Before she was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yao Niang thought nothing of riding in a carriage. But after she was diagnosed with pregnancy, when she was leaving Kunning Palace and preparing to get on the sedan chair, she saw Gao Xuan Ce nervously checking her out and still felt uneasy: "How about I carry you back?"
Yao Niang waved her hands quickly: "What are you talking about? I just got pregnant, and Doctor Wang just said that I'm fine. I just need to be more careful in the future. There are so many people coming and going in the palace. If someone sees us, it won't be good to say anything. You're making trouble when there's nothing to do on normal days, so why are you making trouble now?"
She knew that when she first got pregnant, she shouldn't make it public because too many people would pay attention to her and she would easily become upset.
Giving birth is like the gate of hell!
Gao Xuance still felt something was wrong: "How can this be possible? What should I do if something happens?"
"You are so worried about gains and losses, which makes me nervous. You should just calm down." Yao Niang comforted him. After all, he was only eighteen years old and she was still a child.
Although she enjoyed being so tense, she couldn't keep doing so forever.
Seeing Yao Niang so calm, Gao Xuance also calmed down and got on his sedan chair. However, unlike the leisurely manner he usually took when sitting on the sedan chair, this time he turned his head frequently to look at Yao Niang. It was not until they arrived at the prince's residence that he felt the dust had settled and he could finally put his heart back into his body.
Yao Niang also found it magical. After she entered the room, she took off her outer clothes and lay on the beauty couch. Gao Xuance attentively handed her a cup of warm water.
"Thank you." Yao Niang tilted her head and smiled.
"Why are you still so polite to me? How is it? Is there anything you want to eat?" Gao Xuance held Yao Niang's hand tightly. He secretly made up his mind that in the future he would not only be good to Yao Niang, but also to the baby in her belly.
Yao Niang nodded: "I am a little hungry, but I eat meat every day in Chengde, so I want to eat something light today."
Gao Xuance hurried down to give orders.
Any news in the palace spread quickly, especially news about the concubines and the prince's wife being pregnant. Concubine Yan was talking to her son and his wife when she heard the news from Kunning Palace that Princess Chen was pregnant.
"Is there any news yet?" Concubine Yan asked.
"To reply to the Queen, there is news from Kunning Palace that Princess Chen is already two months pregnant. Although the pregnancy is still early, it can still be found out. Concubine Hong has already rewarded the two palaces and is going to Huining Palace in person to report the good news to the Emperor."
Although Concubine Yan was not favored, she had given birth to a prince after all, so she might be able to find out the truth by asking around for this well-known news.
She said to the female officials beside her, "Go prepare the gifts and send them to the prince's residence first, then go to Kunning Palace on my behalf to congratulate the noble concubine and tell her that I will go there in person tomorrow to congratulate her."
Mu Wantong didn't expect Yao Niang to get pregnant so soon. She hadn't even thought about having a baby. At the moment, the fourth prince's leg injury was the top priority. She had asked her father to visit famous doctors and invite them into the palace for treatment.
This matter had not been settled yet when they heard the news from Yao Niang. This kind of good news would of course be welcomed by others, but it was very exciting for Mu Wantong who came in with them.
Of course, Concubine Yan was a concubine after all, and she would not point at her daughter-in-law's belly and say things like "a chicken that doesn't lay eggs" like the village women, but her expression was much calmer.
But Mu Wantong couldn't say anything. She didn't know what to be anxious about. Shouldn't she be more worried about the Fourth Prince's leg?
Unfortunately, no one thought so. When she returned to her bedroom, she saw many palace maids and eunuchs moving around there. Even her sister-in-law Wang Yuanshuang came to visit her specially.
Yao Niang was having dinner. She was pregnant and didn't want to be too careless. Whenever there were visitors, Yao Niang would meet them. She knew that she was in very good health.
This point is very important. Gao Xuance frowned and asked the two maids who came from Concubine Hong: "Pregnant women should rest more, right? How can you be so busy meeting guests?"
