"Sister Hu, the child is moving so vigorously."
Aunt Bai stroked her belly and said, "Is the baby about to be born?"
Aunt Hu chuckled softly and said, "It shouldn't be that early. Didn't she say she's still about twenty days away from giving birth?"
Aunt Hu calmly let go of Aunt Bai's big belly, stood up, and looked down at the other party.
Aunt Bai smiled and said, "I heard that babies born early are mostly boys, and babies born late are mostly girls."
Aunt Hu asked her, "Are you looking forward to the baby being born soon?"
Aunt Bai did not deny it and nodded.
Aunt Hu said, "It would be better if the child was born earlier."
"What do you mean?"
"Madam has just taken over the kitchen and sewing room, and she's very busy with so many things to do. The birth of the child at this time has left Madam with limited energy. In time, once Madam is familiar with the duties of the mansion, she'll naturally be able to free up her hands. By then, if you start something here, Madam will be here in a quarter of an hour."
These words made Aunt Bai's heart skip a beat.
What she was most worried about was that Mrs. Xie would be waiting outside the delivery room when she gave birth.
Just thinking about it made her terrified.
In a blink of an eye, Aunt Bai laughed again, "Thank you, Sister Hu, for reminding me. I understand. But for the birth of the child, I think it's best to let nature take its course."
Aunt Hu sneered inwardly. She was sure that Aunt Bai had taken her words to heart.
She did not expose Aunt Bai and left tactfully.
After everyone left, Aunt Bai stood by the window and thought secretly.
She called her maid Cui Liu to her side, gave her a purse, and gave her some instructions.
Cui Liu took the order, took her purse, quietly went out of the second door, and went to the outer courtyard to look for someone.
Two days later, Cui Liu gave Aunt Bai a medicine bag.
She was a little worried and asked cautiously, "Auntie, do we really need to use the labor-inducing medicine? The baby is almost born anyway, why not let nature take its course and wait for the baby to start labor."
Aunt Bai grabbed the medicine bag and said through gritted teeth, "We can't wait any longer."
"But what if something unexpected happens?"
"I'd rather take a chance than let Xie control my life and death."
There was cruelty in Aunt Bai's eyes. She was cruel to herself and to the child in her belly.
Cui Liu's heart skipped a beat. "When does Auntie plan to take the medicine?"
Aunt Bai smiled softly and asked, "When will Madam leave the house?"
Cui Liu said, "We are still in mourning for the Empress, and banquets are prohibited in the capital. However, I heard that the Madam will go to the Marquis' Mansion next door to pay her respects in a couple of days."
"The day my wife goes to the neighboring marquis's mansion to pay her respects will be my chance."
The opportunity that Aunt Bai had been waiting for soon arrived.
Old Madam Wei sent someone to deliver half a pound of gold thread, and the Gu family should go to the Marquis' Mansion to pay their respects and express their gratitude.
That day, early in the morning, Gu Jiu packed up and, together with her sisters, followed her aunt Zhang and aunt Xie to the Marquis' Mansion to pay their respects.
When he arrived at the Marquis' Mansion, he was directly welcomed by the servants to Songhe Hall.
Everyone paid their respects to Old Madam Wei.
Old Madam Wei likes to be lively, especially likes to have girls around her chatting and laughing.
She looked at the Gu Jiu sisters and said cheerfully, "You are finally here. Sit down, everyone."
The eldest wife, Zhang, smiled and said, "Madam, your niece and your wife have missed you so much. Last night, I was so excited about coming to pay my respects to you today that I couldn't sleep well."
Madam Wei looked at Zhang cheerfully, "You seem to be in good spirits, and I see you're making me happy again."
Zhang said, "What my nephew's wife said is true."
Old Madam Wei smiled and said, "Don't worry about whether it's true or not. I'm just happy that you can come."
Gu Jiu continued, "I was so happy to receive the two taels of gold thread sent by the old lady that day. Thank you for your kindness, old lady."
Gu Zhen and Gu Yue also stepped forward, bowed and expressed their gratitude.
