After news of Shen Mingjiang's accident spread, Madam Fang was filled with anxiety and couldn't sleep well for the past few days. She wanted to go to the Prince Qin's residence to find Shen Youying and inquire about the situation, but was stopped by the Prince Qin twice. Although the Prince Qin said that Shen Youying was pregnant and he was afraid that she would worry if she knew, Madam Fang always felt that the Prince Qin actually wanted to sever ties with the Shen family and was preventing Shen Youying from seeing her.
Because of all sorts of speculation, Fang has been anxious and stressed these past few days, and she looks rather sickly.
As she was resting on the couch, she suddenly heard a servant report that Shen Youying had returned. She immediately jumped up from the couch, almost forgetting to put on her shoes, and was about to run outside.
The maidservant pulled her back, and Fang Shi patiently tidied herself up before hurrying to the flower hall to see Shen Youying.
As soon as she entered the flower hall and saw Shen Youying sitting there calmly, tears welled up in her eyes.
"I've finally met the Princess." Madam Fang wiped away her tears with her handkerchief and choked out, "Everyone outside is saying that your father arbitrarily mobilized troops and disrupted the peace talks, and that he disobeyed the imperial decree and led his troops to flee... I've been so worried these past few days that I haven't been able to sleep a full night."
"Let your second brother go and find out. He's just an incompetent businessman; he won't be able to find out anything."
When Fang talked about the hardships she had endured these past days, there was a whole lot to say.
When her daughter was alive, she could confide in her, and it was always better for two people to worry than for one to be anxious and upset. Now that Shen Mingjiang is away on a campaign, it's just her and her son in the house. If she complains a little, her son will say that she's overthinking things and that it's not that serious.
But why not?
Having experienced a house raid once, she was terrified of it happening again.
She fainted from fright when she first heard the news, and has been living in constant fear ever since, trying to find out more information from all sides. But the stories she heard were all pretty much the same, which really terrified her.
Now that she saw Shen Youying, she felt as if she had found her pillar of support, and she began to tell her story with tears streaming down her face.
When Shen Youying first heard the news, she was excited, but now, seeing Fang Shi looking even more bewildered than her, she became calm. She said gently, "Now that there is a prince in the court, no matter what, he will not let anything happen to Father. Mother, you don't need to worry too much. Once Father returns to the capital, everything will be clear."
Fang felt temporarily relieved after hearing her words.
She grasped Shen Youying's hand with the eagerness of someone grasping at a straw, and choked out, "Your eldest brother is gone, your second brother is useless. And your eldest sister is... Now the family is just relying on your father. He is upright and has no one to rely on in court. Fortunately, you married well, and the prince can help you from time to time."
Shen Youying said, "Father is upright and honest. Even without the prince's help, nothing serious will happen. Mother, please rest assured."
Fang nodded, wiped away her tears, put on a smile again, and asked about the child in her womb.
"It must be almost four months, right? She's already starting to show."
Shen Youying lowered her eyes to examine her abdomen. As time went by, her originally flat belly did indeed gradually protrude. Although it was not obvious at the moment, it was still pleasing to the eye.
Fang Shi scrutinized her expression and asked again, "Does the Prince still share a room with you now?"
Shen Youying wasn't particularly close to Fang Shi, and wasn't used to discussing such private topics with her. Upon hearing this, she simply nodded slightly.
Fang Shi, having lost all hope and now relying solely on Shen Youying, offered a rather thoughtful suggestion: "I heard that the Prince of Qin recently dismissed all his concubines from his harem?"
Shen Youying said, "Yes: The prince said that staying in the backyard is a waste of time, so it would be better to let them go out and remarry."
Fang nodded in agreement: "This is a good thing, it shows that the King of Qin values you. A woman is most vulnerable during the ten months of pregnancy. You can't believe those virtuous and kind words that say you should separate from your husband and let him take a concubine after you get pregnant. That's really foolish. Now that the King of Qin's status has risen, there are countless families eyeing his harem. You can't be stupid and have to keep a close eye on him."
Shen Youying was surprised that she would say such a thing to her. She was stunned for a moment but did not argue. No matter why Fang said such a thing, she always hoped that she would be well.
She stayed at the Shen family's house for a while longer, spoke with Madam Fang, and then asked to leave.
Fang originally wanted to invite her to dinner, but after hearing Shen Youying say that she now has medicinal meals for all three meals a day and it is not appropriate to eat out casually, she gave up the idea.
Before leaving, Shen Youying thought of the house in Xuanping Ward and said to Fang Shi, "The Prince has managed to buy the house in Xuanping Ward back for me. He has already found craftsmen to repair and tidy it up. After Father returns to the capital and everything settles down, we should be able to move back."
Fang was taken aback, and her eyes reddened as well: "The Princess is so thoughtful. If your father knew when he returned, he would surely be pleased."
Shen Youying bid her farewell and got into the carriage.
Because they had lingered at the Shen family's residence for a while, it was already evening when they returned to the Prince's Mansion.
Upon hearing that she had returned, Xue Shen instructed the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Having heard the good news today, Shen Youying was in a good mood, and her appetite increased as well. She not only finished all the medicinal food, but also ate a lot of snacks and fruits.
Afraid she might overexert herself, Xue Shen pulled her into his arms and gently rubbed her stomach: "So happy?"
Shen Youying relaxed and snuggled closer to him, nodding with a hint of reminiscence on her face: "My mother passed away early, and I wasn't very close to Fang Shi. When I was little, I only had a vague understanding of many things, and it was my eldest brother who taught me."
People outside say that the eldest son of the Shen family is so intelligent that he's almost demonic, and that he's a man of many schemes and not easy to deal with.
But in Shen Youying's heart, her father and eldest brother were the two people closest to her in this world.
Her father was like a mountain, always standing behind her; while her elder brother was like an eagle soaring in the sky, unrestrained by rules and regulations, leading her to see a world she had never experienced before, and teaching her many things that her teachers and books had never taught her.
When the news of her elder brother's accident came suddenly, the Shen family was once again in turmoil. Shen Youying, a weak woman, was able to grit her teeth and persevere, looking for a way out, thanks in no small part to her elder brother's teachings and example.
Outsiders always say that I don't look like my father, but more like my deceased mother.
Shen Youying blinked and smiled brightly: "But actually, I am most like my eldest brother."
Xue Shen felt that his contact with Shen Xiuyi was not right. He recalled that he could not remember his brother-in-law's appearance and personality. He only had some impressions left by other people mentioning him. Therefore, he did not quite believe Shen Youying's words: "I have seen the portrait of my father-in-law hanging in the study. You do look like my mother-in-law."
Shen Youying smiled with her eyebrows curved: "If you had met my elder brother, you would know that I resemble him more."
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