Miss Ting'er is here."

"elder brother!"

Qi Xinglan turned around and found that Qi Chaoting had walked up to him without him noticing, "Brother, you..."

She pointed her finger towards Qi Xinglan's belly. At this time, Fu Tuan had disappeared. Qi Xinglan's belly was still flat, and you couldn't even tell there was a baby inside.

Qi Chaoting became suspicious again, "Brother, are you really pregnant?"

Qi Xinglan nodded without thinking, "Yes, didn't anyone tell you when I returned to Lin?"

Qi Chaoting squatted down in front of him, shook his head and said, "I heard it from the palace maids in the royal court. I didn't believe it at first."

"Brother, you didn't tell me you could..."

Qi Chaoting could easily guess when Qi Xinglan took the fertility drug and whether she was forced or did it voluntarily.

Some warm wind blew on Qi Chaoting's face, which disturbed her thoughts a little. She said nothing, but just asked Qi Xinglan: "Brother, can I touch it?"

Qi Xinglan took her hand off her belly and said, "Of course, you are my aunt."

Qi Chaoting carefully covered it with her hand. She remembered that when she was still very short, she bumped into her brother's lower abdomen while playing. It felt hard at the time and it was very painful.

It had been a long time since they last touched each other, and she didn't know when it started, but Qi Xinglan's lower belly became soft.

It was soft but also a little hard, which should be where his little nephew was.

Qi Chaoting let go of his hand after just a while, but his expression was not very cheerful. He took a deep breath and stood up, as if he had just remembered something. He glanced at the palace maid behind him, and a scroll was brought to him.

Qi Chaoting took the painting and handed it to Qi Xinglan. Qi Xinglan didn't understand what it meant, but she still took it and unfolded it while asking, "What is this? Are you giving it to me?"

"Yeah, brother, come and see if it looks good!"

Hearing his sister's urging, Qi Xinglan prepared to take a closer look. However, when he saw the face of the person in the painting, he felt a sense of familiarity. He then looked at the clothes and the environment he was in, and asked, "Is this a painting of your brother?"

"Who else? Yan Chengcai is not worthy."

Qi Chaoting has been learning to paint since she was a child. Qi Xinglan has always known that she is good at painting.

The figure in the painting is lifelike. A young man in bright yellow clothes stands on a field surrounded by spectators, with his feet apart and arms outstretched to draw the bow to the full extent, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looks at the target in the distance.

A few strands of the high ponytail are entangled in the gilded crown inlaid with jade. The arrow has been shot, and the expressions of the people around him can easily show the outstanding military achievements of the boy in the painting.

Qi Xinglan remembered that this was on his sixteenth birthday, when he demonstrated his archery skills at the Qi Family Army training ground, looking high-spirited and unique.

"Brother, happy birthday! Although it's still five or six days away, the painting is already done. I'm afraid I'll lose it if I keep it for too long, so I'm giving it to you in advance."

"I hope you can always be as high-spirited as in the painting, not to mention at the age of 19, but also at the age of 90!"

"Qi Chaoting!"

Qi Xinglan was finally moved a little and was amused by her words.

He felt his eyes were a little hot, but he quickly recovered. He rolled up the painting carefully and held it in his hands. He said to her, "Ting'er, I'm pregnant because I'm with Hui Lin and have feelings for him."

"Don't feel sorry for me. Just look forward to the birth of the cub with us."

Qi Chaoting looked surprised, and then said, "That's good, brother. Your happiness is more important than anything else."

Qi Chaoting rarely spoke seriously. Qi Xinglan didn't know how to respond, and replied in an unnatural tone: "This sentence... is also for you. If you are happy, I will be happy."

The two had just started talking seriously when Qi Chaoting seemed to remember something and his tone suddenly rose. "Ah! I forgot. I have to leave the palace soon. Yan Cheng is looking for me."

Qi Xinglan: "What? Looking for you to go out now?"

He looked at the sky again. It would probably be time for dinner in another hour or two. If he went out now,

"What does he want to see you for? When will he send you back?"

