Now that she's at her fourth brother's residence, Heyue should at least go and see her fourth sister-in-law.
Although Hongchang and the others were raised in the front yard, Fourth Sister-in-law is the mistress of this mansion, and Heyue should remember Fourth Sister-in-law's kindness in a way that is both reasonable and emotional.
Since Thirteen was the younger brother-in-law, it was inconvenient for him to go over, so Heyue took the children to the main house in the backyard.
After many years, Fourth Sister-in-law was still dignified, with her smile still warm, but there were signs of aging in her eyes and brows, and the lines at the corners of her eyes were very clear.
Although Fourth Sister-in-law is now in her thirties and no longer young in this era, it still feels unbelievable to He Yue that she looks so much older.
It seems that Fourth Sister-in-law hasn't had a happy life all these years.
Heyue heard that the two princesses, Niohuru and Geng, had given birth to two sons last year, namely the fourth prince Hongli and the fifth prince Hongzhou.
This must be a heavy blow to the fourth wife, who has no children to date.
No wonder there are so many.
However, He Yue did not show it.
Even the most good-tempered woman doesn't want others to see that she's getting old.
“Over the years, the Thirteenth Prince and I have been living in seclusion in the mansion and have had no time to take care of the children. It is thanks to the Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law that Hongchang, Tongxuan and Tonghui have been taken care of.”
The claim that she was living in seclusion in the mansion was just an official statement. For the Fourth Prince's wife, who knew the inside story, it didn't need to be said; she understood.
Fourth Princess smiled gently: "We're all family. Hongchang, Tongxuan, and Tonghui should call me Fourth Aunt. There's no need for thanks. It would make us seem distant."
Looking at Heyue's increasingly radiant face, the Fourth Princess sighed, "Thirteenth Sister-in-law has remained as beautiful and virtuous as ever over the years, without the slightest change. It's clear that she and Thirteenth Brother are doing very well. Now that Thirteenth Brother has been granted the title of Beile, Thirteenth Brother and Thirteenth Sister-in-law have finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel."
With a gentle smile, she said, "It's all about being content with what you have. After living a peaceful life for a long time, it has a unique flavor, and it's another way to experience life."
"Sister-in-law is quite magnanimous." The Fourth Princess Consort's gaze fell on Heyue's bulging belly, her tone tinged with envy: "I've always known that Thirteenth Sister-in-law is a blessed woman, having given birth to two princes in a row. I suppose this one will also be a prince."
What can we tell at this point?
Heyue didn't care whether it was a boy or a girl. Now that she had a son and a daughter, she could be considered to have both a son and a daughter.
However, the fourth sister-in-law's words had a sour tone, which made Heyue quite embarrassed.
Talking about this would inevitably hurt Fourth Sister-in-law's feelings, so Heyue casually said, "I would prefer a daughter, like Tongxuan and Tonghui, who are both beautiful and lovely, and also considerate."
However, I heard that the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince are being raised by their Fourth Sister-in-law. I imagine that under her guidance, they will grow up to be two extremely intelligent and filial children.
Of course, the one who was filial was the Fourth Prince's wife, his legal mother.
Fourth Sister-in-law should be happy.
Sure enough, the Fourth Princess Consort smiled slightly: "Thank you for your kind words, sister-in-law."
Hongchang suddenly burst in from outside the door, snuggled into Heyue's arms, tugged at Heyue's sleeve with his little hand, looked up at her with a pleading expression, and said unhappily, "Mother, Hongchang is also thoughtful and smart. I don't want my sister, I want Hongchang."
He Yue smiled, her eyes crinkling.
The Fourth Princess Consort couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Hongchang looked puzzled, but his bright black eyes remained fixed on Heyue, waiting for her answer.
Heyue patted Hongchang's head and said with a smile, "Okay, Mother wants Hongchang."
Hongchang then smiled happily.
