Because Su Xuening was pregnant, the carriage traveled very slowly.
It took two hours to reach the city gate of Kyoto.
As soon as the carriage of the Holy King's Mansion entered the capital city, someone went to report to Xuanyuan Peng.
Upon learning that it was the Bai family returning, Xuanyuan Peng was overjoyed and immediately instructed Zong Jiu: "Quickly go and issue an imperial decree to summon the entire family of the Holy King to the palace for an audience."
"Yes," Zong Jiu replied, bowed, and withdrew.
Just as Xuan Yuanzhan and his group arrived at the entrance of the Holy King's Mansion, before they even entered, they saw Zong Jiu rushing over.
"Your Highness." Zong Jiu saw Xuan Yuanzhan and the others at the door and quickly dismounted.
"Your Highness, you're back too." Seeing Bai Shi, Zong Jiu was overjoyed and quickly bowed to her as well.
That's wonderful! The Empress Dowager is finally back. The Emperor no longer needs to worry about her.
When Zong Jiu saw Su Xuening, who was heavily pregnant, he was almost unable to recognize her. It wasn't until he saw the Prince and the Dowager Consort carefully protecting her that he quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."
"No need for formalities, Ninth Eunuch." Su Xuening smiled and raised her hand to Zong Jiu.
Zong Jiu straightened up and was quite surprised to see Su Xuening's round belly.
I didn't expect the princess's belly to be so big, but it has been several months since I last saw her. Judging by the months, the princess is already six months pregnant, so it's normal for her belly to be so big.
Xuan Yuanzhan glanced at Zong Jiu, frowned, and asked, "Is something the matter? Why did you rush over here?"
Zong Jiu smiled obsequiously at Bai Shi before saying, "It's because His Majesty knows that the Dowager Consort and the Princess Consort have returned to the capital and wants to see them."
Of course, the person the Emperor most wanted to see was the Dowager Consort.
Xuanyuan Zhan had already guessed that this was the matter. He glanced at Bai Shi and said, "Why don't you go to the palace alone?"
Ning'er has been in the carriage for almost two hours, it's time for her to rest.
Just as Bai was about to agree, Zong Jiu flattered, "Your Highness, the Emperor's decree says that the Xuan Sheng Prince and his family are to come to the palace for an audience."
...Xuanyuan Zhan's face darkened, and he was about to lash out when he heard Su Xuening say, "It's alright, I can go to the palace."
Although she knew the Emperor wanted to see her mother, she didn't want to make an exception.
And it's just a carriage ride, not tiring at all.
Xuanyuan Zhan glanced at Su Xuening to make sure she wasn't tired before nodding, "Then let's go to the palace together."
The three of them didn't even have time to enter the mansion before they went directly to the palace in a carriage.
Upon arriving at the gate of the Second Palace, Xuan Yuanzhan helped Su Xuening down from the carriage.
Seeing Su Xuening's large pregnant belly, Zong Jiu quickly stepped forward and said, "Should we have them bring over an imperial carriage?"
Su Xuening smiled and gently stroked her belly, saying, "No need, it's okay to walk slowly."
She hasn't reached the point where she can't even walk.
Xuanyuan Zhan accompanied Su Xuening on walks every day, and knew that walking wouldn't hurt her, so he waved his hand and said, "It's alright, there's no need to carry the imperial carriage."
The group headed towards Chengqian Palace together.
Xuanyuan Zhan and Bai Shi supported Su Xuening on either side, as if afraid she might fall or get hurt.
Zong Jiu followed behind, without even a chance to intervene.
Su Xuening was both amused and exasperated; Xuan Yuanzhan and her mother were really too nervous.
But they've always been like this, and nothing you say will make a difference.
The three of them successfully attracted the attention of the palace servants passing by.
"Is that the Holy Princess? She has such a big belly!"
"Yes, she must be six or seven months along, her belly is so big."
