Chapter 241 Return to the Palace
Jiang Wan and Li Chengxiu stayed in Guangping Prefecture for five full days before packing up and heading back to Beijing. After another half month of slow travel, they finally arrived safely in the capital.
The first thing they did upon returning was to pay their respects to the Emperor and Empress at the palace. The young couple didn't even get out of their carriage, but instead drove their belongings straight to the palace.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, our Fourth Prince and Princess are back!"
Aunt Qing Yang received the news from her servants and happily picked up her skirt and hurried back to report to her master.
"Really? The fourth brother is back with his sister? Are they really back?"
The queen, who was reclining on the chaise longue, had become very thin. Perhaps because she was in high spirits due to the good news, she looked much healthier today than usual.
"My Lord, it's true!"
It was rare for Qing Yang to show such joy.
"Just now, the eunuch came over and said that our Fourth Prince and the Princess have gone to see the Emperor first and will be here later!"
"Hurry, Qingliu and Qingyang, both of you help me up and get ready. Qingliu, go find that golden-red palace dress. This one doesn't look good on me. That brighter one will make me look more energetic. Qingyang, put on some makeup to make me look better."
The queen spoke so many words at once that she was breathing slightly hard, and sounded weak, as if she was running out of energy.
"Don't worry, madam. I will go get some clothes and hairpins right away."
After helping the woman sit down at the dressing table, Qing Liu turned and began rummaging through the drawers. Qing Yang, on the other hand, pulled out a jade comb from her dressing box and expertly retied her hair into a neat bun. She then called for the young palace maids to bring hot water, cleaned her face, and then carefully dressed her.
There was a lot of hustle and bustle in Fengming Palace. After changing her clothes, the queen looked at herself in the mirror and asked with a little lack of confidence.
"Do you think I look okay now?"
There was some worry in her eyes.
"Am I too thin now? Will they notice something's wrong? My face seems too pale, Qingyang, please put some rouge on me to brighten my complexion."
"Master, you worry too much. You look very well now, as beautiful as you were twenty years ago."
Qing Liu has always been taciturn and not good at flattering, so after she suddenly said this, the Queen Mother would definitely believe her.
"That's good."
She sighed softly.
"The poison inflicted on me and the Emperor has been cured. If you're not feeling well, just take care of yourself. There's really no need to tell the children and cause them unnecessary worry..."
Qing Liu and Qing Yang's eyes darkened, and they nodded in response to their master's words.
"You are right."
Qing Yang replied with a faint smile while tidying up the rouge and powder on the dressing table.
"But Doctor Qiao said that you should rest more and worry less. After all, illness comes like a mountain and goes away like a thread. We should listen to the doctor's advice!"
"Aunt Qingyang is absolutely right. Mother, you must listen to Uncle Yunyue and take good care of yourself. Otherwise, I will make a scene!"
Li Chengxiu helped his wife into the main hall of Fengming Palace. He was still at the door when he heard the noise and started talking.
"Old Four is back!"
The queen stood up suddenly and felt dizzy and breathless. Qing Liu and Qing Yang, who were standing beside her, supported her in time.
"Mom, don't worry, I'm back now, right?"
Li Chengxiu rushed to my mother's side with his wife, knelt down without saying a word, hugged my mother's thighs and started howling.
"Mom, how did you become so thin? Didn't you take all the good herbs my wife brought back? Why didn't you take good care of yourself? I'm so heartbroken!"
Feeling his mother's weakness, the mother who was so strong in his memory was now so weak that she seemed like a gust of wind could blow her away. Li Chengxiu cried.
"Old Four, my son..."
The queen touched her son's head with an excited look on her face, and instantly burst into tears.
Jiang Wan rushed over and helped the queen sit down.
Then she knelt on the other side of her and looked up at the Empress in front of her, who was so different from what she remembered. Her heart skipped a beat and her eyes became wet involuntarily.
"Mother, I'm back."
"Wanjie'er..."
The queen stretched out her right hand and touched her head. Looking at the still beautiful child, she cried and laughed with satisfaction and joy.
"I'm glad you're back. I hope you two are safe and sound. Hurry, get up and let Mother see you!"
Retracting her left hand from her son's dog head, the queen grabbed her daughter-in-law's arms with both hands and tried to pull her up like before. But her hands were limp and she had no strength at all.
However, Jiang Wan was considerate enough to stand up directly, allowing the seated queen to see her bulging belly.
"It's been about four months, right? I remember you wrote back in February saying you were pregnant. Your father and I were so happy!
Everyone says that the fourth child, who is so unreliable, is going to be a father one day.
This is all thanks to you, Wanjie. Thank you so much for not only taking care of my son, but also giving me a little grandson.
Thank you, mother."
A happy smile filled the queen's eyes. She raised her left hand as if she wanted to touch it gently, but then she thought of something and instantly withdrew her hand and let it drop.
Seeing this, Jiang Wan immediately grabbed her hand and placed it on his stomach.
"It's okay if you touch me, Mom. I'm not ticklish anymore."
The queen was about to say something when she suddenly felt a slight movement under her palm, and a light of surprise flashed in her eyes.
"Wanjie, did you feel it? The child seemed to move just now!"
Jiang Wan had no experience, so she wasn't sure if it was just the fetus moving or just a twitch in her stomach. But she nodded her head sharply, echoing the Queen's words.
"Yes, mother, the child likes you as a grandma. There was no movement before, but today he greeted you for the first time when we met!"
Seeing the empress so frail after just a few months of absence, Jiang Wan felt a bit distressed, so she tried her best to make her happy by telling her nonsense. Li Chengxiu, who was still squatting by his wife's legs, also joined his wife in making fun of her.
"Oh, it's because you, as a grandmother, have such great reputation. This little brat never paid any attention to us when he was in my sister's belly.
"I came back today and saw you for the first time, and I immediately jumped. This kid is a snob. He knows who has money, so he wants to ask you for a reward!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Do you want to get beaten?"
The queen pushed her son away in annoyance, took the hand of her beautiful daughter-in-law, stared at her little grandson who was still separated from her by a layer of belly, and smiled with satisfaction.
"My little grandson is smart and filial. He knows how to be good to grandma. Why would he ask for a reward? I've already prepared it!"
The Queen's words were not empty; she was more or less aware of her own situation. She was afraid of a sudden death someday, so she had already made many arrangements.
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