The house was in a rather remote location, as Li Chenjiao noticed as they traveled in the carriage. The closer they got to the house, the quieter the surroundings became.
Clearly, this was a courtyard that the Fourth Master had specially chosen. It was quiet and secluded, far away from the bustling market, and would not disturb anyone's peace and quiet.
A group of guards had already gathered outside the courtyard. The area around the gate had been cleared, and when Li Chenjiao stepped down from the carriage, all the guards bowed in unison.
Li Chenjiao glanced at him, called out "Get up," gave Xiao Luzi a look, and then let three men, one on each side and one leading the way, escort her into the Fourth Master's residence.
It looks unremarkable from the outside, but once you step inside, you'll discover that it's a place of great hidden beauty.
The courtyard has three sections. Everyone calls the head maid of this courtyard "Grandma Zhong". Grandma Zhong is over forty years old, and her temples are already silver. She has wrinkled skin and white hair, but she looks very energetic.
As soon as Li Chenjiao entered the courtyard, she saw her. Granny Zhong also quickly came to Li Chenjiao and bowed, saying in a respectful but not servile manner: "This servant greets Consort. The master has already instructed that this servant will take care of Consort's daily life these days. The courtyard in the mansion has been prepared and is just waiting for Consort to choose. This servant will lead the way for Consort."
Clearly, this person is one of the Fourth Master's men, and someone the Fourth Master trusts.
Facing such a nanny, Li Chenjiao naturally wouldn't act arrogantly or put on airs in front of her.
"Please rise, Granny. I'm only staying for a short while. I would feel guilty if it caused the household to work so hard and spend so much money. I think everything here is fine, and you know the place much better than I do. Please choose a quiet courtyard. I'm quite tired after a long day."
Li Chenjiao made her stance clear from the start: she was there for a short stay, not to manage the property. To put it simply, the house would remain the same as it was before. She was simply there to enjoy herself.
Granny Zhong paused for half a second, then quickly asked with concern, "Is the concubine's health seriously affected? Although we can't invite the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital right now, my family does have some knowledge of medicine and pharmacology. I'm only a novice, so why don't I take a look at her later after she's settled in?"
Li Chenjiao's smile widened. So, it turned out that Fourth Master had such considerations when choosing this courtyard.
If this old woman Zhong could call it "half-baked" medical skills, then she must have some real expertise.
Thinking this way, she had to be even more polite to this Granny Zhong.
Having excellent medical skills is absolutely essential for women in the backyard.
The layout of Fourth Master's residence is somewhat similar to the courtyard where Li Chenjiao stayed in Yangzhou, with winding streams and covered corridors. However, this residence has more water features than the one in Yangzhou, and the sound of flowing water could be heard as soon as Li Chenjiao entered the residence.
Finally, Granny Zhong chose a courtyard for Li Chenjiao that didn't have running water, but had two large vats with simple, antique carvings, clearly old objects from many years ago.
The large vat was filled with lotus flowers, their colors pure and beautiful.
The courtyard had a standard layout. Li Chenjiao had glanced at the decorations inside once; they were simple and elegant, clearly prepared with care.
After Li Chenjiao moved in, Qiu Hu instructed two maids to tidy up her things, while she served her mistress by her side, massaging Li Chenjiao's shoulders to relieve her discomfort.
"This Granny Zhong seems to be a cautious person."
Indeed, Li Chenjiao wasn't just staying at this house for a few days. The courtyard was connected by a winding stream, and if anything happened, Granny Zhong couldn't guarantee anything.
Li Chenjiao is currently in the crucial first three months of her pregnancy, so it's understandable that she's being so cautious.
Li Chenjiao closed her eyes. Having spent almost a day in the carriage, she was inevitably feeling a little sleepy.
Before long, they heard Granny Zhong's voice from outside.
"I hope you are well, Consort. You must be tired from your journey. I have prepared some calming sachets here, which you can keep with you if you are pregnant. I took the liberty of bringing them to you."
The master and servant exchanged a smile. Just now, Qiu Hu had said that this Zhong Mama was cautious.
This person certainly seems very cautious.
Qiu Hu received a look from her mistress and then stood up and went to the outer room: "Granny, please come in quickly, it's still stuffy outside. We were just feeling uneasy when you arrived."
Li Chenjiao heard Granny Zhong laugh heartily: "Then I guess I can do something for the concubine."
In the backyard, Li Chenjiao met so many nannies: Nanny Zhao from the palace, Nanny Qian from the Fujin's side, Nanny Qin who taught her manners when she was invited to be a secondary Fujin, Nanny Lin who was now the head nanny in her East Courtyard, and Nanny Zhong in front of her. Each of them seemed to see everything very clearly, handled things with first-class tact, and had foresight that other maids did not have.
In Li Chenjiao's words, no one in the backyard understood life better than these old women.
Li Chenjiao genuinely respected these nannies.
Li Chenjiao rested her chin on her hand, and smiled once after Granny Zhong came in. She thanked Granny Zhong very solemnly.
The calming sachet that Granny Zhong brought was indeed quite good. Li Chenjiao placed it aside for only a quarter of an hour before she became increasingly drowsy. The fatigue she had felt from the journey was now even more intense.
When Li Chenjiao woke up, the maids had already prepared dinner, and everything was exactly to her liking.
However, Granny Zhong did not come to take Li Chenjiao's pulse that night, as it was indeed getting late.
The next day, Granny Zhong didn't come to take Li Chenjiao's pulse until noon.
There were far fewer problems between women.
After taking her pulse, Granny Zhong smiled and said, "The concubine is in good health and has taken good care of herself these days."
Li Chenjiao withdrew her hand and smiled, "I'm relieved to hear you say that, Granny."
Granny Zhong packed her things: "You flatter me, Consort. It's because you take good care of yourself."
Li Chenjiao touched her abdomen; she still didn't know whether the baby in her belly was a boy or a girl.
Li Chenjiao enjoyed a very comfortable life for the next few days. Later, she learned from Qiu Hu that the meals for the next few days were arranged by Granny Zhong, and there were also nourishing and mild medicinal dishes in them.
Now Li Chenjiao admired this Granny Zhong even more; her insightful and perceptive abilities were truly rare.
By July, the sun was getting hotter, but thanks to the capable Granny Zhong, Li Chenjiao's appetite didn't diminish at all; in fact, she looked even more radiant.
Li Chenjiao was living a comfortable life in Suzhou, but others might not be.
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