"It's been a long time since the Holy Princess Consort has entered the palace. I heard she's been resting and recuperating in the outskirts of the capital."
"It seems the Holy Princess Consort went along too. Did they come back together?"
"I wonder if the Holy Princess is carrying a little prince or a little princess this time? I heard that the Holy Princess's cousin, the Third Prince's concubine, is carrying a little imperial grandson."
"I think the Holy Princess is pregnant with a little prince this time. Haven't you seen how much the Holy King and the Dowager Princess dote on the Holy Princess?"
"The Holy King and the Dowager Consort already dote on the Holy King's wife. If she really gets pregnant with a little princess, she will probably still be favored."
The whispers of the palace servants reached the ears of the three, who exchanged a glance.
Su Xuening did hear the sentence, "Su Feiling is pregnant with the little prince."
Su Feiling was clearly faking her pregnancy, yet she managed to find out that she was carrying the emperor's grandson?
However, Su Xuening was too lazy to expose Su Feiling's fake pregnancy for the time being; she wanted to see how Su Feiling would put on this show.
The three of them soon arrived at Chengqian Palace.
After Zong Jiu entered the room to report, Xuan Yuanpeng immediately ran out himself.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Upon seeing Xuan Yuanpeng emerge, everyone bowed in greeting.
Bai Shi, Xuan Yuanzhan, and Su Xuening also bowed to Xuan Yuanpeng.
"Alright, no need for formalities." Xuan Yuanpeng said, then strode up to Bai Shi, grabbed her hand excitedly, and said, "Ya'er, you're finally back."
The palace servants around me all lowered their heads, with expressions that said, "I didn't see or hear anything."
Bai Shi didn't shy away from suspicion, giving Xuan Yuanpeng a reproachful look: "I just went out to hide away for a few months of peace and quiet, why do you act like I'm some kind of deserter?"
Xuanyuan Peng smiled wryly. She had managed to escape the hustle and bustle, but he missed her terribly.
Embarrassed, Xuan Yuanpeng glanced at Su Xuening's belly and was shocked again: "This... how come it's so big?"
Su Xuening touched her stomach shyly.
Madam Bai walked over and touched Su Xuening's belly, laughing, "That's all thanks to my good care. I had Granny Shang stew nourishing soup for Ning'er every day. Ning'er didn't drink that nourishing soup for nothing; our little imperial grandson is very healthy."
They are now in Chengqian Palace, surrounded by Xuanyuan Peng's men, and Bai Shi is speaking without any restraint.
Anyway, she had never been able to avoid anything before, and she couldn't be bothered to care what gossip these people were spreading.
"Healthy! Healthy!" Xuanyuan Peng was very pleased to hear this, especially when he heard "our little imperial grandson," he was extremely excited: "Come in and talk."
Xuanyuan Peng personally led Bai Shi and Xuanyuan Zhan into the main hall.
Seeing Su Xuening standing with her big pregnant belly, Xuan Yuanpeng quickly waved his hand: "Sit down and talk, don't tire yourself out."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Su Xuening bowed to Xuan Yuanpeng before being helped to sit down by Xuan Yuanzhan.
Xuanyuan Peng then looked at the Bai family: "Where did you live before?"
"In a village in the western suburbs." Bai dismissed Xuan Yuanpeng with a simple sentence, clearly not wanting to talk more.
Xuanyuan Peng was also sensible. Since Bai Shi didn't want to say more, he changed the subject and looked at Su Xuening, saying, "Zhan's wife is almost seven months pregnant, right?"
Mrs. Bai laughed and said, "Yes, it's been almost seven months, and I reckon she'll give birth in a little over two more months."
Xuanyuan Peng asked excitedly, "Time flies! Have you found a midwife yet?"
"Don't worry, I've already prepared."
"That's good." Xuanyuan Peng nodded, then couldn't help but ask, "Has the imperial physician checked the pulse to determine if it's a boy or a girl?"
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