Chapter 14 One concubine, two maids
Many maids stood at the entrance of the main house of Anju Garden.
They must have been having private conversations inside, and the servants had all been driven out.
As Ji Qingwu approached, Chunhua quickly came to greet her: "Fifth Miss, the First Madam said that you and the young lady can come in directly."
Chunhua knocked on the door a few times, and after a while, Qiao Shi answered, "Come in."
On the couch by the window, Mrs. Qiao sat opposite a woman with her head bowed.
Ji Qingwu, holding Qiuqiu's hand, said, "Mother."
The little girl imitated her and sweetly said, "Grandmother."
The woman raised her head, wearing a gold and jade hair crown and a purple rose silk robe, looking very imposing. However, her nose and the corners of her eyes were red, and she was the one who had been crying just now.
This person was none other than Ji Qingrong, the eldest daughter of the main branch of the family.
She has been married to Lu Juan, the heir of the Marquis of Zhongwu's household, for more than three years now.
Ji Qingrong looked at the two girls in front of her, one big and one small, who looked very similar. The little girl looked exactly like her fifth sister when she was a child. On the contrary, the fifth sister looked more like herself than the child now.
"Fifth Sister." Her voice was tinged with bitterness.
Ji Qingwu felt a sense of kinship upon seeing her elder sister, as they were born of the same mother and shared many physical similarities.
She secretly admired Ji Qingrong, who lived up to her name. Her beauty was stunning, and her features were even more striking than her own. Even though she looked a little haggard now, she was still no less beautiful than the fourth daughter of the second wife, and her demeanor was even more elegant.
She said softly, "Big sister."
Ji Qingwu turned her head and squeezed the little girl's palm: "Chirp chirp, call her Auntie."
Qiao had already told Ji Qingrong about Xiao Wu having a daughter, and at first she couldn't accept that her younger sister had already married.
But when he saw the mother and daughter, he was just as soft-hearted as Mrs. Qiao.
Although Ji Qingwu had given birth, there was no trace of the charm of a married woman in her eyes; she remained clean and clear, with a touch of naivety.
Looking at the face that resembled her mother's, Chiu Chiu tried to climb onto the bed with her short legs, but she was still too small and failed.
So, she raised her little arms, which looked like lotus roots, tilted her head back, and blinked her big eyes.
"Auntie, hug me!"
Ji Qingrong immediately exclaimed "Ouch!" and for a moment forgot her low spirits. She quickly reached out and scooped the little girl up, placing her on her lap.
Chiu Chiu leaned against her fragrant auntie, her eyes practically disappearing from her smile.
Upon seeing this, Qiao exclaimed in surprise, "Chiu Chiu, your aunt never initiates contact with others. What's wrong with her today? She's changed her personality."
"Chirp chirp, come down quickly," Ji Qingwu called out, "Come to your mother."
The little girl looked at Ji Qingrong pitifully: "Auntie, don't you like chirping?"
Seeing Qiuqiu clutching the hem of her clothes, Ji Qingrong said dryly, "Of course I like it."
Qiao Shi smiled from ear to ear: "It seems your aunt really likes you. Qingrong is very clean. Before she got married, she couldn't stand a speck of dust or a hair on her bed. She would even pout and throw a tantrum if her clothes were wrinkled."
When Ji Qingwu imagined this scene, he couldn't reconcile the noble and elegant wife of the Marquis of Zhongyong's son with the person who was being petulant and pouting, as described by Madam Qiao.
Ji Qingrong scolded, "Mother, what are you saying in front of Fifth Sister and the children?"
The group had lunch in a pleasant atmosphere. Qiao specially ordered the small kitchen to make Three Crispy Soup, Braised Bamboo Shoots, Smoked Pork, Mushroom and Shrimp Steamed Buns, and Milk Almond Shortbread for Qiuqiu.
Ji Qingrong couldn't help but laugh while eating, which made Ji Qingwu keep glancing at her.
"Big sister, what are you laughing at?" she asked, putting down her chopsticks.
Ji Qingrong covered her mouth with a handkerchief. "I was laughing at you and Qiuqiu. Don't be fooled by your similar appearance; your eating styles are completely different."
Ji Qingwu ate slowly and carefully, taking a few bites of each food, aiming to enjoy everything equally.
But the little girl just stared at her favorite food and ate with gusto, not even lifting her head. Her little mouth was stuffed full. If it weren't for the fact that Granny Li had fed her by hand yesterday, Madam Qiao would have thought that the child had gone hungry for nine meals in three days.
Seeing that Qiuqiu had a great appetite and was eating with relish, Ji Qingwu smiled and said, "She is most focused when she eats, and no one can disturb her, otherwise she will be unhappy."
Her little girl doesn't have a bad temper when she wakes up, but she does have a bad temper when she's eating. If anyone disturbs her while she's concentrating on eating, she'll definitely get angry.
Ji Qingrong said, "Where did such an obedient child come from? My second sister-in-law's son, Song, needs two maids to coax and persuade him to eat a little bit every day when he eats at the old lady's place."
As she spoke, she sighed, and the light in her eyes dimmed again.
After Qiuqiu finished eating, Chunhua led several maids to tidy up in the hall, while Granny Li took Qiuqiu out to play.
After the three people were left in the room, both Qiao Shi and Ji Qingrong looked at Ji Qingwu with expectant eyes.
As soon as Ji Qingwu entered the door, he guessed a little about it. Ji Qingrong must have suffered some grievances at the Marquis's mansion because she returned to her parents' home crying.
The eldest sister looked at Qiuqiu with such envy, for she had married into the Marquis's household but had never conceived.
Once you connect the dots, you'll understand why Ji Changlin went all the way to Southern Chu specifically to find this miracle doctor.
She offered, “Mother, I studied medicine for a few years to make a living. I noticed that my eldest sister doesn’t look well. May I take her pulse to check her health?”
These words were spoken tactfully and in a way that made people feel comfortable.
Ji Qingrong inwardly admired her fifth sister's intelligence. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing her wrist.
They're all women, so there's nothing to be shy about.
Ji Qingwu raised his hand and placed it on the surface, pressing down slightly with his fingers, and calmly examined the area for a while.
After she withdrew her hand, Madam Qiao asked anxiously, "Xiao Wu, is there something wrong with Qing Rong's health?"
"Big sister is in good health, but she has a slight deficiency of yin and excessive internal heat, so she needs to take good care of her health."
Ji Qingwu said meaningfully, "It's better to settle down early tonight so that your internal organs can have time to rest."
If you have yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, you should take care of yourself as soon as possible.
Ji Qingrong's face immediately turned bright red.
Madam Qiao understood the implication, and asked in a surprised yet serious tone, "Qingrong, does the young master stay in your room every night?"
Seeing Ji Qingrong nod, Qiao frowned. "It's been more than three years since you got married. It's important that you have a good relationship with your husband, but you still need to take care of your own body. I've told you before, don't let your husband do whatever he wants in bed."
Ji Qingrong applied a thick layer of powder to her face in order to cover the dark circles under her eyes.
She knew this perfectly well, and she said aggrievedly, "Mother, you don't know how much pressure I'm under in the Marquis's mansion. I've been married for so long and my belly hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy. My sisters-in-law are all laughing at me."
"My mother-in-law has also been dissatisfied with me for the past six months. She has already sent a concubine and two maids to the young master's side."
If she were to push the prince away at this moment… Ji Qingrong's face was filled with worry.
Ji Qingwu also frowned.
Because my older sister's health condition isn't just a matter of yin deficiency and excessive internal heat...
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