A little boy with a radish-like head hopped and skipped this way.
"Mother! Brother Jingyu! What are you talking about? The dew is very heavy. Father has told me to tell you to go back and rest!"
Heng'er's big eyes sparkled, and Jingyu smiled slightly:
“We didn’t talk about much. I told my aunt about my experiences at the private school.”
"Really? I want to hear it too! A private school is a place for teaching, right? Is it fun?" Heng'er was very curious and grabbed Jingyu's hand, begging him to tell her a story.
Although it was their first meeting, Heng'er felt no sense of unfamiliarity with her cousin.
Jingyu naturally led Heng'er out of the lakeside pavilion, saying, "It's not fun, it's tiring."
Heng'er pouted, "Is it very hard? Then what are you learning?"
"You have to learn everything from rites and music to mathematics, governing the country and maintaining peace. You also have to farm the land, cook for yourself, do your own laundry, get up before dawn, and fall asleep as soon as you're exhausted at night."
"Wow, you have to do so many things yourself?" Heng'er exclaimed, her mouth agape.
"Yes, if you don't do well, the teacher will punish you by hitting your palms with a bamboo stick in front of the other students."
Heng'er was so frightened that she seemed to feel the pain, and she rubbed her palms on her thigh.
"Luckily, my father won't hit me with a bamboo stick..."
Jingyu smiled upon hearing this, "Your uncle dotes on you so much, how could he bear to hit you?"
"Hehehe, yeah."
The two chatted and laughed as if they had known each other for a long time.
Gu Jiangli could only helplessly follow behind the two children, quietly listening to their conversation.
Heng'er has a special ability to become very familiar with everyone in an instant.
I really don't know where this bully got his skills from.
————
After Yu'er returned to the Prince's Mansion, there were even more children there, making it even more lively.
Heng'er liked him very much. In Heng'er's eyes, Yu'er was a very knowledgeable older brother.
She often saw Yu'er and Heng'er teasing their younger sister, who had just learned to crawl, with various methods. The group of them would gather together and giggle.
She felt it was good that the children could grow up so carefree.
The prince also took good care of Yu'er, and often let Yu'er listen in when he was teaching Heng'er to read.
The game of commanding troops on a sand table was also played by Yu'er and Heng'er working together to deal with the prince.
The prince said that Yu'er is thoughtful and meticulous, and may become Heng'er's helper when she grows up.
Gu Jiangli shared this sentiment.
Time flies. When my younger sister Muqing turned one year old, we held a traditional "grasping ceremony" for her. Her two older brothers watched her with great anticipation, and she accurately crawled towards the silver needle that represented studying medicine.
"Wow, it seems my little sister will be a doctor when she grows up, just like Dr. Du!" Heng'er said with delight. "If that's the case, I can even teach her! After all, I studied medicine too!"
He was overjoyed, but was interrupted by the prince, "With your medical skills honed in just a few months, you think you can teach your sister?"
Gu Jiangli smiled and teased, "Forget it, Heng'er, let someone else do the thing of teaching your sister medicine. Your skills are enough to cure your own cold."
Heng'er blushed deeply, tugging at Yu'er's sleeve for comfort, and earnestly said, "Brother Jingyu, I really do know medicine! It's true!"
Yu'er's eyes were full of trust. "I believe you."
Upon hearing this, Heng'er immediately beamed with joy, "Hehe, I knew Brother Jingyu was the best. Brother Jingyu, I not only know medicine, but I can also divine! I was the one who divined when Mother got pregnant with my little sister! I also divined that I would have a little brother soon!"
The prince's expression changed instantly, and his eyes, fixed on Gu Jiangli, were filled with joy.
"Really? Your Highness, you again..."
Gu Jiangli rubbed his forehead. "No, no, Your Highness, it can't be that fast."
She was planning to get pregnant after some time, and then tell the prince if she was actually pregnant.
Unexpectedly, Heng'er has no self-control when it comes to words, saying whatever comes to mind!
A fleeting hint of disappointment flashed across the prince's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
"It's my fault... I was too hasty. Qing'er is only one year old, and your body hasn't recovered yet. You should wait another two years before having children. When Heng'er mentioned it, I thought it was the same as when I was pregnant with Qing'er. I was too impatient."
Gu Jiangli then comforted the prince, saying, "Your Highness, you are destined to have many children, and Heng'er has always wanted a younger brother. Don't worry, you will have one."
About half a year later, Gu Jiangli became pregnant again.
Heng'er happily consulted the oracle again, and then confidently declared, "Mother will give him two younger brothers this time!"
The mistress and the prince were all smiles.
The mistress held her hand tightly, her eyes brimming with tears. As she watched the prince's offspring gradually increase, she recalled how Gu Jiangli had made things difficult for her when he first entered the manor, and a wave of remorse washed over her.
What's past is past; we can only make up for it in the future.
She secretly vowed in her heart that she would treat Gu Jiangli even better in the future!
A few days later, the emperor heard the news and came to the Prince's residence again.
With the emperor's arrival, there were even more children in the prince's residence.
Jingyu was a little reserved as it was her first time dining with the emperor, but Heng'er was different, calling him "Uncle Emperor" very affectionately.
The emperor came to congratulate Gu Jiangli on her pregnancy, and he said many words of congratulations, taking a sip of wine each time he spoke.
When the emperor left the table, he was already somewhat drunk.
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