Li Chenjiao was still unaware of the turmoil happening outside.
It rained all night on the first night the Emperor stayed in Suzhou, and Li Chenjiao slept even more soundly amidst the sound of the rain.
However, when Li Chenjiao woke up, the Fourth Master was no longer by her bedside.
She stretched and, as several maids entered carrying copper basins and clothes, asked lazily, "Where is Fourth Master?"
Qiu Hu put down the copper basin and replied, "The Fourth Master left the manor at the same time as when we were at home. How are you feeling, Master? Are you feeling any better?"
Li Chenjiao nodded and said she felt much better. She felt better when she woke up yesterday. She had only been feeling dizzy, but because her belly was so delicate, Li Chenjiao paid more attention to it.
However, Li Chenjiao touched her abdomen.
It's strange, she's been pregnant for over a month now, but Li Chenjiao still doesn't know if the baby in her belly is a prince or a princess.
When Li Chenjiao was pregnant with her first child, she was still a princess. Even after she became a concubine, she still felt like she was walking on thin ice. At that time, Li Chenjiao hoped that the child in her belly would be a princess.
But her love for the Second Princess was also genuine and pure.
Now that she's pregnant again, Li Chenjiao is hoping that the second princess will be a prince.
The second princess is still young, but if she has a younger brother who is not much older than her in the future, he can at least provide her with some protection.
Princess Wenxian, who was born of the same mother as the Fourth Prince, was of course a close relative of the Fourth Prince. In the past few times, Li Chenjiao went to the palace not only to listen to the Fourth Prince, but also because the Fourteenth Prince often visited Cining Palace.
The little devil would only go there when Princess Wenxian was around.
That's why Princess Wenxian was the most fortunate and content princess in the entire Forbidden City. She had the love of her mother and brothers, as well as the favor of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
There was no need for her to marry far away to Mongolia for political alliances.
Li Chenjiao understood very well that she wanted to protect Aman and ensure Aman's smooth life from now on. However, her favor with the Fourth Prince alone was not enough. Her status as a concubine could still fool people, but it really meant nothing outside.
I hope this baby is a boy.
Li Chenjiao didn't expect the child to be particularly successful; she just hoped he would be honest and upright, and that he would learn to protect his only older sister.
She lowered her head and touched her abdomen again, her expression gentle.
In the following days, every day when the Fourth Master returned to the mansion, he went straight to Li Chenjiao's place. Sometimes, when he had nothing to do during the day, he would spend the whole day with Li Chenjiao.
A light drizzle continued, and the two sat together on the small couch. One slept soundly to the sound of the rain, while the other quietly reviewed official documents.
When the Fourth Prince was away from the manor, Bai Jiashi visited him a few times. However, after Li Chenjiao met her twice and they sat and talked for a quarter of an hour, Bai Jiashi tactfully took her leave.
Fourth Master did not hide the fact that Li Chenjiao was pregnant from Bai Jia Shi, and Bai Jia Shi even came to congratulate her.
Although the news of Li Chenjiao's good fortune was not kept secret, it had not yet reached the manor.
This was naturally instructed by the Fourth Master in advance.
The left and right mansions are far apart, so there's no trouble getting the news back.
The trouble that Fourth Master was worried about referred to the trouble he was causing for himself and Li Chenjiao.
On the fifth day of Li Chenjiao's stay in Suzhou, the rain finally stopped.
After the rain, the sky cleared, the morning light was faint, and the weather was fine; it was another good day.
However, Li Chenjiao didn't feel like going out for a stroll in this kind of weather.
That day, Bai Jia came to sit with her, bringing her embroidery frame and needle and thread. Li Chenjiao had nothing to do, so she just rested her hands on her hands and slacked off.
The two sat on the couch, with Li Chenjiao leaning against a silk-embroidered pillow with eight treasures behind her. Li Chenjiao felt much more comfortable leaning against it.
After Bai Jiashi visited a few times, she realized that Li Chenjiao was not someone who liked flattery. On the next few visits, she would just quietly embroider.
The ice basins in the left and right side wives' quarters are always kept on, making it much cooler than where she is.
Even the cicadas got stuck clean, and it didn't bother anyone.
Bai Jia was quietly embroidering a handkerchief with pomegranate blossoms when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps. She smiled, looked up, and said softly, "Shh. What is it? Is Fourth Master back? I'll go out through the back door."
As she spoke, she stood up, neatly packed up the embroidery frame, and was ready to leave in the blink of an eye, without any intention of lingering or asking any further questions.
"No, outside—Liu Gege is here." Qiu Hu gasped for breath, clearly shocked by the news.
Bai Jiashi stopped in her tracks upon hearing this: "Liu Shi—"
Having enjoyed a moment of relaxation after leaving the manor, she honestly didn't remember when a woman named Liu had joined the household. When she finally realized it, she couldn't help but frown slightly.
Why is Liu, the newly arrived woman, here all of a sudden?
Bai Jia was certain it wasn't arranged by the Fourth Prince. If it wasn't arranged by the Fourth Prince, then who was it?
Knowing that it wasn't the Fourth Prince who had come, Bai Jiashi calmed down considerably. She first glanced at Li Chenjiao, who was now fast asleep, and then pulled Qiu Hu to the outer room.
“Miss Qiuhu, it’s clear that this Lady Liu is up to no good. You don’t need to go out there; I’ll go out and talk to her. What do you say?”
This presents an opportunity for Bai Jiashi.
An opportunity to curry favor with the concubine.
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