Tongxuan ran over, grabbed Heyue's other arm, and glared fiercely at Hongchang: "Your mother isn't just yours!"
"What an adorable child," the Fourth Princess sighed, her face full of envy.
A maidservant came in and announced, "Madam, Consort Nian has come to pay her respects."
Fourth Princess Consort asked in surprise, "Oh? Why is she here? Didn't she just come to pay her respects this morning?"
Nian Yuzhu? I didn't expect to see her so soon after returning to Beijing.
Heyue was quite curious about how Nian Yuzhu was doing.
We've at least known each other for a while.
However, He Yue noticed a fleeting hint of displeasure on the Fourth Princess's face before it disappeared, and calmly instructed, "Let her in."
The maidservant acknowledged and left.
He Yue pondered to herself that Nian Yuzhu had already displeased her fourth sister-in-law not long after entering the mansion.
She wasn't worried that her fourth sister-in-law would bully Nian Yuzhu, since her fourth sister-in-law always presented herself as virtuous and kind, and it was impossible for her to bully a concubine in the mansion in public.
And even if she bullies him, Heyue won't say anything.
He Yue and Nian Yuzhu knew each other, but their relationship wasn't close enough for He Yue to show concern for Nian Yuzhu's well-being in front of Fourth Sister-in-law.
Suddenly realizing that Nian Yuzhu was unaware of Heyue's true identity, Heyue briefly considered leaving, but knowing that she would inevitably run into Nian Yuzhu and be recognized, she knew that if she went out, she would be recognized.
After a moment's thought, Heyue calmed down again.
Oh well, what's meant to happen will happen, so why hide it? It only makes you look guilty.
A moment later, a young and beautiful woman dressed in a rose-colored cheongsam gracefully walked in.
It was Nian Yuzhu.
Nian Yuzhu lowered her head, stepped forward to greet the Fourth Prince's wife, and said in a soft, delicate voice, "This concubine greets the Prince's wife."
"No need for formalities. You're not well, why did you come all this way? Be careful not to tire yourself out." The Fourth Princess Consort's eyes flashed with disgust, but her words revealed concern.
Nian Yuzhu shook her head, quickly glanced at Heyue, then lowered her eyelids and replied respectfully, "I only heard that the Thirteenth Prince's wife had arrived, and remembering that I had met her once before, I came here specifically to see her."
Upon hearing her words, not only the Fourth Princess Consort but also Heyue could not hide their surprise.
From Nian Yuzhu's glance just now, He Yue knew that Nian Yuzhu already knew her identity, but when did she find out?
Fourth Prince's wife glanced at Heyue and laughed: "It seems you've mistaken me for someone else. Thirteenth Prince's wife has always been in the capital, how could she possibly have met you? But since you say so, it seems you and Thirteenth Prince's wife are truly destined to meet. It wouldn't hurt to get to know each other, what do you think, sister-in-law?"
He Yue had regained her composure and smiled faintly: "Fourth Sister-in-law is right. This is indeed my first time meeting Consort Nian. She is quite a beauty. Fourth Brother is truly blessed."
Nian Yuzhu lowered her eyes and smiled gently: "Perhaps I have mistaken you for someone else. Please don't take offense, Thirteenth Princess. However, when I saw you just now, I felt a real sense of closeness, as if we had known each other for a long time."
He Yue's eyes flickered slightly, and she sighed inwardly, "Truly, a scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation."
The innocent, gentle, and simple-minded girl had learned to hide her true feelings. She changed her attitude so quickly, going along with their words, without the slightest surprise or hesitation.
Whether harmony is a good thing or a bad thing is hard to say.
But there are still some regrets.
It's as if a beautiful, delicate flower has weathered a storm and suddenly become strong and mature, calmly facing all unexpected events.
Perhaps only in this way could Nian Yuzhu survive well in the Prince's mansion.
There's no need for Heyue to let something like this affect her mood.
Now that they meet again, they treat each other like insignificant strangers.
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