The old lady, Madam Wei, said, "You are all grown-up girls now, and will soon be married off to other men. The days you spend at your parents' home are dwindling, and there is less and less I can do for you. If this little bit of gold thread can add a little bit of luck to your marriage, I will be satisfied."
"The old lady loves the girls the most and is reluctant to let them go out. We all know this." Zhang said hurriedly.
Old Madam Wei sighed, "A good girl, married into another family, has to take care of her parents-in-law, her sisters-in-law and her brothers-in-law, and she has to take care of her husband and children, and bear all kinds of pressure. How can life be compared to the comfort of her parents' home?"
In the past, I always said that a girl can only live a comfortable life for more than ten years at her parents' home. Once she gets married, she will no longer have such a comfortable life.
Therefore, we, as elders, should love the girls in our family more and prepare the most generous dowries for them.
When they get married and have a generous dowry, they will feel more confident. After all, they can buy whatever they want to eat or drink with the dowry money.
"The old lady is still insightful."
"The old lady really cares about the children. I am ashamed of myself."
Gu Jiu and others were touched after hearing what the old lady said.
They haven't gotten married yet, but they have already felt the difficulty of marriage.
Just for the dowry, Gu Yue made a fuss so many times, and Xie got angry so many times.
It's a complete mess.
Everyone sat down and talked.
The old lady brought up the children's wedding dates.
"Mei's wedding was originally scheduled for April, but due to the national mourning, it has been postponed to May 20th. You all should come to the wedding then."
"We will definitely not miss Mei's wedding." The eldest wife Zhang agreed.
Gu Jiu gave Gu Mei a mischievous smile.
Gu Mei glared at her.
Old Madam Wei asked Mrs. Xie, "Has your daughter Yue'er's wedding date been set?"
Xie immediately straightened her back, bowed and said, "It's already been decided. It will be in August of this year."
Old Madam Wei said cheerfully, "August is good, it's not hot then. My little girl Mei has suffered so much. May is the hottest time of the year, and I don't know how hard it must be for her to wear her thick wedding dress."
Gu Mei lowered her head and her ears turned red.
Gu Jiu smiled at her.
Madam Wei said, "May is indeed a bit hot. There aren't many good days this year to begin with. If we miss May, we'll have to postpone it until July or later. I heard that the Ning Wangfu's son is planning to marry the Xiao family girl in July."
Madam Wei nodded, "It's July. Daughter-in-law Zhili, have you set a date for your Xiaojiu and Gongzi Zhao's wedding? Gongzi Zhao is the eldest son, so he should get married before Gongzi Zhao's wedding."
Xie never cared about Gu Jiu's wedding date.
She opened her mouth, thought for a moment, and said, "You have to ask my master about Xiaojiu's wedding date. It's not up to my nephew and his wife to make the decision."
Old Madam Wei smiled and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you."
"With the old lady's understanding, my nephew and his wife can handle it no matter how difficult it is."
Xie said with a little excitement.
Madam Wei said, "I know you've worked very hard these past few years, taking care of everything inside and outside the house. Fortunately, your family has returned to the capital, and the children's marriages have been arranged. In a few years, when Gu Cheng gets married and Gu Gong grows up, you can enjoy your life."
Mrs. Xie's eyes were moist with excitement. "Thanks to the old lady, my nephew and his wife are now hoping that all the children will find good marriages."
Old Madam Wei smiled and said, "Everything will be there."
The eldest lady, Xiao Wei, reminded her, "It's time to hurry up and arrange Xiao Jiu's marriage with Gongzi Zhao."
"This is going to be difficult," said the eldest wife, Zhang. "If we want to get married before the Master's meeting, we can only do so in May. But Xiaojiu's dowry isn't ready yet."
Old Madam Wei frowned, "After all these years, haven't you thought of preparing dowries for the children in advance?"
Zhang looked at Xie.
Xie had just finished being excited, but now she was faced with another problem.
She opened her mouth and said, "My master said from the beginning that he would send someone to take care of Xiaojiu's dowry. Old Madam, it's not that my nephew's wife is not dedicated, but I really don't know where to start."