These two are considered to be very experienced maids. One is surnamed Jiang and the other is surnamed Zhao.
Nanny Jiang can manipulate Yao Niang, after all, she is someone close to Concubine Hong, and people around the elders must be respected, this is the rule, and the mother-in-law is naturally unequal to her daughter-in-law.
But Prince Chen is different. He is not someone who is easy to bully.
Therefore, when he asked, Nanny Jiang quickly said, "That's right, but if this happens in the palace, people will say that the princess is arrogant, which will affect her reputation."
"We can't keep going like this. If someone comes tomorrow, you'd better block them for the princess." Gao Xuance doesn't care what difficulties you have. He has given the order and you have to carry it out.
He only cares about Yao Niang and not about others.
Nanny Jiang didn't dare to refute and just kept saying yes.
In the hall, Yao Niang was talking to Wang Yuanshuang: "I didn't know the baby would come so soon. It was only when the imperial physician happened to be with my mother that I found out after he took my pulse."
"This is a great event. I'm sure Empress Hong will be so happy that you have the good news. But you must rest well after the bumpy journey in Chengde." Wang Yuanshuang really didn't expect that she would get there first.
Yao Niang accepted her kindness and said, "My mother sent two maids over, so I don't have to worry anymore."
Wang Yuanshuang nodded. She and Yao Niang had a limited friendship, so she left after a few words. Then many other concubines such as Concubine Yan, Concubine Lin Gui and Concubine Li came to send ginseng supplements and clothing materials, and Bai Ying and Bai Zhi were responsible for handling all of them.
Although she could still hold on here with Yao Niang, Wang Yuanshuang couldn't help feeling sad when she returned to her own palace. But she still had to go to Concubine Lin to talk to her.
If Yao Niang's attitude was worse, or if she was a little more proud, she might even say something like "Watch you rise from a high place and fall from a high place". But, she was very calm and didn't even think that her pregnancy was a big deal.
Somewhat happy, but not complacently happy.
It's rare to be able to handle such a happy event. It's really not easy.
After seeing off one guest after another, Yao Niang prepared to rest after taking a bath. However, according to the palace rules, a pregnant woman could not have sex.
Just like when Concubine Li became pregnant, her green card was removed.
Of course, Nanny Jiang and Nanny Zhao also said the same thing to Yao Niang. Yao Niang looked at Gao Xuance. In her heart, she still hoped that her husband would be with her. Gao Xuance was the most caring to her, more so than these other maids.
"Is that so?" Yao Niang looked at Gao Xuance.
Gao Xuance said, "It's alright. I'll just rest here today. You guys go down first. I'll talk to the princess."
He spoke, and Nanny Jiang and Nanny Zhao were about to say something, but Yao Niang smiled and said, "I haven't finished the book I was reading yesterday, so I just wanted to ask you for advice."
These two masters are not obedient people. Nanny Jiang knows the current affairs and doesn't say anything. She will report it anyway, and Concubine Hong will make the decision.
But Madam Zhao was anxious, and as soon as she came out, she said to Madam Jiang: "How can such a thing happen in the world? The princess is pregnant, and if the prince can't control himself, oh, we are both doomed."
"Why are you panicking? Let's go talk to the Queen together tomorrow." Nanny Jiang obviously didn't want to offend Prince Chen directly.
When working in the palace, the most important thing is to save your own life. Princess Chen is young and tender-skinned. She should go to pay her respects to Concubine Hong tomorrow and let Concubine Hong force her to go.
If she herself doesn't let Prince Chen in, then Prince Chen will definitely listen.
Little did she know that as soon as the two maids left, Yao Niang said to Gao Xuance, "I want you to accompany me."
"I know, but these two will definitely lay maggots on the noble concubine tomorrow. I heard that when a certain princess got married, those greedy maids and eunuchs, for the sake of wealth and salary, dared to destroy the relationship between the princess and her husband." Even though Gao Xuance has reached this point, he still knows that the little devil below is difficult to deal with.
