For the next twenty days or so, after returning from the palace, the general was busy studying and wandering around various courtyards, and Yunxiang Tower seemed to have been forgotten.
Two months have passed since Ruan and Mu miscarried. Since no one in the mansion takes care of her, there is no charcoal fire, and the food is getting worse day by day. Fortunately, the eldest young lady often comes to bring her some ginseng soup and the like.
As soon as she woke up in the morning, Zi Ling brought over some highly nourishing Chinese medicine, just like always.
Ruan Yu Mu looked at Zi Ling's hands and saw that if they didn't do something soon, the two of them would probably freeze to death this winter. The snow outside was very thick, and there was no temperature inside the house.
This time, she drank it without hesitation.
When she was a general, she always wanted to have a child to carry on the family line. Now she wants a child, not for the sake of the family, but for herself.
Without affection in the backyard, he'll probably grow old and die in this mansion.
Ruan Yumu was unwilling to accept this. Why should she be able to socialize and be all smiles with her status as a general, while she had to suffer here?
I'm a former general myself; I can survive in this backyard with a few tricks. I'm not some naive fool. The battlefield is far more brutal than this.
When Zi Ling saw her mistress drink the medicine in one gulp, she was suddenly stunned. "Is Miss trying to cheer up?"
"We need to pull ourselves together from now on," Ruan Yumu said thoughtfully, looking at the thick snow outside.
Just then, a commotion was heard outside, and Zi Ling hurriedly went to check.
"What's wrong?" Ruan Yumu asked when she saw Ziling return without saying a word.
"You're alright, young lady!"
"Tell the truth." Ruan Yumu immediately changed his tone to one of command.
"A maid came to report that the concubine Chu Yue is pregnant and has been taken to the North Courtyard by the madam."
"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Ruan Yumu probably knew what was going on.
Now all the favored women in the mansion are pregnant, except for the madam, who is still not pregnant. There must be some problem. Chu Yue is from her maternal clan, so this must be to consolidate Jiang Mengyi's position.
As always, Lady Liu was resting in her own courtyard, and now she was four or five months pregnant, so she was considered to be in a stable position.
Seeing Yuqing arrive, he lazily lay on the tatami and didn't want to get up.
"Madam, the Madam has sent me to report that Concubine Chu Yue is pregnant and has moved to the North Courtyard."
Yuqing looked up and saw that Madam Liu's face was gloomy, but she disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Is that so? Then my sister is truly blessed. I understand, you may leave now."
Liu Ruhua looked up at Yu Qing's departing figure, lost in thought. It seemed that the madam was indeed unable to have children. This new concubine had just become pregnant and had already been taken away; her life from now on would likely be difficult.
Once the child is born, Chu Yue will definitely abandon it.
It's snowing again.
It snowed three times in January.
These past few days, the general has been spending a lot of time with the son of the Duke of Jing's family, and his wife also has a pregnant concubine in her courtyard, making it even more difficult for her to see the general now.
"Sister-in-law, what's wrong with you today? You seem to be thinking about something."
"Miss, could you do me a favor?" Ruan Yu Mu looked at her innocent younger sister in front of her. She had no choice but to use her after thinking it over. When her sister did not reply, Ruan Yu Mu continued.
"You've seen the state of things in my hospital. Could you perhaps find a way to let me meet your brother?"
“Sister-in-law, you should have done this a long time ago. I thought it was something serious. Tonight, I’ll invite my brother to my courtyard for the banquet. The main gate is sealed, so you can come out through the dog hole that I usually use. I’ll dismiss the servants and you two can have a good chat.”
"Thank you! ... Sister!" He had always spoiled his sister, but he never expected that he would be in such a sorry state today and need her help.
At 5 PM, Qi Yuandong dragged Qi Jingxuan directly to his courtyard for a meal.
Upon seeing Ruan Yumu sitting at the table, Qi Jingxuan began to unleash his fury.
"You don't blame me for abusing your mother anymore?"
"Are you going to speak?"
"Who let you out?"
Ruan Yumu did not answer him, but instead put some food into his bowl.
"General, let's eat!" Hearing this, she casually picked up some food for him. Qi Jingxuan looked at Ruan Yumu with a puzzled expression, wondering what she was up to.
The dress Ruan Yumu was wearing today was made from the fabric he had bestowed upon her two months ago. The light blue skirt contrasted beautifully with the snowy winter scenery. Whether it was because of the cold weather or something else, the beauty's face was flushed.
It was indeed his own body. Qi Jingxuan felt anxious and uneasy after taking a few glances at it.
The people around had already left, but they remembered that this was their younger sister's boudoir.
After a long while, she asked Ruan Yumu, "Are you full?"
"Hmm, ah! Ah!" Qi Jingxuan picked Ruan Yumu up by the waist, startling her into a scream.
They went straight to Yunxianglou.
Seeing that the door was still sealed with wooden strips, Qi Jingxuan opened it with two punches.
"You guys, go find someone to fix it."
After saying that, she carried Ruan Yu Mu inside. Zi Ling, being a perceptive maid, saw this and immediately withdrew.
Qi Jingxuan simply threw her onto the bed.
"Is today's activity voluntary?"
"I don't want to force you, after all, there are plenty of women in my harem now."
"Yes," Ruan Yumu said, taking the initiative to undress. Qi Jingxuan looked at her slender neck and fair skin, and swallowed hard.
"Then don't blame me."
To teach Ruan Yumu a lesson, he deliberately ignored her for two months this time.
Although their souls have been swapped and Qi Jingxuan has been with so many women, she is still his favorite. Perhaps this is the tacit understanding between souls!
Qi Jingxuan gently pounced on her this time.
...
At midnight, Qi Jingxuan looked at Ruan Yumu sleeping soundly in front of him. The room was cold, she must not have slept well for a long time. His body temperature was high, and she was curled up beside him like a cat.
"Add some charcoal to the fire for the concubine, and find a few more old women and maids! Her confinement is over, open the door and let her move around freely."
Qi Jingxuan spoke to the old woman who was helping him change his clothes as he dressed.
"Yes, General!"
The next morning, Yunxianglou was restored to its festive state as it had been when Ruan Yumu was pregnant.
The snow outside had been swept clean by the new maid, and there were many decorations, perhaps because the New Year was approaching.
Liu Ruhua often used her dowry to supplement the family income, and the madam treated her with the same politeness as always. The Qi family had been in serious financial trouble, and there was no income in winter. They could only wait until after the New Year to see how the shop was doing.
"Miss, Madam took another three hundred taels from me today. This will never end. She has already spent more than a thousand taels from me this month."
“Xi Yun, when slaughtering a pig, you have to fatten it up before you kill it. Our princess is used to being extravagant, so she’s not used to the frugal lifestyle of the Qi family. Let her be.” Liu Ruhua knew that it wouldn’t matter if she didn’t give it to her, but she deliberately did not do so and continued to indulge Jiang Mengyi.
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