Both Wu and Song had given birth. Song was the one who cherished her appearance the most. After giving birth to the eldest princess, she had a very difficult time and arduous postpartum period. She had taken a lot of nourishing food during her postpartum period, but she still lost a lot of weight.
She had lost weight then, but her complexion wasn't as rosy as Li's now. Her face was sallow. At that time, Li hadn't yet conceived and was young and beautiful...
Song Shi still remembered that she had received a few beauty recipes from Li Shi back then. She had used them and was still using them now. They were indeed somewhat effective, but they were still far inferior to Li Shi's in front of her.
They were both women, and Madam Song loved beauty, so it would be a lie to say she wasn't jealous at this moment.
However, she was really curious about how Li Chenjiao was cared for during her postpartum period.
So Song didn't rush to speak. She was convinced that Li had secretly kept other beauty and skincare recipes, and she was thinking of a way to ask Li for them.
If she were to say something that offends the Li family now, wouldn't it be incredibly difficult for her to get the prescription?
For Wu Shi, her feelings at this moment were definitely complicated.
Wu herself didn't care much about being favored because she was plain-looking. However, she might have been hoping that Li would become ugly and lose her beauty after the confinement period, thus incurring the Fourth Prince's dislike.
But what she saw was a Li Shi who was completely different from what she had expected. She was radiant and full of joy. Wu Shi felt as bitter as if she had swallowed a bitter pill.
The bitterness stuck in her chest, making her unable to speak for a moment.
She was secretly pleased when she had taken over the power of managing the household from the Fujin (a high-ranking official). In her mind, only power was the most difficult to take away, and she always did her job conscientiously.
But what about now?
What she had thought was an elusive and fleeting favor was now firmly held by the concubine sitting opposite her, and it seemed unlikely that she would fall out of favor anytime soon. As for her…
The power they once held was long gone. The bitterness and disappointment they felt were more than just a little bit.
The inner room seemed to quiet down again.
Li Chenjiao herself was completely unaware that this tranquility was just right for her.
Only what Bai Jia said just now...
In fact, if Bai Jia hadn't said those words, Li Chenjiao herself would have been completely unaware of all of this.
During the first month of her postpartum confinement, she didn't even have an appetite for food. Most of the time, she ate whatever the kitchen staff, Pingniang and Qiaoniang, made.
However, the two cooks did follow Zhong Mama's advice in arranging the meals, and Li Chenjiao could at least notice some changes in the portion sizes. As for other things, the meals during Li Chenjiao's postpartum period were really bland and tasteless.
During the second month of her postpartum period, she was more active and didn't eat much. Li Chenjiao was also worried about gaining weight. The only thing she ate more of was the donkey-hide gelatin that her mother brought when she came.
However, Li Chenjiao still didn't finish even half of it.
Granny Zhong did indeed prescribe some remedies, but they were mostly mild tonics. Li Chenjiao looked good right now, probably because she ate and slept well yesterday.
As for her weight loss, it was partly because childbirth was indeed difficult, and partly because she wasn't the type to stay still during her postpartum period; even if she couldn't stay in the room in the wind, she still had to move around.
Back when she spent all her time nestled in her soft bed, Li Chenjiao was genuinely worried that she wouldn't even be able to walk after her postpartum period.
During the month of her postpartum confinement, she spent a lot of time playing with the two little girls. She didn't sweat every day, but she was certainly exhausted by the eldest and second princesses every day.
Everyone saw Li Chenjiao sitting there looking as radiant as ever, but only Li Chenjiao herself knew that she was actually weak after giving birth to the Fourth Prince and was also more prone to sweating.
The silence inside the house lasted for a long time. Anyone would probably feel a sense of crisis if a woman with children, affection, and good looks came to the backyard.
The silence lasted until lunchtime, when the Fujin (principal wife) and her mother, Xilin Gioro, entered from outside, followed by a woman who was not too young. Judging from her hairstyle, she was probably a member of the Ulanara clan, but Li Chenjiao had never seen her before.
The Second Prince was led by Granny Yun and walked behind the Fujin and Xilin Jueluo Shi. The woman was behind the Second Prince and Granny Yun.
The second prince looked a bit fatter and more energetic than Li Chenjiao remembered; it was clear he had been well cared for in the front courtyard.
However, due to his frequent illnesses, the Second Prince's walking was not very smooth. In the few dozen steps he took to come in from outside, it was obvious that he staggered several times.
However, Granny Yun, who was holding his hand, was obviously used to it. She didn't move her hand holding the Second Prince's hand, but gently placed her other hand on the Second Prince's shoulder to make him walk more steadily.
Looking at her like this, Li Chenjiao had some guesses in her heart. She heard that the Fujin had several brothers. Since the Fujin's father, Fei Yanggu, passed away last year, the Fujin's eldest brother, Ulanara Xinghui, was now in charge of the Ulanara clan. She thought that the Fujin was Xinghui's primary wife.
After the Fujin (principal wife) took her seat, she gave a brief introduction, which confirmed Li Chenjiao's guess. The unfamiliar woman was indeed Xinghui's primary Fujin, Ma Jia.
You can tell if someone is from the Han Banner Army just by their surname. However, even within the Ma Jia clan, there are different social classes, which Li Chenjiao is not very clear about.
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