Yao Niang hugged him and said, "What's the big deal? You are busy with official duties during the day. Do you think you should get involved in these little things? I can't let people look down on me. This is not a big deal."
Seeing Yao Niang like this, Gao Xuance knew that she was not the kind of woman who waited for others to take care of her, but he was afraid that there would be conflicts between his mother and his wife.
"You have nothing to do in this palace and yet you still talk nonsense. These villains are most likely to cause trouble. You must be careful." Gao Xuance reminded.
Yao Niang was not at all concerned: "I know, it's really hard for you that we can actually discuss these things now."
Normal wives would usually let their husbands come forward to refuse the proposal, for they are afraid of offending their mother-in-law, who would then scold them for being ungracious and monopolizing their husbands while they are pregnant.
Even the people below would say this.
"That's nothing. I've told you that you have to tell me everything." Seeing that she was dozing off, Gao Xuance quickly carried her to the bed to rest.
It was a really tiring day. After Yao Niang fell asleep, they stayed up until dawn. Nanny Jiang and Nanny Zhao were planning to go and complain together, but they didn't know that Concubine Hong Guifei sent someone to say that there was no need to pay respects and that the focus should be on taking care of the baby.
Of course there are rules in the palace. If there is nothing to do, you are not allowed to visit others casually. Yao Niang is in charge of the Prince Chen's Mansion and the rules are very strict. Although she respects these maids, she does not blindly believe in them as authority. It's very simple. She herself was a wet nurse in her past, read a lot of medical books, and gave birth to a child herself.