Old Madam Wei remained silent. "Xiao Jiu's dowry hasn't been prepared yet. I'm afraid her wedding with Young Master Zhao will have to be later than Young Master Yi's wedding with Miss Xiao."
The eldest lady, Xiao Wei, said, "Does it have to be delayed until the end of the year? By the end of the year, the Xiao family girl will have been married into the palace for half a year. I guess the princess will let the Xiao family girl take charge of the household affairs. Wouldn't it be very embarrassing when Xiao Jiu marries into the palace?"
Why it's embarrassing is self-evident.
Gu Jiu, as the eldest daughter-in-law, was the last one to enter the house and was not allowed to take charge of the household chores. It was indeed embarrassing.
Everyone looked worried.
Gu Yue felt happy in her heart. It was what she deserved.
Do you really think you can rest easy just by marrying the emperor's grandson? Just wait and see, hard times are ahead.
Gu Yue lowered her head and smiled secretly.
Xie was also very happy.
Because of Gu Jiu, she had suffered so much injustice this year.
The more awkward Gu Jiu's situation became after she married into the palace, the happier she was.
Old Madam Wei comforted Gu Jiu, "Xiao Jiu, don't think too much. The old marquis has sent a message to your father. I think your father has already made up his mind."
Gu Jiu said softly, "Thank you, Madam. The wedding date is entirely up to my father."
Gu Jiu didn't care about the early or late date of the wedding, and even hoped to wait two or three years before getting married.
She really, deep down, didn't want to get married so early.
Marrying Liu Zhao means being caught in the vortex of the struggle for the throne.
It’s so annoying!
She was determined to live a long life in this life, so she didn't want to die so early.
Old Madam Wei smiled and said, "I like Xiaojiu's calm demeanor. She's quite steady. Even if the wedding is delayed until the end of the year, I won't be too worried. With Xiaojiu's abilities, she won't necessarily be at a disadvantage compared to the Xiao family girl."
Madam Xiao Wei nodded and said as she looked at Gu Jiu, "What the old lady said makes sense. Xiao Jiu is smart and quick-witted. I think the palace's internal affairs should not be difficult for her."
Gu Jiu's cheeks flushed and he kept saying that he was not worthy of it.
Old Madam Wei laughed heartily, "Xiaojiu is just too modest. Don't be afraid. When you marry into the palace, I will support you."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Regardless of whether this was true or not, Gu Ji was deeply touched.
Madam Wei waved her hand and said, "Miss Mei, take your sisters to the side rooms to talk. I know you are feeling very restrained here."
"Granddaughter listens to the old lady. Sisters, let's go to the wing room to talk."
Everyone stood up and followed Gu Mei to the side room.
Gu Jiu teased her, "Sister Mei's wedding is in May. Congratulations, Sister Mei. I will give Sister Mei a big gift then."
Gu Mei pinched Gu Jiu's cheek, which was very tender.
"Don't just blame me. You and Gongzi Zhao haven't set a wedding date yet, aren't you worried? You should have met that Miss Xiao. She's a shrewd and capable person. You're a sister-in-law to her, so be careful."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Gong Zizhao is not in a hurry to set a wedding date. I think he has other plans, or he is confident and not worried about his brothers getting married first. If he is not worried, why should I be worried?"
"You're quite open-minded."
Gu Jiu laughed. "I think what the old lady said before is very true. As a girl, the days at home are the days at her parents' home. Counting the time, the days of freedom are getting fewer and fewer. Why should I ask for trouble for something that hasn't happened yet?
"Miss Xiao, the wedding date, are all matters of the future. Things will work out when the time comes. Once I marry into the palace, I can figure out a way to deal with it."
Gu Mei smiled and said, "I knew that Xiaojiu's ideas were different from others. If it were me, I would inevitably worry for a few days when I thought about the wedding date not being set. Seeing that you are so open-minded, I feel relieved. When you marry into the palace, with your temperament, you will definitely live a comfortable life."
Gu Jiu smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Sister Mei, for your kind words. If I can live a comfortable life in the palace, this marriage is not bad."
