Li Chenjiao only received the news around dinner time; alas, she had just woken up.
Listening to Qiu Hu's words, Li Chenjiao was still a little dazed, her mind a bit foggy from just waking up: "They called the imperial physician? Is she sick? Doesn't the manor have a physician?"
Qiu Hu replied, a hint of worry in her eyes: "The prefectural physician went this morning, and the imperial physician was also summoned earlier. I suppose something's wrong with Princess Song." Her words were loaded with meaning.
Li Chenjiao rubbed her slightly messy hair: "How is it now?"
"I heard that the Fujin (princess) also went," Qiu Hu replied.
Li Chenjiao became a little more sober. Since the Fujin had gone to visit them, she should go too. Her little face scrunched up: "Let's go, let's go see Song Gege too."
Qiu Ci smiled from the side: "Princess, don't be in a hurry, let me redo your hair and makeup first."
Oh, I took a nap and my hair is all messed up.
Song Gege's courtyard is not far from Li Chenjiao's; just walk around the garden and turn right a bit.
Therefore, Li Chenjiao arrived at the right time. Bai Jiashi arrived shortly after, and Xu Shi had arrived earlier. She did not see the Fujin (principal wife) and assumed she was inside.
After exchanging greetings, Li Chenjiao and Bai Jiashi sat down. A little while later, the Fujin (principal wife) came out with a smile on her face.
Now that Li Chenjiao was awake, she looked at the smiling face of the Fujin and blinked habitually. Could it be that... Madam Song is pregnant?
Sure enough, the Fujin said with a smile, "You've all come? Perfect timing, there's some good news. Madam Song is pregnant, and it's been two months."
Li Chenjiao stood up and responded with a smile, "Congratulations, Madam Fujin! Congratulations, Congratulations, Princess Song!" Bai Jia also quickly stood up and echoed her sentiments.
The princess nodded: "Today is an auspicious day, and everyone will be rewarded. However, since Madam Song is pregnant, it would be inappropriate to make too much noise. Let's all disperse early."
Everyone agreed and dispersed.
On the way back, Qiu Ci followed and asked in a low voice, "Is the Princess Consort truly happy?"
Li Chenjiao tightened her grip: "Whether he's happy or not isn't important, we've got this precious air about us, praising the Song family to the skies..."
For some reason, Li Chenjiao inexplicably felt that Song Shi's baby was a princess, and she could even picture a little princess walking with Song Shi's help.
Li Chenjiao blinked again and shook her head slightly, pretending that she was just daydreaming.
...
When Fourth Master returned in the evening and received the news, he was quite happy. He went to see Madam Song, sat for a while, and then went to the main courtyard.
It wasn't for any particular reason, but since Madam Song was pregnant and the Fujin had just taken charge of the household, there was bound to be some oversights. The Fourth Prince went to give her a heads-up and some instructions.
The couple were both well-behaved, at least on the surface. Listening to the Fourth Prince's instructions, the Fujin responded with a smile, saying, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will have someone keep an eye on Song Shi."
Was the princess happy? Of course not, but she had to put on a happy face.
She was the primary consort, and she couldn't lose her composure or disgrace the Ulanara clan. Besides, she was just a princess. Even if she gave birth to the eldest son of a concubine, she would still be the primary consort, and her status would not be shaken in the slightest.
Thinking of this, the smile on the Fujin's lips became more genuine: "It's getting late, Fourth Master, you should take a bath and rest early."
I slept well all night.
...
The next day, the Fourth Prince, who always got up early, had breakfast served by his wife before going to the palace.
While idly chatting with the Third and Fifth Princes in the side hall of the Qianqing Palace, the Fourth Prince wasn't in a hurry. The palace had only just been established, and duties could be taken slowly. Besides, even the Crown Prince didn't have a proper job.
Around noon, the Fourth Prince went to Yonghe Palace for his usual meal and casually mentioned that Lady Song had become pregnant.
The relationship between Consort De and the Fourth Prince was average. It couldn't be described as a deep parental love, but it wasn't bad either. It was just that the Fourth Prince respected Consort De, and Consort De never mistreated the Fourth Prince.
Since he wasn't raised by her own hands, their relationship was inevitably shallower, unlike that of the Fourteenth Prince.
The Fourteenth Prince had just returned from the Imperial Study. When he saw the Fourth Prince arrive, he skipped and hopped out, calling out, "Fourth Brother!"
The Fourth Prince hummed in agreement, then bent down slightly to pat the Fourteenth Prince's head. There was nothing he could do; the Fourth Prince was simply too tall.
He was tall and slender, of medium build but rather thin, with handsome features. Perhaps due to his royal lineage, he exuded an air of authority even in his speech.
The Fourteenth Prince dodged: "Fourth Brother, touching your head won't make you grow taller!" He was going to grow taller than his Fourth Brother in the future.
Fourth Master chuckled: "You're not very tall now either."
Consort De listened and came out from inside: "Fourth brother, don't worry about your fourteenth brother, he's a real troublemaker."
The Fourth Prince led the Fourteenth Prince forward, saying, "May Mother be well." The Fourteenth Prince echoed this greeting, and then went into the palace on his own.
The Fourth Prince had no choice but to walk inside as well, and casually helped Consort De along the way.
Consort De patted the Fourth Prince's hand gently: "Is everything alright in the manor? How is your wife? If there is any oversight, please don't blame her; this is the first time she's done this."
Consort De was quite satisfied with this daughter-in-law; she was well-behaved, handled matters appropriately, and had no ill intentions.
Fourth Master nodded and said gently, "I understand. Everything is fine in the manor. The imperial physician came to examine her yesterday and said that Madam Song is pregnant and has been pregnant for more than two months."
Consort De was surprised for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's a good thing, a very good thing. Tell her to take good care of herself and not mistreat her. She was always a well-behaved and obedient girl when she was in the palace."
The Fourth Prince simply nodded, helped Consort De walk around the screen and gauze curtain, and then helped her sit down, saying, "Your son understands."
Consort De's attitude was still very good: "Although Lady Song is now pregnant, you can't wrong the Fujin. There is a balance of power in the inner court. You can't make any mistakes in your own residence. Your father has always been intolerant of filth. It would be bad if a mistake got back to your father."
The brothers are all grown up now; it's hard to guarantee they won't have bad intentions.
The Fourth Prince quickly stood up: "Yes, I understand, Mother. I'm sorry to have troubled you." Indeed, Consort De's words were very pleasing to the ear.
Consort De simply patted the Fourth Prince's shoulder again: "Alright, sit down. Rest well after lunch so you can be in good spirits to go to the Qing Palace."
The Fourteenth Prince changed his clothes and came out now.
The mother and her two sons had lunch. The Fourteenth Prince, being young and active, made a fuss for a while before going to rest, and the Fourth Prince stayed with him for a while as well.
The two brothers have always had a good relationship.
The palace was peaceful and calm, and the mansion was also relatively quiet.
Li Chenjiao got up in the middle of the night yesterday for a late-night snack, which was just leftover pastries from the day, so she woke up late today.
Thankfully, I don't have to go pay my respects today.
In her own courtyard, Li Chenjiao dressed casually, in a light blue qipao, with a simple double bun hairstyle, adorned with a pair of jade hairpins and two pairs of velvet flowers.
Li Chenjiao is beautiful, and this simple outfit makes her look even more elegant.
Li Chenjiao touched the jade hairpin in her hair: "Did Mother prepare this? I don't remember having this."
Qiu Hu laughed, "This was prepared by the master at his request. There's also a lot of loose silver and several silver notes." That's several hundred taels of silver.
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