Her husband died early, and she raised her two sons by herself. She also brought up the Crown Prince of Zhou with great care. She was no worse than these so-called maids.
The next day, Mu Wantong and Xu Qingrong came together. Xu Qingrong's belly was already very big. Yao Niang hurriedly said, "Second sister-in-law, please sit down first. You are not feeling well now, so you'd better not come over."
"I can't even walk a few steps." Xu Qingrong said with a smile.
Of course she was not in a good mood, because the King of Zhou brought his concubine Wang with him on the autumn hunt. After they came back, although the King of Zhou came to see her first, she knew in her heart that the King's mind was no longer on her.
This was a very painful thing. Even if she wanted the real power to be in charge, she still had to listen to King Zhou.
她想周王裏外都要管着，是不是因為要給王氏撐腰呢。
現在就已經是如此了，若是以後，徐青容擔心的摸了摸肚子。她們徐家的女人，一直都有外面的人對她們偏見，因此嫁給周王後，家裏的人耳提面命，讓她一定要大度賢惠，故而她明面上對周王的妾室都是一碗水端平。
周王喜歡漂亮年輕妩媚的，她也知道，可她是王妃，就不能做那下三濫的手段，她有自己的尊嚴，想要有自己的名聲，不願意附屬給人。
可現實就是家中大小事情，周王除了一些小的人情往來，她這個王妃根本是什麽核心大事都參與不了，但凡有稍微大一點的事情，都要一再請示周王。
再看這位弟妹，她想她進門時日還短，根本不知道洪貴妃的厲害，看看，現在這裏就多了兩位嬷嬷，這嬷嬷們哪個不是搬弄是非的好手，等日後就有苦日子瞧着了。
她那裏的王氏，就是洪貴妃給周王的。
因此，徐青容意有所指道：“母妃把姜、趙兩位嬷嬷給了你，她們都是非常有經驗的人，你可要多聽她們的。”
瑤娘笑道：“這是自然。”
沐宛童本來有些嫉妒瑤娘，但是見她不過着家常衣衫，為人恬淡，竟覺得自己心思不正了些，等徐青容走了，她還略說了些心裏話。
“三嫂，你的肚子裏有小娃娃了嗎？”可為何這肚子一點都不大呢。
也許是她的目光太過灼灼，瑤娘笑道：“才剛剛兩個月，小娃娃還沒成人形呢。”
“那你是希望是個兒子，還是女兒呢？”沐宛童好奇。
瑤娘摸了摸肚子：“兒子女兒其實都可以的，反正這不是強求的。”即便她很想承運，承澤，但也知道終究回不去了，這是一個新的開始。
說罷，見沐宛童的模樣，她安慰道：“你放輕松，也許你一輕松，孩子也來了呢！”
沐宛童暗自點頭。
就這樣在家休息了三日，瑤娘才準備去坤寧宮請安，當然，姜趙兩位嬷嬷已經是急不可耐的想去告狀了。
雖然這倆把自己的神情藏的很好，但她們到底怎麽想的，瑤娘是一清二楚。
趙嬷嬷早已按捺不住要告狀了，懷孕了夫妻同住，還不準備女人給宸王，這兩件事情若是讓洪貴妃知道了，那就是拈酸吃醋簡直登峰造極了。
做下人的，肯定是不願意和主子鬥的，但是如果主子出事了，比如宸王夫妻過分年輕，不知輕重鬧出什麽事情來，肚子裏的孩子若是有事，到時候倒黴的還是她們。
因此，瑤娘在請安的時候，趙、姜兩位嬷嬷已經是欲言又止了。
洪貴妃是何等人，早就看出這兩位是有話要說了，她就對瑤娘道：“我讓她們炖了冰糖燕窩，你就在我這裏多飲一碗吧。”
“好。”瑤娘颔首。
她去了隔壁的次間吃燕窩，留下的趙嬷嬷和姜嬷嬷就把這幾日的事情都說了。
“旁的倒好，王妃操持家務，迎來送往十分能幹，只是咱們宸王和王妃夜夜同住一室，老奴就怕……”
洪貴妃聽了這話就急了：“你們為何不勸說？否則，我讓你們過去是做什麽的。”
姜嬷嬷和趙嬷嬷對視一眼，都不敢說話，洪貴妃也是心裏有數了。
雖說她還是很喜歡瑤娘的，畢竟也是看着她長大的，而且也是兒子心愛的人，但是不能太過縱容，否則這樣對子嗣也不利啊。