Gu Mei smiled and said, "Don't talk nonsense, be careful not to be overheard."
Gu Jiu nodded.
Gu Yue found Gu Jiu, smiling, looking in a good mood, "Second sister, I'm so sorry, my wedding date is before yours. Please don't mind."
Gu Jiu: Haha!
"I'm sorry to disappoint Third Sister. Your wedding date is before mine, and I really don't mind."
Gu Yue smiled sweetly, "I knew that the second sister is the most generous. Second sister may not know, but the eldest sister is very anxious. She is the eldest, and her marriage has not been decided yet. I don't know how panicked she is. I heard that she is also embroidering a wedding dress, and she is worried that even if the wedding dress is embroidered, she still hasn't found a suitable family."
Gu Jiu looked down on Gu Yue's smug look, "Third sister, do you dare to say that in front of big sister? I'll see if she doesn't tear your mouth apart."
Gu Yue's face changed, and her expression became unnatural. "I won't talk to you anymore."
Gu Yue snorted and left in a hurry.
Gu Jiu sneered. Gu Yue was a typical troublemaker. No, it should be said that he was looking for trouble.
She didn't even think about why Gu Zhen's marriage hadn't been settled yet, and it was all because of her.
If she dared to say those sarcastic words in front of Gu Zhen, Gu Zhen would roll up his sleeves and tear her mouth apart.
After going through all those changes, Gu Zhen has become more and more courageous.
In the past, Gu Zhen was very afraid of Gu Yue, but now she didn't take Gu Yue seriously at all. If Gu Yue dared to provoke her, Gu Zhen would curse back.
Even Mrs. Xie couldn't say anything to Gu Zhen about these things.
After all, Gu Yue was in the wrong and owed Gu Zhen.
Xie turned a blind eye to the sisters' quarrels, pretending to be ignorant. Deep down, she might have hoped that Gu Yue would learn a lesson.
Gu Mei looked at Gu Yue's back and muttered to Gu Jiu, "Sister Yue got the advantage but she's still acting like a good girl. No wonder Sister Zhen is so resentful towards her."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Gu Yue never knows when to stop and always wants to show off in front of her sisters."
Gu Mei smiled and said, "I can imagine how proud Sister Yue was when she was in the northwest. I'm afraid that none of you can even compare to her."
Gu Jiu nodded repeatedly, "Sister Mei has a sharp eye and can see through the truth at a glance. When we were in the northwest, the four of us sisters combined were not as good as a finger of hers. Back then, Madam doted on her like the apple of her eye, truly holding her in the palm of her hand."
"Aunt Xie isn't as fond of Sister Yue as she used to be. Could it be because she's not satisfied with Sister Yue's marriage?"
Gu Mei guessed the truth again.
Gu Jiu nodded slightly, "Gu Yue must kiss, then Madam will be sick."
It's obvious why you're sick.
Gu Mei smiled knowingly, "It's hard for Sister Xiaojiu."
Gu Jiu waved his hand, "I'm not embarrassed, it's Fourth Sister who is embarrassed."
Gu Jiu doesn't care who Gu Yue marries.
Gu Yue wanted to show off, but she really chose the wrong person.
The maid walked into the wing room, came to Gu Mei, and whispered, "Miss, the Jia family is here."
Gu Mei's expression changed slightly. "Did the Jia family say who they wanted to see?"
The maid said, "The Jia family wants to see the eldest lady and the young master. The eldest lady asked the maid to invite the Jia family to the flower hall to wait."
Gu Mei gritted her teeth and said to Gu Jiu, "Little Jiu, I have to leave for a while."
"Sister Mei, please go ahead and get busy."
Gu Mei and the maid hurriedly left the room.
The Jia family came to the house, and I don't know why. Seeing Gu Mei's expression as if she was facing a great enemy, I am afraid that the Jia family will be difficult to send away.
Gu Jiu was thinking about the Jia family's affairs when he saw Xiao Cui coming over.
She waved to Xiao Cui.
Xiao Cui hurried to Gu Jiu's side, "Miss, something happened. Aunt Bai is having a stomachache and is about to give birth."
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