"No! Last time we ate some delicious braised pork elbows in a restaurant! Fragrant but not greasy and so soft that it melts in your mouth! We couldn't buy it many times, but this time we got the news in advance that it will be in stock tonight, so we can buy it today. I can't wait until tomorrow, so Yan Cheng went with me..."

Qi Chaoting knew that it was a bit late, but the temptation of the pork elbow was too great. Qi Chaoting was afraid that Qi Xinglan would not agree, so he said, "Brother, how is your appetite? I will try to finish eating as soon as possible and come back. How about bringing one for you?"

Qi Xinglan has had a poor appetite recently and would vomit after eating anything. After hearing Qi Chaoting's description, she actually began to yearn for the braised pork elbow.

Qi Chaoting was sharp-eyed and saw that Qi Xinglan's attitude seemed to soften, so he tried hard to plead with him and finally succeeded in making Qi Xinglan agree.

After finishing my work in Huilin, I returned to Lanquan Hall. I thought I could have dinner directly, but the table was empty with only a set of teacups on it.

"Lan'er, where's the meal?"

Qi Xinglan saw the busy man coming back and roughly estimated the time. She went back to sit next to Lin and heard him say slowly, "Wait a moment, Ting'er should be back soon."

Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao's braised pork elbow will arrive.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Miss Chao Ting asked me to bring this to you. She said it was... braised pork elbow."

Qi Xinglan finally waited for it, and without waiting for Hui Lin's reaction, she asked Fu Wen to call for the food.

"Lan'er is waiting for the braised pork elbow that Ting'er brought back from the palace?"

"Yes, she said it was delicious. Let's try it later."

The food that Qi Chaoting's girl said was delicious really smelled delicious. Compared with the pickled mustard greens he made a few days ago, he didn't feel like vomiting at all.

When the food was brought in, the empty plates were also taken away.

Fu Wen opened the layers of oil paper wrapped around the braised pork elbow, revealing the shiny braised pork elbow, which had been cut into slices of uniform width and looked very delicious.

Fu Wen put the braised pork elbow with the oil paper directly into the plate and brought it to Qi Xinglan.

"Your Highness, please eat."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, if there is nothing else, I will leave first."

"Um."

Under Hui Lin's gaze, Qi Xinglan picked up a piece and smelled it before putting it into his mouth. He made sure he didn't want to vomit before eating it.

"How is it?"

Hui Lin was very surprised. This was the first time in these days that he saw Qi Xinglan take in meat without spitting it out.

“It looks really good...”

Hui Lin took two bites out of disbelief and found it was really delicious. The richer and more powerful King Xiyuan became, the more he paid attention to the chef.

"Lan'er, how about I ask someone to invite this chef to the royal court? That way you can eat whatever you want."

Qi Xinglan rolled her eyes at him while chewing, "We've got people here, what are you letting the people eat?"

"You can ask someone to go out of the palace to buy some food. Eat quickly."

"Oh." Hui Lin lowered his head and ate his meal.

Hui Lin was full after just two or three bites. Qi Xinglan had a narrow throat and would choke easily if he didn't chew slowly.

Qi Xinglan was eating and didn't know what Hui Lin was doing with his head down. She thought he was sulking again because she had just told him to "eat quickly".

I suddenly felt a weight on the left side of my waist. I looked down and found that a jade pendant was already hanging on my waist without me noticing.

"Do you think it looks good, Lan'er? I carved it myself."

Qi Xinglan put down her bowl and chopsticks, picked up the jade pendant and looked at it from beginning to end. There were words engraved on the back of the uneven texture.

"Chang'an Changle..." Qi Xinglan read it out naturally as she read on.

I looked at him again, only to hear Hui Lin say seriously, "Yes, I wish you a safe and happy life. Happy birthday, Lan'er."

Qi Xinglan was so moved that she didn't know what to say, "Why are you all giving me birthday presents? Isn't it the seventh day yet?"

"Who else?"

Qi Xinglan was also full, so he stood up and took out the painting that Qi Chaoting had drawn for him to show to Huilin, with an air of showing off.

"Look, the picture Ting'er drew is of me on my sixteenth birthday. Isn't it particularly outstanding?"