可洪貴妃也怕把瑤娘說的太狠了，萬一她肚子出問題了怎麽辦？
要知道那些妾侍生再多，也沒她肚子裏的這個重要。
瑤娘喝完燕窩羹，又聽說洪貴妃喊她過去，就連忙過來了，這個時候屋內已經沒人了，看來是要說什麽了。
“母妃，您是有事同我說嗎？”瑤娘無辜的看着洪貴妃。
洪貴妃輕咳了一聲，又覺得自己一個婆婆難以啓齒，但還是說起來：“這些日子，你有了身孕，不知道是如何過的？可有什麽不便的，只管說給我聽她。”
瑤娘搖頭：“倒是沒什麽不便的，一切都好。但總是要睡覺，成日睡不醒，那日若非是殿下，我都在睡夢中差點滾下來，睡的太熟了，我們倆都驚了一身汗。”
這話洪貴妃不知道是真是假，有可能是兒媳婦故意說給她聽，想讓她們夫妻二人同房的，因此洪貴妃就有些不太相信：“是麽？”
瑤娘點頭：“是啊，母妃。”
“你有了身孕，怎麽還和你們王爺睡在一處呢？這樣不好。”洪貴妃最後還是說出了這句話。
瑤娘臉倏地一紅，又忍不住道：“母妃，您怎麽能那樣想我們呢。我們什麽都沒做，我每日晚上睡着後，他才回來。”
這倒也是，兒子向來以權勢為主，從來不貪圖兒女私情。即便他對羅氏很不錯，但是只要忙公務，就什麽都不顧了。
可洪貴妃還是道：“好孩子，我沒有怪你。但是這宮裏有宮裏的規矩，你們現在要以子嗣為重。”
“是，您說的太對了。”瑤娘深以為然，但又站起來，頗有些難以啓齒道：“您以為我沒有這麽說嗎？您是知曉的，子嗣對于一個女子而言多麽重要，正所謂不孝有三，無後為大。可是，王爺常常讓我服侍他，正所謂出嫁從夫，我怎麽能只顧我自己，不管王爺呢？”
“咳咳，你說什麽。”洪貴妃覺得實在是駭人聽聞，這個高玄策，簡直是胡鬧。
她是覺得這羅瑤娘好歹是大家子出來的，怎麽會那麽大的膽子，原來是自己兒子要的。這個混小子，還是人嗎？
瑤娘連忙道：“母妃，此事您千萬別怪王爺，他每日操心已經是很累了，現下只是想和我同榻而眠。上次，我們倆随父皇秋狝，他差點被東胡人的箭射在身上，他身邊危機重重，只是想睡覺的時候安心些，我們倆在一處，互相覺得有個依靠。”
洪貴妃早已聽聞兒子遇險的事情，只是沒人親口告訴她是什麽情況，瑤娘就仔細說了一遍，還道：“那個時候很驚險，兒媳都準備替他擋箭了，母妃你對我這麽好，王爺更和我是夫妻，若王爺有事，比我什麽都重要。”
“不管外人怎麽說我狐媚妖嬈，怎麽不守婦道，可是我為了王爺不在意我的名聲，他都是我要守護的人。”
“所以，母妃，請您不要勸我了，所有的罪名都讓我來承擔吧。”
洪貴妃本來覺得瑤娘是不是太自私，太拈酸吃醋，但經由瑤娘說明才知曉怕是兒子因為被人暗算，加強了戒備，但各宮伺候的人是固定的，如果分散開來，容易出事，且起居也容易被人做手腳，更重要的是兒子怕是被人暗算心裏出了什麽問題，還要兒媳婦開解。
至少兒媳婦在兒子身邊的時候，他看起來很穩定。
殿外的趙嬷嬷和姜嬷嬷對視而笑，姜嬷嬷心道：“這下好了，洪貴妃到底是宸王妃的婆婆，天底下哪裏有兒媳婦不聽婆婆的話的，那是想造反。”
趙嬷嬷更是咧嘴直笑：“這宸王妃知道她們做嬷嬷的厲害了，日後必定會重重賄賂自己，這樣我就在宸王那裏有地位了。”
這兩人想的很好，沒想到瑤娘出來時，洪貴妃親自送瑤娘出來，比對真陽公主還親熱，還對她們道：“你們務必要好好服侍宸王妃，不要因為她年紀小就糊弄她，否則，我這裏是不客氣的。”
趙、姜兩位見洪貴妃語氣變了，大吃一驚。
瑤娘則對洪貴妃道：“母妃放心，兩位嬷嬷都是您身邊的人，我一定會倍加尊敬。”
至于什麽讓宸王妃夫妻分開的事情，這兩位嬷嬷等瑤娘走後，只聽洪貴妃吩咐道：“你們王妃心中自有分寸，你們就不必多事了。她做的一切都是為了王爺好，你們知道這個就好，還有，日後你們不必過來這裏告狀，若是讓王妃出什麽事了，那我就唯你們是問。”
趙、姜兩位嬷嬷面面相觑，都不知道發生了什麽事情，怎麽洪貴妃的轉變這麽大。
但她們哪裏敢多問，只是心底多了一層忌憚。
瑤娘當然也就不怕她們了，還對趙嬷嬷道：“你們年紀大了，到底不如白英她們守夜方便，不如把宜忌都教給她們，這樣也避免我夜裏有事，尋不到人。趙嬷嬷，你先教白英她們吧。”
年紀老資歷老又如何，在我的地盤就得聽我的。
一開始不拿下這些人，到時候就容易出事。
這倆嬷嬷中，趙嬷嬷性子急躁，姜嬷嬷則深不可測，她是頭一個要先拿下趙嬷嬷的。
果然趙嬷嬷只聽宸王妃同她說，立馬覺得王妃這是開始針對她了，她吓的立馬投誠，瑤娘這才笑道：“嬷嬷的心思我知道了，只是你要知道，那我就給你這個機會，你若做的好，我當然會向貴妃娘娘和宸王妃面前替你進言，還有你兒子聽說在禮部做小吏，我會讓我爹照顧一番。”
From then on, Nanny Zhao never had any other thoughts.
