After the incense had completely burned out, Li Jingshu went to the main room and asked her maid to invite Geng Youran over.
Coincidentally, Geng Youran had just come out of Niu Hulu Wanru's place and met Li Jingshu's maid at the gate of her own courtyard. So she didn't even go into her own courtyard and went straight to Li Jingshu's place.
"This humble servant greets Consort, may Consort be blessed."
"Sister, get up quickly, no need to be so polite."
Although Li Jingshu and Geng Youran are not close now, their relationship is not as strained as before.
"Sister Geng, I invited you here today because there's something I'd like to tell you, and I'd also like to hear your thoughts."
"Please speak freely, Consort."
Li Jingshu then told Geng Youran what the Fujin had told her that morning.
"According to the Princess Consort's wishes, the Prince will probably take your sister Nian with him to Rehe this time. I will help take care of Hongli and Hongzhou, and I will also take care of Niohuru."
"this......"
When the topic turned to the child and Wanru, Geng Youran hesitated.
Li Jingshu naturally understood what Geng Youran was hesitating about.
"If you are worried, you can stay in the manor. As for Rehe, let Consort Nian go there."
At that moment, Hongshi happened to arrive as well.
"Don't worry, Lady Geng, I will help too."
Seeing Hongshi, Geng Youran felt relieved. She stood up and smiled calmly at him.
"If you don't take this opportunity to learn riding and archery from your father, wouldn't you be wasting a good chance?"
Then she turned around and smiled at Li Jingshu:
"In that case, I'll leave the children and Wanru in your care, Consort."
The two looked at each other and smiled, as if they had already made an agreement.
For a while after that, Geng Youran would spend more time playing with Hongzhou every day. She left Xiao Anzi with Wanru, and she and Yinzhen asked for another person to help take care of Hongzhou.
In addition, she would occasionally send food to Niohuru Wanru.
"Wanru, why doesn't your belly show?"
Wanru choked on the pastry in her mouth:
"Sister, it's only been a short time, why are you in such a hurry?"
Geng Youran felt something was wrong. The Double Ninth Festival had already passed, and Wanru was already five months pregnant. Why wasn't she showing?
Wanru put down her snacks, stood up, and straightened her lower abdomen:
"I had Huangli alter the size of my clothes, so you can't tell, sister. Look, it's obvious now."
Geng Youran was finally relieved.
"That's true. Now that you have twins, loose-fitting clothes are naturally more comfortable than your usual fitted ones."
After putting down the prepared food box, Geng Youran chatted with Wanru for a while before returning to her own courtyard.
Niohuru Wanru stood at the door the whole time, watching Geng Youran leave before taking Huangli back to the inner room, where she lay down and took off the cotton pillow from her stomach.
"Princess, are you alright?"
Niohuru Wanru lay on the bed, letting Huangli massage her waist.
"Princess, I think you should tell Consort Geng about this. That way, you'll have someone to help you. Otherwise, if Consort Geng finds out the truth later, it might cause a rift between you two."
Niohuru Wanru's 'fake pregnancy' was something no one expected.
Even Geng Youran, who had someone placed next to her, didn't notice.
She had been pregnant before, so faking it wasn't difficult for her. And the imperial physician who examined her was from the Niohuru clan, so naturally he would keep it a secret for her.
The reason she did this was because of her miscarriage a year ago.
A year ago, she noticed something unusual about her body and asked Huang Li to summon the imperial physician, only to discover that she was pregnant.
This should have been a joyous occasion, but unexpectedly, she miscarried less than half a month later.
To this day, she has not been able to find the reason.
She only remembered feeling dazed and went to the inner room to rest. The warbling of the oriole woke her up, and she saw a pool of blood beneath her.
At the time, the prince was on an inspection tour in Jiangnan and was not at home, so only she and Huang Li knew about her pregnancy.
So she had no choice but to hide the blood-stained bedding.
Fortunately, at that time, someone would take the pulse of the women in the mansion every now and then, and the person who took the pulse happened to be from the Niohuru family, that is, the current imperial physician, so the news was kept in the dark.
Not long ago, she noticed a familiar scent in the wife's room. The scent was similar to the herbal soup she had been drinking during her pregnancy, so she remembered it.
To find out the truth, she pretended to be pregnant.
She had considered telling Geng Youran about it, but the fewer people who knew, the safer it would be.
Torn between her options, she chose to keep it a secret.
"Huang Li, this matter concerns the names of too many people. It's a good thing that Sister Geng doesn't know. Remember, whatever you do, don't let Xiao Anzi and Granny Li find out."
"Don't worry, Princess, I know what I'm doing."
In November of the 53rd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the delegation heading to Rehe officially departed from the Forbidden City.
Accompanying the Fourth Prince Yinzhen were Consort Nian and Geng Youran.
"Consort, you should get some sleep, or you'll throw up again."
Qingyan looked at her master, whose face had turned pale, with great concern.
"I'm fine."
Nian Yunrong covered her mouth with a handkerchief, afraid that she would spit out the tea she had just drunk.
On the other hand, Geng Youran looked excited. If it weren't for the rules, she would have loved to lift the curtain and peek outside.
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