After visiting Liu's place, Fourth Master didn't enter the backyard for two or three days. When he finally got his day off, he spent most of the day in the front yard.
The weather was still cold during the first month of the lunar calendar, but today it was a rare day with some clear skies.
While the maids were cleaning the storeroom, they found a few shuttlecocks. Li Chenjiao was very tempted, but since she was pregnant, the maids naturally stopped her from touching them.
The midwife has been watching Li Chenjiao's baby's position these days. She is now eight months pregnant, and her belly is visibly growing bigger.
The second princess, sitting on the rocking horse given to her by Li Jia, also noticed the brightly colored shuttlecocks.
Children mostly like brightly colored things.
However, the little girl was walking more nimbly at this point, so Li Chenjiao discussed with her that she would teach the little girl to play shuttlecock after she finished her postpartum confinement.
The little girl didn't understand what kicking the shuttlecock meant, so Li Chenjiao said that when spring comes, Aman will be able to see the flowers.
However, Li Chenjiao only remembered that she had forgotten to give an instruction when she saw the little girl riding the rocking horse.
"Last time I was so busy delivering that rocking horse to Aman that I forgot to tell Xiao Luzi to make another one. I'll have Xiao Luzi take a look tomorrow and see if that rocking horse is easy to make. I'll make one for my baby in the womb in advance too."
Li Chenjiao is now eight months pregnant and her morning sickness has finally subsided. She feels like she's back to when she was pregnant with the second princess.
He was always full of energy, and after meals, he would stroll with the little girl under the covered walkway to digest.
This made things much easier for Physician Zhou, who came to check Li Chenjiao's pulse every time.
Not to mention the imperial physicians, who were easy to care for, even the midwives and elderly women who delivered babies were very easy to care for.
During dinner, the Fourth Master went into the backyard.
However, instead of coming to the East Courtyard, she went to Princess Wu's place in the South Courtyard.
After receiving the news, Li Chenjiao had her dinner. Now, the maids were all focused on the baby she was carrying and were busy taking care of her. Things outside didn't seem to be so important anymore.
They all began to resemble their mistress, Li Chenjiao, who remained unmoved by anything.
However, Li Chenjiao had just finished her dinner and was walking along the corridor to digest when she heard Xiao Luzi come to report that the Fourth Master had lost his temper.
"Right now, Eunuch Su is leading a group of people to punish someone in the South Courtyard. I heard that the punishment is for the maids who serve the First Prince. Each of them is given twenty strokes of the cane. After only a few strokes, one of them has already fainted."
Li Chenjiao had heard from Granny Lin that the canes used for corporal punishment in the backyard were sharp and could easily tear a person's skin and flesh.
Twenty strokes of the cane would either cripple a person or require a month or two to recover.
Naturally, people can no longer serve their masters.
However, it was not easy to find out the reason, since it was in the South Courtyard and the Fourth Master was there at the moment.
However, it must be related to the eldest prince.
It was another nanny serving the eldest prince who was punished, so it could only be because she hadn't served him well enough.
Li Chenjiao wandered around for a while to digest her food, and soon heard from Xiao Luzi that the Fujin had also gone to the South Courtyard.
The maids all looked at Li Chenjiao.
The princess consort has gone...
But Li Chenjiao really didn't want to go.
He closed his eyes.
"Find out a thick cloak and go like this."
The princesses might be able to skip it, but she's now a concubine, so she really can't be exempt.
Li Chenjiao had just arrived at the South Courtyard. The courtyard had probably just been cleaned up, as water stains could still be seen on the ground, but the smell of blood in the air had not yet dissipated.
Li Chenjiao silently covered her nose with a handkerchief, otherwise she would feel nauseous.
She walked inside, and before the maid could announce her arrival, another maid at the door lifted the curtain, and Li Chenjiao took a step out...
Suddenly something flew out.
The porcelain fell to the ground with a jarring sound, and hot tea spilled all over the floor.
Green Bamboo, who was following behind, quickly stepped in front to block her way and asked if her master had been frightened.
Li Chenjiao shook her head and silently withdrew her foot.
Inside the room, the Fourth Prince and his wife sat on either side of him, with Lady Wu sitting below them.
The teacup that caused the unexpected disaster was not thrown by the Fourth Prince, but by his wife.
The Fourth Prince frowned: "What are you doing making this trip while you're pregnant? Su Peisheng, take the lantern and escort the concubine back."
The Fourth Prince glanced at his wife as he said this.
The princess consort immediately became somewhat uneasy, and her face showed a hint of embarrassment.
Upon hearing this, Li Chenjiao silently pursed her lips, struggled internally for a couple of seconds without refusing, and then turned and left after slightly bowing.
As I left, I seemed to hear the words of the princess: "How could someone who was perfectly healthy suddenly contract smallpox?"
smallpox?
Li Chenjiao paused slightly, and Green Bamboo, who was supporting her, subconsciously glanced at her mistress's expression.
Su Peisheng quickly left Fourth Master's side, and as he came out, he instructed someone to clean up the remains of the cup.
The hexagonal palace lanterns shone brightly, and as the night deepened, Su Peisheng dared not walk too fast.
Although Li Chenjiao didn't ask, Su Peisheng still whispered about it.
"Don't worry, Consort. It's just that one of the beaded maids next to the First Prince has contracted smallpox. The imperial physician has already checked and the First Prince is fine."
Li Chenjiao hummed in agreement.
When the princes were young, they would select some children of the same age to serve them; these children would become the princes' confidants later in life.
Come to think of it, the Haha Beads beside the First Prince seem to have been found by the Fourth Prince before the New Year. It seems they were all chosen from the maternal clan of Consort De, Uya. Li Chenjiao had heard the Fourth Prince mention it once.
Because they were all Manchus, Li Chenjiao remembered it once.
One was named Zhumala, another was named Barhuda, and there were two others whose names Li Chenjiao couldn't remember because they were difficult to pronounce.
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