When Gao Xuance went in to accompany Yao Niang again, he found that no one advised him. Even when he went to see Concubine Hong, Concubine Hong told him: "Your wife treats you very well, so you should treat her even better."
Not everyone can meet someone who is willing to help you regardless of his own reputation.
Gao Xuance was confused by what he heard, but he still smiled and said, "Of course I am good to her."
How come Mother didn't care about these things at all? How did Yao Niang solve them? This made him very curious. After returning to the palace, he asked her, "Why don't the maids bother us now? Even Mother didn't tell us about it. How did you do it?"
Yao Niang's eyes turned away and she said, "I won't tell you."
But seeing Gao Xuance kept asking, she couldn't help but say, "It's just the result and the result. I said I'd rather be a foxy girl, and I want to serve you, and I want us to rely on each other."
Gao Xuance understood it immediately. For example, the princes wanted to be emperor and were clearly fighting for the throne, but he would not say that he just wanted to rule the world. Instead, he would definitely say that he was in too much pain and that he just did not want to be emperor, but for the sake of the people of the world, he had to be one.
Obviously, Yao Niang wanted him to sleep with her, but she would not say directly that she just wanted him to sleep with her. Instead, she would say that she did it for his own good. Even if everyone in the world scolded her for being a foxy woman and that what she did was wrong, it was all because she did it for him.
Why? It makes people full of all kinds of thoughts.
High, really high.
"It is true that understanding the affairs of the world is knowledge, and understanding human nature is writing." Gao Xuance held Yao Niang's hand and praised with joy.
Yao Niang pulled her hand back: "This is not a good trick. It's just that your mother loves you very much, so she is tolerant of you in everything. And that's..."
She hesitated for a moment, her cheeks stained with red frost, and then she said, "You are busy all day long. Only at night can we be together and understand each other. I, I will miss you very much too."
Gao Xuance's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said happily, "I miss you too. From now on, no matter what, I will always be yours, okay?"
His mother is not easy to fool. She seems cheerful but is actually quite scheming. However, his wife treats her as a relative with just a few words, which shows her ability to see through people's minds. Besides, the maids in the palace are really difficult to deal with. They can overwhelm you with a lot of rules. But now Maids Zhao and Jiang are respectful, so his mother no longer asks about it.
He can make things happen with a flip of his hand and control the overall situation without making a sound. No wonder Luo Zhizheng changed sides as soon as she married him. It was obviously not because of him, but because of Yao Niang. He did not believe in himself, but in his daughter.
Therefore, he made up his mind to be hers for the rest of his life.
Compared to Yao Niang solving this problem and further improving the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Xu Qingrong felt unfair again. She really noticed that Concubine Hong was partial to her. She sent all kinds of maids to her, but only sent two maids to her brother and sister-in-law.
As a daughter-in-law, she was the most filial. She went to pay respects every day, often accompanied Concubine Hong, and even deliberately gave up the so-called jealousy of the women of the Xu family and behaved very virtuous. But what did she get in return? Her mother-in-law picked someone to send over. As for her younger sister-in-law, she was pregnant and lived with her husband, but her mother-in-law didn't say a word and didn't even send a woman over.
In terms of family background, she was much stronger than Luo, not to mention that she was better than Hyun, Hye, and Hyo-shun, but now she has ended up like this? God is really blind.