When Changning woke up the next day, Suochuoluo had already returned from her boxing practice.
Since she wasn't going out, Changning was too lazy to do her makeup, so she just left her face bare and had Pinhua braid her hair into two big braids.
Changning is currently five months pregnant, and her belly is growing larger and larger, more than twice the size of other pregnant women at the same stage of pregnancy. Even Suochuoluo found it alarming.
“Girl, your belly is too big. It scares me. You should walk around more and sway a bit, so that it won’t be too difficult for you when you give birth.”
"I know, Mother. Granny Zhang watches me every day as I walk!"
"With Granny Zhang watching over you, I feel at ease."
Changning was in a good mood this morning because she slept well last night. "What should we eat today?"
"You've been talking about blood sausage all the time, so today we're having pickled cabbage and blood sausage."
"Oh my, that's wonderful!" Changning was so happy. With her mother coming, she didn't even have to think of any of the familiar Northeastern dishes; her mother had already prepared them all!
Changning ate two bowls of rice this morning while soaking in sauerkraut soup, but was stopped by Suochuoluo, who said she couldn't eat too much.
At noon, Suochuoluo personally cooked for Changning, ordering a piece of pork fat, pork kidneys, and pork entrails.
Fried Three Delicacies are the pork cracklings left over from rendering lard. They are golden and crispy, crumbling with every bite, and become more fragrant the more you chew them.
You can eat it with chili powder or salt, but in Changning, you can eat a whole plate of it on its own.
Seeing Changning eating with her eyes squinted, Suochuoluo was also very pleased.
"You've arranged these big cushions quite nicely," said Madam Suochuoluo, praising the soft cushions made by Yuxia.
"By the way, after you have a baby, you need to cover all the sharp corners of this area with cotton cloth, otherwise it will be difficult to deal with if the baby bumps or trips."
Changning nodded. Granny Zhang was a practical person, and she immediately pulled Yuxia to prepare to choose cotton cloth.
Suochuoluo was also eager to try, thinking that since winter had already arrived, she would pick out some more furs to make some clothes for Changning.
"Mother brought a lot of good things this time. Yesterday, I sent a box of medicinal herbs to the Fujin, and today I'm opening two boxes of furs to make clothes for you."
"Mother, Mother!" Changning immediately made a request: "I want a rug, the kind made of leather sewn together, that can cover the whole room. It has to be long and thick, so I can walk barefoot without socks or shoes!"
Sochoruo was a little surprised. "Your little brain is really quite clever! Okay, okay, I'll make them for you. I remember I still have quite a few fox pelts, I'll make them all for you."
Changning then made another request: "I also want a plush doll, with a fluffy exterior and thick cotton filling, and I want one shaped like a rabbit, and one shaped like a carrot."
"OK!"
After saying that, the group got to work.
The two large camphor wood chests were almost half a person's height and very wide, enough to hide four or five people.
Upon opening the box, there were many neatly stacked leather pieces inside. Changning glanced at them and estimated there were at least forty pieces. With the two boxes combined, there were nearly a hundred pieces of leather.
A servant came to report that Wanxia and Chaoxia, who served the Fujin, had arrived and brought two boxes of furs, saying that winter was approaching and that the concubine should make several more cloaks.
Changning let them in, thanked the Fujin for her kindness, and then sent them back. However, Suochuoluo held their hands and chatted with them at the door for a while.
As always, Granny Zhang had Bai Shu and herself carefully inspect everything before piling it all up in the storeroom.
"Mom, how come you can chat with everyone for a bit?"
Changning truly admired her mother's social skills. Her natural ease and friendliness were unmatched.
It's as if anyone who has met her or spent time with her can get along with her exceptionally well.
She had just arrived at Qingzhi Courtyard a few days ago, and now everyone in the entire courtyard was praising Suochuoluo, saying she was the best person in the world.
Moreover, it wasn't flattery; it came from the heart. People genuinely felt that Lady Fucha was kind-hearted, approachable, and compassionate towards those who suffered.
Even the Fujin (principal wife) developed a great fondness for her mother after only one meeting. She has already sent people over three or four times to inquire if there is anything she needs and has also sent many things that exceed the allowance for a secondary Fujin.
Sochoro rolled her eyes at her, "What do you know? Everyone has their uses."
After saying that, she ignored Changning and quickly went to sort out the leather with Granny Zhang and the others.
Changning can't stand the smell of leather anymore; she feels nauseous after smelling it for a while. Then she goes into the inner hall and starts her daily journal again.
Changning noticed that her memory was getting worse and her reactions were becoming much slower. Could this be the legendary "pregnancy makes you stupid for three years"? If so, would she, as a twin, be stupid for six years?
So she now has Fubuki make a notebook for her, and she writes down any interesting things that happen each day, just like keeping a diary.
I heard that the Emperor has a special record of these things called the Daily Record. Changning thinks it's better to record them herself, selectively noting down things she likes, so she can show them to the Fourth Prince when he returns.
Yu Xia was quick and efficient. With the help of two maids from the sewing room, she finished sewing the large carpet that Chang Ning had requested in just one or two days.
The selected furs are all brown fox fur, thick and dense. They were specially washed, dried, and aired out before being scented with jasmine to prevent Changning from feeling nauseous from the smell of the fur.
This rug was made from about ten whole fox pelts and covered the entire floor of the inner hall. It was indeed warm and soft to walk on barefoot.
Changning walked around excitedly on it; the fox fur was so long it almost covered her feet.
"Mother, Mother, you should try it too, it's so soft!" Changning happily pulled Suochuoluo Shi along and they walked barefoot together.
Yu Xia then handed over the rabbit and carrot dolls that she had made overnight.
It must be said that Yu Xia's embroidery skills are truly excellent. The rabbit doll was made from the fur of a whole rabbit, stuffed with thick cotton, and two long ears were sewn from the scraps of other rabbit fur. She also embroidered eyes, a mouth, and two large front teeth, making it lifelike and vivid.
Changning hugged it tightly, reluctant to let go. "Great! I can hug the rabbit to sleep tonight."
The carrot doll is made of cotton cloth. The orange-yellow cotton cloth is delicate and soft, and the green leaves on the carrot are sewn on with emerald green fabric, making it very lifelike.
Just as Changning was enjoying herself, Chaoxia came to deliver a message, saying that she wanted to hold a small banquet for Lady Fucha in the main courtyard in three days, inviting all the sisters in the back courtyard to have some fun and to welcome Lady Fucha back.
This time, Zhaoxia's smile was much warmer towards Suochuoluo, as if she were addressing an elder in her family. "The Lady said that you are very knowledgeable and there are still many things I would like to ask you."
Sochuro smiled kindly, "Alright, alright, you can reassure the Fujin. For the sake of the Fujin, I will definitely go!"
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